Cheltenham Literature for Schools 2023: Secondary Schools pack

Welcome to The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival for Schools

Programme 2023

We’re so excited to welcome you to our Festival Village on Montpellier Gardens 6-15 October for the third year of our theme Read the World.

We’ve got a fantastic line-up of writers, illustrators, poets and industry professionals for you. Why not take a trip to Tokyo with manga artist Chie Kutsuwada and author Julian Sedgwick , journey from the page to the stage with author, actress, playwright and director Manjeet Mann, or delve into gothic classics with Carnegie-Medal winning author Tanya Landman

Come and discover The Write Job in our industry panel chaired by Clarissa Pabi with author and performance poet Laura Dockrill, novelist and photographer Caleb Azumah Nelson and author Josh Silver, join YA Book Prize winner Sara Barnard and debut novelist Tia Fisher as they tackle tough topics, experience a poetry masterclass with Harry Baker or Anthony Joseph and cheer on students from local Secondary Schools as they compete in our Battle of the Books live debate chaired by author A. M.

Dassu

After your event, be sure to head over to the Waterstones Bookshop to meet the authors and get your books signed.

If you’re looking to reinvigorate reading for pleasure in your school, sign up for our Reading Teachers = Reading Pupils Conference on Tuesday 10 October (see page 9 for details).

See you at the Festival!

Rebecca Smith Learning and Participation Manager

Loraine Evans Family and Schools Programme Manager

Look out for these icons throughout the brochure

Discover our Reading Teachers = Reading Pupils authors in the programme.

We’ve included the retail price of books featured in the programme for pupils who would like to buy copies for author signings at the Waterstones Bookshop.*

Workshop events

This event will be BSL interpreted.

With thanks to the following publishers for their support: Andersen Press, Barrington Stoke, Bloomsbury, Bonnier, Guppy Books, Old Barn Books, Penguin Random House, Rock the Boat, Simon and Schuster and Walker Books. * This brochure is correct at time of publication, but book prices may be subject to change.

LS22: Battle of the Books KS3

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

LS17: Phil Earle and Lesley Parr: History and Mystery

LS18: Tanya Landman: Gothic Greats

LS42: Julian Sedgwick and Chie Kutsuwada: Making Manga

LS49: Sara Barnard and Tia Fisher: Writing YA

LS40: The Write Job

FRIDAY

LS38: Benjamin Dean:

LS01: Manjeet Mann: Run Rebel

LS50: A. M. Dassu: A Different

Reading Teachers = Reading Pupils Conference

LS30: A.F. Steadman: The World of Skandar

LS41: Julian Sedgwick and Chie Kutsuwada: Tokyo Ghost Café

LS19: Tanya Landman: Writing Gothic

LS34: Anthony Joseph: Poetry Masterclass

LS35: Harry Baker: Poetry Masterclass

Intro to Journalism

LS39: Benjamin Dean: Intro to Journalism

Free Activities

The Huddle

See our full Festival programme brochure for information on free events at The Huddle stage in the Festival café during your visit. Programme announced on 16 August 2023. .

Waterstones Bookshop

Bring your pupils along to the Waterstones Children’s Bookshop in the heart of the Festival village to meet their favourite authors, have books signed and browse the bookshelves for the latest releases and firm favourites in this pop-up tent completely dedicated to young readers.

VOICEBOX

VOICEBOX is back, sharing the best and brightest young talent in a vibrant series of free events. From short talks, chats and debates about today’s hottest and most important issues, to group artworks, music and spoken word. Our VOICEBOX events happen after-school and will be announced in September.

11.45am – 12.45pm

Manjeet Mann: Run Rebel

The Garden Theatre

KS3 YEARS 7, 8, 9

£7 per pupil

Actress, playwright, screenwriter and director Manjeet Mann talks with Daniel Hahn about Run, Rebel (UKLA book award winner) a verse novel about a young woman trapped by her family and her fears, and The Crossing, a profound tale about the tragedies of the refugee crisis. Manjeet shares insights into her writing career and delves into the challenges and joys of adapting a novel into a play.

£8.99

Battle of the Books: Change the World KS3

The Hive

KS3 YEARS 7, 8, 9

£4 per pupil

Participating schools will be prioritised. Can reading the right book at the right time inspire you to change the world? After taking part in our Change the World reading challenge, five local secondary schools have each elected one student to champion the book that most inspires them to change the world. In this live debate hosted by award-winning writer A. M. Dassu (Kicked Out! ), you and our judges will determine the winner.

£7.99

1.30 – 2.30pm

A. M. Dassu: A Different Perspective

The Den

KS3 YEARS 7, 8, 9

£8 per pupil

In addition to the price per pupil, you will be charged for two signed copies of the author’s book.

If we change the story, can we change the world? Boy, Everywhere, Fight Back and Kicked Out! by author and Director of Inclusive Minds, A. M. Dassu are novels inspired by real news stories. Use recent newspapers as inspiration to plot out your own stories and discuss how using different perspectives can challenge stereotypes to encourage a kinder, more understanding society.

