Blake Support The Jolly Postman Learning Programme

Inspired by The Jolly Postman, a much loved interactive children’s picture book by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, the ambition of this programme is to link the fictional story to the real history of the post, inspiring creative engagement with reading and raising the literacy attainment of young children.

As a wonderful interactive book all about the magic of sending letters, the Programme brings a whole new perspective on learning, with countless fun techniques and approaches such as the use of rhyme, drama and song as well as engagement with sensory props and a giant version of The Jolly Postman book!

Engaging an amazing total of 4,376 children between the ages of 4 and 7, 72 different primary schools from 14 boroughs across Greater London, including Barnet, Brent, Camden, City of London, Ealing, Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Westminster have taken part in the programme.

Its core aim is to raise literacy attainment for some of the most deprived children in London and inspire a love of reading, writing and sending letters – but that’s not all! As a cross-curricular programme, it also supports learning in English, Maths, Geography, Art & Design and History, not to mention aiding in the social and emotional development of these children.

Why?

As a new museum, it was very important to The Postal Museum that they established great relationships with the schools and communities across London, developing new audiences by building confidence in visiting museums through the excitement of hands on engagement and interaction with original objects.

And so, The Jolly Postman Learning Programme was born – a great success not only helping countless children and schools across London, but also in allowing The Postal Museum to extend their understanding of just how many new and exciting ways the stories in their collection could be used in, whilst proving to them how very engaged young children can be with the magic of letter writing!

Over the years, this programme has gained an excellent reputation in the museum sector and, in May 2019, was even shortlisted for the Educational Initiative of the Year at the annual nationally renowned Museums and Heritage awards!