EXPECTATIONS were certainly high for a winter school production.

For talented young thespians at Bolton School worked with BAFTA-nominated writer and director Janys Chambers to bring Charles Dicken's masterpiece Great Expectations to the stage.

The school worked with the Octagon Theatre to stage the production with young people benefitting from professional behind the scene tips.

London-based award-winning designer Jade Linz Roberts designed the set which was especially built for the production by the school's technicians.

A 4-strong cast made up of Year Eight and Year Nine pupils staged a two night run of a new version of the classic tale.

Janys, who has created a new adaptation of the story, said: "There was so much talent in our young cast.

"Great Expectations is a huge story with huge emotions and Dickens’ language is not easy. This was a complex version too, with a lot of interwoven choral work. But the young people worked incredibly hard and rose to the challenge of the piece magnificently. The whole ensemble was brilliant and I was very proud of them all.”

Rebecca Toland, from the girls' division English and drama department, said: “This was such a fantastic opportunity for all the students involved. To work with a BAFTA-nominated writer and director, within a professionally commissioned set, was incredibly enriching and rewarding for the pupils. The girls and boys got so much out of the experience and thoroughly enjoyed the whole process. They made new friends and memories to last a lifetime."