Pupils at St Edmund’s Catholic Primary School have taken part in an immersive drama day led by the Rise Theatre Company, who visited the school this term to deliver their new production, Treasure Within.
Rise Theatre CIC is a professional Christian theatre company known for using storytelling, song and interactive performance to explore themes such as human dignity, solidarity and social responsibility. Their visit to the Calne school included workshops and classroom activities, which staff said were enthusiastically received by the children.
The day was funded by the Friends of Saint Edmund’s, the school’s volunteer group that raises money to support and enhance the curriculum.
St Edmund’s, part of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust (DCET), has also recently welcomed a new executive headteacher. Helen Biles-Wood has joined the school to support its focus on high-quality education and positive pupil experiences.
Parents seeking a place for September 2026 can meet Helen at the school’s open day on 4 December at 9.30am. Bookings can be made by calling 01249 813821, and individual tours are available.
Head of school Louise Taverner said the theatre visit had been a highlight of the term. “The Rise Theatre team were absolutely brilliant. You could see from their expressions that the children were gripped from start to finish.”
Helen Taylor, CEO of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust, said the day reflected the values shared across DCET schools. “The principles of Catholic social teaching sit at the heart of school life across the trust. It’s wonderful to see these principles brought to life in such a creative, thoughtful and fun way.”
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