S.P.O.O.C.S

A fun and innovative way to prepare for KS2 English SATS

S.P.O.O.C.S is set in the context of a haunted Tudor house where the hauntings have got out of hand. The unit starts with a TV news report in which Caesar Goole, spokesperson for S.P.O.O.C.S (The Society for the Prevention Of Occupancy of Castles and Stately homes), appeals for interested viewers to apply to join the organisation. As the children in your class apply for the position of ghost hunters, they embark on an exciting writing journey that takes them through a host of long and short non-fiction, fiction and play script writing tasks.

• Download the introduction to S.P.O.O.C.S in PDF format

Via DVD, the children are in constant contact with Y (head of S.P.O.O.C.S) as she sets them specific writing tasks via video conferences.

• See an extract from the DVD showing an example of a writing task from Y

The story gradually unfolds and eventually the ghost hunters are approached by the legendary film producer Hal B Rich III. He has heard of the children’s exploits and wants to make a film about them.

• See an extract from the DVD showing Hal's letter

S.P.O.O.C.S consists of The Manual and a DVD. In The Manual you will find notes to support the teaching of each writing activity, model texts, activity sheets, word and sentence level activities and a list of suggested texts for whole class reading. The DVD contains the stimulus material for each writing activity in the form of video conferences, ghostly images captured on surveillance cameras, emails and letters. The Manual is also on the DVD, should you wish to print further copies of it or to show a model text or activity sheet on the IWB.

S.P.O.O.C.S is currently being used by 11 schools in Sandwell, in the West Midlands, to support over 400 pupils in preparing for the 2008 KS2 SATs. Teachers are enthusiastically embracing the concept, developing S.P.O.O.C.S membership cards, badges and posters advertising the imminent arrival of S.P.O.O.C.S.

If you would like any further information about SP.O.O.C.S, you can contact Gill.

S.P.O.O.C.S will be published in October 2008 by Ellipsis Publishing. To pre-order the S.P.O.O.C.S DVD and The Manual download the order form.

Gill offers tailor made CPD on using S.P.O.O.C.S to prepare children for SATs. If you would like to discuss CPD, contact Gill.