New Curriculum Brings Bard to Life in UK Classrooms, Sparking Enthusiasm for Shakespeare Among Young Learners
In a bid to breathe new life into the study of Shakespeare in British schools, the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has launched a new curriculum that treats the Bard's works as living, breathing texts for performance. The innovative approach is being rolled out nationwide, with Macbeth as its first flagship production, and is set to revolutionize the way young learners engage with Shakespeare.
At Ormiston Bushfield academy in Peterborough, students are taking part in a workshop about Macbeth, one of the RSC's rehearsal-based teaching approaches. Paul Ainsworth, the developer of young theatre makers at the RSC, is leading the session and is delighted to see his students getting engaged with the material.
"The general feeling towards Shakespeare can be quite intimidating," Ainsworth remarks. "However, once we start working actively on the text, exploring it as a play rather than just reading it, it opens it up for young people." The RSC curriculum provides access to over 2,000 resources, including video extracts from RSC rehearsals and past productions, activity-packed lesson plans, and is free to all state schools in the UK.
Instead of traditional classroom sessions where students sit at their desks reciting lines from memory, the RSC approach treats Shakespeare's works as living, breathing texts for performance. Launching with Macbeth this year, followed by Romeo and Juliet in early 2026, and two more plays each academic year, the curriculum aims to excite young learners about the Bard's works.
The initiative has already yielded enthusiastic responses from students. Charlie, a 15-year-old at Ormiston Bushfield academy, confessed that he generally prefers rap over Shakespeare but enjoyed the workshop session. "I'm not usually a performer," he said, "but it was a nice break, doing something different." Kieran, also 14, expressed his enthusiasm for the experience, saying, "I really enjoyed it. I think some people might not like Shakespeare because they don't understand it immediately, but if you listen to it a bit, even if you don't fully grasp it, you can get an idea of what's going on."
David Tennant, best known as Dr Who, is also backing the new curriculum, saying that many young learners' first experience with Shakespeare is in a classroom. "The lucky ones might have a brilliant teacher who brings it to life," he noted, "but many find themselves mouthing words that make little sense at 14." He advocates for an experiential approach, where students engage with and perform Shakespeare's works rather than just reading them from a page.
Judi Dench, a renowned Shakespeare actress, believes his plays are timeless and can still resonate with young learners today. She emphasized the importance of collaboration, inquiry, and discovery in bringing Shakespeare to life for modern audiences. "The new curriculum will bring the spirit of rehearsal room exploration into classrooms nationwide," she said, inspiring and engaging young minds.
As the RSC's new curriculum rolls out across the UK, it is clear that it has the potential to revolutionize the way Shakespeare is taught in British schools, sparking enthusiasm and creativity among young learners.
In a bid to breathe new life into the study of Shakespeare in British schools, the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has launched a new curriculum that treats the Bard's works as living, breathing texts for performance. The innovative approach is being rolled out nationwide, with Macbeth as its first flagship production, and is set to revolutionize the way young learners engage with Shakespeare.
At Ormiston Bushfield academy in Peterborough, students are taking part in a workshop about Macbeth, one of the RSC's rehearsal-based teaching approaches. Paul Ainsworth, the developer of young theatre makers at the RSC, is leading the session and is delighted to see his students getting engaged with the material.
"The general feeling towards Shakespeare can be quite intimidating," Ainsworth remarks. "However, once we start working actively on the text, exploring it as a play rather than just reading it, it opens it up for young people." The RSC curriculum provides access to over 2,000 resources, including video extracts from RSC rehearsals and past productions, activity-packed lesson plans, and is free to all state schools in the UK.
Instead of traditional classroom sessions where students sit at their desks reciting lines from memory, the RSC approach treats Shakespeare's works as living, breathing texts for performance. Launching with Macbeth this year, followed by Romeo and Juliet in early 2026, and two more plays each academic year, the curriculum aims to excite young learners about the Bard's works.
