What has been the best arts company to visit your school in the past year? Clydebuilt Puppet Theatre How did you hear about them? Advertising directly into school. We invited them to do one performance which linked into environmental studies work. It was superb, so we invited them again.

What did they do? Two things - a story linked into the Desperate Journey project, about the Highland clearances, and a performance of folk tales using two styles of puppets.

Did you do any preparation beforehand? The Desperate Journey was part of a school project on the clearances, so work surrounded the performance. The second was a Christmas treat for pupils.

Any follow-up work? Yes, both in keeping with topic work.

How long did they stay? About one-and-a-half hours in both cases.

How much did they cost? Approximately Pounds 250-Pounds 275.

Who paid? The school fund.

What was so good about them? They finished their performance, then showed the children how the puppets worked and how the scenery enhanced the production.

How relevant was their work to the curriculum? Extremely so, for environmental studies, expressive arts, language, art and craft.

* Clydebuilt Puppet Theatre, tel: 01337 860337