Thursday November 14th 2024
Dear Diary,
What an exciting day I’ve just had at Tewkesbury Primary! At the end of today’s visit, it was an absolute honour and a privilege to officially re-open their library. (It sadly flooded in September, and the staff have been working tirelessly ever since to get it back up and running). But let’s rewind a bit, to the start of the day… Tewkesbury Primary’s pupils filed into this morning’s assembly singing at the tops of their voices, like a choir of angels! It was such a joy to behold. And the children’s angelic behaviour didn’t stop there. They were all impeccably behaved throughout the whole day, and were a true credit to their parents and the staff. Year 6 were first on my list for workshops — one class straight after the other — and it was lovely to witness how excited they all were to have an author in their midst. Not only did they come up with some wonderful characters and stories, but they also had some new and intriguing questions for me that they’d been dreaming up in preparation for my visit. After a very tough decision, more certificates than I’d planned to hand out were awarded. I especially loved Naomi’s story about a girl who had seen fairies at the bottom of her garden and Nancy’s story about a vampire. But there were so many utterly brilliant ones to choose from! The afternoon kicked off with a workshop for Year 4. Once again, the children produced some marvellous work. But I think we all agreed that Dawson’s poem about an invisible auntie was the best by far, and hilarious. I finished the day with a workshop for Year 5. This session was slightly shorter than the previous ones, and I had to keep popping between two classrooms. So, I sadly didn’t get to spend as much time with each pupil as I’d have liked to. But I still got to witness some great ideas being put down on paper. Josselin’s story about a headteacher who was hiding a secret and Rewan’s story about an adorable monster really stood out. But suffice it to say that every single pupil at Tewkesbury Primary deserved a certificate today — not only for the brilliant work they produced, but also for their exceptional attitudes throughout the day. This visit was effortless thanks to the beautiful behaviour and manners of all the children at Tewkesbury Primary. Sasha and all the staff were wonderful, and it truly was an unforgettable day. (Never in a million years did I ever think I’d get to officially open something! It was so kind of them to think of bestowing such a privilege on me.) The pupils at Tewkesbury Primary clearly do work together, and will shine forever! And the good news is that I’ll hopefully be seeing them again before this academic year comes to an end… when I return in the summer term with WARNING: May Contain Dragons.
