Move over Glastonbury; everyone knows that the best music festival of 2019 was right here on our school field. On one gloriously sunny evening in June, our school community came together for “Handforth Vibes” – a celebration of music, movement, colour and some seriously good times.  
 
With a focus on 21st Century songs, highlights included whole-school renditions of Waka Waka, Electricity and Titanium, a mash-up of Lewis Capaldi and Adele sung by our award-winning choir, plus a phenomenal warm-up performance by Jennifer Sawdon and a DJ set complete with live street dancers and MCs.  
 
Armed with picnic blankets and goods from several food stalls, the audience were also treated to a dramatic narrative – written by our headteacher and brought to life by our amazing Year 6 students – which was interwoven with the musical numbers. The giant, twelve-foot robot that invaded the stage as part of this almost stole the show!  
 
As if that wasn’t enough, the performance was kicked off with the entire school parading in from the park in a sea of streamers, headdresses and percussive beats, and ended with all the children encircling the crowd for the finale. It’s little wonder that the people who stayed to camp afterwards were still buzzing round the fire until the small hours of the morning. 
 
“I think it was great that we did this project because people have two sides to them – they have their academic side and their creative side – and Handforth Vibes really brought out our creative side. It was incredible.” – Struan B, Year 6 pupil.  
 
“The performance itself was simply wonderful, but some of my most lasting memories will be of the sheer buzz that ran through the school in the weeks running up to it. Every child, TA, volunteer and teacher from EYFS to Year 6, the caretaker, SLT, the PTCA and office staff, every single person in the school pitched in and worked hard to make Handforth Vibes a success. I feel very proud to work in a school where there is a culture of embracing such ambitious projects.” – Dr. Vince, Music Co-Ordinator.