Braving an Assembly About Courage for KS1 and KS2
Assemblies about courage for KS1 and KS2 students can provide numerous benefits, from highlighting morals and values to encouraging students to step out of their comfort zones in front of an audience. So, where do you start? If you don’t have the foggiest idea of how to put a show together, we’ve got you covered.
In this blog, our team at the School Musical Company will guide you through how to put together a courage assembly with ideas suitable for both KS1 and KS2 students. Read on to spark your inspiration with wonderful songs, objectives to work towards, and relevant activities.
Ideas for Designing and Executing Assemblies about Courage
1. Select your learning objectives
Having a goal to work towards can give your courage assembly a sense of direction. Here, we’ve compiled a list of some popular goals you could set your sights on before putting your assembly together:
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Understand and recognise courage
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Encourage students to develop their self-confidence and face challenges
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Offer schoolchildren a chance to self-reflect on their personal courage and experiences
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Identify how courage can positively impact a community
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Learn how courage can act alongside other values, including kindness and friendship
Once you’ve selected the goals you want to include, you can begin to plan out your courage assembly in more detail.
2. Think about different types of courage
There are many different types of courage you can explore in your assembly. You could focus on just one type or cover multiple. Some common types of courage include:
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Physical courage – facing physical danger or discomfort without retreating
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Emotional courage – processing difficult emotions like fear and grief
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Moral courage – having the strength to do what is morally right
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Social courage – embracing unfamiliar or uncomfortable social situations
Understanding different types of courage can help schoolchildren learn how to practice them in real life.
In 2025, with the 80th anniversary of VE Day celebrations, you could discuss the courage displayed by soldiers in World War Two, and how their courage helped the Allies overcome the Axis powers. If you’re doing a themed VE Day assembly this year, find our VE Day pack – with songs and a fully editable assembly with slides and script– available for free today!
3. Include some courage-based activities
No school assembly is complete without some fun and games! Include a few activities in your courage assembly to remind children what courage is all about and what they can take away from this key theme. Our top activity ideas are:
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Discuss the meaning of courage: Start by defining what courage is; ask the students what courage means to them. Some of the more confident speakers can share their definitions in the assembly, or you could compile everybody’s answers on a PowerPoint slideshow with backing music.
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Assemble a courage wall: Encourage students to write or draw moments when they have shown courage, thereby enhancing both artistic skills and a sense of self-reflection. Together, this wall could create a visual display of bravery, which could be explained or added to in the assembly. Even the teachers could get involved with this one!
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Role play: There’s nothing like learning core moral values through a short drama role play! Create a script (or put the schoolchildren to the test by having them write a script with a lesson in courage!) and get your most confident actors to perform it in front of the audience. This is particularly good as a Year Six Leavers' idea.
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Play with visuals: Strong visuals, such as images and videos, can engage your audience further and give schoolchildren a break from speaking aloud. Use a slideshow of pictures or a video clip as an opportunity for reflection and further learning.
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Courage promise: During the courage assembly, have a courage pledge that each student can sign, helping them commit to practicing courage in different areas of their life. Each student can leave the assembly with a goal that they can work towards and carry out the following week.
4. Create a showstopping performance
If you want to take your KS1 or KS2 courage assembly to the next level, consider putting on a real performance with a musical band, dances, and even a few assembly songs. Not only are songs about courage fun and lively, but they can also contain several valuable lessons.
If you have more time available, consider the opportunity to conduct a primary school musical centred on courage, featuring some lovable characters and thrilling storylines. We’ll go through some musicals associated with courage later on.
5. Add a concluding thought
Every assembly should end with a parting message, so ensure you add a conclusion that will encourage your students and audience to be inspired by what you have taught them. The end summary can be delivered as a group or by the most confident speaker. Don’t forget to thank the audience for their time and give a well-deserved bow!
School Musicals with a Courage Theme
Want to take on a popular musical to bring the house down? We have a fabulous collection of KS1 and KS2 musicals that can help you reinforce the key theme of courage. These musicals have different meanings of courage, so check them out and take your pick.
The Wizard of Oz is all about courage. Dorothy finds her feet in a new and unexplored land, while the Lion finds his courage by the end of the play. For example, the Lion is brave in defending friends, especially when faced with the Wicked Witch’s minions. He teaches us that courage isn’t always about being fearless – it’s about acting despite experiencing fear. Each character realises that courage is about self-belief and facing challenges head-on by the end of the journey.
Courage can also be seen in Doctor Dolittle and the Monkey Mayhem, which follows the story of a well-respected doctor having the courage to follow his heart and become an animal doctor. Doctor Dolittle demonstrates courage by defying the villagers’ expectations and facing isolation along an unknown path.
In this musical, courage is a central theme to the story, perfectly encapsulated in the character of Robin Hood himself as he stands against the oppressive Sheriff. Robin risks his life to challenge unjust taxation and defend his town, while the outlaws’ trust in his plan showcases their collective courage in fighting for justice. Both individual and shared acts of courage in this school musical are vital in driving the narrative and demonstrating the power of standing up to tyranny.
In this musical, courage is primarily explored through Alice’s journey of self-discovery as she navigates the unknown and bizarre world of Wonderland. This likeable character shows courage repeatedly by adapting to her environment, from dealing with the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party to the downright scary Queen of Hearts. Alice teaches schoolchildren that life is full of unpredictability and that you need a little courage and curiosity to fully embrace it.
Give KS1 and KS2 Courage Assemblies a Go
So, there you have it – our guide to assemblies about courage! Hopefully, you’ve gained a few ideas for your own courage assembly for KS1 or KS2 students and are now ready to set up a performance worth remembering.
Whether you have a leavers’ assembly about courage in mind, highlighting the bravery of moving onto the next chapter in life, or want to shake up your spring term, the possibilities are endless.
Don’t forget to browse our collection of KS1 and KS2 assembly songs for quality singing material. Have a query about musicals or assemblies about courage? Please get in touch with us today!