St Swithun’s Junior School celebrated the forthcoming 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth last week with three performances to packed houses of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Years 3 and 4.
St Swithun’s pupils have been putting on an annual production of a Shakespeare play for the last 12 years under the guidance of music and drama teacher Caroline Silvester. This recent production coincided with national Shakespeare week and incorporated all 44 girls from both year groups.
The aim of Shakespeare Week is to bring Shakespeare’s stories, language, historical backdrop and creative influence vividly to life for more than 3 million children in the UK and ensure that his cultural legacy is a central part of the primary school learning experience.
St Swithun’s Junior School teacher Caroline Silvester said “Shakespeare is alive and kicking in the Junior School. The stories resonate as loudly now as they did back in the seventeenth century – human nature has not changed much. Our children love the sound and feel of the language and speak the verse as naturally as any more recent text.”