THE terrible Tudors were on the throne as history was brought to life at a Poole school.

Pupils from Branksome Heath Middle School in Parkstone came dressed as the monarchs, courtiers and street ruffians of the time.

The year five students worked with Ben Lindsey-Clark of Treehouse Theatre Company to create a Tudor dynasty play.

Headteacher Stuart Fox said the event – which has become a school annual highlight – was a big success.

“He’s so good at putting across the entire period in a very short space of time and the children get really involved,” he said.

“I was taking some parents around and they stood in there for about 10 minutes watching. He’s mesmerising and kept their imagination going. They were all cheering.”

The performance helped bring to life the Key Stage Two history curriculum, which ranges from the diet of the Tudor era and its most horrible jobs to its bloody battles and the violent reign of Henry VIII.

“Ben brings in a lot of things like plastic daggers and axes and chain mail. He dresses up as all the different characters for Tudor times, whether male or female,” said Mr Fox. “It was a first class performance which started at nine in the morning and finished at about 3.10pm.

“Every child is part of the performance.”

He said parents had helped the process along by sending their children in costume.

“We had a brilliant response from the children and their parents sent them in some absolutely super costumes,” he added.