Set in Paris, the story of Pinot! The Musical follows the adventures of Pinot, a young Russian cyclist with a dream – to win the Tour de France! Follow him and his Cossack dancing friends on their thrilling journey! On his way, Pinot meets colourful characters, including a beggar and a bag lady and a clumsy policeman who keeps chasing him. He wins over two rival gangs, procures a racing bike, endures a spell in jail and undergoes gruelling training – learning French along the way! The show’s catchy songs make learning French easy for children of all ages – and you won’t be able to resist singing along!

The story is told in English and there are four English songs in addition to the French songs. French song topics include: the days of the week, the alphabet, the numbers, or the months of the year. The show is designed for anyone with an interest in French, to brush up their skills or learn a few basics from scratch – while having a great time singing along!

The one hour show is written and produced by Marie Atallah, whose inspiration for Pinot! The Musical came from the belief that learning languages enriches lives and should be fun.

For more information go to: http://www.singinfrench.com/pinot-the-musical

Creative arts subjects are being cut back in many secondary schools in England, a BBC survey suggests. More than 1,200 schools responded - over 40% of secondary schools. 9 in every 10 said they had cut back on lesson time, staff or facilities in at least one creative arts subject. 

However, schools told the BBC that the increased emphasis on core academic subjects, together with funding pressures, were the most common reasons for cutting back on resources for creative subjects.

Go to the full story at bbc news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-42862996