Young writers inspired by trip to theatre

Talented young writers watched a performance of Beauty and the Beast to end a term focusing on the classic story.
Joe Neale, Schoolsworks lead English teacher, with children from River Beach Primary School and Edward Bryant School at Chichester Festival TheatreJoe Neale, Schoolsworks lead English teacher, with children from River Beach Primary School and Edward Bryant School at Chichester Festival Theatre
Joe Neale, Schoolsworks lead English teacher, with children from River Beach Primary School and Edward Bryant School at Chichester Festival Theatre

Year-six children from River Beach Primary School in Littlehampton were part of an extension writing group using the fairy tale as their inspiration.

They joined year-six children from Edward Bryant School in Bognor Regis for the Schoolsworks Academy Trust trip to Chichester Festival Theatre for the performance by Chichester Youth Theatre.

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River Beach pupil Sophie Clarke said: “It was very different from the Disney version. Beauty even refused to wear a dress, which I liked.

“We have been reading the original fairy tale version from about 1740 in our group and I could see how they’d based it on the original story.”

Millie Hawkins, also from River Beach, said: “I liked how they used the technique of telling the story from some children’s points of view. I thought that was really clever.

“It was a really enjoyable experience and I’m very pleased that I was chosen to be part of the writing club so I could go.”

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The trip for 20 children was arranged to bring the story to life and the children were asked to write a review after experiencing the production.

Joe Neale, Schoolsworks lead English teacher, said the children could be seen making notes in the interval to help them write their reviews back at school at the start of the spring term.

He added: “It was fantastic to be able to get some of the best writers from two of our schools together.

“Some of the children had never been to the theatre before and it was lovely to see how inspired they were by the experience.”