School Author Visits FAQ

School Author Visits FAQ – The Best-Kept Secret Author Visits. Frequently Asked Questions

Thinking about booking an author visit with Sophie? This FAQ covers everything you need to know, including session details, costs, how to prepare, book sales, timings, and even tips for persuading the Headteacher! Sophie’s immersive storytelling sessions and creative writing workshops bring history, folklore, and imagination to life, making them a perfect enrichment opportunity for your school.

What Year Groups are Sophie’s author visits suitable for?

Sophie’s author visits are ideal for primary school children from Key Stage 1 (ages 5–7) to Key Stage 2 (ages 7–11). Her interactive author sessions are suitable for all year groups within this range, bringing storytelling, folklore, and creativity to life for everyone.

For creative writing workshops, Sophie focuses on Upper Key Stage 2 (ages 9–11) and Key Stage 3 (ages 11–14). These workshops dive deeper into storytelling techniques, imagination, and writing skills, making them a perfect fit for older children.

While Sophie’s creative writing workshops are most suited to Upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3, she has also delivered successful workshops for younger year groups, tailoring the content and encouraging creativity and imaginative thinking.

Each KS2 author session lasts one hour, followed by a creative writing workshop, which is also one hour long. KS1 sessions are approximately forty minutes long. Sophie can adapt the day to include a combination of author sessions for different key stages and creative writing workshops for various year groups, depending on your school’s timetable and space availability.

If the sessions are held in a designated space, the timing is flexible, but if the space doubles as a lunch hall and access to the space is restricted during certain times, there may be time constraints.

The initial setup takes about one hour, with a 10-minute reset between sessions. At the end of the day, approximately 45 minutes will be needed for packing up.

How long do the author sessions and workshops last?

What does a two-hour session for KS2 include?

A two-hour author session for KS2 includes a highly interactive and creative reading of 'The Best Kept Secret', featuring magical props, music, a bubbling cauldron, a slime-covered baby dragon and costumes for all. Illustrations from the book and other visual aids are used to keep the children engaged, helping them connect with the story and the characters.

Magic in the Mundane - a bespoke multimedia presentation tailored specifically for the pupils at your school based on their local area. This part of the session sparks inspiration, fosters a passion for storytelling, and inspires the children to see the magic in their own community.

An immersive creative writing workshop, bringing writing to life through hands-on activities, including blindfolded sensory experiences, engaging role-play, and exploring a range of intriguing props such as dragon claws and ancient magical artefacts. Children are encouraged to use their senses and imagination to create vivid descriptions and compelling narratives.

An engaging Q and A session

A dedicated copy of Sophie's latest book for the school library and a choice of 'incentives' for the children during the Creative Writing Workshop, such as broomstick pencils, wand pencils or mini dragon squishy!

Author Session:

Maximum Number: 60 children per session.

Preferred Number: 30-40

A smaller group allows for a more intimate and engaging experience, but Sophie can comfortably work with up to 60 children.

Creative Writing Workshop:

Maximum Number: 40 children per session

Preferred Number: 30

A group of 30 ensures a more personalised and interactive experience and allows for more in-depth exploration of each activity, giving more time for focused work and individual attention.

What is the ideal group size for Sophie’s sessions and workshops?

What do we need to know to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day?

Space setup: For the creative writing workshop, the children will need to be seated in a circle, so please ensure the space is large enough. Two long tables (around six feet each), or a combination of tables, will be needed. One should be near a plug socket and to the side of a whiteboard.

What the children need: Please remind the children to bring a pencil or pen for the second part of the session. Sophie will provide all other materials.

The installation: There will be a ‘bubbling’ cauldron creating a fine mist (it’s safe and doesn’t use heat or chemicals). Occasionally, it may cause spitting, so it's best if children sit at least six feet away from the table.

IT setup: The presentation includes both audio and visual elements. A form for the IT technician will be sent ahead of time to confirm the setup. Please ensure this is returned before the visit.

