Pansy Boy is a picture book written and illustrated by artist Paul Harfleet. Rhyming couplets tell the story of a boy who revels in the joys of summer, exploring the flora and fauna around him. Reluctantly he returns to school where he is subjected to incessant bullying. Intelligent and bright, he is driven to create a plan to reclaim his school.
Pansy Boy is a creative extension of Paul Harfleet’s ongoing artwork, The Pansy Project. The artist has been planting pansies at the site of homophobia since 2005 and it is this revelation that ends Pansy Boy, bringing the concept into the real world.
The author wrote Pansy Boy for his seven year old self. Designed to offer children of all ages an alternative version of childhood that transcends stereotype. Equally the book is an educational device that celebrates art, ornithology, horticulture and is a tool to help discuss playground bullying and burgeoning sexual identity.
Published by Barbican Press and available on Amazon and in bookstores from summer 2017 for more on Barbican Press.
Healthy Environment
Every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances.
The first-hand experiences of learning outside the classroom and learning in a healthy environment more generally can help to make subjects more vivid and interesting for pupils and enhance their understanding of a wide range of subjects and topics.
It can also contribute significantly to pupils’ personal, social and emotional development, academic achievement, and sense of self-worth.
Check below for information, tips and hints about creating a healthy environment:
(You can also check out our page on Healthy Eating here)
‘Pansy Boy’
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Active April resources
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Autism and the Senses
Many people on the autism spectrum have difficulty processing everyday sensory information. Any of the senses may be over or under-sensitive, or both, at different times. These sensory differences can affect behaviour, and can have a profound effect on a person’s life. There are so m...Read more
Derbyshire Environmental Studies Service
Derbyshire Environmental Studies Service offer a wealth of opportunities for learning outside the classroom across Derbyshire - including day fieldwork programmes, training opportunities, Forest Schools and outreach visits. Check it out here: ...Read more
Forest Schools
The philosophy of Forest Schools is to encourage and inspire individuals of any age through an ongoing programme of positive experiences and participation in engaging and motivating achievable tasks and activities in a woodland environment. Forest Schools have demonstrated success with children,...Read more
Promoting a healthy environment
Learning outside the classroom is about raising achievement through an organised, powerful approach to learning in which direct experience is of prime importance. This is not only about what we learn but importantly how and where we learn. It is not an end in itself but rather a vehicle to devel...Read more
Resources for School
NB: time-to-change Have a look at these tried and tested sessions, activities, tool kits, training programmes and films with students and staff, to help this generation become more open about mental health than any before. From lessons, assem...Read more