Forest Town pupils go from readers to creators with Gogglebox star
Pupils at Forest Town Primary School, part of Nova Education Trust, have been celebrating creativity, confidence and a love of reading after taking part in a special Books on the Box storytelling workshop.
The workshop was led by Baasit Siddiqui, educator and star of Gogglebox, alongside Ramsay Melhuish from children’s digital reading platform Pickatale, and was awarded to the school after it won a prize for creativity and innovation at the Nova Transformational Awards in November.
Last week, pupils finally had the chance to enjoy their well‑earned reward.
During the session, children used Pickatale’s Create tool to write, edit and publish their own personalised digital books.
They then brought their stories to life by producing short book trailers, working collaboratively to share their ideas and celebrate their creativity with confidence.
The experience supported pupils to develop future‑ready literacy skills, including creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and teamwork, while demonstrating how technology can enhance – rather than replace – a love of reading.
Headteacher Celia Smith said: “The pupils absolutely loved the experience. With access to the app for the whole year, I can’t wait to see what it all leads to.”
Pupils were equally enthusiastic, highlighting the impact of the workshop on their learning and creativity. One pupil said: “The AI helped us level‑up our vocabulary.”
Others added:
“It helped us carry our ideas forward,”
“The images were far more detailed than we could draw,” and
“Turning our stories into book trailers was our favourite part.”
The workshop demonstrated how digital tools can make reading more engaging and inclusive, helping pupils build confidence in their own voices while working together to bring stories to life.
Baasit Siddiqui, educator and co‑creator of Books on the Box, said: “From the moment the day began, the students at Forest Town were incredible. I told them at the start that they would be my lasting impression of the school, and they absolutely lived up to that.
"Throughout the day they brought such positivity into the room as they developed their story ideas and worked together to create their trailers.
"What stood out most was the creativity and collaboration they showed, and the way they made thoughtful compromises to bring their ideas to life.
"Days like this remind me why education is so special. Experiences like this don’t happen in a vacuum – they happen because of strong partnerships and the support of passionate people.
"The Pickatale team were fantastic, and the staff and teaching assistants at Forest Town were incredibly supportive throughout the day.
"Ramsey from Pickatale and I had an absolute blast, and we’re proud to work with such a fabulous school.”