Resource 3: Inviting visitors into school

Inviting local experts, performers or storytellers into school can be a very stimulating experience for all your students, and teachers too. It is important to plan ahead and to check that the visitor can do what you want, on the date you want. If you invite a visitor to the school, you need to think about:

• the topic you want the visitor to talk about
• devising clear learning objectives for the topic
• who in the community could do this in a way that is appropriate for your students
• ways and means to contact the person
• gaining the permission of the headteacher of your school
• telling the visitor about the objectives laid down by you and discussing how to achieve them
• preparing the visitor to answer questions from children
• making arrangements for maximum student participation
• deciding how to use the resource in forthcoming classes after the visitor has left
• how the children can continue to draw on the day’s learning in future
• seeking feedback on the process from your co-workers regarding how stimulating the effort had been for the children.