School Visits by Leona

Aviation has always held positive associations for me. My grandfather was aviation pioneer Sir Alan Cobham. Sir Alan made many world-first flights in the 1920s as well as developing air-to-air refuelling. He was passionate about encouraging people to fly and enjoy flying. I grew up seeing aviation as thrilling and inspirational. I have adopted flight as a metaphor: inspiring young readers to get into the pilot’s seat in their own lives, to spread their wings, and fly.

1st October 1926 Cobham returns to a hero’s welcome from his 26,000 mile round trip to Australia and back:

Listen to Sir Alan Cobham speaking to the nation here:

I share my grandfather’s love of flight and travel and his spirit of endeavour; my own passion lies in re-igniting children’s love of books.

In 1994, while working with a forest recuperation project in Brazil, experience in a shanty town school brought home to me what a variety of learning styles there are. Back in the UK, volunteering as a school reading assistant, I conceived a plan to combine my goal of restoring a love of reading with my interest in aviation. I created a series of children’s books with aeroplanes as characters that would appeal to a broad range of learning styles.

As a mother, as well as author and educator, I’m truly shocked by the statistics on children's reading. Children are reading less than any previous generation and a third report being unable to find things that interest them. The problem is especially pertinent for boys, and directly correlates to a pan-generational increase in screen time. Yet it’s been proven that strong reading skills are a key predictor of successful learning. While excessive screen time can result in serious long-term consequences, reading, especially physical books, is linked to improved cognitive skills, empathy, and language development. (Source: Reading Wise)

​My grandfather, Sir Alan Cobham, with my father, Geoffrey Cobham:

My sons looking out of the aeroplane window:

I believe that books have the power to compete with digital distractions - when they’re thrilling, fast-paced, and packed with laugh-out-loud surprises. As an author and STEM ambassador, I aim to show children that stories can be just as exciting as their screens, and much more meaningful. If you are passionate about a subject, you can impart that excitement to children by using words to evoke a sensory experience. The sound of a jet epitomises raw power and when well-described, fills you with adrenaline e.g. My F-14 Tomcat causes mayhem at a country fair in Book 3 because of the sheer cacophony of his supersonic fly-past. I write stories in direct narrative from the aeroplane’s point of view to enhance this effect. When the Nighthawk is caught in a blizzard, she tells us about the needles of ice pricking her faceted wing with their freezing points; she experiences wind as resistance on her control surfaces.

I believe it is this leveraging of the imagination to create a sensory experience that gives books a head-start over screens and gaming. Books MUST be exciting to take our young people out of their virtual worlds.

​"As she rocked precariously from side to side, her aft wheels banged onto the surface followed a second later by her forward wheel slamming down with a jolt that shook her frame. She swerved, overcorrected, and tipped to one side until the opposite set of wheels departed from the ground entirely. Her wingtip scraped along the runway surface sending out sparks that flickered against her black bodywork. Nighthawk braced herself for a cartwheel and disintegration.​​"

​​If you can give the children an experience that engages the senses, you are creating the magic we call inspiration.

In 2023 the National Literacy Trust (NLT) children’s literacy survey of 7,285 children aged 5 to 8 and 64,066 aged 8 to 18, reported:

• The lowest level of reading enjoyment since the survey began in 2005;

• Just 43.4% enjoyed reading in their free time;

• Fewer than 28.0% read daily; (insert link to report)

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Research shows that strong reading skills are a key predictor of successful learning.

But books face competition…

(Source: Ofcom)

According to another study by Ofcom:

• From 2022-23, there was an increase in the already high proportion of children who game online from 57% to 60% of all children aged 3-17;

According to a survey by The Independent:

• In 2024, children aged 5-16 spent an average of 6.3 hours per day looking at screens; children aged 11-14 spent up to 9 hours.

Yet, excessive screen time can result in serious long-term consequences, including low levels of literacy. Reading on the other hand, especially physical books, is linked to improved cognitive skills, empathy, and language development. (Source: Reading Wise)

BOYS ARE STRUGGLING…

• For the academic year 2022/23, 63% of girls met the expected standards English reading, writing, and maths, compared to only 56% of boys; (Source: www.gov.uk)

• Boys are considerably less likely to progress to higher education by age 19 than girls. This has been the case for many years. In 2020/21, 54% girls were in HE by age 19 compared to only 40% of boys; (Source: www.gov.uk)

I think we need to move from the being worried stage to the doing-something-about-it stage.

Flight is wondrous! The speed, the power, the rush of excitement… It’s packed with potential to make children feel good. And when a child feels good, they learn so much better. My books put readers in a happy space where they see how the aeroplanes pull off the feats they do. The aeroplanes aren’t just vehicles, they’re relatable characters navigating big feelings, moral choices, and meaningful relationships. I infuse my writing with humour, adventure, and a big feel-good factor.

