There were happy campers at a WNAT school, when a generous donation enabled the purchase of new tents for their Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award expeditions.

Thanks largely to funding from King’s Lynn and Hunstanton Golf Club, the West Norfolk Duke of Edinburgh Charity donated £2,000 to Springwood High School, which was used to buy 15 Berghaus Grampian three-person tents for use by students taking part in the award scheme.

“At Springwood High School, the Duke of Edinburgh Award is offered to students at all levels – Bronze, Silver, and Gold,” explained Lucy Edwards, DofE Co-Manager at Springwood, alongside Ciera McKenzie.

“The award is an extra-curricular programme for young people aged between 14 and 24, which aims to inspire young people to reach their full potential. The Bronze and Silver Awards involve students completing four sections: Volunteering; Physical; Skills; and Expedition. The Gold Award has an additional section: Residential.”

The programme has been running for 14 years at the school, and is open to students from Years 9 to 11.

“I did my Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award with Springwood as a student myself, and, when starting here as a teacher, I knew I wanted to be involved in supporting the running of the award, as I know what a life-changing difference it can make,” continued Miss Edwards.

“Ciera and I have been involved in supporting the DofE programme at Springwood since 2021 and have now been DofE Managers for two years.”

“Outside of work, hill walking, international trekking, mountaineering, bouldering, and rock climbing are a big part of my life – I love it,” said Miss McKenzie. “I want to be able to share my passion for these with the students, getting them off their phones and out into the wilderness.”

The message seems to be getting across, with a record number of 133 students enrolling onto the scheme at Springwood this year.

“The DofE programme can be life changing for students in both the skills they develop and the memories they make, in particular during the expedition section,” added Miss Edwards.

“The DofE motto is ‘Youth Without Limits’, and we aim to make the award as accessible as possible to all students.

“We are extremely grateful for the funding we have received, as we are now able to accommodate more students on the expeditions, as our numbers are increasing each year.”

The Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of King’s Lynn were among the dignitaries on hand to mark the official opening of a fully refurbished performance space at a WNAT school.

The 300-capacity Peter Hopkins Hall at Springwood High School recently underwent a dramatic makeover which saw the installation of retractable, tiered, theatre seating, while all performance areas were fitted with state-of-the-art LED lighting.

The project cost a total of £218,000, and was funded by a contribution of around £185,000 from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), along with £20,750 from the Springwood Parents, Teachers, and Friends Association (PTFA).

“The aim was to deliver a world-class facility that would make Springwood one of the largest community spaces in West Norfolk suitable for major amateur and professional productions, by the introduction of retractable seating, plus the provision of energy efficient and cooler lighting,” explained Andy Johnson, who is Executive Headteacher and CEO at WNAT, and led the ceremony.

“This has enhanced both the viewing experience and increased capacity,” he continued. “The new seats have transformed the area, making both assemblies and performances so much more enjoyable.

"The new LED lights are more economical to run, and maintain a much cooler environment for all involved, compared to traditional stage lights.”

Besides Deputy Mayor Steve Bradshaw and Deputy Mayoress Marisol Bearshaw, the opening ceremony was attended by Cllr Jo Rust, Trustee Cllr Paul Bland, Chair of Trustees Roger Livesey, and members of the Springwood PTFA, as well as WNAT staff and parents.

Students from Springwood performed at the event, alongside pupils from fellow Trust schools Gaywood Primary and Heacham Junior.

“The event was really about a thank you from the Trust, with some lovely entertainment from our schools,” added Mr Johnson.
“I said a formal thank you to the King’s Lynn and Borough of West Norfolk and the Springwood PTFA for funding the new tiered seating and the LED stage lighting.

“I also thanked the Site Team for all that they do, and finally the staff across all schools who organise our outstanding performances.”

Students from all four of our secondary schools put their spelling skills to the test for the finals of a keenly-fought contest.

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.

Theatre-goers enjoyed a magical trip down the rabbit hole, when a WNAT school staged a modern twist on a traditional children’s favourite.

