In consultation with partner schools, our storytellers and volunteers turn up every week, building relationships and trust with students, taking them through a fun and engaging writing process. At the end of the term the students have completed a piece of writing which is often the most significant piece of writing they’ve ever done. We celebrate their achievement by printing a beautifully-designed publication for the students to take home and show their loved ones.
We work with schools across different time-frames. Some schools take part in special one-off workshops and visit us in our fabulous writing centres in Redfern and Parramatta. At others we deliver a writing program across a term. We commit to working with our Residency Schools for at least a year, working across multiple grades, to create a culture of writing.
What’s better than a confident writer? A whole school of them! We see the power of this approach every day. The pride and delight kids have in discovering their ideas and voice is important and worth listening to.
Click here to see the workshops on offer in term 3.
Our low-cost, subsidised online programs are interactive and easy to implement. Our educators enter your classroom via Zoom and work with you to create a fun but meaningful writing environment. We will take students through a series of scaffolded activities that lead to a substantial piece of writing, and share ideas and resources that you can use to continue your students’ writing journey after the program ends.
We offer:
Who do we partner with?
As a not-for-profit we are funded to offer our writing courses to schools with an ICSEA below 1000, and/or significant numbers of students who are Indigenous or from CALD backgrounds.
Limited places available in Term 4 2022, more places available next year.
Stage 2
One-off workshop
In this workshop students are asked to imagine how a hungry monster living under their couch might look, sound and act. The first epic encounter with the monster will be written as a narrative poem, with students guided through key...
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Stage 4
One-off workshop
Experimenting with style? Considering the audience? Finding it all a little dry? This workshop gives students a chance to practise these specific English skills while engaging in a fun and interactive experience, drawing from two clashing formats - horror movies...
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Stage 5
One-off workshop
Have you ever had a nightmare you can't quite explain? In this workshop students explore prose poetry and surrealism as they prepare to write their own short horror narrative based on an alien invasion. They learn strategies for ideating and...
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Stage 2
Three Week Program
In this workshop Story Factory guides students through an exploration of the creative techniques used by cartoonists to anthropomorphise objects and animals. Students will bring objects from their daily lives to life, creating unique characters, imagining daily activities and drafting...
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Stage 3
Three Week Program
Ever heard of Cheese Rolling in Coopers Hill, or Worm Charming in Willaston, or the Wife Carrying Race in Dorking? In this program students act as news reporters, sent to investigate the weird traditions of small towns with odd histories...
Read More Stage 4
Three Week Program
Have you ever judged a book by its cover? Ever felt that someone judged you? This workshop gives students an opportunity to look beyond our everyday appearances and imagine other people's experiences. Students will develop a portfolio of writing including...
Read More Stage 5
Three Week Program
So, as you may or may have not noticed, InstaPoetry is pretty big. These workshops introduce students to the genre, exploring the inventive ways the multimodal nature of Instagram is being used by young poets. Students will be led through...
Read MoreOften run in collaboration with other arts organisations, these projects are a rare opportunity for students to take part in something big. All projects have big finishes – culminating in books, exhibitions, publications, films and events. We love them and most importantly, so do our students
Art Write Light is a free creative writing project curated by Story Factory, that connects Australian artists with young people in an explosion of creativity over three colourful years. This project creates opportunities for students to creatively respond to the...
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Marvellous Birds is a creative writing and storytelling project for Years 5 and 6 students. It investigated the feathered beauty of some truly incredible birds. Through carefully scaffolded creative writing activities, students explored themes such as community, camaraderie, displacement, environmental change, migration...
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In this Story Factory partnership with the National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA) and the State Library of NSW, students are immersed in a world of books and history. In site visits to the Library, students will create a collection...
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We’re Writing to Say... is a Story Factory project that aimed to creatively document the lived experience of young people during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the shared experience of a truly unprecedented year, the project connected young people with...
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Story Factory 10th Anniversary Writing Prize ‘Voices in the Wind’ Supported by UBS Entries open 1 April - Close 31st May
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A User’s Guide to a Pandemic was an idea that started during the national lockdown in 2020. The idea was simple – that young people needed to write about this. Four writing centres for young people across the country joined together...
Read More The Parramatta Female Factory is an important site in the colourful history of colonial New South Wales. Since 1821 it’s been an orphanage, prison, asylum, medical facility and school. In Art and the Institution, Story Factory has partnered with the...
Read MoreIn consultation with partner schools, our storytellers and volunteers turn up every week, building relationships and trust with students, taking them through a fun and engaging writing process. At the end of the term the students have completed a piece of writing which is often the most significant piece of writing they’ve ever done. We celebrate their achievement by printing a beautifully-designed publication for the students to take home and show their loved ones.
We work with schools across different time-frames. Some schools take part in special one-off workshops and visit us in our fabulous writing centres in Redfern and Parramatta. At others we deliver a writing program across a term. We commit to working with our Residency Schools for at least a year, working across multiple grades, to create a culture of writing.
What’s better than a confident writer? A whole school of them! We see the power of this approach every day. The pride and delight kids have in discovering their ideas and voice is important and worth listening to.
Below are the workshops on offer in term 3. Get in touch to find out more and book now.
Stages 2-5
Term 3 and 4
One-off workshop (2 hours)
This project aims to encourage the appreciation of quality Australian literature, and to promote creativity in young writers and the wider population. Participating schools will take part in a unique two hour Story Factory workshop which makes use of a...
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Stage 2
Term Long (8 weeks)
Let’s celebrate the most delicious things in life! This series is the perfect poetry ‘taster’ workshop series for students who might be new to working with Story Factory. Through different creative writing activities, all based around food, students will...
