Why students and educators love BLF’s Education Programme

Bradford Literature Festival (BLF) is excited to launch the 2025 Education Programme (Thursday 26 June – Friday 4 July 2025); an amazing line-up of free events that bring curriculum topics to life for students across Yorkshire. Schools and home educators of Key Stage 2, 3 & 4 students can now book on to our popular series of events that enrich national curriculum topics and leave students feeling inspired!

Every year during the summer term BLF’s Education Programme hosts a week of talks, workshops and live performances from writers, performance poets, illustrators, scientists, historians, and journalists, among many others. Many of these artists also perform in the main Bradford Literature Festival line-up, giving students the opportunity to watch award-winning local, national and international artists.

“It was interesting because it’s different to what we do at school.” – Student, Bowling Park Primary School.

“This is the first year we’ve attended, as we’ve only just started homeschooling. The quality of the days have been outstanding to have this on our doorstep is such a privilege.” – Home Educator.

“It helps children understand the wider Bradford enrichment possibilities. We loved visiting the university, as children felt excited about being in a new environment and something they can aspire towards.” – Teacher, Farnham Primary School.

In 2024, BLF engaged 48,522 children and young people through 178 events as part of the UK’s largest festival Education Programme. 57 schools from across West Yorkshire joined us for events on poetry, activism, the history of Kashmir, as well as our annual performance poetry, classic literature and Shakespeare days.

“The contact, presentation, engagement, information, [and] freedom of thinking are just a few points to mention. We are extremely grateful to BLF for making this possible for us.” – Home Educator.

The programme gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves in curriculum topics in unique and interactive ways. They could be learning to create and illustrate their very own comic book hero, writing powerful poetry about causes they’re passionate about, or uncovering secrets about ancient civilisations and historical events. BLF also host a Shakespeare Day for Primary school students, giving them an exciting introduction into the brilliance of The Bard, and preparing them for their studies at Secondary school.

Primary Key Stage 2

This year Primary Key Stage 2 children can enjoy seven full-day events themed to The Universe and You, Superheroes, Amazing Inventions that Shaped our World, Introducing Shakespeare, Rebellious Royals, Performance Poetry and Adventures in Ancient Egypt.

“We are lucky to have BLF in Bradford, it provides our children (many from low socio-economic backgrounds) with inspirational experiences and makes them proud to be from Bradford.” – Teacher, Bowling Park Primary.

Secondary Key Stage 3 & 4

Secondary Key Stage 3 & 4 students have the opportunity to attend six eye-opening and thought-provoking events exploring Classic Fiction Everyone Should Read, Malcom X and the Civil Rights Movement, Shaking Up Shakespeare, The Gothic, Performance Poetry, and World War Two and the Holocaust.

“BLF is incredibly important! It gives students chance to see themselves as readers and writers and that Bradford has a rich literacy heritage. The history of the gothic talk was excellent and gave our students lots of ideas which apply to their taught texts” – Teacher, Tong Leadership Academy.

BLF’s 2025 Education Programme runs from Thursday 26 June to Friday 4 July. To find out more or join the Education Programme, visit our Education Programme page.