Conferences › Varjak Paw
Conference 2025
Using a novel to inspire outstanding writing – Varjak Paw
Presented by Pie Corbett, SF Said and Jamie Thomas
This brand-new one day event will explore how to use a novel to inspire high-quality writing from your class. To demonstrate the techniques, the day will be focussed on the Smarties Gold Award-winning children’s novel Varjak Paw by SF Said.
What the training will cover
The conference will use Varjak Paw to:
- Share strategies that enable children to observe and activate language that feeds into their writing
- Model how short-burst writing can be used to fuel both narrative and non-fiction writing
- Look at how toolkits can enable children to write confidently and cohesively
Venue: Hallsville Primary School, Newham, London
Date: Wednesday 5th February 2025
Time: 9.30am-3.15pm
Each delegate place will include a copy of Varjak Paw. SF Said will be available to sign copies on the day.
To get the most out of the course, delegates will need to read the book before attending. Copies of Varjak Paw will be sent out to delegates one month before the course takes place.
Price
Conference places are £195 per person + VAT. (Schools can reclaim VAT).
Presenters
Pie Corbett
Pie Corbett is an English educational trainer, writer, author and poet who has written over two hundred books. He is also known for promoting creative approaches in the classroom and has experience as a teacher, head teacher and Ofsted inspector.
SF Said
SF Said is an award-winning author. He wrote his first novel, Varjak Paw in 2003. Varjak Paw won the Smarties Book Prize for Children's Literature and in 2021 was included in BookTrust's list of the 100 Best Children's Books From The Last 100 Years.
Jamie Thomas
Jamie is the former Head of Warren Road Teaching School Alliance. He embedded Talk for Writing across Warren Road School and it proved to be by far the most successful whole school initiative undertaken. Jamie currently leads all elements of Talk for Writing training.