Circus Sensible
Big Top Days in Schools

Big Top Days for Schools 2024/25

Big Top Days include Shows in our Big Tops for up to 300, plus Circus Skills Workshops, either structured or drop in style. Suitable for Events, Schools, Festivals, Parties etc. all we need is a piece of level, well drained grass for the tent.

Comedy Circus Shows

Big Top Days in Schools include Shows in the tent for the whole school. Our Shows are Comedy Circus, with lots of audience participation and hilarious for children AND teachers alike (or so we're told) Shows can be up to an hour long and up to three performances per day. We have several teams of performers so we can come back year after year and keep things fresh.

Circus Workshops

The Big Top Day also includes Circus Skills Workshops. They can be structured, for school days, in which case we can run workshops in up to three spaces at once and for up to 35 children in each workshop. For weekend events we run a drop in style workshop outside, which can continue even while the Shows are on if necessary. Skills can include Juggling, Plate spinning, Diabolo, Devilstick, Poi, beginners Stilts, Hula hoop and lots more.
Stacks Image 40214
Stoneydelph School, Tamworth
“Thank you for an amazing day, we loved every minute!“ Big Top Day
Stacks Image 40236
Woodlands School, Formby
“Circus Sensible was simply fantastic. They came into our school the day before our Circus show and delivered circus skills workshops to all the children from nursery to Y6. What a fabulous time everyone had! Juggling clubs, walking wheels, plate spinning, stilt walking, flower stick juggling, hoola-hooping, static unicycling – the children had a great time honing their skills. The workshop was brilliant. We had 2 performances on the Saturday. Circus Sensible captivated the audiences with a mixture of silliness & skill. There was lots of cheering and shouting, great engagement with the audience and even the adults were laughing and smiling and thoroughly enjoying themselves. The 2 days really brought the whole school community together and the feedback we have received from the audiences has been beyond positive and everyone had a fantastic time.”
Stacks Image 39963
Whirley Primary School, Macclesfield, Cheshire
“ I really don't know where to start. We have had the most amazing day with James today for your circus day. James was absolutely fantastic from start to finish, he was just faultless. The children were engaged from the minute they sat down, right up until the end of the day when we came back together for our show. The way James engaged with the children was perfect, as well as his explanations of how to use the equipment being clear and concise. I have had 12 emails from parents this evening telling me how their children have come home today saying how much fun they had and how good the day was. We even had a comment of 'Today has been the best day ever, I just haven't stopped smiling!’ I really don't know what else to say other than I couldn't rate the company and James any more highly. I will definitely be booking you again in future and I will be sure to pass your information on to as many schools as I can! Thank you SO much for making 60 children, very happy today! “
Stacks Image 40148
Big Top Day, Bristol
“ We've booked Circus Sensible for a School Summer Fair and they were amazing. The team arrived on time and were very self-sufficient. They performed 3 shows and also ran workshops throughout the day. The feedback from the guests was very positive and you could see a lot of children running around with a big smile. It was a great addition to our offer on the day.”
Stacks Image 40159
St Mary’s Primary School, Oxted
“ I wanted to say a massive thank you! I have heard nothing but fantastic things from teachers, children and parents alike over the last few days that you've been with us, you brought a real buzz to the school! The children loved their workshops and I was told that every child left having been able to achieve something and be proud of themselves for, which is lovely. The feathers and spinning plates in-particular were popular! The shows had the teachers and children alike in stitches of laughter. It isn't a day they'll easily forget - 'they juggled with knives over the teacher' and 'how did he sit on a unicycle, with someone sitting on his shoulders juggling knives?!’. Finally, many thanks for allowing us to use the Big Top in the evening. Some live music in the big top was absolutely brilliant for the parents to enjoy too. Please pass on our huge thanks to Tom and the team. I honestly don't know what more they could have done, a fantastic visit that we will remember for a long time.”
Stacks Image 39976
Wooburn Green Primary, High Wycombe
“ It’s a rare and joyful sight - a large circus tent containing a school full of children and staff overcome with laughter. It was irresistibly funny. The circus performers really understood our sense of humour – and the audience participation was exceptionally enthusiastic – from all ages.
Wooburn Green Primary School was the place to be on (last) Tuesday morning. Genuinely the best laugh I have had for a very long time.”

Fundraisers

Big Tops Days make a great way of raising funds for your School. Admission can be charged for up to three Shows, and even for the Circus Skills Workshops too. Add on to that income from stalls, tombola, estate agents signs etc etc and you can raise thousands of pounds as well as having a great days event. See our Fundraising pages for more details

Brain Training

"Complex tasks such as juggling produce significant changes to the structure of the brain, according to scientists at Oxford University.
In the journal, Nature Neuroscience, the scientists say they saw a 5% increase in white matter - the cabling network of the brain." In brief, learning a new skill such as Juggling can hard wire our brains to work better and faster! Circus skills help develop and improve concentration skills. This is particularly evident in those children with shorter attention spans. When we run Circus skills workshops in schools the teachers are often amazed that one or more children who usually have a problem concentrating are doing better than anyone else in the class! Learning Circus skills also offers great benefits in terms of physical co-ordination and physical fitness. Circus workshops fit very well into the school curriculum under PE and co-ordination development. In fact there are many areas where Circus workshops offer great opportunities for curriculum enrichment.

Benefits of Circus Skills

Circus Skills encourage creative thinking
Circus Skills reinforce positive learning
Circus Skills enhance kinaesthetic skills
Circus Skills instil enthusiasm in the learning process
Circus Skills boost self confidence
Circus Skills aid social & personal development
Circus skills promote cross curricular education
Circus Skills aid the formation of grey matter in the brain
Circus Skills are a fun gateway into physical education
Learning Circus Skills develops language skills
Circus Skills increases self esteem &self awareness
Circus Skills are fun, for children AND adults!