In February our Sixth Form English Literature students and their teachers headed to the Quays Theatre at the Lowry in Manchester to see a production of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Intriguingly this production was staged using circus skills and nobody really knew what to expect.

Tess is a tragedy that still has extraordinary relevance for our times in its incredibly nuanced evocation of female relationships, sexual desire, consent, privilege and poverty. The performers' physical, acrobatic skills were astounding and the drama was poignant, tragic, beautifully evocative and even humorous at times.

It was a fabulous experience. The students and staff all agreed that it will live in their memories for a very long time and was a brilliant way to start the half-term break.