Education

Rob leads workshops in performance poetry and spoken word, comedy, creative writing, improvisation and performance skills.

He has extensive experience of working in schools (key stages 1, 2 and 3), as well as with excluded students, gifted and talented students, adults and young people with learning difficulties, people receiving mental health treatment and members of the general public. Over the years Rob has helped people of all ages create shows, scripts, slam poetry, comedy songs and sketches, movies, raps, magazines, comic strips and lots of laughter.

Rob's workshops have an emphasis on literacy, teamwork and confidence. They can be tailored for any age or ability range and adjusted to incorporate any chosen theme or area of the curriculum.

Rob has enhanced DBS Disclosure and public liability insurance.

Here’s the mission statement:

I believe, not only that every child has a right to be heard, but also that there is a direct connection between being able to listen to each other and improvements in literacy, as well as other areas of academic achievement. Young people are more likely to acquire and develop skills when they share control of the learning process. The most successful (and enjoyable!) projects I’ve been involved in have been the ones where artist, teacher and students have all been able share their ideas and skills. I don’t believe there has to be a conflict between process and outcome, because emphasis on process makes for a stronger outcome.

Previous Projects in Education

SHYNING
- Leicester
- 2012
- Comedy and improvisation workshops with KS3 students identified as reluctant speakers.
ORAL HEALTH PROJECT
- Nottingham
- 2012
- Poetry/rap/visual art workshops on oral health with KS3 students across Nottingham.
THE LYRIC LOUNGE
- Corby
- 2013
- Performance poetry workshops with Year 9 and 10 students, as well as young people excluded from school. Culminated in a poetry slam and cabaret performance.
NEW COLLEGE POETRY SLAM
- Stamford
- 2013
- Series of slam poetry workshops with 16+ students culminating in a live poetry slam for all.
IDENTITY
- Leicester
- 2012
- Series of performance poetry workshops with Year 9 and 10 students, exploring the themes of cultural identity, stereotyping, and the things that define us.
SHAKE THE DUST
- Nottingham
- 2012
- The biggest youth poetry slam project ever to take place in the UK, delivered in partnership with the Arts Council and Apples & Snakes. The slams were a culmination of a series of workshops with young people across nine regions of England.
BEST MEDICINE
- Leicester
- 2012
- Twelve week comedy project with mental health service users resulting in a DVD resource to be used by public and private sector organisations to improve staff awareness of mental health issues.
BRIDGE POETRY
- Leicester
- 2012
- Series of performance poetry workshops with KS2 students, for many of whom English was their second language, culminating in a live poetry performance to peers and parents.

Creative Workshops

Performance Poetry and Spoken Word
- Rob has been leading performance poetry workshops with young people and adults for over twenty years. He's won more poetry slams than other writer in East Midlands and collected over twenty awards for his poetry shows.
Comedy - Sketch, Improv, Stand-Up, Songs
- People of all ages love comedy and in the right hands (i.e. Rob's) it can be a fantastic tool for developing literacy and teamwork skills; and nothing boosts your confidence like making an audience laugh.
Creative Writing
- With an inexhaustible repertoire of writing games and exercises, Rob can inspire reluctant and experienced writers alike, whether they're creating poetry, stories, articles, or simply venting their spleen.
Performance and Presentation Skills
- A lot of people would rather eat their own head than deliver a presentation. Rob can help! Over the years he has worked with students of fashion, design, architecture and other subjects about which he knows absolutely nothing.
Filmmaking
- Rob is in touch with a pool of highly experienced filmmakers who he regularly collaborates with to deliver school and community projects. Literacy outcomes include scripts, storyboards, persuasive posters and film reviews.

Education Sector Testiminials

DB
- Extremely inspiring and professional. We have worked with many writers over the years but few, if any, have been so flexible and at ease with our students.
- Head of English, Murray Park School, Derby
Claire Stoneman
- Rob is a joy to work with. His enthusiasm and energy are infectious. He is able to tailor the workshops according to the needs of the students and his unfaltering warmth and sincerity means he is able to connect with the students he works with. He has inspired sullen sixth from students to produce excellent poetry for their AS English Language coursework, motivated naughty year 9s into participating positively in the workshops and coaxed the less confident students into joining in and performing in front of their peers. I have no hesitation in recommending him to any school or organisation that works with young people. Rob believes that performance poetry can be enjoyed by anyone. I’m sure the hundreds of Birmingham children and teachers he has worked with would agree.
- Collegiate Advanced Skills Teacher, Birmingham
Jo Marlowe
- Very flexible, fun to work with and at all times professional
- Arts Development Officer, Rawlins Community College, Leicestershire
Samantha Heselton
- The outcomes were great ... some children who do not normally find the arts as accessible as others seemed to blossom with the work and there have been noticeable developments in terms of their developed confidence and attainment in class ... I was extremely pleased with the commitment and enthusiasm that Rob put into the work in terms of planning and reviewing each session as well as in terms of the delivery of the workshops. I found him a resourceful, committed, knowledgeable artist and would definitely work with him again.
- Arts Development Officer, Standards & Effectiveness Division, Leicester City Council
Contact Project Children
- The workshop was excellent. Young people and children were fully engaged and inspired. Worked brilliantly with children and young people, who can be demanding. Worked at their pace and on their ideas. Helped defuse what could have been seen as awkward situations and handled them brilliantly. We would love to work with Rob again.
- Contact Project Children and Youth Project Team, Leicester
Nigel Gossage
- Fast-paced, interactive and genuinely entertaining
- Deputy Head of English, Judgemeadow Community College, Leicester
John Patching
- Rob taught (the children) not only drama and comedy techniques but also team work, responsibility and methods to resolve differences. His own enthusiasm for the work was boundless and they really responded. The journey the children took was very flexible and organic and showed how Rob could easily adapt to the needs of his audience. He got terrific results and progress, particularly from those children who initially found the work challenging, as he was able to improve their confidence and self esteem. He also motivated the members of staff he worked with through close teamwork and provided limitless resources and ideas which could be used within the school setting in times to come. Rob's skills with teaching, motivating and empowering the children ensured not only a fantastic final film, but also gave them knowledge and skills which they will all use in the future.
- Deputy Head Teacher, Orchard Primary School, Castle Donington
Michael Lane
- The event was excellent! The students certainly got a lot of educational value from it. It gave them a sense of occasion, combined with a relaxed but clear structure. They enjoyed working with their friends to create a presentation. The teachers enjoyed evaluating the work but it was overall more supportive than competitive. It helped greatly that Rob could perform poetry to a high standard, which led the way. The event became the focus of a display on the school's plasma screen.
- Teacher, Rushey Mead Secondary School, Leicester