Paul Cookson 's poems and stories appear in more than 100 books for children. Early ambitions were to play football for Everton or electric guitar in Slade, although, after all the usual exams, he actually qualified as a teacher and taught full-time for five years. He published his first selection of poems in 1980, and has now published over fifteen solo collections for both adults and children for A Twist In The Tale publishers. Paul has sold well over half a million books and has recently emerged as a leading editor of anthologies for children

Always a poet in demand, Paul has visited around 2,000 schools and worked with pupils of all ages and abilities. As well as performing and leading workshops with pupils, Paul is also an experienced In Service Training speaker and has led workshops for adults in a variety of situations. Paul often works with David Harmer in the popular performance poetry duo Spill The Beans.

Paul is currently the Poet In Residence at The National Football Museum at the PNE grounds, in Preston. He still listens to Slade and still supports Everton Football Club.

Publications include:

Give Us a Goal - football poems Macmillan

Pants on Fire - assorted new poems Macmillan

Spill the Beans - with David Harmer Macmillan

Crazy Classrooms and Secret Staffrooms Lion Hudson

Staying Out Late, Playing Out Late Lion Hudson

School Visits:

KS1 and KS2

Most days begin with a performance to the whole school. If you have a particularly large school (400 plus) it may be that there would have to be two performances – one for KS1 and one for KS2. The performance would usually last at least an hour – sometimes longer with KS2 – and would include lots of audience participation, laughter, fun as well as introducing a wide variety of poetic styles, moods and subjects.

Usually, Paul follows the performance with three one-hour sessions with individual classes in KS2. In these there will be an opportunity for the pupils to ask questions as well as undertake a poetry-based exercise. This may take the form of a written poem, a group poem or a performance poem. There will be follow-up work required to complete this and the class teacher should be present for the duration of the workshop. Follow up guidelines will be given as part of the session.

In KS1 workshops are usually 30-40 minutes. They can involve one class and often it’s useful to put a couple of classes together. Paul usually begins the session by drawing a few cartoons of the characters from the poems and then leads the children into a performance poetry workshop where they would pool ideas and turn them into a group performance. Again, there would be follow-up work available. It is not usually possible to fit more than three workshops in the day, following the performance.

KS3 and KS4

Performances can be for year groups and usually last an hour. If there is opportunity for this session to be longer then this is advantageous as it may give chance for questions and answers. Workshops will be in lesson times and Paul would normally expect to do three workshops in addition to one performance (or four sessions maximum ) during the day. It is important that the English teacher is present with their own class so that follow-up work can be undertaken. Again, a wide variety of workshops are available from individual to group work.

Spill The Beans

Paul performs during book weeks, at evening events, or in schools, alongside David Harmer in the successful performance Spill The Beans. This highly original show is an explosion of performance poetry that guarantees fun for everyone.

'Ten out of ten! Great performance lads!'

Sir Bobby Robson.

Testimonials:

"As funny as ever - always a festival highlight!"

Northern Children's Book Festival

"An abundance of jests, jokes and japes - like The Beano in poetry form"

Junior Education

"I didn't like poetry before I saw you. It was brilliant - I couldn't stop laughing. You were like the Peter Kay of poetry"

John, Year 6

“How someone grew up on a diet of Slade and Batman came out of it unscathed and with his brain still in good working order is beyond belief. Read on and I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.”

Noddy Holder

"Simple and direct, these poems are caring, compassionate and funny"

Ian McMillan

"I haven't laughed this much since I saw Eddie Izzard - inspiring!"

Claire Waldron, Literary Coordinator, Walsingham Primary School

"Anyone who saw Paul's impromptu performance stepping in for John Cooper Clarke, will know this will be a cracking evening."

Off The Shelf Festival, Sheffield

 

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