Kinsale News

Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday - Friday 8th May 2026

It was time to honour a true national treasure, when children at our school came together to celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday.

Pupils of all ages at Kinsale Junior School arrived on Friday 8 May dressed as their favourite animals, or wearing clothing featuring animals or animal prints, in tribute to the world-renowned naturalist.

We have also chosen the veteran broadcaster and presenter to represent one of our four Houses, in keeping with our status as a ‘Zoo School’, in partnership with the Zoological Society of East Anglia (ZSEA).

“We held a special celebration to mark the 100th birthday of David Attenborough,” said Jo Philpott, Head of School at Kinsale Junior School, which is part of the Wensum Trust.

“Sir David Attenborough was chosen as one of our House names, along with Mary Anning, Jane Goodall, and Charles Darwin. This was due to their contributions to the world of natural history and evolutionary science, which links perfectly to our Zoo School ethos of conservation, ecology, and sustainability.”

All year groups took part in the day-long celebration, which included nature-themed activities based around conservation, ecology, and sustainability, and inspired by Sir David Attenborough's lifelong work.

Pupils had the chance to try their hand at their own wildlife and nature photography, with a competition where they were invited to submit images of nature and wildlife in the area; while drone photography captured the children forming the shape of a figure ‘100’ on our school field.

There was also an assembly led by Sara Goatcher from ZSEA, where we were joined by Year 2 pupils from Kinsale Infant School.

“Sir David Attenborough has inspired generations with his love for the natural world, and we wanted to honour his incredible legacy with a day full of fun and educational activities,” added Jo Philpott.

“We really enjoyed seeing the children’s creative outfits, and celebrating this historic milestone together.”

Our event was also reported to the local community. click here to read the article