It was a very special day in school today for a variety of exciting reasons.

The morning started with the downstairs hall welcoming a host of special guests. Mr B welcomed the children and their guests before presenting them with individual commemorative plaques they had purchased to celebrate their time at Earls Hall. The plaques recipients attended the school currently or as far back as the 1950s. They were each inscribed with an individual name, message or both and came in either silver or gold finish. Each plaque will be displayed forever more on the outside of the school providing a lasting memento of the recipients time at Earls Hall. Plaques can be purchased on an ongoing basis from now on and cost £12. To purchase one please contact Mr B via his headteacher email.

Immediately after the first there was a second one in the upstairs hall! Mr B welcomed special guest, Kirk Edwards from the Southend School Sports Partnership. Kirk explained that he was at the school to present a series of special awards.

First he explained the category of ‘performer of the year’ which is only awarded to ten children across the whole of Southend each year. He then explained that out of the ten recipients this year, two of them were from Earls Hall! The whole school applauded as Kea and Reece were presented with their prestigious awards!

He then explained the category of ‘Team of the Year’. Only one team from across the whole of Southend is chosen to receive this award each year and this years winners were chosen as the Earls Hall Rounders Team following their amazing performances across both the borough and on the national stage. The hall showed how thrilled they were with an enthusiastic round of applause for both the team and for Mr Smith whose coaching skills were also recognised with the award of coach of team of the year.

Just when the children thought there could not possibly be any more thrilling news Kirk explained that there was one more award to present. Hush fell in the hall as he announced that Earls Hall were being awarded ‘School of the Year’! Earls Hall was chosen due to our impressive and unchallenged record across such a wide range of sports at both a borough, county and national level throughout the year. It is the second consecutive year Earls Hall have won the award and the first time the award has been awarded to the same school two years in a row. Kirk explained that, although other local schools had improved their sports provision in the last twelve months, so in turn had Earls Hall; building on the schools prior achievements.

All the children cheered with excitement and gave Mr Smith a rousing round of three cheers!

Well done to everyone in the school who has represented the school at competition level, attended a sports club, tried to beat a personal best in sport or supported a friend as they did. Thanks also to all the families who have supported the various events we have attended throughout the year. What an amazing achievement to end the year with!