CragRats employs actors to create and deliver learning experiences through the medium of theatre and they have been appointed by the Aimhigher initiative to offer a ‘Moving on Up’ project to schools in the West.
‘Moving on Up’ is designed to inform students of all the options available to them when they leave secondary education and the Year 7 workshops promoted positive attitudes about the benefits of higher education.
The specially trained actors performed a play about achieving dreams. They played characters who had big dreams of becoming famous TV stars, millionaires or football club owners who then challenged each other to think how each would realistically achieve their goals.
Students were encouraged to consider the importance of getting the right qualifications and training, gathering work related experience, utilising technology and securing financial support to help them turn their dreams into a reality.
The CragRats team also turned the Year 7 audience into a ‘parliament’ where different sides could discuss reasons ‘for’ and ‘against’ taking a higher education course. When asked, over half the students said that they would like to go to university.
Principal Julie Winterman said:
“Here at Oasis Academy Brightstowe, the emphasis is on lifelong learning and through projects such as ‘Moving on Up’, we aim to encourage students to be proactive about their future options.”
“Not only do our Aimhigher co-ordinators work with students in Year 10 & 11, but we also help the young ones open their minds to the possibilities of higher education through sustained exposure to different educational groups, advisory services and visits to universities and colleges.”
-ENDS-
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