Time for Change: A creative writing skills workshop
- This event is in the past
Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (22 Apr 2025 - 21 Nov 2025) - Key stage 2, Key stage 3, Key stage 4, Key stage 5
- Art & Design, English Language, History
- Art History, Communication language and literacy, Creative writing, English, Historical Interpretation, Learning from paintings, Renaissance, Tudors
The age of the Edwardians saw significant change across many parts of the world to a level not previously experienced before. Explore The Edwardians: Age of Elegance with a published author as a way to delve into this period of change to inspire your pupils' writing.
In learning about the process of writing a long piece they will find out about:
• Research
• Description
• Dialogue and language
• Persuasive writing
• Presenting an argumentYour students will use insightful images and gorgeous artefacts in the exhibition as a source for expressive writing. These short pieces can be used later as one long narrative or kept as individual examples of each genre.
Session Learning Objectives:
- Explore the creative thinking on display in some wonderful examples of art created by artists such as Sarah Bernhardt and Franz Xaver Winterhalter
- Consider works of art featured in the exhibition as valuable sources of inspiration in comparison to more familiar text based options
- Use art work on display to inspire descriptions of settings, character and atmosphere
- Examine these exciting sources to further impact of pupils' writing and enhance their descriptive skills
- Develop new ideas, insightful notes and short written pieces in their own author's notebook
In this session children will:
- Work with a published author who will highlight creative writing techniques and new ideas
- Take an educator led interactive tour of the galleries to explore the sources on display
- Undertake a number of short creative writing exercises to engage pupils with the works of art
This workshop highlights the many possibilities for inspiring Creative Writing from works of art. The session will also provide a set of comprehensive teachers' notes and follow up ideas to aid pupils to develop their writing back at school.
Fantastic session! Children were all so engaged.
Teacher
Session times: 10:15 and 12:30
Duration: 2 Hours
Exclusive access opportunity!! Book your visit on a Tuesday between April and November 2025 and your group will be provided with access to the exhibition and gallery spaces outside of normal visiting opening times.
Available for booking: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays - 22 April to 21 November 2025
General information
Changing the Guard
On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays the Changing the Guard ceremony takes place at the front of Buckingham Palace, facing the Mall. The ceremony begins at 11:00, however large crowds start to gather beforehand.
If you are travelling to The King's Gallery around this time we recommend you travel from the direction of Victoria station. Avoid travelling from the direction of Green Park.
If you are travelling by car, coach or bus be aware that roads around the area will close before the ceremony, causing traffic to move slowly.
The ceremony is usually finished by 12:00.
By underground
The nearest tube stations are Victoria, Green Park, St. James's Park and Hyde Park Corner (all approximately 10 minutes walk).
For further information visit the Transport for London website.
By train
The nearest train stations are London Victoria (10 minute walk) or London Charing Cross (20 minute walk).
Visit National Rail Enquiries for times and fares.
By coach/bus
Bus numbers 11, 211, C1 and C10 stop on Buckingham Palace Road. Victoria Coach Station is a 10-minute walk from the Palace.
For further information visit the Transport for London website.
Our learning programmes are designed to be accessible to all pupils. Most of our sessions can be adapted to meet any educational or access needs your group may have. Please ask for details when booking.
You may find the information for visitors on the Autism spectrum helpful when planning your visit to The King's Gallery.
Free access companion tickets are available for adults accompanying any pupils with a disability in your group.
There are no lunch spaces available for groups visiting The King's Gallery. Green Park and St James’s Park are located nearby. Lunch room facilities are available at the nearby Girl Guiding UK ICANDO Centre on Buckingham Palace Road. For bookings please telephone 020 7592 1818.
To find out more or to make a booking contact the Learning Bookings team.
Please have to hand:
- Preferred date and possible alternatives, plus time of arrival
- Numbers of children and supervising adults
- The taught programme you would like
- Details of any special educational or access needs
Please use the downloadable Bookings Forms to send your details to the Learning Bookings Team.
You will then be sent a reservation letter, together with your teachers’ resource pack, giving a date by which full payment must be received to secure the booking.
Please note: you may be asked to cover the cost of the session if you cancel within short notice of your visit. Non-booked schools will be charged at standard group admission rates. Please see our Terms of Application for Learning Group Admissions.
Contact us
Learning Bookings Team
Ticket Sales and Information Office
Buckingham Palace
London SW1A 1AAT. (+44) (0)303 123 7323
F. (+44) (0)20 7930 9625
[email protected]Sharing Learning Objectives
You will find our learning objectives for each taught session on the relevant programme information page. Sending us your learning objectives prior to your visit will help us tailor the session to your group’s requirements.
Planning Visits
Once you have made your booking, we offer two complimentary tickets for you and a colleague to conduct a planning visit. If you would like to meet a member of the Learning team during this visit, please let us know at the time of booking.
Reduced-rate admission for school groups
Pre-booked school groups: £1 per pupil
Children in Reception or below: FREEPlease note the minimum school group sizes for booking taught workshops are:
- 15 Pupils
- 10 Pupils for SEN groups
Accompanying adults
One teacher or adult helper is admitted free of charge at the following ratios:- Under 5s - 1 adult: 3 pupils
- Years 1 to 3 - 1 adult: 6 pupils
- Year 4 and above - 1 adult: 10 pupils
Please ask for details of rates for additional adults when booking.
Arrival
Following your booking a confirmation letter, with an agreed arrival time, will be sent to you; your letter serves as a ticket for your group. The group leader must have a copy of the confirmation letter to present on arrival.
Security Measures
Royal Collection Trust sites have airport-style security measures at all public entry points, through which all visitors, including school groups, are required to enter. All adults and children will be asked to:
- Allow any bags to be searched by hand
- Walk through a metal detector arch, one at a time
- Switch off mobile phones
The Royal Collection Trust Learning section asks that teachers undertake the following guidelines to make entry to Royal Collection Trust sites as smooth and quick as possible:
- Please arrive at the Royal Collection Trust site at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time for the booked workshop
- Teachers and children should not bring the following: scissors, compasses, metal cutlery, sharp metallic implements
- Only bring what you need! The Royal Collection Trust Learning section will provide all necessary equipment such as clipboards, pencils and drawing materials (groups can bring their own sketchbooks if they prefer to use these)
