Our Mission

Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation is a cultural education charity that gives young people across the UK the confidence to succeed in life.

The world’s largest youth drama festival lies at the heart of Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation’s transformative process. Every year, we work with thousands of pupils from every community, background and school type across the UK. Months of preparation culminate in exhilarating performance evenings in professional theatres nationwide; a night which can give confidence and self esteem to last a lifetime.

Our carefully tailored programmes, curriculum resources and standalone workshops improve teamwork and educational attainment. 97% of teachers say their students work better together as a team and 81% report improvements in academic attainment.

We engage diverse groups, including those with special educational needs and from minority ethnic backgrounds, and are passionate about reaching those living in areas of deprivation. With us, children gain the crucial skills they need to succeed in life. As Yusuf, aged 10 puts it: “In the future it helps you with a job, if you didn’t do this you may not have the guts.”

By delivering these results in every type of school, we promote social inclusion and improve life chances. Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation knows that the unique power of Shakespeare really can transform lives.

Our values

Our values are a statement of intent, embodying the visceral, energetic and ambitious way in which we work to fulfil this mission.

Aspirational: With us, people achieve the impossible. By using difficult texts, professional theatres and a rigorous, supportive process we make learning ambitious. We make sure confidence flourishes as people exceed their own expectations.

Experiential: We offer a visceral, real, and enriching approach. Months of preparation culminate in a rare and exhilarating event.

Diverse: We embrace the diverse characters, styles and stories of Shakespeare and ensure it is accessible to the widest range of people and places. We make Shakespeare relevant to all who encounter it.

Uniting: Shakespeare wrote of both royalty and rebels; we believe his plays are the best way to bring people together; from uniting a cast to bringing a community into a theatre.

Thrilling: We show that playing Shakespeare is not just fun, it can also be terrifying, hilarious and deeply moving. Everyone involved learns more about what it means to be human.

Transformative: We know that what we do has the power to changes lives.