Polka Theatre is expanding its schools programme for 2026/27, giving thousands more children across London and Surrey the chance to experience live theatre and develop their creativity, confidence and communication skills.
The Wimbledon-based children’s theatre will provide 10,000 free theatre tickets to children from schools across London and Surrey during the 2026/27 academic year, following an incredible 16,749 requests from schools last year.
The expansion will also see Polka increase the number of schools taking part in its successful Talking Tales, Write Here Write Now and Creative Connections programmes.
The plans have been made possible thanks to generous support from The Garek Trust and other funders.
10,000 Free Theatre Tickets For Children
Polka’s Curtain Up! programme provides free theatre tickets to children who may otherwise be unable to experience a live performance.
This year, the number of free tickets available will increase from 9,000 to 10,000, benefiting more than 100 state primary and special schools across London and Surrey.
The programme aims to ensure that the cost of visiting a theatre does not prevent children from experiencing live performance.
One teacher from a Curtain Up! partner school said:
“Most of the children had never been to a live theatre show until experiencing Polka Theatre.”
The increased number of tickets follows significant demand from schools during 2025/26, when Polka received almost 17,000 requests.
Talking Tales To Reach More Schools
Following the successful completion of its two-year Talking Tales pilot, Polka will now bring the programme to 10 additional schools.
The initiative uses drama and storytelling in the classroom to help children develop their oracy, communication and presentation skills, while also giving teachers practical tools they can use in their everyday teaching.
The pilot involved teachers from six partner schools and showed how creative approaches could have a lasting impact on classroom learning and school culture.
One teacher said:
“In Talking Tales, we had CPD and then direct support to move that into the classroom.”
Another English Lead at a partner school described the programme as:
“The kind of project I’d tell any school or senior leader to grab with both hands.”
The programme comes at a time when concerns around children’s communication skills are growing.
Research from the National Literacy Trust indicates that 31% of children start primary school without the expected communication skills for their age, rising to 47% among children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Children who experience difficulties with language at five are also more likely to struggle with reading and writing later in primary school.
With oracy set to become part of the National Curriculum from 2028, Polka says its work supporting communication skills in schools is becoming increasingly important.
One headteacher taking part in the programme said:
“Children who never put their hands up now go into the middle of the circle, speak loudly and are coming up with ideas that I would never have thought of.”
Write Here Write Now Expands
Polka will also continue to grow its Write Here Write Now creative literacy programme.
The programme gives children the opportunity to develop their confidence, language and creative writing skills through storytelling.
Over two terms, children attend weekly workshops with Polka practitioners, where they create their own stories.
Those stories are then brought to life on Polka’s stage by professional actors in front of the children’s families, friends and peers.
The programme has already produced strong results, with teachers reporting that:
- 90% of pupils became more creative with their ideas
- 86% improved their language and vocabulary
- 86% improved their creative writing skills
With 2026 marking the National Year of Reading, nine new schools will take part in Write Here Write Now during 2026/27.
Polka hopes the programme will help more children discover the enjoyment of reading, storytelling and creative expression.
One teacher described the transformation of a child who had initially lacked confidence:
“Over the 20-week programme, X transformed in confidence, becoming an enthusiastic contributor and willing to step into the spotlight.”
Creative Connections Grows
Polka’s Creative Connections programme will also expand from six to eight schools following a successful pilot year.
The programme works with whole school communities, giving children and teachers opportunities to engage with theatre while helping schools develop a lasting culture of creativity.
The 2025/26 pilot received an impressive 9.5 out of 10 average satisfaction rating.
Schools particularly highlighted the way the programme raised the profile of drama and created excitement around theatre.
One partner school said:
“The children have experienced moments of pure joy and have lasting memories.”
Free Theatre Comes Directly To Schools
Polka is also taking theatre directly into schools, with a new production touring London schools for free for three weeks.
Following a studio run at Polka in the new year, Rebel, Rebel, written by Nessah Muthy, will tour schools across the capital and is expected to reach around 2,000 children.
The production explores the impact of the Suffragette movement through the eyes of a mixed-race, working-class young girl in 2027.
The young protagonist is involved in activism of her own and finds herself the target of bullying at school.
The production will mark the directorial debut of Polka Artistic Director Helen Matravers.
It will also be the third consecutive year that Polka has toured a production directly into schools, helping children who may face financial or practical barriers to visiting the theatre experience live performance.
‘Every Child Should Have The Opportunity To Be Creative’
Polly Simmonds, Director of Creative Learning at Polka Theatre, said the organisation was delighted to be expanding its schools programme.
She said:
“We want to strengthen our partnerships with schools and continue to demonstrate the transformative role that theatre and the arts can play in children’s education, creativity and confidence.”
She added that the support of funders was helping thousands more children and teachers experience theatre.
“Their commitment is making it possible for thousands more children and teachers to experience the power of theatre and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to be creative, find their voice and experience the joy of the arts.”
Lynette Shanbury, Executive Director and Joint CEO at Polka Theatre, said demand from schools was “higher than ever”.
She also highlighted concerns about falling numbers of young people studying drama and the arts.
She said:
“It is vital to embed the arts with children and the teachers who inspire them from the very beginning of their learning lives – it is where theatre begins.”
She added that a child’s first experience of theatre or drama in the classroom could become:
“the launch point for a life of confidence, creativity and achievement.”
About Polka Theatre
Polka Theatre opened in 1979 as the UK’s first theatre venue dedicated exclusively to children.
Based in Wimbledon, it presents a year-round programme of productions created by Polka and visiting companies.
Last year, more than 125,000 people visited the Wimbledon venue, while a further 45,000 people were reached through touring productions, school projects and community programmes.
More than 27,000 children and young people took part in Polka’s Creative Learning activities last year, while the theatre worked with 269 schools.
Polka also offers free-access play spaces, step-free access, a café and shop, as well as two performance spaces.
Its Creative Learning programme includes initiatives designed to support children’s creativity, literacy, communication and confidence.
