Partners: Icknield Primary School, Sawston (Cambs)
Supported by: Arts Council England East  
Directed by: Leisa Rea
Assistant Director: Laura Baggaley
Resident Composer: Neil Jones
Dates: May 28 – July 13, 2007

This was the first time the Gap Theatre Project was delivered in a rural school and in a different region.

There were several reasons for this decision:
- To test the Gap Theatre Project model in a school and setting 
  very different to oversubscribed multicultural inner London
  Primary we piloted the project in initially
- To nurture a relationship between children from a rural
  background and professionals from a London based theatre
  company, as well as provide access to children, to a wide range
  of theatre artists from their own area.
- To fulfill our plans to expand the Gap Project beyond London,
  to other regions and establish it as a sustainable model.

Icknield Primary is a small village School, which was built to serve the new housing development on the edge of rural Sawston. It has 165 pupils on roll, most of who will transfer to Sawston Village College by the end of Year 6. The College has approximately 70% more pupils on roll than its feeder Primary, making the transition for many Year 6's a tremendous challenge.

In response to this, Company of Angels wanted to create an original piece of theatre for and with Icknield's Year 6's, which allowed the children to transpose their anxieties and excitement about this impending change, into a fictional setting. Pupils worked closely with professional directors,
a resident composer and 'gap students' to realise an original work, which was then performed for the wider community.

The project celebrated the end of each child's journey through their 'Primary Years' as well as marking the rite of passage into young adulthood as they move onto the 'Secondary' phase. This shift is the biggest change children will face in their compulsory school years.
 
For a full evaluation report, please click here.