Headteacher takes Elf on the Shelf Christmas craze to new level

Headteacher Stacey Carr has been making mischief at St Joseph's in her role as the Elf on the Shelf, drawing funny faces on staff photos, cancelling homework and setting off the fire alarm.

Other pranks have included causing festive chaos by emptying lockers and cloakrooms at home time and hiding bags and coats around school and spraying pupils with a super soaker.

The whole school was also treated to a snow party complete with snow machine and fake snowballs.

Mrs Carr said that that the children were loving the real-life Elf on the Shelf.

She said: “Our staff and pupils are always focused on learning at St Joseph’s so it’s nice to have a bit of fun alongside that.

“We want our children to take away fantastic memories of their time at St Joseph’s and so many of them have said they will never forget this.

“I think the teachers have been wondering what has been going on but it’s been magical, the children are loving it. Some of them don’t realise it’s me, they think it’s my twin sister!

“We’ve been sharing photos on social media and parents are loving it too, one of them asked whether the elf could stay all year!”

The inspiration for the real-life Elf on the Shelf came from Amy Taylor, a teacher in Years Three and Four. Mrs Taylor saw something similar online last year, which involved a school in America that had a real-life Elf on the Shelf and suggested that Mrs Carr tried it out this year.

Pupils said that they can’t wait to see what the real-life Elf on the Shelf does next.

Betsy Lynn, 10, said: “We are all excited to see what the elf is going to do next and when she has done something everyone goes crazy. I loved the snow party; we had no idea that was going to happen.”

Kimche Robinson, nine, said: “We’ve really enjoyed it. It’s given everyone a great experience and it’s something that we will always remember. Lots of us have been saying how much we love it and how we’d like to do it all year round.”