Menu

Latest News

Back to News ListPreviousNext

Hairspray Star Inspires Amery Hill's Performing Arts Students

Posted on: May 12th 2025

This week, Amery Hill buzzed with excitement as we welcomed Ben Anderson, an actor from the UK tour of Hairspray. Ben led three incredible workshops for our current and future Dance and Drama stars.

Ben guided students through choreographing and performing steps and scenes, sharing vital insights into musical theatre. The sessions included workshopping performances under audition conditions, allowing students to refine their skills in a professional setting.

We are really grateful to him for taking a break from his schedule to come and share his incredible energy and musical theatre know-how with us. The Dance Studio was full of students after school reprising the steps they had learnt with Ben, so it's safe to say his visit truly inspired those he worked with!

DSC 0438 Edited

DSC 0452 Edited

 

Back to News ListPreviousNext

Also in the News

Remembering the Fallen
Posted on: 23/10/2025

Remembering the Fallen

Just before half term a group of students led by Mrs Pretsell, Assistant Headteacher at Amery Hill School, joined former Curtis Museum Curator, and a retired staff member of Amery Hill School, Mr Tony Cross in the cemetery opposite the rear of the school. For many of the past 25 years a small group of volunteers from the school have helped the local historian give the Commonwealth War Grave Commission (CWGC) headstones a scrub in advance of Remembrance Day and place a small Cross of Remembrance by them. But why there are war graves in Alton? Despite the fighting taking place mostly overseas in both conflicts of the 20th century, the CWGC looks after 160,000 headstones around the UK, including a few in Alton. There were many training areas and military hospitals in the UK during both wars. Training accidents and medical issues also took their toll. UK hospitals also cared for the wounded after their evacuation from European battlefields. Those that passed away during their hospital stay would be buried nearby. Interestingly, there was a Red Cross Hospital in the Assembly Rooms during The Great War. Britain in WW2 was well known for the battles played out above its skies. Airfields were dotted around the country to protect against enemy air raids and provide bases for missions over Europe. Some casualties were able to be returned to their next of kin for burial locally. Within both sections of Alton Cemetery there are eight burials relating to WWI and 14 associated with WW2. In addition, there is a private memorial chosen by one WW2 family and several family headstones of both wars that include family members lost overseas. Three family headstones included the small bronze memorial plaque issued to families who had lost members after WW1, although only one is still in place. Mounted on the low wall of the Crematorium Memorial area at the top of the cemetery are two small plaques. One commemorates two women from the town who died in SE Asia during WW2, whilst the other remembers the four civilians who died due to enemy bombs falling on Alton in March 1941. View Article
Wild Inspiration: Year 9 Artists Sketch at Marwell Zoo
Posted on: 29/09/2025

Wild Inspiration: Year 9 Artists Sketch at Marwell Zoo

Today, our Year 9 Art students enjoyed a fantastic and highly educational school trip to Marwell Zoo. The aim was to gather some first-hand inspiration for their ongoing ‘Wild Animals’ project. This excursion provided a brilliant opportunity to take their observational skills out of the classroom and into a dynamic, natural environment. The day kicked off with a specialist observational drawing workshop led by the zoo's excellent education team. Students were given privileged, close-up access to a fascinating range of artefacts, including animal furs, skins, and skeletons. This tactile session allowed them to study the unique textures, intricate structures, and anatomy of wild creatures. It provided a solid, academic foundation for their subsequent live sketching out in the park. Later, surrounded by incredible wildlife, students explored the zoo, making the most of the opportunity to sketch animals in their naturalistic habitats. This demanding exercise helped them refine their skills in capturing form and movement quickly and accurately. Watching the animals allowed them to develop the spontaneous and confident approach necessary for effective field sketching. It was a truly memorable and inspiring day of creativity. The students returned with sketchbooks full of fantastic ideas and detailed studies, which will now directly inform and elevate the quality of their 'Wild Animals' project work back in the studio. We are very much looking forward to seeing the final pieces they produce!    View Article