The Devonshire Hill Times

Many talented children from Devonshire Hill auditioned to attend LIT’s Got Talent. We had everything from football tricks to world flag drawing and of course lots of musicians and dancers. The competition was tough, however our final act just had to be a trio made up of 2 vocalists and a pianist from Year 5 and Year 6. They worked so hard to come together and perform their own signature version of ‘Die with a Smile’ by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. The main event took place at the London Academy of Excellence with a total of seven educational establishments taking part. Excitement was high during the rehearsals especially when we learned that the panel of judges included local rap artist Shocka, and actress and comedian Tameka Empson.

Our trio definitely shone brightly, capturing the audience with their strong vocals and masterful piano skills. They had incredible stage presence and really looked the part in their sequin jackets. Although we were not the overall winners, we had an incredible time and the children brought back a very impressive trophy which now has pride of place in the school’s trophy cabinet. The performers told us that the event was “very interesting, we got to meet other people and experience their talents. We are very grateful to everyone who who helped to make this brilliant event possible…thank you to everyone who participated, the other performers were all very kind”

There is always an emotional side to the close of the academic year. Preparing to move into the next class and getting to know different teachers creates a feeling of excitement and new beginnings. However, as we prepare to say a fond farewell to our incredible Year 6 children and some of their families, this can become much tougher. Tears of pride have fallen, especially from our staff as the children prepare to spread their wings for their new chapter into secondary education. It feels like only yesterday that many of these children arrived, eager to begin their educational journey. Now, they are all bursting with confidence, ready for a new and exciting adventure, the next chapter of their educational journey.

During the final week of term, we have welcomed our Year 6 families for a number of fantastic events which really have pulled on many heartstrings. The End of Year Performance was a one of a kind, powerful  showcase of the best acting, singing, dancing and humour that we have seen to date. Prom in the Park was a huge hit and everyone enjoyed dressing up, the children spent quality time together with some delicious pizza, games and music! The Year 6 Graduation Celebration was the final event of the school calendar. The children read poetry, made speeches and acknowledged their friends, family and staff - those who supported them at Devonshire Hill, which for many of these children has been a full seven years.

We wish everyone the absolute best with the next path in their journey. Remember to always be kind, stay resilient, embrace opportunities and be yourselves - you are all successful learners for life.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of our annual Headteacher's Award celebration! It's brilliant to look back at a decade of inspiring projects and the countless hours of dedication from our amazing children and their families as they crafted them.

The Headteacher's Awards began in 2015 with all children reaching their Gold Star Award being invited to produce a special project and celebrate their success. This year's submissions offered fifty six vibrant and interesting projects, from the intricate details of a science lab to the insightful projects about biodiversity and protecting our planet. It was evident that so many children had worked tirelessly to create something truly special to them, something that would captivate our visitors and spark their thirst for knowledge.

We were thrilled to welcome back a very special VIP guest for this milestone celebration: Tiffany, one of the very first pupils to create a Headteacher's Award project and former Head Girl! It was wonderful to see Tiffany, now a first-year university student studying psychology. As she shared details of her journey her presence was a powerful reminder of the incredible potential within our children and the significance of strong foundations laid by initiatives such as these awards. Tiffany was presented with a special award and a piece of artwork that she had created prior to leaving the school. We were so pleased that she was able to join us and make this occasion even more incredible! Congratulations to everyone involved, especially our very supportive parents and carers who were full of pride in the audience of this special event.

The 2025 Olympic Sports Week was a brilliant occasion full of energy and sunshine. The field was buzzing as our young athletes applied the sports skills for some friendly competition. The children, staff and families cheered for everyone which created an especially supportive atmosphere. The week was filled with lightning-fast sprints, impressive jumps and powerful throws, it was brilliant to see so many happy faces and such enthusiastic participation from everyone involved.

