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Parents, carers, students and the local community were invited to experience a huge array of talent at the Turner’s Got Talent awards 2026. The awards have been running for 4 years and are designed to showcase and nurture the talent of students within the family of schools of Turner Schools Trust, in Canterbury, Dover and Folkestone.  

The competition took place over two consecutive Wednesdays, with forty five students taking part in all. For the secondary schools event, students from Aspen 2, Dover Christ Church Academy, Folkestone Academy, Turner Free School and Turner Sixth Form showcased their artistry in dancing, singing and performing in groups together.  The audience were treated to a creative display of talent, with judges having the difficult task of choosing a winner. The judging panel consisted of Lucy McGirr, Folkestone’s Town Mayor, Jackie Meade, local councillor for Folkestone East, Matt Tate, Turner Schools Director of Secondary and Am’e Moris, Turner Schools Executive Principal, Primaries. The judges decided on these overall awards, praising the array of talent on display : 

• The Secondaries Winner: Hemi, from DCCA singing ‘Chasing Pavements’ by Adele

• The Murphy Prize: Louie from Aspen 2 dancing to ‘Radio Ga Ga’ from We Will Rock You musical.

• Best in Key Stage 3: Shannon, Elsie, Honey, Maisie, Bridie, Poppy and Evie from DCCA - Girl band performing ‘Piano Man’ by Elton John

• Best in Key Stage 4 / 5: Angel and Ava from FA, a singing and dance duet performing ‘I’m Not That Girl’ from the Wicked musical

Children from Chartham Primary, Folkestone Primary, Martello Primary, Morehall Primary and St Stephen’s Infant School performed a ribbon dance, stand up comedy, cheerleading and a piano recital, with Phoebe and Charlotte who took part from Folkestone Primary saying: 

“It was exciting and scary all in one. I enjoyed it.” 

“I enjoyed it but I was nervous.”

At this event, the judges were Jackie Meade, local councillor for Folkestone East, Ellie Beedham, freelance project manager and associate of Creative Folkestone, Duncan Moris, local singer, choir leader and music teacher and Manj Nijjer, Principal at Dover Christ Church Academy. They awarded prizes to: 

• The Primaries Winner: Isaac from Chartham performing a piano medley of moderato/german/dance/arabesque. Isaac also won the Primaries winner last year.

• The Murphy Prize: Freddy from Morehall with his speed times table extravaganza. He got 121 timetables correct in 1 min. He is placed 2nd in the world of TT Rockstars timetable app.

• Best in Key Stage 1: Poppy, from Chartham singing ‘This Girl is on Fire’ by Alicia Keys

• Best in Key Stage 2: The Year 6 Morehall Band who  performed a mash up of ‘Stargazing’ by Myles Smith and ‘Someone You Loved’ by Lewis Capaldi.

Mrs Michelle Foxwood, Director of Creative Arts at Turner Schools, who organised the event said of the awards: 

“This was another exceptional evening of talent and I would like to thank everyone who took part, practised and gave their all in their performances. We are extremely proud of every young person who took part.”

Matt Tate, Director of Secondary at Turner Schools said: “It was a real privilege to attend Turner’s Got Talent and see such an extraordinary range of performances from our students. The standard was genuinely impressive across all age groups, from powerful vocal performances to expressive dance and ballet. What stood out most was the confidence, creativity and joy on display. Events like this remind us that our schools are not just about academic success, but about nurturing the whole person and giving young people the opportunity to shine.”

Folkestone Town’s Mayor, Lucy McGirr said: “I was delighted to be invited to judge Turner's Got Talent secondary edition. What a wholesome experience to witness the individual talent in all Turner schools. As current Folkestone Mayor I am so impressed with the hard work of the staff for all their support. To all the students well done on your achievements and keep up the hard work.

Turner Schools Executive Principal, Primaries, Am'e Moris said:”It was so heartwarming to have seen so many children showcasing their incredible talents - their smiles and confidence were abundant and the audience were treated to singing, dancing, bands, comedy routines and even the fastest times table completion we've ever seen!” 

Ellie Beedham, Associate of Creative Folkestone said: “Wow Turner Schools kids have great talent. The competition showcased stars across the board in singing, dancing, maths, comedy, cheerleading, piano playing and rhythmic gymnastics.” 

St Stephen's Infant School in Canterbury, part of Turner Schools, is delighted to have been awarded an Artsmark Silver Award by the Arts Council.

The Silver Award is in recognition of St Stephen’s Infant Schools commitment and success in embedding arts, culture and creativity across the whole school. 

Assessors from the Arts Council recognised that St Stephen’s Infants makes creativity a priority for the children and ensures that the arts have a meaningful impact on pupils, as well as staff and families.

During an assessment visit, the council was pleased to see that all pupils have access to a consistent range of arts and cultural experiences, for example through partnerships with local artists and cultural organisations, both in and beyond the classroom. 

