​Summer term 2023

Children tell us that Perform classes are the best fun of the week  and are usually unaware that they’ve been developing new skills and enhancing their natural abilities. We use the performing arts as a platform to deliver this learning – so, while your child may think they  are simply ‘walking the plank’ with the Seasick Pirate, they’re actually honing their coordination skills and being courageous in front of the  class. See below the skills that your child will be learning this term. 

Week 1: 15th - 21st April

Welcome to the summer term!

Lots of fun games will kick off an energetic summer term as we  meet new friends and hear about Mermaids & Pirates for 4–7s  and The Dream for 7–12s. This week is all about getting  involved in our summer term themes. 

Week 2: 22nd - 28th April

When I grow up I want to be... 

4-7s: Practising our solo speaking skills, we'll talk about jobs we might like  to do when we grow up.

Rhythm and Shakespeare 

7-12s: Although our show is set in modern times, we’ll go back to Shakespeare’s original play and recite some lines as we learn about iambic pentameter.

Week 3: 29th April - 5th May

Talking in front of an audience

Choosing what to wear or who to have a playdate with can be big decisions for young children but,  in doing so, they are defining their personality and individuality. 

4–7s: With a little help from the Seasick Pirate, we’ll use role-play to look  at the different tools which can help us make decisions. 

7–12s; Improvising some fun scenarios, we’ll demonstrate how to choose quickly and intelligently between  a range of different options.

Week 4: 6th - 12th May 

Delicious diction

Ensuring that people can hear what we're saying is an important part of communicating clearly. 

4–7s: The parrot in our story, Rita Conchita, will join us for some mimicking exercises and tongue twisters as we learn about the importance of speaking clearly. 

7–12s: We’ll learn about diction, clarity and volume as we practise speaking activities which enhance public speaking confidence. 

Week 5: 13th - 19th May

Relaxing and being calm

Children can find it hard to control their emotions, whether anger, sadness or excitement. Calming techniques can allow us to take a few moments to pause and reflect before reacting. 

4–7s: We’ll learn ways to help ourselves remain calm and relaxed if we ever feel angry or upset. 

7–12s: We’ll act out different emotions and talk about things we can do to help manage how we feel, even in tricky situations.

Week 6: 20th - 26th May

Responsibility

Teaching children how to be responsible can help them become a person with integrity and reliability well before they reach adulthood. 

4–7s: How did the Seasick Pirate lose the map? In this fun session we’ll discuss what ‘taking responsibility’ means. 

7–12s: We’ll discuss how rewarding it feels to take responsibility as we look at different scenarios, like brushing  our teeth without being reminded or packing our school bag.

Week 7: 27th & 28th May

Teamwork

Teamwork develops confidence and communication skills and is instrumental in helping children learn about cooperation and seeing the value of their contribution.

4–7s: We’ll build an imaginary ship but can we organise our crew to get the job done properly? 

7–12s: Listening and sharing ideas, we’ll have an exhilarating session filled with team-building activities.

Week 8: 3rd - 9th June

Tremendous trust

Putting trust in others is an important skill, allowing team members to take responsibility for their own tasks. 

4–7s: In our improvised game, our ship  is sinking – but should we trust Long Gone Silver when he tells us he knows a safe route? 

7–12s: Being able to trust the rest of the cast is important as you need to feel confident they are going to learn and say their lines at the right time. In this session we’ll look at trust techniques.

Week 9: 10th - 16th June

Exciting words

Delving into our imaginations, we can promote children’s vocabulary growth and word consciousness. The richer our vocabulary is, the more able we are to communicate our thoughts and ideas. 

4–7s: Using our imaginations, we’ll experiment with cool new words and some we make up ourselves. 

7–12s: We’ll encourage the children to use exciting and imaginative language and then we’ll discuss how this makes the story they’re telling more interesting to listen to.

Week 10: 17th - 23rd June

Spatial awareness

Being aware of one’s personal space helps us be considerate about the space we give to others. 

4–7s: Funny walks and dance moves  are an excellent starting point for thinking about the space we and others need to feel comfortable.  

7–12s: We’ll look at how to stay focussed  on our own role whilst also being mindful of what our fellow actors  are doing at the same time, which helps communicate

Week 11: 24th - 30th June 

Have a go

The easy route is to stick to what  we know and not try new things. Trying new things is good for our mental health – it gives us a hit of dopamine (feel good chemical) and makes us feel rewarded. 

4–7s: We’re helping PF to be confident and try his best as we improvise a tricky situation. 

7–12s: We’ll look at the incredible sense  of achievement we can feel when we do something which may, at first, seem daunting

Week 12: 1st - 7th July

Getting ready for show week

We’ll revisit what we’ve learned  and rehearse our lines, dances and songs to make sure we’re ready for our dress rehearsal.

Week 13: 8th - 14th July

Final rehearsal

The children will use their delicious diction and top teamwork skills as they try our their fabulous costumes and run through their lines and dance routines one final time.

Week 14: 15th - 21st July

Presentation week

The children will use their delicious diction and top teamwork skills as they try our their fabulous costumes and run through their lines and dance routines one final time.

As a parent, I love that the Perform classes go beyond performance and integrate valuable life lessons within their themes. It’s a terrific way to get kids to learn and reflect on different aspects of life in a fun, engaging and age-appropriate way - Gemma Harris