Archive> Early Years & Primary Projects Previous Projects

Creative learning for under 5s • Extended Schools Project • The Arrival • Reflections • Touching Science • Sensory Journeys •

Half Moon have been working with Primary and Early Years groups for over 10 years. Here are some of our highlights.

Jump to a specific project by using the links above or scroll down to read them all.

For more information on any aspect of our Early Years & Primary work please call 020 7265 8138 or email the Projects Manager
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Creative learning for under 5s
2010 Rip, Fold, Scrunch

Each year Half Moon delivers a participatory programme for Early Years groups across Tower Hamlets and beyond. The project consists of four multi-sensory workshops, a trip to Half Moon to see a professional play created for the age range and substantial legacy for participating staff, children and families. The project aims to develop self-esteem and communication and encourage creative and collaborative play and provide families with the skills to start school.

Legacy is a particularly important aspect of this project, providing practical experience for teachers and Children's Centre staff enabling them to use drama to meet Early Years goals and curriculum objectives. In previous years part of the legacy has included an object for children to take away and keep - such as an illustrated story of the show, or a set of bells.

This programme has been massively successful and although it has adapted each year with new themes and emphasis, the format has been running successfuly for over five years. This has included projects based on the professional productions - Baa Moo Yellow Dog (2009/2004), Icicle Bicycle (2008), Igloo Hulabaloo (2007), My Friend Snow (2006) and Grubs, Slugs and Boogie Bugs (2005).

Feedback from previous years:

"The children became more confident to join in and give ideas"

“The staff were very friendly and warm, and I would recommend these workshops to other mothers in my centre.”
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Creative Classrooms

Creative Classrooms was developed in partnership with four Tower Hamlets primary schools that expressed a desire to explore the possibilities of drama as a cross curricula learning tool and empower the teachers to gain new skills. From the outset it was imagined that the programme would involve drama that took topics from both the National Curriculum and the International Primary Curriculum, as it's starting point and be delivered by a combination of teachers and drama practitioners.

Each of the four schools receive the programme in two phases and we work with each of the schools to support them in continuing the work in a third phase.

Phase 1 consists of a scheme of work planned for each school and delivered by two drama workers, with the teachers in a supportive and observational role. Phase 2 consists of a new scheme of work planned and this time delivered by the teachers with the support of one drama worker. Each phase of the programme is supported by active planning/training sessions and a thorough evaluation. A third phase of the programme supports the teachers in embedding drama as a teaching and learning methodology across the curriculum, each class teacher is being supported in planning a scheme of work and is being observed in delivery by the programme director.

To download a report on the pilot of this project click here.
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Extended Schools Project 2009
A Half Moon project developed in collaboration with Extended Schools Partnership.

Working with Manorfield and Mayflower Primary Schools, Half Moon ran 8 after school sessions with each group of children from years 3 – 6 exploring different stops along the DLR. This involved jumping back in time to discover what life was like during King Henry VIII's reign at Tower Gateway and how the dockyards used to be 100 years ago. The children worked with a team of drama facilitators, a musician and a designer to produce their own play which was then performed at Langdon Park Secondary School.

Half Moon have worked with Tower Hamlets Extended Schools on several projects and have the expertise and experienced tutors necessary to create projects tailored to a school's needs. So let us know if you have an idea for an after-school project.
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The Arrival 2008/09

The Arrival was a two phase project between Half Moon, Thomas Buxton Junior School and Swanlea Secondary School. The project consisted of individual workshops in each school using practical drama and theatre work to develop the young people's skills, knowledge and creativity.

Working with Year 5's from Thomas Buxton school and Years 7 - 9 from Swanlea school, all of the students used as a stimulus The Arrival, a graphic novel that explores migration and settlement by Shaun Tan. The groups responded to this material through a combination of drama sessions, as well as working with a musician and choreographer to create a music track and movement piece.

The work concluded with an opportunity for the young people from the two schools to come together at Half Moon to share what they have done and create a new piece of work together.

At the end of the day the participants were asked to create a sculpture based on the question "What has been important to you today?"

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Reflections

Reflections was an exciting participatory drama project which took place at 5 Schools in the Spring term 2008. This project used creative and innovative ways to develop communication and interaction and to explore the concepts of identity and self-image with children on the autistic spectrum. This was achieved through close consultation and collaboration with teachers at the schools involved.

With particular emphasis on inclusion and access, the title Reflections indicates the project's focus on self observation and understanding.

The project was led by a team of highly experienced drama and music tutors working with a video artist. It comprised of a series of five experiential, cross-arts drama workshops designed to encourage the children to make creative explorations of their physical, emotional and social identities. Four developmental workshops took place at each school and the final session took the form of a multi-sensory installation workshop at Phoenix School. In addition, throughout the project there was a joint scheme of work planned with teachers at participating schools.

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Touching Science

Touching Science was a multi-sensory drama project exploring biomedical science with children aged 3 to 7 of all abilities. By building on the 'Eureka Moments' experienced by children as they develop a knowledge and understanding of the world, this project helped them make a creative connection with science and to develop a curiosity for the social and ethical issues relating to advances in biomedical science.

The project comprised experiential, cross-arts drama workshops in the children's own settings, as well as a culminative installation at Half Moon's theatre space, developed by theatre artists and a writer using the technical resources, including lighting, sound and special effects.
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Sensory Journeys

This was a multi-sensory project that used creative and innovative participatory drama to support teachers in delivering "Knowledge and Understanding of the World" within the Foundation Stage curriculum. With a focus on "Exploration and Investigation" children were introduced to scientific ideas as they developed themes and narratives to create an imaginative journey of discovery. This 9-week project involved working with over 30 schools and children centres, and included targeted work with children in early years settings with profound, multiple and sensory disabilities, as well as those operating within the autistic spectrum. Sessions were led by a team of highly experienced drama and music tutors, and included working with a lighting and sound designer.

The programme comprised of a series of five experiential, cross-arts drama workshops and a legacy training session for staff once the workshops were completed. The central focus of the programme was a multi-sensory installation at Half Moon.

Through these creative encounters children reacted with the full range of the theatre's technical resources including lighting, sound and special effects. They were helped to make connections with their environment by working both individually and in groups to change the physical space in the theatre using a wide range of textures and shapes. Combining live music, movement and the spoken word, activities included interactive play with mirrors, shadows, echoes and projection work.