These experiences have led to opportunities for pupils to showcase their work within the school and the local community, including events such as the Christmas Lights Switch On Parade and the Coat of Hope visit to Kent.

The involvement of supportive parents and community members was recognised as helping to create a richer and more diverse arts offer for pupils.

Overall, the assessors praised St Stephen’s Infants  for:

• its ethos and values

• its curriculum offer within the school

• its consideration of equity and diversity

• and its pupil voice activities. 

Artsmark is the Arts Council’s creative quality standard for schools and colleges and celebrates settings that put the arts at the heart of their education. 

Headteacher at St Stephen’s Infant School, Alice Edgington said: “We are so pleased to receive this Artsmark Silver Award, which reflects our dedication to offer our pupils a creative and enriching curriculum.

“The arts play such an important role in children’s development and this award recognises that we work hard to make sure that every child has access to high-quality creative opportunities.

“We look forward to building on this success as we continue our Artsmark journey.”

Seamus Murphy, CEO of Turner Schools, added: ”This Silver Award for St Stephen’s Infant School is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates the school’s passion for developing the whole child.

“As a trust, we are committed to offering better outcomes for children and this arts recognition for St Stephen’s is a shining example of how we strive to give our pupils the strongest possible start to their education.”

St Stephen’s Infant School, part of Turner Schools, welcomed a very bouncy visitor to an assembly recently. Pete Thompson, also known as The Skipping Ninja, holds 5 world records for skipping, is a regular at the Skipping World Championships and performed some exciting skipping routines and tricks for the children.

Pete’s demonstration took place in the school hall with the whole school invited to watch Pete perform stunts, give tips and help the children, aged 4 to 7, develop their skills, co-ordination and fitness.

Children were treated to a Ninja Ultraviolet skipping demonstration and light show, and the school purchased skipping ropes for the youngsters to try out their new skipping skills.

Headteacher at St Stephen’s Infant School, Alice Edgington said:  

“The Skipping Ninja was really great with the children and made them feel like they were being Ninjas. He adapted the workshops for the different ability levels and made the skills achievable. The children were really inspired. We bought lots of skipping ropes!”

Children at St Stephen’s have been putting their new skipping skills into practice and said of their ninja visitor:

“I loved the Ninja”

“I can’t skip and I tried really hard and now I can skip”

“The skipping Ninja was cool, I want to skip like him.”

“I love my Ninja scarf!”

The Skipping Ninja visits schools to support mental health and wellbeing, through ninja skipping and jumping.

Pupils from four local schools - Folkestone Primary School, Martello Primary School, Turner Free School and Folkestone Academy - took to the stage to demonstrate their dancing talent in the Turner Schools Dance Show 2025.

The young dancers performed a range of different dance styles, including contemporary, street, and musical theatre, in a matinee and evening performance last week at Folkestone Academy Theatre.

The performances of the young talent featured an exciting blend of group dances, duets and solo pieces, highlighting their creativity and passion for dance.

The aim of this cross-trust event was to promote dance and inspire dancers of all ages across the Turner Schools family of schools.

The event gave the young dancers the opportunity to celebrate and share their dance talent, while giving parents the chance to experience the creativity, dedication and passion that they bring to the stage.

Jasmin, one of the pupils who took part, said: “Thank you so much for this opportunity you have given me. I feel so grateful to be a part of such an amazing performance and be surrounded by such talented dancers. I really enjoyed it and had the best time so thank you again for this opportunity.”

Following the show, one parent commented: “Thank you for going above and beyond for all the pupils and for creating such a supportive, uplifting environment. It means the world to know people like you bring out the best in pupils and make them shine.”

Jade Goldfinch, the PE teacher at Folkestone Academy who organised the event, said: “Our Turner Dance Show 2025 was a great success and we were incredibly proud of all our pupils who took part.

“Their dedication and commitment to dance shone through all of their performances and we hope that this experience will empower them to achieve their full potential. 

“We are very grateful to everyone in the audience who came along to support our young people.”

Pupils from schools across the Turner Schools Trust have taken part in a unique and moving journey alongside the Coat of Hopes - a travelling patchwork coat that is being walked across Britain to raise awareness of the climate and ecological crisis.

More than 100 students joined the Coat over six days as it made its way on foot from Canterbury to Folkestone, stopping in local towns and villages along the way and starting conversations about community, care, and climate action.

The journey began on Tuesday 24 June, when pupils and staff from St Stephen’s Infant School were welcomed into the Crypt of Canterbury Cathedral to present a hand-sewn patch representing their hopes for the future. From there, they wore the Coat and walked through the city to mark the start of the 67-mile Kent leg of its national pilgrimage.

On 25 and 26 June, pupils from Dover Christchurch Academy joined the pilgrimage in stages between St Nicholas-at-Wade, Birchington and Ramsgate. Students wore the Coat and helped carry its train, talking along the way with artist Barbara Keal and ‘Wayfinder’ Helen Locke about the importance of hope and collective responsibility in the face of climate change.

