I was very happy to be awarded the City of Coventry swimming club 'Respect' award at the weekend. Whilst I was not at the annual event to collect my award, my coach presented it to me after my swimming lesson. I was very surprised, particularly as this trophy was for the whole of the U13 age group!

Over the summer I wrote a story about how an Axolotl got his smile. My mum recorded me reading it, and we sent it in to Blue Peter. One morning last week, a letter arrived in the post with my name on it... I couldn’t believe it when I saw the badge and a really nice letter from Blue Peter! I can’t wait to use my badge, I really like the MAD museum, so I’m hoping to go there soon.

How the Axolotl Got Its Smile – By Bodhi
Long ago, there was an amazing axolotl who forgot how to smile…
The axolotl lived in a murky deep lake filled with thin sloppy pondweed which felt like a wet blanket that wasn’t fluffy. Every day, a school of brightly coloured fish swam past the lonely axolotl and wondered, “Could the axolotl smile?” But today, the fish will try themselves, to make the axolotl smile. “We have to make the axolotl smile”, said one of the fish. “We should lift up his face to make him smile!”, said another. “Yeah!” shouted the crowd of fish in agreement. So a fish wiggled over to the sad squishy axolotl, “Urghhhh!” cried the struggling fish desperately trying to lift up the axolotl’s frown with his short floppy fins, but it didn’t budge. “Maybe tell him a joke?”asked a long whiskered catfish. “What did the egg say to the clown?”, asked one of the fish, “You’re cracking me up! "Haha!” exclaimed the fish, but the axolotl didn’t smile, not even one little bit.

Suddenly, a young boy was walking past with his Dad when he tripped over a rock, dropping his huge swirly rainbow lollipop in the lake. The axolotl saw the lollipop descending into his dark home “Oooh food!” the axolotl shouted excitedly. With this, his huge frown turned upside down and opened into the biggest smile the fish had ever seen. In one smooth gobble, the lollipop was gone into the deep squishy pit of the axolotls tummy. Out from the depth came a thunderous noise, which sent ripples across the lake. “BURPPPPPPPP!” projecting out the axolotls mouth came a lollipop stick. And from that day on the axolotl always smiled just in case a lollipop came raining down into his enormous wide smile.

I play football for Leek Wootton U10 Vipers and this year I won the Players’ and Parents’ Player of the Season Award! This was voted for by my team mates and their parents. I love playing for my team because we all support and encourage each other and have lots of fun playing every week. We always celebrate together when we do well and learn from any matches that do not go so well, so we can improve.

Our coaches make our training really fun and help us get better all the time. This week we came second in the Tysoe football tournament, which we are improving on each year. I play striker and can’t wait to score more goals for my team next season!

By Ted

I recently played in the Junior Conservatoire Young Strings Project Summer Concert. I had a number of Suzuki based pieces and I was also part of the Grade One Orchestra. 

By Elliott

On Sunday, 8 June, I took part in the Leamington Spa Competitive Festival, where I played my clarinet in two different classes.

Before the competition started, I felt quite nervous because I had to go up on stage and play all by myself in front of an audience and two judges!

In my first class (Under 11 Years), I was really happy to be awarded runner-up. By the time my second class (Grade 3–4) started, I was feeling a bit more confident - and I was so excited to win first place!

One of the best parts of the afternoon was getting to listen to other clarinet players. Some of them were all the way up to Grade 8. It was so inspiring, and it made me want to keep practising so I can play like that one day too.

At the end of the session, something amazing happened - I was awarded the Peter Jarvis Trophy for the 'most promising clarinettist'! I couldn’t believe it, especially because there were some amazing players in the Grade 7–8 category. I can keep the trophy until next year and can get my name engraved on it too! It was such a big surprise and made me feel really proud and excited for the future.

By George 5S

Last Friday I went to the Midlands Air Festival at Ragley Hall. It was a great day out with loads to see, including model aeroplanes, aerobatic displays and the RAF Falcons, a parachute display team.

Some of the best bits were the Typhoon flypast, which was so loud you could feel the ground rumbling; the Battle of Britain memorial flight, where the last flying Lancaster in the UK and two spitfires put on a display; and a helicopter that did aerobatics. The highlight of the day was however, the Red Arrows, who did amazing stunts and formations with the red, white and blue smoke trailing behind.

We all had an amazing time and I really hope I can go again next year!