TheSchoolRun.com closure date
As we informed you a few months ago, TheSchoolRun has had to make the difficult decision to close due to financial pressures and the company has now ceased trading. We had hoped to keep our content available through a partnership with another educational provider, but this provider has since withdrawn from the agreement.
As a result, we now have to permanently close TheSchoolRun.com. However, to give subscribers time to download any content they’d like to keep, we will keep the website open until 31st July 2025. After this date, the site will be taken down and there will be no further access to any resources. We strongly encourage you to download and save any resources you think you may want to use in the future.
In particular, we suggest downloading:
- Learning packs
- All the worksheets from the 11+ programme, if you are following this with your child
- Complete Learning Journey programmes (the packs below include all 40 worksheets for each programme)
You should already have received 16 primary school eBooks (worth £108.84) to download and keep. If you haven’t received these, please contact us at [email protected] before 31st July 2025, and we will send them to you.
We are very sorry that there is no way to continue offering access to resources and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.
How to tell your child a story – without a book

Wondrous tales of adventures, far-off lands and humorous characters have always captivated youngsters (and us grown-ups too!). But, according to Tina Bilbé of the Society for Storytelling, telling your kids stories from a young age has a whole raft of educational benefits too.
“Children who have listened to stories from a young age will have better concentration levels,” says Tina, “So when they start school they will be able to listen to the teacher, and concentrate on what is being said more easily.
“Storytelling also teaches children to love stories, which then helps when they are learning to read later on – not just story books, but general educational books and exam papers. It boosts their understanding and confidence in written words, making them better in exams.”
Set books aside
While most parents read from a book at bedtime, the Society for Storytelling promotes discarding the books and telling a story from memory. Tina says telling family history stories, for example, can help you bond with your child, and cultivate an interest in the family and the world around them. Verbal storytelling also encourages kids to interact with the story, offering them chances to influence and take part in the action themselves.


Download a FREE Creative Writing toolkit!
- KS1 & KS2 workbooks
- Bursting with fill-in prompt sheets and inspiring ideas
- Story structure tips, style guides and editing suggestions
Next time you tell a tale, try asking them lots of questions as you go along, like “What do you think happens next?” or “What should this character do?”, or even just a simple “Do you like…?”. Tina says this helps capture children’s imagination and inspires creativity by opening them up to other possibilities and outcomes.
“This shows children that stories are things to be played with – they change and move – which gives children confidence later on when they are asked to write a story,” says Tina.
Interacting with stories can also help with memory. For example, with repetitive nursery rhymes such as The Gingerbread Man kids have to remember and produce the different elements. This is great for memory training.
Top tips for braving storytelling without a book
- Start off with a family history story to ease you in gently. This should be a story you know inside out, so it should flow relatively easily – but don’t worry if it doesn’t!
- Visit your local library for inspiration. Look for stories that take your interest, so that you’ll enjoy telling them. Once you have chosen a story, re-tell it in your own words.
- If you’re not a big reader, try listening to stories on CD and then re-tell the story in your own words from memory. This is a great way to pick up tips from professional storytellers, too.