12:00pm Wednesday 15th February 2012
By James Tourgout
PUPILS and staff made a record-breaking gesture when they joined in sign and singing sessions at schools.
Staff from Bridport Primary School and Broadwindsor Primary School were among those nationwide to join in the world record breaking attempt.
The charity SignHealth hopes more than 130,000 pupils and staff nationwide will have joined in the sign2sing event to break the record for the most people singing and signing a song simultaneously.
Bridport Primary headteacher Debbie Brown said: “It was absolutely brilliant.
“We had 370 children and 30 adults, taking the number to 400.
“Three children, Blake, Katie and Willow, in the school sign at home for whatever reason so they led everybody.
“All of the children were completely engrossed and they picked it up so quickly.”
Pupils learned the song over the past month in weekly sessions as well as practising in class.
Youngsters in reception class were also having a pyjama party on the same day and joined in the fun.
Mrs Brown said the children had been talking about the sign2sing and had understood and really got to grips with what it was about.
She paid tribute to school music co-ordinator Helen Wright and teacher Becky Rumens for organising and rehearsing the children.
The school is also hoping to organise a concert in March to raise money for SignHealth.
In 2011, 94,489 children took part in SignHealth’s sign2sing event and smashed the Guinness World Record.
The charity lined up 130,000 schoolchildren and staff for the 2012 event.
It said that it was huge and they are confident to have broken the record although it now needs to be verified by Guinness World Records.
Steve Powell, chief executive at SignHealth, said more than 900 schools were involved and the charity was delighted that Bridport and Broadwindsor had signed up.
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