It was a double celebration when a WNAT school was appointed as Lead School for West Norfolk for the Norfolk and Suffolk Music Hub for the second year running  – as well as being nominated for a prestigious educational award for the second time.

Springwood High School continues in the influential role, which involves promoting and supporting Music provision in the area; while the school has also been put forward to receive the Music Mark of Recognition for Ambition and Quality in Music Education.

Robin Norman is Director of Music at both Springwood and the Trust.

“As part of the most recent National Plan for Music Education, Music Hubs are requested to appoint ‘lead schools’ who excel in areas of music education, with the aim of demonstrating outstanding music provision,” he explained.

“In our role, we are asked to support activities in our local area and also work with other schools as required, and be a point of contact for other schools if they want support in any area. We also welcome other school Music staff and leaders to Springwood to see what can be achieved.

“To be asked to continue for a second year is wonderful and legitimises all the work we are doing, not just in Springwood itself, but in the wider music community, working with the Hub and other partners to give opportunities to all the young people of West Norfolk, and further afield.”

Although nationally the percentage of pupils taking instrumental and singing lessons has dropped to around eight per cent, Springwood boasts a figure of 12.5 per cent, while the number of students studying GCSE and A-Level Music at the school has risen by around 100 per cent since the Pandemic, with additional courses introduced to meet demand.

Mr Norman continued: “These figures are, I’m sure, part of the reason we have won the awards we have. At a time when Music education is struggling nationally, we are actively increasing our take up and provision.

“Music Mark is the national Music Education organisation that works with the Department of Education, Arts Council, and all Music Hubs to monitor and make improvements in Music Education on a national scale. They are also at the forefront of things such as the new National Curriculum that is being worked on at the moment.

“We were nominated by the Norfolk and Suffolk Music Hub for the work we do in our position as Lead School, but also as a recognition for the great work we are doing as a school, bucking the national trend.”

He added: “We work incredibly hard at Springwood, and across the whole West Norfolk Academies Trust, to give a quality Music education to all our students, and to give them fantastic opportunities and experiences in Music. This award does, we feel, offer real credibility to what we are trying to do.”

There was everything from pop to classical on offer when young pianists from across the West Norfolk Academies Trust showcased their talents at a music event.

The WNAT Piano Recital featured students from across our member schools, including Springwood High School, which hosted the evening’s entertainment.

Our Peripatetic Music Lead, Benjamin Howell, co-organised the event with the assistance of Robin Norman, who is Director of Music at the Trust.

“We were delighted to have 17 students participating, ranging from Year 5 through to Year 13,” he said.

“The programme promised an exciting and diverse selection of repertoire, spanning contemporary popular music, including Bruno Mars, through to classical works by composers such as Rachmaninoff.”

The performance took place in the Peter Hopkins Hall to a rapt audience of parents, carers, family members, friends, and teaching staff.

Mr Howell continued: “The Trust Piano Recital is one of two piano recitals held during the academic year, bringing together young pianists from primary and secondary schools across the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

“These events provide a valuable performance platform for students of all ages and abilities, from those taking their first steps in learning the piano to more advanced musicians working towards higher grades and piano diplomas.”

Besides Springwood, participating high schools included Marshland in West Walton, St Clement’s in Terrington St Clement, and Smithdon in Hunstanton; while among the primaries taking part were Clenchwarton, Gaywood, Heacham Junior, Snettisham, Walpole Cross Keys, and West Lynn.

Mr Howell added: “Beyond the performances themselves, these recitals play an important role in supporting students’ musical development. They provide meaningful short- and long-term goals, encourage progression towards external music examinations, and, importantly, help students develop confidence, resilience, and enjoyment through performing in front of an audience.

“They also provide a wonderful opportunity for students from different schools and age groups to come together, share their musical achievements, and celebrate their progress.

“We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our dedicated piano teachers within the WNAT Peripatetic Music Team for their continued commitment to supporting and developing our young musicians.

“We are also extremely grateful to Trust CEO Andy Johnson and the Senior Leadership Team for their ongoing encouragement and support of piano tuition, musical performance opportunities, and the wider development of Music across the Trust.”

World Mental Health Day expanded to become a whole week of wellbeing for students at a WNAT school.

All year groups at Smithdon High School in Hunstanton were invited to take part in daily mental health-promoting activities in the run up to the international awareness event, which takes place annually on 10 October.

Organised by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) and World Health Organisation (WHO), the day is supported by a number of different charities, including Young Minds, which runs the Hello Yellow fundraising campaign.

Alysha Moat is Assistant Head at Smithdon, and oversaw ‘Hello Yellow Week’.

“All week there were activities taking place every day, linked to the five mental health tips on the NHS website,” she explained. “They were open to everyone and all year groups – they could just turn up and sign in.”

Monday kicked off with ‘Talking Kurling’, where students could chat to one another while they tried an indoor version of the sport; while Tuesday was ‘Gifts of Gratitude’ and saw participants write postcards expressing their thanks to friends or members of staff.

Wednesday was ‘Emotional Mosaic Day’, which featured the creation of a giant Smithdon logo made up of yellow Post-It notes bearing positive phrases or images; Thursday got physical with a Walk-a-Mile challenge; and Friday focused on mindfulness with the Drama Room hosting meditation sessions.

Ms Moat continued:”We used to do Hello Yellow every year, but this is the first time we’ve done something every single lunchtime, and we’ve never linked to the NHS website before. This year we’ve really dug down deep into it.

“We had a massive range of peer groups taking part from Years 7 to 11. I think that was the beauty of it – they all realised they were in the same boat.”

