Education Projects
RSC Associate Schools programme
The RSC Associate Schools Programme is our long-term partnership programme. We want to use the next academic year to support resilient learners using the power of Shakespeare.
The Associate Schools programme is open to secondary, primary and special state schools in England and we seek to recruit schools from across Norfolk, that serve areas of relatively high socio-economic deprivation.
The programme is built around the principle of schools working in local partnerships to develop communities of practice, our partnership here in the East of England is vibrant and resolute.
The fundamental ambition of the Associate School Programme is to bring about a significant change in the way young people experience, engage with, and take ownership of the work of Shakespeare.
Teachers learn to explore Shakespeare with their students in the way actors do in a rehearsal room, using dynamic, active approaches. Having a laugh is the key!
To find out more about how your school can be involved with our schools cluster, please contact learning@norwichtheatre.org or call 01603 598624
Wise About Words
Wise About Words supports children to grow their love of stories, gain life skills and build emotional language so they can tell their own story and become well rounded individuals.
This is a partnership project with the Wensum Trust, involving eight Primary Schools in Norwich and North Norfolk, generously funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Over the last two years 16 teachers have worked with artists to develop their skills, using a toolkit of games and active, immersive techniques throughout the curriculum.
Wensum English Hub
Following the success of a two-year project generously funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Norwich Theatre partnered with the Wensum English Hub to deliver a fully funded training course for teachers across the region using the Wise About Words techniques to support pupils early language, oracy and emotional literacy skills.
The Wensum English Hub is located at Heather Avenue Infant School, part of The Wensum Trust, and is one of 34 English Hubs nationwide. Funded by the Department for Education, the Hub supports other schools in Norfolk and Suffolk to achieve excellence in teaching reading and early language development.
The DfE launched the Hubs at primary schools across England to support schools to improve the teaching of early language and reading. Each Hub school has been chosen for its track record in excellent language, literacy and reading teaching.
Norfolk Schools Opera Project
The Norfolk Schools Opera Project was established in 1997. In the interim years, we have worked with over 3,500 children and 350 teachers from 123 Norfolk schools.
The purpose of the project is to engage Key Stage 2 children in creative and cultural learning through the medium of opera in order to foster a long-term relationship with the arts, enhance their school attainment, and develop their aspirations. The project has a particular focus on supporting pupils facing serious socio-economic disadvantage.
In 2019 the programme included an Opera Celebration Day, CPD for teachers, singing and music workshops for children, and the creation of a brand new children’s version of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Featuring a fusion between classic opera and salsa, the opera was performed at Norwich Theatre Royal in June; a shorter version featuring over 600 students/performers was then presented at the Royal Albert Hall in London in November 2019.