With the festive season upon us, schools across the borough have been celebrating in their own unique ways. From modern dress to traditional costume, Sutton's pupils have been embracing the Christmas spirit with a variety of Nativity plays. Here, the Sutton Guardian brings you some highlights.

Brookfields Primary School in North Cheam put on a Nativity play for the equal opportunities age last week. The multi-talented pupils at the Ridge Road school not only sang a number of songs in two performances last Tuesday and Wednesday they signed them as well. The play took the traditional Christmas play theme but focused on the celebratory side of the Nativity and the various guests' preparations for visiting Jesus in Bethlehem. Collingwood School's annual Christmas performance, this year, One Night in Bethlehem, was a Nativity play with a difference. Not only did the kings wear shades, but the usual traditional carols were swapped for rock n' roll and jazz. More than 100 people turned up for each of the two performances last week, which were held in the school's hall, in Springfield Road. Head teacher Geoff Barham, said: "The music was very ambitious and quite complex in many ways. Music co-ordinator Geoff Thomas, gets them to work at new heights each year. It was great fun and the cast of 60 or so characters played by four to seven-year-olds were amazing."

The ass that carried Mary to Bethlehem took centre stage at All Saints Primary School, Carshalton in the infants Nativity play, The Weary Donkey. It told the traditional tale of Jesus's birth from the point of view of one of its unsung heroes, in two performances, on Thursday, December 6, and Friday, December 7. Head teacher of the Rotherfield Road school, Carol Rapps, said: "It was a great success. We filled the school hall for both performances." And yesterday it was the turn of the juniors who again took the Nativity play as their subject but gave it an animal twist.

December 18, 2001 10:30