Apply for a fully funded Live Literature School Residency

You can apply if:

• You're working with students under 18 in Scotland in early years, schools, further education settings as well as residential units or other organisations standing in place of school for young people not in mainstream education

• You're able to demonstrate a clear financial need, either overall as an organisation or in reaching a particular audience or group of pupils within your school or setting. Our panel will consider all applications, but settings unable to afford author visits without support will be given priority.

• Your project will be free for all of the young people taking part

• Your application form contains a short statement from a senior member of staff, such as a Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher. This statement shows that the residency, author and project co-ordinator will have support throughout the year

• Up to three members of staff from your organisation are able to attend an induction day in Edinburgh on Tuesday 19 August

• Your application is written by a learning professional from within your organisation (authors can’t apply on your behalf)

• You’re able to hold a residency between August 2025 and May 2026

If you have previously been awarded Live Literature funding, you can still apply for a residency.

Inspiration!

Will your residency ideas inspire a love of creative writing and reading? This is our main priority, so please make sure you tell us why you think working with an author will inspire your pupils and staff to read for pleasure or tell and share their own stories.

Communication

We know that things don't always go to plan. We will help and support you if you need to change your plans. You will be asked to nominate a co-ordinator at your school who will lead on the project within your school and communicate with the author and our team throughout about how to achieve the objectives discussed in your application. You should also be able to demonstrate that your school – from senior leadership to the staff working directly with the author – will support the residency.

Enthusiasm

Your project doesn't have to be fully developed or polished. We're looking for enthusiastic, committed schools who want to make the most of this funding; you can work with the author and our team to refine your project's aims and structure later.

A focused approach

Show us that your project will have a lasting impact for the pupils and staff who take part. Workshops don't have to reach everyone in the school and we recommend making the most of the residency opportunity to build a relationship between a particular year group or specific classes and the author.

• 'The residency only lasted a few months, however, the longevity of this project will last in the school for years.' – Project Co-ordinator, Secondary School

• 'Staff have greater confidence in teaching creative writing and some of the resources created are now used across the department as standard. Pupils have found their confidence in writing and reading has increased with pupils showing off their skills. By seeing writers engaging with the school, this project has started us on our journey to creating a reading culture.' – Teacher, Residency School

• 'Working in close collaboration with our author had a positive impact on the pupils' self-esteem and belief in their own creativity.' – Teacher, Residency School

• 'Our author has also led two CLPL [sessions]. Teachers left feeling empowered and enthusiastic about reading and writing within their classroom.' – Senior Teacher, Primary School

Harlaw Academy, Aberdeen with Kirsty Logan

Gracemount Primary School, Edinburgh with Jane Mather

Prestonfield Primary School, Edinburgh with Nadine Aisha Jassat

St Joseph's RC, Fife with Cat Hepburn

South Lodge Primary, Highland with John Fardell

Ardeer Primary School, North Ayrshire with Alan Dapre

Airdrie Academy, North Lanarkshire with Martin Stewart

Castlehead High School, Renfrewshire with Neil Slorance

Dalreoch Primary School, West Dunbartonshire with Alex Mullarky

Howden St Andrews Primary School, West Lothian with Maisie Chan

Sgoil Dhalabroig / Daliburgh School, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles) with Emily Dodd

Deerpark Primary, Clackmannanshire with Macastory: Fergus McNicol and Ron Fairweather

Hermitage Park Primary, Edinburgh with Daniel Gray

Newarthill Primary School, North Lanarkshire with Jane Mather

Sanderson's Wynd Primary School, East Lothian with Alastair Chisholm

Seaton School, Aberdeen with Grace Banks

Smithycroft Secondary School, Glasgow with Nadine Aisha Jassat

St Margaret's RC Primary, Stirling with Russell Jones

Tobermory High School, Argyll and Bute with Alice Fernbank

Turriff Academy, Aberdeenshire with Pauline Cordiner

Cumbrae Primary (North Ayrshire) with Lindsay Littleson

Eastbank Academy (Glasgow) with Michael Lee Richardson

Fallin Primary School (Stirling) with Barbara Henderson

Longstone Primary School (Edinburgh) with Macastory: Fergus McNicol and Ron Fairweather

