Teachers TV: Lesson Starters: Primary Writing Starters - Double Act

This is an extract from the award-winning dramatisation of Jacqueline Wilson’s much loved book Double Act. It depicts the first week at a new school for twins Ruby & Garnet. There are plenty of writing opportunities for KS2 children to create their own school stories or versions of the twins’ experiences. Role play and hot-seating based on the extract could also be used to prompt writing about the twins’ feelings about their change of circumstances. The background is that Ruby and Garnet have moved to the country with Dad and his new girlfriend Rose. Homesick and hating the new family set up, they hit on the bright idea of behaving so badly at school that they’ll be expelled and sent back to live with their Gran. Needless to say things don’t quite go according to plan and the twins have to face the consequences.