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  • Smithdon Students Win Cambridge Writing Contest

    Published 10/09/25

    Writers from Smithdon High School had their analytical skills tested in a prestigious essay-writing competition held by Cambridge University, when they pipped entrants from across the region to take both first and second prizes.

    Our Year 9 students were among the finalists of the Cambridge Writing Prize, which is part of the Cambridge Festival of Reading and Writing, and is open to schools across Norfolk, Cambridge, and Bradford.

    “We have been fortunate to participate in this competition since its launch in 2018,” said Amanda Wright, Head of English at Smithdon, which is a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

    “Organised by Cambridge University, this prestigious event allows students to study texts previously shortlisted by the BBC Short Story Competition. Universal themes such as identity, family, and anxiety are ideas students explore as they study texts such as ‘Ghillie’s Mum’ by Lynda Clark, ‘Scrimshaw’ by Eley Williams, and ‘The Sweet Sop’ by Ingrid Persaud.”

    The whole of Year 9 took part in the annual contest, focusing on ‘The Sweet Sop’, and each producing a 500- to 750-word essay giving a personal perspective on the piece.

    “It is a story about relationships, forgiveness, and – perhaps the most relatable aspect – a penchant for chocolate,” explained Mrs Wright. “Victor, the narrative’s protagonist, bonds with his terminally ill, estranged father, Reggie, over chocolate.

    “Students read and interrogated the text before writing an essay about individual perspective.

    “Three years of Key Stage 3 study culminated in this intense, academic writing, and the Smithdon Year 9 cohort all participated in the process.”

    Around 80 students from a range of different schools came together at Cambridge University for the Prize Giving, which also featured a competitive scavenger hunt in the grounds of Robinson College, and a buffet lunch, as well as a university-style lecture by Professor Raphael Lyne at Lady Mitchell Hall on Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 116’.

    Alex da Costa, Chair of the Faculty of English, was on hand to make the presentations, which included overall winner Brayden May, and runner-up Hadleigh Clay – both Smithdon students.

    “Brayden’s essay was commended for its insightful analysis of the subtleties of the text,” continued Mrs Wright. “The Selection Committee called his writing ‘perceptive, interesting and incisive’.

    “Hadleigh’s essay was awarded for it being ‘perceptive, well articulated, and coherent’.”

    “The opportunity to participate in this competition is unparalleled,” she added.

    “Students have the opportunity to spend the day at one of the finest universities, and they have access to diverse texts which expand their knowledge of English as an academic subject, and broaden their understanding of the world and human experience.

    “The competition promotes confidence and independence – students discuss literature, and how they choose to respond to the prompt of ‘individual perspective’ is ultimately up to them.”

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  • Smithdon High-Flyers Rise to the Challenge

    Published 09/09/25

    Intrepid adventurers from Smithdon High School tested their mettle when they spent three days at Caythorpe PGL Centre.

    The Year 7 students took part in a series of challenging activities which included high ropes, a giant swing, raft building, laser tag, Jacob’s Ladder, Survivor, Disc Golf, and trapeze.

    They slept in tents to enhance the outdoor experience, and also enjoyed a silent disco, as well as spending time relaxing around the camp fire.

    “Students worked with amazing instructors whilst on the trip that encouraged and helped students with their confidence,” said Alysha Moat, who is Assistant Head of Years 7 and 8, and accompanied the group, along with Maths Teacher Sam Plant, Year 7 and 8 Pastoral Manager Sally Collins, Year 7 Tutor and Science Teacher Vanessa Bartosova, and Year 7 Tutor and Drama Teacher Kayleigh Brown.

    “Staff all took part as well, showing students we are also human and have our fears of things, such as heights and water,” she continued.

    “Both staff and students had an amazing time. We were all challenged and learnt a lot about ourselves and each other. It has definitely made the students that went much closer and tighter as a year group.”

