News Story
Our Speak Up schools continue to create original socially conscious work that highlights the experiences of young people living and going to school in Wakefield.
Now in the second year of this three-year project, we are really seeing how much young people grow in confidence when they have the chance to work closely with dedicated teachers and highly skilled artists over a sustained period of time.
Students from Outwood Academy City Fields are a shining example of how having the confidence to ‘speak up’ can really make a difference and inspire others.
Working with Speak Up artists Hannah Butterfield and Eilon Morris, the students have devised a performance that platforms their co-authored manifesto entitled ‘All the Things That I Can Be’.This energic, bold and vital piece of work invites audiences to reflect on the British education system today and is a call to action for changes in the National Curriculum. The young theatre makers tell audiences...
Our ambition isn’t yours to measure, we prioritise fun, we aim for pleasure. What if our measures of success are different to the ones that you suggest?
As well as performing their manifesto in school for teachers, friends, and family, the Speak Up performers have waved their protest placards at a senior leader’s conference in York where Sir Martyn Oliver (former Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of Outwood Grange Academies Trust and current His Majesty’s Chief Inspector for OFSTED ) described the manifesto as ‘powerful’ and said the group were ‘confident and resilient to speak up about their hopes, dreams and fears’.
Speak Up makes me proud of myself. It gives me confidence, and makes me not afraid to talk.Student from Outwood City Fields
More recently the group contributed to the Outwood Grange Academy Trust Student Voice Conference held at the prestigious Elland Road Football Club. The conference was attended by over 100 children and young people and hosted range of guest speakers of all ages who champion and celebrate wellbeing, diversity and youth voice.
It was a brilliant day that highlighted the impact young people can have on each other’s lives when they come together to express themselves and learn from each other. We are so proud of the students and staff at City Fields. A special thank you to their teacher Helen Le Page and school librarian Claire Jacklin-Hibbit for their continued care, guidance and support whilst making and sharing this thought provoking work with so many people.
We want our voices to be heard so we can change the world and make the next generation better than ours.Student from Outwood City Fields
Next the students are working on a new performance to share at the theatre in June when all five of our Speak Up schools will come together to share more exciting artwork, performances and celebrate together the impact of youth voice and the arts in Wakefield.