Teaching & Training courses in Watford

LOOKING FOR: YA/NA FANTASY, SFF, HORROR, ADULT FICTION John Baker (he/him) joined the Bell Lomax Moreton agency in 2019, cultivating a list shaped around his passion for science fiction, fantasy, and horror, though has lately also branched out into action/adventure fiction. John focuses on authors writing in the Adult, New Adult, and YA spaces. John leads the wider agency's film & TV desk, is the Secretary of the Association of Author’s Agents, and the co-chair of the AAA’s Bridge Committee. He also serves on the Kingston University MA Publishing Advisory Board. Under the umbrella of speculative fiction, John is looking for fantasy, science fiction, horror, romantasy, or literary speculative fiction. He has built a reputation as a champion of underrepresented voices and stories, be it from creators hailing from the global majority and their diasporas or neurodiverse authors, and naturally gravitates towards this kind of storytelling. In short, if he’s never read a story like yours before, he wants to see it. Adult fantasy: John loves beefy epic fantasy, especially non-Anglo Christian-inspired. Give him an immersive world, a fresh magical or mythic system, and an exciting cast of characters and he’ll be happy. He is a broad church in the genre so loves a political fantasy, swords and sorcery, courtly intrigue, monster hunting and dastardly villains. John is keen to find an urban fantasy that feels fresh and fun and he’s a sucker for a heroic quest narrative. He’s also very open to fantasy that isn’t easily categorised, but it is playing in that world. John is keenly hunting for more historical fantasy, especially inspired by modern history. He’s had fun with mythological retellings in the past, but as ever, let’s make sure it’s shining the spotlight on new stories. He would also love fantasy that centres on types of relationships less celebrated in fantasy, such as established and secure married couples, or siblings. NA/YA fantasy: In this genre, most importantly, John wants to have a good time, whether it’s swoon-worthy kisses in lush ball gowns, or gruesome gore and monsters, so send him pacy, plot-filled adventures. He’d love more books that teenage boys would love: Skullduggery Pleasant forever! Romantasy: The thriving new romantasy genre comes with its own set of challenges, so John wants to know what makes your romantasy different; what will set it out from the (very crowded!) market. Give it completely barmy stakes, cool and unique new settings, or a love story that will make your jaw drop. To be clear, he’s happily sorted for a human person meets a fae creature in the spooky woods. Also, cosmic romance is the genre of the future. Give him romantasy in space. Easy. Horror: John and horror are old friends. He loves horror inspired by myth and folklore, subversive weird horror that leaves your eyebrows in your hairline, historical horror that pulls from ghastly true stories, and anything that you’ll be reading with the light on. He also loves a gothic element and is particularly looking for horror with a strong romantic throughline, fun YA horror, and female & NB horror authors. Science fiction: SF is coming back! And John has been shouting about that. He loves to see an adventurous found-family romp through space or an epic, crunchy space opera. Speculative near-future is fun too, in the vein of Black Mirror’s more uplifting episodes, (e.g. San Junipero). He loves YA science fiction as well; the more creative the better. Literary: John is open to finding more rich magical realism or something character-led yet supernatural and would love a high-concept mystery, in the vein of Stuart Turton. He also loves spec fic that uses the speculative lightly as a way of confronting a deeper truth in society today. Weird stuff: John wants books that will blow people’s minds and defy categorisation. This is hard to describe, but think Gideon The Ninth, The Library At Mount Char, This Is How You Lose The Time War. John loves a pitch that leaves the editors baffled but intrigued. Action/Adventure, Historical Adventure, Espionage: John is branching out into non-speculative adventures, such as John Le Carré, Lee Child, Ian Flemming, and Mick Herron. More as his taste develops, but the hunt is on! Not looking for: military sci-fi or hard SF, or anything with biblical “character wakes up in purgatory/heaven/hell” narratives. The right comedic fantasy has yet to hit his inbox, but please don’t comp Douglas Adams or Sir Terry. John would like you to submit a covering letter, 1-2 page synopsis and the first three chapters (or 5,000 words whichever is longest) of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, John is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Wednesday 15th January 2025

