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UK state-funded schools

The best of British theatre in your classroom. For free.

UK state-funded schools

The National Theatre Collection brings the best of British Theatre to all UK state-funded schools for free. Our unique collection presents high quality recordings of world-class productions, plus a range of tailored learning resources.

We are adding new productions to the NT Collection! 20 new titles will be added by the end of February 2022, bringing the total number of productions to 50. As a UK state school no re-registration is necessary and the new titles will be added to your subscription automatically.

Recorded live at the National Theatre and other leading venues, the Collection is available to stream in the classroom and at home, giving students the best seats in the house whenever you want.  Resources such as rehearsal insights and short films will aid students’ understanding of play texts and the theatre-making process and inspire them to experience live performances.

If you have any other questions or feedback, please contact us at [email protected].

Students in UK state-funded schools can now access the Collection remotely until the end of the 2021 academic year.

Following recent announcements from the UK Government the Collection is now available to pupils and teachers at state schools and state-funded further education colleges, via remote access in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing. Until the end of the academic year 2021, schools can share log-in details with pupils so they can access resources at home. 

National Theatre Collection | Trailer

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Productions

Primary

Introduce your pupils to Shakespeare with vibrant adaptations of Romeo and Juliet and The Winter’s Tale for younger audiences. They can also discover the magic of storytelling with adaptations of the classic novels Peter Pan and Treasure Island. Inspire fun and creativity in your very youngest pupils with a joyous adaptation of I Want My Hat Back.

Secondary – English

Explore Shakespeare with productions of Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet ,Twelfth Night, King Lear (Donmar Warehouse), Coriolanus (Donmar Warehouse), Julius Caesar (Bridge Theatre). Watch novels come to life on stage withacclaimed adaptations of literary classics Frankenstein, Jane Eyre and Small Island. Support your students in their study of twentieth century drama, with productions including A View from the Bridge (Young Vic), All My Sons (Old Vic) and Translations.

Secondary – Drama and Theatre Studies

Discover a range of theatrical styles, from Greek tragedies including Antigone and Medea, to the American greats including A Streetcar Named Desire (Young Vic), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Young Vic) and Les Blancs.  Introduce students to European twentieth-century classics such as Yerma (Young Vic), Hedda Gabler, Julie, The Cherry Orchard and The Deep Blue Sea and to extraordinary contemporary plays including Barber Shop Chronicles.

Secondary – Technical Theatre and Production Arts

Compare examples of extraordinary design and theatre-craft through a diverse range of productions and genres, including classic comedies One Man, Two Guvnors, She Stoops to Conquer and London Assurance, and exciting new writing, such as This House, Dara, Consent and wonder.land.

FAQs

Is the NT Collection available remotely to watch from home? 
In partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing, we are making the NT Collection available to be accessed from home for free by students in UK state-funded schools.Yes, the NT Collection is available to be accessed remotely. Students will be able tocan watch all 30 productions currently in the NT Collection via Drama Online. They will also be able to access learning resources and short form video content.

I'm a teacher, how do I get more information or sign up for this?  
The link to the registration form here: https://jcsonlineresources.org/national-theatre-collection-registration-form/  

I'm a student, how do I get more information or sign up for this?  
The registration form must be filled out by a member of staff at your school, so please get in touch with one of your teachers to ask about gaining access. 

What happens if the login is shared beyond teachers and students?  
The NT Collection is strictly only to be accessed by teachers and students at verified schools and institutions. We have, with the support of artists, been able to secure specific rights for educational use. We will be actively monitoring online use of the Collection, and any evidence of logins being shared beyond authorised access will result in the account being blocked and service suspended. 
 
I’m a teacher and having difficulty with the sign-up process. Who can I talk to? 
Please email [email protected] 

What should I do if I’m a teacher in a UK private school, or international institution? 
The NT Collection is available to UK fee-paying schools and education institutions worldwide via subscription or one-off payment.

You can find out more information here: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning/national-theatre-collection/faqs-fee-paying-schools-and-institutions 

Find details of how to sign up to a free trial here: https://www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/pages/the-national-theatre-collection 

Is the National Theatre Collection different to National Theatre On Demand In Schools?
Yes. The National Theatre Collection draws on ten years of NT Live broadcasts, alongside Archive recordings never seen before outside of the National Theatre Archive, giving you a larger and more diverse selection of productions. On Demand In Schools has been closed down.

Is the NT Schools Collection a free service?
Yes, the service is free of charge to all state-funded schools in the United Kingdom.

How do I sign up?
You can sign up now via Bloomsbury Publishing's award-winning digital library Drama Online.

As a UK state school do I have to re-subscribe to access?
No, only one person per school should register and no re-registration is necessary. New productions will automatically be added to state-schools’ subscriptions.

Do I have to belong to an educational organisation to access the NT Collection?
Yes, the NT Collection is available exclusively to educational institutions.

I don't belong to a state-funded school, but I do belong to an educational institution, can I still access the Collection?
Yes, the NT Collection is available via Bloomsbury or ProQuest. Find out more.

The National Theatre Collection is supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), Fondation Hoffmann, Sidney E. Frank Foundation, The Attwood Education Foundation, The Candide Trust, The Cranshaw Corporation for Mrs. Robert I. MacDonald, Graham and Joanna Barker, The Borrows Charitable Trust, Barbara G. Fleischman, Linda Hackett and members of the NT Collection Syndicate.