The show will go on!

Schools to host virtual Christmas nativities, carol services and concerts to share with communities

Orkney schools’ staff are pulling out all the stops again this year to ensure it’s still a Christmas cracker for children and their parents in the run up to the holiday season.

Given the ongoing high level of community COVID-19 transmission in Orkney, nativity plays, winter concerts and other traditional in-person school productions are off-limits again this year. But, far from the Grinch stealing Christmas, school communities will be making sure no-one misses out.

Here’s a sneaky peak at the kind of festivities the bairns across Orkney schools and some of the more vulnerable members of our communities will be enjoying –

Dounby will be doing a “Live from Bethlehem special radio broadcast” where the pupils will be reporting live on the events of the Christmas story as they unfold. The special broadcast will be beamed to families and is an event not to be missed.

They are also decorating thier main road facing windows with Christmas illustrations from each class – so you can spot part of their festivities as you pass the school.

They are linking with the local Rotary club to make extra special (but quarantined) festive hampers for the residents of Smiddybrae and they are linking with the Christmas goodies deliveries for all of their parishes (Birsay, Harray and Sandwick) to make sure everyone receives a Christmas card and treat.

Glaitness School are planning some festivities which take account of thinking of others and the environment. These include a sustainable door decorating challenge for all classes using recycled materials such as old wallpaper books. They will also have a reverse advent calendar, collecting items to put under the Christmas tree in the hall and then donating these to the local Foodbank.

They will be having “Festive Fridays” when pupils can wear their Christmas jumpers if they wish.

St Andrews Christmas celebrations include a school Christmas video, with each class learning and performing a song with Mrs Jenny Keldie. There will be a range of Christmas craft activities in each class, class parties and “jumper day”.

Burray and the Hope Schools will have a virtual carol service in which class performances will be filmed and distributed to parents.

Burray will also have their usual Christmas decorating event soon, when the staff spend an evening decorating the school ahead of a surprise reveal the next morning.

Christmas movies will be shown in classes.

Children in the Hope will be making Christmas cards for Braeburn Court residents.

At Stronsay Junior High School they will be filming and recording music pieces with different primary and secondary classes to be shared with parents. They are also going to decorate classrooms and do some arts and crafts for Christmas within classes. They may also be taking part in the island’s community-wide advent calendar window display.

Christmas at North Walls Community School will see pupils working hard to prepare for their digital nativity, “Hey Ewe!”, that will be shared with parents and the wider community through SeeSaw and digital media.

Their P7 leaders will plan and deliver a Christmas Party and P4-7 will attempt to break their longest paper chain record!

Their janitor lights up our school every year for the children and the wider community and it is the winner of their Save the Children Christmas Jumper Day, who has the privilege of turning them on. P1-4 are already super excited and can't wait to make their own decorations for their many Christmas trees, including designing a decoration for a community tree. This year's design challenge is linked to road safety and the use of reflective materials.

The bairns at Stromness Primary School will feature in a Christmas celebration to be shared with parents, and there will be festive parties and activity afternoons.

Stromness Academy will have a Christmas door decorating competition (see the photo entries from previous years). Their traditional carol service will be filmed item by item and put out online this year, and pupils will get to see it in their registration classes on the last day of term, as well as participating in a Christmas quiz.

They are also hoping to take a group of pupils to sing outside Hamnavoe House windows again.

Firth and Evie Nurseries are making decoration kits to decorate their homes with their parents and carers. In both Firth and Evie Primary Schools, they are creating Christmas videos which will include a Christmas Carol sung by each class and an illustration of Christmas from each class in their choice of media, which remains a surprise!

Shapinsay pupils will be decorating the school and are practising Christmas songs and music. This will be shared with parents via video. They will also be playing some Christmas games and at the end of term making Christingles and learning about them, which will also be shared with parents. Christingle celebrations are named after the Christingles that are lit during the ceremony. Christingles are oranges wrapped in red tape, decorated with dried fruit or sweets, with a candle on the top.

Kirkwall Grammar are already feeling Christmassy with decorations up and pupils taking part in Christmas tree competitions. They’re disappointed that the carol service cannot take place in the cathedral this year, but it will be filmed in school and shared with the community online. Towards the end of term, they will see the usual Christmas jumper day, lights switch on, more Christmassy competitions and plenty of performances broadcasted in the school.

Papdale Primary School are planning to film and share a nativity with parents, alongside lots of other festive fun activities yet to be confirmed.

Orphir, Stenness and Flotta will be having their own internal Christmas celebrations by decorating the schools and having a selection of Christmas themed activities and crafts. Orphir will be recording a special “surprise” to be shared with parents/carers and Stenness Community School will be switching on the lights of their community Christmas tree.

This is just a snapshot of what is happening, all schools will be enjoying some festive fun and games.

OIC Executive Director of Education, Leisure and Housing, James Wylie said: “While guidance permits a range of activities within and across communities, guidance for schools and nurseries remains more restrictive.

“Over the last ten days or so we have seen how COVID-19 can interrupt learning as well as disrupt our school and nursery services. We are keen to keep this to the minimum. As a result, restrictions on face-to-face meetings and gatherings as part of the work of the school will remain. Where essential small meetings will take place and support services will continue as usual. However large scale, or whole school, concerts and events, as part of the season celebrations, will not be taking place.

“Many other local authorities have taken the same stance given the spike in COVID-19 related absences since the October break. There are pockets of infection in many communities, and we want to play our part in trying to contain any potential spread by limiting large in-person gatherings in schools.

“It’s not a decision that was taken lightly as we realise that there may be some who are disappointed, but we are very proud of how our school communities are, once again, stepping up to ensure that no-one will miss out. They will be spreading all the usual Christmas cheer – it will just be done in the classroom or virtually. You can see the fantastic array of festive activities that our staff are arranging to ensure they have a great time ahead of the holidays.

“The safety of everyone must come first. Let’s Step into Christmas and ensure that the only thing coming to town this year is Santa Claus and not a further rise in cases of COVID-19.

“We want everyone to have a good time, but remember the virus doesn’t discriminate, it can target anyone at any time – the last thing any of us want is for you and those around you to have to self-isolate and miss out on seeing loved ones over Christmas.”