Learning and Engagement Newsletter Summer 2024
Spring term highlights
Secondary school engagement
Last term, we opened our doors to KS3-5 classes from Outwood Academy City Fields, Bishop Young Academy, Oulton Academy, Farnley Academy and Leeds Trinity Academy for our careers focused workshops, World of Work and Think Like A Producer.
The Learning & Engagement team also visited Elliott Hudson College’s ‘Future Focused’ Day to lead drop-in wellbeing workshops and advise students on the wide range of performing and non-performing careers available in the arts.
Tour of Leeds Grand Theatre. Credit Aaron Cawood
Mood board made by Oulton Academy students. Credit Phoebe Cawley
“The pace of the tasks really kept pupils engaged and each task was accessible to all. [The session leaders] were lovely and knowledgeable – our pupils loved the tour and had all their questions answered!“
Teacher, Bishop Young Academy
Cultural Exchange
This February, we partnered with Lighthouse School, a specialist school for young people with autism, and friends from the Grand Futures network for a collaborative work experience project called the Cultural Exchange. The students involved visited a variety of cultural organisations across the city, including Leeds Museums and Galleries, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Leeds Grand Theatre, City Varieties Music Hall and Hyde Park Picture House. The students explored different creative media like dance, film, theatre, and collection, whilst learning about a plethora of job roles related to these.
We are open for bookings in Autumn term 2024, so get in touch via learning@leedsheritagetheatres.com to enquire.
Primary school engagement
This year, we have run our science-focused workshop Spotlights and Sound Effects with Year 3 pupils from Christ Church Academy and Year 6 pupils from Co-op Academy Brownhill (in partnership with Into Uni). Each workshop was tailored to the class’s learning, with Year 3 focusing on light and the older group on sound. In partnership with our sister venue, Hyde Park Picture House, we delivered an extension activity on the topic of Foley to enhance learning about how sound can be created in film and theatre.
Scroll to read about our new primary school projects available from this term.
Creation of shadow puppets. Credit Phoebe Cawley
Using shadow puppets for storytelling. Credit Phoebe Cawley
Hyde Park Picture House
We welcomed Brudenell Primary School to the cinema to trial our new workshops on Foley, Shadow Puppets, and Zoetropes. These creative, film-focused workshops for schools, home educators and community groups were developed to support and enhance learning across a range of curriculum subjects, all utilising film screenings and interactive activities against the backdrop of the heritage cinema. At Hyde Park Picture House, we also offer cinema and projection room tours.
Tour of HPPH. Credit Daniel Johnson
Projection room tour. Credit Daniel Johnson
Coming up this summer
Ghosts of the Grand: 6 week project
Ghosts of the Grand is a new six-week creative writing project aimed at KS2. Pupils will be immersed in the world of the theatre and the ghoulish apparitions that haunt the buildings; the project will inspire even the most reluctant writers to pick up a pen and write their own stories. The project includes two sessions at Leeds Grand Theatre, three further session plans to be delivered by teachers in school, and a final celebratory sharing led by our Learning and Engagement team.
Primary school pupil in the Varieties auditorium. Credit Chris Coote
Primary Workshop. Credit Ollie Jenkins
World of work: Primary
Due to demand for careers-based learning, we have adapted one of our most popular KS3 workshops for primary students. With links to PSHE, pupils will learn about key roles in a working theatre and how we operate as modern businesses, undertake job-specific tasks, and explore a working theatre.
Wellbeing workshops
With exam season on the horizon, we are shining a light on our workshops that use drama skills and techniques to build resilience for potential stresses during the school year. Watch our reel to find out more about these workshops, suitable for all ages.
More opportunities
Careers in the Creative Industries Network
Are you looking for inspiring careers opportunities for your students? Join us at City Varieties Music Hall or virtually on Weds 1st May (3.30-5pm) for our next meeting bringing together creative industry professionals and careers leads.
Following the sell-out success of last year’s production of The Addams Family, Leeds Grand Youth Theatre (LGYT) will be taking over The Varieties stage for the 11th year in July with a revival of the ever-popular horror musical Little Shop of Horrors. With a cast of 60 young people aged 8-18 years and a live pit band, LGYT brings their signature style to this well-loved classic.
We have a limited amount of free tickets available for groups who meet our criteria. If you would like more information on how to claim free tickets, please contact learning@leedsheritagetheatres.com.
Young people’s activities
In June, our Leeds Actors in Training (LAIT) are staging two performances of Find A Partner by Miriam Battye at Seven Arts in Chapel Allerton.
Join us for the 2023-24 alumni’s rendition of the fresh and witty play and get an insight into our actors training course for 18-25s. LAIT will start up again with a new group of young actors from September 2024.
Leeds Heritage Theatres Engagement Fund
Every year, we work with over 10,000 young people across the city, in schools, youth groups and other sessions to help them build skills, confidence and pride through our creative learning and engagement programme. All donations to this fund will help us to continue our work and reach more people across the Leeds City Region.