2025
The Adventures of Bradford
How 6 schools achieved 100% student engagement in literacy
A living case study of StoryQuest™ in action
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What Students Discovered About Themselves
The voices speak for themselves - this isn't just about writing, it's about self-discovery:
"I learned a lot of things that I never knew. And I believed in myself so I could be able to create things that I didn't even know I could do."
"I used my creativity. I have the opportunity to write all of these gorgeous writings."
"I really enjoyed, like, writing because it's like, there's so much extraordinary emotions."
The transformation: From "you have to follow the teacher" to "I get to be free... it makes the story more my type."
The Challenge
Bradford schools face unique pressures:
- High EAL populations
- Diverse learning needs
- Ofsted inspections
- SATs pressure
- Limited creative time
The question: Could one programme engage every single child across all these challenges?
Keep being creative, let's shine!Â
The Results
186 Bradford students. 100% engagement. Zero exclusions.
What Made Headlines:
- Featured on BCB Radio
- Yorkshire Post coverage
- 90% story completion rate
- Cross-cultural success
- SEND/SEMH inclusion without adaptations
Real-World Testing
This wasn't a perfect laboratory. Schools dealt with:
- Fire alarms during sessions
- Ofsted inspections
- Teachers' waters breaking (seriously!)
- SATs preparation pressure
The programme worked through it all.
What Students Created
"The Adventures of [School Name]" Anthologies
Each school produced their own digital book featuring:
- Original student stories
- Illustrated covers
- Podcast recordings
- Cross-school collaboration
Student Voice Highlights
"I didn't know I had so many stories inside me until I was allowed to let them out."
"It felt cool and exciting to be the author since you were in charge of everything."
"I want to be an author one day.
Media Coverage
The Ripple Effect
Cross-School Inspiration
- Year 6 students inspired Year 5 peers
- Schools started sharing stories with each other
- BCB radio featured children orating their own stories
- Plans for citywide celebration event 2026
Curriculum Integration
- English: Composition, vocabulary, oracy development
- PSHE: Self-belief, emotional literacy, resilience
- Computing: Digital publishing, podcast creation
- Art: Story illustration and cover design
Implementation Insights
What Worked:
- Creative autonomy over topic choice
- Visual aids supporting all learners
- Peer collaboration and sharing
- Celebration of individual voice
- No pressure for "correct" outcomes
Unexpected Benefits:
- SEND/SEMH inclusion without modifications
- EAL learners fully participating: Partner scribes removed language barriers
- Quality writing improvement: Advanced descriptions emerging naturally
- Curriculum integration: "Mr Hirst has now built the method into his curriculum to be used every year"
- Teacher enthusiasm: Staff commenting on "joy and energy pupils bring back to classroom"
Want These Results for Your School?
The complete StoryQuest™ programme that brought this joy to Bradford is now available:
- Same methodology used across 6 Bradford schools
- Live facilitation team (online delivery)
- Complete 6-week transformation programme
- Digital books, podcasts, and teacher training included
- Your school's own "Adventures of [School Name]" creation
Bradford schools: Contact Kate directly for continued partnership opportunitiesÂ
Other schools: Programme details and investment options available through consultation
Book a ConsutlationWant to see the actual student work?
Read the complete digital books created by Bradford students - each school's "Adventures of [School Name]" anthology showcasing the stories that achieved 100% engagement. See the quality of work your students could produce.
Browse the Bradford Children's Library →
Building on 2025 success:Â
With 6 schools and 186 children already proven, we're expanding to create Bradford's definitive literacy showcase - demonstrating that every child can find their voice through storytelling.
Want your school to be part of Bradford's literacy transformation?
The Bradford Legacy
Six schools. 186 children. 100% engagement. Proof that when we give children creative freedom and authentic support, extraordinary things happen.
Your school could be next.
Book a Consultation with Kate →