It was a case of ‘Hello, hello, hello’ when our children welcomed a special visitor to the school.

Police officer James Smith met with more than 360 pupils of all ages, from Reception to Year 6, when he spent the day at Gaywood Primary.

“PC Smith led sessions with Years 3 and 4 on mobile phone and online safety, Years 5 and 6 on county lines, and Years 1 and 2 on ‘how the police help us’,” explained Neil Mindham, Executive Headteacher at our school, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust. “He also paid a visit to our Reception class.”

Formerly Safer Schools Officer within the Safer Schools Partnership, PC Smith is now one of two neighbourhood police officers working to engage, educate, and support children and young people across Gaywood, Faistead, and Reffley.

“The children thoroughly enjoyed the interactive nature of the sessions – especially the question-and-answer opportunities where they could ask PC Smith questions directly about his job and uniform,” continued Mr Mindham.

“The younger children in Years 1 and 2 particularly liked learning ‘how the police help us’ and seeing the officer in uniform. The older students in Years 5 and 6 found the information on county lines and online safety to be very relevant and engaging, appreciating the examples and advice PC Smith shared.”

“Events like this are extremely important, as they establish positive relationships and trust between children and the police at an early age,” he added.

“They benefit children by providing vital, age-appropriate safety education on topics like online risks and county lines, delivered by an expert.

“Crucially, meeting an officer like PC Smith in a familiar, school setting helps demystify the police role, making officers approachable, and reinforcing that they are trusted figures children can turn to for help.”.

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.

Our 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 also 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.

Our pupils embraced the national Children in Need theme, ‘Challenge Yourself 25’, with high-energy activities proposed by the School Council.

On Friday, Gaywood children in EYFS and KS1 completed a hugely successful 25-minute Dance-athon, while students in KS2 are set to complete as many laps of the playground as they can in 25 minutes on Monday.

The enthusiasm from the students was infectious. Georgina Whitford, one of the organising teachers, shared: "The students showed great enthusiasm and effort. Even if dancing wasn't their thing, they still joined in knowing it was for a special event.
"My favourite moment was when all the children sang 'Golden' together. The song has a really important message about diversity and being who they are."

The collective effort has already surpassed £300, with the final total expected to rise once all sponsorship money is collected. 

Year Two pupil Ottilie Blackmore, seven, said: "I loved dancing and having fun with my friends. It was hard to keep dancing for so long but we knew it was important to help raise money for Children in Need."

Across the West Norfolk Academies Trust, other schools like West Lynn Primary enjoyed Pudsey-themed art and craft, while Walpole Cross Keys Primary held treasure hunts and quizzes.

The musical entertainment ranged from classical composers to fictional pigs, when pianists of all ages from across the West Norfolk Academies Trust came together to showcase their talents.

The WNAT Piano Recital was open to students from all 11 of the Trust’s primary and secondary schools, including Springwood High School, which hosted the event.

“These piano recitals are held twice a year, and rotate across the four high schools within the Trust,” explained Benjamin Howell, who is Peripatetic Music Lead at WNAT.

“They provide an invaluable opportunity for students to share their music, gain performance experience, and be inspired by one another in a supportive, informal environment.”

Besides Springwood, the Trust’s other high schools are Marshland, St Clement’s, and Smithdon; while WNAT primaries include Clenchwarton, Gaywood, Heacham Infant, Heacham Junior, Snettisham, Walpole Cross Keys, and West Lynn.

Performing to an appreciative audience of family members, carers, friends, and members of staff, around 20 students each took a turn at the grand piano in the Main Hall at Springwood.

“The Recital has grown significantly in popularity over the years,” said Mr Howell. “Previously held in our Recital Room, it has now outgrown that space.”

“We had a wide range of students participating from across the Trust’s primary and secondary schools, representing a variety of ages and abilities,” he continued.

