putting two very different things side by side to highlight contrast or create meaning

having weaknesses or faults, like making mistakes or bad choices

showing skill or being clever and quick in the way something is done

very famous and easily recognised; representing something important or special

clearly and directly stated, with no confusion or doubt

British English CC

Why was the ending of Act 1 staged differently?

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 1 Scenes 4-8 with Rufus Norris

English

Exploring 'Small Island' and the Windrush context

Helen Edmundson on adapting 'Small Island' for the stage

'Small Island': from page to stage

'Small Island': reading the start of Act 1 Scene 1

'Small Island': exploring the theme of power through Little Hortense

'Small Island': tracking the events of Act 1 Scene 1

'Small Island': the significance of the hurricane

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 1 Scene 1 with director Rufus Norris

'Small Island': reading Act 1 Scene 2

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 1 Scene 2 with director Rufus Norris

'Small Island': reading the beginning of Act 1 Scene 3

'Small Island': reading the end of Act 1 Scene 3

Watching 'Small Island' Act 1 Scene 3 with Rufus Norris and Helen Edmundson

'Small Island': reading Act 1, Scenes 4-6

'Small Island': reading Act 1, Scenes 7 and 8

'Small Island': exploring Act 1 through the context of Windrush

Exploring and evaluating the importance of Act 1

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scene 1

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 2 Scene 1 with Helen Edmundson

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 2 to 4

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 5 to 6

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 2 Scenes 2 to 6 with Rufus Norris

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 7 and 8

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 9 to 11

Watching 'Small Island' Act 2 Scenes 7-11 with Rufus Norris and Helen Edmundson

Rufus Norris on directing and adapting 'Small Island'

Tracking characters and tension in 'Small Island'

Helen Edmundson on the context, characters and themes of 'Small Island'

Understanding questions and writing thesis statements on ‘Small Island’

'Small Island': creating topic sentences and using quotes in essays

Essay writing: using context in responses to ‘Small Island’

Introductions and conclusions in a 'Small Island' essay

Planning and writing a 'Small Island' essay

Refining and improving an essay on 'Small Island'

In 'Small Island', pupils explore the ways in which transferring Levy's novel onto the stage enables both the playwright and the director to powerfully evoke its ideas about race, identity and belonging. In 'Leave Taking', pupils build on their learning about the Windrush Generation to explore the cultural and generational conflicts, that can arise as a result of migration. 

In 'The Tempest', pupils examine the roles of Caliban and Ariel and how they are treated as outsiders, questioning who has a rightful claim to the island. In 'Small Island', pupils look at the play in the context of the Windrush generation and through the lens of key themes, including identity and belonging.  

In this unit, pupils explore the playtext adaptation of Andrea Levy's novel 'Small Island'. They first explore the transition from novel to stage, before reading the playtext in full and exploring key scenes in detail. They then plan and write an essay on the theme of 'hope' in the text.

'Small Island'

Expressions that are regarded as coarse or otherwise unacceptable, including swear words and rude words.

Discriminatory behaviour or images, whether on the grounds of race, gender, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation, or otherwise.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Historic or outdated representations of people that may portray inequality or injustice.

Language which has the power to offend including terms of racist or ethnic abuse, sexual and sexist abuse, abuse relating to sexuality, pejorative terms aimed at illness or disabilities and derogatory or inappropriate use of holy names or religious terms.

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction or discussion of distress or humiliation e.g. bullying.

Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

Depiction or discussion of serious mental health issues including eating disorders, self-harm, suicide or attempted suicide, or the aftermath of such an event.

Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

Which word beginning with 'j' can be described as: putting two very different things side by side to highlight contrast or create meaning?

Which word would be the most effective at describing the projected image of the Windrush at the end of Act 1 in 'Small Island'?

According to the director, Rufus Norris, what word best describes Hortense in Act 1, Scenes 4 to 8 of 'Small Island'?

Is the statement true or false? Gilbert and Hortense’s relationship is shown as deeply romantic at the end of Act 1 in 'Small Island'.

Which answer best describes what the image of the Windrush represents at the end of Act 1 of 'Small Island'?

Which themes are most clearly shown when Hortense offers Gilbert money for the passage to England in exchange for marriage in 'Small Island'?

He wanted to become a lawyer and get off the island.

In 'Small Island', Gilbert originally signed up to WWII in Jamaica because:

In Act 1 Scene 3 of 'Small Island', Arthur approaches Gilbert in town because:

In 'Small Island' Arthur's fate in the cinema scene is:

He wants to hide his pain and keep his pride.

Arguably, In 'Small Island', Gilbert uses humour in the scene because:

Is the statement true or false? Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Small Island' uses fast transitions between moments to keep the audience engaged.

Rufus Norris, the director of 'Small Island', believes slow scene changes risk:

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 1 Scenes 4-8 with Rufus Norris

Lesson outcome

Content guidance

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.