The initiative has already yielded enthusiastic responses from students. Charlie, a 15-year-old at Ormiston Bushfield academy, confessed that he generally prefers rap over Shakespeare but enjoyed the workshop session. "I'm not usually a performer," he said, "but it was a nice break, doing something different." Kieran, also 14, expressed his enthusiasm for the experience, saying, "I really enjoyed it. I think some people might not like Shakespeare because they don't understand it immediately, but if you listen to it a bit, even if you don't fully grasp it, you can get an idea of what's going on."
David Tennant, best known as Dr Who, is also backing the new curriculum, saying that many young learners' first experience with Shakespeare is in a classroom. "The lucky ones might have a brilliant teacher who brings it to life," he noted, "but many find themselves mouthing words that make little sense at 14." He advocates for an experiential approach, where students engage with and perform Shakespeare's works rather than just reading them from a page.
Judi Dench, a renowned Shakespeare actress, believes his plays are timeless and can still resonate with young learners today. She emphasized the importance of collaboration, inquiry, and discovery in bringing Shakespeare to life for modern audiences. "The new curriculum will bring the spirit of rehearsal room exploration into classrooms nationwide," she said, inspiring and engaging young minds.
As the RSC's new curriculum rolls out across the UK, it is clear that it has the potential to revolutionize the way Shakespeare is taught in British schools, sparking enthusiasm and creativity among young learners.
Just read about this awesome new curriculum in UK schools that brings Shakespeare to life through performance 
! I'm all for making learning fun and engaging. The idea of students getting hands-on experience with the Bard's works is genius 
. It's amazing to see how it's already sparking enthusiasm among young learners, even if they don't normally think they'd be interested in Shakespeare. Can we make more subjects as exciting as this? 
I think its awesome they're making Shakespeare more interactive, you know? Like instead of just reading a play, they get to be part of it 
. And Judi Dench says that his plays are timeless and can still resonate with young minds today 
.
The fact that it's free for all state schools in the UK is also a major win 
. It just goes to show that you don't need fancy resources or expensive productions to make Shakespeare accessible to everyone.
! The use of video extracts, activity-packed lesson plans, and rehearsal-based teaching approaches is going to make this curriculum a total game-changer.
. It's not just about reciting lines from memory; it's about understanding the story behind them, and that's what makes learning so powerful 
.
. It's all about creating engaging experiences for students, making Shakespeare accessible to everyone, and sparking enthusiasm for the Bard's works 
. I mean, who doesn't love a good drama club experience? 
The RSC's approach is all about collaboration and discovery, and that's exactly what our young learners need 
. It's time to break down those intimidation walls around Shakespeare 
and get them excited about the Bard's works 
! Let's give it up for the Royal Shakespeare Company 
#ShakespeareRevolution #BardForTheWin #NewCurriculum
I'm also not sure about David Tennant's comment... isn't he being a bit dismissive of teachers who do make Shakespeare come alive in their classrooms? 
The RSC's approach might be too focused on performance... won't students forget the actual text itself? 
Ugh, I'm all confused now 
. On one hand, it's awesome that they're making Shakespeare more accessible and engaging for young learners 
.
. With David Tennant and Judi Dench on board, it's clear that they're passionate about bringing Shakespeare to life for a new generation 
. It's all about treating Shakespeare as a living thing, you know? Not just some old dude who wrote plays that everyone has to memorize 
. The RSC is bringing the Bard into the 21st century with workshops and stuff, so kids can actually connect with his work on a more personal level 
), and it's crazy how much more engaging it is when you're doing something hands-on instead of just sitting there listening to someone drone on about iambic pentameter 
. And the resources they're making available are so sick – over 2,000 of them! 
.
) this curriculum is all about performance and collaboration - sounds like a great way to get those creative juices flowing! also gotta love david tennant's take on it 
Judi dench is always a legend, btw 
And Judi Dench is right, his plays are timeless and still relevant today!