Writing and performing poetry took Andy from open mic nights, to booked gigs, to festival slots, and slam wins, to bookings abroad, British Council trips and commissions to write new work. The largest part of Andy’s creative training is now reading both fiction and creative writing theory.

Andy has been delivering workshops in schools since 2008 and thoroughly enjoys it!

“Part of the joy of working in schools is that every day, even after having taught 20,000 young people, somebody writes something that surprises me. Young people are generally better lateral thinkers than adults, so it can be because the idea or image is unexpected or surprising, but it can also be because the writing is honest and brave, or because it is beautifully phrased.”

More than technical expertise, Andy’s job is about enabling young people to take risks in their writing and performance by diminishing self consciousness and embarrassment. Andy encourages young people grow in confidence and own their creativity. Nothing comes out right first time, and Andy is happy to show how his first drafts of work prove this. But through discussion and facing difficulties, powerful poetry can emerge even from the most reluctant of learners.

Andy believes art and creativity is vital to human well-being. Countless studies show it, and Andy himself feels happiest when he has been making something. “It’s a chance for people to play, to question, to put forward a personal point of view. With seemingly less and less freedom in teaching and with less focus on the arts and more on business and enterprise, it’s imperative that artists go into schools.”  In Andy’s eyes, young people get to see that, whether it is poetry, painting or music, an art can be learnt and practiced; it is not some form of magic performed by art-creatures, but a learnable craft done by people like them.

To see more about Andy’s work, please visit his website: andypoetry.com

Working with Leeds College of Art, this session will help build your own confidence to pick up a pencil and get your ideas onto paper in a visual way.

For further information, please see the illustration-for-learning-flyer or to book, please visit Leeds for Learning.

This will be a practical day and delegates will learn a number of drama strategies to support their pupils across the curriculum.   For further information, including how to book, please see the Drama for Thought, Talk and Writing CPD Flyer

Sketchbooks – Due to popular demand we are running another ‘Sketchbooks in School’ session, helping demystify the use of sketchbooks! For more info please see the Sketchbooks in School Flyer (PDF)

Storytelling through Drama for KS1 – a practical, creative drama session aimed at KS1 teachers using traditional fairy tales as a stimulus. For more info please see the Storytelling through Drama for KS1 Flyer (PDF)

Britain: Right and Wrong  – This practical, cross curricular half day training session will look at how aspects of ‘Promoting British Values’ can be brought to life and developed through the medium of poetry. For more info please see the Britain: Right & Wrong Flyer (PDF)

Getting Started with Project-Based Learning – This practical day will take senior leaders and teachers through the key stages of planning and managing pupil led projects. For more info please see the Project Based Learning Flyer (PDF)

Drama for Thought, Talk and Writing – This practical training day will provide teachers with a powerful toolbox, from which to design lessons for children, as thinkers, talkers and writers. For more info please see the Drama for Thought, Talk and Writing Flyer (PDF)

With a rapidly changing demographic in Leeds, how can you make the most of this rich and exciting starting point for writing and discussion?

Katy Massey, founder of the Tangled Roots website and book, will take you through an interesting and relevant session exploring how life writing can be a powerful catalyst for teaching and learning.  For further information please visit the Leeds for Learning website