Nativity tradition is stable, whatever a survey says

Is there really no room at the inn for a traditional nativity? That's the conclusion of users of a parenting website who believe just a third of schools still put on a Christmas play focussing on the birth of Jesus.

Political correctness in a multicultural society has been blamed. But an investigation by the Express & Star found that, in the West Midlands at least, the true meaning of Christmas is alive and well in schools.

Dozens of primary schools in Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall, Sandwell and Staffordshire were contacted asking for details of their Christmas concerts.

And all but one that replied includes a traditional nativity as part of it - albeit some with a more modern take featuring a striking and disillusioned Father Christmas, angels learning of the birth of Christ from a newspaper and stories told from the perspective of a sheep.

According to Netmums, just a third of UK schools now put on the traditional nativity play.

The survey found aliens, recycling bins, a Lord Sugar-style 'Lord Christmas', Elvis, footballers, a lobster, a napkin, carrots, sprouts, a pumpkin and a spaceman instead.

Around 47 per cent offer an 'updated nativity' and one in eight have dropped the Christian references.

That is not the case in the Black Country and Staffordshire, although some schools tell different versions of the nativity, including one or two that do it from the perspective of the angels or even from the perspective of the sheep.

Hey Ewe is one such play, being put on by Cannock's Chadsmoor Community Infants and Nursery school.

According to the website Out Of The Ark, where the plays are sold, it is 'a straightforward but original nativity play told from the perspective of a curious sheep'.

Duncan Cocker, headteacher at Villiers Primary School in Bilston, was surprised by the survey results.

He said: "I did wonder when I saw the figure about one third doing the nativity whether that meant it was only a nativity they put on with nothing else.

"Our reception Christmas production is entitled The Bossy Fairy. The story highlights the true spirit of Christmas and also works in the retelling of the nativity through our children's marvellous acting, singing and dancing skills. All 80 children were involved in this wonderful performance."

The nativity was very much the focus at SS Mary and John's Catholic Primary Academy in Wolverhampton. Principal Joanne Hanslip said: "We will be performing two nativity plays; one which is a modern nativity play script telling the traditional nativity story; and our second which is the traditional nativity story accompanied by traditional and modern carols and interspersed with readings from the Bible."

Bilston's Wilkinson Primary School is involving all 427 children in performances in the new school hall, built following a devastating fire in 2011. Two groups of children will perform nativity stories while the older children are putting on Cinderella, family liaison officer Carol Duffield revealed.

Claregate Primary School is also doing nativity plays and carols. Headteacher Mick Murphy said: "The children at Claregate are performing Christmas songs for parents of nursery children, an early years nativity, a Key Stage One nativity and the school choir perform a Christmas Carol Concert. We also have a visit from Santa and the parents and teachers association pay for a Christmas pantomime for years one to six and entertainment for nursery and reception children."

St Luke's Primary School in Blakenhall is doing a performance called Prickly Hay which is a musical based on the nativity. Children in years three to six are participating in an evening Christmas Concert where the children sing traditional carols and Christmas songs, read poems and readings from the bible which are all based on the nativity.

Russells Hall Primary School is doing traditional nativities.

And Anne Elledge from Emmanuel School, Walsall, said children had plenty of tradition in their plays too.

She said: "We are staging a Christmas play, involving all classes. It is based around the Russian traditional tale of Baboushka, who hosted the wise men on their journey to Bethlehem. They invited her to travel with them, but she had too much to do to clean her house, so said she would catch them up later. But she was too late, so still searches for the Christ-child, and when she sees a baby, leaves a toy, just in case.

"As part of the production we will do a traditional stable scene, there will be a snowflake dance, Russian folk dance, cleaning 'stomp,' and of course some songs.

"Quite separate from the play, we also take Christmas out into the community. The key stage two classes sing carols at Walsall Centre for the Blind, key stage one do a little performance for the Afro-Caribbean Community Association lunch club for elderly people, and the choir sing carols at a care home."

Netherton Primary School staged two traditional nativities - one in school and one at a church.

[comments_cta text="What place does the nativity have in modern Britain?"]

But headteacher Andrew Rushton said there was another aspect to this year's Christmas concert. He said: "We are also holding a First World War concert, following this term's topics which have all been based on the Great War."

St James Primary School in Oldbury is putting on A Wriggly Nativity, which is designed for children to be able to move about while singing instead of having to sit still.

Sacred Heart Primary in Tipton is putting on a nativity but also doing Aladdin as a Christmas pantomime.

None of the schools who responded to the Express & Star said they were removing the Christian references. But Netmums said its survey of 2,000 parents across the country had found cases where school Christmas plays incorporated references to the Muslim festival Eid, the Jewish Hanukkah or Hindu Diwali.

Siobhan Freegard co-founder of Netmums, said: "Do they know it's Christmas? At some schools, it seems not.

"While the UK is a diverse and multicultural society and it's right children learn about all religions and cultures, many parents feel the traditional nativity is being pushed aside."

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