JEDWARD lookalikes jumped across the stage, a gifted violinist played a solo in front of her peers, and an incredible 10-year-old breakdancer wowed his classmates.

This was Goat Factor – St Nicholas’ School’s annual talent competition to raise money for goats in its partner school in Uganda.

As an event, it embraced many of the aspects of school life St Nicholas’ prides itself on: inclusion, celebrating talent, encouraging creativity and promoting global citizenship.

It also showed the enthusiasm, self-confidence and flair of its pupils.

Above the stage was emblazoned the school motto, ‘Live, love, learn and be happy.’ It is at the heart of everything that takes place in the school, according to headteacher Rachel Crouch.

She said: “It’s what we stand for. The children all know it and what it stands for.

“It’s used in each assembly and a different theme comes from it, and that helps the children focus on it.”

When Mrs Crouch arrived five years ago, the school population was just 280 pupils.

Now there are 406 pupils, and it continues to grow.

Two new classrooms, designed by children working with an Oxford architect, are being built at the school to prepare for the yearly intake of pupils to rise from 45 to 60.

Eventually, the school will expand to cater for 460 pupils, making it one of the largest schools in the city – including more than 20 autistic children educated at a specialist unit.

But Mrs Crouch insists the ethos of the school will not change even though it has almost doubled in size.

She added: “There is no other school like this in Oxford.

“We are the most inclusive school in the city because of our autistic base and we have a higher number of special educational needs students than in most mainstream schools.

“Autistic pupils come from all over Oxfordshire to come here.

“They wear uniform, come into classes all the time, and are fully part of the school.

“Every child has the opportunity to take part in whatever activity they want to do.”

Pupils produce a weekly newspaper, sit on the school council, and through the eco-council are working out ways to win a coveted Green Flag.

Older pupils act as ‘buddies’ to younger pupils and take part in dozens of extra-curricular activities.

When Ofsted inspectors visited last year, they said: “The personal development of the pupils, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding.

“By the time pupils leave the school, they are articulate and confident learners who accept responsibilities and willingly help others in the school and in the wider community.”

They added: “A great number of parents mentioned their children’s sheer delight at attending school.”

STAR TEACHER LOUISE Salter has been at St Nicholas’ for two years, teaching Year One and Year Two pupils.

But on top of her classroom duties, Miss Salter, 31, also runs the Forest Schools initiative for younger children, taking them into the school grounds for a session each week. She loves the job so much that she gives up her day off each Friday to come in and run the outdoor sessions She said: “It is child-centred learning to develop their language and their maths, but outside of the classroom and the environment where they are told what to do.

“They have to problem solve themselves.

“If we are going to climb a tree, they will have to work out how to build a ladder and how they are going to do it.”

Headteacher Rachel Crouch said: “Forest Schools has completely changed the behaviour of some children, down to the fact Miss Salter is running it. The children respond really well to all outdoor activities.

“Louise is a part time teacher, but comes in and volunteers to run this on her day off. That sums up the ethos and commitment of people at St Nicholas.”