CHRISTMAS will be celebrated at Lady Lumley's in Pickering after all - following a strong case made in favour of the festival by students.

The school had threatened to 'cancel' Christmas, unless students could argue successfully why a modern, secular school should celebrate it.

In a blog on the school's website yesterday, headmaster Richard Bramley said that pupils had submitted more than 500 emails and letters in favour of its retention.

He said: "The Christmas Challenge was designed on many levels: social, moral, cultural and spiritual.

"Students had to work together, to discuss and to explore their own ideas and those of others. They had to consider the way in which society celebrates Christmas and think about the social problems that arise around this time.

"Culturally, students were asked to challenge the status quo; to ask 'why should we do things just because we have always done them?' and spiritually, how do we deal with the emotions of disappointment, anger, the feeling that a decision is unfair and to question whether non-religious people should celebrate a religious festival?"

Outcry

Upon its announcement, the lesson had prompted a huge outcry from parents and the wider community - with many taking to social media platforms to publicly denounce the 'cancellation'.

Mr Bramley said that the exercise had also been an opportunity for pupils to consider the appropriate use of social media.

"We were able to link this to political and social change in society and how apathy allows people to do things you may not want," he said.

"It was a great opportunity to exemplify the adage: ‘the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’.

"Those students who really thought about the situation and challenged the decision appropriately created the change and brought back Christmas.

"Well done to them and I hope they (and in the true spirit of the season, everyone else) has a good Christmas."