Hello Teacher, below is a list of facts and questions on how to use The Big Book and The Learning Portal. We recommend you print out ‘The Big Book’ while navigating The Portal.

This is a choose-your-own pathway adventure. Pupils will watch filmed ‘fragments’ and then negotiate where to go next. We recognise there may be times when you might need a bit more learning control or time management. Read on. To start your experience, log in to the landing page using your unique password and ‘Enter the Portal’. 

The Portal has two sections: Pre-Show and Post Show. We suggest that you travel through as much of the Pre-Show as possible before you watch the play.  From this point on you will be able to choose your route through The Portal. If you want more control, you can return to the topographical map at any time and click on a scene of your choice.  The Portal will resume normal service from there. You can pause a fragment but you cannot rewind.  if you want to see one again to reinforce learning, use the map.  Similarly, if you wish to skip a fragment because you’ve seen it before, use the map. 

The map is a bit of a cheat, as it takes away that sense of pupil agency, so use sparingly. For Time Allocations, see page 5. All The Portal fragments and The Big Book exercises are suitable for both KS2 and KS3 unless otherwise stated. More experienced Teachers will find the contents of this book useful for generating their own ideas, early career or non-specialist teachers may find the scaffolded sessions useful.  KS2 teachers exploring the use of Drama in their classroom may also find some of the KS3 lesson plans useful. Go and explore!

The actors you see in The Portal were the original actors that made the production of Josephine. Actors’ availability changes over time so the actors you see on stage may not be the same as those in The Portal. Turn on your imagination and you may not even notice. 

If The Portal crashes or exhibits technical glitches please contact our help desk:  CREATIVE.LEARNING@THEATREROYAL.ORG.UK and we will try to resolve the issue as swiftly as we possibly can. 

CAUTION: The Portal is for educational use only; please do not share with or sell to third parties, or make copies – otherwise we’ll send the ghost of Josephine to haunt you!