A GROUP of talented students took home a number of medals after a 'hugely successful' performance at the Highbridge Festival of the Arts.

Pupils from The King Alfred School Academy were part of the festival’s 2,300 performances, across music, speech, drama and dance and won medals for a range of performances at the 73rd annual Highbridge Festival Of The Arts.

In the first week of the festival drama the students from the school picked up six prizes across three classes and talented musicians won 30 prizes across 25 categories.

One of the school's students, Jack Richardson, picked up four medals and won the highly contested Dorothy Reaney Award.

The school said many of their prize winners were entering the festival for the first time.

Nathan Jenkins, principal of The King Alfred School Academy, praised the students for their achievements after meeting them with their medals and certificates.

He said: “We are so proud of them all. We have some hugely talented students across the school and they relished the opportunity to show the whole community at this poplar festival.”