“Performances featured an eclectic mix of repertoire, ranging from Mozart to the Peppa Pig theme, reflecting both our beginner and more advanced pianists, including some students performing at Grade 8 and beyond.

“One of the real highlights was seeing some of our primary pupils performing for the first time, alongside our more experienced high school musicians.”

Other staff supporting the event included WNAT Director of Music Robin Norman and Music Teacher Thomas Burt, alongside members of the Peripatetic Music Team.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the piano teaching team within the WNAT Peri Team for their continued commitment and support throughout the year in making these events possible,” added Mr Howell.

Young photographers from our school joined others from across the West Norfolk Academies Trust to show off their skills in an annual competition.

Run by the Trust in association with the King’s Lynn & District Camera Club, the WNAT Photography Competition was renamed this year as the David Ashfield Photography Cup, in honour of a KLDCC member who had recently died.

“The competition started in 2024 as a collaboration between the WNAT and the KLDCC, who use the Springwood High School for their weekly Monday meetings,” explained KLDCC Chair Brian Sadler, who organised the event with Emma Pearman from WNAT.

"That was a great success, so we decided to build upon that and make the competition a regular event to encourage youngsters into photography.

“The late David Ashfield was a pivotal and influential member of the KLDCC, so we decided to honour his memory by naming the competition after him.”

Competition categories comprised Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, and Key Stage 5, plus one for WNAT staff, and almost 150 entries were received from Years 3 to 13 across the Trust’s member schools.

Those participating included Marshland High School in West Walton, St Clement’s High School in Terrington St Clement, Smithdon High School in Hunstanton, and Springwood High School in King’s Lynn, as well as primaries Clenchwarton, Gaywood, Heacham Junior, Snettisham, Walpole Cross Keys, and West Lynn.

WNAT undertook the first round of judging, shortlisting ten images from each of the five categories to go through to the final at Springwood, where experienced circuit judge and honorary KLDCC member Allan Livingstone had the task of selecting the winners.

The first place category prizes went to Ava F for Key Stage 5; Thomas S for Key Stage 4; Scarlett C for Key Stage 3; and Sydney C for Key Stage 2; while L Sedgley won the Staff Award.

WNAT Executive Headteacher Andy Johnson was on hand to present the prizes, with each category winner receiving an Amazon voucher, and all finalists receiving mounted prints of their entries.

An additional award went to overall winner Ava, who was presented with the David Ashfield Cup by the late Mr Ashfield’s daughters, Jill Smithson and Sally Ashfield  – a former Deputy Headteacher at Springwood.

“This competition has become an important part of our Trust calendar,” added Mr Johnson. “All entrants enjoy this extra-curricular pursuit.

“It is also important that our Trust is part of the local community. We enjoy working with our partners in the KLDCC, alongside other community partners.”

Budding pianists at Gaywood Primary had a chance to hone their skills when they took part in a special masterclass on Thursday 26 June.

The young musicians ranged in age from Years 4 to 6 at our school, which is a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

Organised by WNAT Peripatetic Music Lead, Benjamin Howell, the Collaborative Music Event saw the pupils perform individual musical pieces, before coming together for the masterclass.

“The event featured a small group of piano students, each performing a piece, followed by a live masterclass session, focusing on aspects such as musical character and technical development,” explained Mr Howell.

Also guiding the children through their musical paces were Peripatetic Piano Teacher Sarah-Jane, and our Music Lead, Helen Johnston.

“I’d like to highlight the brilliant work Sarah-Jane has done with the students,” continued Mr Howell. “Her dedication and the students’ achievements made this a valuable opportunity for them to receive feedback, perform, and grow in confidence.”

They were joined by former Gaywood pupil Isabel, who is now in Year 8 at Springwood High School, and performed a pop music piece on the piano to inspire her young audience, as well as assisting with the masterclass.

“This was the first event of its kind across WNAT, and we hope it may serve as a model for future events across other Trust schools,” added Mr Howell.