Springmead School pupils star in innovative production featuring live donkey. 

Frome-based Springmead School and Nursery has produced a charming nativity film starring nursery and reception children, local scenery, and a live donkey. The short film is a pupil-led retelling of the Christmas story with an unconventional approach – performers are encouraged to improvise and switch roles, harnessing their individual creativity. The film can be viewed here (https://youtu.be/bXocfZKLd-s?si=UnjNNua7TcArgkIa) .

The film was a combined effort of Springmead School's talented young pupils and teaching staff, who ensured that the children's ideas and contributions were heard and incorporated. Shirley Offer, deputy head and head of Springmead's Nursery, is a keen filmmaker and edited and produced the video. 

To create authentic scenes and foster self-expression, teachers took a step back and were less instructive, allowing the children to develop personalised dramatic interpretations. This approach considers play as instinctive, voluntary, and spontaneous. It is a philosophy woven into Springmead School's process of allowing children to explore characters, emotions, and the story context, fostering both learning and creativity. 

Creating playful teaching points around the story that guide and model the narrative was crucial. The pupils were prepared for each scene before stepping into an informal set in costume and tried their hand at acting out the scene together, with their unique interpretations.  

The children were not bound by a defined script or adult direction, given the freedom to follow each other or independently express themselves through their prior knowledge and innate desire to recreate roles and pretend. 

The nativity film project provided a unique and memorable experience for the pupils and demonstrated the school's innovative and child-focused approach to education. 

Sally Cox, Head, comments, "What a joy it has been to see this new class of children grow and flourish as they created their own rendition of the Christmas story. We believe in giving our children a well-rounded education that not only nurtures their academic abilities but also fosters qualities such as confidence, creativity, and collaboration." 

Shirley Offer, Deputy Head, adds "This year we have extended children's learning, allowing them to dress up and act out different roles rather than simply assigning them to one. This has been a huge success. Children have shone in each role they tried their hand at, exploring a breadth of emotion and depth of experiences with each character's journey."