The 18 students were participants in the Hope Trees Project, which had been organised by performing arts charity The Garage through its Workshop theatre company, with support from Italian theatre group Dance In.

“Two groups of our Year 9 students have been working on the Hope Trees Project,” said Poppy Brockman-Smith, Assistant Headteacher at our school, which is a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

“Initially they visited The Garage in Norwich for two days, where they watched a performance, and took part in a drama workshop. Students were involved with lots of physical theatre activities – using their bodies to symbolise different ideas.

“Since then they have worked on their performances once a week, for three months, in sessions led by staff from the Workshop in King’s Lynn.”

Having watched Dance In perform Hope Trees, the St Clement’s dancers practised for their own productions, with rehearsals culminating in performances by the two groups, which took place in the school’s Drama Studio and were live-streamed to audiences in both Italy and South Africa.

Members of staff present included Mrs Brockman-Smith; St Clement’s Head of Drama Carol Schwarz; and Year 8 and 9 Pastoral lead Robyn Fisher; as well as Dan Ramsden and Sophie Ludkin from the Workshop, who had worked with the students.

Described by the organisers as an ‘inspiring, inclusive dance performance’, Hope Trees was inspired by a centuries-old yew tree in Italy, which survived flooding and under which Dante supposedly wrote some of The Divine Comedy. It explores the diversity of the planet, and takes a hopeful view of the climate crisis and the lessons to be learned from the natural world.

“We were already involved with The Workshop, as our pastoral staff refer students there for other programmes the charity runs, and so they offered us an opportunity to be involved in the project,” added Mrs Brockman-Smith.

“The students have really benefited from being involved with the project, working together, expanding their horizons, and learning new skills. They have grown in confidence and are proud of their work.”