Brent primary schools winners at Westfield London Christmas Choir Awards
The choir from Leopold Primary School with �1,000 for winning Best Choir in the Westfield Christmas Choir Awards - Credit: Archant
Two Brent primary schools have sung their way to the top of a competition.
Manor School in Kensal Rise win Best Performance - Credit: Archant
The choirs of Leopold Primary School in Hawkshead Road, Harlesden, and Manor School in Chamberlayne Road, Kensal Rise, were the stand out winners of the annual Westfield (shopping centre) London Christmas Choir Awards.
Leopold pupils sang their way to best choir winning a £1,000 prize for their school.
The 30-strong group belted out a Spanish Christmas song, a version of Hark the Herald, Mary Did You Know and a special festive composition about the school written by their choir director Angelline Bejjani.
Judith Gayle, a teacher at Leopold, said: “It was an amazing boost for the children. It can be a struggle with trying to get them to sing but we try to encourage them.
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“They have come a long way, it’s boosted their confidence and with this win they really know they can do it.”
The children from Manor School won the best performance category.
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Their range of songs including Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, I want a hippopotamus for Christmas, Something Inside So Strong, Tongo and Creepy Castle.
Emma Jackman, music teacher at the school, said: “Both the children in the choir and the school staff were excited when we heard we had been voted for a prize. It is a relatively new choir and the children have been working really hard.”
She added: “As our school is a Special Educational Needs one a lot of our pupils use Makaton (signs and symbols to help people communicate) so our choir reflects this as we sing and Makaton sign all of our songs.
“We are so proud and grateful to have won best performance. The whole experience was fantastic for our children they have asking to go back and sing.”
Twelve schools including Sudbury Primary School, Princess Frederica CofE Primary School and Harlesden Primary School battled it out for four prizes – best choir, best performance, best fundraiser and best dressed.
The Awards give local young students the chance to perform in a public arena, have fun, and increase the school’s profile within the community.
Emma Hindes, Westfield London general manager, said: “It was an exceptionally close competition with outstanding performances from all 12 choirs who took part.”
