Song for Christmas Champions 2025 Crowned

The Salisbury Radio's Song for Christmas winners have been crowned for 2025, with St Nicholas Primary School in Porton being named as this year's champions.

Their song, That First Christmas Day, was selected by a panel of judges, all former local headteachers, as this year's Song for Christmas on Salisbury Radio. 

It's the first time a whole school has performed together as one and won the competition. 

Acting headteacher at St Nicholas Primary School, Sarah Waddington, said, "We love music in our school. It's part of our identity we love to sing togehter as a school, it's part of our culture. Every day we come together, we sing in our worship, and it's just an absolute joy." 

When asked what it would mean to the school, Hare Class teacher, Mrs Fraser said, "I don't think they will be at all expecting it, they sing because they love singing. For them, it's just going to be an incredible joy and for their parents to hear that they've actually won."

The judging panel, made up of Jan Paterson, Joy Wagstaff, Sandra Crook, Jenny Vokes and head judge Anne Munns, listened to the songs whilst judging without knowing which school had performed each track. They scored each song out of 10, and the scores were combined to produce the final leaderboard.

All the former heads very much enjoy being part of Song for Christmas, with Joy Wagstaff commenting, "Thanks for asking again. Listening reminds me of my favourite time of year in school."

The standard again this year has been very high, with judges separating the top 5 schools by just one point, and four schools finishing in joint second place. 

This year's top 10 schools were:

1 - St Nicholas - That First Christmas Day
2 - Stratford-sub-Castle - Born For Us
2 - Pitton- Holly and Mistletoe
2 - Alderbury & West Grimstead -  Sweet Bells
2 - St. Peter's - In the Bleak Midwinter
6 - Sarum St Paul's - One Bright Star
7 - Pembroke Park - Together at Christmas Time
8 - Downton - Sparkle & Shine
8 - Winterbourne Earls - I Ho Ho Hope It's Santa Claus
10 - Winterslow - Walking in the Air

The result was revealed on Salisbury Radio by Ian Burrage today (Christmas Day) with the winners, St Nicholas Primary School, picking up this year's title, the Song for Christmas Trophy and £250 to spend on musical education in the school. 

If you missed it, here is the moment they were announced as winners, and we hear from Mrs Waddington and Mrs Fraser, too:

Salisbury Radio also hosted two Song For Christmas Carol Concerts again this year, with 14 schools and hundreds of children joining together to spread Christmas joy and perform for their families and friends. 

Salisbury Radio's Andy Munns will visit St Nicholas Primary School at the start of the new term in January to present the trophy and the prize to the school, he said, "It's been another fantastic year for Song for Christmas, all of the schools who took part were brilliant, and our carol concerts were amazing, too.

"All of us at Salisbury Radio are hugely appreciative of the time and effort the schools put into their songs, with a special thanks to the teachers and teaching assistants who run choirs, organise music and make this a special annual event. 

"To have five schools separated by just one point demonstrates the standard of the competition, and there wasn't a massive difference in the score between first and 21st either.

"Song for Christmas continues to go from strength to strength. We can't do that without the support of the schools or our long-term partners in Elite Care, who help make the magic happen. 

"Finally, thank you to our judges for giving up their time to listen to all of their songs and sharing their love of Christmas in primary schools with us."

You can still purchase every entry to this year's Song for Christmas here - https://www.salisburyradio.co.uk/song-for-christmas/