Get your entries in for this year's OPEN themed photographic competition. Prizes for all finalists! 

You have until Monday 1st June 2026 to submit your images to e.pearman@wnat.co.uk

See poster for full details along with a guide to photography to help you get some great shots. 

Opening the sell-out show at the Corn Exchange were performers from WNAT member Springwood High School in Lynn, who rose to the challenge of this year’s ‘Different Countries’ theme. The ten students from Years 8 to 12 danced to a variety of music, which included ‘Waka Waka’ by Shakira, ‘Let's Get Loud’ by Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin’s ‘Maria’, and ‘Mambo No.5’ by Lou Bega.

“It’s an honour to be invited to perform at this event,” said Springwood Head of Dance Dawn Paulo. “It allows our dancers the opportunity to come together to perform in a professional venue, and to interact and support younger students in West Norfolk.

“It is lovely to see our Springwood students enjoying themselves on stage, but it’s also great to see our primary schools getting a chance to perform too.”

Among the 20 primary schools participating were fellow WNAT members Clenchwarton, West Lynn, and Walpole Cross Keys primaries, and Heacham Infant School.

Twenty-seven Year 3 pupils from Clenchwarton performed a routine to ‘Cheers to Life’, which had been choreographed by Dance Teacher Kate Whyborn.

“This was our third year taking part,” said Class Teacher Sophie Tarsey.

“It is a great opportunity for children to step outside their comfort zones and do something they have probably never experienced before.

“Many children expressed how much they enjoyed it and wanted to do it again, when they were really nervous about it at the start of the year.

“I hope it encourages more children to find opportunities for dance outside school, as well as inspiring other children in school.”

The Walpole Cross Keys dancers drew inspiration from America for their routine. The 16 pupils from Years 2 and 3 at the school performed to a medley which featured ‘Party in the USA’, ‘Hey Mickey’, ‘Everybody’s Surfing’, and ‘Achy Breaky Heart’.

“Events like this are vitally important, as the children get to take part in an activity and perform on stage,” said Class Teacher Carol Jones. “It shows them resilience through learning the routine, encouragement from other class members and adults."

The Dance Festival takes place twice-yearly, each March and June.

“It’s definitely a highlight of the year, as it brings so many schools together to perform and celebrate one another’s work,” added Ms Paulo.

“Springwood will be performing once more at the next WNSSP Dance Festival in June. The theme for this event will be ‘Popstars’.”

The Rotary Club Easter Egg Raffle at Smithdon High School saw students from all age groups encouraged to buy tickets in aid of the charity.

“Tickets were sold to raise money for the Hunstanton RNLI,” said Assistant Headteacher Dan Ward, who organised the event with the help of School Council Lead Alix Birks.

“The main prize was a 1.5kg Easter egg, which was donated by the Rotary Club. There was a second prize of a £15 Amazon voucher, and some smaller Easter eggs which were donated by the school.

“£215 was raised in total, and this will be used by the Hunstanton RNLI to improve equipment and facilities at their base.”

The event was a new addition to the calendar at Smithdon.

“This is the first year that the raffle has taken place,” added Mr Ward. “We are hoping for it to become a yearly tradition at school.

“Events like this are really important. One of our ‘Smithdon Seven’ values that we instil into our students is the sense of community, and events like this allow our school and student body to help raise funds and money for really important local organisations and charities that have such a big impact on our local community.”

The ‘Cocktails, Canapes, and Cabaret’ evening at Marshland High School featured 40 different performances, while audience members were also treated to a variety of canape snacks and cocktail drinks.

The sold-out event saw more than 100 students across all year groups take part, with their involvement including technical and front-of-house roles, as well as performing on stage, and creating and serving the refreshments.

“Students made 660 canapes and 330 cocktails to serve over 100 guests,” said Marshland Music Lead Kevin Bell.

“We had an executive head chef from The Varsity Hotel in Cambridge, Rikayal Boodram, come in to do workshops with the students to make the canapes, which was a great opportunity for the wider school.”

As well as honing their culinary and mixology skills, the students gained experience in a range of different areas through their involvement in the event.

“The musicians gained an insight into the larger workings of events of this type and scale,” continued Mr Bell.

“IT provided a much more real-world view of what a gigging musician does and is involved with, while allowing other students from wider curriculum areas to work collaboratively with other students and industry professionals.”

Although Marshland holds regular musical events, the evening was a new introduction to the school’s entertainment programme.

“We do five concerts a year with various themes, but this was the first like this – the first of its kind,” added Mr Bell.

The children at Gaywood Primary held a Red Nose Day Bake Sale, which was organised and run by the pupils on the School Council, with cakes provided by staff, parents, and carers.

It was also a colourful occasion, with pupils and staff alike swapping their usual attire to dress in red for the day.

The school participates in the annual fundraiser every year, and was hoping to raise £300 for the charity this time round.

“The pupils really enjoy doing events like these, because it gives them a good opportunity to support charities and help others in need,” said Abigail King, who is Year 5 Teacher and School Council Lead at Gaywood.

“They get very excited to find out how much money we have raised. £300 would be amazing!”

Other WNAT schools supporting Red Nose Day included Clenchwarton and Walpole Cross Keys primaries, along with Smithdon High School in Hunstanton.

Pupils and staff alike swapped their usual attire to dress in red for the annual Red Nose Day fundraiser, and were hoping to make £300 for the cause.

“All 210 of our children took part in Red Nose Day,” said Billy Overton, Assistant Headteacher at the school, which is a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

“We simply dressed up in red clothes to mark the event, and a GoFundMe page was set up for parents to donate.”

“Red Nose Day is celebrated here at Clenchwarton every year,” he continued. “Our children need no excuse to get into the spirit of things, and dress up to support any event – especially one as important as Comic Relief. We always do our bit to help children in the UK and around the world.

“We have a strong community spirit here at Clenchwarton, and this is why events like this are so important to us. It fosters the value that if we all work together, we can make a real difference in all we do.”

“All of our staff took part too,” he added. “As Assistant Headteacher I was also dressed in red to lead by example – I’m brave enough to get the Manchester United shirt out again nowadays!”

Hosted by WNAT member Springwood High School in Lynn, the competition featured teams from all four of the Trust’s high schools, with the others including Marshland in West Walton, St Clement’s in Terrington St Clement, and Smithdon in Hunstanton.

Each of the 17 participating teams consisted of four students, who worked together to solve a series of Maths problems, accruing points across several rounds.

“The students had to work as a team to compete in four different rounds named ‘Merry Go Round’, ‘Encryption’, ‘Practical Interlude’, and, lastly, a ‘Relay’ round, all aimed to extend the knowledge they have learned in the classroom,” said Maths Teacher Lucy Edwards, who is Lead for Academic Progress and Enrichment in Maths at Springwood and organised the event.

“Throughout the rounds, the competition was extremely close, with only ten points separating all of the teams. In the end, two Springwood teams gained the runners-up and winning positions.”

Winners Jack, Dylan, Prateek, and Theo narrowly edged ahead of second-placed Vanessa, Leya, Harriet, and Nicole, with both teams receiving certificates from Trust Lead for Maths Connie Loizou.

