IT HAS been a hectic couple of weeks at Haslingden High School with parties, Christmas dinners, shows, hampers and much, much more.
Year 7s got the chance to see the pantomime Sleeping Beauty at Preston and staff put on a show for students on the last day of term.
At the popular Xmas Factor the 17 artistes from Years 7 to 13 performed a staggering seven shows before the winner was decided.
Pastoral manager Gill Lynch said: “We had singers, dancers, a ballet dancer, a piano solo, a group of street dancing boys and even a magician.”
They performed in front of each year group and at the end each group picked their favourite. The act with the most votes won.
Money raised at the Xmas Factor benefited Derian House Children’s Hospice in memory of Saul Chapman, a pupil at St Veronica’s RC School, Helmshore, who sadly lost his battle to cancer last year.
School musicians had an exceptionally busy day when they played in three performances and a concert.
Head of Expressive Arts Kevin Gibbs said: “We started the day off with a performance at The Lindens Rest Home in Haslingden, then we played for the Senior Citizens’ Christmas lunch, a further concert for senior citizens in Oswaldtwistle and our own Christmas Concert in school.
“They were performing from 9am to 9.30pm.”
At the school Christmas Concert the brass band and wind band performed along with the school’s Singing Group.
Soloists from each year also took to the stage: Theo Dunn played piano, Lewis Fielding entertained on the electric guitar, Olivia Baker played the cornet and Shannon Lyons sand an Ed Sheran song ‘Thinking Out Loud’.
The school’s annual GCSE awards evening was also held, everyone in school enjoyed a Christmas lunch, a three-day dance show was staged and scores of hampers were brought into school and distributed to people living in the area.
On the last day of term the school also held a marathon World Record attempt when we tried to get the most people wearing Christmas jumpers at one time in one place.
Have a very happy Christmas and best wishes for 2016.