Mrs Axford (Assistant Head)

Pictured - Eloise Toone and Sabira Egan

For a large number of students, House Talent is one of their favourite House competitions and there is a sense of anticipation in the weeks before Christmas. Everyone was determined that this year COVID restrictions would not spoil the fun!

There were 75 entries for House Talent this year and these were whittled down after live auditions in year group bubbles until we had 20 acts for the final. This year there could be no House Song where usually everyone in the House from Years 3 to the Upper Sixth gets up on stage and performs. Instead, the acts had to be pre-recorded and watched in classrooms, or at home for Years 10 and 11 and those students’ self-isolating. The concern that this year’s House Talent might lose some of its excitement because it could not be performed live to an audience however was not warranted.  For the first time rather than having external judges, the students had the responsibility to vote for their favourite junior and senior act and walking round school during the Finals the atmosphere was electric!

I think it was the highest quality and variety of Junior acts that I can remember in the final with some beautiful singing and dancing performances, card tricks and a budding comedian telling jokes!

In the Senior School finals, every year group was represented from Years 7 to the Upper Sixth. Some finalists recorded themselves at home if they were unable to come into school.  There were some outstanding performances and a very supportive atmosphere for all the performers. It was lovely to hear clapping and cheering coming from the audiences in the classrooms.

But in the end, it is a House Competition and the BGS student and staff community voted for Dele Vincent in Year 3 from Chanel as winner of the Junior category with her wonderful performance of the song Naughty from the musical Matilda.

In the Seniors, it was a Music Medley piano and voice duet performed by Upper Sixth students, Eloise Toone and Sabira Egan from Franklin which won top spot.

Once all the points had been added together for the entries from each House, acts which were highly commended, finalists and the winners Franklin won House Talent this year with a mammoth 250 points.

Congratulations to everyone who took part and for making the last few weeks of 2020 full of music and joy!

View photos of the winners here.

House Totals

Austen 5495

Chanel 5661

Franklin 5566

Hepburn 5917

Nightingale 4976

Parks 5267