The week came to a close with a special Celebration Assembly which recognised some fantastic achievements. Those with exceptional power, technique, agility and speed were awarded under three categories; Best Thrower, Best Jumper, Best Runner. The Olympic Sports Values Award was presented to those children demonstrating excellent values of teamwork and respect.

Thank you to all staff, volunteers, and especially our families who came to support. Your presence made the day even more special. Congratulations to all of our young athletes, whether you received an award or not; you truly made this Sports Day one to remember!

Congratulations to our budding young artists whose work was recently selected to be exhibited at the LIT Art Show. This fantastic cause for celebration brought together a unique array of projects from several LIT schools. Artwork from Devonshire Hill definitely stood out from the crowd with high praises from the staff at Mulberry Academy who kindly hosted the event. Amongst our themes were 3D models and drawings from topics such as Eco Schools, The Great Fire of London, Ancient Rome, and the King’s Coronation, there was even a collection all about Devonshire Hill. Our artwork showed medieval buildings ablaze, protests to protect the planet, incredible pop up models of our school, amazing replicas of artefacts and architecture. 

Selected children, and of course the artists themselves, were invited to attend the exhibit and to take part in a special art workshop. During their visit the children discussed how to convey different emotions through their illustrations. They also had the exciting opportunity to create lino prints and to explore the art submitted by other local schools. We hope to be able to repeat this event in the near future, so if your fantastic project was not selected this time, watch this space.

What an inspiring World of Work Week we had recently at Devonshire Hill Primary School. Children embarked on an exciting journey aimed at helping them to discover more about the diverse roles that make our world function.

Whether taking part in a school workshop or visiting an exciting venue in London, our young apprentices were captivated by these incredible opportunities. They learned about the importance of traffic control, took orders and made pizzas in a restaurant, visited a fully functioning fire engine and presented project ideas in big city offices. The enthusiasm and thoughtful questions throughout the week was inspiring. It was so fantastic to see so many children curious about where their future pathways could take them.

World of Work Week isn't just about learning which jobs exist; it is an important reminder to value teamwork, different skills, and to work hard at our education. We are confident that this experience has planted seeds of ambition and curiosity while encouraging our Successful Learners to chase their dreams, think of their future and to pursue a career that is important and interesting to them.

Congratulations to those children who submitted a story to the LIT 5, 50 and 500 words competition back in March. We had some incredible entries and a fantastic result…out of all of the incredible schools that took part our school was awarded 2nd place with an incredible 50 word entry by one of our brilliant writers in Year 2. Her story was a touching story called ‘ The Key to Your Heart’... 

Princess Lily found a locked castle. A wise old man said, “only the key of the heart can open it.” Lily helped an injured bird and the key appeared. When she placed it in the door, it opened to a world full of love. Kindness was the true key! 

The message of the story: A kind heart and love are the keys to opening any door in life. Kindness always brings rewards!

Congratulations to everyone who took part, we are proud of you all!

The children and staff at Devonshire Hill Nursery & Primary School wore a flash of green while participating in our third year of the Mini Green Marathon. The school field was alive with chants of support and passionate announcements about the important topic of protecting our planet. We enjoyed a beautiful sunny day with children running as many as 15 laps of our school field, that's 2.5miles.

Not only does this energetic event benefit our health and wellbeing but it serves as an important reminder that we must look after the health of our planet too! During the run, children displayed their colourful posters with messages such as ‘Go Green’, ‘Recycle or Upcycle’, ‘Use Less Plastic’, ‘Say no to Idle Cars’, and ‘Keep Our Oceans Clean’. This powerful artwork has now been added to our Eco Schools display. Congratulations to everyone who took part!

Three very talented children from our school recently attended Rowland Hill Nursery to perform at their Cultural Heritage Day. The event was a vibrant celebration of diversity to which people brought the most delicious homemade food.

Our young trio performed a montage together, which included a traditional wedding dance, an energetic Georgian dance and a lively piano piece. They were so brave and demonstrated such incredible skill while representing our school at this very busy event. Well done to everyone involved, and thank you to our brilliant families for your support.