“The addition of Story Steps has brought so much to our children’s learning. You can tell by their faces how much they love doing this. They are so focused, engaged, and want to participate. I love seeing how the children add in the new vocabulary to their Helicopter Stories and in their play.”
Jemma French – Reception Teacher – Wadhurst Primary
The Need:
In Jemma’s Reception classroom, story is at the heart of everything. Already using Helicopter Stories and Poetry Basket with great success, Jemma wanted to build on this foundation. Her aim was to create a rich, immersive storytelling culture where every child could find their voice, develop their language, and grow in confidence. She was particularly keen to extend vocabulary and imagination for children with additional needs, those with reduced experiences at home, and children learning English as an additional language.
What They Did:
The addition of Story Steps transformed Jemma’s classroom into a storytelling hub. She enhanced her tuff trays with props, Story Steps vocabulary and story cards, creating spaces where children could retell and extend these stories in their own play. The Story Steps resources supported Jemma and her teaching assistants by providing story outlines and key vocabulary, making it easier to nurture imaginative storytelling throughout the day.
For children like Hugo, who has delayed speech and SEND, the combination of visual aids, props, and the Story Steps sessions provided multiple entry points for engagement. Hugo now sequences stories using his own set of cards, joins in with the group, and has begun using new vocabulary in his play. The hands-on addition of farm animals and fences for Storm on the Farm helped bring the story alive, making it even more meaningful for him.
Reggie, a vulnerable child with fewer opportunities for rich language experiences at home, has also thrived. Story Steps became a hook into his learning. He developed a deep connection to Kofi the Caterpillar, often asking for it and linking it to other areas of learning like mini beasts. This consistency and relevance helped him channel his vivid imagination into purposeful play.
For Anna, an EAL learner, Story Steps provided the scaffold she needed to develop her English while nurturing her incredible imagination. She now replays stories independently in roleplay and small world areas, taking the ideas from sessions and building on them to create her own elaborate storylines.
The Results:
For Jemma, Story Steps hasn’t replaced Helicopter Stories and Poetry Basket, it has enhanced them. Together, they form a cohesive package that supports storytelling, language, and creativity across the curriculum. The children are more confident, more engaged, and more willing to take risks with language.
As Jemma says, “It’s incredible to watch. The children are so focused, engaged, and keen to participate. They’re using new vocabulary not only in their Helicopter Stories but also in their play. Story Steps has brought so much to their learning.”
What could feel like separate strands of provision have become an integrated story-rich approach. From whole-class sessions to enhanced provision challenges, story is woven into every corner of the classroom, supporting every child, thirty storytellers growing in confidence and creativity together.