“Sixth-form student volunteers ensured the event ran smoothly by supporting teams to have the correct materials and marking students’ work,” continued Miss Edwards.

“Maths teachers from visiting schools and Springwood were extremely supportive throughout the event, especially with the scoring for each of the teams.”

The success of the Year 10 Maths Challenge means it will become an annual event in the WNAT calendar, while the format will also be extended to younger year groups within the Trust.

“Events like this are extremely important to inspire students to not only study Maths to a higher level beyond secondary school, such as at sixth form or university, but also to have an enjoyment for the subject,” added Miss Edwards.

“It is so lovely to see students working as a team to engage with challenging Maths materials, which they will not have seen within the classroom, to push their learning even further.”

Pupils and staff members alike arrived at Walpole Cross Keys Primary dressed in red for Red Nose Day on Friday 20 March, with families and friends encouraged to donate to the cause via the charity’s website.

The day kicked off with a special whole-school assembly, while the children were also able to enjoy some fun Red Nose Day challenges.

“At Walpole, we celebrated Red Nose Day by wearing red, having a Red Nose Day assembly to teach the children about the cause, and, at break time, we held a competition of ‘Guess How Many Sweets Are in The Jar’ and ‘Pin the Red Nose on the Teacher’,” said Assistant Headteacher Rachel Daws.

Other Trust schools supporting the annual fundraiser included Clenchwarton and Gaywood Primaries, along with Smithdon High School in Hunstanton.

“Teaching children about Comic Relief and other important events is important because it instils empathy and understanding of others,” added Miss Daws.

“It teaches children the value of giving and caring for others, and how our positive actions can help address serious global issues such as poverty.”

The Year 8 and 9 students from St Clement’s High School visited Terrington Lodge as part of the school’s ongoing connection with the home.

“The students read books of uplifting stories and picture books focusing on different decades from the 1960s to 1990s,” explained St Clement’s Librarian, Jenny Ford, who accompanied the group.

“The books they shared were old books from the 1950s to current day, and were designed to trigger memories and help the residents recall memories. The books were on pastimes, old television and musical stars, travel, and short stories.”

“The residents talked to the students about their school experiences, where they worked, and how they played outside all the time as children,” she continued. “Some residents have lived locally all their lives, and talked about the local area.

“The students enjoyed hearing the residents reminisce about their lives, and it started conversations about sport, hobbies, books, and travel. It was a great opportunity to discuss historical events, and revisit memories that the residents shared with the students.

“Some of the residents took a turn to read to the students, and they clearly enjoyed the experience.”

The school has close ties with Terrington Lodge, with visits taking place several times a year.

“The events are very important for students to develop confidence with reading aloud to a different audience with possible communication barriers like memory loss and hearing impairments,” added Mrs Ford. “It helps forge strong links across generations and creates relationships in the community.

“The school visits at Christmas time, and the music students also visit and have small performances at the Lodge.

“This visit helped strengthen the connections between the school and Terrington Lodge, and we look forward to going back later in the year.”

Tilney All Saints-based writer-illustrator Pen Avey based the session around her latest book, in which schoolgirl genius Eva struggles to protect her android younger sister.

“Pen Avey has recently published Project Human, and this text provided the inspiration for a robot-themed creative writing session,” said Joe Clark, Literacy Lead at our school, which is a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

“Eight students from Year 7 and Year 8 participated, reading an extract from Project Human, exploring modern robotic successes and failures, then planned and wrote their own story, centred around robotic failure.”

Ms Avey, whose other books include Dear Earthling: Cosmic Correspondent, had spent time with our aspiring writers before – and generously provided the group with signed copies of Project Human.

“Pen Avey is a returning visitor who has provided our students the opportunity to engage with creative writing outside of their normal lessons,” continued Mr Clark, who organised the event as part of our World Book Day celebrations.

“Pen’s visits are always an enjoyable experience for our students. They get to connect with a published writer, who enables their creativity, provides feedback on their creations, and builds a sense of joy around reading and writing – especially during the World Book Day period.”

“Students also left the session with a signed copy of Pen’s book,” he added.

“We love having external guests and experts visit our school to provide insight, variety, and new experiences for our students.”

The Literary Festival at Smithdon High School was brought to an appropriate close on Friday 13 March when Year 7 and 8 students were joined by Lisa Thompson, whose popular novels include The Goldfish Boy, The Day I Was Erased, The Boy Who Fooled the World, and Owen and the Soldier.

“During her visit, Lisa delivered an author talk in the school hall, sharing insights into her writing journey and creative process,” said Smithdon Librarian Marie Taylor.

“Following this, she ran a small writing workshop for a group of our most talented young writers. There was also an opportunity for students to have books signed.”

Co-organised by Miss Taylor and the school’s Head of English, Amanda Wright, the Literary Festival takes place each year at Smithdon, and features an author visit, as well as encompassing World Book Day, and a range of other events and activities themed around all things literary.

“Events like our annual author visit are an important part of building a strong reading culture in school,” continued Miss Taylor. “Meeting a writer such as Lisa Thompson helps students see that books are created by real people, making reading feel more relevant and inspiring.

“Hearing about novels like The Goldfish Boy encourages enthusiasm for reading. Experiences like this can hopefully spark a lasting interest in books and creativity, supporting both literacy development and confidence. They also inspire creativity.”

“Hearing about the writing process, including drafting, editing, and overcoming challenges, can help our students to understand that writing is a skill that develops over time,” she added. For aspiring writers, workshops can provide valuable encouragement.

“After Dan Freedman visited last year, demand for his books in the school library increased significantly, with many students keen to read his books.

“This demonstrated the powerful impact that author visits can have on reading engagement, enthusiasm, and library use across the school.”

The children were introduced to a range of scientific discoveries, concepts, and pioneers through a mix of fun activities at the Curious About Science event, which was delivered by Josh Ford from As Creatives.

“Curious About Science gives children the opportunity to discover the answers to some curious questions, and meet some extraordinarily curious people who made extraordinary advances, and changed the world in extraordinary ways,” said Gaywood Science Lead, Sarah Wilder, who organised the event.

“Creative Science workshops harness a range of immersive techniques, including drama and games, to cement prior learning, clarify difficult concepts, introduce new content, and extend thinking.”

It was the first time the workshop had taken place at Gaywood, which is a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

“The workshop supported children’s classroom learning through asking questions, breaking stereotypical role models, and linking to all areas of the national curriculum,” added Mrs Wilder.

“Events like this are a very important part of enrichment at Gaywood, and promote STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths] careers for all.”

The Year 9 group  visited pupils at Flitcham, Snettisham, Ingoldisthorpe, Dersingham, and Hunstanton primary schools in turn over the course of the week, delivering workshops for the children which featured a range of different activities designed to promote a love of science.

