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  • High-flying students take to the skies

    Published 23/04/26

    There was a bird’s-eye view for our students, after a competition gave them the opportunity to create and fly their own drones.

    Organised by the West Norfolk Academies Trust, and delivered by Alex Meads from the College of West Anglia, the Key Stage 3 Drone Day saw Year 9 students from all four of our high schools take part, including Marshland in West Walton, St Clement’s in Terrington St Clement, Smithdon in Hunstanton, and host Springwood in King’s Lynn.

    “All Year 9 students in the WNAT secondary schools took part in an initial competition to win the opportunity to work with Alex,” explained Springwood Head of Geography Calum Wilkinson, who helped to organise the event with the support of colleagues including his counterpart at St Clement’s, Matt Knott.

    “The competition involved a decision-making exercise on where to locate a new national forest in West Norfolk. Students were judged on a group presentation. The winning team from each school competed. Each school was represented by five students.”

    Following a safety briefing from Mr Meads, who is Green Skills Manager at the College of West Anglia, the high-flying students were tasked with building and racing their own drones, before graduating to flying larger models.

    “There were several sessions across the day,” continued Mr Wilkinson. “The morning involved building and racing smaller drones around an assault course, and an opportunity to practise flying larger drones across the school field.

    “In the afternoon, the students got to experience the most advanced drones that Alex has, including first-person-view technology.

    “Building and flying the drones was a highlight for the students. They were difficult to control, and tested the students’ flying skills.”

    It was the first time that the event had taken place, but its success means that there are plans to run it again next year.

    “The students were challenged in this event across a range of skills, including problem-solving and teamwork,” added Mr Wilkinson.

    “The Springwood High School team has already signed up to support next year’s event.”

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  • From West Norfolk to Berlin

    Published 23/04/26

    History left the classroom, when students from a WNAT secondary school visited Germany and Poland for a four-day exploration of key World War II sites.

    The 46-strong group from St Clement’s High School first spent time in Berlin, where they visited a range of historic landmarks, including Hitler’s Olympic Stadium, the DDR Museum showing life in East Berlin, the Berlin Wall, the East Side Gallery, Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, Wannsee House where the Final Solution was decided, and the Topography of Terror exhibition at the former headquarters of the Gestapo.

    The students then travelled to Krakow to see Schindler’s factory, the Jewish Ghetto, and Auschwitz and Birkenau.

    There was also plenty of time for sight-seeing and exploring – as well as the fun challenge of an evening’s bowling.

    “It was so interesting to actually be in the places it all actually happened,” said one student, while another said: “I loved the DDR Museum – seeing the rooms and kitchens and stuff, and how people lived back in the East was cool.”

    “We did lots of fun things in between the more difficult places,” added a fellow student. “Auschwitz was hard, but I am glad I did it.”

    It was the fourth time the trip had taken place.

    “Trips like this bring what we talk about in lessons to life,” said Head of History Anton Modica, who accompanied the group.

    “They really help our young people touch and feel history, especially as it is affecting our world today, and ultimately try and help contribute to our students becoming all-round kind, decent adults who can critically think and empathise.

    “Our students were fantastic, and took it all in, showing the utmost respect, and I am sure we left with memories and reflections to last a lifetime.”

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  • WNAT Students Flock to Meet School Visitors

    Published 23/04/26

    Students flocked to meet the new arrivals, when a WNAT school welcomed three woolly visitors for the week.

    Smithdon High School was hosting a mother sheep and her two lambs in the school grounds, as part of an initiative sent up by the Food and Farming Discovery Trust to increase young people’s awareness of the farming industry.

    “The objective was to widen students’ knowledge on where their food comes from, farming as an industry, and to have the opportunity to see the animals close up,” said Teacher of Food and Nutrition Becky Dibble, who organised the event with the assistance of Assistant Headteacher Alysha Moat, as well as taking responsibility for the animals during their stay.

    “We both attended the mandatory briefing at the Norfolk Showground to allow us to have the sheep at the school. They also then put together the Livestock Sheep Project sessions for our students to take part in.”

    “The sessions were for Year 7 and Year 8,” she continued. “They were split into groups and spent a lesson learning all about sheep. The Livestock Sheep Project included four activity stations that were run by Year 10 students, which included activities like learning where the different breeds originate from around the UK, how sheep help with climate changes, to understanding where our food comes from, and being able to locate local produce on a large map of Norfolk.