During setup: Setting up the space will take around 45 minutes, so please ensure no children are in the room during this time. If the installation is left in place over lunch or break, kindly make sure children do not have access to the room.

Allergies & sensitivities: Scented room sprays will be used during the session, and children will be offered small pieces of liquorice (both confectionery and root, which is sugar-free and vegan). You may feel a risk assessment or permission slips are necessary.

Yes, The Best-Kept Secret is suitable for faith schools. Sophie’s author visits celebrate creativity, storytelling, and imagination, offering an engaging and inclusive experience for children from all faith backgrounds. She has been warmly welcomed into schools with diverse student populations, including Muslim, faith-based, and Christian communities, as well as Roman Catholic, Church of England, and non-denominational traditions. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with teachers, parents, and pupils praising the sessions for sparking a love of storytelling and history while being respectful of the values and beliefs of each community.

Sophie’s sessions don’t shy away from the magical elements of her book because they are central to the experience, but they are framed as imaginative and playful rather than tied to specific beliefs. The focus is always on creativity and storytelling—universal tools that bring history, folklore, and fantasy to life.

You can find additional faith school FAQs here.

Is The Best-Kept Secret suitable for Faith Schools?

What magical experiences will children encounter during the author visit?

During Sophie’s Key Stage 2 author visit, children will have the chance to conjure a baby dragon, inhale the scents of herbs from Elizabeth Demdike’s garden, and even try the liquorice root from her kitchen. They will be captivated by the baby dragon’s first baby tooth, carefully stored in Demdike’s treasured keepsake box, and marvel at Demdike's potion chest. They’ll also wear blindfolds and be transported 400 years back in time, experiencing the thrill of the knight’s chase and seeking sanctuary in Demdike’s cottage.

These sensory activities immerse the students in the magical world of Elizabeth Demdike, helping them connect with the story in a dynamic, hands-on way. The visit is designed to spark imagination and inspire creative thinking through sensory exploration, storytelling, and role-playing.

If an unavoidable cancellation occurs, please let us know as soon as possible. In the unlikely event that Sophie needs to cancel, we’ll notify you promptly and work together to find a convenient time to reschedule. Any deposit paid will be held and can be carried over to a rescheduled visit within six months of the original booking date. Please note that any accommodation costs already incurred are non-refundable and cannot be applied to future bookings.

What happens if the visit needs to be cancelled or rescheduled?

Do we need to promote or sell books?

No, there’s no requirement to promote or sell books, but if you do, Sophie will deduct £3 from the final invoice for each book sold, which can be beneficial to the school!

Sophie will send the blurb and poster/imagery in advance for the school’s social media and internal messaging system.

You can process payments through the school office if you prefer, but it’s easier for everyone if sales are handled directly through the website. Sophie will sign and dedicate the books and bring them to the school on the day.

If time allows, Sophie can also do a book signing during the visit

The cost of a single two-hour author visit is £175.

An immersive creative writing workshop, bringing stories to life through hands-on activities, including blindfolded sensory experiences, engaging role-play, and exploring a range of intriguing props such as dragon claws and ancient magical artefacts. Children are encouraged to use their senses and imagination to create vivid descriptions and compelling narratives.

Q and A session

Free dedicated copy of Sophie's latest book for the school library

Any additional time on site (such as setup, dismantling, or extra sessions is charged at £60 per hour, pro rata. Excluding the lunch period.

Travel is charged at £0.45 per mile for return travel from BB7 (Sophie’s base).

If Sophie needs to stay overnight due to the distances involved, accommodation is arranged at a budget-friendly hotel.

The sale of books can help reduce the final cost. However, since this amount varies, we cannot provide a precise total until after the visit. Rest assured, the overall cost will always be less than the original quote. We will supply a quote, including a breakdown of costs at the time of booking, and you will be required to pay a deposit when making your reservation.

