School Workshops

Celebrations in Rhyme: Christmas

Creating and performing a whole-school Seasonal Poem in just a single day!

From Jingle Bells to White Christmas, from Silent Night to The Night Before Christmas, the winter season has inspired some of the most loved and best remembered verses of all time. So what better time of year to write and perform (with actions!) your own whole-school poem?

Introduction

A starting assembly will see a member of our team sharing their love of both poetry and the season of short days and long nights – and issuing the overall challenge. Working as a year group at a time, pupils will come to realise the power of “choice” in poetry writing, as they take part in our creatively collaborative workshops – with KS2 children benefiting from our unique “RunAround” methodology as they select the themes and content, building up the lines as they go, and EYFS/KS1 pupils using a drama-based game to create a “growing” chorus.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without gifts, though – so by the end of the day the gift you’ll give to yourselves will be a wonderfully crafted, seasonal poem, getting its very first performance at a second, celebratory assembly to end the day!

Contact Us

Year Groups	EYFS- KS2 – KS4 P1 – P7 Junior Infants – 6th Class
Curriculum	Poetry, Christmas
Duration	40-minute – 1-hour sessions
Space	School Hall

Workshop FAQs

How many pupils can take part?

Celebrations in Rhyme: Christmas can accommodate up-to 420 pupils over the course of the day.

What is the format of the day?

The day starts with a whole-school assembly where pupils will meet learn the ‘chorus’ of the poem. We will work with you to plan a timetable for the workshops, to suit your the number of classes you would like to include – and around the specific timings of your school day. A typical timetable looks like this:

09.00 – 09.20: Whole-school assembly, to introduce the day…

09.20 – 9.55: Year 1 stay in the hall for their workshop …

9.55 – 10.30: Year 2 come to the hall for their workshop …

10.30 – 11.05: Year 3 come to the hall for their workshop …

11.05 – 11.30: One Reception class have a visit, in their own setting …

11.30 – 11.55: The other Reception class have a visit, in their own setting …

LUNCH

1.00 – 1.40: Year 4 come to the hall for their workshop …

1.40 – 2.20: Year 5 come to the hall for their workshop …

2.20 – 3.00: Year 6 come to the hall for their workshop.

3.00 – 3.15: Closing assembly where the finished poem is shared.

Are there any technical requirements?

Your visitor will need access to a laptop/ screen/projector so that pupils can view the supporting PowerPoint

Where do the workshops take place?

These are active workshops and benefit from a large open space such as the school hall. Where only 30 children at a time take part in the workshops, a classroom with desks and chairs stowed away as far as possible is fine.

Workshop Testimonials

“Y4 had a super poetry and drama workshop earlier this week with Jo. They shared what they knew about figurative language, did some choral performance and created a Christmas clerihew poem. Perhaps the favourite activity was the human sculpture game though.”

Hunts Cross Primary

“The children used their imaginations and creativity to create the poem. The sessions helped the children learn about how to create their own poem and it promoted the children’s vocabulary. All children were able to access the sessions, they were very inclusive … and they really enjoyed performing their whole school poem in assembly at the end of the day.”

Holy Cross Catholic Primary School

“Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 have had a wonderful poetry day where we have created our own verses with actions that we will combine to make one amazing collaborative poem. We have actions for Christmas trees, snowmen, excitement and flaming Christmas puddings!”

St Wilfrids Primary

“The children thoroughly enjoyed their day and particularly loved performing at the beginning and end with the whole school. The students gained further understanding of how to use their ideas to write poetry, as well as a look at performing poetry. Some staff were surprised by how some more reluctant readers and writers in class were engaged with the poetry. It was great to be able to involve the whole school in a workshop day all the way from EYFS and bring the children together to work collaboratively.”

Northway Primary