CCF Summer Field Days

The 17th & 18th June were action packed CCF days. The whole of the Year 9 recruit cohort were involved in assessment of their expedition skills with navigation, campcraft, first aid and trekking activities. They also had the chance to try archery, air rifle target sprint and clay simulator shooting.

Year 10 experienced military training according to section with the Royal Navy section afloat doing sailing qualification courses at Hickling Broad, the Army section completing field craft skills including blank firing battle simulations as well as live firing at Swanton Morley and the RAF section learning skills as varied as archery, rocketry, raft building and paddlesport. This also gave opportunity to see the senior NCOs develop their leadership skills, whether leading a section attack, coordinating a team or delivering a lesson. The full range of military and adventurous activities available through the CCF were on display over these two days.

Pupils have been benefitting from opportunities provided by the Careers Department

Trip to Norwich Research Park

Five current Year 12 pupils, Olga B, Iciar C-B, Rose T, Freddie B and Pearl Y, all with a strong interest in Science, Medicine, Technology and Research, attended ‘Enterprise Tuesday’ at the John Innes Conference Centre. They heard talks from the Earlham Institute, Quadram Institute, John Innes Centre  and UEA highlighting the technology platforms developed at Norwich Research Park, revealing their origin, and presenting case studies on their applications and discoveries.

Contemporary Art Lecture

We welcomed Celia from Art History Abroad to talk to all of Year 12. 

Celia gave a superb talk, giving a new perspective on contemporary art and making it accessible to all whilst showcasing the variety of careers within the creative sector such as Marketing, Finance, Event Management and Business.

We look forward to welcoming them back to Gresham’s for further insight and talks. 

Law Insight Day

Thank you to OG Katy Warren (k 2001 – 07) for flagging the opportunity of The Leap into Law Insight Day at global law firm Watson Farley & Williams to our Sixth Form pupils interested in a future Law career.

Eva O’D was successful in her application and enjoyed a day with Watson Farley & Williams hearing from trainee lawyers, taking part in workshops and learning the different routes into law.

WORK EXPIERIENCE AT BAKERS AND LARNERS

Fritz S and his family had requested for Fritz to have some work experience before his return to Germany. Thank you to local employers Bakers and Larners, Holt, for facilitating this request and for sending the following superb feedback:

“I would just like to say what a star Fritz has been. Every staff member that has worked with Fritz over the course of his work experience has commented on what a lovely young man he is. He was well mannered, polite, friendly and very engaging. We have a very diverse staff demographic and Fritz was able to connect with everyone with ease. While working on the shop floor Fritz had no hesitation in talking to customers and offering assistance. Again, this showed great maturity and a willingness to get stuck in a try something new. He threw himself into all tasks and it really felt like he wanted to get as much out of the experience as he possibly could.”

Talk FROM OG HATTIE REYNOLDS ABOuT HER USA STUDY EXPERIENCE

Thank you so much to OG Hattie Reynolds (c & Q 2023 – 16) who came back to talk to current Sixth Form pupils Lucy O, Albert W and Rory R about her experience of USA study and athletics training. It was a super helpful, lively and informative chat. Thank you Hattie and congratulations for the return in August for your second year of USA study at the prestigious Duke University, North Carolina.

Senior School Prefects 2024/25

The Headmaster was very pleased to appoint the new prefects for the next academic year.  Many congratulations to Albert and Emily our new Heads of School and Eva and Rory the Deputy Heads of School. They will be supported by Heads of House and School Prefects to carry on the exceptional work of the previous team.

Gresham’s marked the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings

Last week Gresham’s marked the 80^th anniversary of the D-Day landings together in Chapel. Members of the CCF laid a wreath on behalf of the school and Mr Kinder delivered a powerful talk about the life of Lieutenant Guy Napier Westley O.G. who died on Gold Beach that day.

Cadet Clay Championships 2024

Two teams of Gresham’s cadets travelled to Cambridge Gun Club on both Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th June for the National Cadet Clay Target Shooting Championships.

The Senior Team of Edgar A, Will N, Jack K and Joe G achieved Silver medals in both the ‘Down the Line’ and ‘Sporting’ competitions, missing the Gold by just one point. Will N was awarded an individual Silver medal for his ‘Down the Line’ score and Edgar A was the top shot of CCF competitors in the ‘Sporting’ and therefore represented the CCF in the prestigious inter-services national final where he achieved another Silver medal.

The Junior Team of Sam W, Toby W, Alec A & Max C took Gold in the Flurry Competition with an astonishing score of 79 points, a full 10 points ahead of their nearest rivals and a feat that was given special mention in the prizegiving ceremony. They also achieved Bronze in the ‘Sporting’ competition. Max C was awarded an individual Bronze medal, being ranked as the 3rd best CCF shot out of all the competitors present.

This was another outstanding performance at national sporting level for the clay target shooters. 

Our Mental Health First Aid Champions spoke in Chapel about the course offered to pupils

This year’s Mental Health First Aid Champions spoke in Chapel this week about the Mental Health First Aid course that is offered to Year 12 pupils as part of the Services provision on a Friday afternoon. They talked to the School about the importance of raising awareness about mental health as well as promoting the course for others to take advantage of. The course teaches the pupils to:

• Spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person.
• Offer first aid and guide them toward the support they need.
• Build confidence to reassure and support a distressed peer.

Year 12 Geography pupils had a great trip to London and Dorset

Just before half term the Year 12 Geography pupils attended a 3 day fieldwork trip to support their learning for the A level course. On the Tuesday the group headed early in the morning to London for a day of urban fieldwork. Starting at the London Olympic site, the group explored the site for the 2012 Olympics, East Village and Westfield whilst discussing the reasons, impacts and legacy of hosting the event on the local community and country.

They then headed to Kings Cross for lunch to investigate the new rebranding of the station and subsequent urban development in recent years. Using all forms of transport and trying to dodge the showers, they took an Uber Clipper boat to the Docklands from Tower Pier. There the pupils studied the impacts of de-industrialisation in the 1960s and 1970s and the legacy of the redevelopment strategies.

That afternoon they made the long journey to Dorset for the second part of the week. Staying on the Isle of Portland was beautiful when the weather was fair; they had stunning views from the bunkhouse at Portland Bill. The morning was spent undertaking a sand dune transect at Studland bay to view the changes from highwater mark to the climax vegetation of pine woodland. They sheltered in the minibus waiting for the weather to clear and walked up to the iconic Old Harry’s Rocks before heading down off the headland to Swanage in search of an elusive ice cream. Nandos and bowling in Yeovil finished off a wet, long but fulfilling geographical day.

They were blessed with beautiful weather on the Thursday as the journey along the Jurassic coastline continued. Chesil Beach was soon followed by a visit to Lulworth Cove where some of the most incredible geology can be seen. They walked up over the ridge to Durdle Door and finished the trip viewing one of the great landforms in Geography textbooks! A long trip back to Holt concluded around 10pm with a tired yet happy group of pupils. A big thanks to Miss King, Mr Liberman and Mr Atkinson for the driving, geography teaching and everything else to make this possible. It was the first time in a while that the Geography Department had been on a residential trip and they are very much looking forward to next year!