Oxfordshire pupils have a tale of a time for World Storytelling Day
For World Storytelling Day (Thursday, March 20), pupils at Dashwood Banbury Academy were treated to a storytelling event organised by David Wilson Homes.
The school is located near the housebuilder’s development The Pavilions in Banbury, and the tale-telling event is another part of the homebuilder’s outreach to the local community.
Experienced storyteller Mark Fraser took 59 Key Stage One pupils on a journey beyond the pages through various tales to help promote the joy of reading and engaging with storytelling
Annelise Gooch, Vice Principal at Dashwood Banbury Academy, said: “Mark, a wonderful storyteller, captivated the imaginations of 59 of our Year 2 pupils who were delighted to have the opportunity to use their creativity and were inspired to write their own stories.
“We thank David Wilson Homes for the fantastic opportunity - our pupils (and staff!) really enjoyed the sessions. One teacher said that she was as engrossed in the session as the children! We thoroughly enjoyed it; it was a totally new experience for our pupils!”
Mark Fraser added: “It was a great privilege to be able to share these wonderful stories with the pupils at Dashwood Banbury Academy. It always amazes me that children will engage, create and be enraptured by storytelling, and it’s wonderful to see large corporate businesses supporting and encouraging such creativity."
During the session, the children experienced first-hand how oral storytelling has allowed stories to survive and evolve over thousands of years, and across continents.
Helen Lewis, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes Mercia, said: “It was a pleasure to arrange the storytelling session for the pupils from Dashwood Banbury Academy and we’re pleased to hear how Mark’s stories really enchanted the children.
“Events such as these give us the opportunity to make a difference in the communities in which we build and encourage skills such as reading, writing, listening and creativity amongst local children.”
More information about Mark Fraser’s work can be found at his website.
For more information on any developments in the county, visit the David Wilson website.