Years 7 and 8 Spellbound by a Magical Evening of Reading and Wizardry

In the build-up to the Easter break, our Year 7 students stepped into a living storybook during an unforgettable Harry Potter-themed evening. This much-anticipated event – now a standout highlight of the School calendar – took the magic from the pages of these beloved novels and brought it to life. As the UK celebrates the National Year of Reading, the night perfectly illustrated how a love of books and stories can ignite the imagination through experiential learning.

The Arts Centre Café turned – Great Hall provided a spellbinding banquet. Students sipped on Polyjuice Potion and pumpkin juice and nibbled on Slytherin-themed snacks and Sorting Hat cupcakes. Each student took a turn under the Sorting Hat to discover their Hogwarts House, sparking good-natured cheers as new Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Slytherins were proclaimed.

Once sorted into their houses, the young witches and wizards embarked on three magical activities around the School – each designed to bring the joy of reading and the world of Harry Potter to life. Teams tackled a History of Magic quiz in the ‘Hogwarts Library’ while cauldrons simmered and potions bubbled as students brewed colourful concoctions under the watchful eye of their very own “Professor” in the Science Labs. Meanwhile, the hallways became a quest zone for a thrilling Horcrux Scavenger Hunt.

Several Sixth Form students lent their enthusiasm and expertise to help run the event. Acting as charismatic Hogwarts professors, quiz masters and house prefects, the older students guided the younger students through each challenge.

In this National Year of Reading, it was a magical reminder that books can spark real-world adventures, and that the best learning often happens when students are fully immersed in the joy of a story.