RADiate is an inclusive dance programme for primary schools. Generously funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and The Kusuma Trust, we currently deliver subsidised weekly dance classes for children with additional learning needs.
We work with children and young people on the autism spectrum, those with behavioural, emotional or social difficulties, and those with learning difficulties. This includes children with PMLD, with medical conditions, and those who are non-verbal.
RADiate sessions take place in mainstream and SEND-focused primary schools and children’s hospital schools in and around London, and at the RAD headquarters.
Our aim
RADiate aims to help develop children’s physicality and boost their self-esteem. We do this through engaging the children in dance and movement, with different types of music and sensory props.
Each session is created to respond to the individual needs of the children, with our dance artists working alongside school staff and families to engage and encourage each child using ideas based around a theme – it could be the season, for example, ‘Autumn’, or a class topic in school, as well as being led by the children’s interests whether that’s particular music, colours, a favourite soft toy, food or animal.
“Dance, by its very nature, is a natural mode of language. It stimulates the mind and allows us to communicate both emotionally and cognitively in non-verbal ways. My own son has autism, and I know how important initiatives like RADiate are in nurturing children in a creative environment at their own pace.”
Michael Nunn OBE, co-founder of BalletBoyz, is the RADiate Ambassador.
Objectives
RADiate works to achieve its aims by:
planning and delivering weekly fun, creative and sensory dance activities, underpinned by a coherent structure,
enabling children to work alongside their peers and support staff to reach their full potential,
working in partnership with school staff to ensure that children progress at their own pace in a supportive and motivational environment, and
recruiting a small team of highly experienced Dance Artists, who are assessed at regular intervals to ensure all expectations are met.
Many of the children find it difficult to engage in group activities, however, RADiate Dance Artists are experienced in using activities that will attract the children so that taking part becomes a fun experience. This is done by working closely with each school, along with the teaching staff and families of the children attending classes at the RAD headquarters.
RADiate students benefit from:
a non-verbal way to express themselves and their individuality,
tailored class development at their own pace, responding to individual physicalities,
the use of Makaton sign language to support their language skills, and
weekly classes providing the opportunity to make progress within their routine and structure.
For Parents
We offer a RADiate class at the RAD dance school headquarters in Battersea where students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities can discover the benefits of dance in a weekly 45-minute session.
Sessions
These sessions are non-syllabus-based creative dance classes, which aim to engage and inspire students through sensory props and a playful approach to movement.
Class 1: Day: Tuesdays (during term time) Time: 4:15-5:15pm
Class 2: Day: Tuesdays (during term time) Time: 5:20-6:20pm
Class 3: Day: Wednesdays (during term time) Time: 5:35-6:35pm
Address: Royal Academy of Dance, 188 York Road, London SW11 3JZ. Cost: £3.50 per session
“These classes are an enjoyable and essential part of our son’s week. He so looks forward to the classes ensuring he tells everyone at school before coming.”
“The classes have helped with his concentration and also with following more than one command at a time.”
“His coordination and muscle tone seems to be improving, along with his ability to listen and to carry out complex instructions.”
“[They] made great strides in managing their behaviour for themselves as well as becoming more confident in their ability to complete tasks. This was in conjunction with the improvements the students made in regards to their fine and gross motor skills, memory retention, and developing social skills.” Ciara McCooey, BABE Student and RADiate Class Assistant
For Primary Schools
The RADiate Primary Schools project runs as a school residency, with weekly sessions across a term or school year.
Session Information
Bespoke 2-hour sessions (as a minimum) delivered weekly in your school setting, be it a classroom or hall.
Experienced Dance Artists matched to your school and the needs of your students, with further support through a dance trained assistant.
Ongoing collaboration with your school staff, with a FREE introductory CPD session available for all school staff to demystify creative dance and best practise.
Termly visits from the RADiate Artist Development Officer to ensure the quality of delivery across schools and to provide ongoing training and support for the Dance Artists to ensure they deliver the best experience for your pupils.
