WILL: Mr Ap Iorwerth shouted. His voice made my stomach lurch. I forgot my pen, sir. The bell rang. Got to go. Maths, sir. I ran round the corner and started to laugh. But then that sick feeling came back. I felt five pound coins weighing my pocket down.
POET: Will, what have you done?
Adrenaline kicking in, thinking
you can somehow outrun this problem
that faces your dad and your mum.
WILL: As you know, I'm Will. And I've done something really stupid. My dad lost his job two months ago and Mum's not happy to tell anybody.They haven't even told me. But I know, because I heard them talking last night. There's no money to pay the electricity. Since last night, they've been talking all the time. There's been lots of crying, a lot of shouting and a lot of keeping out of their way.
POET: I know, things at home aren't that great.
Dad's got a lot juggling
on his plate since he lost his job.
He's trying to hide the tears when he sobs.
Mum's masking it, too. But you know
it's true that they just want what's
best for you. They want to give you the world.
WILL: I stole money from Jack, from his blazer. I just saw a chance to try and help. I just thought, "Your dad's got a job, Jack. You must have cash." But it is wrong.
POET: But it's not on you.
Bless you for thinking
this is something you had to do.
So let's take a moment
to actually think,
because stealing isn't
your go-to instinct.
WILL: I get what you're saying, I think. Thing is, I know the cost of living is going up for everybody, but I'm seriously worried. What can I do, though? I can't tell anybody. And I think… No, actually, I know, Mr Ap Iorwerth, he saw me.
POET: So ask yourself, will your actions
really help or create more stress?
Will what you've done
just add to the mess?
Think about what will come next,
admitting or hiding.
The choice is with you,
but I think we both know
what it is you need to do.
Summary of the film
Will is in the science lab at the end of the lesson and as he brushes against Jac’s jacket slung over the back of the chair, he sees that he has money in his pocket. He remembers that his dad has just lost his job and that this money could help with the bills. As soon as he takes the money, he regrets it – what if someone saw him? Should he admit it or hide and say nothing?
Teacher notes
Ideas for the classroom:
Due to the fact that the film discusses Will’s family’s financial situation, it could be an opportunity to revise financial vocabulary such as
- inflation
- salary
- cost of living
- debt
This could also lead to an activity that concentrates on the cost of living by comparing current food prices with five years ago – how much have prices increased etc?
- Balloon of feelings – The class could discuss the message that the narrator gives, which is the “power and potential to grow so tall”. It’s evident that Will finds it difficult to share his concerns and ends up stealing in order to try to solve the problem.
Teachers could use the symbol of a balloon to convey the build up of feelings and concerns and pupils could use the different layers to convey their own feelings, either in the form of symbols or words. Each pupil will have a balloon each at the end of the task, which they could then swap with a partner to share their concerns and to exchange advice, or they could base the task on Will’s feelings if teachers don’t want to ask pupils to share their personal lives.
In groups, pupils could discuss questions about honesty. Each group could have a question, eg
- What does ‘being honest’ mean?
- Why is it important to be honest?
- Can we trust people that lie?
- Why do people lie?
Pupils could spend five to 10 minutes discussing the question and adding comments to it, and they could be rotated so that each group can add their thoughts.
- Will’s life jigsaw – Pupils could be asked to respond creatively by creating a ‘jigsaw’ of Will’s life. This could mean that each member of the group creates an image representing an element of Will’s life using shapes like the below, in order to create a full picture, eg financial worries at home, being trouble at school for stealing perhaps and being unhappy at home.
Language, literacy and communication ideas:
- Make a mask – Each group to look at the word “masking” from the poem - what does this word mean? Can each group define the word and think of examples of when it happens? What affect does masking have on people?
This could also lead to a creative session where pupils design their own mask with insecurities/worries.
Write a monologue – Pupils could be asked to write a monologue for Will character using the following:
- Use the first person, eg I saw, I felt, I shouted
- Rhetorical questions, eg What can I do to help mum and dad?
- Use the senses – how does Will feel? What can Will see? What can he taste?
Or, pupils could write about an event that has happened in their own lives and how this made them feel.
Learning outcomes and curriculum notes
- Learn about people that are afraid of letting others down
- Learn more about making wise decisions
- Develop an understanding about young people’s responsibilities within a family
- Learn about costs of living and financial strain on families
Area of Learning and Experience – Health and Well-being
How we process and respond to our experiences affects our mental health and emotional well-being.
Progression Step 3
I can recognise that some decisions I make will have a long-term impact on my life and the lives of others.
I can understand that decisions can be made individually and collectively, and that they can be influenced by a range of factors.
Area of Learning and Experience – Mathematics and Numeracy
Statistics represent data, probability models chance, and both support informed inferences and decisions.
Progression Step 2
- I can collect and organise data to ask and answer questions in relevant situations.
Where next?
Amber’s story. video
A school trip makes Amber feel worried for many reasons. Will she be able to survive the weekend and reach the top of the wall?
Deio’s story. video
After losing his mother, Deio finds it difficult to eat the food that his grandmother prepares for him. Will Deio be able to 'eat the rainbow' and enjoy happy memories of the way his mother used to cook?
Fleur’s story. video
The pressure to play football weighs heavy on Fleur's shoulders, and she decides to escape on the tournament day. Should she discuss her feelings with someone?
