Best Practice

Once upon a time… Story-telling leaders

Senior leadership
The power of story-telling and the amazing impact it can have on pupils cannot be denied, but how can school leaders create the right atmosphere as part of a regular assembly session or during events like Book Week? Suzanne O’Connell advises
Image: Adobe Stock

All eyes are on you and there is a minimum level of supervision needed. The children are transfixed as you share with them the mistakes of the old lady in the vinegar bottle and the antics of Anansi. You blow out your candle and bring the story to a close – and for a few seconds the children stay in the world you have introduced them to.

This isn’t about reading a story from a book. Reading from a book is, of course, a very important way of sharing a story, but the presence of the book sometimes puts a barrier between you and your audience. 

Register now, read forever

Thank you for visiting Headteacher Update and reading some of our content for professionals in primary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.

What's included:

  • Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcasts

  • New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here