The event also linked to Smithdon’s Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) provision for the students.

Ms Moat added: “As part of the Key Stage 3 PSHE programme, they’re doing topics like resilience, mental health, and eating disorders. We’re teaching them to be resilient, which ties in with the school ethos of ‘Ambition, Respect, and Resilience’.

“We make sure they know who Young Minds are, and that they know about online resources like the NHS and Kooth. We also go through the importance of having three or four trusted adults and support beyond school, as well as talking about the support available in school.

“It’s all about working together and making kids aware that every day will have ups and downs, and it’s all right to sometimes feel anxious.

“We try and do as much as we can with the resources we’ve got – and our best resources are the staff and the kids, and the relationship they have.”

Pupils of all ages are happy to attend “warm and welcoming” Snettisham Primary according to Ofsted inspectors who ranked the school ‘Strong’ across more than half of the criteria assessed.

Their report praised the children at the West Norfolk Academies Trust school, stating: “From the Reception Year onwards, pupils learn the routines that help them to concentrate and participate in lessons. As a result, classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils behave very well and are polite to one another.”

The “ambitious and carefully sequenced” curriculum was also singled out, with the inspectors noting: “Teachers teach the curriculum consistently well. Pupils routinely revisit important prior learning before building new knowledge. Teachers use well-established routines, clear explanations and carefully chosen resources to bring the curriculum to life.”

They continued: “Carefully chosen prompts and extra help enable pupils who need additional support to engage with the curriculum with their peers. Leaders are rightly proud of the curriculum’s noticeable impact and how it gives pupils deep insights into the world around them.”

Inclusion was another strength highlighted in the report, which described Snettisham as being “highly ambitious for pupils who face barriers to their learning.”

“Staff identify pupils’ needs with precision and great care,” it said. “They consider everything that may affect pupils’ education, including medical needs. The school works closely and effectively with families and external agencies to overcome these barriers.

“Teachers make purposeful adaptations in lessons so pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can learn alongside their peers.

“The trust provides further expertise through regular support from specialist SEND leaders.”

Honourable mention was also made of the extra-curricular offerings available to the children.

“Pupils benefit from an extensive range of opportunities beyond their lessons,” stated the report. “The school deliberately broadens pupils’ experiences beyond their immediate community. Pupils take part in sport, music, theatre, residential trips and cultural activities. They also have the opportunity to learn about different kinds of careers. The school ensures that pupils develop practical skills that will help them become more independent.

“As a result of the school’s approach, all pupils experience success in their social and academic skills.”

Executive Headteacher Louise Jackson was delighted with the report’s findings.

“To receive such a positive Ofsted Report is testament to all the hard work and dedication of our staff and pupils,” she said.

“We are pleased to receive recognition for the many measures we have in place to ensure that each individual child at Snettisham can flourish and thrive both socially and academically.”

Our CEO, Andy Johnson, agreed: “Everyone at Snettisham should be proud of such excellent results. To be rated ‘Strong’ across so many categories is a great achievement, and one that’s well deserved.”

Chair of Governors Roger Livesey added: “Our congratulations go to Mrs Jackson and the team at Snettisham on receiving such a positive Ofsted Report.

“It really is a warm and welcoming place to be, and it’s gratifying to see that acknowledged by the inspectors.”

It was a life-changing experience for a group of WNAT students who spent more than two weeks exploring and volunteering in Cambodia.

The 14 sixth formers from Springwood High School enjoyed an action-packed itinerary during the 16-day Challenges Abroad trip, which saw them spend time in the cities of Phnom Penh, Battambang, and Siem Reap, as well as visit Pu Long village, the island of Koh Trang, temples, the S21 Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and the country’s infamous Killing Fields.

Accompanying the intrepid students was Head of History Chris Whitlam, along with Head of Drama Georgia Littlemore.

“Students spent one week touring Cambodia, including seeing river dolphins in the Mekong River, trekking in the Cambodian jungle, and sites associated with the Khmer Rouge regime,” he said. “Most spectacular was seeing the sun rise over Angkor Wat.

“The second week was spent in the Challenges Abroad Hub at Battambang, where students prepared lessons to deliver to a local school.”

It was the fourth time Springwood students had taken part in the trip, which included a four-day FutureSense Foundation community project, where the students delivered workshops on sustainable waste management and environmental responsibility to Cambodian school children.

There was also plenty of time to soak up the country’s rich culture and history, as well as to experience its diverse wildlife, with opportunities to see turtles, Irrawaddy dolphins, and a bat cave, jungles, waterfalls, rivers, mountains, and lakes.

Among the many other highlights were visits to the world-renowned temples of Angkor Wat, Baya, and Ta Prohm; a trip to a coffee plantation; tours of each of the three cities; and introductions to the Khmer language and traditional dance.

Group member Lyndon said: “This trip opened my eyes to new cultures around the world, as well as allowing me to explore remarkable temples and landmarks. When we went to the partner school, we helped enrich the children’s knowledge about helping the environment. This showed us first hand the impact that education can have on a small community school.”

Classmate Isla agreed: “This once-in-a-lifetime experience has taught me so much about the world, the importance of spreading awareness about the environment, and also about myself. I have gained a plethora of new amazing memories, whether that be completing a jungle trek or playing musical statues with one of my classes.

“I have also developed so many of my skills, gaining so much confidence and growing my leadership skills. I had the best time, and signing up was genuinely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

Mr Whitlam added: “Trips like this are incredibly important for students’ cultural awareness, as well as knowledge of events such as the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime.”