Thursday October 17th 2024
Dear Diary,
The sun shone this morning, but not as much as each of the pupils at Berkhampstead School — or ‘Berky’, as it’s fondly known. And what a warm welcome I received! It was lovely to have a bit of time to chat with the headteacher before my assembly began, and to continue that chat later on. In fact, despite it being a very busy day with the school photographer in, all of the staff gave me so much of their time, and got so involved in each of the workshops. (I hope, unlike me, they’re not all ridiculously achy after spending so much time on the hall floor in amongst the pupils throughout the day!) And didn’t the pupils look fantastic in their full uniforms, including blazers?!? But they didn’t just LOOK great. They were so beautifully behaved and silent whilst I read an excerpt from my book during the assembly that I was worried they’d all lost their voices. (They hadn’t. But I had by the end of the day!!!) The school hall is rather tiny for such a big building, but it actually made the workshops feel more personal. With smaller groups today, it was lovely to be able to spend one-on-one time with so many of the children. I must start taking more certificates with me from now on, though. I ran out of Aspiring Author ones today. The pupils were so imaginative with their characters and stories… and so artistic when it came to illustrating their book covers. And it was wonderful to hear that Jasper, Charlie, and Angus (who collaborated on a story revolving around a sad clown, a child who had a pet dinosaur, and a time-travelling librarian) planned to continue working on their masterpiece at break time. Michelle, Ian, and all the staff helped make today so enjoyable (and that includes the time I spent with them all in the staffroom). Every single pupil put so much effort into everything — I hope they’ll show me any further work they do by getting in touch via the website. Kirsten really helped spread the word about my visit, and was fantastic in assisting with photos today. And Jacqui was my saviour at the end of the day when the parents began to arrive. Michelle, too! I don’t know what I’d have done if they hadn’t both come to my rescue!!! I can’t wait to return next autumn with WARNING: May Contain Dragons. It truly was another day I’ll never forget, and Berky’s nurturing and inclusive ethos shone through!
