Young pupils sing their hearts out as Songs of Praise comes to Milton Keynes town

Pupils from Olney Middle School pupils featured on Songs of Praise on Sunday to help celebrate the history of where they live.

The hymn Amazing Grace was written in Olney by John Newton, a former slave-trader who was curate at the town’s St Peter and St Paul’s church between 1764 and 1780.

It was performed in St Peter and St Paul's on January 1 1773 but it is is not know if there was any music accompanying the words, which may have been chanted by the congregation.

Today,Amazing Grace is one of the most recognisable songs in the English-speaking world.

The Songs of Praise team came to Olney to mark the historic 250 year anniversary of the hymn and the show was broadcast from the church, with the pupils taking part.

Olney Middle School head Glenn Young said: “As a school, Amazing Grace and John Newton are key parts of the history that make up the town, and as such are widely celebrated in school.

"Last term, Claire McCollum one of the Songs of Praise presenters visited the town and met several pupils to ask them all about what Amazing Grace means to them and the town. It was an amazing experience for the pupils; having the opportunity to be interviewed but also observe all the mechanics that go behind a filming shoot.

"Claire was lovely with the children and made them all at ease during the interviewing process. The children also got more time to observe and see all the special features that the church has to offer celebrating the life and works of John Newton.”

The school has even named one of its four houses ‘Newton’ after the famous curate. The town also has a special Cowper and Newton museum.

Glen said: "All pupils have the opportunity to visit the church and learn all about John Newton, through the ‘LifePath’ learning experience.

"This year, the school will be more widely celebrating the 250 year old hymn, and will in the summer be holding a concert in St Peter’s and St Paul’s church alongside St Vincents, a specialist school for Sensory impairment and other needs.”

Olney Middle School is part of the Inspiring Futures through Learning (IFtL) multi-academy trust.