All The World's A Stage - Tudors Workshop
Shooting Star Entertainments
'All The World's A Stage' is a curriculum-linked Tudor learning experience that uses theatre as a teaching tool to support historical understanding.The visit centres on a live performance that introduces key Tudor figures, events and ideas through narrative and character. This shared experience provides pupils with clear historical context, consistent vocabulary and memorable reference points that teachers can return to in later lessons.
Schools may choose to enhance the performance with an optional drama workshop at no extra cost, designed to deepen learning through practical exploration. During the workshop, pupils step into historical roles, consider different viewpoints and explore Tudor society through guided drama activities and discussion.
Each booking is supported by classroom resources that reinforce key knowledge and vocabulary introduced in the performance, allowing teachers to consolidate learning and link the experience directly to their History curriculum.
Whether booked as a performance on its own or combined with a workshop, All the World's a Stage provides a coherent, age-appropriate learning experience that supports historical understanding, oracy and engagement.
Teacher Checklist
Risk Assessments Arts Award £10m PL Insurance
Where we travel to
We can visit your school in:
What activities are available during this school workshop?
This Tudor learning experience is flexible and can be delivered as a performance-only visit or enhanced with additional activities to deepen learning.
Live performance (core activity)
The visit centres on a curriculum-linked live performance exploring Tudor monarchy, exploration and theatre. Through character, narrative and audience interaction, pupils are introduced to key historical figures, vocabulary and ideas in a shared learning experience that provides clear context for the period.
Optional drama workshop (included at no extra cost)
Schools may choose to include a follow-on drama workshop to extend learning from the performance. Led by the same actors, the workshop uses practical drama activities to help pupils step into Tudor roles, explore viewpoints and decision-making, and discuss life, power and society in the Tudor period.
Activities are carefully structured, fully guided and age-appropriate, with a focus on discussion, collaboration and understanding rather than performance skills.
Classroom resources
Each visit is supported by classroom resources designed to reinforce key knowledge and vocabulary introduced during the session. These resources allow teachers to revisit themes, consolidate learning and make direct links to their History curriculum.
Live performance (core activity)
The visit centres on a curriculum-linked live performance exploring Tudor monarchy, exploration and theatre. Through character, narrative and audience interaction, pupils are introduced to key historical figures, vocabulary and ideas in a shared learning experience that provides clear context for the period.
Optional drama workshop (included at no extra cost)
Schools may choose to include a follow-on drama workshop to extend learning from the performance. Led by the same actors, the workshop uses practical drama activities to help pupils step into Tudor roles, explore viewpoints and decision-making, and discuss life, power and society in the Tudor period.
Activities are carefully structured, fully guided and age-appropriate, with a focus on discussion, collaboration and understanding rather than performance skills.
Classroom resources
Each visit is supported by classroom resources designed to reinforce key knowledge and vocabulary introduced during the session. These resources allow teachers to revisit themes, consolidate learning and make direct links to their History curriculum.
Which curriculum topics do we cater for?
Performing Arts Workshop
Click to read full text All the World's a Stage supports Performing Arts through an education-led experience that combines live theatre with guided exploration of performance. Pupils develop an understanding of how performance is created, communicated and experienced, using theatre as a tool for learning rather than presentation.
Through high-quality live performance, pupils experience how voice, movement, character and staging work together to tell a story and communicate meaning to an audience. The school hall is transformed into a performance space, allowing pupils to encounter theatre as a shared, live art form.
Where included, drama-based activities allow pupils to explore performance from the inside, responding in role, experimenting with movement and voice, and considering how different choices affect meaning and audience response. The emphasis is on participation, exploration and understanding rather than rehearsing a finished piece.
Pupils are encouraged to reflect on performance elements such as character, staging, sound and audience interaction. Discussion supports analysis and evaluation, helping pupils articulate how performances are constructed and how performers communicate ideas and emotions.
While rooted in Performing Arts, the experience remains firmly connected to curriculum learning, with clear links to History, English and PSHE. This reinforces the role of the Performing Arts as a way to explore stories, ideas and human experience through live performance.
Drama Workshop
Click to read full text All the World's a Stage is an education-led drama experience that uses theatre as a teaching approach. Across the live performance, optional drama workshop and follow-on classroom activities, pupils explore character and narrative in role, developing oracy, confidence and understanding through drama.
Through high-quality live theatre, pupils encounter character, storytelling and staging as a shared dramatic stimulus. This introduces ideas, viewpoints and historical situations in an accessible way, providing a clear foundation for discussion and further exploration.
Where chosen, the optional drama workshop extends learning through guided drama activities. Pupils respond in role, explore decisions and consider perspectives, using drama to support thinking and discussion rather than to rehearse or present a finished performance.
The experience supports the development of key Drama skills, including working in role, exploring character and status, using voice and movement expressively, and responding to dramatic stimulus. Improvisation is used purposefully to support creative decision-making and enquiry.
Drama is also used to support reflection and evaluation. Through discussion and questioning, pupils consider how character, staging and performance choices create meaning, helping them to articulate ideas and build confidence in talking about drama.
While drama underpins the approach, learning remains firmly rooted in curriculum content, with clear links to History, English and PSHE. This reinforces drama's role as a powerful teaching tool for exploring ideas, themes and human experience across the curriculum.
Tudors Workshop
English Reformation Religious Conflict Catholics and Protestants Henry VIII William Shakespeare
Click to read full text All the World's a Stage supports learning about the Tudor period through a structured, narrative-led experience. Pupils explore Tudor monarchy, religion, exploration and everyday life through key figures and events, gaining a secure understanding of the period through storytelling and drama.
