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IN-PERSON VISITS AT SCHOOLS and FESTIVALS

One of the best things about being an author is getting to meet my readers. I would love to come to your school or festival. I offer single, double or triple visits including interactive assemblies (presentations) and workshops. I bring props, photos, fun activities and most importantly inspiration. Presentations and workshops usually last an hour each and I am happy to sign books afterwards or in between sessions.

I'm very excited. I now offer drama and creative writing workshops from the education manual: Rewilding Children's Imaginations.

VIRTUAL SCHOOL VISITS

I also offer VIRTUAL school visits which I run all over the world. I have worked with children in Asia, North and South America and Europe.

CONTACT ME

If you would like to contact me to discuss your individual requirements as well as my rates, please head over to my contacts page. I can't wait to hear from you.

Presentation

The following author event is for children aged 8-13. The content varies depending on the age range.

Hooks, Goggles and Stunts

I offer an interactive and highly entertaining assembly, where I shares tips on writing exciting adventure stories, using both my Cat Burglar and Stunt Double series. I talk about inspiration, research, character and plotting. We delve into the world of spirit animals, cat burglars and thrilling stunts, and I share footage of a real stunt woman. Depending on the age of the students, there will be quizzes or drama and dressing up. Together we let our imaginations run wild.

Smaller Groups/Workshops for KS2 and KS3

If you would like a workshop approach, I can work with groups up to 30. Because of the content, I tend to focus on KS2 and KS3. My workshops can be adapted so they suit ages 8 to 13. There will be props, story telling and lots of fun.

Possible workshops include:

Deep in the woods - a workshop on creating suspense, atmosphere and tension

No, I can't transform now - a workshop on creating suspense and incorporating the senses

Cat Burglars Wanted for a Daring Heist - a workshop on plotting

But it wasn't me - a workshop on showing not telling

Choose your own adventure - a workshop on the different possible pathways of a story

Creating poetry about your Spirit Animal

If you would like to contact me to discuss your individual requirements as well as my rates, please press the button below to head over to my contacts page. I look forward to hearing from you.

Appledore Book Festival

Tamsin Cooke has just completed four days of events during the Appledore Book Festival Schools Week in North Devon. Without exception, the feedback from the schools and stewards has been excellent.

Tamsin’s days involved being taken to Primary and Secondary schools all around North Devon with a very demanding schedule - a test of anyone’s resilience - and Tamsin proved herself to be extremely adaptable, unflappable and certainly resilient.

With her role play and drama workshops she was able to engage all her classes. From Year 3 to Year 8 there was complete enthusiasm and involvement as she involved the students in her high octane Cat Burglar and Stunt Double activities. She certainly has the ability to capture interest and participation in even the most reluctant classes. But fear not, teachers - Tamsin has her own well-honed skills for restoring order and some calm thinking time.

Not only are the sessions great fun but Tamsin is also able to create an atmosphere where students are confident to contribute ideas which are then used to inform writing. Tamsin is very in tune with crafting writing and employing language effectively. Her Mission Gone Wild workshop left the children buzzing with ideas.

Finally, Tamsin is a most generous author and her one hour sessions really give a lot. I think any teacher would be delighted with her events - both to encourage reading and inspire writing. I recommend wholeheartedly.

Perhaps best summed up in the words of one Year 8 girl who told me: ‘I’ve never wanted to read one book in my life but I’m going straight to the library to get Cat Burglar’.

I later saw her doing just that.

- From Pat Glover

Teacher of English, SENCO, Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning (retired)

Coordinator for Appledore Book Festival Schools Week.

Tamsin Cooke & Notts County Foundation Club Author Day

3 lucky schools were invited to take part in our very first ‘Club Author Day’ down at the Meadow Lane Stadium on Monday 18^th July. Tamsin Cooke was our supporting Author for the day and was an amazing addition to the day. Tamsin delivered a fantastic engaging drama activity with each group, getting every student involved and thinking of creative ideas. She then even spent time to give each individual student a personalised signed copy of her book at the end of the day.

“Tamsin’s enthusiasm and passion for her work was clear to see as soon as we met. It was obvious the students absolutely loved working with her through the day, and was fascinating to see her style of delivery in person. Everyone at the Notts County Foundation would like to say a massive thank you to Tamsin for her efforts and flexibility throughout the day, without her we simply wouldn’t have been able to host such a great event!” – Alex Toplis, Notts County Foundation Sport & Inclusion Coordinator.

