Enter CIC ensures that education is at the heart of our work. Many of our teachers hold a number of advisory roles with a number of LEA’s across the country. As a result our knowledge of the National Curriculum is second to none. When we staged the production at Sunderland Empire last year a number of dignitaries and educational advisers requested that we invite schools to the next performance of The Wind Road Boys. The subject matter of the production fulfills an array of National Curriculum subjects and as such is a fantastic cross curricula tool. To see how our production meets the national requirement click here.
Due to the number of requests for school children to be able to see this performance we decided to perform specific shows for a school audience. As a result shows were performed at 10.30am, 1.30pm and 7.30pm and hundreds of school children attended the morning and afternoon performances. We were delighted to welcome schools as far as Easington Colliery that made the trip to the Gala to share the experience with us.
Upon arrival at the theatre the children were greeted by members of Enter CIC staff and handed educational workbooks relating to The Wind Road Boys production. Inside the booklets there was information about the show, a quiz and activities for the children to complete.
The questions in the quiz followed the story and the young people had to watch and listen carefully for the right answers. We are passionate about building new audiences for the theatre and we have a comprehensive arts engagement programme. We Like to ensure that the school children have the opportunity to extend the theatre experience back in their own schools. As a result Enter CIC provide unique school competitions which frequently results in cast members visiting schools and free school workshops. We are delighted to inform you that the schools with the most correct answers in their educational booklets will get to work with some of the professional cast who performed in the show and will gain a real insight into the heritage of the 
communities in which they live.
The Wind Road Boys has quite a comprehensive and complex story line. Therefore, it is always magical to watch young
children sit mesmerised in their seats gripped by the tales being performed on the stage. Children’s theatre often assumes that young people will only respond to loud slapstick theatre styles. The Wind Road Boys is far from this and as Lizzie Anderson a Northern Echo reporter wrote “It is not everyday you attend the theatre and witness little children, young adults, middle aged people and pensioners all gripped by the same production yet such is the appeal of The Wind Road Boys”.
Some of the teachers were so impressed with the production that they purchased tickets on the way out for the evening performances and came back to watch it again with their own families. We were delighted at the response we received from everyone and it was a pleasure to welcome all the schools to our event.
“Firstly, I would like to congratulate you all on your outstanding performance of The Wind Road Boys. I was fortunate enough to see it on the Tuesday afternoon with my Yr 6 class from Cotsford Junior School, in Horden – the class had been covering Britain since 1948; taking particular interest in their mining community. I was so overwhelmed with the performance; the actors both young and old and the emotion that they all brilliantly portraid throughout! So much so, that I booked for the evening performance on the Tuesday too – with my family. Amazing! Thankyou for enlighting us all on the lives of the ‘miners’ and helping us to understand”
Michelle Bainbridge, Cotsford Junior School
The feedback from all the children after the shows was amazing to hear. One boy stood up at the end and said “That was the best thing i’ve ever seen” and there were plenty of thumbs up as the children left the theatre.
It is not often that you witness an audience of school children rise to their feet and energetically clap and show their appreciation. However, this indeed happened at The Wind Road Boys production.
We would like to thank Tudhoe Colliery Primary School, Shotton Hall Primary School, Finchdale Primary School, Roseberry Primary School, New Brancepeth Primary School, Ferryhill Station Primary School, Wingate Junior School, Whitworth Park School, Cotsford Junior School, Easington Village C of E Primary School … for attending this magical production.
For information about our schools programme, please call 01740 655437.
