Thursday 26th September 2024
9.30 – 3.30 and ONLINE
@Buckfast Abbey
We run festivals and gala events to showcase story-led, creative teaching as the driver to incredible outcomes. Escaping into story, our events provide the catalyst for teachers and leaders to embrace a creative world of words, music and drama.
Story-led, ideas festival jam-packed with creative ways to help you teach
1All teachers of KS1, 2 and 3. Inspiring story-led creativity in the classroom
2Helen Prince, Rebecca Underwood, Hywel Roberts, Olivia Bartlett
3
Buckfast Abbey
Thursday 26th September 2024
Teacher – Writer – Storyteller – Humourist
Hywel has been a teacher for over thirty years. Hywel is as at home in front of hundreds of Headteachers on the conference circuit as he is when working with EAL children on the carpets of their classrooms. Hywel contributes to the national conversation around education at school and university level. He is an experienced teacher in Special, Primary and Secondary settings, nationally and internationally. He is also a well- respected author and contributes regularly to a variety of publications.
Hywel contributed to BBC Bitesize acting as a content provider and script doctor during the Pandemic in 2020.
Major publications include his award-winning book ‘Oops! Getting Children to Learn Accidentally’, ‘Uncharted Territories’ (written with Dr Debra Kidd) and, most recently, ‘Botheredness’. He has also contributed fiction to a prison-based literacy reading programme developed by The Shannon Trust. Hywel is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Fellow of the Charted College of Teaching.
Hywel part owns a commercial cask ale brewery with some pals, but that’s another story.
He was recently described as ‘..a world leader in enthusiasm’.
Founder - Mrs Underwood
Rebecca Underwood is an experienced educator with a 24-year journey in the field of teaching and education. Throughout her career, she has been a dedicated teacher across all of the Primray phase, including EYFS. Her passion for early childhood education has been a driving force in her work.
Rebecca has taken on various leadership roles across schools in the south west including Assistant Head, Co-Head of School and Lead Associate across a MAT with a focus on CPD. She is now thoroughly enjoying her role as the School Improvement Lead for Teacher Development at Avanti Schools Trust and helped to create The Avanti Institute. Avanti Institute Beyond her professional roles, Rebecca is an enthusiastic advocate for educational development through her online presence. She actively engages with the educational community through her website at Mrs Underwood and her Facebook page Facebook.
Founder, Author, Educationalist, Speaker
Drawing upon over two decades dedicated to improving education, Helen is a pioneering force in shaping English, drama, and oracy development, with a diverse portfolio spanning roles as an Ofsted Inspector, Headteacher, advisor, author, and speaker.
Author of the ‘Boost Your Vocabulary Series’, she is also the key contributing author in the latest Oxford University report ‘How Schools are Closing the Word Gap’. To date, Helen has worked with over 300 school leadership teams, trusts and charities - across the UK and beyond - enhancing vocabulary teaching and oracy provision. Her influence extends through her role as the host of the 'Word-Up' podcast series for Oxford Education, where she engages in thought-provoking discussions with educators, authors, and actors, about the word gap, oracy, and inspiring awe and wonder in the classroom.
Fuelled by her passion to address the impact of a limited vocabulary, Helen co-founded 'ChatterStars,' to help schools and families boost vocabulary. Helen continues to be a passionate advocate of storytelling and creativity in education, championing the power of words and eloquence to shape brighter futures for the next generation.
Buckfast Abbey Conference Centre is the perfect place to host an inspirational conference! Newly refurbished, the conference rooms make the most of the stunning views over the River Dart, the Abbey Church and our extensive grounds.
Introducing the ultimate event for passionate educators!
Unlock the gateway to captivating classrooms at our very first ‘Once Upon a Time’ festival! We believe in the incredible power of stories and words to transform learning and teaching.
Join us on a journey to ignite creativity and curiosity in your students! Our curated collection of story-led teaching methods is designed to empower YOU, the educators, to create magic within your classrooms and beyond.
Dive into an immersive world where education meets imagination! Discover innovative tools and techniques to infuse every lesson with the enchantment of storytelling.
Let’s ignite the spark of teaching together! Embrace the art of storytelling to inspire and empower the next generation. Join us and be part of the movement reshaping education through the magic of stories! 
Buckfast Abbey, Buckfastleigh, Devon, TQ11 0EE
