School pupils whose creative thinking saw their own original work performed by a West End cast have been nominated for a Telegraph & Argus Schools Award.

Earlier this year, Appleton Academy’s Year Nine music class were winners of a writing challenge run by the Royal Shakespeare Company, with the cast of major musical Matilda bringing their work to life before their eyes.

Head of performing arts at the Wyke academy Emma Bourke thought the pupils involved did so well in the contest, and that their work has improved so much, that she nominated them for the Achievement category.

The class entered the RSC’s National Writing Challenge, which was a partnership with the Matilda Project.

It invited students aged between eight and 13 to create a script or song to be performed in a special performance by the West End cast of the stage version of Roald Dahl's classic children's story.

The RSC received more than 200 entries and employed a script selection process overseen by the show's creators, Dennis Kelly and comedian and musician Tim Minchin.

In May the pupils were told they were one of only four schools across the country to be named as a winner.

This led to the class joining the show's cast in London in June, and watching their winning script and song performed by the stars in a special, private performance They were then all treated to a VIP performance of the show.

After the performance Mr Minchin said: “It’s wonderful to see young people engaging with writing for theatre and writing songs. I’m really proud to be involved in this awesome project.”

Mrs Bourke said: “It has definitely motivated the pupils to raise their standards. We saw them achieving above their target grades after the win.”

It made them realise they could win a national contest.