Holiday rap fun for Newington pupils

Rap version of The Hare and the Tortoise

A special rap version of the traditional Hare and the Tortoise story is being enjoyed by Newington Community Primary School children during their summer holidays.

Music teacher Warwick Eldred wrote a poem and created a five-minute animation based on the much-loved story, enthusiastically performed by Year 1 teacher Claire Berryman.

He explained “It is part of our regular ‘Poetry Corner’ releases that are made to encourage pupils to read at home, and hopefully to develop a passion for poetry and word-play.

“This episode is notably different as the poem is presented in the style of a rap. Miss Berryman, who presents the programme, was only warned of this ten minutes before recording the poem but rose to the challenge in true Newington style.”

The story of how the steady and determined tortoise beats the boastful hare in a challenge race helps promote some of the school’s core values including ‘grit’ and ‘zest’.

The infectious rhythm, bold and amusing animated graphics, and Miss Berryman’s energetic performance provide a perfect rendition of Aesop’s thought-provoking fable.

Mr Eldred added: “By setting the poem to music, we hope that our pupils will enjoy practising their reading but in a fun and creative way.”

The school has a wide range of educational video resources including many original songs and performances that the pupils can access during the holidays.