Perform drama classes for 4-7s

Perform has been running at St Andrew's Church Hall on St Andrew's Road, Chesterton, since April 2021. The current summer term runs from 13th April to 13th July, with no sessions on the bank holidays of 4th May and 25th May.

This term's theme is Mermaids & Pirates: children set sail on the Jammy Dodger, meet the notorious Seasick Pirate, the singing parrot Rita Conchita and a mermaid on a mission, all on a quest to find the Sacred Coconut. Producer James leads the class week to week, supported by teacher Hannah; area partner Sophie visits regularly.

Each session is divided into three sections, built around what Perform calls the 4 Cs: Confidence, Communication, Concentration and Coordination. It opens with Move & Feel — dances, rapid-reaction games and yoga-inspired mirroring exercises that develop balance, core stability and physical coordination. The second section, Listen, Speak & Sing, uses specially composed songs, tongue-twisters and raps to build verbal confidence and listening skills. Sessions close with Create & Imagine, where children explore characters, take part in storytelling and try out role-playing improvisations that stretch concentration and imagination. Each week has a different focus, so children are building on what came before rather than starting fresh.

Class numbers are capped at 22 children with two Perform staff members present throughout. Parents do not sit in during regular weekly sessions — children benefit most without them there — but are invited to Half-term Open Workshops and an end-of-term Presentation three times a year, where dancing, acting and singing come together in a show. After every class, Producer James sends a weekly email detailing what the session covered. Personalised Feedback Forms, written by the Producer and read and signed by Perform's Principal Lucy Quick, arrive regularly to track each child's progress across all three parts of the class.