This week, our school was delighted to welcome Sunderland’s Tom A. Smith - acclaimed Sunderland singer, songwriter and producer - who performed for all year groups and spoke passionately about his journey in the music industry.
Tom shared stories of how his career has grown from playing local gigs to performing on some of the world’s most exciting stages. Pupils were captivated as he described appearing at Glastonbury, the Leeds and Reading Festivals, and, most recently, SXSW in Texas just last week. He also spoke with pride about his upcoming appearance at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, taking place soon at Herrington Park.
Over the years, Tom has worked with some of the biggest names in music, including Elton John, Sam Fender, The Courteeners, and The Charlatans. Despite such high‑profile collaborations, he remained incredibly grounded as he spoke to pupils about the importance of hard work, determination, and self‑belief.
Throughout his performances, our pupils were exceptionally well‑behaved and clearly inspired. Tom’s advice centred on our school vision of discovering your gifts and talents, nurturing them, and having the courage to “set the world ablaze” with what you can achieve. He talked openly about the setbacks he has faced, the resilience required to overcome them, and the steps he took to plan and shape his career.
We hope our pupils take inspiration from Tom’s story and continue to pursue their own ambitions with the same enthusiasm, creativity, and resilience he demonstrated. His visit was a powerful reminder that with talent, passion and perseverance, extraordinary things are possible.
