Young writers hoping for a happy ending

YOUNG playwrights from Breeze Hill School are finalists in the first ever Greater Manchester Student Awards.

They will find out if they scoop the overall award for drama — and a private tour of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre in London — at a ceremony at Haigh Hall, Wigan, on Monday.

A total of 13 classmates from Year 10 worked in four teams to write 10-minute plays about the characters of Oldham.

Catherine Goulding, drama and English teacher at Breeze Hill, said: “The plays are brilliant. And because the pupils were working in teams, the competition element really focussed them.”

The Greater Manchester Student Awards celebrates and rewards the next generation of writers, scientists, artists and musicians.

The competition is part of the Greater Manchester Challenge, which aims to drive up school standards, and was open to Year 9 and 10 students in six categories — art and design, music, drama, creative writing, ICT and science.

Beverley Hughes, Minister for the Greater Manchester Challenge, said: “Congratulations to all the pupils for creating superb award entries, and to Breeze Hill School for nurturing the creative talent of their pupils.

“I wish them all the very best of luck in the final judging.”