PUPILS from a York secondary school got to meet royalty on a recent trip to Stratford-on Avon.

The students from York High School in Acomb were in the home of Shakespeare with the Royal Shakespeare Company as a member of their Learning and Performance Network and met the RSC’s President, Prince Charles.

As The Press reported in 2012, York High was chosen by the RSC to be a hub school for the region as part of the RSC’s Learning and Performance Network, part of a three-year project to raise the profile of and engagement with Shakespeare in schools across York, North and East Yorkshire.

The LPN programme was established in 2006 and is targeted towards those schools and young people who have least access to Shakespeare and the RSC and each year six to ten schools from around the country join its ranks.

These hub schools, both secondary and primary, each then work with up to seven cluster schools from their local area to share training and produce a Shakespeare performance festival.

Drama teacher Jess Long said: “To work with the RSC and the Theatre Royal in York is a fantastic opportunity for our young people and teachers to explore and deliver Shakespeare in an exciting and engaging way.

“All of the plays are timeless and our pupils are able to appreciate the brilliant writing of William Shakespeare and the relevance to our world today. The plays were written to be performed and that is what we are trying to do with the pupils at York High and with our partners across the city. The chance to meet Prince Charles was so memorable for all of us and was a reminder of how lucky we are to be involved in such a prestigious national project.”

Head teacher, David Ellis, said: “Shakespeare is such an important part of our heritage and the approaches to teaching that colleagues have learned from their engagement with the RSC and Theatre Royal mean that many more young people are accessing the Shakespeare’s work in the way he intended.”

Meanwhile, students from the school have pioneered the first Blue Skies programme in Yorkshire for the Jon Egging Trust, and were presented with awards to recognise their achievement.

The charity was set up in memory of Red Arrows pilot Jon Egging who died in 2011 whilst completing a display at the Bournemouth Air Festival.

Fifteen students aged 12 and 13 from York High have been mentored through the nine session programme by Sqn Ldr David Montenegro, who flew alongside Jon Egging with the Red Arrows, and who is a flying instructor and flight commander at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. As well as Sqn Ldr Montenegro, trained personnel from both RAF Linton-on-Ouse and RAF Fylingdales have guided the students through problem solving, teamwork and communication tasks leading towards a qualification in Work Skills.

Sqn Ldr Montenegro said: “The programme has provided various challenges for the young people from York High.Their response to all the activities has been outstanding and I am extremely proud of their achievement. This year’s programme could not have happened without the hard work and support from numerous personnel based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse and RAF Fylingdales.”

Mr Ellis said: “The range of experiences and activities they have been involved in during the last few months has been brilliant. It is obvious that the young people have thoroughly enjoyed what they have been doing as well as learning a lot about themselves.”