£175 deposit for a full-day visit (multiple sessions)

£100 deposit for a half-day visit (a single two-hour session)

You can mix and match the author sessions and creative writing workshops across different key stages and groups of children.

Author sessions: Up to 60 children per session

Creative writing workshops: Up to 40 children per session

Multiple sessions can be booked in one day, depending on your school’s timetable.

What are the costs involved, including travel and additional sessions?

How can I persuade the Headteacher, Bursar, or Governing Board that this is a great idea?

Here’s everything you need to make your case!

This isn’t just a fun day—it’s an educational goldmine. Sophie’s visit directly supports:

English

Fostering a Love of Reading
Sophie’s engaging author sessions bring The Best-Kept Secret to life, captivating children with interactive storytelling, costumes, props, music, and a bubbling cauldron.
By introducing local history and folklore in a fun and accessible way, children are encouraged to explore books and stories beyond the classroom.
The sessions support reading for pleasure, which is a key focus for Ofsted and literacy development initiatives.
Strengthening Literacy and Writing Skills
Sophie’s creative writing workshops give pupils practical tools to improve their storytelling, descriptive writing, and narrative structure.
Activities include role-playing, sensory exploration, and ‘show, don’t tell’ exercises, helping children bring their ideas to life.
The sessions reinforce vocabulary development, sentence structure, and the use of literary devices, making them highly beneficial for developing confident young writers.
Poetry: Including narrative poetry, rhyme, rhythm, and the study of poetic forms.
Storytelling: Developing storytelling skills through oral traditions and creative expression.

History

The Tudors, local history, folklore, legnds, Crime and Punishment
Local History: Tying in local legends and folklore to explore regional histories and traditions.
Historical Context: Understanding how myths and legends are rooted in historical events or cultural practices.

Geography

Local Geography: Exploring how folklore and legends are connected to specific landscapes, landmarks, and places.

Drama

Role-playing, character development, and storytelling performance.

PSHE

Empathy, teamwork, resilience, and emotional well-being through storytelling.

Art & Design

Illustrating scenes, designing mythical creatures, and visual storytelling.

2. It’s a dream for Ofsted

Ofsted values literacy-focused enrichment, and Sophie’s visit supports reading for pleasure, cross-curricular learning, and pupil engagement.

By engaging all students—including reluctant readers and writers—these sessions support inclusive education and pupil engagement.
They provide an opportunity to embed storytelling and creative writing into the curriculum, supporting long-term literacy development.
Author visits contribute to cultural capital, a key area Ofsted looks for in schools, helping to broaden children’s horizons through literature and history.

Plus, let’s face it—mentioning “We had an award-winning author run an immersive storytelling session” in your next inspection will definitely shine a spotlight on your commitment to fostering creativity and learning!

Extra Ofsted-frendly facts

3. Worried about cost? Here’s how to make it work!

Book Sales Discount – Every book sold knocks £3 off the final invoice, so promoting book sales can significantly reduce costs.
PTA Funding – Many PTAs are happy to contribute towards enrichment activities that inspire a love of reading and writing. It’s worth asking! Send a compelling persuasive letter to your PTA
Community Sponsorship – Local businesses sometimes support school events in exchange for a mention in newsletters or social media.
Cluster School Collaboration – If several schools book together on consecutive days, costs like travel may be shared.

So, with a little planning, funding an author visit might be easier than you think!

4. It makes the school look fantastic (hello, press opportunities!)

An author visit is a great PR moment—perfect for social media, newsletters, and local press. Sophie provides posters and promotional materials, making it easy to spread the word and showcase the school’s commitment to literacy.

5. It’s an experience students will never forget

Beyond all the curriculum links, Ofsted points, and PR opportunities, this is about inspiring children. Sophie’s immersive storytelling, bubbling cauldrons, and sensory experiences make learning magical, and that’s something pupils (and staff!) will remember long after the visit.

Thank you for reading Faith School Author Visits FAQ

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us

School Author Visits FAQ