Tom, the F-14 Tomcat, is incredibly capable but craves external validation. He learns to fulfil his destiny by finding internal stability. When he runs out of fuel, we discover what it’s like to fly side by side with another plane to refuel mid-air. Woody, the little biplane, may be slow but he has some remarkable abilities; we accompany him as he learns to value his unique qualities and develop a strong moral compass. The Vulcan is painfully aware of the weaknesses brought by age but he comes to see that the goal is not perfection, it’s about showing up to the best of his ability. The Spitfire’s leadership skills are exceptional as expected of a World War II flying ace. His challenge is to be flexible enough to adapt to the modern age.

The Flying Circus encapsulates the concept that we are lovable despite our flaws. It’s ok not to be perfect, it’s ok to make mistakes. If we’re not ashamed of our mistakes, we can learn from them and find the courage to get back up. I let the plots carry the reader to a relatable emotional challenge and then accompany the characters through the resolution of that challenge. I create situations with universal themes – fear, embarrassment, conflict resolution, and development of an inner feeling of significance which doesn’t depend on approval from others. The character arcs in my stories allow readers to see the value of emotional intelligence and the benefit of collaborating with others. These essential life lessons are woven into the narratives and can help children develop resilience and a growth mindset that celebrates their own personal story and gifts. I hope I also inspire readers to follow careers which push the boundaries of technology.

But mostly, I hope they will develop a love of reading simply because they felt good when they were engrossed in the world inside the book.

I deliver two unique presentations for schools to choose from (or have both!) (KS2 & KS3, ages 9-12):

1. The Science of Flight - An imaginative introduction to aviation. The cast of Tom, Woody, Spif and Vul allows me to make aviation feel alive, accessible, and exciting or young readers. Each aeroplane’s unique skillset contributes to the group. We explore key STEM topics in aviation like aerodynamics.
   

2. Writing with Purpose - Focused on creative writing, looking at how we can find ideas for our writing from our own lives, and exploring how we can make our writing more effective.

I don’t charge a fee as I feel very passionate about sharing my love of books, reading and aviation. Where possible, I do appreciate the opportunity to promote my series of children’s books Aeroplane Adventures to the parent community in advance.

Presentations last 1 hour.

✈️ The Science of Flight (A STEM presentation)

I believe that flight is awesome! As a STEM Ambassador, I lead an interactive session focused on the science and wonder of aviation. Using a combination of storytelling, audience interaction and visual props, together we explore:

• How does an airplane fly? (Wings, Bernoulli’s Principle, Four Forces of Flight)

• What is an aerofoil and how do aerodynamics affect real aircraft?

• What is "trim" and why is it important?

• Special aircraft types and the unique skills they require

• Supersonic flight and the science of the sonic boom

• Understanding runway markings and landing patterns

• The role of air traffic control and navigation

• How radar works and why stealth aircraft are so special

I will explore the children's experiences of flight and take them on a ‘virtual tour’ inside a cockpit and on a landing descent. We will also take a deep dive into aviation history with a look at the way planes have evolved in the 20th century.

✍️ Creative Writing Presentation: Writing with Purpose

In this participatory workshop, I use my knowledge and insight as a published children's author to help students discover the power of storytelling and how to develop meaningful, emotionally rich narratives.

Key themes include:

• Finding ideas in personal experiences

• Crafting stories with purpose and emotional depth

• Using the Dramatic Question to shape a compelling plot

• Introducing the 7 beats

• Understanding Point of View (POV) and how it shapes a story

"I create scenarios where children see individuality as a super- power. We don’t want a world where we’re all good at the same thing! Woody the little biplane might be slow, but he can land on rough terrain—just the skill needed to help his team. Every character, like every child, has unique value."

STEM for both boys and girls. As a STEM ambassador, I am passionate about passing on my love of aviation and enabling children to see the magic and wonder of flight and the opportunities it offers.

Many children groan at the thought of learning, but I honestly believe it’s possible to enjoy the process. By combining feel-good adventures with facts about aviation, my readers see how aeroplanes pull off the feats they do.

For example, you’re sitting in a Boeing 747 about to take off. You glance around you; you can’t help but wonder how this thing is going to get off the ground if all the other passengers packed as much stuff as you did. Guess how much it weighs? How many tonnes? 570! So how does it get off the ground? And rather than think “I hope my child doesn’t ask because it’s beyond me to understand!”, we can simplify it by looking at the shape of an aeroplane’s wing.

• I do not charge a fee.

• I am fully insured and DBS checked (available on request)

• Presentation Length: 40 minutes. Extra 15 minutes for interactive activity making paper aeroplanes optional Requirements:

  • Access to a screen and projector (I’ll bring my laptop)

  • Someone to help with setup on arrival

  • A staff member present during the session

  • A heads-up on how the school signals quiet

• Before the Visit:

  • Promoting the visit in newsletters or assemblies helps build excitement!

  • I’d love it if you could share my books with students beforehand.

  • If possible, I’d appreciate a photo of me presenting for use on my website.

I’m happy to sign books for children at the end of the session.

💬 Cancellation & Rescheduling

Please contact me as early as possible if plans need to change. I’ll always do my best to accommodate rescheduling.