Writing skills research project launched

A new research programme looking at improving pupils' writing skills has been launched by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).

The research is part of 11 research initiatives to receive funding from the EEF, with each focusing on improving children’s writing or maths skills.

Pupils will be independently evaluated to assess its impact, particularly on children in areas of socio-economic disadvantage. This is important because research from the National Literacy Trust (2023) shows that nearly half of disadvantaged 11 year olds left primary school unable to write at the expected level.
 
Rehearsal Room Writing builds on the success of the RSC’s award-winning research , Time to Act, which demonstrated a clear link between RSC ‘rehearsal room’ approaches to teaching Shakespeare and improvements in children’s writing and language skills. RSC rehearsal room approaches are based on the way RSC actors work in rehearsals and are proven to help learners at all levels unlock Shakespeare’s themes and language as well as improve literacy, communication, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.  
 
Between now and June 2025, the RSC is calling for expressions of interest from Year 5 primary school teachers across England. Successful applicants will be split into two randomised groups: one intervention and one control group. Intervention teachers will attend five training sessions at the RSC’s Stratford-upon-Avon base, where they will learn how to use rehearsal room techniques such as games, freeze frames, soundscapes, character profiles, images and choral readings to explore Shakespeare’s plays. These techniques will then be applied to their own teaching for 20 hours over the 2026 Spring and Summer terms.  Both control and intervention groups will ask students to develop a series of written responses which will be independently analysed by researchers from NFER and the University of Exeter to assess the impact of the intervention on children’s attainment and writing skills.
 
A final report from EEF will assess the effect of this learning programme on Year 5 pupils’ writing ability, their belief in their writing ability, and their enjoyment of writing, alongside their teachers’ perception of their ability to teach writing.  
 
Commenting on the announcement, RSC Director of Creative Learning and Engagement, Jacqui O’Hanlon, said: “We know from the research we’ve conducted that when children embody the action and language of Shakespeare’s plays they make significant progress in oracy, communication, language acquisition and writing. For many educators, constraints on time, funding and resources prevents them from trying new ways of teaching. EEF funded research provides impartial, trustworthy evidence about teaching approaches that transform young people’s learning. We look forward to embarking on this new research study and are delighted to be working alongside projects that aim to narrow the disadvantage gap.”

The EEF and RSC are actively recruiting schools to participate in the research with EEF looking for 1,500 schools and settings across England to take part across its 12 new projects. The RSC aims to sign up 200 primary schools to its Rehearsal Room Writing project.