The National Theatre today announces its Let’s Play programme is now free for all state primary schools across the UK to empower more teachers to use theatre, drama and creativity to support learning across the curriculum.
Let’s Play offers free learning resources and training opportunities for primary teachers covering three key areas; using theatre and drama to support learning (Let’s Learn), creating performances in schools (Let’s Perform) and watching high-quality theatre productions with related resources through the National Theatre Primary Collection (Let’s Watch).
Free resources include:
Lesson plans and short films for learning about the theatre industry and jobs in theatre.
Creative learning resources and toolkits to support delivery of the curriculum.
Specially commissioned playscripts for key stage 1 and key stage 2 with songs, backing tracks and a support guide for directors.
Tips from professionals to support theatre making in primary schools, exploring staging, voice in performance, creating characters and working as an ensemble.
For the first time Let’s Play now also offers free online and in-person professional training for teachers to help them reconnect with their own creativity and develop new skills. The wide range of CPDs allows teachers at all stages of their career to explore the potential drama has as a tool for learning. The upcoming CPD programme for the Autumn term 2023/24 includes:
Let’s Perform: Theatre Making with Primary Age Children (Friday 13 October) - Learn from theatre professionals how to create an outstanding piece of theatre in your school.
Storytelling in the Primary Classroom (Thursday 19 October) - Learn the key principles of storytelling from professional storytellers and a creative literacy specialist gaining valuable insights into creative literacy approaches in the primary classroom.
Creating an Immersive Classroom (Thursday 16 November) - With a theatre designer and creative learning specialist, explore what makes an effective, interactive learning environment providing maximum engagement and understanding.
Let’s Play has a positive impact on increasing children’s engagement with learning, improving children's literacy, particularly the quality of their writing and oracy, as well as supporting well-being through the development of core skills such as teamwork, empathy, confidence and self-esteem.
With the best of British Theatre available to stream directly into the classroom, the National Theatre Primary Collection also introduces children aged 4 - 11 to the magic and spectacle of theatre through titles such as Peter Pan, Treasure Island, I Want My Hat Back, and wonder.land. In partnership with the Unicorn Theatre, new titles will also be made available free for UK state primary schools via the National Theatre Primary Collection in September.
A year 4 teacher from Rufford Park Primary School in Leeds said “Let's Play is absolutely superb - I cannot praise it highly enough! The CPD was the best I've had in over ten years of teaching, with expert advice from professional directors, musicians, artists and choreographers... Whether it's your first play or your 20th, there's something for everyone.”
Alice King-Farlow, Director of Learning and National Partnerships at the National Theatre said, “We are thrilled to announce we are now able to offer Let’s Play free for all state primary schools in the UK. Given the current economic pressures affecting many schools and communities it is more important than ever that we create avenues for children to access theatre making that entertains and inspires. Let’s Play supports teachers across the country to fire imagination and creativity in as many students as possible. We are very grateful to a number of donors whose generous philanthropic support enables this programme to be free for teachers to access”.
To join the Let’s Play network and stay up to date with new opportunities and resources, visit the NT Website.