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Stage 2
Term Long (8 weeks)
Behold, a bug's eye view! Watch as students take on insect alter-egos as they engage in adventure, narrative writing. From the perspective of their favourite creepy- crawly, students will explore the sandpit, playground and jungle-gym as they develop their imaginative...
Read More Stage 3
Term Long (8 weeks)
Bottles on the run! Staplers saving the stationary!! In this workshop series students anthropomorphise objects to make original characters. Students will brainstorm timelines and daily activities, imagine dialogue, role play interviews and write a letter as a character asserting
Read More Stage 2
One-off workshop (2 hours)
Are your students interested in writing stories, but still stuck in the ‘and then’ phase? In this fun, interactive workshop, students investigate the emotional life of a monkey, and learn simple steps to write about characters personalities, feelings and character...
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Stage 3
One-off workshop (2 hours)
At the Story Factory we’ve wrestled (in a totally gentle and bird friendly way of course) birds and poetry into the mechanised, robotic 21st century. In this workshop students will begin by creating their own fantastical Robot Bird, a...
Read More Stage 4
Term Long (8 weeks)
Music is the Meditjin!! This workshop explores poetic and lyrical expression as students are inspired by contemporary First Nations songs and poetry, many of which possess historical, social and cultural significance. Students will explore their own experiences and values as...
Read More Stage 4
Term Long (8 weeks)
What would we do without our GPSs, if we could slow right down and enjoy the scenery? In this hilarious workshop series, students will focus on the narrative element of descriptive writing. Every week students explore how to create setting...
Read More Stage 5
Term Long (8 weeks)
So what actually is prose poetry? Well, it’s a playful, hybrid and flexible form of short writing that gives developing writers rich opportunities to learn about and experiment with an abundant range of language features as they produce fun...
Read More Stage 4
One-off workshop (2 hours)
Are you ready to defeat pirate overlords, find ancient crystals or discover new species on a Jungle Safari? In this workshop the choice is yours! Get ready to go on an adventure for the ages using the latest and greatest...
Read More Stage 5
One-off workshop (2 hours)
Have you ever had a nightmare you can't quite explain? In this workshop students explore prose poetry and surrealism as they prepare to write their own short horror narrative based on an alien invasion. They learn strategies for ideating and...
Read MoreHave you ever had a nightmare you can't quite explain? In this workshop students explore prose poetry and surrealism as they prepare to write their own short horror narrative based on an alien invasion. They learn strategies for ideating and world building, and are exposed to models of writing that are fluid in form and rich in ideas and language features. Ideal for reluctant writers.
One-off workshops are available between March 14 - April 8 2022.
Inspired by the works of acclaimed visual artist Blak Douglas, students will investigate the political in art and consider how artists use their work to question and challenge society. Each student will create their own succinct and powerful 'statement poem' exploring the hopes and wishes they have for the world.
One-off workshops are available between November 22 - December 10, 2021.
Our after school online writing workshops are a free online space where young people can write, create and dream big.
All workshops are facilitated by our Story Factory Storytellers and are designed to support writing, development of ideas, and for young people to access support in creating a piece of writing from both professional writers and your fellow students.
Term 3, 2022 Programs – Now All Online
We’re running online workshops during term on Monday – Thursday for both primary school and high school students. We also offer holiday workshops options in the school holidays.
Check out the options and apply using the button below.
Grades 3-6 (primary school)
11th July
Monday 10.30am-12.30pm
online
Come join our exciting holiday workshops. We will meet for 2 hours on Zoom with a short break in the middle, staying connected from a distance! These workshops will be run by our wonderful, supportive Storytellers, as they guide you through...
Read More Grades 7-12 (high school)
13th July
Wednesday 11am - 1pm
online
Come join our exciting holiday workshops. We will meet for 2 hours through Zoom, staying connected from a distance! These workshops will be run by our wonderful, supportive Storytellers, as they take you through games and writing activities. Apply Now
Read More Grades 3-6 (primary school)
Monday 25th July - 12th September
Mondays, 3:30-5pm
online
Come along to our Just Add Ink program, where we will meet online every Monday to create stories through fun activities and writing games. Our supportive Storytellers guide you in becoming an even better writer. Every week we build on...
Read More Grades 7-12 (high school)
Tuesday 26th July - 13th September
Tuesdays, 3:30-5pm
online
Join our Control Alt. Edit program, where we will meet online every Tuesday, to help enhance your writing skills through creative activities and sharing stories. Whether it’s poetry, scripts or short fiction, you will be supported by our Storytellers...
Read More Grades 7-12 (high school)
Wednesday 27th July 14th September
Wednesdays 3.30 - 5pm
online
Join our This is Canon program, where we will meet online every Wednesday, to help enhance your writing skills through creative activities and sharing stories. Whether it’s poetry, scripts or short fiction, you will be supported by our Storytellers...
Read More Grades 3-6 (primary school)
Thursday 28th July - 15th September
Thursdays 3.30 - 5pm
online
Come along to our Unreal Writers program, where we will meet online every Thursday to create stories through writing activities and stories. As our supportive Storytellers guide you in becoming an even better writer. Every week we build on your...
Read More High School Students
Year of the Novella; and Year of Poetry; are our open programs for High School aged young people who love to write and want to stretch themselves creatively. In weekly writing workshops in the course of a year, students commit...
Read MoreStory Factory staff are all qualified, experienced teachers with a passion for writing, and experts at getting young people excited to write. Our tried and tested strategies are designed to engage students across both primary and high school, particularly students with low literacy levels, or are often disengaged.