See Hartlepool's Catcote Academy students shine in music video tribute to Katy Perry hit Roar

More than 250 pupils and staff from Catcote Academy in Hartlepool made the video miming to Katy Perry hit Roar which was recorded in just one take.

The video, called a lip dub, was made to show their talents to the world and also raise money for future performing arts projects.

All of the students at Catcote have learning difficulties, autism, social, emotional, mental health difficulties, communicative difficulties and or life limiting conditions.

But they excelled in making the video which has already received great feedback including being spotted by Holly Willoughby and Phil Scholfield from ITV’s This Morning.

Catcote Academy’s head of performing arts, Rick Kitson, who directed the video, said: “The kids just come alive. Some of the simplest things can be challenging to them that people who know them would never expect them to be able to do something like this.

“This is the second one we have made. The kids enjoyed doing it so much and it was so well received.

“This new video is a thank you to everyone who contributed to our fund and was a chance for our kids to have fun.

“Sadly we don’t get enough funding for performing arts so this is a fun way to raise the money ourselves.”

The video starts with a student miming to the song Hard Knock Life from the musical Annie before Katy Perry’s Roar kicks in with other students and staff joining in.

Mr Kitson added: “For people who don’t work in special needs it’s easy to have the perception they can be quite miserable, depressing places.

“It is a chance for them to show the world ‘we are happy’ which is why we picked this song because it’s got such a strong message.”

Four different takes were filmed with the best being shared on the academy’s social media channels.

Last year, students made a similar video to the song This Is Me from the hit movie The Greatest Showman.

Donations can be made at Catcote’s gofundme website