Summer festival fun for West Norfolk school

A Bucking Bronco rodeo ride, bouncy castle, climbing walls, face painting and a barbecue were just some of the activities on offer when a group of King’s Lynn students celebrated their success with their very own end-of-year festival.

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The annual, all-day Springfest event is for Year 8 students at Springwood High School who have successfully completed the Endeavour Programme over the course of the year.

“Pupils work hard throughout Year 8 to complete the programme,” said Daniel Hobbs, Assistant Head Teacher at Springwood, a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust. 

“The challenges can be to get work displayed or to represent the school. Pupils also raise money for Springfest, the event at the end of the programme. We do it to say a big ‘well done’ to our pupils for their achievements.”

The scheme, designed to help young people develop independent thinking and a more rounded outlook, consists of nine challenges to stretch and encourage them to expand their comfort zones.

Participants must try two new extra-curricular activities, take part in a maths or reading challenge, and produce a project on the subject of their choice.

Other challenges include writing an article for the school newsletter, reviewing a school performance, organising a fundraising event, leading an assembly, and representing their house or school in five different activities.

This year, 275 students completed Endeavour, helping to raise more than £3,000 for the festival, which was also sponsored by distribution and logistics company Lynn Star.

Fundraising ventures undertaken by the festival-goers included cake sales, penalty shoot outs, football matches and other sponsored activities – among them ‘Hit the Hobb’, which Mr Hobbs described as “basically chucking wet sponges and buckets of water at me”.

“Springwood prides itself on not only the obvious importance of academic success, but also on helping pupils to find interests through our extra-curricular activities that help to build and develop their character,” added Mr Hobbs.

“When pupils leave Springwood, we want them to be well-rounded individuals that can progress to be valued members of society. Events like this, which are built on pupils earning the reward based on going the extra mile and stepping out of their comfort zone, play a big part in this process.”