A NEWPORT primary school has recreated the John Lewis 2014 Christmas advert which has racked up more than 1,500 views in less than a week.

Year six pupils at St Julian’s Primary spent a fortnight planning and producing the video which tells the story of a little boy and his friend, Monty the Penguin, in the run up to Christmas Day.

The two and a half minute long video was premiered at the school’s carol concert last Wednesday and has since been requested by Estyn to be played at their Christmas conference.

Year one pupil Billy Scott played the role of friendly penguin Monty, with Eva Lewis, also in year one, starring as Monty’s new penguin mate who makes an appearance at the end of the video.

The school chose year three pupil Daniel Phillips, who has also starred in an NHS video produced by Aneurin Bevan Health Board, to play the main character.

Assistant head teacher and year six teacher Luke Mansfield said: “Another teacher came to us and said she had a boy in her class who would be perfect as Monty.

“He came in and as soon as he put the penguin costume on he just waddled off without us telling him to do anything. It was perfect.”

The school has made a Christmas video every year for the past three years and Mr Mansfield said it has “become a bit of a tradition”.

“Last year we also did the John Lewis advert, the Bear and the Hare. The children always love doing it, it’s our year six classes which run the project.

“They do all the planning and decide who’s going to do what. We have to adapt so it can be filmed in school.”

Mr Mansfield said all the singers were from his and another year six class. He said: “Some of them had to have some persuasion for the singing, but they all liked the bit at the end in front of the green screen.”

The primary school was also praised by Estyn in 2013 for using their Green Screen technology to motivate and engage the children.