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What would you like to do?
Read some recent comments about our Festivals.
Look at the resources for our current Festivals:
of a recent Information Pack including sample time-line and Registration Form
Ask Project Director, John Doona, a question.
View details of Routledge’s “A Practical Guide to Shakespeare for the Primary School” by John Doona
A Message From Last Year’s Staff
“...many thanks for the support you gave to us at Shavington during the project. The children wrote some extremely thoughtful reviews of their day at the theatre - an experience that we all thoroughly enjoyed! They clearly gained so much from the experience and, whilst they felt proud and elated by their performance, they were sorry because it was so final (many wanted to start it all over again!!) Both they, and I, have been inspired by the project. It has been enlightening for me to see how drama can be used to form the basis of so much creativity and make words 'come to life'. Many children who were previously reluctant writers discovered that, by becoming a character or being in a setting, they were capable of writing and actually enjoyed it. I look forward to the Romeo and Juliet production with renewed enthusiasm for teaching.”
Susan Jones, Shavington Primary School
Why?
Because the best learning comes from compelling experience; from experiences that are rich in physical, intellectual, linguistic and emotional “Wow!””. Our schemes of work, recently published by Routledge, are just such rich learning opportunities. They are tailored for the primary classroom and readily accessible to the willing teacher - ready to explore their own creative possibilities - and those of their pupils.
Of course, Shakespeare is our starting point; his worlds are the worlds we leap into and live through; meeting and exploring his characters, revelling in his wonderful stories and speaking his beautiful and memorable words.
Our use of performance on professional stages is the final additional motivating element of the project; once our explorations are complete we have the material ready for building exciting and original plays to be viewed by our pupils peer (your other children), families and friends. On a personal, social and institutional level - we make landmark experience.
How will the Festival work?
Our Festival will build upon the exciting and highly successful model of inter-school project work that we have developed over six years.
The model involves the following steps:
- We create a comprehensive scheme of work, using Drama as a starting point but involving a huge range of curriculum opportunities, including rich literacy tasks.
- We deliver the scheme of work to your staff on a 24 hour residential.
- Your staff plan to deliver the scheme of work to their own pupils with our support.
- We visit your school to launch the scheme and establish the drama approach to be taken.
- Your staff deliver the scheme of work in its entirety and expand it to meet their own curriculum needs
- Each group is tasked with producing a simple dramatic piece (10 minutes) to bring to our professional theatre performance
- We visit schools again to offer final direction to their emerging play.
- We meet at the theatre for rehearsal and then performance in front of an audience of our own specially invited guests; fellow school pupils, friends of the school, families.
When will the Festival take place?
Our various festivals operate over a number of time periods; some starting in September and culminating in March, some starting in January and culminating in June or July. Other projects may have different time allocations. In general though, the projects operate over a period of two terms. This allows time for careful planning by staff, classroom delivery and thorough preparation for performance.
The precise time-line for your project will be dependent upon the project you join. You might like to look at the time-lines on each project page. By clicking on the following links:
How much will it cost?
The cost of your school’s participation in the project will be £1500 for the first class and £500 for an additional class.
This project fee will include access to our comprehensive scheme and all resources , two places on the residential, all of our visits to your school, support for implementation of the scheme and the final spectacular and memorable theatre performance.
It is often possible to offer introductory discounts, discounts for schools who join together, small schools or schools in areas of greater need or for whom the cost is an inhibiting factor. On all occasions in which such discounts have been offered in the first year, schools have been happy to find the full fee in subsequent years having understood the value and quality that our projects represent. Should you wish to discuss such a discount please get in touch. See here for contact details:
What to do now?
Having look through the details of our festival, should you like to register your interest in taking part please email us and we shall send you a Registration Form. As there are only eight places available for each of our Festivals, we suggest you make contact at the earliest opportunity. We look forward to hearing from you.
Drama, Performance and Learning
What?
The Children’s Shakespeare Festivals are large-scale inter-school festivals which aim to inspire an excitement at Shakespeare’s plays and the use of educational Drama as a tool for deep and active learning. It is a range of projects which combine cross-curricular, classroom activity with performance by children in professional theatre spaces.
Through our projects we develop commitment to learning , raise outcomes and build confidence in your children; making them the owners of their learning and of the Shakespeare texts. Your teachers, through the powerful and sustained CPD embedded in the project, will develop skill and expertise in the use of Drama - becoming, in time, your in-house expert on this potent teaching approach.
