St Mary's C of E Primary School & Nursery

(From the Swindon Evening Advertiser - see link below): The 450 schoolchildren sang in front of more than 1,000 people for their performance at the North Wiltshire Music Festival at the Oasis Leisure Centre. Helen Fudge, a teacher at St Mary’s Primary School in Purton, co-ordinated the event. The aim of the evening was to encourage more young children to learn a musical instrument. She said: “I’m extremely pleased with how the event went and the children really enjoyed themselves. The hall was packed with parents and friends of the children who were performing.” A total of 11 primary schools got involved in the festival. This year’s festival was themed around songs and sounds from Oscar ceremonies which were performed by pupils accompanied by the Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Swing Band and the Great Western Youth Band and Percussion Ensemble. The evening included a wide range of songs from classics including Breakfast At Tiffany’s and 9 to 5 to modern favourites from Disney and James Bond films. The children practised the songs during their Spring term so they were ready to wow audiences on the night. The Youth Band also played classic movie themes from The Magnificent Seven and Raiders Of The Lost Ark.

Link: http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/15201622.North_Wiltshire_Music_Festival_puts_film_in_the_spotlight_as_hundreds_of_pupils_take_to_stage/