Project summary
The children of Thetford are once again working alongside the Royal Opera House, https://www.roh.org.uk/schools/programme/alices-adventures-in-wonderland to craft a performing arts piece centred around Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Children will look at motif- development and character dancing. At the end of this programme, the children will be able to choreograph their own dance piece and share this with a wide audience.
LCEP Board Member(s) leading this project: Louise McLeod
Networks involved: Royal Opera House, Carnegie Rooms, Redcastle Primary School, Drake Primary School
Funding sources and costing
Funding secured
Carnegie Rooms for sharing event: £400
Transportation to venue: £1200
Teacher CPD: funded by the Royal Opera House
Project network and services provided
The Royal Opera House
Provided staff with excellent, high quality CPD to an estimated 30 members of staff from participating schools. Staff also worked with the participating 340 children in various ways, for example, online events and in person workshops.
Redcastle Family School
Children from Year 1 and Year 2 (60 children in total) participated within the programme
Wicklewood Primary School
Children from Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 (90 children in total) participated within the programme.
Drake Primary School
Children from Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 participated within the programme (180 children in total)
The programme has been designed with teachers, maintaining strong curriculum links, to develop children’s understanding of dance and to unlock their imagination and creativity.
Project Delivery
January
Staff from the participation schools received high quality training from the Royal Opera House.
January - April
Teachers used their training to return to school and choreograph dances within their classes ready for the sharing event. Teachers had access to a wide range of online teaching resources to support them with this.
April
Sharing event at the Carnegie rooms where all participating schools come together to share the performance pieces they have prepared
Evaluation / Impact
Staff voice from a participating member:
“All staff completed the CPD which means that the staff have more accessibility to teach movement throughout the curriculum in PE but also in a cross-curricular way. In terms of the project, it gives children more creativity as they can contribute to the dances they create and teachers still have the freedom to change it if needs be. This means that the delivery of the dance is fully inclusive as it can meet the needs of the children in the classes. The children’s growing confidence has given them the opportunity to reflect on the stigmatism around dance and that is is not just for girls; it is about expression and showing people who you are.”
Pupil voice about the performances and sharing event:
“I really liked the party at the end.”
“I liked when everyone clapped at us.”
“I was worried about dancing and then I felt good about it when everyone clapped.”
Pupil voice about the Royal Opera House staff:
“They were really fun and I liked the coloured t-shirts.”
“They are good at dancing and moving.”
“At the end when we were all dancing, that was the best bit, they made it fun.”