Music lovers in King’s Lynn are in for a treat, with this year’s Community Music Festival due to take place at the beginning of July.

The free, four-day event at Springwood High School will showcase the best of West Norfolk’s musical talents, from big bands and choirs, to rock and pop stars.

Organised by the West Norfolk Academies Trust, performances will take place from 6pm each evening from Monday 6 to Thursday 9 July, and will feature 800 musicians and singers from across the region.

Our Director of Music, Robin Norman, is involved in planning the event each year.

“Over four nights, we would like to invite all the local community to Springwood for some fantastic, free, community music,” he said.

“It’s a chance to bring a chair or a blanket, and maybe a picnic, and enjoy live performances, courtesy of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.”

Each night’s entertainment has a specific theme, catering for all musical tastes across the course of the week.

Mr Norman explained: “On Monday 6 July, we kick things off with a night of concert bands, big bands, and orchestra, when the bands of Springwood will be joined by the West Norfolk Music Centre, West Norfolk Reeds, Centre Stage Swing Band, and the King’s Lynn Town Band, for a wonderful celebration of community bands and light music classics.”

He continued: “On Tuesday, we feature some of the best up-and-coming rock and pop performers across West Norfolk schools in our ‘Rock and Pop Evening’.

“Wednesday is the highlight of the week, when a total of over 200 young people will perform in a selection of nineties hits through school choirs, and three combined items.

“This is before we end the week with a celebration of the long-standing music tradition of Springwood, with our end-of-year ‘Springwood Spectacular’.”

It will be the fifth time the Community Music Festival has taken place, with more than 900 people attending last year’s event.

Mr Norman added: “Over the week, close to 800 performers will take part from both schools and the local community.

“We feel it is important to work with our local community, and so this is our way of thanking everyone for their support, with four nights of what we do best – live music.”

Music ranged from classical to ZZ Top, when our young musicians showcased their talents at this year’s Springwood Summer Recital.

Our mathematicians were equal to the challenge, when they recorded impressive scores in a national maths competition.

The 106 Year 7 and 8 students from Springwood High School were put through their paces in this year’s UKMT Junior Mathematics Challenge, which tasked them with solving a series of reason and logic-based problems.

“Students completed a one-hour assessment, which consisted of multiple-choice, problem-solving questions,” said Maths Teacher Lucy Edwards, who helped prepare the students for the event.

Each year more than 650,000 students take part in competitions run by the UK Maths Trust, and they have become regular events at our school, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

“The event takes place every year, and there is also an Intermediate and Senior Maths Challenge yearly,” continued Miss Edwards.

“All students who took part received a certificate, many of whom achieved a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award.”

Among the high achievers were three students who attained Gold. George, Charlotte, and Jan will now progress to the next round of the competition, which will take place in June.

“These events are important to build resilience for students tackling challenging problems, as well as promote a love for Maths,” added Miss Edwards.

“This also encourages the development of students’ reasoning, creative thinking, and deduction skills required for GCSE and A-Levels.”

Creativity was golden, when Springwood High School saw its extensive Arts offering recognised with a prestigious national award.

There’s a warm welcome for all at Springwood – and that’s official!

Outstanding results in a physics competition earned a Springwood High School student a sought-after place in the final stage of the prestigious British Astrophysics Olympiad.