There was something for all musical tastes, from rock and roll, to blues and jazz, when around 50 young musicians came together to showcase their talents.

Organised by the West Norfolk Academies Trust, the Musical Instrument Tuition Initiative (MITI) Workshop was hosted by WNAT member Smithdon High School in Hunstanton, and saw students joined by younger pupils from several feeder schools, including Snettisham Primary and Heacham Junior – both also part of our Trust – and Hunstanton Primary.

“We had Smithdon students participating from across Years 7 to 11,” said our Peripatetic Music Lead, Benjamin Howell, who organised the event.

“Students represented a broad range of instrumental areas, including strings, woodwind, brass, and percussion.”

The musicians were divided into a String Orchestra and Wind Band, playing under the guidance of Mr Howell and Peripatetic Music Team members Eddie Seales, Mary-Ann Robinson, and David Maddison; while the event was also supported by our Director of Music, Robin Norman.

“Students worked in two groups, coming together for a couple of combined pieces,” continued Mr Howell.

“Throughout the workshop, the students explored a mixture of repertoire, featuring elements of rock and roll, boogie-woogie, and jazz.”

The day concluded with a performance for family members and friends, where the musicians were able to display their new skills.

“The final performance was well received, and attended by a number of parents, whose support was very much appreciated, as always, in encouraging the students on their musical journey,” added Mr Howell.

Staff and students are aiming high for their school’s centenary and are making plans for a fantastic event to mark the milestone next July.

Marshland High School hopes to hear from Sir David Attenborough, who turns 100 next year as well, as a house is named after him. Dame Jessica Ennis Hill also has a house in her name, and we will be contacting her as well.

And the school also wants to receive 100 birthday cards in time for a special celebration party planned for next July. Former staff and students have been written to, along with the big names attached to two of its houses.

Memories and photographs of former students and staff are also needed to help create a nostalgic evening of memories from across the decades.

The school would like to hear from anyone with memories or photographs of past times at Marshland High, and they needn’t be ex-pupils.

“We would love to hear from anyone with memories of the school, and the school council is going to reach out to different people connected to our school to ask for cards,” said Lydia Beatty, Head of PSHCE and Religious Studies and history teacher.

Parts of the school date back to 1925, although there has been extensive work during the intervening years, including a new humanities block which opened in 2020 after a £1.2m investment.

Birthday cards can be sent to: History Dept, Marshland High School, School Road, West Walton, Wisbech PE14 7HA. And a dedicated email address is also available: centenary@marshlandhigh.co.uk

Taking aim and throwing a ball at your opposition is at the heart of Dodgeball, and pupils from across the West Norfolk Academies Trust made the most of trying out the sport.

Gaywood Primary School hosted Dodgeball Fun for Key Stage 1 children and a total of ten teams took to the field to compete. The teams throw a ball at opposing members to eliminate them from the game during a series of rounds.

Heacham Infant School, Walpole Cross Keys and Clenchwarton primaries, all members of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, took part in the first group alongside children from West Walton and Walpole Highway, from The Windmill Primary Federation.

The second group saw West Lynn, Gaywood and Snettisham primaries from the Trust along with pupils from Terrington St John and Tilney St Lawrence, also of the Federation.

“Both groups were incredibly close, with every team picking up wins, losses and draws throughout the morning,” said Matt Parkinson, of ICS Coaching which provided the session.

“A huge thank you goes to all the staff from the participating schools for their support and positivity, helping to make the event such a success. Your encouragement and organisation created a wonderful atmosphere for everyone involved,” he added.

The final round was contested by West Lynn who faced Walpole Highway in a great match which showcased fantastic spirit from both sides. The honours went to Walpole Highway who took home a medal and certificate, while medals were given to each participant.

It’s the second year that the Trust schools have held sports competitions, with pupils and staff enjoying the challenge.

“Sporting events really benefit the pupils as they promote physical and mental health, improve academic performance through focus and discipline. These events also foster essential life skills like teamwork, resilience and respect for rules” said Executive Headteacher Emma Hunt.

“Participation in these events builds confidence and a sense of belonging, supporting pupils to develop an interest in staying active,” she added.

Dodgeball sees players eliminate others by hitting them with a ball while dodging incoming throws. If a player catches a ball from the opposing team, the thrower is out and a player from the catching team can reinstate a player.

Tomorrow’s scientists, inventors, technicians, and engineers were honoured when a WNAT school held its annual STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) Celebration Evening.

The ceremony at Springwood High School in King’s Lynn recognised the achievements of students in Years 8 to 13 over the last academic year, with more than 200 awards presented on the night.

