To Pee, Or Not To Pee! Shakespeare To Be Taught To Five-Year-Olds

To Pee, Or Not To Pee! Shakespeare To Be Taught To Five-Year-Olds

Friends, Romans, five-year-olds...lend me your ears! Shakespeare is to be taught to primary school children for the first time. The youngsters will start to learn more about the playwright in maths, art and even food technology.

More of his plays and poetry will also be taught in traditional classes like English and drama.

As the curriculum is widened, youngsters will make meals enjoyed 450 years ago, like pea and bacon pottage, study statistics showing how people died at the time, draw portraits of Shakespeare and act out more of his plays.

Education Secretary Michael Gove believes it is crucial for children to learn more about Shakespeare and his work, even if they have just started school. He want the Government to 'bring Shakespeare's literary and cultural legacy to thousands more children'.

It came as it emerged teenagers studying for their GCSEs will have now have to read two of the Bard's plays to pass - when Labour previously only insisted on one.

The campaign to increase exposure to Shakespeare in schools has been launched in conjunction with the 450th anniversary of his birth next year, a celebration backed by Dame Judi Dench.

Mr Gove will announce the changes as national Shakespeare Week starts today.

He will say: "Shakespeare's language is our language. It is our inheritance,' he will say.

Under the plans primary schools will be given access to new online resources, allowing them to plan Shakespeare-inspired lessons.

Close