Partnerships
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RSC Lead Associate School
Archibald Primary School began their partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2012 as part of the ‘Learning Performance Network’. Three members of staff have achieved a Post Graduate Certificate in the Advanced Teaching of Shakespeare and we recognised that the rehearsal room techniques used in school greatly improved writing outcomes for our pupils.
In 2015, when the programme ended we continued to provide training and support for schools in our network. All three teachers have continued to use their expertise within school for the benefit of our pupils.
In 2016, after a year working independently, Archibald Primary was successful in becoming a Lead Associate School for the RSC’s new programme for schools. We have continued our work with a number of schools each year. We use a local community centre, the Acklam Green Centre, to host training and our final performances. Each year we perform a Shakespeare play. We have over 240 pupils performing within two days and, in total, we have an audience of over 600 adults during that time. We are definitely bringing Shakespeare to Middlesbrough.
There have been many exciting opportunities afforded to us during our partnership with the RSC. We received an invitation to meet His Royal Highness, Prince Charles. The RSC School Co-ordinator and two Year 5 pupils travelled to Stratford to meet Prince Charles. This was a very special moment that will never be forgotten. The children recited a speech from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and we were thrilled to hear His Royal Highness speak highly of Middlesbrough.
We were invited to No. 10 Downing Street to take part in an RSC workshop. We worked alongside schools from across the country inside the doors of this historic building.
Our pupils were fantastic and this is a memory we will keep forever.
Artsmark Platinum Award
Archibald Primary have been awarded the Platinum Artsmark for their partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Each class, at Archibald Primary, teaches a Shakespeare play. The school also supports a network of Associate Schools in the local area and beyond. Every year, the network of Associate Schools perform a Shakespeare play as part of the RSC Middlesbrough Playmaking Festival.
Climate Action Club
Our Climate Action Club is a group of Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 pupils with a shared interest in finding out more about our planet and how they can support sustainability. They meet together once a fortnight.
Volunteers from Climate Action Middlesbrough attend many of the Climate Action Club sessions to support their work.
Work of the Climate Action Club in partnership with Middlesbrough Environment City has included Litter picking around the school locality, litter picking on Redcar beach, designing and building bug hotels and investigating recycling initiatives.
MFC Foundation
We value our partnership with MFC Foundation, with who we have worked with for a number of years. MFC Foundation currently support delivery of PE, PSHE and maths interventions in school each week.
The MFC Coach, delivers fun, interactive PE lessons to Reception and Nurture Group classes each Thursday morning. Also, delivering a PSHE session In Nurture group and times table interventions in Year 5 each Thursday afternoon.
In addition to this the MFC Coach leads a popular and successful Girls Football Club after school each Thursday afternoon.
In addition to this weekly provision…
MFC Foundation also support us in supplying match day tickets for many Middlesbrough home games at the Riverside Stadium which we offer as prizes throughout the year.
MFC Foundation support our annual Heath and Fitness Week with a range of fun, informative workshops promoting health and fitness.
Targeted pupils have been supported with transition programmes, behaviour programmes and school attendance initiatives.
Tees valley Music Service
Tees Valley Music Service support our music teaching and provision in school through providing exceptional music opportunities for pupils from Reception to Year 5, helping ensure that every pupil has access to a wide range of music making opportunities.
Teachers from Tees Valley Music Service are in school each week delivering music lessons to all our Reception and Key Stage 1 pupils. In addition, they offer expert music tuition to pupils in Key Stage 2 who each spend a term learning to play a musical instrument. Pupils in Year 3 learn to play Boomwhackers, pupils in Year 4 learn to play Taiko drums and Year 5 pupils learn to play the ukelele.
Through our established partnership Tees Valley Music Service we are also able to become involved with local, regional and national music projects, including Snappy Sing and recently The Magic Flute project in collaboration with The Royal Ballet and Opera which provided an invaluable opportunity for Archibald pupils to engage with professional musicians and singers, fostering a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
