Over 4000 people attend biggest ever Flying High Trust school awards at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena

Children perform at awards which recognises outstanding contributions to school life.

Thirty-one schools from around Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire attended the Flying High Trust Awards at the Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham. The Trust Awards are an annual event that recognise the achievements of staff and pupils over the previous academic year.

Chris Wheatley OBE and CEO of The Flying High Partnership said, “The awards ceremony this year has been a real spectacle to behold! The event was a credit to the children and staff, who have come together on this grand stage, to celebrate and reflect the past academic year.”

The school children, based over two counties, took to the stage to perform songs for the huge audience of friends and families. Also included in the evening was a spectacular arts showcase where children from each Flying High school paraded flags through the audience, culminating in a mass of colour on the stage. The flags were created as part of school sustainability projects and made with recycled materials promoting the message ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ to highlight the importance of creating a more sustainable future.

Chris Wheatley OBE went on to say, “Our schools have continued to go from strength to strength, with an unbroken record of improvement, -and coming together under one roof gave everyone the chance to reflect on our schools’ combined achievements in a joyful ceremony.

“I could not be more proud of the children and the staff! In particular because this year we handed over the event to children to present and announce, and they did a stellar job! Our young presenters and performers showed such confidence and ability, and some excellent comedy timing too! All in all, this event has been a deserved celebration of the resilience of our schools, and the determination of staff and pupils to create the best schools in the universe!”

The event saw awards presented which reflect the Trusts’ values of Aspiration, Confidence, Creativity, Enjoyment, Perseverance, Pride and Responsibility, and All Values, with individual and team awards for achievements in sports, and a recognition of long service.

Ivy Bingley is a Year 5 pupil at the Flying High Academy Ladybrook, Mansfield and is a member of her school’s Pupil Parliament. Ivy said, “It was such a fun evening. Watching myself on video on the big screen was so funny and a bit scary, -I covered my face while my video was playing. After the video had finished, I felt so proud to be part of such an amazing and important event and I had a huge smile on my face all night!” Fellow Flying High Academy pupil, Violet Bingley, (Year 2) was a winner in the Enjoyment Award category and went on stage with her teacher, Robert Hughes, who also received the award. Violet said, “When I was waiting to go on stage Mr Hughes made me feel happy, he was so funny. When I got on stage Mr Hughes knelt down beside me to make me laugh, which took my nerves away. I could see my Mummy in the audience, and I felt proud to receive the enjoyment award.”

Jacob Bacon, (Year 3), is a pupil at Sutton-in-Ashfield’s Leamington Primary Academy and said, “I won the award for confidence. I was really excited to go on stage and when I was waiting to go up on stage I was thinking, ‘I wonder what 4000 people looks like?’ When I got on the stage, I had to stop myself from bouncing up and down with excitement, – it was mental!”

Chesterfield’s Poolsbrook Primary Academy pupil, Ruby Stevenson (Year 4) went on stage twice and said, “At the trust awards, when I went up to sing on the stage I was very nervous, but when we all started to sing together I was fine. When I went on stage then to get an award it was easier because I knew what was happening.” Francesca Johnson (Year 2) is a pupil at Greythorn Primary School in West Bridgford and said she too felt some nerves. “I went on stage to collect my medal for creativity. It was amazing. I felt very nervous, but very proud. I was very excited.”

Alderman Pounder Infant and Nursery School (Chilwell) pupil Ariadne Van Krimpen (Year 2), performed in the choir and said, “It was really fun and sometimes a bit scary, but I thought it was a really good day. It was fun singing on stage and with Flying High, you get to do lots of stuff and if you make mistakes, people help you!”

Helping to make the event happen were sponsors including Connex Education Partnership and Browne Jacobson LLP. Next Level Sports Ltd presented awards to the individual sports winners, and overall KS1 and KS2 school teams sports day winners who took part in the Trust Sports Events earlier in July. Consortium TTS sponsored the Aspiration Award and Streets Chartered Accountants sponsored the Confidence Award, with further awards sponsored by Crawford & Co Surveyors (CC Ltd), Absolute Play, The Lime Trees, Nottinghamshire County Council, Breedon Electrical Fire & Safety, ASL Group, and Trident Construction Ltd.

Pupils pictured are from Hawthorne Primary & Nursery School (Bestwood Village), Walton Peak Flying High Academy (Chesterfield), and The Green Infant School (South Normanton). (Photo: Lou Brimble)

Alderman Pounder Infant & Nursery School (Chilwell, Nottingham) children Luke Randall and Yasmeen Habib giving their best performance. (Photo: Lou Brimble)

Children on stage at the Motorpoint Arena including Stanstead Primary & Nursery School pupils (Rise Park, Nottingham), and Peafield Lane Academy pupils (Mansfield Woodhouse). (Photo: Lou Brimble)

Children pictured are from Hillside Primary and Nursery School (Hucknall), Hucknall Flying High Academy, Leamington Primary & Nursery Academy (Sutton in Ashfield), Pinxton Village Academies (John King and Longwood) Derbyshire. (Photo: Lou Brimble)

Enjoyment Award winners included teacher, Robert Hughes, of The Flying High Academy, Ladybrook, Mansfield, with Violet Bingley from The Flying High Academy, Ladybrook and Alana Bamford (right) a pupil at Hillside Primary & Nursery School in Hucknall. Photo credits Lou Brimble