Techniques used by the Royal Shakespeare Company will be used to bring the bard’s plays to life for pupils in Bradford.

And Bingley Grammar School will be leading the way after it was picked by the company to play a major role in its national education programme.

Working with both the RSC and Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre, Bingley Grammar will be the ‘hub’ school in the RSC’s three-year Learning and Performance Network, which aims to transform children’s first experiences of Shakespeare, and improve the teaching of it.

Director of creative and performing arts at Bingley Grammar School Matthew Atkinson said: “To be involved with the RSC and the Alhambra is a massive honour. We see the partnership as helping us build upon an ethos of ‘belong, respect and inspire’, where every student is involved within school life.”

The RSC believes young people experience Shakespeare best when they follow its manifesto – Stand Up For Shakespeare, which calls for children to act out Shakespeare, see it live, and start it earlier. The group will work closely with the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford to give Bingley Grammar and up to seven others the skills necessary to teach Shakespeare in a more active way, using techniques similar to those used in RSC rehearsals.

Three teachers at the Bingley Grammar will take a postgraduate course with the RSC and the University of Warwick. They will also support teachers in the other local schools.

In the first year of the programme, which starts in spring 2014, the RSC will visit with a Shakespeare production created for younger audiences. In 2016 all of the schools, with artists from the RSC and The Alhambra, will create a children’s Shakespeare performance at the theatre.

RSC director of education Jacqui O’Hanlon said: “As a hub school, Bingley Grammar will be delivering an innovative programme of work with its own staff and students and leading a cluster of other local schools.”

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council portfolio holder employment, skills and culture, said: “I am delighted that the RSC is investing in Bradford's children in this way. It's a really exciting initiative which will give children a valuable appreciation of theatre.”