The Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) Associate Schools Programme is a long-term partnership between the RSC and schools and regional theatres across England. The Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham (TRCH) has been an Associate Schools partner theatre since 2017, and is delighted to welcome Chilwell School along with eight other local schools to join the programme from September 2024.

As members of this community, young people and school staff will work in partnership with TRCH and the RSC to access performances, training opportunities, and theatre tours. They will also have the chance to engage in the RSC’s Shakespeare Ambassadors programme, training young people to be Leaders in Shakespeare, as well as the RSC’s Next Generation talent development programme and annual Playmaking Festival.

Partner schools will focus on a different Shakespeare play each year, having the opportunity to perform in a Shakespeare play on the Theatre Royal stage in summer 2025, as well as multiple opportunities to enjoy live and exclusive Shakespeare performances.

A recent study* found that schools who engaged in RSC teaching approaches enjoyed positive impacts on the confidence, literacy skills and problem-solving ability of the young people who participated.

TRCH’s Heritage and Learning Partnerships Manager, Becky Morris, said: "I am absolutely thrilled to be welcoming such a diverse range of schools to our new Associate Schools Programme. I've experienced first-hand how transformative the RSC rehearsal room techniques are when used in the sharing of Shakespeare knowledge and experience. Coupling the incredible work that the RSC do with our local young people and their teachers, with a close working partnership between those schools and the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall and all of the opportunities that will bring, is a dynamic and exciting opportunity for all of us. I can't wait to see what we can achieve together when we start in the next academic year."

David Phillips, head teacher, said: “We are delighted to be a part of the associate schools programme with TRCH and the RSC”. We already celebrate Shakespeare and the arts through the excellent work of our staff and we are excited about the opportunities this will bring for our students over the next academic years."

RSC Associate Schools partnered with Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham (from September 2024):

The full list of schools involved are as follows:

Bluecoat Beechdale Academy (Lead School)

Bulwell Academy

Djanogly City Academy

Southglade Primary School

Chilwell School

Sutherland House School

The Joseph Whitaker School

Bluecoat Trent Academy

Sir John Sherbrooke Junior School

*RSC ‘Time to Act’ research study: https://www.rsc.org.uk/learn/research/current-research/time-to-act)