The Story So Far: Talking Tales at The Priory Primary
7th August 2025Project Teachers reflect on the first year of Talking Tales at The Priory Primary School, in conversation with Tory Sandars (Project Manager). Together they share the challenges, surprises, and successes of bringing drama and storytelling into their classrooms and school.
What were your initial thoughts and expectations when you joined the project?
Shish, Year 1 teacher: I saw this as a really valuable opportunity for the children to work closely with practitioners from the theatre. It felt like something the school could really benefit from especially the younger children, who missed out during lockdown. I was excited for us to build a closer relationship with Polka Theatre and bring in creative experiences over the two-year span.
Amy, Year 2 teacher: I didn’t think I’d need to get into “acting mode” because I’d never done any acting before! So I didn’t realise how far out of my comfort zone I’d need to step. But it’s actually been lovely. Now, I find myself dressing up as the farmer from The Iron Man and just having fun with it. I started with few expectations, and it’s turned into something really rewarding.
What has it been like having an artist in your classroom?
Amy: Django’s been an incredible model for immersing yourself in drama and encouraging the children to do the same. A year ago, I’d never have imagined being in role but seeing him take on characters like an angry king, right in front of the class, gave me the confidence to try it too. It’s led to me doing things like dressing up as an angry farmer during a school visit! We’ve also worked together to embed drama into planning. At first, we really had to think it through, but now it feels natural less about overthinking and more about finding the right moments.
Shish: I’ve loved the co-planning and co-teaching aspect. Django and I would alternate roles, tweak activities together, and reflect afterwards. Having that partnership made the sessions richer and really supported my own development and confidence as a drama facilitator.
What challenges have you faced during this first year of Talking Tales?
Amy: One of the biggest challenges has been learning to embrace the chaos. I naturally like calm transitions, calm music but drama is noisy, energetic, and sometimes unpredictable. I’ve had to accept that, even if it looks chaotic, the children are still learning so much.
We’re also still in the early stages of the project, so there’s been lots of trial and error—trying activities out, seeing what works, reflecting afterwards. And then there’s the added challenge of sharing the project externally. Presenting to governors, for example, was a big responsibility. We really wanted to do it justice and show the impact clearly.
Shish: We’ve been lucky to have strong support from the school from the beginning. SLT members have come to observe sessions, and Amy and I were invited to present to the governors. We gave them a background on the project and even did a little “story whoosh” to demonstrate it. That whole-school support has helped reduce the pressure and made the experience more rewarding.
What was it like for you to be Polka experts with your school’s governors?
Shish: I felt so empowered! It really felt like a privilege to share the project with them. Everyone has their own busy agendas, so the fact that they took the time to listen meant a lot. It definitely boosted my confidence. There was something powerful about being able to say, “We’ve experienced this, we’ve trialled it, and now we’re confident enough to share it.” Having seen Django model activities, then trying them myself, gave me that sense of ownership. I thought, “I’ve done this, I can lead this too.” It felt a bit euphoric, to be honest. It brought real awareness to what’s happening day-to-day in our classrooms because of this project.
Amy: One of the governors caught me after school and said how lovely it was to see what we’re doing with the children. She said it was reassuring to know the pupils aren’t just sitting at desks writing all day they’re genuinely enjoying the learning. What stood out for her was how we connected different types of communication to drama activities. It helped her see that drama isn’t just fun it builds physical, social-emotional, and linguistic skills. That gave her a lot of reassurance and helped her understand how valuable these creative approaches really are.
Has using drama to develop oracy and communication had a wider impact on your pupils’ learning?
Amy: Absolutely. Just last week, we had a drama-based lesson where I was in role as the angry farmer. The children debated what should be done with the Iron Man, and they naturally used persuasive language “I think you should, because…” or “How would you feel if…?” Now that we’re writing, those structures are showing up automatically in their work. They’re not stuck thinking about content they’re just writing.
Shish: I’ve seen similar results. In one unit, we used puppets and the Imagination Train to help the children retell their own version of Where the Wild Things Are. They became conductors, leading their peers on a journey, describing what they saw, and taking creative ownership. When it came to writing, the results were incredible. They were more confident, excited, and clear in their storytelling because they’d already lived the ideas through drama.
If drama was embedded more fully in the curriculum, what long-term impact could it have?
Amy: It would have a huge impact especially on communication. Drama makes learning memorable, which helps with retention. But more importantly, it builds confidence and gives children a voice. Drama sits in that middle ground between meeting academic standards and nurturing creativity. It’s where children grow not just as learners, but as individuals.
What advice would you give to someone about to begin a journey like this?
Amy: Any step is progress. You don’t have to be the most dramatic or outgoing person to do this. Even a small goal like making sure every child says something in a lesson can be really meaningful. When I worked with Django, we’d start with really simple goals, and they still moved me forward as a teacher using drama.
Shish: Go in with an open mind. Even as an experienced teacher, it’s easy to think, “I already use storytelling and oracy.” But this project taught me there’s always more to learn. Collaborating with artists and stepping into new approaches has been energising and transformational. I discovered things I didn’t know and loved it.
