Ariel Othellos at Bohunt School (©AAH/Alan Wright)
Ariel Company Theatre has secured significant funding from the Postcode Lottery to expand its Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) programme.
Ariel Company Theatre was founded in 1993 and provides training in drama, singing and dance for children at Academies in seven Sussex towns – Brighton, Burgess Hill, Crawley, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath, Horsham and Uckfield. Six of its Academies, including Horsham, also offer an inclusive group called Ariel Othellos, where a team of professional tutors teach young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Nicci Hopson, Ariel Company Director, said: ‘Many years ago, we welcomed a wonderful young man called Rob to our first Academy in Burgess Hill. Rob had Down’s Syndrome, yet loved being part of the Company and formed close friendships within the group. Following a conversation with Sue Jay, formerly Head of Creative Arts at Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee School in Horsham, we established Othellos, offering young people with additional needs with opportunities to express themselves and perform. Since then, the popularity of Othellos has snowballed. As we have opened new Academies across the county, our SEND provision has expanded too, with Uckfield being the only Academy without an Othellos group.’
‘Some students from our mainstream academies – those most passionate about performing – go on to study at performing arts colleges such as Brit School or BN1 Arts, or continue to enjoy acting and singing in amateur groups and societies. However, we realised that options for our SEND juniors were more limited, so established Othellos Plus in Burgess Hill and Brighton, where they can continue to enjoy performing until they are 60, should they wish! We now have over 100 students in our Junior Othellos programme, with another 50 in Othellos Plus, so it has been a huge success.’
Ariel Othellos at Bohunt School (©AAH/Alan Wright)
BUDDY SCHEME
This commitment to inclusivity has seen Ariel receive several accolades. It received the Lady Diana Award of Excellence, recognising the outstanding impact of the Othellos and the Buddies scheme, and was short-listed for the Community Organisation Award at the National Diversity Awards.
A National Lottery grant funded the appointment of Rachel Nunns as Othellos Buddies Co-Ordinator, while a recent grant of £50,000 over three years from the Postcode Society Trust (funded by the Postcode Lottery) will fund the transition of students from the SEND programme to mainstream Academies, and provide additional support for Othello Juniors to attend Ariel’s summer workshops.
Rachel said: ‘For students with additional needs, Othellos provides a safe environment for them to enjoy all aspects of performing. However, there are some students who have additional needs, yet are capable of achieving things within a mainstream environment with the right support. This funding means we can help them achieve this. The SEND spectrum is vast and we have the experience to know that some young people only need a little extra support to join our mainstream Academies. Without such support, they sometimes fall into a “no-man’s-land” between the Academies and Othellos, which is why we’re very excited about this trial.
‘We have seen the hugely positive social impact this can have. Junior Othello students often form close bonds with their “buddies” from the Academies, and being able to join them in Academy classes will give them a huge confidence boost and make them feel even more valued. For some who attend specialist schools, Ariel classes might provide them with their only opportunity to socialise with children from mainstream schools, while our LAMDA certifications could be one of the only qualifications they attain. So, Ariel has a big impact on their well-being and confidence, while it also helps buddies develop life skills.’
Ariel Othellos at Bohunt School (©AAH/Alan Wright)
SHINING LIGHTS
Othello Juniors meet at Bohunt School, Horsham, every Saturday from 5 – 6pm. The Horsham class is led by Matt Godfrey, Principal of Ariel Horsham and also an Ariel Development Officer. Each Othello is supported by a volunteer Ariel Academy Buddy. Like the children in the mainstream Academies, Othello Juniors are trained in drama, singing and dance, culminating in an annual showcase.
Ariel also organises workshops, which range from one-day experiences to week-long courses during the holidays. Some of these have been held at schools which offer specialist educational provision, including New Barn School in Horsham. However, Othello Juniors often join students from Ariel’s other academies at the workshops, including one scheduled for August – a production of Disney’s Newsies Jr.
From its foundation, Ariel has also provided free London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) qualifications in acting and musical theatre. Some of its students have gone on to successful careers in the industry, including singer Maisie Peters, who recently released her third studio album, Florescence, and has supported the likes of Taylor Swift and Coldplay. Other Ariel alumni include Musical Theatre actor Fraser Woolcott (Wicked, Moulin Rouge). There are increasingly opportunities for people with additional needs too, with one former Othello student appearing in ITV drama, Grantchester. While proud of its alumni, Ariel focuses on developing skills that can be utilised to serve society as a whole…
Nicci said: ‘We encourage students to pursue LAMDA exams, particularly if they dreams of working in entertainment. However, it’s not all razzmatazz. We have 800 students and only a very small percentage have aspirations to perform on a West End stage. That’s why it’s important that we help them develop the skills to shine in other fields. Of course, it’s wonderful when a former student progresses to a professional level and we love going up to London to see them perform. However, our students will also be doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers and many other occupations. I hope we give them transitional skills that they can utilise to become more confident individuals, whatever their career. I recently met a former student now working as a nurse, who said that she couldn’t do the job with the compassion and empathy it requires without gaining the communication skills she developed at Ariel. That’s what we are all about.’
Further information: The Horsham Ariel Othellos group meets at Bohunt School on Saturdays, 5 – 6pm. Email: arielothellos@arielct.com or visit: www.arielothellos.com
Published in the June 2026 edition of AAH Magazine. Photos: Alan Wright Photography/Words: Ben Morris