South Rise Primary School

“SSF has exposed our children to another way of thinking and talking.”

This year, SSF has extended its offer to 200 primary schools. As part of our development process we trialled a play with South Rise Primary in Greenwich, London, serving 650 children from 45 different nationalities. According to Soheila Mathison, the Head Teacher,“participation will put (pupils) on a far better, stronger footing in secondary school than children who haven’t gone through the experience.”

Mirielle, aged ten, who played Mark Antony, is from Ghana. She says she volunteered to take part because “I wanted it to teach me to be more responsible, like to learn my lines or to speak to an audience.” After playing Brutus, 10 year old Melissa said, “I think other primary schools should also do Shakespeare because it will teach everyone to work as a group and get along, and all the words in Latin – it will help you when you go to your secondary school or when you get older.” Adam, playing Cassius, agreed: “I liked to be in this play because I thought it would teach me how to be less shy and not fuss over little stuff.”

Participation became a family affair. As Teacher Director, Jenny Chapman, says, “The parents were incredibly supportive. They wanted their children to do it. I think there’s some gravitas about Shakespeare. If you go into it with the expectation that they will understand the themes and that they are relevant to them, they rise to the occasion.”

Resources have been developed to allow a primary school to use SSF for the entire school, not just those engaged in the performance.