“This included over 15 different project categories of awards and competitions, supported by staff and external businesses,” explained STEM Lead Victoria Mann, who was joined at the event by Isabel Colley, Richard Moore, Matilda Waite, Jamie Day, and Lucy McEvoy from the Science and Maths Departments, along with Senior Leadership Team STEM Leads Richard Thompson and Rebecca Davies-Mays, and Headteacher Andy Johnson.

“While not all students with an award could attend, we still gave out over 200 awards, with many more to be distributed over the next couple of weeks in school – meaning our current STEM projects reach a huge percentage of our school body, with activities reaching every member of our Year 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 cohorts.”

This year’s event was opened by Elena Clack, Youth Engagement Lead at the environmental charity Another Way, who spoke about green careers in STEM, and urged students to think about how they could impact change in their choices and actions.

Besides students and their families, other guests included representatives from Dodmans and Palm Paper, as well as members of the Rolls-Royce Engineering Team at RAF Marham, who recently worked with Springwood students on a Soapbox Derby challenge.

“New awards this year included Race to the Line, creating CO2-powered race cars; STEM Challenge 2025, where pupils were tasked to write a report offering solutions to real-world environmental problems; and the National Thinking Competition with our Year 10 students,” continued Mrs Mann.

“These were awarded alongside a range of CREST Awards at different levels, Creative STEM Awards, and our STEM Leaders’ Awards for students who have dedicated an extended amount of time to STEM activities and projects, including helping to run clubs for younger pupils.”

“Each year, we celebrate what seems like an ever-increasing number of students and their achievements,” she added. “We know that recognising and raising the profile of students’ hard work in this area shows them the value of their efforts, as well as the application of it to both the wider world and their future careers.

“They have the opportunity to not just be celebrated, but also inspire those around them. It is our firm belief that this is why we see more and more students excel in these areas of our curriculum, and go on to do more brilliant things.

“New upcoming projects for this academic year include our enrolment in the Lego First League, combining coding and robotics, and building our own go-kart.”

As people across the country donned poppies and came together to commemorate Remembrance Day, Smithdon High School was once again honoured to be part of the Remembrance Parade in Hunstanton.

The school, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, was represented by Headteacher Amanda Gibbins and Head Students Miles and Daisy, at the event on Sunday 9 November, where they laid a wreath at the Cenotaph.

Activities also took place within school, with Mrs Gibbins leading a whole-school assembly on Monday, which was followed by a national gathering on Remembrance Day itself.

“On Tuesday 11 November, all students in Years 7, 8, and 9 took part in  the nationwide Royal British Legion Assembly, led by JJ Chalmers, including an address by Prince William,” explained Deputy Headteacher Sarah Robinson.

“They all then took part in a two-minute silence, as did the rest of the school.”

Remembrance Day has long been a key event in the calendar at Smithdon.

“We do the Remembrance Parade in Hunstanton every year and lay a wreath,” added Mrs Robinson

“It’s very important to educate students on these events and provide opportunities for them to reflect.”

WNAT pupils honour heroes in annual Remembrance performance

Veterans and members of the Armed Forces were among the audience when children from across the region came together for the annual West Norfolk Academies Trust Remembrance Performance.

Featuring almost a hundred Year 4 pupils from ten different primary schools, the evening included poetry and narration, as well as wartime classics such as ‘A Bicycle Made for Two’ and ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’ – which had the audience members singing along and waving flags. There was also a standard bearer, and a moving rendition of ‘The Last Post’.

Among the participating schools were Clenchwarton Primary, Gaywood Primary, Heacham Junior, Snettisham Primary, Terrington St John Primary, Tilney St Lawrence Primary, Walpole Cross Keys Primary, Walpole Highway Primary, West Lynn Primary, and West Walton Primary, while the event was hosted by Springwood High School in King’s Lynn.

“Events like this enable children to build confidence, communication, and teamwork, as they learn to express themselves and work with others,” said Emma Hunt, who is Executive Headteacher at Terrington St John, Tilney St Lawrence, and Walpole Highway, and led the event alongside Snettisham Teacher Helen LeStrange and WNAT Administrator Emma Pearman.

It was the sixth time the event had taken place, with this year’s performance attracting around 300 family members, staff, and trustees, as well as war veterans and members of the armed services.

“I believe it is so important for children to learn about Remembrance, so that they can understand the sacrifices made by soldiers and civilians during times of war, appreciate the value of peace, and develop gratitude for the freedoms they enjoy today," added Mrs Hunt.

“Learning about this day helps them connect with history, show respect for those who served, and carry forward the tradition of remembrance, ensuring the lessons of the past are never lost.”