Teach Secondary 13.8

34.6% of 8- to 18-year-olds say they enjoy reading in their free time – the lowest proportion recorded by the National Literacy Trust since its introduction of childhood/adolescent reading surveys 19 years ago Source: ‘Children and young people’s reading in 2024’ report produced by the National Literacy Trust “Having the ability to share these productions has opened up students to a whole new world of possibilities” – English teacher and enrichment co-ordinator at Horbury Academy, Yorkshire This month marks the fifth anniversary of the National Theatre Collection – an educational streaming service (free for all UK state-funded schools), which enables teachers and students to watch world-class productions in the classroom at any time, wherever they are in the country. Over the past five years, we’ve seen how vital the resource has become in helping teachers bring theatre directly into their classrooms. 89% of state secondary schools are now signed up to the resource, with 1.3 million students watching a production via the NT Collection last year. Teachers who regularly use the NT Collection have told us that they believe it offers students access to cultural opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have. With 70 productions to choose from, there’s something to support teaching and learning at every key stage: • Introduce KS3 to the magic of theatre, and spark their imaginations with vibrant productions like Peter Pan and Treasure Island • Support GCSE English students with their studies of set texts, including Macbeth (pictured above) CLOSE-UPON... THE NATIONAL THEATRE COLLECTION JANE BALL IS DEPUTY HEAD OF SCHOOLS ENGAGEMENT AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE New research by the Social Market Foundation has shed light on the extent to which young people frommore affluent backgrounds benefit fromaccess to a formof ‘assumed knowledge’ that puts them in a better position to realise education and employment opportunities. As detailed in a report titled ‘Things worth knowing: The role of assumed knowledge in youth transitions fromeducation to employment’, the researchers define assumed knowledge as “ The things that some might assume everyone instinctively knows about ‘how the systemworks’, ” and cite several examples to demonstrate how such knowledge is skewed towards affluent families and the children of graduates. Young people eligible for free school meals (FSM) were less likely to know that graduates typically earnmore compared to non- graduates, but more likely to erroneously believe that students loans could lead to bankruptcy. 35%of 15- to 21-year-olds from less advantaged backgrounds meanwhile couldn’t identify the University of Cambridge as themost prestigious institution froma list of universities, compared to 25%of that age group as a whole. The contrasts become starker when applied to knowledge of the workplace, with only 47%of FSM-eligible young people being aware that salaries could be negotiated, compared to 64% of their comparatively well-off peers. 60%of 15- to 28-year-olds with non-graduate parents recognised value of networking, compared to a far higher 81%of those with graduate parents. The report was commissioned by the education charity Speakers for Schools, and recommends rolling out two weeks’ worth of work experience for all young people, closer linking of subjects to careers, and amore proactive post-18 National Careers Service. Read the report in full via tiny.cc/ts138-LL1. • Prepare GCSE and A Level drama students for writing a live theatre review • Instigate discussion and learning about a broad range of experiences and cultures, with productions like Small Island and The Great Wave • Explore craft, design and technical theatre skills with students studying for vocational qualifications at KS5 Each production is supported by learning resources created in collaboration with teachers. These resources are curriculum- linked, with classroom activities and extension exercises that can be easily integrated into lessons or set as homework. Direct curriculum learning aside, use of the NT Collection can help to build students’ cultural capital, and support them in developing critical responses and articulating their opinions. We hope that having access to these productions in the classroom will inspire students to further explore careers in theatre, thus supporting the pipeline of talent development within the creative industries, as well as fostering the kind of creative skills now considered essential for almost any career path. So why not join other teachers across the UK in exploring our library of productions and inspiring your students with the power of theatre? You can find out more via tiny.cc/ts138-NT1 . L E A R N I N G L A B 85 teachwire.net/secondary