Songs of Praise: festival of school choirs BBC2, Sunday, March 9, 5.40-6.15pm Songs of Praise has been a television institution for as long as most people can remember, attesting to a love of community hymn singing that we acquire in school choir and assembly, as well as in church. Six choirs compete in the final of the first school choir festival: three from junior schools (Maltman’s Green, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire; Ballyholme primary, Bangor, Northern Ireland; and Oxford high junior department) and three from senior schools (St Aidan’s, Harrogate; The Kings school, Macclesfield; and St Margaret’s, Exeter). The event, hosted by Aled Jones, will be judged by Popstars guru Pete Waterman, vocal coach Carrie Grant and choirmaster Malcolm Archer. Time to start leafing through Hymns A amp; M for next year?