22/07/2026
What would you do if an alien crash-landed in your primary school? 🚀💥🌍
Our show, An Alien Arrives, has toured all of Gateway Learning Community’s Schools in Thurrock this year.
In the show, designed for Key Stage 1, an agent from The Government Office of Strange Happenings (GOSH for short 😉) turns up at school believing that it is the site of a crash-landing of a mysterious egg from outer space. Out of the egg, hatches an alien named Nanoo 🛸, whom they discover in their playground. Over a morning or afternoon, the children show Nanoo their world, teaching her how to speak, play, sing & learn.
On the outside, An Alien Arrives may just appear to be a fun & playful day for kids. But that’s the magic of our signature Adventures in Learning projects, where hands on learning engages the pupils in a unique way.
Here’s just a few things they get up to:
🗣️Children are encouraged to engage with the alien and listen to her unknown language, practicing their communication skills.
✏️Writing activities test them to use different vocabulary.
📚They work as a whole year group to find & teach Nanoo, practising their teamwork.
🪐Science & space are discussed LOADS throughout the day.
🧐Their critical thinking is naturally encouraged through the problem that Nanoo faces of being on Earth - can they help her get home?! (…no spoilers there, I’m afraid)
A huge thank you to our funders, The Paul Hamlyn Foundation and to Gateway Learning Community for supporting our artists to rehearse & deliver this work, which we know has given many Year 2 students a real buzz this year.
And all of this couldn’t have been possible without our sensational performers & facilitators.
Our Cast
Lucia Tong
Paul Andrews
Adam Wheeler
Writer
Tom Bowtell
Producer
Kat Gill
Costume Designer
Hazel McIntosh
Video