Manor Park School (Aberdeen) with Joan Haig

Millbank Primary (Highlands) with John Fardell

Newbattle High School (Midlothian) with Ruth Thomas

Our Lady’s High School, North Lanarkshire (Motherwell) with Andrew Blair

Sandwick High School (Shetland) with Elizabeth Wein

Uphall Primary School (West Lothian) with David Macphail

Three schools were also awarded fully-funded author residencies in the second year of the Additional Support Needs strand of the programme, funded by the Mohn Westlake Foundation:

Elgin High School (Moray) with Carol Scorer

Stanmore House School (South Lanarkshire) with Jackie Ross

Woodlands School (Edinburgh) with Malcy Duff

Ellon Academy (Aberdeenshire) with Catherine Deveney

Kemnay Academy (Aberdeenshire) with Metaphrog

Kilmarnock Academy (East Ayrshire) with P.M. Freestone

Stenhousemuir Primary (Falkirk) with Lindsay Littleson

St John Paul II Primary (Glasgow) with Juliette Forrest

St Michaels Primary (Glasgow) with Cat Hepburn

Findochty Primary (Moray) with Barbara Henderson

Perth High School (Perth & Kinross) with Edward Ross

Prestwick Academy (South Ayrshire) with Jenny Lindsay

Bridge of Allan Primary (Stirling) with Kasia Matyjaszek

Three ASN centres were also awarded fully-funded author residencies in the second year of the Additional Support Needs strand of the programme, funded by the Mohn Westlake Foundation:

Hayshead Primary (Angus) with Paul Bristow

St Philomena’s Enhanced Nurture Provision (Glasgow) with Allison Galbraith

Kilpatrick School (West Dunbartonshire) with Joanne Marr

Slains Primary School (Aberdeenshire) and Alex Nye

Hermitage Park Primary (Edinburgh City) and Daniel Gray

All Saints RC Secondary (Glasgow City) and Cathy Forde

Haghill Park Primary (Glasgow City) and Kate Davidson

St Mungo's Academy (Glasgow City) and Martin Stewart

Croy School (Highland) and Skye Loneragan

Lossiemouth High School (Moray) and Hamish MacDonald

Stronsay Junior High School (Orkney) and Harry Josephine Giles

St Joseph's Primary (Scottish Borders) and Janis Mackay

Raploch Primary (Stirling) and David Macphail

All Saints Primary (Inverclyde) and Juliette Forrest

Annette Street Primary (Glasgow) and Emily Dodd

Cumbrae Primary (North Ayrshire) and Gerry Cambridge

Forrester High School (Edinburgh) and Victoria Williamson

Gigha Primary School (Argyll and Bute) and John Fardell

Letham Primary School (West Lothian) and Martin Stewart

Loudoun Academy (East Ayrshire) and Neil Slorance

Kirkcaldy High School (Fife) and Mark Fleming

Smithycroft Secondary School (Glasgow) and Chris McQueer

Spittal Primary (South Lanarkshire) and Linda Strachan

Ayr Academy (South Ayrshire) and Claire McFall

Caskieberran Primary School (Fife) and John Fardell

Craigentinny Primary School (Edinburgh) and Janis Mackay

Craigroyston Community High School (Edinburgh) and Claire Askew

Drumchapel High School (Glasgow) and Cathy Forde

Glenbrae Children’s Centre (Inverclyde) and Ruth Kirkpatrick

Kilpatrick School (West Dunbartonshire) and Ailie Finlay

Knightsridge Primary School (West Lothian) and Christina Banach

Langlees Primary School (Falkirk) and Alan Bissett

Our Lady’s Primary School (Stirling) and Nick Hesketh

Banchory Primary School (Clackmannanshire) and Adrian Mead

Castlebay Community School (Barra, Na h-Eileanan Siar) and Margaret Bennett

Inverclyde Academy (Inverclyde) and Catherine MacPhail

Levenmouth Academy (Fife) and Helen MacKinven

St Andrew’s RC Primary School (Dundee) and Matthew Fitt

Wester Hailes Education Centre (Edinburgh) and Lari Don