Naomi Palmer, Principal at Ormiston Victory Academy in Costessey, Norwich, shares insight into what this time of year is all about and how the school supports its families during the festive period.
The festive season is often presented as a time of excess: overflowing tables of food and drink, beautifully decorated homes, professional family photos in matching pyjamas, and trees surrounded by piles of gifts. These images shape expectations of what Christmas should look like, not just for adults but for children too.
In schools, however, we rely more on the power of Santa and his elves to remind young people that material things are not what make Christmas meaningful. November and December are months when we try to create as much magic as possible through kindness, from our staff, our students and our wider community.
After nearly 13 years of leading Ormiston Victory Academy, I’ve learned a great deal about what Christmas really looks like for many families. While we want to believe the season is about love, togetherness and sharing food, we also know it can be a time of immense pressure. Parents desperately want to make Christmas special for their children, often making significant sacrifices to do so.
Each year, Martin Lewis highlights the scale of debt families take on during the festive season. Many overspend to meet what we perceive as the “Christmas standard,” only to spend the months that follow struggling to make ends meet. By January, cupboards are emptier, heating is turned down, and stress levels rise. Sadly, this can lead to increased vulnerability for children.
The challenges facing families have been compounded in recent years, from the pandemic and job losses to the cost-of-living crisis, where even the weekly food shop has become significantly more expensive. These pressures don’t stay at home; they follow children into school, affecting behaviour, wellbeing and ultimately achievement.
A community-led approach
At Ormiston Victory Academy, our support for families has been built carefully over time. Staying rooted in one community allows us to understand what help is appropriate, acceptable and genuinely useful. While emergency support was widely welcomed during the pandemic, pride has understandably returned and support that feels like “charity” is not always easy for families to accept.
That’s why everything we do is personalised, discreet and grounded in relationships. Over the years, our festive support has grown significantly, though it is never quite enough, and is made possible through strong partnerships with staff, community members and local organisations.
How we support families during the festive season
During November and December, Ormiston Victory Academy routinely offers the following initiatives:
- Christmas shop
Powered entirely by the generosity of staff, community members, and local organisations, our Christmas Shop gives students the opportunity to use their earned Victory Visas — saved throughout the year — to buy gifts for their families. No money changes hands, but students learn that hard work, kindness, and positive choices can lead to meaningful rewards. This year, an incredible 688 children are taking part in the Christmas Shop, a remarkable increase from when it first began around eight years ago, supporting just six children.
- Bags of Joy
Around 80 students who have experienced significant trauma are nominated by pastoral teams to receive a Bag of Joy. Funded through donations, auctions and community fundraising, these bags are more than gifts, they are a reminder that support doesn’t end when Christmas does. Making this meaningful requires careful, one-to-one conversations and ongoing relationships.
- Warm winter coats
As families prioritise Christmas spending, growing children still need warm coats. Each winter, we discreetly provide around 30+coats, thanks to recycling initiatives, staff contributions and support from local organisations. Not every family feels comfortable accepting help, so trust and sensitivity are essential.
- Victor the Victory Elf
Finally, something just for staff. Victor the Victory Elf appears each year as a small but heartfelt way of thanking the incredible people who make this work possible, usually accompanied by chocolate.
Looking beyond Christmas
There are many more initiatives we could share, and we are always happy to connect with other schools and communities who want to learn more.
As the season slows down, I always recommend a few festive films and stories – It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol (in all its versions), and the Nativity story itself, all reminders of resilience, kindness and the lasting impact of how we treat one another.
Despite all the advice and reflection, I’ll admit I’ll probably still double-check my Amazon basket before Christmas Day. But above all, my hope is that our students and families know this: we are here, not just at Christmas, but long after the decorations come down.
Merry Christmas to one and all.