OUTLOUD Schools Feedback

Whalley Range High School

"The theatre group was great; I think it was the best TIE I've seen. It was really well targeted and got the messages across. We would love to have them in again for staff and other years and will be getting that organised"
Jane Townsend, Senior Assistant Head Teacher

"I thought the play was really good - I teach RE and it's not on the syllabus at the moment but that is going to change so it will definitely help "
RE Teacher

"The girls I spoke to really like the Matthew Shepherd bit and they like the language and the fact the performance, the actors didn't patronise them - we get an awful lot of people patronising them"
Whalley Range Teacher

Southern Cross School

"I've never seen our pupils so rapt in their attention, they were totally enthralled and actually listening!"
John O'Brien Deputy Head

"I feel relieved ‘cos the school can now tell people to stop using ‘GAY' as an abusive word".

Burnage High School

"I thought it was really good, I thought the presentation of ideas based on the facts through verbatim theatre was really effective because it kept the kids thinking and listening. I can see why the whole issue could be challenging to some adults and some students but it was carefully handled and presented".
Tess Mcdermott - Head of House and Healthy Schools Lead

Northridge Special High School

"I thought the drama piece was excellent, our young people grasped the message definitely and that was clear from the workshops they were involved in afterwards. I was quite surprised at some of their responses, they were much more positive than I thought they would be - so that was good, and some of them said 'it did make me think about not judging people, calling people names or just making references to people being gay as a joke'- that's the message that came out - you just don't now who's gay and who you are hurting (in school)".
Jacqui Dike, Head of English and PSHE

Chorlton High School

"I'm glad you came into our school, and hopefully it will change the way people think -I think if we all try, we can make a difference. You should keep this up Homophobia is unacceptable, and it upsets me that people laugh and use the word gay".

"It's horrible how people can be hurt for just being themselves, you don't say nigger, so why say faggot?"

"OUTLOUD was really good and I hope it will make people think before they call me a lesbian - thank you and thank you for raising the awareness in our school, the Matthew Shepherd video was overwhelming"

"OUTLOUD was really good and i hope it will make people think before they call me a lesbian - thank you and thank you for raising the awareness in our school, the Matthew Shepherd video was overwhelming".
Pupils from Chorlton High School

Ewing School

"We got involved in Exceeding Expectations as there is a serious issue with homophobia in school particularly name calling. We actually needed help from outside the school to support us in dealing with the issues and to refresh our thinking. This was certainly delivered when we had the Theatre In Education production' OUTLOUD' into our school. All staff are buzzing with the quality of the work and the planning that must have gone into the production.

I would say other schools should get involved, as these are issues we all have to address. The telling message for me was that it doesn't matter what your views are on different sexual relationships ‘homophobic bullying is wrong'. This should open the door for faith schools who have a different belief system regarding gay and lesbian relationships. Finally Governors have agreed to everything the pupils have asked for and have also signed a pledge sheet to ‘end homophobia in our school'.
Pat Derbyshire, Head Teacher