RADiate
RADiate
RADiate is an inclusive dance programme designed primarily for children aged 4–11. We work with dancers on the autism spectrum and with learning disabilities, as well as those experiencing behavioural, emotional or social challenges. Our work also includes children with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD), medical conditions, and those who are non-verbal.
Through RADiate we offer weekly subsidised dance classes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) as an outreach programme in London primary schools, and through evening sessions that take place at the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) headquarters.
Alongside this, we offer workshops and performance projects for people of all ages with SEND, supporting schools, organisations and community groups to access high-quality inclusive dance experiences.
Find out how you can get involved!
What we offer
After-school sessions at the RAD
Weekly RADiate classes take place at the RAD’s global home for dance in Battersea, South London, for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to learn dance skills and get creative with their own dance moves.
Classes are non-syllabus, creative dance-based, and aim to engage and inspire young dancers through sensory props and a playful approach to movement.
The classes take place in the evening and offer a creative space for children and their carers to play, explore and dance together.
Class style: Creative dance/sensory
Who are the classes for?
Our RADiate evening classes are suitable for primary-aged children, from age 4-11 years, with special educational needs and disabilities.
Accessibility type: children with a hearing, visual or learning impairment, behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.
When do the classes take place?
Classes take place each week on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, except during school holidays. Enrolment is on a termly basis (11-12 weeks).
Please click below to view the term dates for our RADiate evening classes below:
What is the cost?
Each class is £5 per child (September 2026).
Classes are subsidised by The Thistle Trust.
Register your interest
If you are interested in joining our evening classes, please fill out our Expression of Interest Form online, and we will get in touch about availability to join the classes.
If you have any questions, then contact us at radiate@rad.org.uk.
View our visual guide to support accessing our dance spaces at the RAD.
School residencies
Become a RADiate primary school partner – we offer a limited number of subsidised places for London schools, providing pupils with high-quality, in-school dance experiences.
Each school is matched with two dance artists to ensure consistency and high levels of support. The first week onsite is observation focused, allowing our artists to understand pupils’ needs, routines and learning styles. During this time, we provide visual resources to support pupil transitions and help pupils become familiar with the dance artists.
As a school partner, your pupils and staff will take part in weekly sessions throughout the academic year, fostering trusting relationships with our dance artists.
Complimentary Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is available to all schools that enrol in our academic year programme, providing teachers and staff with additional support, resources, and training to enhance the impact of the programme within their school community. As a leader in dance, our CPD sessions provide school staff with fresh ideas and the space to experience new creative approaches.
100% of partner schools would recommend RADiate to another school.
What do we do?
RADiate sessions take place Monday – Friday during school hours. 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. They are designed to support 5 key areas:
- Social Skills
- Physical Skills
- Communication
- Wellbeing and Regulation
- Creative Expression
- Sessions follow a consistent and predictable structure each week to support pupils with SEND in understanding expectations, managing transitions and reducing anxiety. This consistency helps build confidence, supports emotional regulation and enables pupils to engage more fully in learning.
The general structure includes:
- A ‘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
RADiate sessions are highly bespoke so that the needs of the pupils are fully supported. RADiate artists encourage pupil voice, choice and ownership by incorporating pupils’ movement ideas throughout the sessions. This approach supports independence, decision-making, self-esteem and positive engagement, aligning with wider SEND curriculum outcomes.
Progression is carefully planned using a balance of repetition and the gradual introduction of new activities, supporting pupils to develop physical, social and communication skills in small, manageable steps across each term.
RADiate works with a theme or prop to support the development of pupils’ movement vocabulary, creativity and expressive communication, which can link to current classroom topics, EHCP outcomes or pupil interests and are usually agreed in collaboration with the class teacher. Where appropriate, music is used to support sensory engagement and focus.
Who is this opportunity for?
Suitable for specialist schools and SEN bases in mainstream schools. We work across all London boroughs.
When does it take place?
Schools join the programme for a minimum of one academic year. Participation usually runs from September through to July.
What is the cost?
Partner schools contribute £60 per week for a minimum of 2 hours’ worth of dance sessions.
Register your interest
If you would like to become a school partner for the residency project during the 2026–27 academic year, please complete the RADiate School Residencies Interest Form online.
