At the chalkface
News
A savage god
SALLY CLIMBS up the stairs Who indeed? Sally! Sally!
to the third floor to the Art Where did you go? This illness is
Department. She lugs a portfolio. horrible. She looks like an X-ray
She’s dizzy and breathes too – like what John Donne called
quickly. Her huge jumper falls “a soul in a sack”. It’s a mystery.
over her tiny limbs. She leans Emily Dickinson tried to crack it.
against a wall and seems to go “The mystery of food
into slow motion and collapses Increased til I abjured it
like a deckchair. Her bones hit Subsisting now like God.”
the floor. They could crack. Her A ghastly fix! You’re “drunk
sleeves betray twiglet arms. with starvation” said Knut
Charcoal drawings and Hamsen. And it seems
a PJ Harvey CD scatter we’re all complicit.
across the corridor – Last week I met her
and an apple and carrots mother. She denied it.
and currants and Then she didn’t. Then
ciggies. She shakes she wept.
and she shivers. “Where has my lovely
Sally Rose. 12th year. girl gone?” Indeed. Bard times: Students
An illustrious pupil. A star “She won’t eat!” from Rye College perform
with 11 A*s. Oxbridge She waved her arms. excerpts from As You Like
bound. The school’s “I dragged her on to It (left), assisted by actress
hothoused mascot. Or the scales. I weighed her. I Siobhan Redmond (top) and
martyr? She’s wasted thought it was getting better! Diana Johnson MP
and wired. I recall her in I began to hope!”
the 7th year. A blossom She looked up.
of a girl, smiling in a blade “And you know what? The
of sunlight. Bonny and bright. little bitch had put stones in her
She tries to get up and fails. pockets!”
Shakespeare takes centre stage
It’s come to this. Sally! Sally! She could hardly see.
What have you done to yourself? “My darling child. She’s
It started in the 10th year. She disappearing! Why?” developed by the Qualifications pupils to study and explore his work leads to a lifelong passion for lit-
just stopped smiling. She began You just feel useless..
by Chris Parr
and Curriculum Development in a way that excites and engages erature and theatre and helps to
to slowly disappear. Literally. As Sally Rose lurches towards the Agency and the Royal Shakespeare them.” improve a child’s reading and writ-
some girls do. And now she sits in art room. Her twiglet wrists twist Budding thespians from a Sussex Company (RSC), are designed to The initiative has been funded in ing. Shakespeare is also part of our
my lessons all shut up and most uselessly on the heavy door. I school took to the stage at the Globe get 11 to 14-year-olds to engage part by the Department for Children, heritage and his themes and lessons
severe. She finds them plodding open it for her. Theatre in London last week to with Shakespeare’s work, and are Schools and Families. on human nature are as relevant
and peripheral. Her essays have a “Fuck off sir! Don’t need your launch the Active Shakespeare available free to all schools. Diana Johnson, parliamentary today as ever.”
fierce brilliance, a callous lucidity. help!” initiative, which aims to get pupils Jacqui O’Hanlon, director of under-secretary of state for schools, The plays covered by the new
She’s ravenous for success. It A blossom of a girl in the sun. actively involved in the work of education at the RSC, said: “Many attended the launch. She said: materials are Romeo and Juliet,
seems her only nourishment. All gone. the Bard. of the Active Shakespeare activities “When I did Shakespeare at school, The Tempest and As You Like It.
She somehow staggers to her Anorexia – what a savage god. Youngsters from Rye College are based on the techniques used by it was carried out by a teacher at They are designed to support
feet. She sees me seeing her. She were on hand to perform excerpts actors before they take to the stage, the front of the class while we all the teaching of Shakespeare at key
knows I know. She gathers her • Ian Whitwham is a former from As You Like It, ably assist- and we’ve adapted them for use in sat behind a desk. It’s been a great stage 3 by encouraging lively and
stuff up. I try to help her. I pick up teacher. A book of his best ever ed by television actress Siobhan the classroom. experience today to see youngsters active approaches to studying the
the CD – it’s called Rid of Me. Her columns is out now. For details, Redmond. “Shakespeare is a key part of really getting involved in his work. plays.
stare is ice. “Who you looking at?” email editor@sec-ed.co.uk The resources for Active the secondary curriculum, so it’s “Developing a love of To access the materials, visit
Shakespeare, which have been important to find ways to allow Shakespeare at a young age often www.qcda.gov.uk/27406.aspx
AD1716 Headstart Sec ED:AD1716 12/03/2010 12:08 Page 1
NEW HEADS
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16 SecEd • March 18 2010
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