Tuesday 24 January marks UNESCO's fifth International Day of Education with the theme to invest in people, prioritise education. And to celebrate, we want to share all the incredible work our Learning & Participation team devise and deliver, from programming exciting activities for schools to our Talent Development programmes.

Here at Cheltenham Festivals, it's our mission to create a world where everyone can explore and create culture. Creating experiences that bring joy, spark curiosity, connect communities and inspire change are the principles at the heart of everything our Learning & Participation and the wider team aim to achieve.

Our Learning & Participation programmes involve 35,000 children and young people and 500 schools every year, in Gloucestershire and beyond. What's more, we offer more than 180 days of outreach work with local communities through our range of Talent Development programmes in jazz, science, music and literature.

Head of Learning & Participation, Sarah Cooksley said: "This year we will continue to work with our local community to ensure we are playing our part in helping to create a world where everyone can explore and create culture. We want to engage with communities across all of Cheltenham and the wider county and ensure everyone feels connected with us and represented by us."

We have a range of excellent upcoming participation and Festival programmes in 2023, including Jazz for SchoolsScience for Schools, FameLab Academy and Battle of the Books, as well as so much more. Get a taste of what we've got planned below:

Jazz for Schools is back in 2023

We're very excited for the return of our Jazz for Schools programme during Cheltenham Jazz Festival between 26 April - 1 May 2023.  Join us for Jazz Concert for Schools, an exciting and interactive introduction to live jazz for pupils in Key Stage 2 and escape the classroom for a musical experience your children will never forget.

This year’s extravaganza takes place in the awe-inspiring Big Top on Friday 28 April. Inspirational musicians with a passion for engaging young audiences will take children on a musical adventure to explore what makes jazz, jazz.

Booking opens at 8am on Monday 6 February. You can find more information, including how to book tickets here.

 

Jazz It Up

 

Jazz It Up will be at Cheltenham Jazz Festival on the mornings of Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 April, as secondary school jazz bands take to the Free Stage to perform to our Jazz Festival audiences. 

 

Jazz It Up is an unforgettable opportunity for you and your young musicians to perform at the heart of  Cheltenham Jazz Festival in front of a large and enthusiastic audience. We welcome ensembles of any shape, size, and level of experience.

 

If your school has a jazz band, you can apply for a place from 8am on Monday 6 February. To find out more information, email our Learning & Participation team.

Reading Teachers=Reading Pupils

 

RTRP is our flagship literature outreach project which aims is to put high-quality literature in the hands of teachers. As well as giving them the time, space and model to engage in book talk which they can take into their classrooms. Groups of reading teachers meet five times a year across the country, everywhere from bookshops to libraries and cafes.

 

Teachers from 79 Gloucestershire primary and secondary schools have recently been reading and discussing When The Sky Falls by Phil Earle (KS2) and The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud (KS3). Teachers will now be using these books in their classrooms with their students.

Battle of the Books

 

Battle of the Books is a spring reading challenge for upper-KS2 and KS3, challenging students to read broadly and diversely around this year's theme Change the World. Please contact us for the reading list and to register to take part by Friday 27 January. 

 

Later in the year, there'll be a further opportunity to apply to be part of a live debate at The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival in October.

FameLab Academy

 

FameLab Academy, our science communication competition is a schools initiative for Year 9 students at 24 Secondary schools across Gloucestershire. Schools are currently holding competitions within their school in the search for their winners. Students taking part in FameLab Academy research and present a topic of their choice. They'll be judged on the 3Cs: Content, Clarity and Charisma. 

 

The winners from all 24 schools will compete in the Gloucestershire finals which will take place on Thursday 23 March at The Rose’s Theatre in Tewkesbury. We can't wait to crown our morning and afternoon winners soon.

Science for Schools

 

Our amazing Science for Schools programme throughout Cheltenham Science Festival is back in June with inspiring talks, workshops and careers events available for schools to buy tickets to, along with our free interactive zones. 

 

The school brochure will be released on Thursday 26 January and tickets will be available to buy from 8am on Tuesday 7 February. And we've already shared a sneak peak at some of the names and events, including Tim PeakeJames Piercy and Jess French.

Discover more:

Learning & Participation

Learning & Participation

Talent Development

Talent Development

For further information on school visits, please contact education@cheltenhamfestivals.com