Drama students from Westholme’s INSPIRED Sixth Form are delivering a series of free climate change workshops for nurseries and schools across Lancashire – entitled ‘Polar SOS!’
Designed and delivered by the top independent school’s A-Level Drama students, local nurseries and forest schools are invited to host a free 15-minute interactive performance between 16 May and 17 June 2022, written for children aged three and four.
Using song, dance, poetry and speech, Polar SOS! will explore the plight of polar animals and how climate change is threatening their habitat – complete with snowball fights and lots of funny icebreakers.
Dr Richard Robson, Principal of Westholme School, said: “During lockdown, live entertainment, music and drama disappeared from our children’s lives – disciplines which are essential for developing children’s self-confidence and promoting positive mental health and self-expression.
“On returning to school, our AS Level students were passionate about bringing the joy of live theatre back to as many local children as possible, and the Polar SOS! tour has been designed to do just that.
“Part of their AS Level Drama course, students have learnt how to write and perform for younger audiences and have enjoyed adapting a storyline to highlight key environmental issues. With a charming and interactive format, Polar SOS! will be engaging, memorable and fun for children as young as three and four.”
Students at Westholme’s INSPIRED Sixth Form are encouraged to regularly step out of their comfort zone and will also be performing in July’s school musical, The Sound of Music in their professional theatre.
Dr Robson added: “Public performances are a fantastic way of developing our students’ communication skills and Westholme School is lucky enough to have one of the country’s largest school theatres, The Croston Theatre.
“Outreach programmes such as Polar SOS! allow us to bring live performances into schools who may not have the space to undertake regular drama activities and highlight how important holistic and extra-curricular activities are for children’s development of transferable 21st century skills.”
If you would like to invite Westholme’s Polar SOS! tour to your school or nursery, please email: [email protected] or call 01254 506 088.