£7.99

Image: Mark Waugh

We continue to come to the Festival and feel incredibly lucky to have this on our doorstep.

Reading Teachers = Reading Pupils Conference

£80 Ticket includes the full day’s programme, including two workshops of your choice, lunch and refreshments.

Join us for a reading for pleasure conference that will empower and equip you to bring books to life in the classroom. You will enjoy

– keynotes from a host of authors and literacy experts

– panel discussions

– a choice of workshops led by literacy organisations, researchers and writers

...and many more

Aimed at Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 practitioners, whether you are a senior leader, NQT, experienced classroom teacher or librarian, the RTRP conference will give you the tools and practical ideas to refresh your practice, engage your pupils, and ignite their love of reading.

Speakers include: authors Sinéad Burke, Sarah Crossan, A. M. Dassu, Christopher Edge, Candy Gourlay, Sharna Jackson, Manjeet Mann, Piers Torday and Michael Rosen; literacy experts Jake Hope, Amy McKay, Dr Julie McAdam, Dr Alison Waller as well as representatives from the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education and the English and Media Centre.

In association with: Gloucestershire Community Foundation, Hitchins Family Trust, Jennifer Hayward and Richard Waite, Renishaw Charities Committee, Unwin Charitable Trust and The High Sheriff of Gloucestershire Fund.

Manjeet Mann Michael Rosen

Sharna Jackson

Candy Gourlay

A.M. Dassu Christopher Edge Sarah Crossan Sinéad Burke

10.30 – 11.30am LS17

Phil Earle and Lesley Parr: History and Mystery

The Times and The Sunday Times Forum

KS2 YEARS 5, 6 £7 per pupil

Phil Earle and Lesley Parr share the creative inspirations behind their fictional historical novels with author Candy Gourlay. While Phil’s third WW2 novel is told through the eyes of a stray dog, Lesley’s new mystery is set in 1974 during the miners’ strikes. Together they discuss their research processes and talk about their personal paths into writing.

£7.99

12 – 1pm LS30

A.F. Steadman: The World of Skandar

The Garden Theatre

KS3 YEAR 7

£7 per pupil

Immerse yourself in the world of Skandar with ferocious unicorns, unlikely heroes, sky battles, ancient secrets and nail-biting races with Waterstones’ Children’s Book of the Year 2022 winner A.F. Steadman. Follow her writing journey, from scribbling stories in notebooks to building incredible new worlds and the challenges of crafting a series. You’ll also get the chance to find out your elemental magic.

Hardback £12.99.

Paperback £7.99

The students loved meeting the authors and seeing just how possible it is for someone to become a writer.

Teacher

Image: Sarah Mason

Image: Benjamin Turner

Thursday 12 October

12 – 1pm LS41

10 – 11am LS18

Tanya Landman: Gothic Greats

The Garden Theatre

KS3 YEARS 7, 8, 9

£7 per pupil

Delve into the gothic traditions and tropes of three classics, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein with Carnegie Medal-winning author Tanya Landman Discover how she navigated editing and re-writing them into much shorter but equally powerful retellings and leave with tips and tools to create your own gothic stories.

£7.99

10 – 11am LS42

Julian Sedgwick and Chie Kutsuwada: Making Manga

The Den KS3 YEARS 7, 8, 9

£8 per pupil

In addition to the price per pupil, you will be charged for two signed copies of the author’s book. Calling all Manga fans… join creators of awardwinning Tsunami Girl and 100 Tales from the Tokyo Ghost Café for a unique workshop at this year’s Festival. Julian Sedgwick and Chie Kutsuwada talk about their creative process and show you how to craft your own stories through creative writing and Manga illustration.

£9.99

Julian Sedgwick and Chie Kutsuwada: Tokyo Ghost Café

The Garden Theatre

KS3 YEARS 7, 8, 9

£8 per pupil

Journey east with Julian Sedgwick and Chie Kutsuwada, the creators of the Carnegie Medal shortlisted Tsunami Girl. Together they introduce their new collaboration, 100 Tales from the Tokyo Ghost Café inspired by Julian’s life-long passion for Japanese culture and history and interwoven with Chie’s incredible Manga illustrations. Understand their unique partnership, the inspiration behind their books and enjoy a live Manga art demonstration with Chie.

£9.99

1.30 – 2.30pm

Tanya Landman: Writing Gothic

The Den

KS3 YEARS 7, 8, 9

£8 per pupil

LS19

In addition to the price per pupil, you will be charged for two signed copies of the author’s book. Explore the key conventions of the gothic genre with Carnegie Medal-winning author Tanya Landman as she leads you through creative writing exercises designed to enable you to create your own thrilling Gothic tales.

£7.99

Friday 13 October

10 – 11am

The Write Job

VOICEBOX

KS5 YEARS 12, 13

£7 per pupil

10 – 11am LS49

Sara Barnard and Tia Fisher: Writing YA

The Hive

KS4 YEARS 10, 11

£7 per pupil

Young Adult Book Prize winner

Sara Barnard and YA debut author

Tia Fisher talk with author Simon James Green about why they chose to write about tough topics, like grief, toxic fame and county lines, how they create hopeful and resilient characters and explore their own creative processes and journey when it comes to writing and being published.

