schools information

Curriculum Links for Swallows & Amazons

Swallows & Amazons has a huge number of links to the National Curriculum and here are a few suggestions. These suggestions are a starting point and are not meant to be exhaustive.

Swallows & Amazons is ideal for ages 7 and up, so Key Stage 2 and above.

English

For English, at Key Stage 2 the play can be used for Speaking, Listening, Language Variation and Drama activities.

For Literature modules the play script can be used as a comparison to the original book.

History

The play works really well in improving chronological understanding; placing the events that happen, the characters in the play and the period of time that the story is set - between World Wars - giving a meaningful context to these events in History. This would also relate to the study of Britain since 1930.

The play can also link to local history and the study of Bristol. Particularly in relation to the city as a trading port, with its maritime heritage. This links into the pirates in Swallows & Amazons, their ships and the battles they have, finding the treasure and all of the adventures they have along the way.

Robinson Crusoe features in the play on a number of occasions, tradition has it that Daniel Defoe met Alexander Selkirk, his inspiration for Robinson Crusoe, at The Llandoger Trow pub in Bristol which, in the Victorian age was associated with the Bristol Old Vic's very own Theatre Royal.

Music

The music in the play is by The Divine Comedy's exceptional Neil Hannon and there are some excellent studies for Music students in the production. For creating and developing musical ideas, all of the music was developed through improvisation and it offers some excellent examples of how music is produced in a number of different ways.

Drama

For drama students, the study of an ensemble chorus is carried out with fantastic effect, whilst Tom Morris's directorial style lends itself heavily to creating theatre through devising techniques.