CHILDREN from primary schools across Weymouth got served up an ace time as they performed Shakespeare and took part in some tennis.

The pupils got the chance to perform the opening scene of The Tempest as well as well as improve their tennis skills.

More than 200 year three pupils from St Nicholas and St Laurence, Radipole, St John’s, Bincombe Valley and St Andrew’s primary schools got the chance to visit the Wey Valley School for the workshops.

The children learnt about William Shakespeare, the plays he wrote and the history of the time to help them to create and produce an authentic and creative drama performance of their own.

Julie Harris, English teacher at the Wey Valley, said: “The pupils used a range of props, scripts, drawings, spells and poetry, and not to mention sound effects and physical theatre to deliver their performance.”

The children performed their interpretation of The Tempest using dramatic ideas from the Royal Shakespeare Company.

They also learnt how the performance may have looked if it had been performed in London during Shakespeare’s time.

Mrs Harris said: “All of the pupils worked with enthusiasm and their creative ideas were nothing more than boundless and brilliant - William Shakespeare would be proud.”

After this, a session in the Wey Valley Tennis Centre followed with coaches from Weymouth Tennis Club, with a focus on mini-tennis and developing their racquet skills.

Ryan Matthews, tennis liaison officer at the centre, said: “The tennis workshop has been a great success with lots of mini games, fun and pupils coming away new skills.”

The visiting schools thanked Wey Valley for the opportunity.

Rachel Startin, from St Andrew’s Primary School, said: “It has been brilliant, all the children really enjoyed both the tennis and the drama, it had been a lot of work for the children over the day and they all coped with it very well.”