A group of schoolchildren had the surprise of a lifetime when a BBC Radio 1 DJ and superstar musician dropped in on their virtual music workshop.
Pupils at Sproughton Church of England Primary School were taking part in their normal Key Stage Two music workshop on Friday when Radio 1 breakfast host Greg James and singer-songwriter Rag’n’Bone Man made a surprise appearance.
Jane Stalham, Headteacher of the school which is a member of the St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi Academy Trust, said: “I’m an avid listener of Radio 1 and I heard Greg James wanted to find a primary school music teacher and we have a fabulous, enthusiastic one here in Holly Milgate. She has been offering remote music lessons and remote singing workshops which have been a real mood lifter for everyone during the lockdown. The sessions are extremely popular. Mrs Milgate then spoke to BBC Radio 1 and they agreed we were a great fit for what they wanted to do.”
From there, the station arranged for a surprise guest to ‘Zoom bomb’ the Key Stage Two music workshop.
Mrs Stalham added: “It would have been technically difficult to organise if every pupil was involved, so instead we were asked to provide five children to take part in a music focus group in a breakout room on Zoom. All of the other pupils were audience members so they could see what was happening and it was in the breakout room that Greg James was waiting for them.”
The lucky five chosen to take part were Year Six pupil Zak Booth, Year Five children James Palfrey, Paige Brown and Tiapreet Kaur and Year Three pupil Eva Andrews.
The DJ spoke to them about contemporary and acapella music and Rag’n’Bone Man – topics they are currently learning about – before Rag’n’Bone Man appeared in the video call.
Mrs Stalham said: “The children were all absolutely shocked. There were screams and gasps from the other children who were watching.”
Zak said: “I felt like something special was going to happen and it was so exciting to see Rag’n’Bone Man and Greg James on the same screen as Mrs Milgate and my friends from school. What an exciting day I’ll never forget.”
While James added: “When Rag’n’Bone Man appeared on my screen it was mind-blowing.”
The children and Mrs Milgate joined in a rendition of This Little Light of Mine with Rag’n’Bone man before he answered their questions.
Jane Sheat, Diocesan Director of Education, said: “This is a great example of how hard our creative and resourceful teachers have been working to make lockdown schooling interesting and effective for our pupils. This is just the sort of boost our schools need during what has been a challenging term for our staff, pupils and parents.”
The surprise was aired on Radio 1 Breakfast with Greg James this morning (Friday 29 January).
Photograph credit: BBC Radio 1
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