Every school is different and every child is different, and consequently I aim to make Art of Play workshops as flexible as possible, to cater for every individual requirement. That said, a typical one day workshop consists of :-

• A 30 minute demonstration show during morning assembly - fun, informative, and usually very noisy.
• Workshops throughout the day. See the guide to workshop times for suggested session duarations.
• An after school shop, where children and parents can buy a selection of the items used during the day.

These are guidelines, not rules - if you want to suggest something entirely different, then please feel free to call and discuss what you have in mind.

The show gives me an opportunity to introduce myself to the children, to dazzle them with exciting and technically difficult skills, and to introduce them to the range of equipment which they will be using. Shows are ideally 30 minutes in duration, but where this is not possible, they may be curtailed to as short as 10 minutes.

Wherever possible, I strongly recommend that you find time for a demonstration show during morning assembly, which for bookings of more than one day should be on the first day. Having a show first of all allows me to create lots of excitement and anticipation, and is also my only opportunity to speak to the whole school.

After the show, workshops take place throughout the day, according to the timetable agreed between Art of Play and the school. I try to be flexible with the timetable in the event of any unforeseen circumstances on the day. Have a look at the workshop duration guide to find out how to organise your day.

Each session is typically given to an individual class or year group, although you may prefer to organise groups differently if, for instance, you have groups of very different sizes, which might benefit from having some children from the larger group joining in with the smaller group. It is a good idea to try to avoid large differences in age within each group.

Sessions typically consist of a period of group work, where the entire class will be taught by me, followed by choosing time when all of the equipment is available for use and I am on hand to help and advise.

I will provide an after school shop on one or more of the days you book. The shop is optional and free.

Prices start at 50 pence, there are a number of items for £5 or less, whilst some of the more obscure items can be very expensive. Most prices are significantly below rrp.

All items are selected for their suitability, and should not be regarded as toys - they are better than that, and unless otherwise indicated, should be capable of withstanding prolonged use (though not abuse) by children.

Some other workshop providers offer schools a percentage of sales in the form of goods. I prefer to keep my prices down in the first place. I will also offer a discount to schools who might wish to purchase equipment in bulk. See the price list for further information.

It is this school's job to decide on the number of sessions to take place each day, and their size and makeup. The following guidelines should help you to decide.

Group sizes   -   the ideal group size is about 20-30 children, plus as many adults as you can spare. Maximum size is 35, or at a push 40. Try to avoid groups of less than 10, especially with younger children.

Recommended session durations   -   the following table outlines typical session times. Schools wishing to organise a more prolonged or intensive course of circus skills should try to observe these guidelines to create a program of sessions. You may wish to book a whole day for older pupils - this is not a problem, but please remember to timetable regular breaks.