The Storywalks ‘engine’, driven by designer and storyteller Chris Jelley and Literacy Lead Claire Vowell, is in Hayesdown First School, Frome for  January and February 2015. In the first two sessions, Hedgehogs Yr 2 class have already experienced storytelling, outdoor questing, story-boarding and word harvesting. As part of reporting to our project funders, Jo from Break 3 is observing as many of the six sessions as possible, to assess the impact on young learners who include a whole range of different abilities and needs including English as a second language, and a variety of special educational needs.

It is a rare privilege to sit and observe a creative intervention over a span of time like this. Not only to get to know the character and diversity of a class, and the impact of something ‘new’ coming in, but also to see the quality of teaching already in the classroom.

A definite, observable positive of the project is that it is both high tech (Ipads and digital story-building) and low-tech (multi-sensory and practical; both outdoors and in the classroom). Also that it is about group work and sharing, not one pupil, one screen.

Break 3, with the help of Yr 2 teacher Kate Turner, will be monitoring the project closely over the six weeks through observation, data collection and a selection of individual case studies.

Storywalks in Frome is supported by Shine and Rook Lane Art Trusts, with funding from Esmee Fairbairn, and Garfield Weston Foundations, and the Ernest Cook Trust.