The final stage of the journey brought the Coat through Thanet, before it arrived in Folkestone on Sunday 29 June. There, Michelle Foxwood, Director of Creative Arts at Turner Schools, wore the Coat on its final descent from the Battle of Britain Memorial to the entrance of the Creative Quarter, where it was met by members of the local community.

Michelle Foxwood said: “This experience gave our pupils something really memorable and a  sense that they were part of something bigger than themselves. Walking with the Coat was a chance to reflect, connect, and talk about the kind of future we all want to see. The project’s message about looking after each other and the planet came through clearly – and the children really responded to that.”

The Coat was then worn by Barbara Keal, the artist who began the project, as it completed its walk on Folkestone’s Old High Street, arriving at Folkestone Museum, where it will now be on display until 30 August.

“I have walked with the Coat for four years,” said Barbara Keal. “And I will keep walking while we remain in a state of climate and human emergency.”

While the Coat rests in Folkestone, Turner Schools pupils will continue to engage with its message through special assemblies and paper patch workshops. Martello Primary was visited by the Coat on 1 July, where pupils created their own miniature “paper coats” reflecting the people, places and creatures they care about.

The Coat of Hopes will continue its journey later this summer, heading next to Hastings, Newhaven and Brighton.

Students from Turner Schools are preparing to take part in a unique and moving journey together with the Coat of Hopes – a handmade, community-created artwork that has travelled more than 1,750 miles across Britain on foot as part of a grassroots pilgrimage for climate and ecological awareness.

From 24 June 2025, pupils from Turner Schools in Canterbury, Dover, and Folkestone will walk with the Coat of Hopes as it continues its journey from Canterbury to Folkestone, adding their presence – and their hopes – to a living artwork made up of hundreds of stitched patches from communities across the country.

The Coat of Hopes began its pilgrimage in 2021, travelling from Newhaven to the United Nations Climate Summit (COP26) in Glasgow. Along the way, it has grown into a powerful symbol of collective action, care and determination in the face of ecological crisis. Today, it carries over 700 blanket patches, each sewn by someone representing a place, person, or species they hold dear.

“This is a rare opportunity for our students to step into something deeply meaningful – to walk, not just symbolically, but physically, in solidarity with a nationwide call for compassion and climate justice,” said Michelle Foxwood, Director of Creative Arts at Turner Schools. “Projects like this put young people at the heart of real-world change and allows them to feel what it means to stand together with others in hope.”

The Coat invites all those who encounter it to wear it, sing its song, and walk with open hearts. This journey is not funded or directed by any institution. It is sustained entirely by the goodwill of those who choose to walk, host, sing for, or sew into it.

Turner Schools CEO Seamus Murphy said:

“We’re proud to support our students in walking with the Coat of Hopes. It speaks to everything we believe in – creativity, citizenship, courage, and care. This is a walk of witness and connection, and we’re honoured to be part of its continuing journey.”

Members of the public are welcome to join the walk, support with food or accommodation, or contribute their own patch of hope. Anyone interested in helping between Canterbury and Folkestone is invited to email yes@coatofhopes.uk. For more information on how to join the walk please visit www.coatofhopes.uk. 

Its commitment to embracing the approach means St Stephen’s Infant School has met the criteria for it to be officially endorsed by Thrive. The accolade also means that the school can now apply to become a Thrive Ambassador School or School of Excellence.

The Thrive Approach is a trauma-informed, whole school or setting approach that helps to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Underpinned by the belief that challenging behaviour stems from unmet needs, Thrive provides training, resources and online tools, so teachers and staff can better understand the needs of pupils and provide targeted, effective support where it’s needed.

Alice Edginton, Headteacher at St Stephen’s Infant School, said: “Our students’ wellbeing is our main priority. We understand that our young people have been through a lot over recent years and we are focused on providing all the support we can to enable them to meet their potential, overcome any challenges, and thoroughly enjoy their time at school.

“Thrive has helped us embed a warm, supportive culture. We tackle behaviour issues and absenteeism with understanding and expertise. It is having an excellent impact throughout school and improving outcomes across the board, and it’s fantastic for the team to have received this recognition.”

Seamus Murphy, CEO at Turner Schools, added: “At Turner Schools, compassion and respect for our students sits at the heart of everything we do. We want our schools to be places where young people feel supported, valued and happy, and therefore able to learn to the very best of their abilities. The work the St Stephen’s team is doing to implement the Thrive approach is a great example of this and a clear demonstration of the school’s strong values and ethos around wellbeing.

“This recognition not only reflects the dedication of St Stephen’s staff but also sets the school apart as a leader in promoting mental health and wellbeing in education. The school is shaping a bright future for its students.”

Turner Schools is a growing community of eight schools across Kent, comprising both primary and secondary schools.