If you have any questions, then contact us at radiate@rad.org.uk.
“Their energy, their passion, their care, the quality of work, the way they are prepared. They are the living embodiment of what our pathway is about; it is with movement, it is through movement, it’s with play, playfulness, energy and passion. It is unbelievable. For me, it was five stars plus”
Bluebell Class Teacher, Swiss Cottage (PMLD school), Camden
Workshops and performance projects
We offer inclusive dance workshops and performance projects for learners of all ages, from early years through to young adults. Our work is designed to be flexible, responsive and accessible for schools, community groups and organisations to engage with high-quality dance tuition.
Our performance projects give SEND learners the opportunity to work towards a relaxed sharing. The emphasis is on the creative journey as well as the outcome, celebrating individual progress and achievement.
All activities are led by our experienced team of dance artists who work closely with teachers, support staff and carers to ensure sessions align with individual needs, EHCP outcomes and wider SEND curriculum goals. Choice, learner voice and ownership are central to our approach, empowering participants to contribute creatively and build confidence in their abilities. Through our workshops and performance projects, we support outcomes across communication and interaction, physical development, social and emotional wellbeing, independence and engagement – while fostering enjoyment and a strong sense of belonging.
What do we provide?
Customised inclusive workshops, minimum 2-hour timeframe. Session lengths are adapted to suit the ages and needs of the dancers.
Minimum 10-week performance development projects.
We also provide personalised CPD workshops for school staff and practitioners. Please see the professional development and mentoring section for further information.
Who is it for?
For schools, community groups and organisations across the UK.
When can we arrange a workshop?
We can arrange workshops Monday-Sunday to suit your group. Workshops can take place at the RAD’s global home for dance, or in your setting.
Please provide as much notice as possible with regard to your availability and selected dates. We suggest no less than 1 month’s notice.
What is the cost?
Half-day (2 hours) workshops: £355 + travel if outside of London.
Full day (5 hours) workshops: £680 + travel if outside of London.
10-week performance project: starting at £1,750.
Register your interest
If you are interested in booking a workshop or would like to enquire about a workshop or performance project, please fill out the RADiate Workshop Interest Form online, and we’ll get back to you with an outline of what we can provide.
If you have any questions, then contact us at radiate@rad.org.uk.
“I believe the project exceeded in benefiting students in all the following areas: Freedom, exploration, socialisation and class bonding, empowerment, health rewards, physically, spiritually and mentally”
Lead Practitioner, Share Community
“My colleagues and pupils have had an awesome time and had only wonderful things to say about the day! Thank you for a wonderful experience for all. This is how we remove barriers to social participation.”
TreeHouse School and Centre for Autism
“It was just magical to experience the journeys each student went on during the course of the project. Ultimately, the project helped to promote strength, coordination, and balance, improving overall well-being of all the students. Students will have happy memories to last a lifetime.”
Professional Development & Mentoring
Learn all about the RADiate approach – drawing on over 30 years of combined experience delivering inclusive dance and movement programmes across SEND, mainstream and specialist settings, we can offer high-quality Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for teachers, support staff and artists who currently work with SEND learners, or who are looking to develop their inclusive dance offer.
Current training is offered to the staff from our partner schools, free of charge, and focuses on building confidence and understanding for working creatively with SEND learners and adapting activities for the diverse needs of their classroom, to further support their pupils’ engagement.
We welcome enquiries for tailored CPD sessions to suit your setting and priorities, whether you are a mainstream school, special school, alternative provision or arts organisation. Training can take place in-school, at a partner venue, or at the RAD and can be delivered as part of an INSET day, as twilight sessions or a full-day training.
Our CPD for schools supports SEND curriculum outcomes while promoting creativity, wellbeing and meaningful inclusion.
In addition, individuals can book onto our core RADiate CPD modules. Information on upcoming topics, dates and venues will be published below, providing opportunities to develop knowledge, skills and confidence in inclusive dance practice.
Together, our mentoring opportunities and CPD activities help strengthen and support our subsidised activities, benefiting families attending classes at the RAD, as well as our work within primary schools.
Register your interest in CPD opportunities
To take part in RADiate CPD and join our mailing list, please fill out our CPD Interest Form online.
