Words and Pictures: Series 8 (Vicky Ireland)
Series 8 of the BBC Schools TV series Words and Pictures was shown in the 1980s & 1990s, covering English for Primary pupils.
An autumn term unit of 10 programmes introducing children to the joys of reading, featuring Vicky Ireland (who now has a perm!) as children's librarian with Charlie, a little animated man performed by Charles O'Rourke as her assistant.
As usual children visit the library to discover books and join in with activities, there are stories with animation and illustrations, plus songs and words to read from the screen, and demonstrations of how to draw letters by the magic pencil.
Titles & Theme Music
The title sequence introduced in 1982 was re-used, but by this time the film had been used so often that the colours had changed!
Episode List
| # | Title | Broadcast |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | On My Way to School | 21 Sep 1987 |
| 2. | Signs and Signals | 28 Sep 1987 |
| 3. | Butterflies and Moths | 5 Oct 1987 |
| 4. | Johnny-Cake | 12 Oct 1987 |
| 5. | Each Peach, Pear, Plum | 19 Oct 1987 |
| 6. | The Three Bears | 2 Nov 1987 |
| 7. | Forget-Me-Not | 9 Nov 1987 |
| 8. | Kites and Kangaroos | 16 Nov 1987 |
| 9. | On the Way Home | 23 Nov 1987 |
| 10. | Come to the Show | 30 Nov 1987 |
Episode Guide
A simple guide to the books and letters featured in each episode.
1. On My Way to School
- Story: On My Way to School by Celia Berridge
First broadcast: Monday 21st September 1987, 2:02pm on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 20th September 1991, 2:02pm on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBJ053H
2. Signs and Signals
- Story: On My Way to School by Celia Berridge
- Letter: l
First broadcast: Monday 28th September 1987, 2:02pm on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 27th September 1991, 2:02pm on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBJ058D
3. Butterflies and Moths
- Story: The Very Hungry Catterpillar by Eric Carle
- Letter: m
First broadcast: Monday 5th October 1987, 2:02pm on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 4th October 1991, 2:02pm on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBK033E
4. Johnny-Cake
- Story: Johnny-Cake (traditional)
- Letter: r
First broadcast: Monday 12th October 1987, 2:02pm on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 11th October 1991, 2:02pm on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBJ052N
5. Each Peach, Pear, Plum
- Story: The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Tony Ross
- Each Peach, Pear Plum by Janet & Allan Ahlberg
- Letter: w
First broadcast: Monday 19th October 1987, 2:02pm on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 25th October 1991, 2:02pm on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBJ056P
6. The Three Bears
- Story: Goldilocks and the Three Bears (traditional)
- Letter: b
First broadcast: Monday 2nd November 1987, 2:02pm on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 1st November 1991, 2:02pm on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBJ051T
7. Forget-Me-Not
- Story: A Lost Button (from 'Frog and Toad are Friends') by Arnold Lobel
- Forget-Me-Not by Paul Rogers
- Letter: j
First broadcast: Monday 9th November 1987, 2:02pm on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 8th November 1991, 2:02pm on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBJ057J
8. Kites and Kangaroos
- Story: The Kite (from 'Days with Frog and Toad') by Arnold Lobel
- 'The Kangaroo from Wooloomooloo' from Tiddlywinks by Joy Cowley & Rodney McRae
- Letter: k
First broadcast: Monday 16th November 1987, 2:02pm on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 15th November 1991, 2:02pm on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBJ064S
9. On the Way Home
- Story: On the Way Home by Jill Murphy
- Letter: f
First broadcast: Monday 23rd November 1987, 2:02pm on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 22nd November 1991, 2:02pm on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBJ054B
10. Come to the Show
- Story: Mr Cosmo the Conjuror by Allan Ahlberg
- Letter: c
First broadcast: Monday 30th November 1987, 2:02pm on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 29th November 1991, 2:02pm on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBJ059X
Broadcasts
| Year | Term | Day | Time | Channel | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-88 | Autumn 1987 | Mon | 14:02 | BBC2 | |
| Wed | 11:00 | BBC2 | Repeat | ||
| 1989-90 | Autumn 1989 | Mon | 14:02 | BBC2 | |
| Wed | 11:00 | BBC2 | Repeat | ||
| 1991-92 | Autumn 1991 | Wed | 11:00 | BBC2 | |
| Fri | 14:02 | BBC2 | Repeat |
Credits
| Presenter | Vicky Ireland |
| With | Charles O'Rourke as Charlie |
| Music | Paddy Kingsland |
| Design | Myra Lewis |
| Producer | Moyra Gambleton |
Resources
Teacher's Notes
Video
Two story readings from this year were extracted and released in the Favourite Stories from Words and Pictures video collection.
Volume 1 includes Each Peach, Pear, Plum, and volume 2 includes The Very Hungry Caterpillar (from the episode Butterflies and Moths), all read by Vicky Ireland.
Favourite Stories from Words and Pictures Volume 2 also includes a reading of Dogger by Shirley Hughes, but it is a version read Tina Gray on Storytime in summer 1988, not the earlier reading by Vicky Ireland which was broadcast on Words and Pictures in 1983.
The videos were first released in 1992 for £19.99 each.
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