On Wednesday 17th April, 29 high achievers on Accelerated Reader from years 7 and 8 were rewarded with a trip to the Grand Theatre to watch a performance of The Boy at the Back of the Class. Based on the bestselling book by Onjali Q Raúf, it tells the story of a 9-year-old girl and her best friends who suddenly find the empty chair at the back of their classroom filled by a strange new boy who never talks, never smiles and doesn’t like sweets- not even lemon sherbets! After learning that their new friend, Ahmet, has fled a war-torn country, they start work on “The Greatest Idea in the World”- to reunite Ahmet with his family.
As described by the Grand Theatre website, “Told from a child’s perspective, balancing heart and humour, THE BOY AT THE BACK OF THE CLASS highlights the power of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn’t always make sense and reminds us that everyone needs a place to call home.”
This show was a clear choice as a reward trip as it is important for students to see and understand the views of others and to empathise with those who may have been affected by war and/or displacement. The themes of the show help to educate and encourage peace and acceptance of everyone in society, and remind us of the importance of friendship and- as our protagonists mother points out- how kindness is stronger than anything.
I really enjoyed the show, the performances were amazing and it made me really think about how war can effect people's lives. - Scarlett Year 7
The actors were really realistic and this scenario could happen anywhere. The show made me think about what things people could be going through that we don't know about. The performances were really emotional and the actors were really convincing. - Alana Year 7
Our students once again were a credit to the school, with staff at the theatre calling them a really good group and complimenting their behaviour, particularly during the theatre’s school dismissal procedures.
The Accelerated Reader programme continues to produce high achievers, with many students in lower school now having earned their bronze certificates and more and more reaching silver, undoubtedly leading to many more reward trips for the department!
