PARTYING pupils danced and sang their way through the decades as they celebrated the Queen’s birthday in regal style.
More than 480 students and staff at West Park Academy, Darlington, staged a right royal extravaganza with princely performances from the roaring 1920s right up to a millennium mash-up to commemorate her majesty’s 90 years.
Principal Catherine Thompson said: “All of our children, including our nursery and toddler groups, contributed to the performances today, which have been absolutely spectacular.
“All of our staff and parents have worked exceedingly hard to ensure that we put on an event fit for a Queen depicting every era of her life in this wonderful display.
“The dancing, singing and costumes have all been exceptional and I am sure her majesty would have thoroughly approved.”
Opening with a 1920s Charleston from Year 4 pupils, the garden party continued with a toddler stroll down the yellow brick road, before Year 3 students danced to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy and dressed as soldiers and land girls to sing a rendition of the 1940s Vera Lynn hit We’ll Meet Again.
Year 5 students swung their hips to Elvis Presley’s Jailhouse Rock, followed by a 70s Motown medley by Year 6 and a flash back to the 1980s with Year 2 dancing to Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham.
Younger students brought proceedings to a conclusion with a performance from the Lion King and a rendition of Happy by Pharrell Williams, before enjoying a picnic lunch and ice cream in the school grounds.
Year 3 teaching assistant Danny Smith helped the children in the school’s art club create a giant union flag from hundreds of pictures of the Queen’s head with parent helper Wendy Goold (CORRECT). He said: “The students have had so much fun learning about the different decades of history the Queen has lived through.
“Each year group has looked at its own era and, as well as learning songs and dances from the time, have also created history art boards to show the main events, fashion, music, television shows and inventions throughout the past 90 years.
“The children worked extremely hard creating our giant flag and we will be sending the Queen a photograph to show her what we achieved.”