Speech bubbles "providing children with a joyful creative space"

Later this month, Bristol Old Vic will become the latest Theatre Partner to work with Speech Bubbles - a drama for communication programme for KS1 children (ages 5-7) which runs projects across the country. 

We spoke to Adam Annand, CEO of Speech Bubbles when he came in to run a training day with some of our Drama practitioners ahead of rolling out the project to four local Bristol schools tis September. Here’s what he had to say:

"Speech Bubbles uses all the instincts of theatre-making to provide children with a joyful creative space where they can develop their own unique communication. 

It's a drama project where children are referred, who have communication needs they’re already KS1 (5-7 years of age). We get a small group of children and they get 24 drama sessions across the year. I’ve been training up your practitioners who are already highly skilled about working with that age group anyway – but I’ve been training them up in the SB approach and you’re launching in 4 local schools in September.

We know it makes a real difference in terms of children’s communication, confidence and social interaction. It’s a really beautiful, joyful programme where each week one child stays behind and tells a story and the next week we act it out. It’s that crazily simple in many ways, but it has a big impact and you can see that.

The next step is our Induction Day where we bring the school staff and drama practitioners together and we’re doing that at the end of Sep and then we start. When we work in schools, the drama practitioners all work with Teaching Assistants get paired up with a TA who stays with them through the whole year."

Adam Annand, CEO of Speech Bubbles 

"We are excited to be Speech Bubbles’ newest theatre partner.  We know that drama has the power to help young people develop their speech and communication skills, as well as help build confidence, through the projects we deliver with young people in schools, community settings and Bristol Old Vic, every year.  Speech Bubbles is an amazing opportunity for the Engagement team to bring an evidence-based speech and language project which uses drama tools, directly to KS1 children who need support with communication, confidence, and social interaction."

Bristol Old Vic has received funding from Kenora Trust to deliver the Speech Bubbles project in four Bristol & South Glos schools- Hannah More Primary School, Cabot Primary School, Redfield Educate Together and Callicroft Primary Academy. 

We are also seeing this as an opportunity to develop Bristol Old Vic’s relationships with these schools and to bring arts education to the wider school community, not just the young people taking part in the project." 

Kara Black, Young Company & Schools Producer