Teaching resources
Explore our learning hub of educational resources and teaching tools to support creative learning in the classroom.
Learning hub
Learning Hub Filters
Learning age
Theatre styles
The Learning Hub is our new free, online library of National Theatre resources. Find teaching tools for curriculum set texts or explore creativity, literacy and oracy using theatre and drama skills.
The Hub includes:
- Free downloadable PDF resources
- Short-form videos with educational content
- Learning outcomes and production information
- Suitability and content warnings
You can filter by key stage and theatre style, or simply search for keywords or production areas, such as performance skills.
Whether you’re looking for new ways to teach English, drama, and theatre studies, or to support your own learning, the Learning Hub is your gateway.
Resource spotlight
Explores the key features of theatre practitioner and director Katie Mitchell’s unique style and methodology with:
Widening the curriculum
Ensure a range of voices are represented in the classroom and acknowledge the impact of colonialism on how we learn and teach.
Small Island rehearsal diaries
How We Made it: The Boy With Two Hearts - education resource
The Great Wave rehearsal diaries
Pioneer women
Captivating tales of women, weaving a narrative tapestry of courage and inspiration.
Devising Jane Eyre
Hedda Gabler rehearsal diaries
Hedda Gabler - education resource
Practitioners in Practice : Katie Mitchell (film)
In Search of Greek Theatre: Katie Mitchell's The Oresteia Part I (1999)
In Search of Greek Theatre: Katie Mitchell's The Oresteia Part II (1999)
In Search of Greek Theatre: Medea
In Search of Greek Theatre
Video series on Greek plays staged at the National Theatre, drawing on the resources of the Archive.
In Search of Greek Theatre: Medea
In Search of Greek Theatre: Antigone
Antigone: Family vs State in Greek Theatre
In Search of Greek Theatre: Iphigenia at Aulis (2004)
In Search of Greek Theatre: Katie Mitchell's The Oresteia Part I (1999)
In Search of Greek Theatre: Katie Mitchell's The Oresteia Part II (1999)
In Search of Greek Theatre: Sir Peter Hall's The Oresteia Part I (1981)
In Search of Greek Theatre: Sir Peter Hall's The Oresteia Part II (1981)
In Search of Greek Theatre: Women of Troy (2007)
In Search of Greek Theatre: Bacchae (1973) and Bacchai (2002)
Women in Greek Theatre
Primary inspiration
Creative activities all about theatre-making, designed to spark imagination and inspire young minds.
Five Creative Ways to Energise the Class: drama teaching tool
Five Creative Ways to Prepare the Class to Focus: drama teaching tool
Let's Make it Up Toolkit drama teaching tool
Let's Perform director's tips drama teaching tool
Let's Perform voice work drama teaching tool
Shakespeare essentials
Delve into Shakespeare with insights on staging, characters, themes and more.
Hamlet: A Character Study - Shakespeare - education resource
Twelfth Night: Disguises and Mistaken Identity - Shakespeare - education resource
Othello: Othello and Iago - Shakespeare - education resource
West End wonders
Explore our hit West End shows, featuring rehearsal diaries, character studies and more.
War Horse - education resource
The Ocean at the End of the Lane - education resource
Characters in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: Christopher and Ed
Characters in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: Christopher and Judy
Characters in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: Christopher and Siobhan
Characters in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: Who is Christopher?
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Frantic Assembly - education resource
New writing
Fresh narratives and innovative productions that have redefined the theatrical landscape.
Complicité's Mnemonic education resource
Lit in Colour Q&A: Inua Ellams on Barber Shop Chronicles
The Great Wave rehearsal diaries
The Free9: The Characters of The Free9 - education resource
The Free9: The World of The Free9 - education resource
The Free9: writer and North Korean expert - education resource
More resources for teachers
National Theatre Collection
Home to 60 high-quality filmed theatre productions from the National Theatre and other leading venues. The best of British Theatre, streaming direct into your classroom.
Free for all UK state funded schools (primary and secondary) and FE colleges.
Archive
Our Archive holds a treasure trove of performance material, including recordings and photographs of our productions.
Free to visit and open to everyone by appointment. School groups are welcome.
Black Plays Archive
An online catalogue of the first professional production in the UK of plays written by Black British, African, and Caribbean playwrights. Explore our specially written resources for teachers and educators.
The National Theatre Bookshop
Our Bookshop offers special discounts for educational orders over £100, for teachers and those who work in education*. Contact us at bookshop@nationaltheatre.org.uk to find out more.
*You will need proof of working in education for us to validate the discount.
Our funders
The Mohn Westlake Foundation supports nationwide Learning programmes for young people.
The Hearn Foundation is the Principal Funder of the Primary Schools Programme.
Nationwide learning is supported by Buffini Chao Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Clore Duffield Foundation, Tim and Sarah Bunting, Behrens Foundation, Cleopatra Trust, The Andor Charitable Trust and Milton Grundy Foundation.
