The pupils of St Martin’s Ampleforth School are celebrating reaching the semi-finals of the BBC Songs of Praise Junior School Choir of the Year Competition 2012. The school choir is one of six British junior school choirs to reach the semi-finals, which are due to be filmed in Manchester in February 2012, ready for broadcast on Songs of Praise in April. For the initial audition the choir recorded the inspirational song “When the Saints Go Marching In” and the hymn “The Lord is My Shepherd”, with a solo by chorister Rupert Waley. He said:“I am really excited about singing the solo but I am also very nervous.” Nicholas Higham, Ampleforth’s headmaster, said: “It is a great achievement for the choir to reach the semi-finals. It is wonderful that the hard work of the children and the two choirmasters, Mr Conyngham and Mr Little, has been recognised in this way.” The School Choir of the Year competition is celebrating its 10th year as a national competition.