What does this course cover? This is an online course for developing history leadership in primary teaching. This term, we will be piloting the course as an immersive programme covering the key elements of primary history subject leadership, enabling all involved in history leadership at primary to carry out their role effectively. How is this course structured and delivered? The course will take place in ten online sessions from January–May 2025. Sessions 1, 8 and 10 are compulsory to attend live. Participants will be required to complete a gap task after each session and contribute to an online reflection diary. The other sessions will be recorded for participants to work through at their convenience, though participants are encouraged to attend the recording sessions live in order to make the most of the programme. All recordings will be made available on the course Moodle page within two working days of the live recording session. Who is this course for? This programme is designed for anyone who is a subject coordinator or subject leader for history in their primary school. You may have just been appointed as a subject leader, or be more experienced but looking for formal training or fresh inspiration and direction. What are the outcome? This course will: equip you fully for the demands of history leadership in primary schools increase your confidence to develop an innovative, inclusive and effective history curriculum in your school develop your understanding of efficient action planning and how to make a wider impact help you to make the case for history with senior leaders enable you to enthuse others and lead staff meetings about history develop your understanding of current issues in primary history education The course will include a chance to share resources and assessment approaches, plus much more What will each session cover? Session 1: Introductory meeting (Live attendance) Wednesday 22 January 2025, 4pm–5.30pm Introduction and aims Reflection activity on the current state of history in your school Key responsibilities of the history subject leader Current Ofsted implications for the subject and what to expect in an inspection How the HA and latest Ofsted material can support you Session 2: What makes an effective history subject leader? (Live and recorded) Monday 27 January 2025, 4pm–5.30pm How to effectively support teachers and learners as a history leader How to create a vision, lead change, and manage time Effective action planning and improvement Auditing your history provision and building your evidence trail Developing an innovative, inclusive and effective history curriculum in your school Disciplinary knowledge: What is history? What do historians do? Suggested gap task: Conducting teacher and/or pupil voice questionnaires. Compulsory gap task: Add to your reflection diary for the programme. If relevant, reflect on how you will use the teacher questionnaire or pupil voice. Session 3: What makes effective teaching of history? (Live and recorded) Wednesday 19 February 2025, 4–5.30pm The role of the teacher Supporting SEND pupils Securing substantive knowledge and concepts across the curriculum How to support colleagues by identifying core knowledge How to involve the whole staff in mapping out and embedding the progression of concepts across the curriculum Suggested gap task: Consider SEND in your curriculum. Compulsory gap task: Add to your reflection diary for the programme reflecting on SEND. Session 4: Curriculum and practice at EYFS (Live and recorded) Tuesday 25 February 2025, 4–5.30pm Unpicking and supporting the requirements of the EYFS curriculum and Development Matters Developing historical and chronological understanding in EYFS as part of Understanding the world Progression and transition from EYFS to Key Stage 1 Ensuring coherence: how to start developing concepts Making use of the local history on your doorstep for EYFS and KS1 Accessing resources and support for EYFS Suggested gap task: Fact finding and liaison. Compulsory gap task: Add to your reflection diary for the programme reflecting on current EYFS practice. Session 5: Curriculum and