More than 1.5 million primary school pupils around the UK will be joining in the biggest celebration marking the 400th anniversary of The Bard’s death during Shakespeare Week, (March 14-20).

Among them are St Bartholomew’s and Beacon Hill primaries in Haslemere, Northchapel Primary Barrow Hills prep, in Witley, and Haslemere Prep.

Every class can, for the first time, take part in a virtual tour of the house where the writer of Macbeth and Hamlet was born and where he grew during a live link up on Monday, from 1.30pm.

It will also include a live Q&A hosted by Baroness Floella Benjamin, and performances of the top three Shakespeare plays as voted for by the nation’s children.

Organised by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, in Stratford-upon-Avon children will be virtually joining an expected 800,000 people who will be travelling from across the world to visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon this year to celebrate the creative legacy of the world’s most famous playwright.

Schools have planned their own celebrations and activities and will be performing plays, crafting puppets, even understanding science, history and numeracy through The Bard’s world.

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s Jacqueline Green said: “We want to open up his wonderful creative world to the nation’s children – all of whom, like Shakespeare, have the capacity to go on and achieve the extraordinary. Teachers have the chance to create intriguing and fun sessions to learn about Shakespeare, his works and how he has helped to shape our own cultural identity as a nation.”

Shakespeare Week has reached more than 1.5million kids in more than 9,000 schools since its launch in 2014.

Libraries, art galleries, museums, heritage attractions and theatres are also helping create a national programme of activities and events for the whole family next week. See www. shakespeareweek.org.uk