It’s that time of year again. The sun is shining, the end of term is nigh, and teachers up and down the country are embarrassing themselves in annual leavers’ videos.
In 2016 the bar was set extremely high. We were treated to inflatable guitars, sumo suits and chair races down school corridors. Teachers (as Louis Walsh would say) looked like popstars, sounded like popstars and danced like popstars. And they all did it in the name of love for their students.
So, are 2017’s video bigger, better and funnier than ever before? From everyone at Tes, it’s a thousand per cent yes.
From 30 Ed Sheerans to a spontaneous musical performance - these films are bursting with fun, stupid jokes, and fabulous costumes (keep an eye out for the bald teacher in the fur coat).
*Warning* These videos will make you laugh, cheer and dance. So please, refrain from watching them in quiet zones on the public transport, or anywhere that discourages fun.
We’re yet to confirm whether or not Ed Sheeran is aware of his starring role in Alec Hunter Academy, Braintree’s video, but we’re certain he would love it. Teachers wore masks of his face, found their inner Irish charm and jigged along to Galway Girl.
‘Forget Ofsted, forget Progress 8. What could be more important than the leavers’ video?’ - exactly Sir, exactly. After much deliberation, staff at Henry Box school in Witney settled on the classic Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now with which to create their masterpiece. It’s got all the elements of a memorable video - a fur coat, table dancing and out-of-time miming.
Staff at The Dearne Advanced Learning Centre in Barnsley confirm so many teacher-myths in their video. Teachers do sleep at school, they cheer (not cry) at the thought of waving goodbye to Year 11, and they play with all those confiscated fidget spinners once the pupils have gone home. Set to Justin Timberlake’s I Can’t Stop The Feeling, there’s sumo suits, some seriously slick umbrellaography and so. much. dabbing.
Sometimes, it’s the surprise performances that can have the most impact. Students from Monkton Combe School in Bath had their speech day assembly interrupted by a rousing version of One Day More from Les Miserables. Shocked and confused faces become wide, laughing smiles and the staff are rewarded with a fitting standing ovation for their efforts.
Teachers at Copleston High School in Ipswich also went above and beyond the expected standard. Their video may not be all singing, all dancing, but it’s definitely out of this world. The Harry Potter/Star Wars mash-up masterpiece boasts a life-sized R2D2, truely magical costumes, and impressive special effects - the flying spaceship really is something else.
