Friday May 22nd 2026

Hosting a FREE whole-day school visit on the last day of term in the sweltering heat may sound like a recipe for disaster… but the pupils at Northleaze Primary couldn’t have been a more receptive audience today! Hot weather is supposed to make people grumpy, yet it seemed to light up the faces of all the pupils at this school.

I hadn’t been to Northleaze before, but I hope to return at some point, as my time there flew by far too quickly. From Reception right the way through to Year 6, everyone (including the teachers) got so involved during both my assembly and the workshops that followed, making everything so easy throughout the day.

The pupils were incredibly polite and happy. They produced some fantastic creative writing which they were eager to share with their peers by reading aloud. And as well as many budding authors, there were also some super illustrators among them, wowing me with their imaginative book cover designs!

If awarding certificates was a tricky task, then deciding who to award my dragon prize to was almost impossible – with so many contenders. But I shan’t spoil the surprise by announcing the winner here, as I know the plan was for an announcement to be made during an upcoming assembly!

Huge thanks to all at Northleaze Primary for an utterly wonderful visit! You were the perfect tonic on what turned out to be a VERY hot day to be dressed in an all-black ensemble!!!