Celebrating the Success of the Boundless Festival

Twickenham Stadium came alive last Friday as 1,000 pupils, parents and staff from across our schools to celebrate the Boundless Festival – one of the region’s largest school events.

The festival, hosted by TV magician Ben Hanlin, celebrated the creativity, talent and imagination of students from all GLF Schools. Ben wowed the crowd with his magic and delighted pupils, staff and parents who attended.

It marked the grand finale of a wide range of competitions and activities held throughout the academic year.

From sports to arts, drama to eco projects, the Boundless Festival showcased the extraordinary efforts of young people who together dedicated an estimated 10,000 hours in preparation.

The atmosphere at Twickenham was electric as students, teachers and families gathered to applaud the wide-ranging achievements.

Aureus School wowed audiences with a student-choreographed dance inspired by AI and a special solo from 12-year-old Joseph, currently performing in Matilda in the West End.

Chestnut Park Primary’s Rap Club performed an original track they wrote, recorded, and released on major streaming platforms. The event also saw the debut of The Voices of GLF Schools, a united choir of students singing together for the first time, showcasing the power of music and collaboration.

Festival Highlights:

• Football: After weeks of regional competitions, Aureus Primary lifted the primary football trophy, while The Beacon School triumphed in both the secondary boys and girls tournaments. Final qualifiers had taken place at Glyn School in Epsom, with the champions receiving their awards at the stadium.
• Choir: The Voices of GLF Choir wowed the crowd with rendition of The Greatest Showman’s This is Me, which also included Makaton sign language to be accessible to all pupils.
• Art: With a remarkable 736 student submissions, the art competition displayed incredible levels of creativity. Winners were announced during the festival finale, with their work exhibited for all attendees.
• Eco Challenge: 19 environmentally themed projects were submitted, with initiatives ranging from recycling schemes to school-grown vegetables.
• Other Events: Additional competitions included Netball, Basketball, Mathletics, Chess, a Spelling Bee and Debating, making for a rich and diverse programme of activities.

The Boundless Festival, an initiative of the GLF Schools’ Foundation, champions the belief that every child deserves the chance to explore their talents and succeed, regardless of background.

Launched in 2022, the Foundation works to remove socio-economic barriers and provide enriching, healthy opportunities for all pupils.

Jak Martin, Head of the GLF Schools’ Foundation, said:
"The Boundless Festival is a celebration of everything we value – creativity, opportunity, and confidence. We’ve seen an incredible outpouring of talent and dedication from pupils, staff and communities, and the energy at Twickenham was unforgettable."

Theo, a pupil at Cordwalles Junior School, said:

“It was so great to be in Twickenham Stadium with all the other GLF schools, the magician was excellent and I was so proud to see my face on the big screen.”

Thea, another Cordwalles pupil, said:

“Twickenham Boundless festival was fun, exciting and amazing to see so many people. It was great to be there at the huge stadium and to see the pitch."

Please click here to view the Boundless Festival videos and see further photos from the day