Smithdon Science Teacher Veronica Roper, who accompanied the students, explained: “We took five different activities, including a moss safari using microscopes to look at the moss and organisms living in it; a mini light show using coloured ray boxes, lenses, and screens; making a compass and investigating magnetism; using static electricity to make straws spin; and building electrical circuits to test the conductivity of different materials, as well as drawing graphite circuits to light an LED.”

WNAT member Smithdon has been taking part in British Science Week for more than a decade, and there were plenty of other events taking place this time round.

“The theme this year was ‘Curiosity: What’s Your Question?’,” said Head of Science Claire Pike, who kicked off the week with a whole-school assembly on the theme.

“We took part in a poster competition, researched what it’s like to live and work in the Antarctic, and used microscopes to look at things like cobwebs and pet hair to see what they look like.”

Ten Year 8 students also attended a WNAT Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) ‘Race to the Line’ challenge at Springwood High School, which tasked participants with designing, building, and racing their own CO2-powered model cars.

“We have promoted British Science Week at Smithdon for over ten years, and it is always fascinating to be able to look at science outside of the curriculum,” added Mrs Pike.

“We also focus on Science careers during the week, to promote where Science can take you.”

The European Piano Teachers Association (EPTA) UK Piano Competition was held courtesy of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, of which Springwood is a member, and was supported by our CEO, Andy Johnson, and our Director of Music, Robin Norman.

“There were 41 participants from across the county of Norfolk, including 11 students from West Norfolk Academies Trust schools,” said Benjamin Howell, who is Trust Peripatetic Music Lead, as well as Regional Organiser for EPTA UK.

“There was an excellent turnout from parents, families, and friends who attended to support the performers. The standard of performance was extremely high, and the atmosphere was both supportive and celebratory.”

The annual competition features a range of categories based on level and grade, with winners from each progressing to the next round, which will take place this month at the Royal Academy of Music.

Among those finalists heading to the Royal Academy were two students from WNAT schools – Savannah at Elementary level and Daniel at Intermediate.

Other winners included Theophilus (Preparatory); Nyle (Elementary); Sofia (Intermediate 1); Elaine (12 Years and Under); Audrey (15 Years and Under); and Glang and Benedict (Advanced 2).

“I am particularly pleased that Savannah and Daniel represented West Norfolk Academies Trust among the prize winners,” continued Mr Howell, who was joined on the day by EPTA members Matthew Preston, Anne Preece, and adjudicator Patricia Romera.

“Events such as this play an important role in supplementing students’ preparation for graded examinations,” he added.

“They provide an alternative performance goal, a clear target to work towards, and the opportunity to participate in a nationwide initiative supported by EPTA UK, which promotes excellence in piano teaching and performance.”

The WNAT Primary Literary Event is staged annually to coincide with World Book Day, and was taking place for the sixth time.

Held at the King’s Lynn Corn Exchange on Wednesday 4 March, the celebration of reading featured teams of Year 5 children from primary schools which included Trust members Clenchwarton, Gaywood, Heacham Junior, Snettisham, Walpole Cross Keys, and West Lynn, along with Terrington St John, Tilney St Lawrence, Walpole Highway, and West Walton from the Windmill Primary Federation.

“Teams of three pupils are asked to speak for five minutes,” explained organiser Emma Hunt, who is Primary English Lead at WNAT. “The first pupil introduces the speaker to provide the audience with a little background; the main speaker then has approximately three minutes to deliver their views on the team’s chosen topic; the final team member then delivers the vote of thanks.”

Among this year’s topics were: whether children should be encouraged to reread favourite books or always try new ones; whether stories help children understand real-world issues better than facts alone; whether illustrations still matter in books for older children; whether it is important for children to see themselves represented in the books they read; and whether reading for pleasure improves creativity more than structured reading at school.

The audience included fellow pupils, teachers, and trustees, as well as our CEO and Deputy CEO, while staff from across all schools supported the teams in writing their speeches and rehearsing for the event.

“Literary events that involve public speaking are so important, as they give children valuable opportunities to build confidence and communication skills,” continued Mrs Hunt.

“Preparing and delivering a presentation encourages pupils to organise their ideas clearly, structure their thoughts, and express them in a way that engages an audience. Through this, they learn how to communicate effectively and share their ideas with clarity and purpose.”

“Taking part in events beyond the school environment, alongside pupils from other schools in the Trust and Federation, also offers valuable social and personal benefits,” she added. “It allows children to meet new people, experience different perspectives, and learn from others.

“Engaging with a wider group of students can broaden their horizons, build resilience, and encourage a healthy sense of collaboration and friendly competition. Such experiences help pupils develop confidence in unfamiliar settings, and strengthen the interpersonal skills that will support them throughout their education and beyond.”

The popular event took place during the first two weeks of March, and included a diverse range of activities, talks, and competitions for all year groups.

Incorporating World Book Day on Thursday 5 March, the Festival also featured a visit from author Lisa Thompson; a 500-word short story competition; Roald Dahl Day; ‘Blind Date with a Book’; Journalism Day; and a ‘Masked Reader’ challenge, where students were tasked with uncovering the identities of disguised readers.

“The Festival provides an opportunity for students of all ages to engage with literature creatively, whether through writing, performance, or discovering new books,” said Smithdon’s Librarian, Marie Taylor, who organised the events with the support of the English Department and English Teacher Keziah Howlett.

“The fortnight includes a range of events designed to celebrate reading and writing in different forms,” she continued.

“It has become a highlight of the school calendar, and a wonderful way to promote a love of reading across the school community.”

It was the fifth year that the celebration had taken place at Smithdon, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

“The Smithdon Literary Festival is important because it places reading, writing, and creativity at the heart of school life,” added Headteacher Amanda Gibbins. “It shows students that literature is not just something studied in lessons, but something to be enjoyed and celebrated.

“Through events such as Roald Dahl Day, the 500-Word Story Competition, and our author visit, students build confidence, develop communication skills, and engage with a wide range of texts.

“The festival strengthens our reading culture across Smithdon, and nurtures a strong sense of community, making it a valued and inspiring part of the school calendar.”.

At Clenchwarton Primary, children and staff alike dressed up as their favourite fictional characters.  Harry Potter met the Gruffalo and Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III at Gaywood Primary, where each class based their celebrations around a different children’s author.  The chips were down at Heacham Infant School, where the pupils drew inspiration from ‘Supertato’, the unlikely potato superhero from the series of the same name created by author-illustrators Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet.

Meanwhile, at Heacham Junior School, children concocted their own Harry Potter-style magical potions, and designed chocolate bars for Willy Wonka’s Factory. It was ‘booknic’ time at Snettisham Primary, when pupils held their own literary version of a picnic, where a tempting selection of books replaced more regular picnic fare.  Elsewhere, there was a mystery to be solved, when the children at West Lynn Primary rose to the challenge of the ‘Masked Reader’, which tasked them with discovering the identity of a series of disguised readers.

Celebrations also took place at Walpole Cross Keys, where teachers and pupils dressed up for the occasion.  Our high schools joined in the fun too, with a host of activities, competitions, and events taking place across the day and beyond.  Marshland school library became a hub of World Book Day activity with sessions including literary-themed quizzes and bookmark designing.

