Words by Smiley Team
The Primary Shakespeare Company have launched their ‘Shakespeare at Home’ campaign to keep children inspired by Shakespeare during the lockdown period.
In their decade of operation, the charity has engaged, inspired and motivated more than 30,000 children - largely from disadvantaged backgrounds - using the power of drama and arts. Every year, tens of thousands of children across the country struggle to connect with their school lessons and fall behind and the charity aims to alleviate that.
Each year, the charity usually chooses a different Shakespeare play around which to centre their work work, which spans a term and culminates in public performances during Shakespeare Festivals. Every participating school is responsible for one act of the play and usually the charity would send their team of theatre practitioners into school. In light of the pandemic, they have been forced to shift their focus.
Programme Director for The Primary Shakespeare Company, Neil Carter said: ‘We’ve taken the programme we would typically deliver in primary schools and adapted it to an entirely online and digital-friendly platform.
“As children, parents, carers and teachers become increasingly frustrated with the lockdown; we hope they will take advantage of our fun, new resources, completely for free and in line with the national curriculum.
During a time when many parents and teachers alike are struggling with the adjustment to lessons at home, ‘Shakespeare at Home’ brings together more than 150 individual activities and curriculum-based resources including games, films, arts and crafts, along with easy-to-follow lesson plans for parents to make their lives easier and to ensure children can keep learning.
The new materials for parents, carers and teachers fully encompasses the national curriculum including English, Maths, Science, History, Art, Geography, History, Music and PE.
Some of the country’s most acclaimed and awarded actors are taking part in the campaign including Hugh Bonneville, Adrian Lester and Billie Piper.
Downton Abbey favourite and Golden Globe nominee, Hugh Bonneville added: “Now – especially now – opportunities for young children to maintain their sense of creativity are essential. The Primary Shakespeare Company has moved swiftly to adapt to the online-only world so that they can continue to inspire primary school children to express themselves by exploring the plays of Shakespeare.’“A child’s passion for creativity and sense of play doesn’t have to be locked down with the rest of us.
Doctor Who legend and Olivier Award-winner, Billie Piper added: “As a child, I really struggled in school. I just wasn’t connecting with my lessons and the curriculum, and I found that really frustrating. Drama changed everything – it gave me a purpose and a passion.I know there are so many children feeling the same way, especially during these tough times, and this is why what The Primary Shakespeare Company are doing is so important’
By Ellen Jones
