Golden days in January are rare. Nick and I were lucky enough to experience 5 of them last week at Great Leighs Primary School, Essex where we led a MACBETH Project Week with the whole of KS2. We have been visiting this lovely school on an annual basis since 2018, missing only one year due to Covid.

Golden Banquet
As always, we began the week with Interactive Workshops. Years 3&4 set the golden tone of the week with their description of the Castle on High Dunsinane Hill – “Golden floors and red carpets”. The banquet for King Duncan at Castle Glamis was no less sumptuous. Alongside the swan, pig with an apple in its mouth, ice cream and potatoes, we were treated to a golden turkey, golden chicken nuggets and golden sausages.
Rehearsal Days
Tuesday to Thursday of a Project Week is spent in rehearsals with each Year group rehearsing two scenes each. Nick and I have a small amount of time to assess the children through games and speaking some of the words in the scene, and then we cast it. This nearly always throws up surprises for the teachers, for us and, not least, for the children themselves. Once we have cast the scene, ‘blocked’ the scene (so everyone knows where they enter, exit, stand etc), we leave the hard graft of learning the lines with the actors and their teachers. A lot of work goes on when they are not with us, so that when we get back together on Thursday for a second time, miraculously the words are off the page and on the stage!

Performance Day
On Friday morning, we put the whole show (8 scenes in total) altogether. Dressed in red and black (the colour scheme for MACBETH), the cast of 120 actors get their first taste of speaking out loud to a hall full of people, albeit simply fellow cast members. It’s a daunting task when you are only 9 and have a small voice. And when else in school are you allowed to use your ‘outside voice’ inside? We ask a lot. We are well rewarded.
Friday afternoon, 120 actors wait in eager anticipation of their audience of 100+ parents, friends, fans and supporters. Finally the moment arrives. The wind whistles on the heath and Y3 take to the stage as the witches on the heath and we’re off!
Golden moments aplenty. From the outstanding performers to those who stand out, merely because they have the courage to speak their line(s) as clearly and loudly as they can, the performance of MACBETH is a triumph!
The words of the Head Teacher, Mr Garlick, in the weekly newsletter (below), encapsulate the essence of the week as far as FINDING THE WILL is concerned:
Well done to KS2 pupils for all their hard work preparing for the Shakespeare play ‘Macbeth’ today. It’s been
great to see the children come alive learning their parts and you should be, as we are, very proud of your
amazing children. They have worked so hard this week.Seeing children who may be generally on the quiet side standing on a stage and belting out a song or giving a fully immersive acting performance where they become a character is wonderful to see.
Mr Garlick – Head Teacher (School Newsletter)
Extra Golden Nugget
So huge thank you to Ms Le Masurier, with whom I liaise every year to arrange this, and all the staff and children in KS2 at Great Leighs. What a joy it was to be back with you again. Y6, travel safely on as Shakespeare Ambassadors, now with Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest and Macbeth tucked under your belts.
Finally, Miss Plumb (Y3 teacher) was kind enough to let me share with you the work of one her pupils, Amber. Not only does Amber have exceptional handwriting but what imagination! I will write Amber’s poem below just in case you can’t read all of it on the photo of the copy – it is amazing and full of internal rhymes. Well done Amber and thank you for sharing it with me.
Enjoy this everyone and I’ll be back in touch soon!
Spell for A Red Moon Of Darkness
by Amber Year 3
Ingredients: Human eye; mouldy piece of red pie; Bird Poop; Black Goop; Dark Blood; Lion’s Guts, Venomous Vomit
Stir Cauldron with a branch
I will take a human eye, then drop in a mouldy piece of red pie.
I’ll scoop up a puddle of bird poop, Then tip in some black goop.
I’ll take some of the hair from my nose, Then I’ll put in a frog pulling a hideous pose!
I’ll take some of my dark blood, then grip onto a lion’s gut.
I’ll tip a cup full of a snake’s venomous vomit, Then I’ll pick up some mud but only some of it.