For the second year running, a group of students from St Clement’s spent time reading with children at Terrington St Clement Junior School, promoting a love of books and reading for pleasure.  Jilted bride Miss Havisham met Little Red Riding Hood at Smithdon, where staff and students dressed up for World Book Day, which was celebrated as part of the school’s annual, two-week Literary Festival.  Last but by no means least, Springwood held a week-long Reading Festival, which encompassed World Book Day, and saw students across all age groups take part in a variety of different events. 

Activities at Clenchwarton included book-led English lessons, as well as a ‘Masked Reader’ challenge.  “World Book Day is one of the days children look forward to the most, so we always enjoy taking part,” said Assistant Headteacher Billy Overton.  “We have a good culture of reading at Clenchwarton, and want to continue to promote our love of reading.”

At Gaywood, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) children focused on traditional stories, while Years 1 and 2 enjoyed Julia Donaldson’s many popular books, and Year 3 took their pick from the vast selection of classics by Roald Dahl. The Year 4 children drew inspiration from Cressida Cowell, who is best known for the How to Train Your Dragon series starring Hiccup the Viking and his dragon, Toothless; while Warhorse author Michael Morpurgo influenced Year 5; and Year 6 chose JK Rowling, creator of Harry Potter.  “We continued our tradition of celebrating different authors,” said Writing Lead Chloe Sneath. "World Book Day is important because it celebrates the diversity of stories and voices. It’s a day that encourages a love of reading, allowing children to become completely immersed in an author’s imaginary world. “Whether it’s adventure, mystery, or fantasy, authors’ stories inspire creativity within children, giving them the opportunity to think outside the box.”  “It’s also a day full of fun, where we get to bring authors’ stories to life by dressing up as our favourite characters,” she added.  “More importantly, it can spark new interests, and inspires children to develop a love of reading.”

The youngsters at Heacham Infants enjoyed creative activities throughout the day, which ended with a Reading Cafe where they were joined by parents and carers – and had the opportunity to design their own superhero.  “This year’s theme was Supertato, bringing plenty of superhero fun to our classrooms,” explained Assistant Headteacher Claire Dack. “A highlight of the celebration was our ‘Design Your Own Supertato’, where, during the Reading Cafe, children created their very own superhero character using a real potato.”  “World Book Day is an important opportunity to promote and share a love of books and reading,” she added.  “At our infant school, we believe that fostering a passion for stories at an early age helps to build imagination, creativity, and essential literacy skills. “By celebrating together in such an engaging way, we hope to inspire our children to become lifelong readers.”

At Heacham Juniors, pupils and staff arrived for the day dressed as their favourite fictional characters, while teachers shared passages from their favourite children’s books during a special, whole-school assembly. “World Book Day is incredibly important, not least this year as it is the National Year of Reading, led by the National Literacy Trust,” said Assistant Headteacher Ashley Kirwan. “Our goal is to try to help children discover a book that unlocks their love of reading or, for many children, continues their love of stories or even non-fiction.” With perfect timing, the school had recently finished upgrading its library facilities ahead of the annual event.  “We have just upgraded our school library with a load of new fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and graphic novels – just in time for World Book Day,” added Mr Kirwan.

For the Snettisham Booknic, pupils were joined by family members, carers, and friends.  “We invited families in for a ‘booknic’, which was like a picnic but with books instead of food,” explained Reading Lead Marie Woodget.  There was also the chance for all year groups to get creative with those unneeded picnic plates – as well as the opportunity to dress up as their favourite book characters for the day.  “This year, as well as the usual dressing up, we held a book-character paper place competition,” continued Mrs Woodget. “Children and staff were given a paper plate to turn into a book character.” “World Book Day is important, because it is a reminder that books and stories are fun,” she added.  “It helps children enjoy reading and discover new stories, whilst building their vocabulary, imagination, and understanding of different characters and ideas.”

All age groups at West Lynn took part in the Masked Reader – and there was also the chance to dress up.  “The Masked Reader is widely loved by the children and staff,” said English Lead Chloe Cousins.  “Each year, I record members of staff as an emoji reading an extract from a book. The children then have to guess who the member of staff is. This is made slightly trickier by me altering their voices!  “All children were encouraged to dress as their favourite book or character, and staff decided to dress up as crayons this year, from the story The Day the Crayons Quit.”  “World Book Day is important as it gives the children the opportunity to share their favourite books to read, encourages children to try different genres, and enhances book talk within the school,” she added.  “On the day, there is a huge level of excitement around books and reading for pleasure across the whole school.  “It is a great way to celebrate the wide variety of books on offer, and introduce children to new authors or series which they may not have come across before.”

At Marshland, the celebrations were set to continue beyond World Book Day itself, with a return visit from guest author Pen Avey scheduled for the next week.  “Following the recent publication of her book, Project Human, Avey will be running a specialist creative writing workshop,” said Literacy Lead Joe Clark.  “A selected group of students will have the opportunity to work closely with her to develop their own storytelling skills and learn about the professional writing process.  “Participating students will also receive a signed copy of her latest book to further foster a love of reading among participants.”  “World Book Day is an essential part of our academic calendar, serving as a yearly reminder of the significant impact reading has on a student’s development,” Mr Clark added.  “By focusing on building positivity and celebrating success through books, we aim to ensure that every student feels connected to the world of literature.”

Back at St Clement’s, there was a choice of book-themed events for the students to enjoy.  “We ran a lunchtime quiz in the library, and we had a photo competition running with students sending in photos of them reading books in unique and interesting sessions,” said Librarian Jenny Ford.  “The junior school visit was the highlight, and was very successful last year too,” she added.

Among those entering into the World Book Day spirit at Smithdon was Librarian Marie Taylor, who dressed as Miss Haversham from Great Expectations, alongside Headteacher Amanda Gibbins as Little Red Riding Hood.  “This is a tradition we have proudly continued for five years, and it’s always a fantastic way to celebrate reading across the school community,” she said.  World Book Day has become part of a wider, annual Literary Festival at Smithdon, with activities taking place across the entire week.  “Events like World Book Day are important, because they hopefully promote a love of reading in an engaging and memorable way,” added Miss Taylor.  “They encourage creativity, spark interest in new books, and show that reading is valued across the whole school community.  “Events like this also build confidence, strengthen school spirit, and reinforce our commitment to literacy.” 

The Reading Festival at Springwood featured a readathon; a Great Big Form Quiz on World Book Day itself; ‘Daily Kahoots’ focusing on reading and books with prizes awarded each day; career workshops for writing, illustration, poetry, and journalism; an all-week book swap; and a ‘Guess the Bookworms’ challenge, where students had to estimate the total number of gummy worms in a jar.  This is the second year the Reading Festival has taken place,” said Senior Assistant Headteacher Rebecca Davies-Mays.  “The inspiration came from music festivals, and for us to put on a week of events to celebrate reading and to highlight its importance.” This year’s Festival was organised by the school’s Learning Resource Centre Manager, Alan Wisniewski, with the support of Mrs Davies-Mays. “This event is really important, especially in the Year of Reading,” she added. “It highlights to students that we value reading as a school, and it engages students with reading and potential career areas it could lead to.”

