SCHOOLS have marked the culmination of a three-year partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company by celebrating the Elizabethan period.

Crossflatts and Harden primaries were among those involved in the initiative, headed by Bingley Grammar School.

Royal Shakespeare Learning and Performance Network status was awarded in 2013, meaning Bingley Grammar became a 'hub' for the teaching locally of the legendary playwright's works.

When the project came to a close last month, it was estimated that about 4,000 students had benefited.

An Elizabethan Day celebrating the scheme included jousting tournaments, drama workshops – run by RSC-trained staff aided by year-eight students – and fencing lessons so pupils could learn to replicate the swordplay that is an important part of many of the Bard's plays.

More than 340 year-five students from primary schools attended alongside the grammar school pupils.

Subjects incorporated included history, English literature, drama and art.

Crossflatts students also worked on a project with the school's art department, creating a large mural.

Highlights over the three years of the programme included a performance of Shakespeare's classic romantic comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford, featuring many of the partner schools.

The performance fell as the country was marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death.

The schools, the RSC and the Alhambra worked together to give teachers the skills necessary to teach Shakespeare in a more active way, using techniques similar to those used in RSC rehearsals.

Although the venture has now finished, Bingley Grammar says it plans to keep Shakespeare an integral part of its teaching, using what has been learned over the past three years.

Fiona Clayton, programme developer for RSC Education, said the partnership had been a huge success.

She added: "We have been working with Bingley Grammar over the past three years alongside its regional theatre partner, the Alhambra in Bradford.

"Throughout that time the school has led an innovative programme of work with its own staff and students and a cluster of other local schools.

"It's been a privilege to work with such committed and enthusiastic teachers, senior management and students.

"A range of exciting work has taken place in classrooms and in performance and it's been a great pleasure to see the project develop."