This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
End Of Year Productions All the world's a stage


W


ith Year 6 pupils across the UK preparing to move on to secondary school, Andrew


Oxspring, director of Edgy Productions, talks to teachers about why end-of-year and Year 6 leavers’ musicals are so important, and shares his own experiences of staging school productions. It’s not always easy, is it? As a former Year 6


teacher, I can completely relate to the stresses that primary school teachers face when tasked with putting on a musical production. While certainly not without humorous moments during the planning and rehearsal stages, in my experience the whole process could be frustrating at times. But when it all comes together, and it always did, the thrill of hearing an audience laugh, sometimes cry, and applaud the combined efforts of you and the children is wonderful. I found that this was never truer than with end-of- year or leavers’ musicals, particularly those written to celebrate school life.


Andrew Oxspring


The chance to say goodbye and look back on


the last chapter is vital in every transition we make in life - none more so than leaving primary school to start secondary school. It marks the end of the first phase of childhood and the move into adolescence and in that respect it’s an important rite of passage. Using productions that celebrate the primary school years, as well as being a lot of fun, helps focus the thoughts and feelings that this transition can evoke in pupils. Judith Starkey, teacher at Heaton St Barnabus C of E Primary in Bradford agrees. “Leavers’ musicals enable students and teachers alike to reflect on the past year in a positive and humorous way, and are a great end to the year and to their seven years at primary school.”


Ending the year on a high This is especially important in Year 6 as many friendship groups may be split if children move on to different secondary schools, so the production can often be the last time everyone is brought together in front of the community. The celebratory sense of closure it offers gives the chance to end the academic year on a real high note, reinforcing relationships and bonds in quite a powerful way, as David Morley, deputy head teacher at Long Meadow Primary School, Milton Keynes points out. “Giving the children a chance to relate to their peers and teachers through connection with the characters or story is often a very compelling way to end the school year.” The way in which our productions about school


life resonated with children was one of the things that really stood out to me when I was a teacher. I wrote and produced leavers' musicals for eight consecutive years for my Year 6 classes and quickly learned the importance of using the


30 www.education-today.co.uk


students’, teachers’ and parents’ experiences of their time at primary school to inform what I wrote. When we used real-life material, children were keen to be involved and the audiences’ reactions were always overwhelming. The productions were always designed to make all those involved think, “I remember when that happened to me” and so many moments can be brought into the script and songs to give a real sense of shared experience and camaraderie. Getting a dose of nits, being sick on the bus during a school trip (never underestimate children’s appetite for a bit of toilet humour), having to delve through the lost-property box to find a pair of shorts for PE, or taking an undignified tumble in the sack race on sports day - these experiences were and are common to all. To be able to break some of the sillier taboos of childhood with a bit of drama provided a huge release for everyone involved.


Not just a song and dance Rounding off primary school life with a fun and nostalgic look back was never just a chance to muck around; it can require as much commitment as any academic project and helps children develop some incredibly useful skills to help them through a challenging period of transition. Throughout my time as a teacher I was always


surprised how some children, not necessarily the gregarious ones, found a voice through performing. Musical productions can help boost the confidence of the shyer pupils and can engender skills that are crucial for those about to make the transition to secondary school. The collaborative nature of school performances is an obvious thing to point out, but productions also require self-discipline and focus. They can be a


May 2015


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46