U.K. schools workshops Skip to show summaries

Big Wheel shows are funny, fresh and focused - which makes them an ideal way to deliver information. We have been presenting schools workshops since 1984. Our tried-and-tested show formats connect with the audience using contemporary pop-culture references and parody. Students have the opportunity to explore sensitive issues and consequences in a safe environment; young people facing challenging decisions and dilemmas are able to share views and consider the facts throughout the show, as well as having a fantastic, memorable time. Big Wheel shows are an example of TIE at its most effective.

Audience sizes:

Most shows have three versions:

(a) an all-school 'assembly' version. This lasts about 45 minutes.

(b) a workshop version (for up to 60 pupils). This lasts about 75 minutes.

(c) a small group version (for up to 30 pupils). This lasts from 20 to 45 minutes depending on age group.

Content and Key Stages

Some of the subjects covered by these shows can be studied across the whole range of year groups - e.g. Get Stuffed (Healthy Eating), or Go Go Go (Sustainable Transport). In this case, our format remains the same, but the content becomes more sophisticated depending on the target audience. Some shows are more age-specific. The Drugs and Alcohol Show, and the Sexual Decisions Show are designed to be adapted to suit individual school or LEA policies.

Most shows can be adapted to most age groups. If you're unsure about suitability, ask us for advice.

Shows for People With Learning Difficulties

Every show we offer has an alternative version designed for students with learning difficulties, as well as staff trained and practised in this field. Please contact Big Wheel for further information about our shows for people with learning difficulties.

How a Big Wheel Show Works.

Big Wheel shows are usually built around three large set-pieces - game, chat show, 'blockbuster film' etc - with smaller sections in between ('adverts', sketches, one-to-one interviews with members of the audience). Our presenters work in pairs (think Ant & Dec, Richard & Judy, Des & Mel, Tess & Bruce) with the real stars of the show being the audience themselves. Everything we do in the show is designed for maximum interaction, and our presenters are experts at getting even the shyest, or most 'difficult', audiences involved. We use this audience interaction, and these different 'television' techniques and styles to keep the show involving and entertaining, which in turn helps to attract and keep the focus of the audience. So we can easily explore themes, encourage thought and discussion and deliver information. Presenters repeatedly highlight and summarise facts, and the larger 'set pieces' explore the wider themes and issues.

Background and acknowledgements

All our UK work is commission-led. In each case the school or organisation which commissioned the work took an active part in the design and development process. We are indebted to the dedication and commitment of all concerned for the continuing success of these projects

The Transport /Environment workshop was commissioned by the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, based on an idea we had originally developed with ACRE (A Christian Response to the Environment)

The Healthy Eating show was commissioned by the NHS Healthy Communities Collaborative,

The Diversity show and EAL shows were commissioned by Doncaster EMTAS.

The PSHE workshops were commissioned by the Cecil Jones High School in Southend, Essex,

The Shows

TRANSPORT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

'Go! Go! Go!': Sustainable Transport and Climate Change

'Go! Go! Go!' was created for the borough of Kensington and Chelsea specifically to tackle 'school-run' gridlock, and more generally to raise awareness of environmental issues among pupils and their parents. The show begins with the global challenge posed by climate change, delivering clear explanations of scientific processes like the Greenhouse Effect. We then explore local environmental sustainability, with detailed reference to the area around the school. Finally we encourage the audience to consider their own personal transport choices, with particular reference to how their home-school-home journey plans affect their well-being.

Some of the things that happen in the show:

• 'You Rule' - A hilarious panel game illustrating how your transport choices affect THE WORLD
• 'Something's Gotta Give' - How your transport choices affect YOUR LOCAL AREA. The whole audience becomes a 3-D map.
• 'There and Back Again, a Home-School-Home Travel Plan' - How your transport choices affect YOU. A strange assortment of fantasy characters go on a quest...

HEALTHY EATING

'Get Stuffed' - healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle

Originally commissioned by the NHS 'Healthy Communities Collaborative', versions of this show have been performed for adult groups, schools, people with learning difficulties, and NHS conferences. We look at how to eat a healthy, balanced diet and encourage the audience to feel good about feeling good.

Some of the things that happen in the show: ·

• 'Get Stuffed': a game in which two teams try to fill their plates with a balanced meal, competing for the ultimate prize…(a healthy life)
• 'The Health Challenge': the Healthiest Person In The World takes on the audience and challenges them to a Fitness competition.

• looking at the earth FROM AFAR - a trip in a spaceship to look at the earth in terms of geography: how people live in different continents, countries, towns, right down to members of a family living in a house. In each, some things about people are the same, some things are different.
• the LANGUAGE GAME, in which two teams compete to place different English words on a map of the world to show that the English language is entirely made up of words from other cultures. (Bungalow from Urdu, Chocolate from Aztec, Algebra from Arabic etc)
• to show how conflicts usually arise from MISUNDERSTANDINGS, the audience dramatizes an old Middle Eastern legend, in which different groups of people argue over wanting different things: Mat, Essen, Fan and Cibo. Finally they discover they are all clamouring for the same thing: all the words mean food.

All these exercises are infinitely variable, so that the show can be enjoyed by intermediate and even advanced learners. For instance, discussions about food likes and dislikes can lead to much more complex questions and answers about cooking and health, imitating a TV celebrity chef programme. This flexibility means the show is also ideal for mixed-ability.

PSHCE SHOWS

Bullying

In The Bullying Show we explore the effects of all types of stereotyping, prejudice, bullying, racism and discrimination, and look at how to challenge them assertively. The show encourages students to respect the differences between people, and we explore with the students how to empathise with people different to themselves. We also encourage students to recognise that actions have consequences and to recognise that goodwill is essential to friendships and relationships. We deliver information about where to get help if you need it, or if you're worried about someone else.

