Trust's unique project focuses on pupil voice

This conversation revolved around the importance of educating children in creative subjects and developing the whole child.

The project's core concept focused on pupil voice, giving children the opportunity to express themselves by doing things differently outside of the ‘normal’ school curriculum, and in turn sharing those experiences with others.

Immersing Educators in Creativity

The first step involved immersing teachers and head teachers in creative practices. Silhouette Youth Theatre led this by taking staff to The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, engaging them in a dance workshop, and recording a musical piece at The Stables. This process allowed educators to experience the power of the performing arts firsthand, engaging with text through dance, drama, and music.

Following this, Silhouette visited the schools, spending each term creating different performance pieces—drama, dance, and original songwriting. Every child had the opportunity to see these performances, as the work was toured across all schools, culminating in a presentation at the Northampton Arts Festival.

Channelling Shakespeare

In Year 2, the focus shifted to Shakespearean text. Schools were invited to explore Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Tempest. Once again, the project began by immersing creative leads in the process before giving young people a chance to engage with the text through drama, dance, and songwriting. Despite the challenges of the first Covid-19 lockdown, the project adapted, using online sessions to keep the work going and share it with others.

An Environmental Story

Year 3 was the most ambitious yet, as the project collaborated with Stanwick Lakes to create an outdoor performance of Wind in the Willows. This performance highlighted the importance of environmental stewardship and the value of life’s simpler things. Through drama, dance, and music, each school created a 15-minute performance, which was shared with over 750 parents and carers at the Stanwick Lakes outdoor theatre in 2021. It was a remarkable end to an inspiring year.

A Dream Performance

Building on the success of the previous year, Year 4 featured another outdoor performance, this time of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. By now, the schools were fully committed, with Year 6 pupils dedicating themselves to the project. The Trust agreed that the benefits were so significant that they would continue producing performances every year. The quality of work exceeded expectations, with staff highlighting it as a standout moment of the school year.

Kings (and Queens) of the Castle

Last year, the project took a slight change in direction, as children were tasked with creating an original piece of work. Silhouette Youth Theatre worked with young writers to develop unique scripts, which then informed the creative elements—drama, dance, songwriting, and singing. Watching these young writers see their work come to life was an unforgettable experience.

For the first time, performances were held at The Castle Theatre, where over 600 parents, carers, and family members gathered to watch children from across the Trust perform. Every young person had the chance to either act, dance, sing, direct or perform on a professional stage.

A Community Project

As the Whole Child Project enters its fifth year, it's remarkable to see how far it has come. What began as a simple conversation in 2018 has grown into a thriving community project, involving thousands of children, hundreds of teachers, and countless support staff who work behind the scenes to bring these performances to life.

For many in our community—children, parents and carers, and staff alike—this is the highlight of the year. The Whole Child Project has shown that creativity can be a powerful force for change, helping children find their voice, face their fears, and build confidence. It has created memories that will last a lifetime.

Here’s to many more years of this unique and inspiring project!

Stay tuned for news about this year’s performance at The Castle in Wellingborough!