Have you heard the one about the primary school that held a joke competition?
More than 100 children at St Gregory’s Primary School in Sudbury have been telling funnies this week after headteacher Daniel Woodrow tasked them to come up with the gag to beat all gags.
Pupils throughout the school took part - from Year one to Year six - and voted for the best comedian in their class before the chosen children competed in a school-wide assembly where the best joke was decided on.
The youngsters were asked to think about not just what was the funniest joke but also how well it was told and presented.
The best joke prize was split between George Bailey aged 7, with a joke about a polar bear who feels the cold, and Amelia Thompson, aged 10, who told a funny about Beethoven’s favourite fruit.
Mr Woodrow decided to hold a joke competition at St Gregory’s after hearing about a nationwide initiative called Voice Box, which as well as raising a few laughs, aims to help young people build their speech and communication skills, and enable them to engage more confidently in social situations.
The competition is run by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists in partnership with the National Association of Head Teachers and is supported by The Communication Trust. Some of St Gregory’s joke tellers may even be selected to compete in a grand final in London next year.
According to Mr Woodrow there have been some great jokes told over the last few days.
He said:” It has been lovely to hear the sound of laughter ringing through the school corridors so much this week – our pupils are hilarious.
“Over 150 of them took part and the joke competition has been a brilliant way for them to develop their communication skills and think about eye contact, gestures, tone and expression – important life skills that they will need whatever they go on to do in the future.”
A competition was also held to find the best joke as told by a teacher. Mrs Risley ran out the winner with an old-school classic about friends called Mind Your Own Business, Manners and Trouble – who remembers that one?
Visit the EADT website for a video of St Gregory’s children telling their winning jokes.
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