All the school was a stage for teachers turned thespians at Marshalls Park School who brought history to life for students in the 450th anniversary week of William Shakespeare’s birth.

Staff at the school in Pettits Lane, Romford, encouraged pupils to celebrate the Bard’s life last week by bursting into lessons and performing scenes or monologues from his works.

The three-day “Shakespeare-bombing” featured chanting witches from Macbeth and Richard III (teachers Judith Jackson, Geraldine Webb and Jackie Simmonds), a sword-fighting Tybalt (Jenni Guy) and Benfolio (Mrs Jackson) from Romeo and Juliet, a ponderous Othello (Rayon Nembhard) giving a speech to Desdemona (Kerri Goddard) and a discontented Richard III (Johan Zweistra).

Elsewhere, head of Year 10 Carolyn Cusack delivered a Juliet speech – recalled from her schooldays – headteacher Pam Mason and Liz Shoffren swapped insults as Helena and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Con McCartney and Kathy Nordern both had a stab at Lady Macbeth.

The idea was planned in the Easter break and performed during free periods.

Organiser Mrs Jackson said: “Some pupils got a bit of a fright when we burst into classrooms and they were all universally agog, but, to give them credit, they all sat and listened to us.”