    The trip has become a regular fixture in the calendar at Smithdon, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

    “Trips like this are very important,” added Ms Moat. “They help students communicate, learn how to work as a team, build resilience, perseverance, problem solving, work under pressure, learn how to deal with emotions, and push outside their comfort zone.

    “We try to develop and embed the ‘Smithdon Seven’ when on the trip – ‘Pride’, ‘Community’, ‘Respect’, ‘Prepared’, ‘Self-Belief’, ‘Ambition’, and ‘Responsibility’.”

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  • Smithdon Donates Maps to Heritage Centre

    Published 09/09/25

    We strengthened our links with the surrounding area, when Smithdon High School donated a collection of maps to the Heritage Centre.

    “We are currently going through all of our resources and equipment before the potential start of a rebuilding project in the coming months, and are making some interesting finds,” explained our Assistant Headteacher, Steve Chapman, who rediscovered the maps, many of which are more than 50 years old.

    “The maps had been held in the Geography Department storage cupboard for many years,” he continued. “I was concerned that these maps were not being looked after in the way they should be.

    “The maps of all the local villages had not been used in lessons for a number of years.”

    Mr Chapman approached the Heritage Centre in Hunstanton to see if they would be interested in the maps, and the Committee members were happy to add them to their collection.

    Representatives Andrew Murray, Stephen Kent, and Sheila Kent from the Centre visited Smithdon, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, to accept the maps in person from Mr Chapman on Friday 11 July.

    “The Heritage Centre on the corner of Northgate and Greevegate holds a fascinating collection of local memorabilia and artefacts, which the public can visit,” he added.

    “The school looks forward to working closely with the Heritage Centre in the new academic year, with small group visits to the Centre to help increase students’ knowledge and understanding of local Geography and History.”

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  • Assistant Headteacher Celebrates 30th Year at Smithdon

    Published 09/09/25

    As the new academic year kicks off, one of our staff members is celebrating an impressive milestone.

    Steve Chapman joined Smithdon High School in September 1996, meaning this month marks the start of his thirtieth year with us.

    Now our Assistant Headteacher, Norfolk-born Mr Chapman attained a degree in Geography and Economics at the University of Reading before completing a PGCE at the University of Anglia.

    “I wanted to teach, as I really enjoyed Geography and Economics, and I have always enjoyed meeting people, which education allows you to do,” he explained. “I had been inspired by my own teachers, who showed passion for their subject and used teaching techniques which allowed me to enjoy learning.”

    “I remember my first day at Smithdon,” he continued. “I was given a very friendly Year 8 form who were with me until they left in Year 11.

    “We had a great Year 8 tutor team, and one of the most memorable times was in May 1997 when we took around 150 students on a camp at Trimingham on the Norfolk coast. This was so successful that in May 1998, we took a similar number on a two-night trip to London, visiting the shows Cats and Grease, and the Tower of London.”

    Other career highlights have included outings to Disneyland Paris, London, Brighton, and Birmingham, along with a visit to Alton Towers, complete with rollercoaster ride.

    During his three decades at the school, Mr Chapman has held a variety of roles, becoming Deputy Head of Sixth Form in 2000, and then Head of Sixth Form from 2002 to 2018.

    “It was an amazing job, allowing me to work with ambitious, young people, supporting them towards their goals of fantastic university careers,” he said.

    “I have also been Head of Geography and Business, and firmly believe that teaching is the most important part of the job. Delivering a lesson, interacting with students, and seeing them progress is extremely rewarding.

    “In January 2022, I became Assistant Headteacher, focusing on GCSE achievement, quality assurance, staff development, and Early Careers Teachers. I really enjoy working with our excellent staff team. It is humbling that I can offer support to staff – but many of them teach me new techniques, as I have the honour of seeing them all teach.

    “Working in a school is never dull, days go quickly, and you never quite know what might happen.”

    Mr Chapman continues to enjoy his time at Smithdon, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, and has no plans to go elsewhere.

    “It may be unusual to spend your whole career in one school, but my career has developed here,” he added.

