Spanish Armada: KS3 Playscript

Bring Tudor history to life with this engaging KS3 play script about Philip II’s attempt to invade Elizabethan England in 1588. This fully scripted classroom drama allows students to explore the tensions between England and Spain, key naval engagements, and the result of the armada.

✔ A complete 3-scene playscript covering:

• tensions between England and Spain
• advance of the armada along the English Channel
• the ignominious fate of the Spanish fleet

✔ Twelve clearly defined characters, including Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Drake, Admiral Medina-Sidonia, Philip II, and the Duke of Parma.

✔ Easy-to-follow and KS3-appropriate language.

✔ Accurate historical details woven into dialogue:

• Causes of the Spanish Armada eg: piracy, religious tensions, Dutch Revolt
• Impact of Drake’s raid on Cadiz
• English naval tactics and naval engagements
• Spanish errors and the part played by the weather
• Experience of English sailors

Skills Developed

• Historical empathy through performance
• Understanding of cause and consequence
• Exploration of international rivalry between England and Spain
• Speaking and listening skills
• Support for teaching the Elizabethan Age or Armada units