Austentatious

Posted at 11:08 am on 25th January, 2018

Over one hundred and eighty year 7 and 8 students celebrated all things Jane Austen earlier this term, with an event organised by Mr Owen, Learning Resource Assistant, including a screening of Pride and Prejudice and drama and debating workshops.

Groups of year 7 and 8 students utilised core GCSE English skills through drama and debating workshops. Year 7’s got creative modernising the ballroom scene from Pride and Prejudice in which Elizabeth Bennett meets Mr Darcy for the first time; whilst year 8’s debated various contemporary topics by using Pride and Prejudice as a base.

The event empowered our students to consider the difficulties of women in the past - from how they were expected to act in a particular way towards suitors through to how it was a mother’s role to get her daughters successfully married.

Many students really enjoyed the workshop debates and particular enjoyed the screening of Pride and Prejudice; staying behind during break to finish watching the film.

Year 8 students commented:

‘I really enjoyed learning about the troubles of women in the past. It’s really scary that they were expected to be seen and not heard.’

‘Jane Austen is one of my favourite authors. It’s shocking that a man of ‘fortune’ was expected to find a wife with a certain qualities or status, rather than marry for love.’