We’ll keep you up to date with future training dates and opportunities to grow and evolve your practice.
Future CPD dates and topics will be published here.
Mentoring opportunities in London
Join the RADiate programme as a supporting artist, and you will have access to paid CPD opportunities three times a year, plus on-the-job learning working alongside the lead artists.
Supporting artists gain practical tools and learn adaptable activities, providing them with increased confidence to embed inclusive movement and dance practice into their everyday work.
How do I become a supporting artist?
We are not currently recruiting new supporting artists. Further details will be shared on our current vacancies page in due course.
Other mentoring opportunities
Our mentoring offer provides personalised support for artists, teachers and support staff working with SEND learners. Led by our highly experienced team, our approach is practical, reflective and rooted in real classroom and studio practice.
We work alongside individuals to build confidence and further develop inclusive strategies to enable you to respond effectively to the needs of your SEND learners in the dance space.
Mentoring sessions are tailored to your setting and priorities and may focus on areas such as inclusive teaching best practice, behaviour and emotional regulation strategies, movement translation and use of open language, working with visual tools and aids, and adapting activities to support a wide range of needs.
Our supportive, collaborative approach creates space for reflection, problem-solving and professional growth. Whether you are seeking ongoing mentoring, short-term coaching around a specific challenge or support to embed inclusive practice across your organisation, we offer flexible models to meet your needs.
Our mentoring opportunities support improved outcomes for learners, increased staff confidence and sustainable, inclusive practice – empowering you to create accessible, meaningful and engaging learning experiences for all.
What we provide?
1-1 mini video consultation – a 1-hour introductory online call, ideal if you’re looking to discuss a specific challenge or themes and topic-based ideas, for example.
1-1 extended video consultation (over a number of weeks) – suitable for checking in on progress and development of a project and answering queries that arise along the way.
2-hour in-person observation and feedback report – suitable for those who have been working in inclusive dance for a period of time, who would like to receive further support to help develop their work and engagement of learners with particular additional needs.
Who is it for?
Suitable for dance artists, teachers, and support staff working with SEND learners in a dance space.
When?
At a time to suit you, we offer flexibility across weekdays, evenings and weekends.
What is the cost?
Starting from £150.
Register your interest
Please fill out our Mentoring Interest Form online.
Help us secure the future of our RADiate project
- £25 helps us provide sensory props to support the topic/theme a class is exploring through movement.
- £300 allows two primary school classes to experience a 45-minute dance and movement session with our team of specialist dance artists.
- £1,700 gives access for up to four primary school classes to enjoy a dance and movement session, once a week, over a 10-week term.
- £7,000 supports up to four classes for an entire academic year of high-quality dance tuition, which in turn helps to support children’s wider learning targets.
Additional information
Values
Access and inclusivity
We provide the framework for classes to take place during the school day so that no child is disadvantaged by financial, travel or logistical barriers. All our classes are all inclusive, welcoming all abilities and needs.
Participant centered
All forms of participation are welcome. We meet each participant where they are on that day, with no prescribed outcomes. Each participant’s interests and feedback form the cornerstone of our work: we encourage curiosity and contribution in whatever shape or form.
Curriculum enhancement
Sessions are designed to complement and contribute to children’s wider learning outcomes, including communication, decision making, self-regulation and creativity.
Experience
Our teachers are highly trained dance professionals who attend regular CPD to increase their knowledge and skills to respond to each individual and partner setting. We also provide a skilled network through which to share experiences and further develop inclusive practise.
What are the RADiate programme’s aims?
RADiate sessions aim to engage participants through dance, movement and music to develop their physicality and boost their self-esteem, with each session created to respond to the individual needs of the participants.
How does RADiate achieve its aims?
- Planning and delivering fun, creative and sensory dance activities underpinned by a coherent structure.
- Enabling participants to work alongside their peers, support staff, parents and/or carers to reach their full potential.
- Working in partnership with each setting to ensure that participants make progress in a supportive and motivational environment.
- Recruiting a small team of highly experienced dance artists who are assessed at regular intervals to ensure all expectations are met.
What do the participants benefit from?
- A non-verbal way to express themselves and their individuality
- Tailored class content responding to individual physicalities
- The use of Makaton signing and visual aids to support their learning and engagement, and the development of language skills where appropriate
What do settings benefit from?
