Primary and Secondary Schools

The Rep has close connections with multiple primary and secondary schools across Birmingham and wider parts of the West Midlands. Each school we work with is partnered up with one of our skilled practitioners who will visit once or twice a week, throughout the academic year to deliver bespoke projects to suit the specific needs of the students and the school.

Primary Schools:

The Autumn Term will usually focus on The Rep’s Winter Festival. This is an opportunity to create a piece that will be performed on The REP’s stage in December. The young people will be asked to respond to a story or idea which they’ll then develop into a short performance with the help of their Drama Practitioner.

During the Spring and Summer terms our Drama Practitioners work with schools to develop exciting learning programmes that support the school’s curriculum whilst also instilling creativity within young people. The work of the Rep is completely bespoke and we truly collaborate with Headteachers and staff to deliver exciting and educational workshops for young people.

In the summer term, the Primary Playhouse Project is a fantastic CPD opportunity for teachers and school staff. Schools and Theatres from up and down the country come together over a weekend to work with writers and develop ideas for their plays that are specifically written for the project.

We continue to work with our schools throughout the Academic year, usually focusing on specific school projects. These could be tailored around a year group’s curriculum or work to write, produce and direct school plays. We work with a variety of schools and each one has a bespoke plan in place to ensure we meet the expectations held by both the school and The Rep.

Our year one teachers just loved our practitioner and the sessions he did. Integrating the city of Birmingham with families meant he was a real hit with the children. They said he was one of the highlights of the year!” – Primary School Teacher

Students have gained a more detailed picture of life in the Tudor court and the villages – brought to life by the drama.” – Primary School Teacher

I have learnt how to communicate and work better as a team.” – Primary School Student

Secondary Schools:

Often used as an enrichment session in secondary schools, our Drama Practitioners work with students to develop their performance skills and drama knowledge. We work to create devised pieces that highlight issues that students identify with, write their own scripts exploring their identities and cultural experiences and work with them on a larger scale to create school productions. This gives young people an understanding of everything involved from playwriting, acting, directing , production decisions on lighting, sound and stage management.

Our theatre provision in secondary schools also provides opportunities for our young people to dive deep into specific drama topics. These topics may include mime, script writing, improvisation, character development, bringing Shakespeare to life and more. This provides students with an opportunity to experience what a drama qualification may entail and encourage them to pursue careers in the arts. For some secondary schools, our practitioners provide young people with an opportunity of working with a professional director to support their existing theatre courses.

We enjoyed the session today, it was different to our usual drama lessons, and we were encouraged by the practitioner to try different things in our group.” – Secondary School Student

Networks:

Birmingham Education Partnership’s Secondary Drama Teachers’ Network

This network meets termly at The REP and is driven by its members. So far teachers have enjoyed workshops on Shakespeare, devising and monologues as well as networking opportunities with FE and HE providers and discounted tickets to REP productions. New members are always welcome.

For more information please email Alison Haynes at alison.haynes@bep.education

Some of the projects carried out by The REP in our schools:

Annual Winter Festival performed at The REP every December
Play House Primary School Projects
National Poetry Day
Shakespeare Season
End of year shows
Satellite Young REP groups

Commonwealth Co-Creation project

Satellite Youth Theatre

Primary and Secondary Schools around Birmingham often partner up with us to have Satellite Youth Theatres take place in their school. These are afterschool drama clubs where young people work alongside our Drama Practitioners to be directed and devise performances for our Satellite Youth Theatre Festival.

These young people become one of the REP’s offsite youth theatre groups and are given the same attention to detail as the youth theatre groups we run at the REP. This is a fantastic opportunity for young people in schools to perform in professional theatre spaces, taking part in tech rehearsals to have professional sound and lighting for their pieces. If this is something you would like to have take place in your school get in touch at learning@birmingham-rep.co.uk

Primary Schools
Secondary Schools
Networks
Satellite Youth Theatre

Primary and Secondary Schools

Primary Schools:

Our Current Primary school Partners:

Secondary Schools:

Our Current Secondary School Partners:

Networks:

Satellite Youth Theatre