Year 7 pupils at Smithdon took time out from their own Christmas countdown to put a smile on the face of local care home residents by creating a video of Christmas jokes, group singing and poetry reading, as well as providing gifts and cards.
Students and staff at St Clement's have done their bit to bring some seasonal cheer to care home residents after collecting and distributing gifts in the run-up to Christmas.
Springwood has been doing its bit to put a smile on people’s faces and a dinner on their plate this Christmas after the whole school got involved in a donation drive for the Purfleet Trust.
Like so much of this year, Christmas 2020 will be an unfamiliar experience for many people, and in some cases, one lacking in seasonal cheer.
Many schools have struggled to keep music going over the last few months. For many students, music is at the very heart of what makes them tick, and not being able to play in bands and orchestras and sing in choirs has been very hard.
The coronavirus pandemic may have impacted many aspects of school life this year, but it has certainly not silenced the young musicians of schools within our trust, where participation numbers just keep on growing.
With the world of work beset by talk of job losses, redundancies and economic crisis, it may seem like a perilous time to be entering the world of employment, but some of our former pupils are getting used to post-school life having taken up apprenticeships.
Staff and pupils at Springwood have something to sing and dance about after its dedication to the teaching of the arts saw it receive a prestigious gold Artsmark award.
The National Anthem is likely to be played with particular enthusiasm by our young musicians after a £2,000 grant with royal connections will further help support music teaching in our schools.
