School assemblies are an integral part of the community life of a school and should be enjoyed by pupils and teachers alike.
Assemblies can take the form of one teacher presenting it on his/her own, or a short but entertaining performance by the class.
Solo assemblies
- Plan your opening line and start by asking a few questions to get the pupils interested.
- Practise it aloud and time it to get it right.
- Learn the script: never read (you can hold a prompt sheet with a few key words if you find it difficult to remember each detail).
- Prepare a few visuals such as overhead projector acetate sheets or a PowerPoint display.
- Plan a final line which finishes the story off well. Write it on your prompt sheet if you find it hard to remember.
On the day
- Try to be in the hall with everything set up before the others arrive.
- Bring a glass of water.
- As the pupils enter and leave, play music which is pleasant but soothing to set a calm atmosphere.
- If the children start to fidget, ask a few more questions to get it back.
- Make eye-contact with the pupils -it helps to keep their attention.
- If telling a story, put lots of expression into the dialogue, mimicking characters and miming actions - children love it!.
Class assemblies
Try to be in the hall with everything set up before the others arrive.
Class assemblies are much more difficult to prepare but more beneficial to the pupils.Pupils love people to perform and watch others performing, and it gives the less academic pupils an opportunity catch the limelight. Attention-seeking pupils have a chance to grab attention in a positive way.
Performing in front of an audience builds up their confidence and self-esteem. Giving pupils with special needs the biggest part they can handle sometimes works wonders.
Planning a class assembly
Remember to include an element of fun. The assembly should have an objective - a lesson to be learnt.
Emphasize the importance of speaking clearly. Teach your pupils to lower the pitch of their voices to raise the volume instead of shouting. Also get them to speak slowly to make their words come across more clearly.
Share the workload. If you want them to sing a song, ask the music teacher to help you. If you want them to do a dance, ask the PE teacher.
Make sure everyone has a part: try to split lines up as evenly as you can. Some parents are quick to complain if their child has nothing to say.
As with solo assemblies, try to make sure everyone memorises their part. Reading it is never as impressive.
Pupils in key stage 2 often want to dress up for assembly so tell that is fine but they must provide their own costume, but emphasize that it is the quality of performance which really counts.
On the day
As with solo assemblies, don’t forget the music for entry and going out. At the end of the performance, publicly thank any of the staff who helped you.
When it is over
Mentally evaluate. You can judge the quality by how well the audience concentrates and enjoys it. Make a note of anything which might be helpful for the future.
Shower the children with praise, especially those who don’t have so many opportunities to earn it.
If someone has made a mess of something tell the child it was hardly noticeable and praise them for what they did well.
Keep an assembly file with all the overhead projector acetates, disks with PowerPoint displays and notes retrieved from the internet. You can use them in the future.
Stuck for ideas?
These are just a few ideas you may find useful.
- Religious festivals - all faiths of course.
- Saints' days.
- A resumé of something you are studying in class.
- An account of a school trip.
- An account of an historical event or building in the school’s locality.
- Aesop’s Fables – especially for key stage 1.
- Topical sporting events - the Olympic Games, the latest marathon, the World Cup, Wimbledon.
- 'Modern day' saints – Schindler, Mother Theresa, Mary Seacole, Nelson Mandela. Emphasize their qualities of courage, willingness to stand up to injustice, care for others.
- Anniversary events, Jubilees, Independence days, Thanksgivings.
- 'On this day, one hundred years ago...' There are books telling about events which took place in the past on every date in the calendar.
- Who do you admire? Braveheart, Shakespeare, John Lennon, Louis Braille, Steven Speilberg, Alexander Graham Bell, David Beckham, JK Rowling. Each has something to be admired - talent, perseverance, hard work.
Useful reading
- Baudet, S (2003) Inspirational lives. Educational Printing Services: Blackburn
- Baudet, S. (2002) Let’s Think. Educational Printing Services: Blackburn
- Hughes, T (2005) To the Moon. Educational Printing Services: Blackburn
- Kidwell, V. (2004) Assemblies Made Easy. Continuum International Publishing Group: London
- Webb, D.(2005) Assembly Chest Educational Printing Services: Blackburn
- Mayo, S. and Jenkins, S. (1989) On this day in History.Armada Books: London
The above advice was provided for ATL by teaching specialist Hazel Bennett, author of
The ultimate teachers' handbook. Hazel can be emailed at
hazel@hazelbennett.co.uk.
Useful websites
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Your first teaching job marks an incredibly exciting time ahead but as well as excitement you may also feel apprehension.You certainly won't be alone in this. Knowing where to turn for help and advice before you start work will assist you to thrive, not just survive, in this all-important year. That’s why we’ve created this booklet for you. Not only does it include tips on things like parents’ evenings, writing reports or disciplining pupils, it also guides you through the various ways ATL can provide advice and support.
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