    “The best thing about my job is the students of Smithdon High School, who I honestly believe are the best you can work with.

    “Only last month, I saw an ex-student who also started Smithdon in 1996, who told me that my lessons were the inspiration for her career, and that I introduced her to the term ‘sustainability’, which she ultimately used in her job.

    “She also told me that I had not aged – I was very pleased with that compliment!”

    “Steve is a stalwart of Smithdon and lynchpin in our Senior Leadership Team,” said our Headteacher, Amanda Gibbins. “Calm, consistent, and widely respected by students and staff alike, he is an inspiration to us all, not least in having dedicated 30 years of his life to one school – which is a rarity in today’s education world.

    “I look forward to continuing to work with him for years to come.”

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  • Records smashed at Smithdon Sports Day

    Published 09/09/25

    Records were broken when athletes competed in our school’s annual sports day.

    All students from Years 7 to 10 at Smithdon High School took part in this year’s event on Monday 21 July, with some members of staff participating too.

    Taking a new approach, form groups were divided into four houses, each represented by a colour, while another change saw the introduction of a series of ‘inclusive’ events for the first time.

    “This year was different,” explained Head of PE Jamie Tilley, who organised the day with the assistance of the PE Department at Smithdon, which is a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

    “We held our traditional athletics events, but, alongside that, we had our inclusive sports too, so that everyone could be involved to help achieve points for their house.”

    Athletic competitions included 100m, 200m, 800m, 1,500m, and relay races, as well as high jump, javelin, shot put, and discus; while the ‘inclusive’ sports comprised archery, golf, targets, and track walking.

    “The day was very competitive, and every single pupil put everything in to achieve points for their house,” continued Mr Tilley. “All winners from the events received gold medals for their amazing performances on the day.”

    Among the record breakers were Daniel in Year 7, who ran the 200m in 30.89 seconds, and Harry, also in Year 7, who finished the 1,500m in five minutes 37 seconds; while, in Year 8, Indie broke the 200m time of 28.47 seconds, which had been held since 1988, completing the race in 27.85 seconds.

    New school records were also achieved by Fletcher in Year 9, who ran the 100m in 12.20 seconds, beating the 12.50-second record that had been made in 1981, and Anya in Year 10, who set new times for both the 200m and 100m, running 31.31 seconds and 13.11 seconds respectively.

    “The PE Team officiated the athletics,” said Mr Tilley. “We also had Mrs Fairweather, who updated the results throughout the day to see which house colour was in the lead – a very important role for the day.

    “All staff at Smithdon High School were involved in one way or another, from competing themselves to marshalling the pupils with their activities.”

    Once all the scores had been tallied, the overall winner emerged as Blue House, with a total points score of 3,111, followed by Yellow House with 2,774 points, Red House with 2,716 points, and Purple House with 2,704.

    The highest-scoring students were each crowned ‘Sportsperson of the Day’. Both members of Blue House, Anya in Year 10 contributed 320 points to be named ‘Victrix’, and Daniel in Year 7 clocked up 210 points to earn the title of ‘Victor’.

    “Sports Day is important because it promotes physical activity, encourages teamwork, and supports the overall development of pupils,” added Mr Tilley.

    “It provides an opportunity for all students to participate in a fun, inclusive environment where they can be active and celebrate sporting success, aiming to achieve personal goals or trying to break the Smithdon records.”

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  • Smithdon Artists ‘Gather’ at Hunstanton Town Hall

    Published 08/09/25

    Artists from Smithdon High School impressed art lovers when they showcased their talents at an exhibition held in the Town Hall.

    Eighteen GCSE Art students from our school were exhibiting their creative work, which featured an array of different media from biro, pencils, and prints, to textiles and oil paintings.

    “The exhibition was named ‘Gatherings’, after the project title students were given in their exam project,” explained Sian Wheeler, Head of Art and Design and Technology at Smithdon, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

    “Each student had two of their final pieces on display which were from coursework and exam projects.

