ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY RELEASES LEARNING RESOURCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) works with thousands of young people, teachers, and partner theatres each year to ensure everyone has access to an arts-rich education and the opportunity to unlock their potential. This autumn, RSC Learning is offering a wide range of resources and activities for teachers and learners, many free to use, including online performances and videos, workshops and professional development opportunities.

Jacqui O’Hanlon, RSC Director of Learning and National Partnerships said: 

‘All young people deserve an arts-rich education. We know this develops the life chances of children, contributes to their wellbeing, develops skills and behaviours that mean they do better at school, enhances employability and creates engaged citizens who make a positive contribution to the world we all live in.  

We have so much evidence as an arts sector about the ways in which arts rich schools and arts learning unlocks potential and reveals new ways to see ourselves, others and the world around us.  All young people and schools should have access to artists and resources that support learning outcomes for children and develop pathways for their future, equipping them to go out and thrive in today’s world’.

Examples of RSC Learning activities

The RSC’s Certificate in Teaching Shakespeare develops teachers’ skills knowledge and confidence in using RSC rehearsal-room approaches in the classroom.

In addition, any school, anywhere in the UK can book a teacher professional development day led by RSC artists at a venue of their choice.

‘Live’ Lessons explore the characters, themes and language of Shakespeare plays and the Shakespeare Learning Zone contains an informative and interactive catalogue of games, videos, galleries and key learning resources, giving students the chance to find more about each play or revise ones they know well. The newest additions will be The Comedy of Errors and As You Like It, including specially commissioned films of actors in rehearsals and in performance.

Our new ‘Clore Learning Centre online’ workshops enable any school anywhere in the UK to book a workshop with RSC artists to explore the contemporary relevance of Shakespeare’s plays to our lives and world today. Online Workshops on Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet or The Tempest are available throughout November and December 2021.

This year, the RSC has been working with Samsung Electronics UK to create Next Generation Introduces - a series of films that explores the theatre careers available off stage. These films feature RSC Acting Artistic Director, Erica Whyman, and RSC Director of Digital Development, Sarah Ellis, as well as representatives across Costume, Technical and Marketing departments. The full set of films are now available here.  

Sophie Edgerley Harris, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Samsung Electronics UK said:

“At Samsung, we believe it is our duty to help to equip the next generation with the skills they need to thrive in a technology-driven future. We all have a part to play, and are committed to giving everyone equal access to knowledge, skills, and resources. We are delighted to partner with RSC to deliver these films to open up career opportunities in the sector and allow young people to shape a better future for themselves and their communities through technology.”

The RSC is also hosting a programme of events this Autumn, including a Free School’s Broadcast of The Tempest from 15 – 19 November 2021, a Primary open day for the RSC’s upcoming production The Magician’s Elephant – a brand new musical based on the novel by children’s author, Kate DiCamillo – on 25 November 2021.

All resources and event information are accessible via the Learning section of the RSC website: rsc.org.uk/learn

FURTHER INFORMATION ON RSC LEARNING RESOURCES

SAMSUNG UK NEXT GENERATION FILM SERIES - This year the RSC has been working with Samsung to create a series of films that explores the theatre careers available off stage. Viewers can discover routes into a career as a Director from the RSC’s Acting Artistic Director, Erica Whyman; what ‘day-to-day’ means for Lighting, Set and Costume Designers; and hear how technology will ensure theatre remains connected and inclusive from Sarah Ellis, Director of Digital Development. Young people can also discover what is involved in working in theatre Marketing, Press and Learning departments and how these roles are key to ensure engagement with emerging and diverse audiences. The full set of films are now available here.  

Since 2015, the RSC has worked closely with Samsung to inspire the future generation of innovators and creators through Shakespeare and technology, including most recently with the award-winning Romeo and Juliet takeover at Welcombe Hills School. This series of films falls within the RSC’s wider Next Generation: Talent Development Programme which aims to give young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to gain experience and explore whether a career in theatre is for them

The films also include voices from our Associate Theatre Partners: The Marlowe Theatre, The New Vic Theatre, The Theatre Royal, Royal Concert Hall Nottingham, Hull Truck Theatre, The Alhambra Theatre and Intermission Youth. 

RSC CERTIFICATE IN TEACHING SHAKESPEARE - The RSC Certificate in Teaching Shakespeare is a transformative suite of courses which have been designed to develop teachers’ skills and confidence in using RSC rehearsal-room approaches in the classroom. 

Teachers across primary, secondary or special schools are able to access courses which aim to provide the skills required to confidently teach Shakespeare and to progress knowledge and understanding.  

