CHARLOTTE BRAY, PRIMARY ITE, UNIVERSITY OF DERBY, UK
CAROLINE BARTH, DERBY THEATRE, UNIVERSITY OF DERBY, UK
This case study celebrates and articulates the transformative collaboration between six primary schools from an East Midlands trust and local theatre. The two-year project was externally funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Teacher Development Fund, with the aim of exploring how drama pedagogy can add value for both pupils and schools in achieving aspirations. The project focused on the development of teacher confidence, skills and understanding in supporting children’s oracy, vocabulary and communication skills in schools with an above-average EAL (English as an additional language) cohort, due to potential reluctance to contribute to classroom discourse (Oracy Education Commission, 2024). It explores how the collaboration of communities of practice (Wenger, 1998) has enabled both teachers and learners to progress and thrive in their different contexts, thanks to
Join us or sign in now to view the rest of this page
You're viewing this site as a guest, which only allows you to view a limited amount of content.
To view this page and get access to all our resources, join the Chartered College of Teaching (it's £1 per year for trainee teachers and half price for ECTs) or log in if you're already a member.
I really enjoyed reading this article. I completely agree with embedding drama across the curriculum rather than treating it as a distinct, additional subject. I regularly incorporate role-play, public speaking and drama-based activities into my lessons, and I see highly positive responses and benefits for my students.
The gradual introduction of the approach, with an emphasis on upskilling teachers, seems particularly important. Great to read about the reported increases in confidence and critical-thinking skills – the experience of the pupil at risk of school refusal was especially impressive. I would love to learn more about how these benefits were measured and evaluated across the six schools.