Hackney New School’s Christmas concert was a “fitting climax” to the end of its very first term.

Many pupils performed at the concert in St Peter’s Church in Northchurch Road, De Beauvoir, after having only begun learning an instrument three months ago when the school in Downham Road opened to its first cohort of 100.

Head teacher Lesley Falconer said the performance was a “fantastic tribute to all the music that has been performed in school since September and a fitting climax to our first term”.

She continued: “A number of the performers commented that they couldn’t believe how many people had come to hear them and that made it so special for all of us.

“We have celebrated so many “firsts” this term – our first assembly, our first whole school outing, our first Christmas lunch, our first concert

“However we must not forget the individual “firsts” for each of us within Hackney New School - children learning an instrument for the first time, getting to school by themselves, making new friends, putting on a school uniform, playing in the school sports team, becoming a learning ambassador, being recognised as a scholar, presenting a piece of work, being asked to assist another classmate with work in class, using a Chromebook, researching a challenging piece of work, following new rules, developing a new school council – and that is just the students.

“In education you have to constantly adapt to the changes thrust upon you as well as those you wish to make, but I have told the students and the staff that we must continue to enjoy our “firsts” while we can, these “firsts” will not come around again.”

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