Author runs a classroom workshop
Woodcote author Sue Palmer, 56, led an interactive book workshop for about 30 Year 4 pupils at Watlington library, a small but concrete example of authors doing grassroots literacy work in schools (henleystandard.co.uk). Those kinds of one‑off visits often seed reading enthusiasm and local bookshop support, so they’re worth tracking if you follow how reading habits form early (henleystandard.co.uk).
About 30 Year 4 pupils from Watlington Primary School were taken to Watlington Library, where Woodcote author Sue Palmer, 56, ran an interactive workshop instead of a standard classroom talk. The visit was reported on April 9, 2026, and took place at the library on High Street in Watlington. (henleystandard.co.uk) Palmer told the paper that the books she loved most as a child were the ones where “anything was possible” and where children “ruled the day,” which helps explain why her school visits are built around participation rather than just reading aloud. Her own website says she writes children’s stories and runs science and literacy workshops for schools. (henleystandard.co.uk) (sypalmer.com) This was not a one-off experiment she invented last week. Palmer’s site says she has been creating workshops for primary school children since 2016, and local groups in Watlington have been bringing her in for children’s events for years, including story-writing sessions and space-themed talks. (sypalmer.com) (friendsofwatlingtonlibrary.org) The Watlington visit also sits inside a very local chain of institutions doing the work together. Oxfordshire County Council lists Watlington Library at 35 High Street, and the library is supported by the Friends of Watlington Library, which promoted Palmer’s March 2026 visit for Years 3 and 4 from Watlington Primary. (oxfordshire.gov.uk) (friendsofwatlingtonlibrary.org) Watlington Primary’s own updates show what these visits look like from the school side. One Year 4 page says pupils were “very lucky” to hear Palmer talk about her new book *The Shell Secret*, and another school newsletter said children were inspired to learn more about rock-pool micro-habitats after meeting her. (watlington.oxon.sch.uk 1) (watlington.oxon.sch.uk 2) That detail matters because Palmer’s workshops are not only about selling a story; they are tied to a subject children can carry back into class. Her workshop pages advertise sessions on coastal habitats, ecosystems, and astronauts, all aimed at primary-age pupils, which turns an author visit into something closer to a live lesson built around a book. (sypalmer.com) You can see the loop working in Watlington already. The school said lots of children in one Year 4 class had copies of Palmer’s book after the library talk, and Palmer’s own site quotes local feedback saying a “good number” of children were reading her book right after a Watlington event. (watlington.oxon.sch.uk) (sypalmer.com) So the headline is small on purpose: one author, one library, one primary school, about 30 children. But the concrete pieces are all there — a local writer from Woodcote, a community library in Watlington, a school visit arranged with the Friends group, and children leaving with questions, reviews, and books in hand. (henleystandard.co.uk) (friendsofwatlingtonlibrary.org) (watlington.oxon.sch.uk)
