On Thursday, 11 December, our 3º ESO students stepped into the mysterious and dramatic world of Shakespeare’s Hamlet through an immersive escape room experience delivered by our Cambridge Partners. This innovative activity offered students a unique opportunity to engage with one of Shakespeare’s greatest works in an imaginative and hands-on way.
Hamlet, written around 1600, is one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated tragedies. It explores themes such as revenge, friendship, loyalty, and the struggle between appearance and reality. Students entered this captivating universe as they attempted to unravel the secrets of Elsinore Castle, bringing the play’s atmosphere to life through teamwork, problem-solving, and creative thinking.
The activity also connected beautifully to one of our most memorable bilingual experiences from last year: our immersion trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace. Having walked the very streets where the Bard grew up and visited the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, many of our students already felt a special connection to Shakespeare’s world. This escape room allowed them to extend that cultural learning and revisit the essence of Elizabethan drama—this time from inside the story.
To create this immersive experience, a team of professional actors arrived early to transform one of our classrooms into an authentic escape room, complete with atmospheric lighting, thematic props, introductory videos, and a carefully crafted narrative. Students worked together to decipher coded messages, interpret clues, and solve challenging puzzles, all while using English naturally and confidently.
The feedback from both students and teachers was outstanding. They highlighted the excellent organisation, high linguistic level, and the dynamic, motivating nature of the activity. It was not only incredibly fun but also intellectually stimulating—a perfect example of how language learning can come alive beyond the traditional classroom.
Thanks to the success of this pilot, we are already planning more escape rooms for Santa Gema Galgani. The adventure has only just begun!
