ISSP Drama Day
LEH is a member of the Hampton ISSP, working with Hampton School, Hampton Academy, Orleans Park School, Tolworth Girls School, Hollyfield School, and Teddington School on a varied programme of partnership activities. The ISSP Drama day hosted by LEH was an opportunity for Year 8 pupils from the partnership schools to work on a variety of aspects of drama in mixed groups.
Aims
The Hampton ISSP exists to share good practice, promote collaboration, raise aspiration and achievement amongst pupils and to offer a range of enrichment and extension activities for the able, gifted and talented pupils across the partnership schools. As part of this provision Lady Eleanor Holles School hosted a Drama day where pupils experienced a carousel of three, one and a half hour activities covering musical theatre, technical theatre and a fun approach to speaking verse.
Background
The Hampton Partnership has been in place since 2009. It has involved several schools across the Richmond and Kingston Borough coming together to develop collaborative activities which benefit pupils in a variety of ways. The work was originally overseen by an independent Facilitator, but is now run by an Executive Committee, made up of representatives from each of the seven Partner Schools.
Resources
The Drama day was organised by staff from LEH Drama department and pupils were provided with refreshments throughout the day as well as lunch. A drama teacher and a visiting teacher of Speech and Drama ran sessions for the pupils. The costs of running and resourcing the activities, providing lunch and refreshments were funded by Lady Eleanor Holles School.
After an introduction to United Nations and the concept of a Model United Nations Conference, pupils are split into two groups, working in two large venues. Two pupils from different schools work in pairs to research and investigate the views of their designated country on a variety of key issues. iPads are provided so that each delegate can research their designated country and find out more about the issues under debate. The students or delegates take to the podium and share their country’s responses to that issue with the room, and then engage in debate and the formulation of proposals and refinement of statements on a specific issue – in 2015 the issues under discussion included global health provision and capital punishment.
Impact
Feedback was taken from the pupils at the end of the day to guide future provision.
The benefit of participating in the partnership activities is evident when observing pupils from a variety of different local schools mixing and working in mixed groups. The fact that pupils have been selected by their teachers to participate and represent their school helps to bolster self-confidence
The engagement of the pupils demonstrated the benefits for the pupils involved. Feedbck was taken from the pupils at the end of the day to help with planning of future events.
Pupil Involvement
Forty pupils from Year 8 attended, made up of boys and girls from the partner schools.
Frequency
The Drama day is part of a programme of ISSP events held throughout the year. It will be repeated on an annual basis.