Storyteller teachers school kids about pint-sized heroes

By Swindon Link - 24 January 2019

EducationPrimaryBusiness
  • Tadpole pupils enjoy their storytelling session with Dr Nicola Grove

    Tadpole pupils enjoy their storytelling session with Dr Nicola Grove

Ahead of National Storytelling Week (26 January to February), local housebuilder David Williams Homes treated Tadpole students to a lesson with a difference.

National Storytelling Week takes place every year and champions the art of telling stories aloud. To celebrate, David Wilson Homes sent a professional storyteller into Tadpole Farm CE Primary Academy on Tuesday.

As the children have been studying superheroes, Dr Nicola Grove told the children stories of heroes who don't have superpowers, but who are brave and adventurous despite their small size. They learned about Issunboshi, the Japanese Tom Thumb, and Mollie Whuppie, the girl hero who gets the better of giants. Nicola’s interactive session had the children viewing a Kamishibai, a traditional way of telling stories from Japan, and joining in the stories with actions and sounds.

Nicola said: “It was a pleasure to work with the pupils at Tadpole CE Primary Academy, who were so engaged and a credit to their teachers. I hope the lively storytelling inspires them to read aloud even more and share the magic of storytelling with their families.”

Tadpole headteacher, Jane Leo, added: “Our children learn through an enquiry-based curriculum, which is all about them getting involved and leading their own learning.

"Nicola's visit inspired them to creatively tell their own stories. The children had such a brilliant time and we're very grateful to Nicola and David Wilson Homes for the exciting storytelling session.”

The storytelling was made possible as part of David Wilson Homes’ commitment to supporting the communities it works in. The five-star housebuilder has lent a hand to several local projects as it works on its Larks Rise development at Tadpole Garden Village in Swindon. Among the initiatives have been donating bird boxes to local schools, funding community events and providing schoolchildren with hi vis vests to keep them safe in the winter months.

David Wilson Homes’ sales director Louise Ware said: “Larks Rise really has been a passion project for us and we’ve been thrilled to get so involved in the community here in Swindon while working on it.

“It was our pleasure to help Tadpole Farm CE Primary Academy celebrate National Storytelling Week.”

To find out more about David Wilson Homes and Larks Rise visit www.dwh.co.uk

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