Anchorsholme Primary Academy celebrates Blackpool schools Choir of Year success

The school, on Eastpines Drive, came first in Blackpool Music Service’s Primary School Choir of the Year competition for 2022.

Eight schools took part in the event, which has been running for more than 15 years but was cancelled last year because of the Covid Pandemic.

Anchorsholme impressed the judges with their renditions of Born to Shine and a second song, Hey Brother, by the Swedish singer Avici.

But it was a close-run thing, with Norbreck Primary Academy finishing second and St Nicholas C of E Primary and St Kentigern’s Catholic Primary finishing joint third.

It was the fifth time in 10 years that Anchorsholme had won the event, but head teacher Graeme Dow said that on each of those occasions, a different group of children had been involved.

Mr Dow, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have won this year, because you can’t guarantee success every time.

"The whole team worked extremely hard for this success.”

The school choir won a shield which it will keep for a year.

The choir was coached by a school team comprising Mr Dow himself, Russell Jones and Clare Felvus.

Mr Dow added the win capped a busy few days for the youngsters, who also made it to the finals of the Lancashire-wide Last Choir Singing contest.

A spokesman for Blackpool Music Service, which organised the event, said: “Each choir sang an eight-minute varied programme, which was very enjoyable.

“Our much respected adjudicators, Janice Pounds and Neill Oldham, had the unenviable task of deciding upon the winners.”