Young artists across the West Norfolk Academies Trust secondary schools have put their work on show for a free exhibition at a King’s Lynn gallery.

The Thread Exhibition features art from students at Springwood in King’s Lynn, Smithdon in Hunstanton, Marshland in West Walton and St Clement’s in Terrington St Clement.

More than 60 students from Year 11 and 13 have used a wide range of media from painting and drawing to sculpture, digital art and photography. It is on show at Chequers House Gallery, King Street,  and is open to the public from 11am to 4pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays to December 28.

“There is no specific theme, but students respond from a range of starting points for their exam and coursework projects and build this into their own style and practice,” said Lee Eveson, Head of Art and Photography at Springwood.

He organised and curated the exhibition with Phil Bennell, Head of Art at the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

“Even as a 50-year-old artist and teacher, every painting that you start is an adventure. Sometimes it’s a trial of wits between you and the artwork and, as a creative, you are always evolving. For this reason, I thought Thread was an apt name for the exhibition,” said Mr Eveson.

This year is the eleventh that Mr Eveson has run the event, which often welcomes 500 visitors during the course of the month.

“We have been lucky enough to work with Chequers House Gallery in doing this. They have been amazing, and offered us their new gallery, which I can’t thank them enough for,” he said.

“This exhibition shows students what their work looks like in a professional setting. It raises aspirations, confidence and contribution to the creative arts.

“Creative arts is the second biggest economic provider in the UK. Creative industries are such an important part of our education system and society. We are very lucky to receive the support we do from our senior leadership teams and the community as a whole.

“I feel very lucky to be an art teacher here, not only because of this but because we have outstanding students at our schools,” added Mr Eveson.

‘O Christmas Tree’ was the perfect carol for Springwood High School this term, as our students decorated as many as three special trees for events in King’s Lynn – including a festival which was taking place for the first time.

Computing disasters, and the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) were on the agenda – along with missiles and monkeys – when our students enjoyed an annual Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) event.

It was a case of thank you for the music, when six young musicians were awarded Instrumental Scholarships at Springwood High School.

The Year 7 students had been taking music lessons at their respective primaries before joining our school, and each successfully auditioned for Director of Music Robin Norman to receive one of the coveted scholarships.

“For the audition, each had to perform a piece on their chosen instrument, and then face an interview where their musical journey so far was discussed, and also their hopes for getting involved in the extensive musical opportunities at the school,” explained Mr Norman.

The full instrumental scholarships entitle the talented youngsters to free, weekly lessons on their instruments throughout Years 7 and 8 at Springwood, followed by a 50 per cent reduction on tuition costs during Year 9 – which continues all the way through to Year 13, should they choose to take Music qualifications at GCSE and A-Level.

“Springwood has a rich musical history going back to the 1970s, and this has always been about nurturing musicians, and also providing opportunities to get involved in music at a local, regional, and national level,” continued Mr Norman.

“We introduced two scholarship programmes at Springwood 12 months ago to help with these beliefs – one for existing musicians who have had lessons, and the other is open to students who have obtained one of the Arts Places through audition.

“I am thrilled that these six young people have been successful, and I look forward to them progressing further during their time here at the school.”

The scholarship winners are Ella D (piano); Imogen S (viola); Callie-May S (trombone); Edward W (trombone); Max M (trumpet); and Oreoluwa O (flute).

They follow in the footsteps of last year’s scholarship students Verity O, Mika V, Elizabeth R, Sophia D, Noah C, Amaya T, Isla M, Frances H, Fidan A, Gracella H, Amelia K, and Bridie D, who are all now in Year 8 at Springwood, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust. Their chosen instruments included piano, cello, clarinet, flute, saxophone, and violin.

“At a time when many schools are restricting their Music and Arts provision, it is wonderful to see Springwood continuing to increase opportunities for young people in the town,” added Mr Norman, who is also Director of Music at WNAT.

“We currently have over 200 students choosing to learn an instrument or singing within the school, with even more getting involved in Music extra-curricular activities.

“I’m pleased to say that the same scholarships are also available across all four secondary schools within the West Norfolk Academies Trust – something we are incredibly proud of.”

There was plenty to talk about at an inter-schools debating contest for West Norfolk Academy Trust students which saw our team take the honours.

Marshland High School hosted the event and teams from Springwood and St Clement’s High Schools all recently competed for the coveted winners’ trophy. There had been a number of internal rounds before the final teams were chosen for the event.

Each group had three members, a proposer, opposer and chair. The winners on the night were from our school and the team chose the topic ‘is TikTok responsible for poor mental health amongst teenagers?’

“We are incredibly impressed and proud of the commitment the students have shown in researching their topics and preparing their speeches using their own time. They showed great confidence in speaking so eloquently in front of their peers and judges, well done!” said Judy Webb, KS3 Coordinator at Marshland High School, West Walton.

“The idea is to celebrate the power of ideas and the art of persuasive communication. We want students to develop their ability to express oneself fluently, confidently and to be able to articulate a clear argument, challenge ideas respectfully and think critically.”

The judging team was Neil Mindham, executive Headteacher of Gaywood Primary and Tony Yates, a trustee from the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

Trophies were presented to the winning team and certificates were given to everyone who took part in the event.

All the teams, along with one from Smithdon High School, will be taking part in the annual Rotary Youth Speaks Competition which is being organised by the King’s Lynn Trinity Rotary Club.

Veterans and members of the Armed Forces were among the audience when children from across the region came together at Springwood High School 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.

“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.”