Schools & education groups | Chichester Festival Theatre

About our events

Your school visit to CFT

Call our team on 01243 812909 or email schools@cft.org.uk to secure your seats and discuss any access needs.

We've got great discounts for Schools and Education groups of 10+. Tickets for shows are usually £10 per child; one free teacher ticket (Monday - Friday on selected shows). We've highlighted our favourites below but do contact us if there's another event you have in mind.

Download your free schools pack - full of all the essential info, including directions to CFT and coach arrivals and pick-ups.

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!

Schools Pack

Full of useful info when planning your visit

Download now

A young woman with light brown hair sits working on a technical programming desk, surrounded by screens

Creative Industries Career Day | For Yr 9+

Save the Date | 3 February 2026

We're inviting the next generation of curious minds to another unmissable day of discovery in the creative industries. Dive into inspiring sessions with creative organisations large and small. Meet with artists, designers, theatre-makers, writers and creatives, and find out about careers that you didn’t even know existed.

Whether you're curious about theatre, visual arts, design, writing, music or beyond, this event is crafted to ignite your potential, spark ideas, and show you the endless possibilities ahead. If you’re a student choosing GCSE options, next step pathways, or you’re ready to survey the employment landscape, then this careers fair is for you.

Find out more on our event webpage

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What can I expect?

We're busy putting this year's schedule together but last year we enjoyed an Keynote from Simon Bucknall - an inspirational speaker and public speaking coach who delivered a TED-style talk offering tips for managing nerves, projecting confidence and the art of communication. Plus panel discussions included a Making Theatres (industry experts who discussed the creation process of a show from page to stage, covering creative and practical roles), Technical Theatre and apprenticeships and Recruitment and roles (an indispensable guide to interview techniques, pitfalls, exploring transferrable skills and how to get ahead in the creative industries).

Free to attend - booking essential

We recommend a minimum three-hour visit, either for the morning or afternoon session. Keynote presentations and discussions will take place between 11.45 – 1.15pm, at the beginning or end of your visit.

If you’re interested in attending with a school group, please advise us of your subject lead, year group, number of attendees and focus of visit, and we can curate a bespoke itinerary.

Want to know more?

The BFG

9 Mar - 11 Apr 2026 | Booking opens in September

This magical new adaptation will open the Festival 2026 season at Chichester Festival Theatre, running from 9 March – 11 April 2026.

One extraordinary night, a young orphan named Sophie is snatched by a giant and taken far away to Giant Country. There she learns that human-eating giants are guzzling ‘norphans’ the world over. But she soon discovers that her new friend, the BFG, is different – he’s a dream-catching, snozzcumber-munching gentle soul who refuses to eat humans.

While other giants terrorise the world, the BFG ignites Sophie’s imagination, and they devise a daring plan to save children everywhere. In the end, the smallest human bean and the gentlest giant prove that a dream can change the world.

Chichester Festival Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Roald Dahl Story Company present the world premiere of Roald Dahl's The BFG, adapted by Tom Wells, directed by RSC Co-Artistic Director (and former CFT Artistic Director)Daniel Evans, whose Chichester productions included Quiz, South Pacific and Our Generation.

Ages 8+

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Schools friendly performances

We think the following performances will be the most popular.

Thu 19 Mar, 1pm
Tue 24 Mar, 10.30am
Thu 26 Mar, 1pm

Get planning now!

Schools Theatre Day

Tuesday 24 March, 1.30pm - 2.30pm

Bring your students to CFT to our School’s Theatre Day on 24 March from at 1.30pm – 2.30pm, for an incredible opportunity to learn more about this gloriumptious production. After the performance has finished there will be time for a lunch break before the Theatre Day starts. You’ll explore the set, hear from creatives and possibly cast members and get unrivalled access into the production.

Tickets are just £15 per pupil and includes a theatre ticket to the schools performance at 10.30am on the same day.

To enquire or book, email schools@cft.org.uk

Visual Stories

A guide to our theatres so you can plan in advance. If you feel a visual story for Hamlet and Lord of the Flies would benefit your pupil/s please let us know at schools@cft.org.uk.