The WOW factor- stunning starters and fantastic finishes for school topics.
WishWorks have been delivering high quality educational shows, workshops and storytelling sessions since 1999. We are passionate about working in education and believe puppetry to be an excellent way of communicating complex issues and dry facts in a captivating, engaging, and pleasurable way
Our puppets are friendly and non-threatening and children can relate to them and their behaviour without distancing themselves emotionally from the characters.
Shows are all two handed, apart from story-telling, and performers have enhanced DBS checks. We bring sets and props in a small van and will need at least an hour to set up. We prefer to perform in the school hall or similar large communal space, and are experienced in working around assembly/ dinner staff/ other hall use.
The shows are all theatre quality and we are happy to perform for a single class or to up to 300 students, Goldifox being particularly suitable for large audiences.
Goldifox runs at 50 minutes, the other shows are all 30 minutes long. More than one show can be performed consecutively (with 15minute - 1 hour change over period (depending on the shows chosen)
Feeback from Literacy shows and workshops
“The workshop was fantastic. It was lovely to see how the children’s ideas were turned so quickly into visual aids and pictures for them to develop the plot. The workshop supports Talk for Writing work by helping children learn how to build the shape of a story and really improve their speaking and listening skills. It was pacy and engaging – just what children need to maintain interest and attention. The dressing up was great!” Year 4 teacher, Our Lady of Lourdes
“Thanks on behalf of both the children and staff. I was very pleased with the day and very impressed by the organisation and ease with which the day was structured and delivered. In particular, staff enjoyed the way in which you were able to create work that was wholly that of the children, achieved on a whole class basis” Bewbush Community Primary School, West Sussex
“It was a great show- visually stimulating with fantastic puppets- and the live show was a great starting point for literacy work. The workshop offered a chance to work with speaking and listening, sequencing events and retelling. We loved it! Thankyou so much for coming to visit us!” Year 1 teacher, St Luke’s Primary, Brighton
“My year 6 children were so excited by the story that they asked to write it down as soon as we got back to the classroom – that’s the first time that I can remember them actually ASKING to write anything!” Year 6 teacher, Whitehawk Primary, Brighton 2009
“I liked the way you used shadow puppets to combine simultaneous oral and visual learning – they were really effective and fun! Afterwards the children were eager to go and draw pictures and make a “storyboard” of our story. Some even went straight for the lined paper to write it down. They were retelling the story to their parents at home and still referring to their invented characters several days later” Year 2 teacher, Our Lady of Lourdes School, Rottingdean
“The children loved it and were bursting with ideas for the story” Year 2 teacher, Our lady of Lourdes
“Excellent! Engaging throughout the whole process. You maintained interest and involvement of everyone in the class” Year 4, Our Lady of Lourdes
“The workshop here on Friday was amazing! Sally and Andy were delightful to work with – they arrived early and set up very efficiently, their session was brilliantly planned, their timing was perfect, their presentation suburb and the children absolutely loved it. One very sad little boy who has never in four years participated in anything took a leading role and played his part beautifully! What more can I say? Just thanks!” Downs Junior School, Brighton 2009
“I’m sure word will get around about how good the story telling workshop was” St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School, Brighton
“An excellent workshop- you really captured their imaginations, and I am sure they will remember their story” Year 6 teacher
“Sally & Andy had a relaxed manner and were good-humoured with the children, yet still very professional” A. Hadley Elm Grove Primary School, Brighton
Feedback on Fynn Dragon and the Ugly Bugs
“Having spoken with other colleagues in the South East, WishWorks came highly recommended. After seeing WishWorks undertake a number of puppet workshops and engage children in such a creative way I had no hesitation in recommending WishWorks to colleagues and primary schools across East Sussex.
The puppet workshops undertaken by WishWorks proved extremely innovative in exploring issues such as friendships, conflict and bullying with children in Key Stage One and Two. Thereby, enabling schools to explore the emotional literacy agenda with children in a safe, fun and supportive way.
Feedback from schools and children has been extremely positive and we look forward to working with WishWorks over the coming year and hope to build on the excellent work already undertaken.” John Khan - Strategic Lead Officer for Anti-Bullying/East Sussex, 2007
“The bullying theme was illustrated in a very child-friendly way. The set was very interesting and the bright, colourful puppets were absolutely beautiful. We would thoroughly recommend Wishworks to other schools which could integrate the play theme into their topic of work. The children really enjoyed it and the discussion generated after the play was enthusiastic and valuable.” Elm Grove Infants, Littlehampton
“The theme was very clever. Children learnt the difference between bullying and playful behaviour as well as different aspects of bullying. The puppets and sets were beautiful and the shadow show very good, the music was lovely. The children were very engaged and responded well” Saltdean Primary, Brighton
“The bullying aspect was subtle which did make the children think more deeply. The ‘game-playing’ also provided opportunities to discuss consent. Very enjoyable!” Patcham School, Brighton
“The children have learnt that they need to think about how they behave towards others and how they need to be aware of other children’s feelings. They were very focused-great!” St Aubyns, Rottingdean
“I was very impressed with the puppet show. Children gained in understanding of bullying and enjoyment of the show.” Uplands special school, Brighton
Further Feedback:
“everyone was captivated - thanks a million” Sarah Bayliss, Oxted playgroup
“Can I just say how delighted everyone was with last week’s workshop - thank you so much! The kids were raving about it, and I had extremely good reports from my staff about the way you handled the kids and ran the session- they all really loved it” Steve Clark, So You Wanna Be
“Your exciting after-school puppetry workshops were highly popular and we must run some more” Ben Parkhurst, Head Teacher, Somerhill Junior School, Brighton
“Thank you for a fantastic workshop. It was really great to see the students so involved!”
“I’m already thinking about next year, and feedback from kids is so positive that I am convinced” Shake Manoukian, Les Petits Bilingues, French Tour 2009/10
“It truly was a fantastic show with unique characters” Vickie Beech, Uplands Primary
“It is so inspiring to see this level of creativity and humour for children today. The invitation for kids to get involved and co-create the stories takes a real educational initiative. Children learn to appreciate their own art in the show” Riga Forbes, Birth Vision
Thank you so much for preparing everything for us today and coming up with the great scripts which fit in with the children’s puppets so well – I’m looking forward to running through it with them again next week! The scripts really helped and the workshop was great...
I just wanted to say a huge thank you to you both for putting so much creative input into the performance last night and making it possible for us to put on a show for everyone. I am very very grateful for all the help you gave us and I know the kids were really pleased” - Tom Johnson, Holmewood House School, Kent
“A wonderful start to working with Wishworks all school children at Suffolk libraries completely captivated” CAE live
A teacher at a primary school in Brighton expressed amazement that a child with ADD had sat enthralled throughout a creation myths storytelling session. When she approached the child he replied “well, it was a good story!”
“It was a cool show!” – audience feedback