- Access to a specialist team of dance artists with a wealth of experience delivering inclusive dance and movement sessions
- New ideas, tools and strategies to support further learning and engagement
- The opportunity to share in a fun and creative experience to enhance their own wellbeing
- The experience of showing support to participants in a different way from other classroom-based activities
- Developed confidence in their ability to implement creative learning practises
Feedback
‘It has a really positive impact on staff. We gain skills and develop as practitioners too.’
Aine, Co-SEND Lead Teacher from Evelina Hospital School
‘It was also great to have someone who really understands my work to help me move it to the next level.’
Jasmine, lead dance artist
‘I think the high-quality modelling, the opportunity to look at what other people are doing and to raise horizons through high-quality modelling, is very important.’
Patxi, Lead Practitioner for the Performing Arts from Tree House School
‘I think the main thing we can’t stress enough is finding extra-curricular opportunities for our children. I’ve searched high and low to find appropriate things. Our school is unique and the children’s support needs are very high, this is like gold dust to us.’
Meg, Assistant Head teacher from Sherwood Hill Primary School
‘They really understand the children. So over time they’ve really got to know them, especially our PMLD class with them being sensory learners.’
Sandy, teaching assistant from The Vale Primary School
‘Their level of attunement, and to be able to read the room and adjust their session. Their tone of voice, the speed of the session based on coming into the classroom on a week-to-week basis is just absolutely phenomenal.’
Gabbie, class teacher from Swiss Cottage Primary School
I’ve really enjoyed the children’s compositional work where they’ve put their ideas together and been able to use their own creativity while working together.’
Hilary, Autism Resource Unit Lead from Crown Lane Primary School
News and links
SEN Magazine – Talking creatively about accessibility with RADiate dance artist, Kirsty Purnell
World Ballet Day 2025 shines a spotlight on RADiate
Inclusive dance organisations around the UK
Directory of Inclusive Dance Organisations
Useful links
- Wandsworth SEND offer
- National Autistic Society
- Nurturing Affective Care
- UK Government SEND Reform
- Access Manifesto
- Parable Dance Inclusive Directory
- One Dance UK – Considering Difference
- FRONTLINE Dance Ltd – Access and Inclusivity Toolbox
Inclusive performance companies to go and see:
RADiate team
Artistic
Amy Robinson – Artist Development Officer
Emma Jones – Research and Evaluation Officer (Licensed Makaton Tutor)
Lead Dance Artists
Anna Nicholls
Caroline Forrest
Jasmine Hall
Kirsty Purnell
Laura Heywood
Maria Cassar
Paddy Webster
Tarika Ingram
Supporting Artists
Ana Noakes
Annabell Duft
Andrea Callaghan
Ciara O’Rourke
Hannah Carton
Ioanna Vazelaki
Jade Hyland
Jess Yeo
Mia Brown
Rebecca Hearson
Yun Cheng
Zollien Dove
Administration
Katie Dyke-Coomes
Chloe Atkinson
Support our work
Participating in the RADiate project has been shown to help children feel more confident in other areas of their lives, with increased social skills that they can transfer to everyday interactions. School staff report that listening and attention skills have been seen to improve, with case studies showing that pupils, in some contexts, have a greater ability to filter out distractions and focus on a task, with parents reporting an increased level of concentration at home too.
Physically, the RADiate sessions help children with their fine and gross motor skills, core stability and posture, coordination, timing and balance, alongside helping to improve their proprioception.
Key to the RADiate sessions is honouring each child’s sense of self and identity within the class, ensuring they each feel seen and celebrated, and we do this in collaboration with school staff and families.
Help us to continue bringing the joy of dance to children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities for another 30 years, please consider becoming an RAD Friend. You’ll join a growing community of dance lovers, hear from us about how we’re inspiring the world to dance, and get some exciting insider access in return for your support.
You may also be interested in…
Become a friend of the RAD
By joining our Friends scheme, you help ensure that this legacy continues to grow, innovate, and reach people from all over the world. By donating just £5 a month, you’ll receive exclusive RAD benefits and help us discover talent, widen access, and champion the art of dance.
Step into Dance
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.