practice at Key Stage 1 (Live and recorded) Monday 3 March 2025, 4pm–5.30pm Unpicking and supporting the requirements of the National Curriculum for KS1 Progression: building upon transition from EYFS What do KS1 require before KS2? Ensuring coherence: further developing the school’s chosen substantive concepts How to develop disciplinary concepts Developing appropriate chronological understanding in KS1 Enhancing and engaging children’s knowledge and retention through enquiry The use of working walls in KS1 to support learning Accessing resources and support for KS1 Suggested gap task: Check your KS1 curriculum for coverage and progression, building upon what they have learnt in EYFS. Compulsory gap task: Add to your reflection diary for the programme reflecting on KS1 practice in your setting. Session 6: Curriculum and practice at Key Stage 2 (Live and recorded) Tuesday 11 March 2025, 4pm–5.30pm Unpicking and supporting the requirements of the National Curriculum for KS2 How to incorporate local history with progression in KS2 What do we want the children in Year 6 to leave with? Developing appropriate chronological understanding in KS2 Preparing for transition to Key Stage 3 Ensuring coherence: building upon the school’s chosen concepts for progression What the HA can do to support the teaching of KS2 units? Resources and support for KS2 Suggested gap task: Check your KS2 curriculum for coverage and progression, building upon what they have learnt in EYFS and KS1. Compulsory gap task: Add to your reflection diary for the programme reflecting on KS2 practice in your setting. Session 7: Approaching sensitive issues in history (Live and recorded) Tuesday 18 March 2025, 4pm–5.30pm What do we mean by diversity in history and why is it important? How to ensure a wider diversity in your history teaching Barriers to making the curriculum more diverse and how to overcome them Approaches to sensitive issues in history lessons, including: - Refugees and migration history - War - Climate change Suggested gap task: Consider opportunities for increasing diverse voices and raising climate issues in your curriculum. Compulsory gap task: Add to your reflection diary for the programme considering how you might address the sensitive or current issues raised in this session. Session 8: Interim review meeting (Live attendance) Tuesday 25 March 2025, 4pm–5.30pm A review session allowing subject leaders to reflect upon their progress so far Opportunity to respond to suggestions, clarify information, or raise issues from the previous sessions Time to ask questions, share good practice or recommended resources with the rest of the cohort Suggested gap task: Time to follow up on anything raised in this session or to complete any previous tasks, following clarification and inspiration from this session. Compulsory gap task: Add to your reflection diary for the programme, reflecting on your priorities and actions using suggestions from the presenter or other delegates. Session 9: Assessment and evidence (Live and recorded) Wednesday 30 April 2025, 4pm–5.30pm Assessment and expectations A word about writing Triangulating the evidence What to look for in a work scrutiny Suggested gap task: Conduct a work scrutiny on one aspect to check across the school, in conjunction with a focused pupil voice on the same aspect. Compulsory gap task: Add to your reflection diary considering how you will conduct a work scrutiny and what you will focus on – or, if relevant, reflect on what you discovered and how you will address any issues. Session 10: Final meeting (Live attendance) Wednesday 14 May 2025, 4pm–5.30pm Following up any requests arising from the interim meeting (Session 8) Discussion or clarification of any issues arising from previous sessions Discussion of priorities, next steps and any issues Sharing ideas for enthusing others and leading staff meetings: “What worked for me?” Communicating with headteachers, governors, colleagues and parents Are you ready for the HA Quality Mark? Suggested gap task: Identifying your school’s next steps Compulsory gap task: Complete your final piece in your reflection diary.

