Students from West Bromwich Collegiate Academy visited Birmingham Hippodrome to watch The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, in partnership with the theatre’s Hippodrome Education Network (HEN). 

Year 8 and year 9 students attended the performance as part of an ongoing collaboration designed to connect young people with professional theatre and the creative industries. 

Birmingham Hippodrome is one of the UK’s leading producing theatres and one of the country’s busiest arts venues, welcoming more than 600,000 visitors annually to its main house and Patrick Studio in Birmingham. It hosts a wide range of productions including musicals, ballet, opera, drama and family shows, and is home to the UK’s largest and most successful pantomime outside London.  

Through its Hippodrome Education Network, the venue works with schools across the West Midlands to provide access to live theatre, workshops and engagement with industry professionals. The programme aims to connect learning in the classroom with the creative industries, while supporting students’ confidence, communication skills and aspirations.  

Hannah Percival, Associate Principal at West Bromwich Collegiate Academy, said: “This trip gave students the opportunity to see a professional theatre production performed at scale and to experience first-hand the standards involved in live performance. It also placed them in a different learning environment, which helps build confidence and encourages them to think differently about what they are studying in English and drama.” 

The Academy’s partnership with Birmingham Hippodrome Education Network continues to provide students with opportunities with opportunities to engage with live performance and the wider creative sector.