Thousands of children and parents attend huge celebration at Flying High Partnership Awards at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham

Children and families from 33 Flying High Partnership schools from Nottingham City, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire joined together en masse at the Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham, in a huge celebration marking the achievements of children and staff over the past year.

With approximately 4000 people in attendance, the huge awards ceremony was hosted and presented in the main by children themselves. To start the event, children took to the stage with a colourful display of Olympic torches handcrafted at schools from across the trust.

Chris Wheatley OBE is CEO of The Flying High Partnership and he said “This year’s awards was a glittering celebration of the achievements of staff and children during the past year.  The event was expertly presented by children from attending schools, who took to the stage to hand out awards, and to showcase their confidence and talents during artistic and musical displays. Children were amazing ambassadors for their schools, and it was inspiring to see them shine on stage.”

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 for staff.

Stephanie Lam is a Year 6 pupil at Porchester Junior School in Carlton and went on stage to collect an award. Stephanie said, “I felt proud to be on the stage and represent Porchester. I won the ‘All Values’ award this year and was very excited to be chosen as a Flying High Trust award winner.”

Anne Ingle, is Headteacher of the Pinxton Village Academies, consisting of John King Infant Academy, Longwood Infant Academy and Kirkstead Junior Academy. She said her children and staff thoroughly enjoyed the awards ceremony. “Our staff and children had an amazing time at the event.  For our children to have the opportunity to work with other schools to put on such a showcase in a huge arena was a fantastic opportunity and one which I am sure they will long remember. It was heartening to see the confidence and abilities, kindness and camaraderie between all 33 schools and it made us so proud to be a part of the event.”

CEO of The Flying High Partnership Chris Wheatley said the event was in honour of the children, their families, and the staff teams working in schools.  “I would like to thank each person who makes a difference to shaping the futures of our children, but most of all to the children themselves. Every time I visit one of our schools, it gives me an immense feeling of pride to see them developing into young people ready to take on the world with confidence, and an aspiration for limitless possibilities!”

Helping to make the event happen were sponsors and supporters including Connex Education Partnership, Absolute Play, ASL Group, IMP Software, Breedon Electrical Fire & Safety, TTS, Trident Construction Ltd, The Lime Trees, Next Level Sports Ltd, Tusker, Mazon Flooring, Teaching Personnel, Streets Chartered Accountants, Mardel Office Interiors, The Key, LTF Recruitment, Nottinghamshire County Council, Quadrant, Browne Jacobson LLP, Propelo, Zen Educate, and SDSA.

Schools attending by area were:

Nottingham City, Nottingham:

Alderman Pounder Infant & Nursery School (Nottingham), Beeston Fields Primary and Nursery School, Blue Bell Hill Primary School (St Anns), Brooklands Primary School (Long Eaton), Cotgrave Candleby Lane (Cotgrave), Edwalton Primary School, Ernehale Flying High Academies (Ernehale Junior School and Ernehale Infant School (Arnold),  Greythorn Primary School (West Bridgford), Horsendale Primary School (Nuthall), Haddon Primary School (Carlton), Hawthorne Primary & Nursery School (Bestwood Village), Killisick Junior School (Arnold), Porchester Junior School (Carlton), Rivendell Flying High Academy, Stanhope Primary School (Gedling), Stanstead Flying High Academy (Rise Park, Nottingham),

Mansfield & Ashfield:

Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy, Forest Glade Primary and Nursery School (Sutton), Greenwood Primary & Nursery School (Kirkby in Ashfield), Hillside Primary and Nursery School (Hucknall), Hucknall Flying High Academy, Leamington Primary School (Sutton in Ashfield), Mapplewells Primary & Nursery School (Sutton in Ashfield), Peafield Lane Academy (Mansfield Woodhouse), Pinxton Village Academies: John King Infant Academy and  Longwood Infant Academy and Kirkstead Junior Academy, The Flying High Academy (Ladybrook Mansfield),

Chesterfield and Derbyshire

Hollingwood Primary School (Chesterfield), Poolsbrook Primary Academy (Chesterfield), The Green Flying High Academy (South Normanton, Alfreton), Pinxton Village Academies: John King Infant Academy and Longwood Infant Academy and Kirkstead Junior Academy, Walton Peak Flying High Academy (Chesterfield)