“We had a brilliant day yesterday, despite the heat. We felt that the day was well-organised with a variety of activities for the children, all at an age-appropriate level. The children loved meeting Tamsin Cooke and were really engaged in the drama activity that she led. They were also really excited to receive their signed copies of her book.” - Bronwen Smalley, Radford Academy, Year 5 Teacher

“Our children and staff loved the Club Author day at Notts County! They all came back absolutely buzzing and one of them has read 9 chapters of Tamsin’s book already!” - Mollie Beeden, Westglade Primary, English Lead

Yeovil Town Football Club

We booked Tamsin for 8 writing workshops as part of our Premier League Primary Stars delivery and what can we say, she was absolutely amazing! Her passion for storytelling and reading exudes from her and this has such a positive impact on the children she works and interacts with. We have had nothing but positive feedback from the schools, teachers and children who took part and we will definitely be looking to book Tamsin again! Thank you Tamsin.

- Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust

Thank you for coming to our school. We had a brilliant time and loved acting out being cat burglars, using your specialist equipment.It was fun trying to grapple up the lost ancient temple in Mexico and think about how we could steal the Golden Jaguar. We're pleased we came up with an unusual ending. The experience has made us want to write some of our own Cat Burglar stories (which we will try and share with you) and we were inspired by your work. Thank you again for sharing with us what fun it can be being an author. We look forward to seeing some more of your books soon. P.S. we love your books!

Appledore Primary School Year 5

Exeter Junior School

We were thrilled to welcome Tamsin to Exeter Junior School to help us celebrate Word Book Day 2020. Tamsin was superb – energetic, enthusiastic and engaging. The children loved the fact that she was dressed up as a cat burglar.

Throughout her workshop she made planning a story come to life, in a way which is difficult to do in a classroom setting. It was meaningful for our pupils to hear tips from a real-life author. The children were all invested in what she had to say from the very beginning of her workshop and the teachers took away lots of ideas too.

Comments from our pupils were: ‘It was REALLY good and she let the audience take part in a lot of things and sounded awesome!’

‘I really liked it because she gave me tips on writing stories. The whole workshop was exciting and interesting.’

‘All her stories were inspiring. I particularly enjoyed the ‘Stunt Double’ because it was exciting, mysterious and sinister. I am determined to read one for myself at the first available opportunity!’

We are now going to enjoy reading her books as our class readers and our pupils are keen to write letters to Tamsin after they have finished it.

- Leah Hardy, Form One Tutor, Exeter School

Tamsin was simply fabulous. Her ‘Cat Burglar’ costume and props attracted a crowd of enthused students before the school day had even begun! Pupils were hooked throughout the whole of the assembly and desperate to read her books afterwards. Even days after her visit, pupils hounded me to get some of her books for our very own book shelves in school. They even have the ‘pupil recommended’ stamp! Students were truly inspired to write their very own stories and Tamsin spent quality time stretching their imagination, creativity and confidence. The pupils did not want to stop writing, every teachers dream. I will certainly be recommending Tamsin to other local schools!

- Zoe Bagheri, Assistant Head Teacher, Star Primary School

Visiting Author Enthuses Students

Students in Years 5-8 were enthralled by their talk from author Tamsin Cooke. Tamsin focused on her novels ‘Stunt Double’ and Stunt Double: Jungle Curse’. In a fast paced, interactive presentation, Tamsin gave top tips for improving your own writing and also explained the role of a stunt double. Students had the chance to act out their own mini-film, complete with clapper board; ‘lights, camera, action!’ Even the teachers joined in the fun! Tamsin ensured that all students were involved, found time to answer a number of questions, and also signed copies of her books. This was an excellent presentation which held the interest of a very diverse group of students. I think we were all sorry when it came to an end.

Kathryn Makepeace, Head of English (Kingsley School, Bideford)

Thank you so much for coming to our school and just being so fab. You definitely have the best outfit of any of our visitors. You totally captured the children’s imaginations and interest, and they have produced some great writing inspired by your books and workshops. It’s also so lovely to see so many children (both boys and girls) loving reading your books and enthusiastically discussing them. Thank you also for being so accommodating to our reporters - you made their day!