Different modes of delivery are available including face-to-face sessions, live online sessions, and pre-recorded videos to access at a convenient time for your school staff, or for parents and carers to enjoy with their child from home.
Please note our schools’ project is currently restricted to those based in London and surrounding areas.
Schools feedback
“[The Tutor] managed to get involved in the activity even the most withdrawn or reluctant kids. The activity made all participants smile and move their body. There is nothing we would want to change about the project. She has brought dance to bed-bound children, making them move to a melody and making them feel better.” Cristina Garcia, Evelina Hospital School
“For one pupil it was the first time he has been engaged in an activity for longer than a few minutes. He actively participates in the group and smiles and gestures for more.” Lisa Travers, Teacher, Red Gates School
“He never usually engages in lessons and generally struggles with instructions and motivation but in the dance class you only ever have to ask him once and he does it. He listens, he mirrors, and he is connected to you and the movement. He is like a new person when it comes to dance” Teaching Assistant, Red Gates School
“[The sessions] have allowed them to be creative and I feel you can see their individual personalities shine through their dance moves. I really enjoyed watching them have fun.” Tessa Harris, Class Teacher, Fulham Primary School
Students feedback
“What I like about dancing is that you can take your mind off things by dancing. It makes me feel happy and joyful”
Primary Schools FAQ
How do you involve the school staff?
School staff are vital to the planning of the sessions working with the Dance Artists to identify individual physical, communication or social targets that each pupil is working towards.
We expect the ratio of school staff to pupils to be maintained during a RADiate session to best support and enable the pupils’ learning, and put pupils at ease.
How many classes do you work with?
We suggest allocating between 20 – 40 minutes per session, this will depend on the age and needs of the children, and how long they can reasonably be expected to engage with a creative learning experience. We can work flexibly to increase the time as the pupils become more familiar with the structure of the dance sessions. We can work with a maximum of three different groups of children in 2 hours.
What is the cost to the school to join the RADiate project?
The subsidised cost to schools is £49 per week for a minimum of 2 hours. Additional hours can be added. Schools are contracted for a trial term, followed by a commitment to signing up to the academic year of sessions.
What does a usual session involve/look like?
RADiate sessions are highly bespoke so that the needs of the pupils are fully supported. RADiate Dance Artists aim to facilitate the pupils’ creative dance and movement responses which acknowledge their own interests and movement choices. The sessions are creative and inclusive in approach, offering an opportunity for each pupil to explore and express their individual experience of the world around them and in relation to other pupils, with no right or wrong way of moving.
The general structure includes:
‘hello activity’ which may take the form of a song or movement game
warm-up
a creative section where pupils engage with the session theme and often explore props or sensory materials
chance to share and explore pupils movement ideas
cool down
All sessions are tailored to the specific group the Dance Artist is working with, catering to the pupils’ individual needs. Progression through the sessions is planned with a mixture of repetition and new activities, as appropriate, so that pupils can progress in manageable chunks throughout the term.
The sessions aim to follow a repetitive structure to support pupils understanding of what will happen from week to week. This in turn builds their confidence and allows them to express themselves fully.
For each group, Dance Artists select a theme or prop and invite the pupils to develop their own movement vocabulary in response to this – this could be related to a current classroom topic or class interest and is usually chosen in collaboration with the class teacher. Where appropriate there will be music to support and accompany the session.
The Dance Artists encourage pupils to develop a sense of ownership in the sessions, for example by choosing the tempo for the movement, or which body part they should use next.
When do you hold RADiate sessions in schools?
RADiate sessions take place Monday – Friday during school hours.
RADiate Dance and Movement Project: New Primary Schools
We are a charity, relying on donations from trusts and foundations, corporations, and individuals. Support us in our mission to bring dance into communities.
Step into Dance works with secondary schools to enable young people to develop their passion, skills, and understanding of dance through a diverse and inclusive programme of weekly classes, workshops, and performance opportunities.