Skills covered in this show include:

• How to resist pressure
• How to find information and advice.
• How to recognise if someone needs your help; how to help them

Some of the things that happen in this show:

• Vive La Difference. Famous 'underdog' characters compete in a game show that celebrates differences, in an attempt to win…the ultimate prize
• "I shall go to the ball!" Interactive Trisha style chat-show with participants playing roles taken from our own contemporary retelling of Cinderella. The audience recognizes bullying for what it is and persuades Ella to resist peer pressure.
• Whose Universe Is It Anyway? The Most Evil Villain In The Universe bullies his way round the galaxy until he's shown the error of his ways and learns that the Dark Side will never prevail.

Self-Confidence

Throughout The Self-Confidence Show we encourage students to reflect on and assess their own strengths in relation to personality, work and leisure, and to recognise how others see them. We look at respecting the differences between people and the development of an individual sense of identity, with emphasis on the nature of friendship, and we explore how to communicate with peers and adults confidently. We deliver information about how and where to find emotional support when you need it.

Skills covered in this show include:

• Give and receive constructive feedback and praise.
• How to empathise with people different to yourself.
• How to find information and advice.

Some of the things that happen in this show:

• Who Dares Wins. In this game show of personal strengths and skills, teams of dashing daredevils defy danger in a bid to win…the ultimate prize…
• "Oy! Sort It Out". We call in on the residents of Albert Street (the well known TV soap opera) to check out how their lives are going…
• Mission: Possible. Agent Tom Boat-Trip has a mission to complete - accompanied with all the usual car chases, mountain rescues and self-destructing messages.

Drugs and Alcohol

The Drugs and Alcohol Show explores the meaning of a healthy, safer lifestyle, and looks at the long and short-term consequences of the abuse of drugs and alcohol. The show encourages students to think about these consequences when making decisions about drugs and alcohol, to seek professional advice and to find information about health. We deliver information about the risks of abusing alcohol and prescribed drugs, as well the basic facts and laws about these, and about illegal drugs.

Skills covered in this show include:

• Assertiveness and other ways of resisting pressure.
• How to recognise when others need help - and how to support them.
• Consider and discuss social and moral dilemmas.
• How to find information and advice.

   

  

  Some of the things that happen in this show:

• The Danger Line. Teams compete in a quick-fire game show that tests knowledge and decision making, all in an attempt to win…the ultimate prize.
• What Happens Next? A piece of drama about drugs and alcohol, performed by our presenters. The audience can start and stop the action to advise the characters - providing the opportunity to explore decisions and consequences.
• MacDeth Hip, modernised retelling of Macbeth (with members of the audience playing the star parts) which wraps up the themes and issues explored in the show (pressure, advice, dilemmas, consequences…)

KEY STAGE 4

Sexual decisions

The Sexual Decisions Show explores the meaning of a healthy, safer lifestyle, and long and short-term consequences of sexual decisions. The show encourages students to think about consequences when making sexual decisions, to seek professional advice and to find information about health. We deliver information about the health risks of early sexual activity and pregnancy and (in the context of the importance of relationships) about different forms of contraception, as well as where to get advice in order to inform future choices.

Skills covered in this show include:

• Assertiveness to resist unhelpful pressure.
• Ways of resisting pressure.
• Consider and discuss social and moral dilemmas.
• How to find information and advice.

Some of the things that happen in this show:

• You Decide. Decision-making and team work are the keys to success in another of Big Wheel's fantastic gameshows...can our teams access the information they need to win…the ultimate prize…?
• How Far Can You Go? A piece of drama about sexual decisions, performed by our presenters. The audience can start and stop the action to advise the characters - providing the opportunity to explore decisions and consequences. ·
• MC Romeo and JLo-et Hip, modernised, retelling of Romeo and Juliet which wraps up the themes and issues explored in the show (pressure, dilemmas passion, advice, consequences…)

Careers and Life-Decisions

The Careers Show explores the meaning of success and identity, with emphasis on personal achievements, skills and qualities. We encourage students to prepare for change, to seek help and advice when they choose their next steps, and to think about individual career-management. The also show delivers information about options open to students post-16 (including employment and continuing training) and the careers service.

Skills covered in this show include:

• Managing praise, criticism, success, failure.
• Setting your own goals, knowing your potential and measuring success.
• How to find information and advice

Some of the things that happen in this show:

• Success and Prowess- Teams of famously successful characters take each other on in a game that asks just what it means to be a 'success', in an attempt to win…the ultimate prize…
• "Do I turn again or what?" Interactive Trisha style chat-show with participants playing roles taken from our own modernized version of Dick Whittington. Various characters seek advice from the audience over issues of destiny.
• Bond On The Job: The Legend Begins. We take a look at how James Bond coped on his first day at work: answering the phone, making the tea, saving the world from a man with a cat.

CITIZENSHIP

Human Resources - a play about asylum seekers

About this show: Human Resources is an original piece of theatre first staged at The Camden People's Theatre, London in July 2004. Set in a Blue world, Human Resources tells the stories of Mr Todd, a Blue businessman with a thriving trade in human cargo; Mr Bright, a silent Yellow who comes to a grisly end; Miss Holly, a Blue with a secret; and Mr Brown, a Red who'll do anything to earn money for his family back home.

Big Wheel has adapted this play to be performed in schools, as well as offering a selection of follow-up workshops in which students can meet the characters, question them about their situations, and by doing so explore the issues brought up in the play:

• Economic migration
• Racism
• Social injustice
• Globalisation

What does it cost?

A standard Schools Workshop normally costs £350 plus VAT.

This is just a guide price. We offer discounts to schools or local authorities arranging several workshops.