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Coronavirus Kent: Teachers from Barnsole Primary School, Gillingham, issue SOS

Primary school teachers have missed their pupils so much they have sent them an SOS.

Staff from Barnsole Primary School in Gillingham have used the coronavirus lockdown to record their own video version of the Abba hit SOS.

Watch Barnsole Primary teachers' brilliant Abba parody

Cameron Lane, who teaches Apollo class at the school in Barnsole Road, said: "The Year 4 teachers and teaching assistants are missing their classes so much we decided to create a video to entertain them."

It ended up as a parody of Abba's SOS filmed on mobile phones and spliced together by London-based film-maker Jamie Thistlethwaite of Doodlebug Films.

The teachers used a karaoke version of the music found on YouTube and added their own lyrics.

Abba's SOS given the coronavirus treatment by staff of Barnsole Primary School, Gillingham
Abba's SOS given the coronavirus treatment by staff of Barnsole Primary School, Gillingham

They include the lines:

"We tried to teach for you but they have closed your school.

"Whatever happened to our class? I wish I understood.

"It used to be so nice, it used to be so good.

"You can’t come near me, social distance clearly, SOS."

Abba's SOS given the coronavirus treatment by Joanna Butcher of Barnsole Primary School, Gillingham, using semaphore flags in her kitchen
Abba's SOS given the coronavirus treatment by Joanna Butcher of Barnsole Primary School, Gillingham, using semaphore flags in her kitchen

The video features teaching assistant Joanna Butcher sending out an SOS from her kitchen using semaphore flags and year group lead and Icarus class teacher Mrs Leanne Talbot-Brown balancing her own young son on her lap as she wrestles with course work.

There are shots of Juno class teacher Sarah Greene and her sister Catherine and teaching assistant Kiera Howard in their dining rooms and gardens and even clips of a dancing cat and a typing dog.

The video was the brainchild of Cameron and head of year Mrs Talbot-Brown.

Cameron, 25, who joined the school three years ago as a teaching assistant, said: "It was Mrs Butcher who suggested the song because it seemed so apt and Mrs Talbot-Brown and I came up with the new lyrics.

When You're Gone: Abba's SOS given the coronavirus treatment by Kiera Howard of Barnsole Primary School, Gillingham
When You're Gone: Abba's SOS given the coronavirus treatment by Kiera Howard of Barnsole Primary School, Gillingham

"We put it on the school's YouTube channel as an Easter treat for the children to say how much we missed them.

"It felt really silly recording it but we have had some lovely comments. It has even made a few parents tear-up.

"Someone has now suggested the Year 6 teachers should have a go!"

Lyrics

We tried to teach for you but they have closed your school.

Whatever happened to our class? I wish I understood.

It used to be so nice, it used to be so good.

You can’t come near me, social distance clearly, SOS

The work you gave me, nothing else can save me, SOS

When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?

When you're gone, though I try, how can I carry on?

You seem so far away, we are so lonely here.

You made me feel alive, the crux of our career.

I tried real hard to make your pack, I hope you understood.

What happened to our class? It used to be so good.

You can’t come near me, social distance clearly, SOS

The work you gave me, nothing else can save me, SOS

When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?

When you're gone, though I try, how can I carry on?

You can’t come near me, social distance clearly, SOS

The work you gave me, nothing else can save me, SOS

When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?

When you're gone, though I try, how can I carry on?

When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?

When you're gone, though I try, how can I carry on?

Abba's SOS given the coronavirus treatment by teacher Cameron Lane of Barnsole Primary School, Gillingham
Abba's SOS given the coronavirus treatment by teacher Cameron Lane of Barnsole Primary School, Gillingham

The video was edited by www.doodlebugfilms.co.uk.

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