The school library became a hub of World Book Day activity on Thursday 5 March, with students gathering to take part in a range of different sessions.

“All Key Stage 3 students took part in a variety of sessions, including literary-themed quizzes, bookmark design and interactive challenges that encouraged them to explore different genres and texts within the library’s collection,” said Literacy Lead Joe Clark, who led the events.

The celebrations were set to continue beyond World Book Day itself, with a return visit from guest author Pen Avey taking place the following week.

“Following the recent publication of her book, Project Human, Avey will be running a specialist creative writing workshop,” continued Mr Clark.

“A selected group of students will have the opportunity to work closely with her to develop their own storytelling skills and learn about the professional writing process.

“Participating students will also receive a signed copy of her latest book to further foster a love of reading among participants.”

Marshland takes part in World Book Day events every year.

“World Book Day is an essential part of our academic calendar, serving as a yearly reminder of the significant impact reading has on a student’s development,” Mr Clark added.

“By focusing on building positivity and celebrating success through books, we aim to ensure that every student feels connected to the world of literature.”

Inspectors described Gaywood Primary as providing a “warm and friendly environment”, and also highlighted the bond between staff and pupils at the school.

“There are warm and caring relationships between staff and pupils at Gaywood Primary,” they stated. “Pupils are greeted warmly each morning as they arrive for school.

“The school provides strong pastoral support for pupils. Staff know the pupils well and act quickly to support those who require extra help with their wellbeing.

“They provide support tailored to children’s needs, including those with additional barriers such as special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged.”

The “close-knit” environment at Gaywood was found to benefit staff as well as pupils.

“Teachers appreciate the professional learning provided by the school and trust, and how this helps them develop in their roles,” continued the report. “They value the close-knit networks between staff across different trust schools, as well as the focused training they receive within school.”

Gaywood’s curriculum also won praise, with inspectors noting: “The school has a carefully sequenced and planned curriculum which starts in the early years and is built upon year on year.

“Teaching across the curriculum is generally very effective. This supports pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to access tasks successfully.

Further honourable mention went to pupil behaviour.

“The school has high expectations for behaviour and pupils typically rise to meet these,” maintained the report. “Playtimes are happy and harmonious occasions when pupils interact respectfully and show care for one another.

“The school has a clear and consistent approach to managing behaviour. This is based on the school values and is well understood by staff and pupils.”

Executive Headteacher Neil Mindham was delighted with the results.

"We are incredibly proud that Ofsted has recognised Gaywood Primary School as meeting the Expected standard across all areas,” he said, “The inspectors highlighted the warm, kind, and caring relationships between our staff and pupils, which is a true testament to the dedication of our entire team. I am particularly pleased that our carefully sequenced curriculum and the swift, effective support provided by our pastoral team were both heavily praised.

“While we are taking the time to celebrate this fantastic outcome, we are already looking ahead. We remain fully committed to working closely with our families to further improve attendance, particularly for our disadvantaged pupils, and to provide even more opportunities for our children to stretch their thinking and reach the highest possible standards before they move on to secondary school."

Roger Livesey, Chair of the Board of Trustees for WNAT, added: "This report is a wonderful milestone for Gaywood Primary School. As a Trust, we are deeply passionate about the school and incredibly proud of the pupils' achievements. We are also incredibly appreciative of the hard work and dedication of the Headteacher and his staff.

“It is highly encouraging to see Ofsted acknowledge the value of the close-knit networks between staff across our trust schools, as well as the positive impact of our shared professional learning. The Board of Trustees will continue to provide the right balance of expertise and challenge to support school leaders, ensuring Gaywood Primary School continues on its upward trajectory."

The Year 9 and 10 students from Springwood High School in King’s Lynn totted up some impressive totals in the UKMT Intermediate Mathematical Challenge, which tasks young people at secondary schools across the country with solving 25 multiple-choice maths problems within an hour.

“In the UKMT Intermediate Mathematical Challenge, students are tested on problem-solving and mathematical thinking, rather than just routine classroom maths,” explained Connie Loizou, who is Head of Maths at Springwood.

“Questions cover familiar topics, such as numbers, algebra, geometry, ratio, and probability, but in unusual and clever ways,” she continued.

“Most problems require logical reasoning, pattern spotting, and deduction – not long calculations. There is negative marking for incorrect answers, to discourage guessing, so students must think carefully.

“Questions get progressively harder, with the final few stretching even the strongest mathematicians.”

Of the 123 Springwood students taking on the challenge this year, 31 achieved Bronze Certificates, 14 attained Silver, and an outstanding four were awarded Gold, including Nichita A, Xavi S, David C, and Ava S.

In addition, three high-fliers were invited to take part in subsequent rounds of the competition, with Nichita A and Hartley E qualifying for the Grey Kangaroo, and David C going through to the Cayley Olympiad.

“High-scoring students can qualify for follow-on rounds, such as the Grey Kangaroo, Pink Kangaroo, or Cayley Olympiad, which involve even deeper problem-solving,” said Ms Loizou.

“As follow-on rounds to the Intermediate Maths Challenge, the Grey and Pink Kangaroos are 60-minute, 25 multiple choice challenges. The Cayley, Hamilton, and Maclaurin Maths Olympiads are two-hour challenges, consisting of six Olympiad-style problems.”

The contest has become a regular event at Springwood, with students rising successfully to the challenge every year.

“We are delighted to celebrate their excellent achievements,” added Ms Loizou. “It demonstrates their resilience, logical thinking, and strong problem-solving skills in a very challenging national competition.

“These results reflect the students’ hard work, determination, and enthusiasm for mathematics. Well done to everyone who took part.”

The former Year 11 students from Springwood High School in King’s Lynn came together in the Peter Hopkins Hall for the event, where over 100 graduates were presented with their GCSE certificates, as well as additional subject prizes and school awards.

“The event took place in our newly refurbished main hall, utilising the new tiered seating, lighting, and stage to make the event particularly special for our returning students,” said Victoria Mann, who was Head of Year for the cohort.

“Celebrating the students’ success at this event were the school's Senior Leadership Team, governors, and parents, all of whom were delighted to begin the evening listening to Ethan Soong providing some wonderful, welcoming musical pieces on the piano.”

Executive Headteacher Andy Johnson was on hand to congratulate the students and present certificates and prizes, with the help of a special guest.

“We were delighted that we were also able to have Abi Pawsey join us as our guest speaker,” continued Mrs Mann.

“She currently specialises in working with children and young people as practice manager in a Child Protection Team, and talked about the journey she has made from her time studying in King’s Lynn to now, including an 11-year career in the Prison Service, holding positions from being a prison officer through to a governor at HMP Norwich; time as a charity director; and her current career in social work.

“Abi’s talk reminded students that there are many ways they can serve their community, that they cannot know where their own journey might take them, and that they will have many opportunities in the future – the key is saying ‘Yes’.”

