2. The story is of two boys: Charles and Edmund, set in the early 1960s. Charles comes to stay, with his mother, at Edmund’s house. Charles’ mother is a housekeeper and Edmund has lost his mother, so Edmund’s father employs her to look after his son. When they arrive Edmund passes Charles a note saying “I did not want you to come here.” As we’re going to work on a drama-based piece, I want you to create a tableau showing this first major incident. Split yourselves into groups of 4 and create a silent picture of the scene as you imagine it.

3. Edmund takes every opportunity to tease and bully Charles. Discovering that he’s scared of crows, Edmund places a dead crow on Charles’ bed while he listens outside. The boy’s parents begin to fall in love and they go to London for the day. Charles uses the opportunity to run away from home. However, Edmund follows him. Edmund won’t leave him alone and they follow a deer, getting lost.

4. Edmund falls and gets a cut on his head. He is falling ill and now he is the scared one. Charles lights a fire and looks after him. In the morning, the boys are found and Edmund blames Charles for the cut on his head. Later, the children and their parents go to a ruined castle. Charles beats Edmund to the top, shouting “I’m the King of the castle.” Putting out his hand to help him, Edmund flinches and falls.

5. When Edmund returns home with broken ribs etc, he passes Charles another note, promising that something bad will happen to him at their new school. Charles goes back to the wood where he and Edmund got lost. He goes and lays down in the stream and drowns himself. When Edmund sees the body he’s proud of what he’s achieved.

6. Speaking and listening drama-based presentation We are going to create a piece on bullying. I want you to split into pairs. This is the group you will work in for your presentation. Decide which is the bully and which is the victim. Now write a piece of emotive writing about the thoughts and feelings of your character.