Hopscotch Theatre Project
School/ Organisation
Millom Infants School
Year group/Age of participants
Years 1 & Year 2
5 – 7 year olds
Date(s)
26 February -30 June 2007
Name of Artist involved
Jakki Moore
What were the aims of your project?
These days, young children often have underdeveloped levels of speaking and listening skills which hinder their access to learning across the curriculum and the development of their social skills. As a result, they can have low self esteem and lack the confidence in their ability to express themselves.
This project was designed to help the children to:
-develop their speaking and listening skills
- become more creative in their use of language
- become confident in sharing their ideas
-develop the social skills to enable them to work collaboratively with others.
What did you do?
The drama sessions took place on a weekly basis and Jakki used poems and stories to inspire the children and provide opportunities for them to join in with their own simple stories. The children were encouraged to imagine themselves in different situations. They moved in different ways to show the characters, the creatures and the features of these imaginary landscapes.
School staff participated in the sessions so that they were aware of the approaches that were used and would be able to continue after the programme had finished.
What were the successes of the project?
The head teacher, Sandra Quinn, said:
“This programme has enabled the children to have lots of fun but also develop vital skills which will help them read and communicate. One mother, for example, expressed her surprise that her daughter was able to speak up in a school assembly. She never believed that her child would be able to do that. The teachers have also been amazed by the differences that they have seen in the children.”
Some children even developed sufficient confidence to perform in a local Arts Festival at the end of the project.
What were the challenges? 
It was originally intended that the programme would include some sessions for parents of the children directly involved and for other people with young children working in the community, but more time was needed to publicise what was being achieved to engage their interest in participating. The follow up to the project will be the next challenge…
The teachers would like some classroom based sessions focusing on specific areas of the curriculum such as numeracy and the children would like to have an after school drama club…. Watch this space!
For more information about this project, please contact
Jakki Moore on 01229 776 389 or email
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This project was generously funded by Furness Building Society and supported by Cumbria Arts in Education. Furness Building Society and CAE have also received an investment from Arts & Business to further develop their creative partnership.