The performance introduces pupils to Tudor England through recognisable historical figures including Henry VIII, Mary I and Elizabeth I. Using narrative and character, pupils develop an understanding of how Tudor monarchs ruled, how power was exercised and how decisions shaped life in England.
Key aspects of the Tudor period are explored in context, including the English Reformation, religious conflict, succession and stability. Exploration and England's relationship with Spain are introduced through figures such as Drake and Raleigh, helping pupils understand Tudor England's place in the wider world.
Elizabethan theatre provides a further lens through which Tudor society is examined. Pupils encounter William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre, developing insight into entertainment, social hierarchy and attitudes of the time, while also understanding the importance of theatre within Tudor culture.
Through discussion and drama-based exploration, pupils are encouraged to consider viewpoints, motivations and consequences, supporting historical understanding through empathy and reflection rather than performance. The experience helps pupils place the Tudors securely within a chronological framework and distinguish the period from earlier and later eras.
Elizabethans Workshop
Click to read full text All the World's a Stage supports learning about the Elizabethan period through a structured, narrative-led experience. Pupils explore life in Elizabethan England through key figures, theatre, exploration and power, gaining a clear sense of the period and its values through storytelling and drama.
The performance places pupils firmly within the reign of Elizabeth I, using recognisable characters and situations to explore what life was like during the Elizabethan era. Themes such as monarchy, exploration, religion and entertainment are introduced in context, helping pupils understand how these shaped everyday life and society.
Elizabethan theatre plays a central role in the learning. Pupils encounter William Shakespeare, the Globe Theatre and the experience of attending a play in Elizabethan London, developing an understanding of how theatre reflected and influenced life at the time. This provides insight into social hierarchy, gender roles and expectations within Elizabethan society.
Through narrative, character and guided discussion, pupils consider how power was exercised, how decisions were made, and how stability was maintained during Elizabeth I's reign. The experience helps pupils place the Elizabethan period securely within the Tudor timeline while distinguishing it from later historical periods.
Where included, drama-based activities allow pupils to explore viewpoints and situations from the period, supporting historical understanding through empathy, discussion and reflection rather than role-play for performance.
Monarchs Workshop
Click to read full text All the World's a Stage supports learning about monarchy through a structured, narrative-led experience. Pupils explore how Tudor monarchs ruled, made decisions and held power, developing an understanding of leadership, succession and authority through historical storytelling and drama.
The performance introduces key Tudor monarchs, including Henry VIII, Mary I and Elizabeth I, helping pupils understand their roles, responsibilities and the impact of their decisions. Through character and narrative, pupils explore how power was exercised and how the monarch influenced religion, law and everyday life.
Themes such as succession, stability and governance are explored in context, allowing pupils to consider why monarchs needed heirs, how the crown was passed on, and what happened when leadership changed. Pupils also encounter the role of Parliament, supporting an understanding of how monarchs governed alongside others.
Through discussion and drama-based exploration, pupils are encouraged to consider different viewpoints and the consequences of decisions made by those in power. This helps pupils develop a secure understanding of monarchy as a system of rule, rather than simply a sequence of rulers.
The experience supports pupils in placing monarchs within a clear historical timeline, helping them distinguish Tudor rule from earlier and later periods while building a coherent understanding of how monarchy shaped Tudor England.
What size groups do we cater for?
No maximum size for the performance.
Access for visitors with disabilities
We come to you and all disabilities are welcome.
Visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Our work is designed to be accessible and inclusive for a wide range of learners, including pupils with SEND.
Performances take place in your school hall, a familiar environment that helps reduce anxiety. Where helpful, we can offer relaxed introductions at the start of the visit, explaining what will happen and who pupils will see, to support pupils who benefit from clear structure and preparation.
Key ideas and instructions are supported through visual storytelling, repetition and Makaton signs, helping pupils with communication or processing needs to follow and engage with the experience. Language is carefully chosen to be clear and age-appropriate, with meaning reinforced through action, gesture and visual cues.
Pupils are never required to participate. Opportunities to join in are offered gently and can be declined without drawing attention, supporting pupils who may find public interaction challenging.
Where a follow-on drama workshop is included, activities are fully guided and adaptable. Tasks can be adjusted in the moment to suit individual needs, with movement-based and verbal alternatives offered so pupils can take part in ways that feel comfortable and achievable.
We are also happy to provide social stories or advance information on request, helping pupils prepare for the visit in advance. If you have specific needs within your group, we welcome the opportunity to discuss adaptations ahead of time.
Who are Shooting Star Entertainments?
Shooting Star Entertainments is a Theatre in Education company specialising in curriculum-linked learning experiences for primary schools. We create live theatre that actively supports teaching and learning while remaining engaging, age-appropriate and accessible.
Our productions are carefully developed and adapted for EYFS, KS1 and KS2, with clear educational purpose at their core. Across history, PSHE and early years themes, our work uses storytelling, character and interaction to help pupils deepen understanding, build vocabulary and engage meaningfully with curriculum content.
Accessibility sits at the heart of everything we do. Our performances are designed to be inclusive and supportive of a wide range of learners, with our Core Performer Team trained to Level 2 Makaton. We work closely with schools to adapt delivery for pupils with additional needs and collaborate with organisations such as the NHS to create productions that support wellbeing and mental health. We are also a registered Arts Award Supporter.
All visits take place in your school hall, removing the need for transport and unfamiliar environments. Schools can enhance their visit with optional workshops and classroom resources, helping to embed learning before and after the performance.
Through initiatives such as our Starlight Pass, we are committed to making high-quality Theatre in Education more accessible and cost-effective for schools, offering excellent value alongside supporting resources including lesson plans, worksheets and behind-the-scenes materials.
Subscribe