    “A select few students who are interested in animal care and farming as a career took charge of caring for the animals, by feeding them, checking on them, helping to move the pen, and making sure they had clean straw in their shelter.”

    The students also spent time outside with the sheep, where Mrs Dibble was able to share her own farming experience, as she and her family have a flock of sheep.

    It was the second time that Smithdon had been involved in the project, with this year’s ewe and lambs provided by Dereham-based farmer Josh Hill.

    “For some students, this was the first time they had been up close to a farm animal and also had the confidence to ask questions about them,” added Mrs Dibble.

    “It gives them a chance to understand the importance of farming in the UK, discuss welfare standards, and understand how to care and be empathic towards another being.”

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  • Springwood Students Rise to Robot Challenge

    Published 23/04/26

    It was ‘mission possible’, when aspiring engineers at a WNAT school came together to design and create their own problem-solving robot.

    The students at Springwood High School have been taking part in the First LEGO League Challenge, a global robotics event which is run in the UK by the Institute of Engineering and Technology, and tasks young people to design, build, and programme an autonomous LEGO robot to solve a series of missions.

    “In the club, there have been 20 students working hard, across Years 7 to 11,” said Jamie Day, who is Science Teacher and First LEGO League Lead at the school.

    “They continue to work on their robot, building it to make it appropriate to complete various ‘missions’ across the First LEGO League game mat. The teams have been coding the LEGO spike blocks to complete missions. For example, driving in various directions, and using motors to move arms in order to complete the mission.

    “The teams have also had to research a current setback of archaeology and articulate a response to how this can be alleviated.”

    Mr Day organises the sessions with the assistance of Computing Teacher Tom Owen, whose role is to teach coding to the students.

    “Tom is responsible for making sure the robot is able to complete missions on the First LEGO League game mat by helping students analyse what they have done in their coding, and what would make the robot more efficient at carrying out its job,” Mr Day explained.

    “Thanks to myself and Tom, students attend an after-school club that fosters teamwork, inclusiveness, and learning. It is for this reason that we are extremely proud of this group of students, and we are excited to continue on this journey, encouraging more students to join the First LEGO League Club at Springwood High School.”

    It will be Springwood’s second time competing in the event, with the regional stage of the contest due to take place early next year.

    Looking forward to next year’s competition, we are aiming to compete to win the competition, to move onto the national competition, which will take place at the Harrogate Convention Centre,” continued Mr Day. “Winning that will allow us to compete in the European competition, and the final world championships are held in the USA.”

    “The competition is important to students at Springwood High School, as it presents the opportunity to develop crucial, transferable skills such as leadership, problem-solving, and communication,” he added.

    “The Club also presents an opportunity that no other club currently does at Springwood, and that is coding and applying code to real-life situations – this is why it is a crucial club, as any students who may have aspirations around robotics or coding in the future, this club gives them an insight into those careers.”

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  • WNAT dancers shine at Festival

    Published 27/03/26

    It was around the world in 21 schools, when dancers from our Trust joined others from across the region for the West Norfolk School Sport Partnership (WNSSP) Dance Festival.

    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’.”

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  • Eggs for good causes at WNAT school

    Published 27/03/26

    Easter equalled ‘eggstra’ caring at a WNAT school in Hunstanton, when students marked the occasion by raising more than £200 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

    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.”

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  • Concert with a twist at WNAT school

    Published 27/03/26

    There was a sophisticated twist when students at a WNAT school in West Walton staged their annual Easter concert.

    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.

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  • Cakes for good causes at school fundraiser

    Published 27/03/26

    There were cakes for good causes, when a WNAT school took part in this year’s Comic Relief appeal on Friday 20 March.

    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.

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  • In the red for Comic Relief at Clenchwarton

    Published 25/03/26

    There was red all over, when Clenchwarton Primary took part in this year’s Comic Relief appeal on Friday 20 March.

    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!”

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  • Students equal to challenge at Springwood

    Published 25/03/26

    It added up to a memorable occasion, when students put their mathematical skills to the test in the first ever West Norfolk Academies Trust Year 10 Maths Challenge.

    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.”

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  • WNAT pupils ‘reddy’ for Comic Relief

    Published 25/03/26

    Children and staff were ‘reddy’ to fundraise, when a WNAT school took part in this year’s Comic Relief appeal on Friday 20 March.

    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.”

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  • St Clement’s students share stories with seniors

    Published 25/03/26

    Books united the generations, when students from a WNAT school shared stories with residents at a nearby care home.

    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.”

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