Learning without barriers 

It’s a fact that our bodies have a massive part to play in our ability to learn. Movement and the physical environment play an important role in our thinking process, affecting our perception, our receptiveness and ultimately, our learning.  A typical classroom layout creates expectations about what should happen there. But when this environment is changed, when we’re taken out of the physically familiar and introduced to something new, our brains are more open and alert. This is embodied learning. And this is what we do.

Physical learning

Embodied learning is an inclusive process built on respect and encouragement, with group physical activities suited to everyone’s own abilities and aspirations. Working collaboratively whilst supporting individual creativity, active learning is taken to the next level. Plus, it’s a lot of fun! The benefits of embodied learning can be felt by teaching staff as much as students. Supporting lesson planning and delivery, fostering greater student engagement and leading to better outcomes.

Inspiring creativity

We know that every young person, regardless of their starting point, has great potential and is able to use their body as a creative tool. Using our own physical theatre techniques, we empower every young person to explore how their body can be used to develop their own unique performing style.

This way of working drives our ideas too.We might take a theme, story or a text, and give the whole group of young people, artists of company creative responsibility for where we go with it. This way of working breaks down barriers, gives equal weight to everyone’s unique contribution, and results in extraordinary creativity.

Growing minds

We help schools embed the arts into children and young people’s lives. Learning programmes have been created around the growth mindset theory, encouraging learners to develop curiosity, collaboration, problem solving and critical thinking, through the use of physical and embodied approaches which bring energy and joy into the classroom.

Upskilling teachers

We hold teacher training opportunities throughout the year and deliver in-school CPD. At primary level, we train teachers how to use embodied learning and creative curriculum approaches to invigorate the classroom. At secondary level,  CPD looks at physical theatre, devising techniques, using contact and movement, and creation methods using a stimulus. 

Award winning 

In 2020 and 2021, Highly Sprung were awarded a Gold Pearson’s Teaching Award for our education work with the Core Education Trust on Horizons, a commemorative arts projects exploring the Holocaust with several secondary schools across the Midlands. Educational resources have also been recognised for their teaching excellence, receiving three stars in the Teach Primary awards, and being shortlisted by Teach Secondary.