The Wallace High School English Department has had a very busy and successful 2025. From super-curricular success to drama opportunities, there has been a lot to celebrate this year.
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Year 8 English and Macbeth
Wallace High was transformed into the wilds of Scotland this week, with Year 8 pupils staging Macbeth.
All Year 8 pupils have been studying the play in Drama classes, with each class assigned a specific section to explore creatively.
Creativity, teamwork, and technical expertise were certainly on display in the creation of a superb movie, which was enhanced with live action from Set 4.
Archie L was a dynamic and witty Shakespeare, and special mention must go to Eve J, who not only played a witch with spooky skill, but also stepped up at the last minute to take the place of our absent Queen!
Macbeth (Callum J) and Lady Macbeth (Lily E) appealed to the audience’s sympathies, whilst the misery of Macduff (Oran K) was plain to see. The spine-chilling scene of devastation in his castle was gripping and certainly appealed to the most bloodthirsty of audiences.
Individual awards were given to the following students for their outstanding effort in the project:
Grace A, Thomas B, Ethan C, Daniel C, Isla C, Mia D, Oskar K, Archie L, Indie M, Ewan M, Alexander M, Alfie M, Jason R, Harley S, Eva S, and Phoebe R.
Our PBL fortnight also gave pupils the opportunity to make suggestions for improvements to make the Globe Theatre more eco-friendly, echoing Wallace’s Project Refresh.
Super-Curricular Success at the Island Arts Awards
Wallace pupils also enjoyed outstanding success in the prestigious Island Arts Awards. Our students won a total of 23 prizes for creative writing, including entries in both poetry and short story categories.
Island Arts Prize Winners
Poetry
Year 8 – 2nd: Victoria
Year 9 – 1st: Danielle
Year 9 – 2nd: Daniel
Year 9 – 3rd: Kayla
Year 10 – 1st: Ivea
Year 10 – 2nd: Arthur
Year 10 – 3rd: Emily
Year 11 – 1st: Lucy
Year 11 – 2nd: Sophie
Year 11 – 3rd (joint): Nadin and Sophia
Short Story
Year 8 – 1st: Obi
Year 8 – 2nd: Catherine
Year 8 – 3rd: Jamie
Year 9 – 1st: Abigal
Year 9 – 2nd: Ethan A
Year 9 – 3rd: Ethan L
Year 10 – 1st: Logan
Year 10 – 2nd: Ava
Year 10 – 3rd: Daniel
Year 11 – 1st: Niamh
Year 11 – 2nd: Sarah
Year 11 – 3rd: Sophia
Departmental Reflections
Reflecting on a very busy and rewarding year for the English Department, Head of Department Mrs Weir explained:
“Our pupils enjoyed learning about the work which has been carried out in Wallace and transferring that knowledge to suggest improvements in innovative Keynotes such as creating a solar panel roof, serving local produce in the café, and providing only digital programmes.
Our Shakespeare project gives pupils the opportunity to hone their communication and performance skills, as well as create lifelong memories with their classmates. It is a superb way to end their first year here at Wallace, affording the opportunity for costume design, prop-making, filming, editing, and acting.
I am delighted that the Arts continue to flourish here; we picked up 23 prizes for creative writing at the prestigious Island Arts Awards this week, and I am proud to say we were awarded top school in Poetry and Short Story Writing.
Our Creative Writing Club is popular, and its thematic, seasonal approach is enjoyed by pupils and staff alike. A highlight of Drama Club this year was our exciting partnership with Bruiser Theatre, whilst A Night at the Musicals was moving and memorable.
Our Book Club regularly rings with lively discussion, and our public speakers continue to excel, with Year 13 pupils Lauren, Ami, and Charlotte being NI finalists in spring, and Year 8 pupil Sam C being the only student from Northern Ireland to reach the All-Ireland Poetry Aloud Final in the National Library in Dublin.
Our Bar Mock project is a valuable way for careers, communication, and creativity to merge; it is testament to the strong connections in our community that so many past pupils give of their time so freely to support our students in their careers education.
All in all, 2024–2025 has been a busy and enjoyable year.”
You can keep up to date with the most recent developments at Wallace High School via www.instragram.com/wallacehighlisburn
You can also read more about the work of our English Department via the link below:
Last modified: June 24, 2025