    “The students created work from the themes of ‘Reflection’, ‘Similarities and Differences’, and ‘Gatherings’.”

    It was the third year that the show had been held at the Town Hall, with more than 200 visitors attending across a two-day period.

    “The public feedback on the exhibition as a whole, praised the work of our talented Smithdon students,” continued Mrs Wheeler.

     “A few pieces were mentioned often as stand-out – Ava M’s woven piece, Rhenaya C’s colour pencil Candy Canes, and Megan M’s biro tiger.”

    Another highlight was a drawing installation that had been created by more than 300 primary school children, alongside Smithdon students, and to which visitors could contribute, enabling it to grow and evolve throughout the exhibition.

    Staff involved in the event included our Deputy Head, Sarah Robinson, and Assistant Head Alysha Moat. They were also joined by professional artist – and former Smithdon student – Emily Chapman, who was on hand to select a winner for the Emily Chapman Art Award, which will be presented at a Year 11 Awards Evening in November.

    “The public were in awe of the talent and work produced at Smithdon, with many asking if work was for sale, or which students were going on to study Art further,” added Mrs Wheeler.

    “This event is so important in raising the profile of the arts. It enables people to see the students in a different light, and their talents.”

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  • DofE Achievements Honoured at Smithdon Celebration Evening

    Published 01/09/25

    There were celebrations at Smithdon High School on Tuesday 1 July as this year’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Bronze scheme participants received their certificates.

    Twenty Year 9 students completed their Bronze DofE projects, while 10 students in Year 10 achieved Silver.

    “Nineteen Bronze participants attended the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Bronze Participant Project Presentation Evening with their family and parents,” said Alysha Moat, who is Assistant Head of Years 7 and 8 at our school, as well as DofE Manager.

    “They had to present a project they had produced on their expeditions – they made these as teams. Once they had completed the section, they received their certificates.”

    “Those who had completed sections, received sectional certificates for volunteer, physical, and skills sections,” she continued. “Those that completed all of these were awarded their Bronze Certificate and Badge.”

    Ms Moat and our Deputy Headteacher, Sarah Robinson, were on hand to present the awards at the evening, where the students were also able to display their DofE project work to their families and friends, who had the opportunity to ask questions about the expeditions undertaken.

    The annual ceremony takes place every July at our school, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

    “Events like these are really important to develop and celebrate soft skills the students develop that can’t be awarded in GCSE certificates,” continued Ms Moat.

    “They include self-belief and self-confidence; a sense of identity; initiative and a sense of responsibility; a real awareness of their strengths; new talents and abilities; the ability to plan and use time effectively; learning from and giving to others in the community; forming new friendships; problem-solving, presentation, and communication skills; and leadership and teamworking skills.”

    “Duke of Edinburgh’s is really important at Smithdon,” she added. “It makes memories beyond the classroom, and lifetime friendships and life lessons for students.

    “It allows them to build positive and trusting relationships with other students and staff in a different environment. It also helps student and staff wellbeing, increasing life satisfaction, decreasing anxiety, increasing happiness and worthwhileness, all contributing positively to resilience.”

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  • Year 5 Pupils Enjoy a Hands-On High School Taster at Smithdon

    Published 22/07/25

    Primary school pupils got a taste of the next stage in their education when our school opened its doors for the day on Friday 11 July.

    Smithdon High School, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, welcomed around 130 pupils to its Year 5 Experience Day, with participating primaries including fellow WNAT members Heacham Junior and Snettisham, along with Hunstanton, Docking, Brancaster, Sandringham and West Newton, Flitcham, and Dersingham.

    “During the day, they took part in three activities,” said our Deputy Headteacher, Sarah Robinson, who organised the event. “These ranged from creating a collaborative artwork, to the Egg Drop Challenge, to a workout in Smithdon’s Fitness Suite.

    “We also had some drama activities happening, and some great coding work going on in ICT.”

