Write Here Write Now

Developing literacy skills, confidence and imagination

A group of children holding their certificates upon completion of a Creative Learning Programme.

Write Here Write Now supports children aged 7–9 (Years 3 and 4) who are struggling with literacy to build confidence, strengthen self-esteem, and spark their imagination, helping them reach their full potential. Through creative, engaging approaches, we work alongside schools to develop participants’ literacy, language, and creative writing skills. Thanks to the support of generous funders, the programme is offered free of charge to both children and schools.

In the first year, Polka practitioners work alongside teachers to establish the needs of each group to deliver a tailor-made programme of workshops throughout the Spring and Summer terms with ten Year 3 children in each school. We also deliver full class workshops as part of ongoing teacher CPD. In the second year of the project, we map the progress of the children with further in-school workshops.

 

Eligibility

Write Here Write Now is open to state and special schools who meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • Have more than 30% of their students who are eligible for Pupil Premium Grant (PPG)
  • Have more than 40% of pupils for whom English is an additional language
  • Have a large number of children who have refugee status
  • Are a special school, or a SEN/ARP unit within a mainstream school, who face financial barriers to accessing creative arts opportunities
  • Find it difficult to give their students opportunities to experience the creative arts
How to apply
Applications for the 26-27 academic year are now open
To apply, please fill out the application form below.
Apply here

Read more about Write Here Write Now

    • Increase creative confidence
    • Develop vocabulary and comprehension
    • Stimulate creativity and imagination
    • Promote creative collaboration
    • Encourage children to reflect creatively on their own experiences
    • Encourage children to express ideas and opinions in their writing
    • Inspire children to create their own stories
    • Promote pleasure in reading and motivation to read
    • Support teachers to use creative and practical approaches to enhance their literacy curriculum.
    • £7,250 worth of FREE creative literacy support for your pupils and teachers
    • 20 Creative workshops for selected Year 3 pupils throughout the Spring and Summer terms (including scrapbooks and printed resources for each participant)
    • Three Creative workshops for ALL Year 3 pupils
    • A CPD training programme for all Year 3 teachers. One will be held at Polka and three will be held in school venues
    • A celebration event at Polka Theatre in July for participating pupils, their Year 3 classmates and parents and carers
    • Two follow up workshops for participants as they move through Year 4 in the second year of the project
    • Free tickets for a Polka Theatre show for all Year 4 children during the second year of the project
    • The Write Here, Write Now scheme of work and other online resources.
    • 90% of children were more creative and imaginative with their ideas
    • 93% of children showed improvements in their ability to communicate their ideas
    • 88% of children showed increased confidence
    • 85% showed improved ability to structure a story or piece of written work
    • 88% increased their class participation, volunteering ideas more often, inputting in discussions and putting up their hand to answer questions.

     

    2024/25 project figures

“The Polka practitioner was very experienced and delivered their sessions in a way that was child friendly, engaging and filled with excellent practical ideas that I will be able to use in my future sessions to support creative writing.”

Sherwood Primary School

A group of primary school children crouched down on the floor, drawing on sketchpads.
“As an English subject lead, I thought the WHWN project provided valuable CPD for the teachers who were inspired to introduce the activities in their lessons. They became more confident in using drama, which meant a positive impact for the whole class.”

Malmsbury Primary School

“Most of the children selected were underachieving for a variety of issues, not least social and emotional and lower confidence and self-esteem. Their involvement in the Write Here Write Now project has impacted this and they are all more confident…The children were free from the pressure to write that the curriculum often places on them and, as a result, their writing improved. Thanks so much for the opportunity!”

Kings Oak Primary School

A couple of adult performers on stage rehearsing. The man on the left is wearing a rainbow spiked wig. The lady on the right is wearing a train driver's hat.

With thanks to our Write Here Write Now supporters:

Sabine Elkington | The Brann Family | The Garek Trust | Rowan Bentall Charitable Trust | With support from Walker Books, Scholastic, Methuen Drama and Macmillan Children’s Books.

 

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