Theatre Centre brings world-class theatre straight into the heart of schools. We've been touring for nearly 70 years and providing exciting, creative resources for teachers and students. We commission professional artists, designers, writers, teachers and practitioners to create cutting edge work with young people (and theatre!) at the centre. Theatre Centre is an Arts Council registered National Portfolio Organisation.
Theatre Centre brings world-class theatre straight into the heart of schools. We've been touring for nearly 70 years and providing exciting, creative resources for teachers and students. We commission professional artists, designers, writers, teachers and practitioners to create cutting edge work with young people (and theatre!) at the centre. Theatre Centre is an Arts Council registered National Portfolio Organisation.
What are Switched On toolkits?
Teaching resources for engaging PSHE lessons at KS3 and KS4. This specific scheme of work is most suitable for Year 9. We have had feedback that it has also been used successfully with KS4.
In your Switched On Toolkit you will find:
Short professional radio play
4 hours of lesson plans
Student work booklet to help guide the learning
Powerpoint
Guidelines for creating a safe space for teaching consent
As a Theatre Company for young people, we specialise in using realistic third-person scenarios to open up safe discussions about difficult subjects. Each scheme of work is centered around a professional radio play. This toolkit contains teaching resources for RSE (Consent).
The unit of work begins by allowing the class to listen to a short radio play about consent. The play is a modern piece written by contemporary writer, Nessah Muthy. This play was specifically written for use in the PSHE classroom. The characters are fictional, and yet the situations explored are very realistic and relatable for a young audience.
Viral, by Nessah Muthy, sparks conversation and develops understanding around consent for Year 9+. In the audio play, the protagonist, Paige, is 15 years old and is experiencing conflicting feelings around intimacy within her new relationship. A preview of the play is available on Theatre Centre website on the listed product page.
This scheme of work covers the following aims:
• Relationships Strand
• To establish clear personal boundaries around those aspects of their lives they wish to be private, shared only with specific people, and made public. To understand their right to privacy
• Understand that consent is freely given and that being pressurised, manipulated or coerced to agree to something is not consent; that the seeker of consent is responsible for ensuring that consent has been given and if consent is not given or is withdrawn, that decision should always be respected
• Understand the law in relation to consent (including the legal age of consent for sexual activity, the legal definition of consent and the responsibility in law for the seeker of consent to ensure that consent has been given)
• Understand the importance of seeking the consent of another person and how to be sure that consent has been given; how to assertively withhold or withdraw consent
This unit of work is written to spark conversation and develop understanding around online safety; focusing specifically on how life offline can be comprised of wanting to gain popularity on social media. The protagonist, Ava, is 15 years old and notices a stain on her neck which won’t come off as she finds herself becoming more and more reliant on social media to feel good about herself. This unit of work introduces the audio play and focuses on why Ava uses social media to feel more popular and where this leads her.
The scheme begins by listening to the radio play and the lessons that follow build an environment to tackle issues around online safety in a safe way by unpacking and making sense of the world the characters live in. Student activity booklet also provided.
As a Theatre Company for young people, we specialise in using realistic third-person scenarios to open up safe discussions about difficult subjects. The radio play included is One Million Likes by Sarah Davies.
Engaging PSHE lessons for KS3
Students will be learning:
Online Safety - One Million Likes. Students will be learning:
Relationships strand
The safe and responsible use of information communication technology (including safe management of own and others’ personal data including images)
To understand the terms ‘habit’, ‘dependence’ and ‘addiction’ in a wide variety of contexts (including substance use and information technology) and where and how to access support if they have concerns
Living in the wider world strand
How social media can offer opportunities to engage with a wide variety of views on different issues
To recognise how social media can also distort situations or issues; can narrow understanding and appear to validate these narrow views
What are Switched On toolkits?
Teaching resources that support engaging PSHE lessons at KS3 and KS4.
Each Toolkit contains:
Short professional radio play
4 hours of lesson plans
Student work booklet
Powerpoint
Guidelines for creating a safe space for teaching PSHE
Theatre Centre specialise in using realistic third-person scenarios to open up safe classroom discussions about difficult subjects. Each scheme of work is centered around a professional radio play. This bundle contains FOUR teaching toolkits on the following topics:
CONSENT
MENTAL HEALTH
FINANCIAL LITERACY
ONLINE SAFETY
More information on the content covered in the lessons:
Toolkit 1: RSE (Consent) - Viral. Students will be learning :
Relationships Strand
To establish clear personal boundaries around those aspects of their lives they wish to be private, shared only with specific people, and made public. To understand their right to privacy
That consent is freely given and that being pressurised, manipulated or coerced to agree to something is not consent; that the seeker of consent is responsible for ensuring that consent has been given and if consent is not given or is withdrawn, that decision should always be respected
The law in relation to consent (including the legal age of consent for sexual activity, the legal definition of consent and the responsibility in law for the seeker of consent to ensure that consent has been given)
How to seek the consent of another person and be sure that consent has been given; how to assertively withhold or withdraw consent
Toolkit 2: Mental Health - Perfect Pressure. Students will be learning:
Wellbeing strand
To evaluate the extent to which their self-confidence and self-esteem are affected by the judgements of others
The characteristics of emotional and mental health and the causes, symptoms and treatments of some mental and emotional health disorders (including stress, anxiety and depression)
Strategies for managing mental health including stress, anxiety and depression; a broader range of strategies for promoting their own emotional wellbeing
Relationships Strand
Strategies to manage strong emotions and feelings
The characteristic and benefits of positive, strong, supportive, equal relationships
Managing changes in personal relationships including the ending of relationships
The role peers can play in supporting one another (including helping vulnerable friends to access reliable, accurate and appropriate support)
Living in the wider world strand
To evaluate their own personal strengths and areas for development and to use this to inform goal setting
About the information, advice and guidance available to them and how to access it
Toolkit 3: Financial Literacy - Tick. Students will be learning:
Living in the wider world strand
To assess and manage risk in relation to financial decisions that young people make
To explore social and moral dilemmas about the use of money, (including how the choices young people make as consumers affect others’ economies and environments)
Toolkit 4: Online Safety - One Million Likes. Students will be learning:
Relationships strand
The safe and responsible use of information communication technology (including safe management of own and others’ personal data including images)
To understand the terms ‘habit’, ‘dependence’ and ‘addiction’ in a wide variety of contexts (including substance use and information technology) and where and how to access support if they have concerns
Living in the wider world strand
How social media can offer opportunities to engage with a wide variety of views on different issues
To recognise how social media can also distort situations or issues; can narrow understanding and appear to validate these narrow views