    Other staff members meeting the visitors included our Headteacher, Amanda Gibbins, and Alysha Moat, who is Assistant Head of Key Stage 3. The children were also joined by some of our Year 9 students, who offered additional support during the visit.

    “We have run a Year 5 transition event for well over ten years,” continued Mrs Robinson. “It is well established in our calendar and one of the key events in collaboration with our primary partners.”

    “This is part of our wide-ranging transition programme, where we work with all our feeder primary schools to build links and make the transition process at the end of Year 6 as smooth as possible,” she added.

    “By the time the students come up to us for our Year 5 day, they have already been up to Smithdon in Year 4 for a sports event, and have met a lot of our teachers during Art, Science, and Reading outreach activities held in the primary schools.

    “Transition to high school is a huge event in a child’s life, so the more comfortable we can make our students feel by running events like these, the better.”

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  • Rock Bands, Choirs, and a Preview of Sister Act Wow Summer Audience

    Published 22/07/25

    Hunstanton music lovers were in for a treat when Smithdon High School staged its annual Summer Concert on Wednesday 9 July.

    Performers from all age groups across our school took part in the show at Hunstanton Town Hall – including some of our Year 11 students, who had left following completion of their GCSEs but returned especially for the event.

    “Students performed a range of pieces, from solo singing to rock bands to the choir,” said Sarah Robinson, Deputy Headteacher at Smithdon, which is a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

    “Highlights were Lyra playing the violin accompanied by her grandad on the piano, our resident Year 8 rock band, The Unknown, and a showpiece preview of next year’s musical, Sister Act.”

    The popular annual event has become a regular fixture in the school calendar, and was attended by around 150 people, including friends, family members, staff, and members of the community.

    The guest of honour this year was our Head of Music, Andrea Barnes, who spent all day at the Town Hall helping the students to prepare, despite being heavily pregnant and currently on maternity leave.

    “We run a concert at the end of every term to celebrate our musical talent across the school,” continued Mrs Robinson, who also helped to support the students on the day, along with peripatetic music teachers Dan and Becky.

    “Events are so important to showcase the wide-ranging talent that we have at Smithdon,” added our Headteacher, Amanda Gibbins.

    “We continue to see the students’ progress in their musical skills from concert to concert and are so proud of their achievements.”

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  • Multilingual Mastery on Display at Schools’ Spelling Bee Final

    Published 14/07/25

    It was bienvenue, bienvenido, and willkomen, when students from our school joined others from across the West Norfolk Academies Trust to test their skills at the Trust’s Languages Spelling Bee Final on Friday 30 June.

    The Year 7 modern language students had previously won their way through the earlier stages of the competition, which had been held in class at the individual high schools.

    It was the first time the event had taken place, with 18 students from Smithdon, Springwood, St Clement’s, and Marshland making it to the final, which was hosted by Marshland and supported by the school’s Year 7 cohort.

    “The Department at Springwood High School have been running a spelling bee competition for a number of years, and the Languages Team decided this year to extend this to the rest of the Trust schools, and then to celebrate the successes of the students by have a cross-Trust final,” explained Leah Hawkins, Cross-Trust Lead for Modern Foreign Languages.

    Languages tested in the contest included French, Spanish, and German, with vocabulary covering topics such as family members, numbers, colours, days, months, adjectives, and greetings.

    “Students were given lists of 100 pieces of key vocabulary per language which they practised,” continued Mrs Hawkins. “They then had one minute to translate the English word they were given into the target language, and then spell it out using the target language alphabet, including any relevant accents.

    “For the final, all 18 students had their one minute to spell as much as they could; the second round was the eight with the top scores; and the final four then spelled for a third minute to determine the winner of the competition.”

    Coming out on top was Year 7 student Jasper Hawkins from Springwood, who correctly spelt 16 French words in one minute to take first place, beating classmate Anieshka Daniel, who came second with 12 German words in one minute.

