Billesley Primary School - Summary 2014-15

Education  

Living Bodies
Year 1 explored the features of living bodies in a dance performance with poetry using costumes and props they had made. They performed this piece to parents in the hall but then also a section of it to a local arts festival.

The Summer Fayre
For their enterprise topic Year 3 took on the challenge of organising the best Summer Fayre the school had ever held. We helped them a bit here and there.

Ancient China
After two years of the Tudors Year 4 moved back to Ancient China. They made paper and kites. They helped cook and eat Chinese food. They wrote persuasive letters begging admittance to the Forbidden City and developed pitches to present to the Emperor extolling the virtues of inventions they (the Ancient Chinese) had recently made.

Slot Together Stage
Most primary school halls are rubbish places to stage plays. So we thought it would be useful to build a great stage that we could quickly and easily move around and slot together. Year 5 researched theatre architecture, drew up a brief, selected an architect and worked with him to design this slot together stage.

When the stage was finished we worked with them very quickly to make write and stage a modest show called Summer Holidays. Parents came along to the school gym to see the first play ever staged on the new stage.

From Billesley the stage moved to Stratford-upon-Avon where the Royal Shakespeare Company used it for a number of outdoor summer events. The following summer four different schools productions too place on the stage before again it made the move to Stratford-upon-Avon.

Living Bodies
Year 1 with artists Charlotte Goodwin, Becky Pringle and Denise Stanton.

Space Communities
Year 2 with artists Johnny O’Hanlon and Iain Smith.

The Summer Fayre
Year 3 with lead artists Craig Stephens.

Ancient China
Year 4 with artist Denise Stanton.

Slot Together Stage
Year 5 with architect Yinka Danmole and artist James Yarker
With thanks to Adrian Baynes.

Billesely Special Operations Department
Lead artist Craig Stephens. Full credits on the webpage.