Students from Years 7 to 13 at Springwood High School were involved in the production of Alice, an adaptation by playwright Laura Wade of the famous Lewis Carroll classic Alice in Wonderland.

The play retells the well-known story of Alice, but the modern reimagining sees her struggling with grief over her brother’s death as she escapes into a fantastical Wonderland.

While familiar characters such as the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the Queen of Hearts all put in an appearance, the show features contemporary dialogue and references, along with pop music from the 2000s.

Thirty students took on roles in the cast, while there was plenty of student involvement off-stage too.

“Daisy, a Year 11 student, was an assistant director, as well as sound operator, during performances,” said Springwood Head of Drama, Robinson Ellin, who directed the play.

“We had a large number of students who were makeup artists from a variety of year groups, and three Year 9 students as front-of-house.”

Other staff members supporting the production included Drama Teachers Georgia Littlemore and Emily Brown as assistant directors; Head of Year 10 Pete Cuss, who was responsible for sound and original music; Arts Technician Matthew Austin, who was lighting designer and operator, as well as making the set and props; Head of Art Lee Eveson, who painted the set and props; and cover supervisor Phoebe Auker, who was in charge of makeup.

“I think that drama productions are an incredible opportunity for students to share stories with the local community – something that has been part of human culture for thousands of years,” continued Mr Ellin.

“This particular adaptation explores a young girl and her journey dealing with the loss of her elder brother, Joe. It is a timely reminder that throughout life, with all its trials and tribulations, love is at the heart of our shared existence.”

The show was enjoyed by 280 people over two nights, and took place in the Peter Hopkins Hall at Springwood in King’s Lynn.

“Without doubt, being involved in a school production is an incredible amount of hard work, but the sense of achievement that students feel when an audience laughs and cheers creates memories that will live with them forever,” Mr Ellin added.

“It also enables the students to be seen in a different light, by their peers and staff, as well as being a wonderful way to see off the Christmas term.”

There were festive favourites aplenty when students at a WNAT school showcased their musical talents in a seasonal celebration that rounded off the year in style.

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.”

It’s supposedly the most wonderful time of the year – but it can be a challenging one for children and young people who are caring for family members. One WNAT school was helping to redress the balance by holding a special Christmas celebration for its young carers.

The day-long event at St Clement’s High School on Thursday 18 December included a festive film, complete with popcorn, followed by a giant inflatable snow globe, and gifts for all of the school’s young-carer students.

“The young carers made their way over to our village hall, and we watched Home Alone 2 with popcorn and hot chocolate and marshmallows,” explained Pastoral Officer and Young Carer Lead Robyn Fisher.

“From 2.20pm, we had a giant inflatable snow globe, and each young carer received a Christmas present. All 92 young carers were invited from Years 7 to 11.”

Generous donors ensured that there were plenty of Christmas gifts to go round, with enough for each of the 37 young carers in the Trust’s seven primary schools also to receive one.

“We had donations from St Clement’s staff, the local community, and local businesses,” continued Mrs Fisher, who organised the event. “This year I wanted to get enough donations so that each of the young carers had one, and so I could provide a present for each young carer in our Trust primary schools.

“So, in total, I wrapped 129 presents! We had donations of make-up, Christmas jumpers, toys, gadgets, books, ten coffee-and-cake vouchers from the Norfolk Pedler in Burnham Overy Staithe, board games, puzzles, scarves, hats, gloves – the list was endless.”

St Clement’s holds three events each year for its young carers, including a summer party and the Christmas celebration.

“It is so important for these young carers to be recognised at this time of the year,” added Mrs Fisher. “Their Christmas may look very different to ours, and whilst we are sitting around with our families on Christmas morning opening presents, they may have to help their parent or relative out of bed, administer medication, or any other number of things before that were even to be a thought in their mind.

“These children may often go without, through no fault of their own or their families, and showing that little bit of kindness really means the world to them.”