Less time planning, and more time inspiring.
Explore expert lesson plans, performance videos, images and interactive tasks, student log-ins, assessments tools and more to curate your curriculum your way, and open up Shakespeare’s plays to every student. Sign up and explore:
• 24 deliverable lesson plans
• Eight modules designed to explore the plays as actors and directors
• Interactive Digital Playtext
• A full RSC production to watch on demand
• Over 2,000 resources including images and videos
• Interactive tasks for classroom and studio settings
• Student log-ins and home learning
SIGN UP NOWShakespeare remains fundamental to a young person’s education, with approximately two million young people studying his work each year in the UK. Yet so many young people feel alienated by the plays, struggling with comprehension, interpretation and confidence.
Teachers everywhere tell us the same thing: ‘I need better tools to help my students connect with these incredible plays.’
The Shakespeare Curriculum is built for exactly that challenge.
Our new digital platform transforms how students experience Shakespeare – making his words and worlds come alive.
The RSC was able to build this platform due to donations from the Foyle Foundation and John Jennings Trust.
As a result, we are able to offer free access to UK state funded secondary and SEND schools. Private education schools will be able to access the platform with tiered pricing.
SIGN UPCreated by educators who understand your constraints and needs. Engages students across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 through rich and embodied learning. Students don’t just read Shakespeare – they experience it.
Created by educators who understand your constraints and needs. Engages students across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 through rich and embodied learning. Students don’t just read Shakespeare – they experience it.
Works for you. Select individual activities to add to your existing lesson plans or build an entire curriculum plan within the platform, from first session to final assessment.
Works for you. Select individual activities to add to your existing lesson plans or build an entire curriculum plan within the platform, from first session to final assessment.
Built on proven RSC approaches that have seen growth in engagement and understanding for thousands of students.
Built on proven RSC approaches that have seen growth in engagement and understanding for thousands of students.
“I honestly think it’s absolutely brilliant. I think the amount of resources that are available from the archive is truly brilliant. It's amazing to have that on hand, and I feel excited about planning my lessons.”
We’re inviting teachers across the UK to sign up to the Shakespeare Curriculum and make a lasting difference with Shakespeare’s work in our schools and in students’ lives.
The platform offers expert guidance, ready-to-use materials and tracking and assessment tools at your fingertips.
Upon registration, you’ll receive confirmation and regular updates.
Macbeth is now live on the platform, with Romeo and Juliet to follow in 2026.
SIGN UPRadically transform the way you teach Shakespeare at Key Stage 3 and 4. Immerse your students in the creative world of the RSC rehearsal-room, bringing Shakespeare’s stories, language and characters to life.
Get answers to the most common questions about the platform; registration, functionality, accessibility and more...
The Shakespeare Curriculum is a new digital platform created to transform how Shakespeare is taught and learned about in secondary schools; it aims to empower teachers and students in an engaging, immersive and interactive way. The platform provides a term’s worth of lessons with activities, films, audio and production images to teach individual plays to Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 English and Drama students, as well as a wealth of engaging and inspiring features for students to explore. By 2030, we will have ten of Shakespeare’s most studied plays available on the platform for all UK state-funded secondary schools to access free of charge. Teachers told us they needed more resources and tools – the Shakespeare Curriculum platform is our solution. We have partnered with schools, actors and education partners to develop engaging content that will help students to maximise their understanding of Shakespeare and transform their experience in school.
The content within the Shakespeare Curriculum has been designed for years 7-11, and lessons are suitable for adaptive teaching, to meet the abilities and requirements of all students. Each lesson includes an extension section which contains written activities particularly suited to Key Stage 4 students or those requiring further challenge. There are also revision bundles, a Digital Playtext and quizzes that have been designed to strengthen understanding and support students through exams.
Yes. We offer a variety of SEND resources: All our mainstream lessons are accompanied by Teacher Guides which include adaptations for SEND learners in mainstream settings. We also offer a specific SEND curriculum for each play, devised by specialist SEND teachers for learners with MLD. This is primarily for delivery within specialised SEND settings. These lessons are also accompanied by Teacher Guides which include further sensory adaptations that can be made for learners with PMLD. All these resources can be tailored to suit the specific needs of your students, by using our Curriculum Builder to select activities. Access to the Shakespeare Curriculum is free of charge for SEND schools.
The Shakespeare Curriculum is currently only available to UK Secondary and SEND schools. We are exploring when and how we release the platform to further education, primary and international schools in the future.
The Shakespeare Curriculum is currently only available to UK Secondary and SEND schools. We are exploring when and how we release the platform to home educators in the future.
The Shakespeare Curriculum has everything you need to effectively teach Shakespeare. Lessons offer two pathways: teaching in a classroom environment, and teaching in a hall or studio. Teachers can choose the best option for the space they have available. Both options have identical learning objectives and outcomes. Lesson content has been designed to be used with a projector or interactive whiteboard, and usually needs sound enabled. The platform is web-based, therefore an internet connection is required. Printable resources are listed on each Lesson Plan page and are available as both pdfs and editable doc files.
We are delighted to be able to subsidise the Shakespeare Curriculum for state secondary schools in the UK. The RSC was able to build this platform due to donations from The Foyle Foundation and John Jennings Trust, who with the RSC wanted to create a platform accessible to as many students and teachers as possible to revolutionise the way young people engage with Shakespeare. As a result, we are able to offer free access to UK state-funded secondary and SEND schools. Independent schools can access the platform with tiered pricing. Payments are made using our payments processor, Stripe and you can pay using card payment or BACS Direct Debit. At this stage, each school will need to select how many students they want to use the platform – this can be changed at a later date. We will be exploring when and how we release the platform to Further Education, Primary and International Schools in the future.
Yes, you will need to use your school’s email address to register your account. If another teacher at your school has already signed up, you’ll be notified and directed to request access to the platform through them. They will be referred to as your school’s ‘Lead Teacher’, which is an assignment which can be changed as you require.
For technical support, once you register please visit our Support page for troubleshooting tips and guides on how to use the platform. This section includes IT - and firewall - specific details your school’s IT team may need, as well as hints and tips on how to get the most out of the Shakespeare Curriculum. If you still need support, please contact our friendly team on schools.curriculum@rsc.org.uk
The Shakespeare Curriculum has been designed to be accessible to all students and teachers. We have tailored onboarding approaches for all schools, please do get in touch if you need further assistance with the registration process. Please contact our team at schools.curriculum@rsc.org.uk and we will be happy to assist you.
The Shakespeare Curriculum is a web-based platform that can be run on most common operating systems with an internet connection. We have built the platform to be used with recent versions of modern browsers; Google Chrome (120 or later), Microsoft Edge (79 or later), Mac Safari (14.1 or later), iPad: Safari (on iPadOS 14.5 or later), Firefox (122 or later).
We are working on bringing single sign on to the Shakespeare Curriculum later in 2025. If you need or plan to use your school’s SSO functionality, please get in touch via schools.curriculum@rsc.org.uk and we’ll let you know once it’s available.
The Shakespeare Curriculum is now live and free to access by UK state-maintained secondary schools and SEND schools, thanks to funding from The Foyle Foundation and John Jennings Legacy.
Sign upIndependent schools can access the platform with tiered pricing based on number of students. Schools select how many students they want to use the platform – this can be changed at a later date.
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In partnership with the Foyle Foundation