Pupils amazed both their parents and teachers in a spectacular nativity show at a school for pupils with learning disabilities.

The children from Springfield School in Witney put on their annual festive show last Friday afternoon.

Emma Lawley, who has been headteacher at the school for ten years, said: "All 111 pupils were involved, which is quite a massive feat to get everyone together and perform.

"It is the only time of the year when the whole school comes together as one and put on a massive performance.

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"All the pupils have got severe and complex learning difficulties so it's a big event for them to be all in the hall together."

Over sixty staff and volunteers helped put on the show and the nativity itself lasted just over an hour.

Before the show, the school's governors provided parents with tea, coffee and mince pies in order to get the festivities underway.

"This year it was a nativity scene and we alternate every year between the nativity and a pantomime," added Mrs Lawley.

Witney Gazette:

"The aim is to make it as fun as we can for the pupils with as much singing as possible.

"At the end of November, we start practising with the pupils so they have just enough time to remember their bits and they work on all their parts and songs.

"The parents actually provide some of the costumes, which is great of them.

"The show was a variation of singing and signing with pupils from Key Stage 3 putting on a sign segment for the audience.

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"Three of the older pupils, who are 15 and 16, did the narration for the whole nativity."

The school is for pupils aged between 3 and 16 and takes pupils in from the West Oxfordshire catchment area.

There were at least 80 people in the audience but Mrs Lawley said this didn't daunt the children.

"It went really well, I was amazed at how the pupils managed in such a big and busy environment," the headteacher said.

"It was a great nativity and a success for everyone that was involved.

"All the classes got up and performed.

"They all really enjoyed it and enjoyed watching each other.

Witney Gazette:

"Some of the younger children managed to stay in the hall for the whole performance so that was really good.

"We've had some great feedback from the parents, they've said how good it was to see what the whole school was able to do.

"There's been a really good response from the parents who were at their first show, a lot of them were happy with what their children achieved and were really proud of them."

The school boasts a range of specialist equipment and even has a hydrotherapy pool, staffed by a dedicated pool team. The pool is kept at a constant temperature, for physiotherapy and rehabilitation for the very young and is available for small group hire.