Stow College
Showcase for Excellence
Developing citizenship through drama: working with St Andrew’s Hospice
Each year, St Andrew’s Hospice holds a fund-raising event in Strathclyde Park.
Local primary school children attend the event and are entertained by actors
performing favourite nursery rhyme scenes. Learners from performing arts
programmes have acted in these scenes since the hospice first approached the
college in 2006.
Learners organise the preparation for the event. They liaise with teaching staff and
hospice staff, and choose the theme for the performance. They design costumes,
write scripts and plan rehearsals. This enables them to apply their practical skills
and knowledge to a real public performance. They perform in front of the children,
other members of the public and hospice staff, entertaining the children with stories,
songs and interactive games.
The initiative has led to improved retention on the programme over the past four
years. Learners are highly motivated by their involvement. They have developed
increased confidence, as well as an awareness of community involvement and its
benefits. Their skills for citizenship have developed and they have been able to
transfer their learning from the event into their classroom activities.