There are three levels of the course, building towards the final Certification level. Teachers can choose to stop at any level as each of them are self-contained learning units.

Each level includes a ticket to see a Shakespeare play in the RSC's repertoire, lunch and refreshments on all three days, a resource pack of activities to use in the classroom, the chance to network and build relationships with fellow teachers and opportunities to work with and receive support from experienced RSC practitioners.  

CPD COURSES – ‘INSET IN YOUR SCHOOL’ - The RSC’s CPD courses can be tailored to meet the needs of whole schools, English and/or Drama departments at secondary school, or used as a powerful way of bringing specialist teachers together across a local area. They can be designed for teachers at all phases of education and tailored to meet the development needs of teaching assistants.

The RSC is able to run a CPD course at a school or venue for up to 25 staff or host a group in Stratford-upon-Avon. The course costs £35 per teacher for a full day and is led by the RSC’s team of Associate Learning practitioners, all of whom have direct experience of RSC rehearsal rooms, either as actors, directors or other creative specialists, plus extensive experience of working with children, young people and their teachers.

Courses can be created for teachers from Early Years to Key Stage 5 and can cover any Shakespeare play. Following the course, each participant will receive a set of high-quality resources plus a detailed description of the strategies and texts used during the day to support their planning and teaching. For more information and to book, please visit rsc.org.uk

‘LIVE’ LESSONS - In 2019 and 2020 the RSC broadcast live lessons into schools about Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth.  These lessons are now available for students to view at any time.  Each lesson features contributions from RSC directors and actors, including RSC Acting Artistic Director, Erica Whyman, who directed Romeo and Juliet in 2019; Niamh Cusack, who played Lady Macbeth in 2019; and Karen Fishwick, who played Juliet in 2019.  The lessons explore the characters, themes and language of each play.   

SHAKESPEARE LEARNING ZONE - The Shakespeare Learning Zone contains an informative and interactive catalogue of games, videos and galleries, arranged by play title, giving students the chance to find more about each play or revise ones they know well.  Upcoming titles include As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors and Richard II.

Teachers can search the RSC’s Teacher Resources database, full of activities and inspiration to help them plan online lessons for 30 of Shakespeare plays. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

For more information please contact: Bethany Arnold, Media Relations Officer bethany.arnold@rsc.org.uk

A selection of RSC Learning related images can be downloaded here.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The work of RSC Learning is generously supported by Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Adobe, The Clore Duffield Foundation, The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust, GRoW @ Annenberg, Samsung, The Polonsky Foundation, The Schroder Foundation, The Wyfold Charitable Trust, Stratford Town Trust, The Goldsmiths’ Company Charity, Teale Charitable Trust, The Grimmitt Trust, George Fentham Birmingham Charity, The Misses Barrie Charitable Trust and TAK Advisory Limited. 

The work of the RSC Literary Department is generously supported by The Drue and H.J. Heinz II Charitable Trust

The original Live From Stratford-upon-Avon’ broadcast of The Tempest was generously supported by the Sidney E Frank Foundation

The Magician's Elephant is a recipient of the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award

RSC Teacher Resources are presented by Adobe. 

Samsung is the Presenting Partner of Next Generation Introduces

Samsung Electronics UK has supported the RSC since 2015. The partnership forms a part of Samsung’s commitment to Enabling People by empowering future generations to achieve their full potential through education. Through a number of educational programmes worldwide, Samsung’s mission is to create more inclusive, quality learning experiences for young people across society, enabling them to become pioneers of positive social change. Find out more about Samsung’s UK initiatives here.

The Royal Shakespeare Company creates theatre at its best, made in Stratford-upon-Avon and shared around the world. We produce an inspirational artistic programme each year, setting Shakespeare in context, alongside the work of his contemporaries and today’s writers.  

We have trained generations of the very best theatre makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future. We encourage everyone to enjoy a lifelong relationship with Shakespeare and live theatre. We reach 530,000 children and young people annually through our education work, transforming their experiences in the classroom, in performance and online. 

Everyone at the RSC - from actors to armourers, musicians to technicians - plays a part in creating the world you see on stage.  

We recognise the climate emergency and work hard to embed environmental sustainability into our operations, creative work and business practice and have made a commitment to reduce continually our Carbon Footprint. We have measures already in place from green electricity to replace energy consuming equipment with high efficiency, using low carbon equipment, and delivering programmes to raise environmental awareness across the RSC. We acknowledge that sharing our work with audiences across the world will involve travel and that we need to mitigate the impact of that on our carbon footprint.