Following our work with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in recent years, we are pleased to announce our official RSC Associate School status; this reflects our working partnership with the RSC, Newcastle Theatre Royal and Crook Primary School.

The work of Shakespeare is an important part of our English Literature programme and one which students enjoy immensely each year thanks to the hands-on approach we take to teaching the subject. For the past three years we have worked closely with RSC Representative, Barbara Gentles, and a number of local partner schools to host the annual Primary Shakespeare Festival at King James. The festival promotes Shakespeare by giving students the opportunity to study, interpret and perform an allocated scene from one of his plays; the play for 2017 is "The Tempest'.

The festival, which takes place later this month, will see our Year 8 students perform alongside visiting pupils from 10 local primary schools. It will also be an excellent opportunity for some of our older students to practice the skills they have developed in stage and events management.

In January, by special invitation, Year 10 students Kyle B and Marshall G, accompanied by Year 13 student, Harriet M, spent a week in Stratford with the Royal Shakespeare Company, learning about theatre production with specialist technical staff. Now, they will be able to utilise their new knowledge in a real production with support from Year 13 Music student, Michael K in charge of sound and lighting.