York Theatre Royal has launched a campaign to raise £500,000 to help pay for its biggest upgrade in 50 years. Today The Press publishes the latest in an occasional series of columns by writers explaining what the theatre means to them.

KNAVESMIRE Primary School has been extremely fortunate to have had a partnership with the Theatre Royal for more than 10 years.

This collaboration has seen the children learning about and experiencing many different facets of theatre life- from watching performances to learning about pricing and the box office mailing list, cooking recipes from the cafe to learning about costume and scenery design.

One of the most memorable trips behind the scenes was a treasure hunt for a reception class.

It was an amazing backstage tour where they kept stumbling across characters from the play they were working on (A Midsummer Night’s Dream).

They had to crawl past a snoring donkey and follow fairy footsteps to the next clue, finding letters leading them to the forest on stage.

Ours has been a sustained creative partnership of work delivered both in school and at the theatre. This work is multi-faceted, including using drama across the curriculum.

The education associates come into school at the beginning of each term to discuss the upcoming ‘Big Ideas’ with the teachers.

We embed drama in cross-curricular teaching (eg the lighting crew helping with a science project, ‘Vincent Van Gogh’ dropping in on an art lesson, an ‘alien’ skyping from his spaceship or bringing history to life by re-enacting an Aztec sacrifice).

The Theatre Royal’s leading director helped a class to learn how a book can be turned into a script and developed into a play. All classes receive professional advice on staging their productions.

Many have even had the exciting opportunity of performing on the stages of the Theatre.

Parental involvement is also encouraged as they receive reduced price tickets to various performances throughout the year.

The relationship has had reciprocal benefits.

Actors have come into school to watch and play with the children, gathering ideas for their own performance.

Choreographers have worked with groups, developing dances, incorporating movements from the children.

Children’s art work has been used as part of sets in the Studio.

The children often attend pre- and post production workshops to enrich their experience and understanding of the performances they attend.

Brought up on a diet of DVDs, TV, iPhone and iPad games, this is often the children’s first experience of the magic of “live” theatre.

Watching their faces light up - eyes wide with concentration - totally engrossed in the story-telling, music and dance, is fantastic to see.

All of these experiences help bring subjects alive and have positive effects on children’s learning and achievement, particularly in literacy.

This is especially true for children who may struggle academically but who benefit from subjects being brought to life, made real, relevant and fun.

The children are all very comfortable at the theatre and from an early age become appreciative members of an audience - able to express their opinions confidently.

We hope this familiarity will encourage them to become lifelong theatre goers, and that’s why, together with our PTA, we’ve decided to host various events to raise money for the new theatre.

- by Karen Thompson,  Knavesmire Primary School

• For more information on the Theatre’s appeal go to www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk, or to donate Text YTRC15 £(amount you wish to donate) to 70070 or go to: justgiving.com/yorktheatreroyal/donate