Besides subject prizes for those deserving special recognition for their efforts and achievements in particular areas, trophies were awarded to students demonstrating key characteristics and outstanding achievement across the board at Springwood, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

Among the high achievers acknowledged at the ceremony were Aritra Kar and Sara Mohammed, who were named joint top performers in the year group, both having attained impressive Grade 9s across all of their chosen subjects.

Other award winners included Poppy Hayes, who received the Jessica-Mae Prior Shield for Inspirational Courage, and Jaxon Walford, who was given the Governors’ Plate for service to the school.

“Many of our students do continue into our Sixth Form on completion of their GCSEs, while others have taken on the challenge presented in different courses offered by other Key Stage 5 providers,” added Mrs Mann.

“The event serves as a wonderful opportunity to bring students back together and remind them that they remain part of our school community. It also recognises the hard work and effort that has allowed them to achieve and progress.

“I'm delighted to recognise again what an outstanding cohort of young people I have had the pleasure of working with over the last few years. They were not only academically strong, but also a demonstration of the passionate, hard-working, and caring young people that we hope leave us at the end of five years at Springwood.”

Camilo Cervantes and his family travelled to Sandringham at the weekend and met King Charles III when he was presented the Queen Elizabeth Award for Academic Excellence, the complete works of William Shakespeare.

Camilo is currently studying chemical engineering at Cambridge University having achieved outstanding A Level results at Springwood’s Sixth Form last year when he received four A*s, making him the year’s highest achiever.

“I felt nervous as I’ve not met someone with as much standing as the King before. We had a nice chat about my A Level exams and my course at Cambridge, as I go to the same college, Trinity, that he did,” said Camilo.

“We also talked about my ambitions as a future engineer and which sort of sectors I was thinking of going into,” he added.

Alongside Camilo on his special appointment was his mum Ivonne Torres Galvis, dad Juan Sebastian Cervantes, step-dad Marc Skeldon and younger brother Georger. Both his parents work in the field of Chemical engineering and have senior roles with international organisations.

Andy Johnson, Executive Head Teacher at Springwood was also at the presentation and said Camilo was very deserving of the award.

 "Camilo is an outstanding student and worked hard throughout his whole school career. I can think of no one more worthy of this prestigious award. Camilo and his family had a fantastic experience meeting King Charles. His father Juan, travelled all the way from Mexico to see his son receive his award from the King."

Camilo said that Cambridge was great fun as well as being challenging academically, which he expected, and he was enjoying his time at the world-renowned university.

“It was an amazing experience getting to receive my award from the King and this truly was a once in a lifetime experience. The King was very kind and really took his time with each group of people who were there,” said Camilo.

And pupils also raised more than £2,500 when they met Invictus athlete Richard Potter who tested their resolve with a fitness circuit, which they thoroughly enjoyed. 

They were sponsored to take part in the session and the funds raised will be split between the school and the Great Athletes charity, which is behind the initiative.

Richard served in the armed forces for 11 years and won gold at the Invictus Games in Germany in 2023. He had a leg amputated after an injury, but can still cover 100m in just 13 seconds.

He also took an assembly with a question and answer session from the children - who discovered he has no less than more than 10 different types of prosthetic legs, which have different functions, from running and swimming to cycling and rowing.

“Visits like this are invaluable to our school community. Richard’s story of adversity and determination was simply inspirational and his motto of ‘always aim high’ is a fantastic message to help raise aspirations,” said Assistant Headteacher, Mr Ryan.

“It was wonderful for the children to meet an accomplished athlete who was able to share his message of determination and resilience.”

Among the questions from children at the school was one which asked about phantom limb pains – and Richard said his brain still tells him his missing leg is still there.

“The great athletes' visit was really a really enjoyable experience and really encouraged high aspirations. He made you realise you can do anything,” said one pupil.

Originally from the West of Ireland, Richard lives in Old Catton, near Norwich and also serves on Broadland District Council. He lost his leg after an ankle injury resulted in sepsis, but he found a new path in sport in both athletics and indoor rowing.

He won gold in the 100m and silver in table tennis along with bronze for the relay during the 2023 Invictus Games in Germany. He is also a member of the organisation’s Great Athletes initiative to help children be more physically active.

Richard also undertook one of the world’s toughest treks in 2024 when he and Rich Davis, who is also a below-the-knee amputee and ex-serviceman, took on the 220-mile Snowman Trek in Bhutan. It was the first time that anyone with a disability attempted the challenge, and he said it was the most difficult thing he had ever undertaken and was ‘absolutely sapping’.

But it isn’t metalwork or engineering that required the kit – but the catering department, as students have been perfecting the art of caramelising meringues as part of this year’s Master Chef Skills Test.

The contest is just one of a series of inter-house competitions that students take part in during the academic year and continues with up to three subjects each month – ranging from the Warhammer Club model painting to numeracy challenge and the Master Chef Skills.

“I set the Year 7s the challenge of making a lemon meringue cake. Year 8s were tasked with making a chequerboard biscuit and I didn’t include how to make this design, so it required real teamwork. The Yr 9s needed to make chocolate éclairs or profiteroles filled with whipped cream and topped with melted chocolate and the Y10 student needed to make lemon meringue pie with sweet pastry, lemon curd and Italian meringue,” said Stevie Goddard, Head of Food.

The students arrive at the challenge with no idea as to what they will be making, and they work in their house teams of Attenborough, Parks, Ennis-Hill and Hawking before receiving instructions and a tray of measured out ingredients.

They have around 40 minutes to make their dishes before a judge arrives to taste the results and declare a winner.

The winners of the Master Chef this year were Parks on 72 points, followed by Ennis-Hill on 64, Hawking 53 and Attenborough 45.

Later in the coming academic year, the student can take part in an Africa Challenge, chess tournament, world flag challenge, theatre in education and finally the annual sports day.

The Year 12 and 13 students from Springwood High School were victorious in the first-ever Norfolk Schools RFU Under-18 State Cup, beating Wymondham High 12-7 in the final, which was held at Wymondham College.

City of Norwich School, Notre Dame High School, Reepham High School, Easton College, and host Wymondham College were also represented in the competition.

“Lukas M, our captain, scored two tries in our final match against Wymondham High in the final, which was a very tense match after we had watched them play and defeat Easton College,” said Springwood Head of Health and Social Care, Chloe Lister, who coached the team alongside external staff member Seth Charlesworth.

“Our forwards were able to put forward a strong scrum against their pack, whilst our backs were able to form a strong defence line.”

Among the other major players in the contest were Maxwell M, who scored a try in the first match to put Springwood ahead of Wymondham College, and James S, who scored a try against City of Norwich School in the second match to secure Springwood’s place in the final.

The winning Springwood team also included Callum B, Rocky D, Will H, Thomas L, Tom L, Kuba L, Finn MN, Theo M, Bramley P, Ollie R, Finn R, Finn S, Ben T, Chris T, and Robin W.

“The team received the Norfolk Schools RFU UNder-18 State Cup, and medals each for winning that they could take home,” continued Miss Lister, who treated the players to a celebratory pizza lunch.

