Engaging local schools in your eisteddfod programme
A local school can bring energy, creativity, and a new generation of performers into an eisteddfod. Its pupils may already be learning Welsh songs, traditional dance, poetry, storytelling, or music, yet they may not immediately see how these activities connect with the wider cultural life of their community. A thoughtful school partnership can make that connection clear.
Successful involvement begins well before the festival day. Schools need an invitation that fits their timetable, teachers need practical information, and pupils need opportunities that feel welcoming rather than intimidating. When the relationship is planned carefully, the eisteddfod becomes part of the school year instead of an isolated event.
For organising committees, this work also strengthens the future of the local festival. Children who perform, volunteer, create artwork, or help with publicity are more likely to recognise the eisteddfod as something that belongs to them. Their families and teachers become more familiar with the event, helping to build a stronger audience and a wider volunteer base.
Build a partnership with the school
The first contact should be personal, clear, and early. A committee member can approach the headteacher, Welsh subject lead, music coordinator, or community engagement officer with a short outline of the festival and the ways the school could participate. Explain the cultural purpose, the expected time commitment, and the support the committee can provide.
Schools are busy organisations, so avoid sending an open-ended request that leaves teachers to design the whole project. Offer several realistic options, such as a choir performance, a group recitation, a folk dance demonstration, a craft display, or a class visit. A menu of choices allows the school to select an activity that matches its pupils, staff capacity, and curriculum priorities.
It is useful to agree on one named contact from each organisation. The school contact can gather permissions, coordinate rehearsals, and share updates with staff, while the eisteddfod representative can provide music, scripts, judging information, transport details, and publicity materials. Written confirmation prevents small misunderstandings from becoming problems close to the event.
Link participation with learning
School involvement is strongest when it supports learning already taking place. An eisteddfod programme can connect naturally with the Curriculum for Wales through the expressive arts, languages, humanities, literacy, communication, and wider community participation. Teachers can use local history, Welsh place names, traditional stories, or regional music as starting points for classroom work.
The committee can prepare a simple education pack with age-appropriate poems, song lyrics, pronunciation guidance, background notes, and recordings. Include Welsh and English explanations where appropriate, while encouraging the use of Welsh as much as each school can manage. A short audio example can give pupils confidence with unfamiliar words and melodies.
Projects can be adapted for different year groups. Younger children might learn a traditional nursery song, create colourful festival decorations, or explore simple movement patterns. Older pupils could research a local custom, write bilingual poetry, arrange a folk tune, interview a community performer, or produce a short digital presentation about the history of the eisteddfod.
Teachers should never feel that participation requires a specialist background in folk culture. A workshop leader, local musician, folk dancer, or cerdd dant practitioner can visit the school or provide an online session. This practical support helps staff introduce traditional Welsh cultural forms accurately and enthusiastically.
Offer meaningful ways to take part
Performing on the main stage is valuable, but it should not be the only route into the festival. Some pupils may be confident singers or dancers, while others may prefer design, technology, photography, writing, event support, or welcoming visitors. A broad programme gives more children a genuine role.
Schools could contribute a choir, folk singing group, drama scene, recitation, instrumental ensemble, or cerdd dant performance. They might also create a procession, display handmade banners, present a local history exhibition, or lead a short traditional dance workshop for families. These activities make the event feel active and participatory rather than centred solely on competition.
Consider a schools’ strand within the wider eisteddfod. It could include relaxed non-competitive showcases alongside formal competitions. Where competitions are offered, publish clear age categories, repertoire requirements, rehearsal expectations, and adjudication arrangements. A supportive atmosphere matters, especially for pupils attending an eisteddfod for the first time.
| School contribution | Suitable preparation | Support from the committee | Possible festival role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choir or group singing | Weekly rehearsal and shared recordings | Welsh lyrics, pronunciation help, accompanist | Opening performance or community concert |
| Folk dancing | Visiting workshop and movement practice | Dance tutor, safe floor space, music | Demonstration or family participation session |
| Poetry or recitation | Script selection and vocal coaching | Suggested texts, microphones, stage rehearsal | Competition, showcase, or bilingual presentation |
| Cerdd dant group | Instrument and vocal preparation | Practitioner workshop and performance guidance | Featured cultural performance |
| Creative display | Classroom art or local history project | Exhibition boards, labels, display space | Festival gallery or foyer exhibition |
| Young volunteers | Briefing and role allocation | Training, named supervisor, safeguarding process | Welcome desk, ushering, photography, or backstage help |
A school contribution should be presented as a respected part of the programme, not as a filler between adult performances. Include pupils’ names or school names in the printed programme when consent allows, introduce their work properly, and thank them publicly. Recognition encourages schools to return and shows families that their children’s contribution matters.
