“I felt nervous to begin with but as I started speaking my confidence grew and I really enjoyed the experience.” Jess, Hollingwood Primary School.

Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall has hosted the glittering Flying High Partnership Children’s Awards ceremony for hundreds of children whose schools are located across Nottingham City, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

In all, 35 Flying High Partnership schools participated in the event, celebrating children for their achievements and positive contributions to school life, including their sporting successes. Children were invited on stage to perform songs and to collect their awards in front of a packed audience of supporters, friends and families.

CEO and founder of The Flying High Partnership is Chris Wheatley OBE, who explained, “This event has been especially meaningful, as it marks a new chapter in celebrating children across the whole partnership. The event was entirely focused on children, -and presented by children, to an audience of their friends and families, on this magnificent Royal Concert Hall stage.”

During the event, children from schools across the multi-academy trust performed the Flying High Partnership song, Dream Big, Aim High, and showcased artworks demonstrating the unique attributes of their own schools.

Chris Wheatley said, “Each awardee embodies one or more of the Children’s Characteristics linked to our core values of creating unique, exceptional and sustainable schools. We also unveiled our new Children’s Characteristics, which have been co-created by the children across our Partnership, with definitions shaped by our very own Flying High Children’s Parliament. These characteristics represent not only their voice, -but their legacy, and these offer inspiration to us all.”

Children’s Characteristics inspired awards for Aspiration, Kindness, Effective Communication, Confidence, Pride, Curiosity, Responsibility, Resilience, and Problem Solving.

In front of an audience of over 1000 guests, year 6 pupils Evelyn Graham and Jess Marples from Hollingwood Primary School in Chesterfield, were amongst the children who acted as presenters and hosts.

Jess said speaking on stage at The Royal Concert Hall was an exciting experience, “I felt nervous to begin with but as I started speaking my confidence grew and I really enjoyed the experience.” Fellow presenter Evelyn said, “I felt very privileged to have been chosen and very excited on the night.”

Making sure the children’s celebration went without a hitch was a team from, L.E.A.D IT Services based in Derby, who provided the audio-visual expertise in collaboration with The Royal Concert Hall tech team.

In all, 550 children attended the celebrations, either as presenters or performers, and 251 awards were given to children recognised by their schools for their exceptional contribution to school life.

Sponsors of the children’s event included local Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire businesses, Eaton Fire & Security, Midland Roofing, LEAD IT Services, PPS, Coyles Kitchens & Joinery, Willetts Plumbing & Heating, Volt Electrical, and Next level Sports Ltd. The event’s Headline and Platinum sponsor was Connex Education Partnership. Other sponsors include AR Signs, Nottinghamshire County Council, ASL Group, IMP Software, Teaching Personnel, TTS, The Lime Trees, SDSA, Absolute Play, Mazon Flooring, Teaching, Browne Jacobson LLP, and Streets Chartered Accountants.