THREE students from the district have been chosen to become part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s first young acting company.

The pupils, one from Bingley Grammar School and two from Samuel Lister Academy in Cottingley, will join 17 other young people who the company said demonstrated “exceptional talent, focus, commitment and passion” when they took part in a masterclass at the Alhambra Theatre earlier this year.

Year 10 pupil Haaris Qaiser, from Heaton, is the Bingley Grammar School student who will be treading the boards with the company. Samuel Lister Academy said it would not be naming its two pupils taking part.

Both schools have been involved in RSC programmes in recent years.

The masterclasses involved 180 students from the RSC’s Associate Schools Programme. Events were held across the country, from Cornwall to Newcastle, as well as in Bradford.

The 20 members of RSC Next Generation ACT are all aged between 12 and 16 and were selected by a panel of RSC actors and representatives from the group’s Casting and Education departments.

They were looking to recruit young people with an obvious talent for acting who might ordinarily find it hard to break into a career in the theatre.

Haaris has always loved acting and during his time at Bingley Grammar School has been inspired by the ongoing partnership with the RSC and is now taking GCSE Drama.

He said: “I’m really excited to get stuck into it and expand my acting skills – it’s something I have always wanted to do.”

Elizabeth Moorhouse, English teacher and RSC Link co-ordinator at the school, said: “We are so excited for Haaris and the unique experience he will gain through being part of this project.

“Once again our links with the Royal Shakespeare Company have created an amazing opportunity for one of our students.”

The group has started regular sessions and will perform at the end of their first year together in July.