Performances
Most of John's work tends to be with children from Years 1 - 6, but when time allows he also works with older pupils.
Unlike most other visitors to schools he is also happy to tell stories to Reception age children, but would suggest that they have a shorter session on their own at the start of the day, when they're at their most alert.
A visit from John is usually for a full day which will consist of 3, 4 or 5 storytelling sessions and a book signing. Performances last between 40 and 90 minutes, depending on the timetable for the day, the ages and number of the children involved, and so on.
If you have a particular theme or topic in mind don't worry - he's probably got suitable stories in his repertoire already, and if not he can find or develop them just for you if he`s given enough notice.
He also has a series of programmes already prepared for the different Key Stages which you can see if you click on the links to the right.
Alternatively, you can leave it up to John. When he arrives he gets a feel for the school and the pupils and decides which stories he thinks they`d most like to hear.
(The stories are all in his head so he always arrives prepared!)
The maximum audience sizes are strictly no more than 50 for reception classes, preferably no more than 90 for KS1 and 2 and no more than 50 for KS3. This is because John works very hard at establishing - and then maintaining - eye contact with every member of the audience so that they feel totally involved, and above these numbers that gets more difficult and the whole experience becomes less personal and more theatrical. (Please note that John doesn`t work with children younger than Reception Class age.)
There are no technical requirements - all he needs is something to sit on so everyone can see him, and an audience.
We have to insist, however, that the performances take place in a quiet space where there are no disruptions, distractions or through-traffic. We also ask that if you want to take photographs please do so at the beginning and the end of the sessions when John is talking to the children but NOT during the stories themselves.