Booked or looking to book your GIC? Want to know what to expect? Join us for an online session where we go through what is expected of you on the course and your chance to ask questions.

LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS, MG, YA, ADULT FICTION Clare Wallace joined the Darley Anderson Agency in January 2011 and is building both the Darley Anderson Children’s Agency and the Darley Anderson Illustration Agency lists as well as taking on adult fiction for debut authors. Clare is particularly looking for funny chapter books for younger readers at the moment, as well as contemporary MG, YA fantasy, romance, and rom coms, especially with underrepresented protagonists. For picture books she has the widest taste, from daft to lyrical, rhyming to prose. As well as being busy with the children’s and illustration agencies, Clare is open to debut adult fiction submissions that could be described as book club, rom-com, romance, saga, reading group, fantasy or historical fiction. She often doesn’t know what she’s looking for until she finds it (although she is not the person for steampunk or space opera). She represents picture books, middle-grade, teenage and YA and debut adult fiction. The clients Clare represents include Perdita & Honor Cargill, Caroline Crowe, Tom Ellen, Martyn Ford, Stewart Foster, Olivia Hope, A M Howell, Polly Ho-Yen, Rachel Ip, Beth Reekles, J.P. Rose, Lindsay Galvin, Dave Rudden, Deirdre Sullivan and Efua Traoré. Whatever the age range, Clare loves a big hook, a lot of heart, and a standout voice. She loves to discover memorable new characters, bold and unique voices, strong concepts and gripping storytelling. This list gives a good indication of Clare's taste but if your submission doesn’t fit a description here, it doesn’t mean Clare doesn’t want to receive it. Clare would like you to send a covering letter, a one page synopsis and the first three chapters (Max 5000 words) of your manuscript. For picture books, please submit a covering letter and up to three completed texts. Please send EITHER picture books OR another genre, not both in one submission. (In addition to the paid sessions, Clare is kindly offering one free session for low income/underrepresented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 13th January 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Diana joined the prestigious DHH Literary Agency in June 2024. She started agenting with Rupert Heath Literary Agency in 2011 before moving to UTA and Marjacq in 2017. Before that she was senior commissioning editor at Transworld. Diana was chosen as one of The Bookseller’s Rising Stars of 2012, was a nominee for RNA Agent of the Year 2019, and was shortlisted for Literary Agent of the Year 2022 at the British Book Awards. Her list includes a wide range of bestselling and prize-winning authors in the UK and internationally. Diana represents adult fiction and non-fiction. For fiction, she is looking for upmarket women's commercial, with depth and heart, including reading group, historical, saga, uplit and contemporary stories that are irreverent and make her laugh; accessible literary fiction, high-concept crime fiction and thrillers. She has a thing for spy novels and would love to find a great vampire story.  On the non-fiction side: memoir, smart, funny feminists, lifestyle, cookery and social justice, and open to anything with a strong, original voice. She also encourages submissions from writers who have been traditionally under-represented. Diana would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 - 2 page synopsis and the first three chapters (a maximum of 5,000 words) of your manuscript in a single word document.  (In addition to the paid sessions, Diana is kindly offering one free session for low income/underrepresented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 16 January 2025

An exciting 10-week course to build your Spanish skills from scratch. Practical applications for travel & conversation. Enlarge your vocabulary, improve your grammar in a pain-free, step-by-step way, working with a tutor with 10+ years' experience & a small group of learners.

Unschooling goals are different to New Year Resolutions. They are not big life changes that we are planning to make and promise to keep (but then inevitably fail at before the month is out) Our unschooling goals and intentions enable us to make changes but in small ways that make a big difference with a side helping of grace alongside. Both helping you to find your course and stay on it. This webinar will walk through how to create meaningful goals for your family and how to use them to in your day to day to bring you and your child closer to a life that is able to flourish. A recording of this webinar is included and available for two weeks after the live event.  These webinars are FREE for Unschooling Village Hub Members along with a back catalogue of Unschooling Webinars, regular live coaching sessions, and discounts on coaching and mentoring services. Sign up for just £20 per month. Yes! I want to join the LPL Unschooling Village Hub

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Nicky Lovick has worked as an editor for over twenty years, working for top five publishers. She is now an agent at WGM Talent, building the books list. She is looking for commercial fiction, from upmarket women’s fiction, bookclub, romance, domestic noir and psychological thrillers, to crime series. She loves hooky stories such as Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid and Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware set in confined settings, such as hotels. She’s always on the lookout for romcoms with a fresh, contemporary feel to them such as Emily Henry’s Book Lovers. Also historical fiction with a twist and sweeping family sagas. Nicky wants you to make her laugh, make her cry or keep her hooked.  Nicky would like you to submit a covering letter, 1-2 page synopsis and the opening three chapters of your manuscript in a single word document.  (In addition to the paid sessions, Nicky is kindly offering one free session for low income/underrepresented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Friday 17th January 2025