“On the drive home, the players had a sing-along to their chosen playlist and took selfies with the Cup.”

While it was the first time that the event had taken place, Springwood hopes to have the opportunity to defend the trophy.

“School competitions play an important role in strengthening the school community and advancing student development in multiple ways,” added Miss Lister.

“First they serve as a unifying force by bringing different schools together to compete in a spirit of healthy rivalry. These events attract an enthusiastic audience of parents, staff, and students, whose shared interest in the contest helps create a lively atmosphere that fosters school pride and community engagement.

“Competitions also contribute to raising the sport’s overall profile. When school-level events connect with or mirror the excitement of elite competitions, they help cultivate a pathway for aspiring athletes and build a stronger sporting culture.

“From a skills perspective, participation in a competition accelerates player development. The pressures and demands of match play require students to practise and apply technical abilities, as well as cognitive skills such as decision making, concentration, and discipline.

“Regular exposure to competitive situations trains young athletes to think strategically, manage stress, and prioritise teamwork – traits that transfer beyond the sport into academic and personal contexts.”.

It was the third year running that MKM had supported Springwood High School, with the King’s Lynn building supplies firm supplying free equipment and materials for Year 10 students studying Construction.

“MKM provide the students’ safety boots and overalls without cost to the school or to parents,” explained Lee Sedgley, who is Construction Technician at Springwood, working alongside Construction Teacher James Pightling.

“On one occasion, they have also provided us with building materials – bricks and blocks – without cost.

“Both myself and James approached Branch Director Damian Roach at MKM King’s Lynn three years ago to see if they would be willing to support our students who would like to pursue construction as a career path. They were very happy to help us.”

It was the second time that MKM had visited the school, and Executive Headteacher Andy Johnson and Deputy Headteacher Richard Thompson were on hand to join Mr Pightling and Mr Sedgley in thanking the sponsors.

There was also the opportunity for the 28 students to express their gratitude, and to put their questions to the visitors – as well as to showcase their skills.

“Students met with members from MKM to thank them for their support,” continued Mr Sedgley. “MKM members were able to see how their support benefits students wanting to have a career in construction, and to observe them whilst bricklaying. Students also had questions to ask MKM, regarding career paths into construction.”

“Building materials and PPE are expensive, so the support from MKM helps keep within our budget,” he added.

“It creates a link to the industry, and helps students understand the different opportunities that are open to them within the construction industry.

“This also benefits MKM, because it promotes local business and their support in the current and next upcoming generation.”

The talented students at Springwood High School are staging a production of Les Misérables, with evening performances taking place from Tuesday 27 to Thursday 29 January in the Peter Hopkins Hall.

“Les Misérables is an undertaking of epic proportions,” said Robin Norman, who is Director of Music at both the school and the Trust.

“It lasts over two and a half hours, including the interval, with a 90-minute first half. It also includes some of the best-known songs in musical theatre, therefore it’s difficult to name any highlights.

“However, ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ by Fantine, ‘Star’ by Javert, ‘On My Own’ by Eponine, and ‘One Day More’ by the whole company, are songs I am confident will provide a lasting impression on our audience.”

Those starring in the iconic show range in age from Years 7 to 13 at the school, and include Hemi G as lead Jean Valjean; Callum B as Javert; Sam M as Marius; Rachel-Lee S as Eponine; Iamryl F as Cosette; Poppy P as Fantine; and Ella R as Thenardier.

Besides the 30 cast members, Springwood students are also involved backstage and front of house, assisting with all aspects of the production.

“For the students, there is nothing quite like the camaraderie that is built through being part of a large-scale musical project such as this,” continued Mr Norman, who is directing and producing the performances, as well as conducting the 18-piece, live orchestra.

“The students have been working on this for a number of months, and a show such as Les Mis is no small undertaking, with two-and-a-half hours of material to learn.

“As staff members, we love to see the students progress and rise to what many would not consider possible for students to undertake.”

Among the staff working behind the scenes are Health and Social Care Lead Chloe Lister; Peripatetic Vocal Tutor Sam Ashby; and Music Teacher Hayley Tabor; while colleagues involved with the orchestra include Music Teacher Thomas Burt, Business Studies Teacher Robin McGregor, and Jo Kemp, who is Head of Music at St Clement’s High School – a fellow WNAT member.

“Over the three nights, we can accommodate a total of around 900 audience members (300 each night), and tickets are selling fast,” added Mr Norman. “We would love to see members of our local community coming to see the show.

“We value our links within the community, and we have received many messages and good wishes from people in the area who have always wanted to see the show but are unable to get to London and the West End to watch it.

“They are thrilled that we are giving them the chance to come as an audience member, with many stating how much they are looking forward to it. We are thrilled to be able to give them that opportunity.”

Les Misérables takes place at 6 pm, 27 to 29 January at Springwood. Tickets cost £10 for adults and £6 for student/under-18s and are available from: www.ticketsource.co.uk/springwood-high-school-music-department

The Sixth Form Prize Giving Ceremony at Springwood High School saw around 100 of the former Year 13 cohort assemble to receive their certificates, while a number of other awards were also presented during the evening.

“Each department presented a subject award, so 35 in total, reflecting the large amount of subjects available at Springwood,” said Head of Year 13 Luke Rawling, who gave out the prizes, alongside Deputy Head Jamie Warner-Lynn. “We also had 53 County Scholars.”

The high achievers were joined for the celebration by former student Lauren Greengrass, who is currently studying for a Masters in Australia, and returned to the school to share her experiences of working in the field of Marine Biology.

Among those receiving additional accolades were Juan Camilo Cervantes Torres, who won the Queen’s Prize; Melissa Knight, who was given the Rotary Citizen Award; Reece Mann who was awarded the Peter Hopkins Goblet for Determination and Commitment; and Josie Draper and Rachel-Lee September who were joint winners of the Hanover Prize for Contribution to the Arts.

Around 250 parents, governors, staff members, and students gathered at Springwood for the annual event, which took place in the Peter Hopkins Hall.

Members of the RAF medics team brought their specialist knowledge to St Clement’s High School for a special day with students learning about their role and how to do basic first aid.

The day saw the RAF Marham medics in combat gear visit the school and take students through the processes they would utilise in emergency situations. Splints were administered and tourniquets applied – just for demonstration purposes.

The visit marked the first time military medics from the Airforce had attended our school, a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

“The visiting professionals shared their expertise and provided hands-on, practical sessions that allowed students to develop vital first aid and medical skills,” said school Librarian Jenny Ford.

Students had the opportunity to handle medical equipment, ask questions and create realistic scenarios to test their skills and knowledge. They were given sessions on shock, the recovery position, fractures, breaks and dislocations with additional workshops  by school first raiders who covered resuscitation, burns, slings and bandages.

“The interactive nature of the sessions helped bring learning to life and allowed students to experience what it is like to respond in medical emergencies,” said Mrs Ford.

One of the medics who attended said the super-learning day had been a great change to spread the word about first aid.

“The students were engaged thoroughly throughout the day, and we were pleased to see that many had basic first aid knowledge already, which means basic life support and first aid is becoming well known from a young age,” he said.