Mrs Bujniewicz Trull, Church Of England Primary

'Tamsin led a truly wonderful assembly. She inspired the children with tales of what they could be; shared how to be accurate with ideas; took them to a world of 'good' cat burglars and fired imaginations with a potato. Amazing! We would definitely have her back.'

‘During a recent workshop, Tamsin Cooke worked enthusiastically with my class of 7-9 year olds. She was totally inspirational. Her charismatic, lively and animated personality motivated the children to produce some creative and imaginative ideas. Chatting to my class later, they were really excited and were bubbling with enthusiasm and thought that her visit was great. They also love her book!’

Norton Sub Hamdon Primary School

Tamsin Cooke visited us at Dawlish College on World Book Day. She succeeded in engaging the whole of year 7 and 8 students in an amazing interactive assembly. Not only did the students let their imaginations run wild but some also used props to bring stories to life. All the students had a chance to contribute their ideas and the assembly had a real buzz about it, with students leaving discussing stories they'd like to write. A fantastic way to engage this age range and encourage them to explore the world of fiction.

After break a smaller of group of 30 students, a mix of year 7 and 8 students, took part in one of Tamsin's workshops. She really bought the art of storytelling alive, encouraging them to think about how they set a scene, create tension / atmosphere. There was much chattering, laughing and writing and indeed the students were so keen for the session not to end they chose to stay on after the lesson had finished.

For an author to have such a positive effect upon this age group was amazing and we are hoping to have Tamsin back again for another time, once these year 7 and 8's have moved up the school. Thank you Tamsin so much for such an inspiring half day!

Tanya Meredith, School Librarian, Dawlish College

In 2017 Tamsin won Stockton Children’s Book of the Year with The Scarlet Files: Cat Burglar and since then we haven’t stopped inviting her back to visit us!

Tamsin’s sessions are engaging, interactive and very creative as she provides opportunities throughout for the children to be involved. This includes the children working together to develop their own stories that can then be acted out. The sessions are accessible for all children in a class, assembly setting or a public event through a mixture of presentation styles and interaction throughout. It is an entertaining and informative session that will leave children wanting to read and create their own stories.

Stockton Libraries would highly recommend Tamsin, as we feel that her books are fantastic for an 8 to 13 age group and the children agreed as they voted for her book to win in 2017! Tamsin also delivers a session that includes being in a costume and lots of items for the children to try on and experience as well which really brings it to life for them. Tamsin last visited us in July 2018 and I am sure we will be inviting her back again soon.

Lucy Carlton-Walker, Librarian (Stockton-On-Tees)

I was very lucky and got a chance to visit the school where I used to work. The children were amazing and wrote some fantastic testimonials after my event.

'Go and book her! She will make everyone laugh and smile.'

'She is very fun and entertaining. We all loved the presentation she did; it was so exciting she even had children up out of their seats performing.'

'I 100% recommend booking Tamsin Cooke for an author visit. She was so entertaining and never got boring. You'll be amazed about how inspiring she is.'

'Let her inspire you to follow your dreams.'

William Barnes Primary School

We invited Tamsin to deliver an assembly to KS3 as well as three workshops for year 7 & 8 students. Tamsin was fantastic. In the assembly, she engaged all students with her enthusiastic engaging approach sharing her journey, inspiration for her novels and wonderful tales of bungling burglars. The workshops were interactive and motivated and enthused all students. They were buzzing with creative ideas and were full of praise:

“Tamsin is a lovely author and it was amazing to meet her” – Jess Flack, year 7
“A wonderful experience with a very inspirational author” – Scarlett Spiller, year 7
“A very interesting talk. She’s a very friendly author and I can’t wait to read her book” – Charlotte Collier, year 7

We would definitely recommend a visit from Tamsin as she is enthusiastic, engaging and inspiring.

Cullompton College

We had Tamsin in to do an assembly and then workshops with our whole school and they loved every second! Tamsin arrived in full "cat burglar" costume complete with grappling hook and immediately the children were hooked!! She appealed to every age group, engaging all in her mini play involving children of all ages and then went onto working with the KS2 children in a wonderful workshop. The children have produced some great writing that seemed to have natural flow based on the skills she taught them. Highly recommended!

Powerstock Primary School

Schools and Festivals

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