John Spence pupils bring North East schools into the national spotlight
Pupils from Schools North East Partner School, John Spence Community High School in North Shields, are featuring in this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert, shining a national spotlight on the talent within our region’s schools.
The pupils were invited by former pupil Sam Fender to provide choir vocals for his cover of The Rolling Stones’ You Can’t Always Get What You Want, which features in the festive campaign.
For the young people involved, it was a special opportunity to be part of a high-profile national project, with the added surprise of seeing Sam return to his former school during the recording session.
The track also features Easington Colliery Band, bringing together two North East names as part of a campaign reaching audiences across the country. Proceeds from the single will support Teenage Cancer Trust and Action for Children.
Celebrating the talent across North East schools
The involvement of John Spence is a moment worth celebrating, not only for the school and its pupils, but for North East education more widely.
Schools across our region provide young people with opportunities to develop their interests, discover their talents and take part in experiences that can stay with them for years. Seeing pupils from one of our Partner Schools feature in such a recognisable national campaign is a brilliant example of the talent and potential that exists across the North East.
It also reinforces the importance of ensuring that the achievements of our schools and young people are recognised beyond the region. North East schools have so much to offer, and their stories deserve to be part of the national conversation.
Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East, said:
“It’s fantastic to see John Spence and its pupils represented on a national stage. There is so much talent across our region’s schools, and stories like this help show the opportunities and achievements that are taking place here every day. We hope everyone involved is incredibly proud to be part of it.”
Congratulations to the pupils and staff at John Spence on being part of this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert. It’s wonderful to see a North East school taking its place in a campaign enjoyed by audiences across the country.
Watch the advert: https://www.johnlewis.com/content/christmas-advert