Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-cphqk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-25T20:30:12.842Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 1 - Shakespeare Schools Foundation

The Classroom as Theatre

from Part I - Reimagining Shakespeare with/in Schools

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2023

By
Stuart Rathe  and
Francesca Ellis
Edited by
Liam E. Semler ,
Claire Hansen  and
Jacqueline Manuel
Liam E. Semler
Affiliation:
University of Sydney
Claire Hansen
Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra
Jacqueline Manuel
Affiliation:
University of Sydney
Get access

Summary

An examination of the work of Shakespeare Schools Foundation (SSF): a UK-based cultural and education charity that introduces the work of Shakespeare to primary- and secondary-aged pupils in a ‘real-world’ active context.

The chapter looks at how SSF encourages engagement with Shakespeare’s text in collaborative teacher/practitioner/pupil partnerships, with a focus on inclusivity and rehearsal room techniques. The focus is on SSF’s flagship programme, the Shakespeare Schools Festival, which engages primary, secondary and SEN schools, and also on other residential partnerships with SEN settings.

Case studies explore how participants’ collaborative abilities and confidence increase, and highlight participation among pupils from diverse settings and disadvantaged backgrounds.

The chapter will consider how SSF’s active approach to Shakespeare contrasts with traditional instruction in the English classroom, and include the challenges faced by SSF in providing its programmes in the current UK education climate.

Keywords

inclusionSENcurriculumlife skillsexperientialism
Type
Chapter
Information
Reimagining Shakespeare Education
Teaching and Learning through Collaboration
 , pp. 27 - 40
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Blood, Imogen, Lomas, Mark, and Robinson, Mark, 2016. Every Child: Equality and Diversity in Arts and Culture with, by and for Young People (Manchester: Arts Council England). www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/FINAL%20report%20web%20ready.pdf.Google Scholar
Bloom, Adi, 2016. ‘Exclusive Video: Sir Ian McKellen on Why Shakespeare Does Not Belong in Schools’. www.tes.com/news/exclusive-video-sir-ian-mckellen-why-shakespeare-does-not-belong-schools.Google Scholar
Cox, Brian, 1989. The Cox Report: English for Ages 5–16 (London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office).Google Scholar
Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2008. The National Strategies – Shakespeare for All Ages and Stages (Nottingham: DCSF Publications).Google Scholar
Gibson, Rex, 1998. Teaching Shakespeare (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).Google Scholar
Irish, Tracy. 2011. ‘Would You Risk It for Shakespeare? A Case Study of Using Active Approaches in the English Classroom’, English in Education 45.1, 6–19.Google Scholar
Shakespeare Schools Foundation, 2018. Impact Report (London: Shakespeare Schools Foundation). https://issuu.com/shakespeareschools/docs/issuu.Google Scholar
Sokolov, Stanislav, Saakiants, Robert, and Karayev, Alexei (dirs.), 2004. The Animated Tales (Video recording), vol. 1 (New York: Ambrose Video).Google Scholar
Stredder, James, 2009. The North Face of Shakespeare (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).Google Scholar
Tandy, Lewis, 2020. ‘Attainment 8 and Progress 8 Explained’, The Locrating Blog. www.locrating.com/Blog/attainment-8-and-progress-8-explained.aspx.Google Scholar
UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2019. The English Indices of Deprivation Statistical Release, 26 September. London: HMSO. www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of-deprivation-2019.Google Scholar
Wilson, Richard, 1997. ‘NATO’s Pharmacy: Shakespeare by Prescription’, in Joughin, John J. (ed.), Shakespeare and National Culture (Manchester: Manchester University Press), 58–81.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×