A Croydon primary school will be appearing on BBC local television news today, appealing to the public for their help with one last big push to try to get their special song to the Christmas No1 spot.
St James the Great Primary School in Thornton Heath’s Christmas single, Joy on Christmas Day, is competing in the charts with established pop acts like Ed Sheeran and Sabrina Carpenter.
The country’s 2024 Christmas No1 will be announced on BBC Radio 1 this Friday, December 20, at 4pm.
“Knowing that they’ve taken this and made it their own, that’s the magic about it,” said the school choir director Ziad Khwiss. “That’s what’s beautiful.
“This song will forever be theirs.”
The single was recorded in the music studio of Trinity School in Shirley, whose Big Band, with pupils aged 15 to 17, contributed the instrumentals.
The St James The Great Chamber Choir wants the video of its performance to go viral. If enough people watch and share the video links, the south London kids might be alright.

Here’s how you can help:
Watch this clip and then click “like” (it really is as easy as that!).
Proceeds from the song will go to funding St James the Great’s music department.
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ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: In January 2024, Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for a SEVENTH successive year in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine

