Hundreds at Huntington School's Arts Festival in York

Now in its tenth year Huntington School's Arts Festival returned with about hundreds of pupils creating visual art and live performances for the audience.

Recommended reading:

• Talented musicians 'play hearts out' in York showcase
• 'It’s something the children will always remember' - firm support for city school
• 10-year-old boy finds Zombie knife on way to primary school

The theme was Making Waves (Image: Liz Dunbar and Joao Rei Vilar)

Cassie Garbutt, the school's head of art and festival chair said it is an end of term favourite for students, parents and teachers alike.

Some of the students on the night (Image: Liz Dunbar and Joao Rei Vilar)

Ms Garbutt said: "This year’s theme was Making Waves and the week-long Arts Festival was brought to a close with a fabulous evening, open to the public, with street food, live performances, immersive installation art and a gallery.

"Most people see this performance event as the point of it all. The truth is - it runs much deeper than that. The audience can see the tree, but they can’t see the roots."

The event was Huntington's biggest yet with more than 600 tickets sold out in three days.

The event was sold out (Image: Liz Dunbar and Joao Rei Vilar)

"For some students, this is the first time they will have worked ‘vertically’, with other students in other year groups," said Ms Garbutt.

"This in itself is a significant mind shift for many. Working with more experienced students enables younger students to see what’s possible and what they might aspire to.

"For more experienced students, it’s an opportunity to share their expertise, enable others to grow creatively, academically and socially, and to reflect on how important it was in their early school days to have champions who encouraged and inspired them.

"And yes, of course it’s an opportunity to think imaginatively about how you might respond to a brief, work to a deadline, work collaboratively, be patient, be kind, take the lead, be a team player, take a creative risk. And play your part in the wider school community.    

"But don’t imagine that all this skill, insight, imagination, daring, co-operation and camaraderie just appears as if by magic when the colourful banners and bunting goes up for one week in the year.

"It’s happening week in, week out in the curricular and co-curricular work of Arts subjects. What an audience sees and hears at the live event is a reflection of another year of progress, of growth, of maturing through the learning experiences they’re engaging with at Huntington."

Some of the wonderful art on display (Image: Liz Dunbar and Joao Rei Vilar)

"Next time you talk to an Arts subject teacher, ask them how they guide students in taking their first steps, create the right conditions that enable students to dare to cross the boundary into trying something new and unfamiliar," said Ms Garbutt.

"Ask them how they nurture students’ skills and craftsmanship,  and watch that teacher’s face relax into a smile as they engage with you in a proper conversation about the contribution the Arts make to growing a well-rounded person and why the Arts matter so much in a school community."

One of the interactive displays (Image: Liz Dunbar and Joao Rei Vilar)