Use drama to promote diversity and prevent bullying
Teachers deliver six one-hour lessons each year to students in years 1 - 6 in which they:
- Examine prejudice
- Learn to recognise and celebrate difference, in school and the wider world
- Develop their Upstander skills
- Learn to recognise when they feel unsafe, and how to seek support
- Sing 'The School Anthem' which helps reinforce the ethos of a Stand Up School
In each lesson children are challenged with helping a different imaginary character who is being teased, picked on, or bullied because of a real or perceived difference. They work together to recognise and challenge unconscious bias, share their ideas, and ask questions. Children take on different roles, play drama games and explore characters in the safe and supportive environment of the classroom, and as they do so, they develop knowledge and skills they can apply to real-life situations.
Teachers play drama games with children in nursery/reception in which they:
- Learn how to recognise and celebrate differences, in their own class and the wider world
- Learn how to build and nurture caring, respectful friendships and relationships
- Learn how it feels to be excluded at playtime
- Learn how to stand up for classmates who feel excluded
- Sing 'The School Anthem' which helps reinforce the ethos of a Stand Up School
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Supporting your curriculum
England: When delivered school-wide, 'Stand Up and Act Out' supports 100% of 'Relationships Education'
Wales: When delivered school-wide, 'Stand Up and Act Out' supports learners to work towards 95% of their Progression Steps in Health and Well-Being (PS1 – PS2)
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WHY DRAMA?
Drama is collaborative, inclusive, and non-competitive, offering all children the chance to participate, feel supported, and learn without barriers. Drama:
* Introduces children to diverse characters
* Allows children to communicate non-verbally
* Introduces them to new vocabulary
* Develops confidence
* Requires reflection and evaluation
* Insists children listen, take turns, co-operate
* Allows teachers to repeat and restructure challenging concepts
* Develops emotional articulacy
DIFFERENCES EXPLORED:
Culture and ethnicity, (dis)ability, family income, family structure, gender, language, physical features, race, religion, talents and preferences
CREATED FOR NON-DRAMA SPECIALISTS
You don't have to be a drama teacher to deliver 'Stand Up and Act Out'. The curriculum comes with full training and every lesson has been written with the non-drama specialist in mind. Teachers never need to act or perform when delivering Stand Up lessons.
TRAINING INCLUDED
Choose in-person training for your staff, or pre-recorded training - whichever is most convenient. Either way, our training is comprehensive, clear, concise and meaningful, and will ensure all stakeholders understand the ethos of a Stand Up School, and all teachers can easily pick up a lesson plan and teach with confidence. Every game and activity comes with a corresponding short video to bring them to life - and everything has been created with the non-drama specialist in mind.
Download a Discovery Pack to access a sample lesson plan, listen to 'The School Anthem', watch one of our training videos, and find out more!