Students at Churchtown Primary School in Southport, part of Endeavour Learning Trust, were treated to an unforgettable experience on Monday when best-selling author David Walliams paid a visit, sharing stories and laughter with the pupils.
Walliams spent the morning with the children, bringing his characters to life with his signature humour. For students in Years 3-6, he shared insights into his creative process, revealing how he gets his ideas for his books. He also treated them to short readings from his earlier works and an exclusive sneak peek of his latest book, The World’s Worst Superheroes, which will be published later this week.
For younger pupils in Reception to Year 2, Walliams hosted a magical storytime session, reading from The World’s Worst Children, leaving his young audience spellbound.
He and his publishers, HarperCollins Children’s Books, donated books to each child in the school and also gave a selection of books to the school’s new library, which will open this autumn as part of the Churchtown Playground project, dedicated to the memory of former pupils Alice and Bebe.
Reflecting on his visit, Walliams said: “I have wanted to come to the school for some time to try and spread some happiness and help them on their mission to having a brand-new library.”
Jinnie Payne, headteacher of Churchtown Primary School, said: “Our children were absolutely mesmerised – seeing their favourite stories come to life and meeting the author behind them was an unforgettable experience.
“HarperCollins and David’s generosity in donating books to our children and new library means his stories will continue to inspire future readers.”
David Clayton, CEO of Endeavour Learning Trust, added: “Today has been a celebration of creativity and joy. David’s visit reminded our students that with imagination, anything is possible. The smiles, laughter, and magic of stories will stay with them long after the visit, inspiring them to dream big and believe in themselves.”
The students themselves couldn’t hide their excitement:
“This was very exciting and gave me some inspiration to write stories.” – Annabelle, Cedar Y6
“I want to be an author like David Walliams now and write my own books.” – Lily-Rae Mault, Oak Y3
“Really exciting and funny. I liked the voices he used when he read us his stories! I liked it when he said pick the worst teacher to be in the book, and I said mine.” – Luca M, Fir Y3
Even the youngest pupils were full of enthusiasm:
“I really do like David Walliams and I’ve never met him before. He was really funny!” – Freya, Hedgehogs Y1
“I liked it when he said the child in the story was going to explode!” – Thomas, Hedgehogs Y1
Year 2 students were just as thrilled:
“I can’t believe I saw the author who wrote my favourite book, Robodog.” – Louis C, Owls Y2
“When he came in, he made a big entrance which made us all laugh.” – Betsy H, Swans Y2
“I liked the fact we heard the book read by the real person.” – Grace S, Robins Y2
The new library, set to open later this year, will be a space where students can explore the world through books, feeding their imagination and a love for reading.
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