£7.99-£8.99

LS40

Is writing the right job for you? Podcast developer, marketer and producer Clarissa Pabi is joined by Laura Dockrill (author, illustrator and performance poet), Caleb Azumah Nelson (novelist and photographer) and author Josh Silver to talk about their love of books and writing, being published, how to develop your own writing and the opportunities they see for young people in the world of the written and spoken word.

£7.99

18 – 30 Spark Membership

Ignite your curiosity with our FREE 18-30 Spark Membership.

✓ Priority booking

✓ 50% discount on walk up tickets one hour before the event

cheltenhamfestivals.com/ membership

Image: Still Moving Media

Image: Emiliano Atzori

12 – 1pm

Anthony Joseph:

Poetry Masterclass

VOICEBOX

KS5 YEARS 12, 13

£7 per pupil

Poet, musician and T S Eliot Prize winner Anthony Joseph explores the classical elements of the sonnet and shows how contemporary poets can make it their own. Through explorative exercises and discussion, students will discover the ways in which the sonnet comments on a universal human experience, while allowing for their own creative and individual approaches.

£9.99

12 – 1pm

Harry Baker:

Poetry Masterclass

Story Shack

KS4 YEARS 10, 11

£7 per pupil

World Poetry Slam Champion and maths graduate Harry Baker offers a unique insight into the life of a working, touring poet in this Unashamed masterclass. Celebrating his love of language and logic, Harry performs poems from his latest collection and talks about the joy of finding wonder in your surroundings and searching for connections.

£9.99

Benjamin Dean: Intro to Journalism

The Den

£8 per pupil

In addition to the price per pupil, you will be charged for two signed copies of the author’s book.

How do you turn exclusive interviews into hit articles? The answer’s in the question… award-winning author and journalist Benjamin Dean reveals how writing for Buzzfeed informed and inspired his latest novel How to Die Famous and leads a workshop perfect for students interested in pursuing a career in creative writing or journalism.

Session times:

LS38: KS4 YEARS 10, 11: 11.45am – 12.45pm

LS39: KS5 YEARS 12, 13: 1.30 – 2.30pm

£8.99

Full Festival Programme

Our Family, Young Adult and Adult programme is announced in August. Look out for the full Festival programme and come along with your family and friends.

Image:

Image: Naomi Woddis

How Do I Book Tickets?

Booking opens at 8am on Tuesday 13 June 2023

Complete the booking form HERE.

Prices*

(unless otherwise stated)

Events £7 per pupil

Workshops £8 per pupil and two copies of the author’s book (see event descriptions for prices)

Battle of the Books £4 per pupil

Tickets for teachers and other accompanying adults for events and workshops are free.

*A £5 booking fee will be added to the total cost of your order. Terms and conditions apply. Please note, as part of our community strategy, Cheltenham Festivals is committed to serving low-income communities in Gloucestershire and therefore in the first instance, we will prioritise workshop bookings for our target schools (schools eligible for 25%+ Pupil Premium).

Further information about your visit

We offer 20-minute lunch slots in our covered picnic area in the Festival Village for a limited number of schools. Please request a reservation on your booking form and we will accommodate as many as we can.

Visit our website for full details about arriving, parking, getting to venues and more, you will also find FAQs, our cancellation policy and advice for preparing a risk assessment here.

What happens next?

1 We will review your booking form and be in touch to discuss alternative options if any of your choices are not available.

2 You will receive a formal booking confirmation via email.

3 For free bookable events, we will accommodate as many groups as we can. Please note that places are limited and will be allocated as fairly as possible.

4 Please notify us of changes to your numbers as a result of fluctuations in class size by 8 September 2023 and we will do our best to accommodate them.

5 Your school finance office will receive an invoice after 8 September. It is important this invoice is paid before you attend the Festival.

6 We will be back in touch in September with your ticket document and further information about the facilities on-site.

Literature for Schools contacts

If you would like to contact a member of the Learning and Participation Team, please email education@cheltenhamfestivals.com

Rose Wood

rose.wood@cheltenhamfestivals.com

Rebecca Smith

rebecca.smith@cheltenhamfestivals.com

Interested in a career in the media?

Times Radio, The Times and The Sunday Times and Cheltenham Literature Festival are bringing GCSE and A Level students two unique opportunities to discover more about what it takes with Times Radio’s Matt Chorley on Friday, October 13.

Six students will have the chance to spend time with Matt:

Watch him broadcast his show live

Attend the Times Radio debate in The Times and The Sunday Times Forum and see Matt on the panel

Meet Matt in the Hospitality Lounge with a chance to ask him questions

50 students will receive complimentary tickets to attend the Times Radio debate.

Matt Chorley is a writer and columnist for The Times. He presents the political mid-morning show on Times Radio from Monday to Friday, 10am-1pm, hosts the award-winning Red Box podcast and writes a column on Saturdays, bursting the Westminster bubble with his pin-sharp wit.

The Learning and Participation team will communicate with schools directly to arrange attendance at these events. For further information contact education@cheltenhamfestivals.com