    Third place went to Patrick Roman, also in Year 7 at Springwood, who spelt 11 Spanish words correctly in one minute.

    Each of the three won an Amazon voucher, while everyone participating received a certificate and commemorative blazer pin badge.

    “The Spelling Bee has given us an opportunity to celebrate the students’ recollection and knowledge of key vocabulary, as well as increasing awareness of the phonetics of the foreign language being studied,” added Mrs Hawkins.

    “In addition, it helps build student confidence in public speaking, and the overall profile of language learning in school.”

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  • Smithdon Students Design and Race Cars in High-Speed STEM Day

    Published 14/07/25

    Smithdon High School students were raring to go when they designed their own racing cars as part of a special Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Workshop.

    All 115 of our Year 7 students took part in the ‘Race to the Line’ event, which was sponsored by Stannah Stairlifts in conjunction with the Learning Partnership.

    The young engineers were also fortunate to have Tony Steel, a STEM Ambassador from Rolls Royce, on hand to discuss ideas and offer design advice.

    “Students designed their cars, drilling holes for wheels, designing the wheels, and making them as aerodynamic as possible,” said our Head of Science, Claire Pike, who organised the event with the help of Design Technology Teacher Alix Birks, and Maths Teacher Sam Plant.

    “Students also did some challenging maths in a session looking at speed, distance, and time.”

    Once the designs had been built, their creators had the opportunity to test the cars in the sports hall.

    “In the afternoon session, all the students eagerly awaited the launch of the cars using carbon-dioxide gas,” continued Mrs Pike. “They certainly flew down the track, with the timing gates run by a micro-bit computer doing the timing.”

    It was the first time that our school, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, had held the event.

    “It was really fun to be smart and creative to create a car,” said student Tyler. “Athough our car didn’t do well in the race, the process of making it was the best. It also made me understand the importance of teamwork."

    “Race to the Line was very good and fun, because you built your own cars then raced them to see who was fastest,” said classmate Air. “I really liked the mechanical side of it, with the aerodynamics and how to make your car go fast. It was really good seeing everyone’s different designs and ideas as they flew down the centre of the sports hall.”

    Fellow participant Harry agreed: “I really liked it, as we got to have our own design and shape of the cars, and it was really engaging at the end when they all raced.”

    “This type of event is hugely important to show students how STEM subjects all come together to support each other,” added Mrs Pike.

    “It was an amazing day, and the students were fantastic even with the hot weather.”

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  • From Ball Gowns to Buses: Smithdon Leavers Celebrate in Style

    Published 08/07/25

    There were sports cars, motorbikes, classic cars, a double-decker bus, and even a Scooby Doo-style ‘Mystery Machine’, when graduating students from Smithdon High School arrived for their Leavers’ Prom on Thursday 26 June.

    The Class of 2025 were greeted by friends, family, and well-wishers as they reached Knights Hill Hotel in King’s Lynn for a night of well-earned celebration.

    The 73 Year 11 students were dressed for the occasion, with a host of colourful ball gowns, cocktail dresses, and evening wear on display.

    Inside, the venue boasted a suitably celebratory red, gold, and black colour scheme, which had been chosen by the Year 11 Student Leadership Team, and included tables decorated with balloons in the appropriate shades.

    Entry was via laminated tickets which had been designed to act as lasting souvenirs of the evening, while attractions on offer included a pizza buffet, and disco.

    There was also a sweet cart stocked with traditional confectionery, along with a commemorative photo booth, which allowed the partygoers to preserve their memories for prosperity.

    The Year 11 students were joined by members of staff for the event, which was supported by Hunstanton Charity Shop.

    “It was great to celebrate our students’ end of schooling at Smithdon High School,” said Dan Ward, Assistant Headteacher and Head of Years 10 and 11 at our school, which is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust.

    “Everyone enjoyed the evening.”

    https://townandaround.net/news/from-ball-gowns-to-buses-smithdon-leavers-celebrate-in-style

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