Prepare pupils and teachers for the day
A first visit can feel uncertain if children do not know what will happen. Share a straightforward timetable showing arrival, registration, warm-up, performance, breaks, refreshments, and departure. Include information about clothing, instruments, accessibility, changing areas, supervision, and what pupils should bring.
A short visit to the venue can make a significant difference. Pupils can see the stage, locate the toilets, practise entering and leaving, and learn how microphones work. If an in-person visit is not possible, provide photographs or a short video walkthrough. Stage familiarity reduces anxiety and helps the event run to time.
Safeguarding must be agreed before the school takes part. The school remains responsible for its pupils unless another arrangement has been formally established. Confirm supervision ratios, arrival and collection procedures, consent forms, photography permissions, first-aid arrangements, and contact details for the responsible adults. Any workshop leader or volunteer working directly with children should follow the relevant safeguarding requirements.
Accessibility should be part of the planning from the beginning. Ask the school whether pupils need hearing support, quiet space, step-free access, adapted instruments, visual instructions, or additional preparation. Build in flexible participation so a child can contribute through movement, signing, backstage support, artwork, or recorded material if a live performance is unsuitable.
Make the event welcoming for families
School participation can bring new families through the eisteddfod doors, but families need practical reasons to attend. Give schools shareable information in both Welsh and English, including the date, location, admission arrangements, parking, refreshments, performance times, and whether younger siblings are welcome. Avoid assuming that every family understands how an eisteddfod works.
Invite parents and carers to take part in simple ways. They might help with costumes, provide transport, join a community choir, bring traditional recipes to a cultural stall, or attend a family folk dance session. A school newsletter, digital noticeboard, and parent messaging platform can reach households more effectively than a general poster campaign.
Think carefully about cost. Free or low-cost school entry, loaned costumes, shared transport, and affordable refreshments can remove barriers. If the festival relies on ticket income, consider a family ticket or a school partnership rate. Explain any costs early so that no child feels excluded because of an unexpected payment.
The festival should represent the community in its language, imagery, and programming. Use Welsh naturally in announcements, signage, songs, and workshops, with clear support for those who are still learning. A welcoming bilingual approach can encourage participation without making pupils or parents feel judged for their current level of Welsh.
Keep the relationship growing
The eisteddfod should continue its contact with schools after the final performance. Send a short thank-you message, photographs where permissions allow, certificates, or a recording of the event. Ask teachers which activities worked well and what would make participation easier next year. Feedback is most useful when it is gathered while the experience is still fresh.
A simple annual calendar can turn a one-off invitation into a lasting programme. For example, autumn might focus on introductions and workshops, winter on classroom projects, spring on rehearsals and school showcases, and summer on the main eisteddfod. Regular contact also gives the committee time to secure tutors, funding, venues, and equipment.
Schools can become partners in cultural development rather than occasional performers. Invite teachers to planning meetings, involve older pupils in youth committees, and create junior volunteer roles with clear supervision. A young person who helps choose a theme or design a poster may later return as a performer, steward, adjudicator, or committee member.
Practical actions for a stronger school link
- Contact schools at least one term before the festival and provide a concise participation pack.
- Offer several contribution routes, including performance, creative work, volunteering, and family activities.
- Provide Welsh-language resources, recordings, workshop leaders, and pronunciation support.
- Agree safeguarding, accessibility, transport, consent, and supervision arrangements in writing.
- Recognise pupils and teachers publicly and collect feedback to improve the next programme.
Give schools a reason to return
A strong school partnership is built on reliability, respect, and shared purpose. When committees make participation manageable, celebrate young contributors, and connect festival activities with classroom learning, schools can become enthusiastic advocates for the local eisteddfod. The result is a programme that reflects the whole community and gives traditional Welsh culture room to grow.
Begin with one realistic partnership if your committee is new to school engagement. Meet with a local teacher, choose an activity that can be supported properly, and set a date for reviewing the experience. Then develop what works into workshops, performances, and youth opportunities that schools can look forward to each year. Contact your local schools, share a clear invitation, and start building the next generation of eisteddfod participants.