Schools & education groups | Chichester Festival Theatre

About our events

Welcome to a brand new season at CFT!

Festival 2025 features world premieres and modern masterpieces, plus two must-see shows for you and your students.

School group booking opens Thursday 27 February - reserve your tickets now with no deposit required - payment can be arranged later in the year once budgets are confirmed. If you're a home educator we also have special rates available so please do get in touch.

School and College groups, 10+ Mon - Fri
£10 per ticket; one free teacher ticket with every nine paid.

Contact our team on [email protected] or 01243 812909.

A man's head and shoulders rise from a sea of rough, churning water; rain is pouring down on him. He stares into the distance, his face illuminated by a shaft of light. He has dark hair and a moustache.

Hamlet

6 September - 4 October | Minerva Theatre

For the first time ever, Shakespeare's supreme tragedy will be staged at CFT in our 300-seat studio space, the Minerva Theatre. It's a chance for English and Drama students at KS3 and above to get up close and personal with The Dane, played in this production by Giles Terera (of Hamilton fame, Blues for Alabama Sky and Othello at the National Theatre).

We’re putting on two exclusive Schools performances on 17 September at 6pm and 24 September at 2.15pm. You won’t find these dates on our website as they’re not available for the public to book, but due to the limited capacity we’re expecting tickets will go quickly.

Find out more about the production on our Hamlet show page.

Get more from your visit

Hamlet School's Theatre Day

Wednesday 24 September, 10.30am - 12noon

Add to your theatre experience with exclusive access at our dynamic School’s Theatre Day, here at CFT. Available for a maximum of 5 schools.

Tickets are just £15 per pupil and includes a theatre ticket to the matinee at 2.15pm on the same day.

To enquire or book, email [email protected]

Hamlet Insight Workshops

Flexible dates (arranged between your school and CFT)

Enhance KS4 and KS5 learning with our dynamic 2-hour workshops led by CFT's Creative Associate Sophie Hobson (former Learning Manager at the Royal Shakespeare Company). Students will bring Hamlet to life through interactive, rehearsal-style exploration - interrogating language, form, structure and character relationships.

These workshops will enable students studying the play at A Level English or in Drama:

to have an insight into the rehearsal room
to connect with Hamlet in a physical way
to explore different interpretations of the play
to gain a deeper understanding of text in performance
to give deeper insight when approaching exams

Price £150 for a maximum of 30 pupils.

Please enquire and book directly with [email protected]

A young man is looking directly into the camera, with a serious look on his face. Flames are reflected in his eyes and sparks surround him.

Lord of the Flies

19 September - 11 October | Festival Theatre

Our 1300-seat Festival Theatre promises maximum theatricality, productions packed with large casts and striking design. And you can expect more of the same in William Golding’s modern classic. This epic production will be a fantastic opportunity for GCSE English and Drama students to experience the novel coming from page to stage, unlocking the text in new ways.

Find out more about the production on our Lord of the Flies show page.

Get more from your visit

Lord of the Flies School's Theatre Day

Wednesday 1 October, 10.30am - 12noon

Bring your students to CFT to our School’s Theatre Day on 1 October at 10.30am – 12noon, for an incredible opportunity to get under the skin of this compelling play. You’ll explore the set, hear from creatives and possibly cast members and get unrivalled access into the inner workings of the production.

Available for 5 schools max. Tickets are just £15 per pupil and includes a theatre ticket to the matinee at 2.15pm on the same day.

To enquire or book, email [email protected]

Your school visit to CFT

Call our team on 01243 812909 or email [email protected] to secure your seats and discuss any access needs.

Get your groups pack - full of all the essential info, including directions to CFT and coach arrivals and pick-ups - click here to download our groups pack.

On the day:

Our friendly Front of House team will be on hand to help.
We ask that phones are switched off before the show to avoid distracting the actors with the buzz of notifications or glowing of screens.
There's usually an interval of 15-20 minutes, but you can check this along with the run time closer to the performance date.
After the show, make sure your group sticks together as it can get really busy on site! Coach groups, check in with a member of security staff for your pickup time.

Top tip: you can pre-order ice creams to save time on the day and make sure no one misses out on their favourite flavours!