The students at Springwood High School were inspired and entertained by the Chemistry Kitchen event, which was led by Professor Stephen Ashworth, who then repeated the experiments for primary school pupils in the area.

“The 280 students in our Year 7 cohort took part in the first session of the day and were inspired by demonstrations including air-powered rockets, electricity, flames, and bubbles, with the air rockets and fire components being particularly popular,” explained Head of Year 7 and STEM Lead Victoria Mann.

“Two more sessions involved local primary schools, all of whom left feeling excited and amazed by the power of science.”

“I really enjoyed the fire element,” said Year 7 student Mila P. “It made the show different to others that I have seen. The flame was really big.”

Coordinated by Head of Science Lucy Dawson and Chemistry Lead Annabel Owen, the event has become a regular fixture on the calendar at Springwood.

“It offers students the opportunity to see science at work in a way they might not normally do in a classroom,” continued Mrs Mann. “It both inspires, enriches, and gives insight into careers in science beyond the curriculum.

“It also provides an opportunity for older students with an interest in STEM to take on leadership roles within the school.”

One such student supporting the event was Year 11 STEM leader Maisie R, who said: “It was lovely to see so many students enjoying the event, particularly the primary school students. Having bits they could go up on stage for and take part in made it particularly exciting.

“It was also really nice seeing the primary school, and teachers I knew, getting to come along and take part. I also enjoyed having the opportunity to take a leading role in the event.”

“Springwood continues to have a fantastic STEM offering for pupils of all ages, and events like this help ensure that every child has the opportunity to engage in this key area of study,” added Mrs Mann.

Matthew Edwards, at Walpole Cross Keys Primary School, found out just before Christmas that his winning story would be read out by none other than Sir Stephen Fry, on Radio West Norfolk.

His story, Edwin’s Christmas Wish, introduces readers to a cheetah who lives in Africa and dreams of snow. Santa Claus heard all about his wish and helped to make it come true in the entry to the competition arranged by King’s Lynn estate agent Russen and Turner.

Children aged 11 or under were asked to create a special festive story in 500 words or less. The competition was also backed by Book Life Publications and Radio West Norfolk.

Seven-year-old Matthew said he was ‘really pleased’ to win and this week he received his prizes from Jessica Peek, of Russen and Turner this week. He won a £50 Amazon voucher, a signed copy of Sir Stephen Fry’s book Mythos, £150 of books and a further £500 of books for the school’s library.

“The books have come in really useful for us, especially as we are refreshing our library and continuing to develop our children’s love of reading,” said Assistant Headteacher Billy Overton.

The event was held at Smithdon High School, and the Year 7 and 8 students had to come up with the correct spelling for a range of tricky words.

Among them were antidisestablishmentarianism, martyr, mnemonic and conscientious – but all the students rose to the challenge.

It was a close contest with teams from Marshland, St Clement’s, Springwood and Smithdon High schools all concentrating hard during a tough session of serious spelling.

Springwood High School took first place with Shanjana in Year 8 taking the title of the WNAT Spelling Bee Winner, and she was presented with the prize of an Amazon Kindle Fire and a trophy.

English Lead for the Trust, Sarah Murkin, organised the annual event which was the culmination of a round of heats within each school.

“All four schools competed with outstanding team spirit and integrity. Springwood secured the win, closely followed by Marshland, St Clement’s and Smithdon. Every team delivered a fantastic performance, making the event a true celebration of talent and sportsmanship,” said Amira O’Neill, English teacher at St Clement’s High.

Each of the Trust’s secondary schools take it in turn to host the annual finals and this year was Smithdon’s turn just before the Christmas break.

The Year 8 cohort from Smithdon High School enjoyed a trip to the historic Hippodrome in Great Yarmouth to see the Circus, which featured a wide range of international artistes such as aerialists and acrobats, as well as the show’s famous synchronised swimmers, ‘Water Spectacle’, and Giant Fountains, and comedy from comedians Jack Jay and Ben Langley.

It was the first time the trip had taken place – although Smithdon has a long tradition of exposing its students to the performing arts.

“Trips like this are part of a performing arts plan, where students have the opportunity to see a show each year they are at Smithdon, from the local pantomime in Year 7, to where Years 9 to 11 are invited to West End shows in London, and theatre trips locally in Norwich,” said Assistant Headteacher Alysha Moat, who accompanied the students to the Hippodrome, along with Pastoral Manager Sally Collins.

“It is important to come together as a year group to attend exciting trips and see things that we would not normally see.”

Don't miss your chance to see their most ambitious project yet. With a cast of around 70 students and a live 18-piece Orchestra and some of the best-known songs in Musical Theatre, this is one not to be missed!

Very limited tickets remaining for Thursday, best availability is Tuesday and Wednesday.

Performances are on Tuesday 27th, Wednesday 28th & Thursday 29th January 2026 at 6.30pm. 

To purchase tickets, click here

Please note that ticket sales for each night will be suspended at 4.30pm

All year groups at Springwood High School in King’s Lynn were taking part in this year’s Christmas Jumper Day fundraiser, while many staff members also donned winter woollies in support of Save the Children’s annual appeal.

Since its launch in 2012, the event has raised £30 million, and has helped children in 93 countries across the globe. Last year, the charity reached 41.2 million children worldwide, and supported 375,000 UK children and families.

“We hope to have raised about £400 for Save the Children,” said Senior Assistant Head Rebecca Davies-Mays.

“All year groups are invited to take part, and we get a large number of students that take part each year. All staff are invited to take part too, and most do.”

As well as supporting Save the Children, stalls on the day also raised funds for activities at Springwood.

“Years 7 and 8 held Christmas games stalls for the last hour of the day,” added Mrs Davies-Mays.

“Year 7 money raised will go towards the Readathon in March. Year 8 will go towards Springfest at the end of the year.”

The Springwood High School Christmas Concert took place on the evening of Thursday 18 December, and featured around 200 students across all age groups from Years 7 to 13.

“The concert featured all our choirs and some of our larger instrumental groups,” said WNAT Director of Music, Robin Norman, who organised the event as well as directing some of the individual groups. “They performed a wide range of festive music, alongside some other pieces.

“There was so much, and so many pieces, that it is hard to choose what the highlight was, but there was a chance to see a preview of our forthcoming production of Les Miserables, and a rousing, massed finale, where all performers and the audience joined together in the Band Aid classic ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’.”

With tickets sold out more than two weeks in advance this year, more than 300 people attended the Christmas Concert at Springwood in King’s Lynn.

“The Christmas Concert is an annual event, and has been for many years,” continued Mr Norman. “However, in the last few years, ticket sales have increased, and it is now our most popular event, selling out every year.

“This is our largest event, and it gives a real opportunity for all groups to showcase what they have been working on.

“However, perhaps more importantly, it also gives an opportunity for some of our younger performers, such as those in the Year 7 Choir, to not only perform, but also to see the more experienced groups, so they can see ‘what comes next’ – something both inspirational and aspirational.”