LOOKING FOR: MG, YA AND ADULT SCI-FI / FANTASY, CHILDREN'S NON-FICTION After graduating from St Andrews University with a degree in English Literature and Art History, Maddy followed her love of literature to an internship at non-fiction literary agency Graham Maw Christie. At GMC, Maddy worked her way up to Agent and built a list of authors who wrote for both for adults and children, spanning history, tarot, and nature writing. An avid reader of anything magical, Maddy joined Madeleine Milburn in 2022 to build a list specialising in SFF. Maddy would like to see SFF across all genres for all ages, including: grim dark, thriller, historical, romance, cosy fantasy, sci-fi, epic, YA fantasy, dark academia, contemporary fantasy, fantasy middle-grade, mythology, fairy tale and queer fantasy. Inspiring children’s non-fiction. She loves worlds to get lost in, adventures that transform what it means to be a hero, and unique magic that offers as many problems as solutions. She likes books that make her cry and books that change her mind. Above all, when she finishes a story about another world, she wants it to have taught her a lesson which helps her live in this one. She loves all fantasy, but favours richly imagined, complex worlds with a history to discover and a future to protect. Worldbuilding is one of her favourite aspects of this genre and she is always looking for a new, dense world with series potential. Think Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere or the Marvel Cinematic Universe – the bigger the better! She also likes character-driven fantasy with a diverse cast to root for (or root against) and she wants to see a range of different relationships depicted authentically. She particularly like epics that dip into big, universal themes such as grief, climate change, or war and which ask impossible questions in the vein of R.F. Kuang or N.K. Jemisin. She is also excited by authors that play with form and language in a fantasy setting. In YA, she is looking for much the same as in an adult fantasy, but with younger protagonists and a closer focus on relationships. She wants to see the tropes she knows and loves in new and exciting forms and her favourite YA books often centre around belonging and becoming. She likes a dash of romance in everything, because she is sentimental that way, but it’s particularly important in the YA space. Sci-fi is a big passion of hers, especially when it comes with a strong hook. She is a huge fan of Becky Chamber’s The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and Michaiah Johnson’s The Space Between Worlds. She likes space as a metaphor, and would love something that explores different alien species. Please send her your space operas and sci-fi romances which combine space, magic and mayhem! In fantasy middle grade, she favours whimsy and animal companions; she would love to follow a group of kids through magic school. She tends to look for plenty of humour with a strong friendship at the centre, and she wants middle grade stories which engage with the concerns of children growing up as well as offering an all-important escape (preferably on a dragon/unicorn’s back). She is also looking for children’s non-fiction for all ages. In this space, she wants something as creative as it is informative, and thinks diverse voices are increasingly important. Maddy would like you to submit a covering letter, one page synopsis and the first three chapters (Max 5000 words) of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Maddy is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Wednesday 15th January 2025

Music Audio Stories presents Can You Count It? Free Video Series ▫️ Fun videos to help your child learn numbers 1 to 10, and develop visual and spelling skills. We are thrilled to introduce our video series called, Can You Count It? Children will learn numbers 1 to 10, see how to spell and pronounce each number, and enjoy counting to 10 with fun illustrations and numbers. With illustrations, voice-overs, animations, and music, this video series will help to teach children to count in a fun and easy way. Children will: ▪️See examples of each number ▪️Hear how each number is pronounced ▪️Learn how to spell each number ▪️Have fun counting the numbers ▪️Improve concentration and visual skills ▪️Love the fun illustrations and characters ▪️Enjoy sound effects and music ⏰ Videos are released on Saturdays at 11 am on YouTube. Subscribe to our channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/MusicAudioStories and hit the bell to make sure you don't miss a new video. Video Series Playlist: https://shorturl.at/xlNdy Find out why it's important to develop colour recognition here: https://musicaudiostories.com/blog/can-you-count-it Enjoy! ♥ Music Audio Stories - Making learning easy and fun! Music Audio Stories is an original company specialising in entertaining music audiobooks, picture books, interactive activities, fun videos, and unique storytelling with multi-award-winner, 'Storytime with Anna Christina'. Music Audio Stories are interactive audiobooks with full orchestral scores and magical soundtracks, catchy sing-along songs and fun stories that teach and uplift little listeners. Videos include uniquely entertaining Storytimes with music, sound effects, narration, voice-overs, illustrations, and animations. Plus delightful activity videos for listening, learning, reading, drawing, and lots of fun! ---------- Website: http://www.musicaudiostories.com/ Storytime: http://storytimewithannachristina.com/ ---------- Subscribe to get a free music audiobook at: http://www.musicaudiostories.com/#subscribe ---------- Twitter: https://twitter.com/musicaudiostory Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicaudiostories/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicaudiostories/ Storytime with Anna Christina Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storytimewithannachristina/