"Dry Water provided a wide range of learning experiences for the children which were enjoyable and intellectually stimulating as well as providing many opportunities for the development of each child's self esteem.

Paula and Frances took on board learning objectives from different areas of the curriculum and carefully planned activities and experiences for the children that developed ideas and concepts in a variety of exciting and stimulating ways. Children were constantly given opportunities to actively engage, express themselves creatively and develop self-esteem. Some of these experiences were truly magical and will hopefully remain with the children for the rest of their lives."

Edwin Seeley
Year 3 teacher
Bullion Lane Primary School
Chester Le Street

"Paula and Frances were fantastic with the children. They seemed to know exactly what to do to capture the children's imagination and encourage them to open up their minds. The pupils loved working with them and enjoyed every session. Even timid, quiet pupils who normally try to blend into the background felt confident and pushed themselves forward in the activities."

Miss Sarah Pugh
Whitehouse Primary
Stockton on Tees

"I found Paula and Frances could identify opportunities within our locality to use as resources outside the classroom and link this to areas I was covering. This encouraged my children to feel part of not just our local community but opened their eyes to global issues and expanded their horizons. Paula and Frances are insistent that each child has something unique to offer and encourage each child to see themselves as contributors. This has been invaluable in a school like ours which is in an area of high deprivation and children's life experiences are severely limited.

The impact has been both academic and social.

Speaking and listening skills have improved due to the unique and focused circle time activities Dry Water made with and for our children.  I can build on these in Literacy and Numeracy as well as foundation subjects. This has led to an increase in children's confidence and their willingness to participate and become valued members of the group."

Gail Maddock
Class Teacher Years 6 and 3
Marine Park Primary
Hatfield Square
South Shields

"Frances and Paula work extremely well as a team. They complement each other. We found them to be extremely dedicated and committed to the school. They had a good professional relationship with the children. They would consult the children and involve them in the planning of activities and also get feedback from the children. They were constantly evaluating and adapting what they were doing to make it child centred and child led. The children had a real ownership of the project.

The project which they led at our school was not an easy task. We are a large 3 form entry primary school, with a large staff. They worked with year 5 and year2 (6 classes) on a “Good to be me” project. The aim of the project was to unite the school and do some cross phase work. Due to the work Frances and Paula carried out in our school the following happened:

• Good quality C.P.D led by Frances and Paula to a large staff.
• Enhancing the personal, social and emotional side of a child's education.
• Bringing staff together and working together who had never worked together before.
• Promoting circle time activities.
• Promoting the non-verbal cues.
• Promoting reflection.
• Promoting cross phase links.
• Good quality planning which is now embedded in the school.
• Uniting staff and children.

Frances and Paula would be an asset to any school. As a school we would highly recommend them."

Deborah O'Callaghan
C.P co-ordinator
Whinfield Primary School Darlington