For years, I have promised to teach my pupils how to knit but the opportunity never presents itself. I also wanted to give them something of my childhood in Wales: that Sunday afternoon feel of listening to stories and quietly crafting. Here is a reading of Black Beauty combined with wool-crafts which I hope will address these issues. I know from experience with our own children that it will undoubtedly help to improve vocabulary, concentration and comprehension. Making-skills and spatial awareness are so vital in understanding the Maths and Non-verbal Reasoning parts of the 11+. I hope that these videos will encourage the children to have a go at wool crafts and thereby nurture their instinct for construction. These videos are another tool in the armoury of 11+ preparation

Black Beauty was written by Anna Sewell in 1877. It is one of the best-selling books ever and is credited with vastly improving animal welfare globally. It was not intended to be a children’s book but a book that we could all enjoy.

Black Beauty

The Autobiography of a Horse

By Anna Sewell