Bradford Literature Festival Hosts Free Education Programme for Students

Thousands of local school pupils attend themed learning sessions

Over the past two weeks, the Bradford Literature Festival (BLF) has welcomed thousands of primary and secondary school students from local schools to participate in a free Education Programme. The event took place across two venues: the University of Bradford campus and St. George’s Hall in Bradford city centre.

Programme Themes and Activities

The Education Programme featured a variety of topics designed to complement the National Curriculum, including:

• Ancient Egypt
• Shakespeare
• Performance Poetry
• Dystopia and Utopia
• Under the Sea
• Other educational themes

Each day of the programme consisted of five sessions led by authors, poets, and subject experts. These interactive sessions aimed to engage students and expand on topics they had encountered in school. The programme also supported the National Year of Reading.

Feedback from Participants

Students shared their experiences of the programme, highlighting the enjoyment and learning they gained. Some of their comments included:

• “When I listened to the story about Medusa it made me feel really happy. I’d like to come back next year because it was very fun.”
• “My favourite part of today was the storytelling, all the stories were funny and had their own sense of humour. The event made me feel happy and joyful, and today I learned that stories have no limitation.”
• “My favourite part was when we started with funny stories. I liked the story with the djinn, it was very good, it made me feel very excited.”
• “My favourite part was the colouring, when you had to colour the sea creatures. I learned that clownfish can go in sea anemones and not get stung.”

A teacher from Feversham Primary Academy commented on the importance of the programme, stating:

“It’s important to bring children to the Education Programme because it helps them build self-esteem and confidence in their own cultures. It allows them to be more involved in their literacy, helps them understand how important oral storytelling is, and it’s a springboard for them to be good writers in the future. I would tell teachers to bring the students along; I’ve been coming here for quite a number of years and it’s an uplifting experience for youngsters as well as teachers.”

Statements from Festival Leadership

Syima Aslam, CEO and Artistic Director of Bradford Literature Festival, said:

“Working with the schools, educators and students is so important to the festival and it’s a pleasure to be able to welcome students and teachers alike. Building a love of learning starts when children are very young and we’re thrilled that schools keep returning year after year to our Education Programme.”

Additional Digital Resources and Future Plans

In addition to the in-person sessions, BLF offers a free Digital Education Programme available online. This digital resource also aligns with the National Curriculum and can be accessed via the festival’s website.

The Education Programme is scheduled to return in 2027. Schools and educators interested in participating can sign up to be notified when tickets become available.

For more information and to access the digital resources, visit: Bradford Literature Festival Digital Education Programme

To register for notifications about the 2027 Education Programme, visit: Education Programme Registration