PUPILS from Rosebank School have been praised for their memorable performance of a scene from The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

The children from the Barnton school took part in The Shakespeare Schools Festival at the Crewe Lyceum.

The festival works with 1,000 secondary, primary and special schools all over the UK, making it possible for them to stage abridged Shakespeare productions in a local professional theatre.

Rosebank performed The Tempest, Winsford Academy staged Hamlet, Sir William Stanier Community School at Crewe performed Macbeth and a Macclesfield school staged Romeo and Juliet.

During the cast workshop at the theatre a few weeks before their final performance the children worked on stage with another school.

Rosebank head teacher Judith McGuinness said: “We are very proud that our children were able to participate in this production, even more so when we realised that not only were we the only primary school, but were also the only special school taking part.

“The children played some ‘getting to know’ you games and interacted with the pupils from the other school, shaking hands and telling each other their names.”

Judith Butcher, the teacher leading the project, said: “This was an amazing achievement for our children to interact with people they didn’t know. The children from the other school were also really supportive of our pupils.”

Mrs McGuinness added: “The children went on stage and gave their best-ever performance of The Tempest. We were all so proud of each and every child.

“Some of the children even sang solos. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped in any way with the production. Without the hard work and dedication of teaching assistants the performance would not have been a success.”

Teaching assistants supported the children’s performances and were involved in help them change and doing their hair and make-up.

A school governor made costumes, and the school’s speech and language therapist worked with the children to teach them songs and adapted the music to suit the children’s needs.

Mrs Butcher added: “The children had a wonderful experience performing on a real stage and gained lots of confidence.

“They talk to staff and their peers around school about Shakespeare, and continue to sing the songs. I’m extremely proud of the whole cast, and hope it will be an experience they will remember throughout their lives, and are looking forward to next year’s production.”