Planning the Christmas performances has become an interesting logistical situation over the past two years! We waited and waited to see if the restrictions would change through the first half term. The aim was to create two performances and perform once again to a live audience with children in Reception, Year 1 and 2 and a Prep performance for children in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. Unfortunately due to changes received from the government in November we once again decided on a Virtual performance - although this year we had the challenge of creating two!

The children (and I think parents too!) always look forward to the Christmas performances. The children love putting on their costumes, standing on stage and having their moment performing with their friends for their brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents. We also recognise the important skills as the children develop their confidence to stand on the stage, speak clearly, learn to project their voice.  They also take on the role of a character adding expression, gestures and deliver their lines to bring the story they are telling alive for the audience. 

Last year with our first Virtual performance the children enjoyed watching the final production together in their classes and once again singing and dancing along at home with their families.

The Pre-Prep children had the play ‘Born in a Barn’ where the story is told from a variety of animals in a stable explaining the importance of the Christmas story and the special baby Jesus. The children worked hard to learn the variety of songs that unfold the story and even worked hard to learn the actions that we had added in too! We practiced rehearsing our lines together and listened to when each character spoke. Once the children learned their lines, we then worked to improve our storytelling and thought about how to use our faces, arms and voice to be able to create a character and tell the story in an interesting way for the audience. The children’s faces when they saw the stage with everything in place was wonderful. They gathered together to film each of the scenes and the songs and worked really well together.

The Prep Children performed the play ‘Children of the World’. The play starts with Gabriel and a group of excited Angels who are getting ready to travel around the globe and find out how Christmas is celebrated around the world. The chosen Angels disappeared off to the given country and returned to explain the importance of Christmas celebrations in their countries and talk about some of the traditions for their country too. Each class was given a country and we were able to learn about various traditions in Poland, Malawi, China, Ireland, Australia and the United States of America. Their costumes were once again amazing and we had children in Christmas jumpers, shorts and t-shirts, tie dyed t-shirts, grass skirts, traditional chinese hats and smart waistcoats decorated with beautiful ribbon detail too!

The children worked hard in their Music and Singing lessons with Mr Baker to learn the variety of songs and each Form Teacher worked hard with their own class to practise learning their lines. 

We filmed the play in small sections with every child from Year 3 to Year 6 dressed up and ready to have their moment on the stage. The children all worked hard and despite the nerves of being filmed they performed beautifully!  Mr Baker’s technical skills were put to the test as he spent time splicing the songs and scenes together and adding the recordings of sound together to create the final finished film.

The children gathered in their Form classes with children from the Nursery and Senior also tuned in with parents and grandparents ready to watch the virtual performances. There was lots of singing and laughter as the children all watched together in school and it was lovely that so many returned for the evening performance too!

We would like to thank the teachers, parents and children who worked together to create two lovely performances that the children were all excited to watch and we hope families, wherever they were watching from, enjoyed seeing this year's Pre-Prep and Prep Christmas plays.

Miss Kerry Duff

Head of Junior School