War Horse Project

26 September 2011

Year 9 pupils at Cirencester Deer Park School have been involved in a very special cross curricular First World War experience centred on Michael Morpurgo’s ‘War Horse’. Over the last few weeks pupils have participated in a variety of activities, which culminated in a trip to London on Thursday 15 September to the Imperial War Museum and to see the award winning stage production.

The learning experience started in the summer, with every pupil in the year having a copy of Morpurgo’s novel, ‘War Horse’ to read in their History lessons. The aim was to allow pupils to put their learning into context using this wonderful piece of historical fiction. Pupils were then offered the opportunity to take part in a two day Drama workshop with a professional director to create their own dramatisations of sections of the book, which were performed to parents and peers in the evening. James Bowley (Year 9 pupil) commented, ‘The drama was absolutely extraordinary, it was great.’ Vito Anzalone, Drama Co-Ordinator at Deer Park added, ‘Drama, as in all arts, deals with the wider underlying truths rather than specifics and this informed the shaping of the piece. We believe our pupils were able to make the link between the plot specifics and these universals.’

Thomas Snowball, Year 9, explained, ‘The workshop helped you to understand the feelings and emotions of the people who fought in the war. It also really helped you to build on your teamwork skills as you were acting scenes from ‘War Horse’ with an unfamiliar group’. His mother subsequently confirmed, ‘Tom thoroughly enjoyed this special project’.

On Thursday 15 September, these pupils were invited by the Historical Advisor to the show to participate in the same educational experience that the actors in the production of ‘War Horse’ undertook and to spend time at the Imperial War Museum.

Gabriel Freer called the museum ‘mind blowing’. He added ‘it really made me realise what it must have been like for these soldiers to go to hell and back.’ Amongst other things, pupils examined the original painting by John Singer Sergeant, ‘Gassed’. Kobe Thompson said, ‘The painting was amazing; it got so many emotions across.’

Pupils were then whisked off to Covent Garden to enjoy the matinee performance of ‘War Horse’ at the New London Theatre. Rebecca Pinker said. ‘It was the best theatre production ever!’ Lucy Stephenson summed up the experience beautifully, ‘I could have clapped for eternity!’

Helena Dovey (Project Coordinator and Advanced Skills Teacher) would like to offer her thanks to the many members of staff that were so keen to participate in this project. ‘It was such an amazing experience and I was overwhelmed by the number of pupils and staff that wanted to join in. I’m just sorry I couldn’t have taken all the teachers who volunteered to come and see the show!’ She would also like to thank the Imperial War Museum, in particular Grant Rogers and Emma Wilcox for accommodating the pupils and giving such an inspiring talk and tour of the museum.

Helena Dovey, Advanced Skills Teacher

Related Links:

• War Horse at New London Theatre
• Imperial War Museum