ESU Churchill Public Speaking Competition: Round 2

On Thursday evening, Gresham’s A and B teams travelled down to St Benedict’s Catholic School in Bury St Edmunds for the second round of the English-Speaking Union Churchill Public Speaking Competition.

Lola H gave a confident and assured speech exploring the quotation from Martin Luther King “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and performed very well under cross examination. Her partner Hennie D then chaired the next debate, whilst Irene T delivered some probing questioning.

In our third debate, Sophia L was a friendly Chair who summarised the debate superbly, whilst Katharina M carried out impressive follow-up questions. The evening concluded with a memorable speech performed by Pullo W on the topic ‘Borders do not separate people, they separate ideas.’

The standard of competition was very high with only two teams being selected for Round 3 and Gresham’s B – Sophia, Katharina and Pullo – was one of those selected. This is the furthest we have progressed in this competition so far, so many congratulations to all six, but especially to Gresham’s B.

Thank you to the ESU for providing three expert judges and to St Benedict’s for hosting. 

Overnight charity bike ride for Holt Youth Project

On Friday 31st January, the Gresham’s School Charity Committee will be taking on the challenge of cycling 12-hours overnight on an exercise bike to raise funds for the Holt Youth Project. This amazing local charity works tirelessly to provide support, guidance, and opportunities for young people in Holt and the surrounding areas.

The team of pupils will be cycling through the night and all in support of this fantastic cause. Every penny raised will go directly to the Holt Youth Project, helping to create a positive impact on the lives of young people in the community.

Your generosity will make a huge difference. Whether you donate £5 or £50, your contribution will help provide essential activities, and support to local youth.

To make a donation, click here.

Year 13 Pupil, Milan C, offered place at the Royal Academy of Music

Gresham’s is thrilled to celebrate the remarkable success of Year 13 pupil, Milan H, in gaining a place at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, one of the world’s leading conservatoires. Milan, a gifted musician, has also been awarded a scholarship in recognition of his extraordinary talent and dedication.

The Royal Academy of Music, steeped in history since its founding in 1822, has trained some of the most renowned musicians globally, including Sir Elton John and Dame Evelyn Glennie. Securing a place is an incredible accomplishment, as the application process is rigorous and highly competitive.

Milan’s versatility as a musician is truly inspiring. A talented cellist, bass player, singer, composer, and producer, he has consistently demonstrated excellence across a wide range of disciplines. Alongside this outstanding offer, Milan also secured a place at the Royal Northern College of Music, another prestigious institution where he would have followed in the footsteps of previous recent Gresham’s alumni.

All at Gresham’s are immensely proud of Milan and look forward to following his journey as he continues to excel in his musical career.

Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) Poetry Competition 2024-25

Mother Tongue Other Tongue was devised by staff at the Faculty of Humanities, Languages and Social Science at Manchester Metropolitan University, and Routes into Languages North West in 2012. It has since been adopted as a Laureate Education Project and rolled out across the country. In June 2024, in what has become an annual event, Gresham’s pupils from Years 9, 10, and 12 wrote poems for the competition.

There are two categories:

Mother Tongue – pupils whose first language is not English, or who speak another language at home, are encouraged to submit a poem or song in their mother tongue. This can be an original or a ‘remembered’ piece. It can be written in any language, except English. Entries are judged on a short paragraph in which pupils explain the piece and its significance to them.

Other Tongue – pupils learning another language in school are encouraged to get creative with their other tongue and submit an original poem for the competition. 

Massive congratulations to the following pupils who have been shortlisted for the final:

Other Tongue

Year 9: Lachlan M

Year 10: Lottie H and Connor M

Year 12: Eva O

Their poems will feature in the Mother Tongue Other Tongue anthology, published later this year and pupils will receive a copy. Their entries will also go forward to the final competition, and judging will take place at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge in March as part of the Cambridge Festival of Ideas.

Year 10 Cadets prepare for Bronze Duke of Edinburgh expedition

At the start of the Lent Term, all Year 10 Cadets in Royal Navy, Army & RAF Sections, have been refreshing their skills, ready to do their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh expeditions which will take place later in the term.

In their first session back, pupils got to grips with new endurance tents, planning the logistics, and learning how to put them up. They also used the session to recap vital First Aid skills, practise their navigation knowledge, test out cooking equipment, and most essentially, build their teamwork skills to make the expedition run as smoothly as possible.

FOGS Christmas Fayre raises over £2,000 for East Anglian Air Ambulance

On the final Saturday of the Michaelmas Term, Friends of Gresham’s School (FOGS) hosted their annual Christmas Fayre, raising more than £2,000 in support of the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA).

Held for the first time in Big School, over 30 stallholders offered wonderful Christmas gifts, including jewellery, skincare, artwork, clothing, homewares, and even edible treats for furry friends. Visitors enjoyed festive refreshments as they browsed, while those feeling peckish were satisfied by PokeNom and the Spud Truck stationed in the courtyard.

Gresham’s Choir and musicians delivered festive performances from the balcony, creating a delightful soundtrack for shoppers. The Fayre also featured a popular raffle, with generous prizes donated by local Holt businesses and stallholders.

FOGs were grateful for the help of volunteers, staff, and pupils whose efforts made the 2024 Fayre such a success. The funds raised will support the vital work of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, to help continue their lifesaving services.

Gresham’s recognised as one of the TOP UK schools for IB

Gresham’s has been recognised as one of the top 20 schools in the UK for International Baccalaureate (IB) results.

The IB was introduced to Gresham’s in 2007, and has proved increasingly popular with our pupils, who have achieved outstanding results. Our average point score of 35.6, out of a possible 45, is significantly higher than the rolling global average.

Gresham’s has swiftly gained an international reputation as an IB Diploma centre of excellence, with pupils progressing to some of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions such as Cambridge, Imperial, LSE, St Andrews, Edinburgh and many other international destinations such as Bocconi.

The IB Diploma offers an innovative, broad and rigorous curriculum providing pupils with intellectual, social, cultural and linguistic skills valued by universities and employers across the board.

Jingle All The Way: Celebrating Gresham’s Musical Talent

Christmas is a magical time for musicians, and on 6th December, the Gresham’s Music Department brought the season to life with our annual Jingle All The Way concert. This festive extravaganza was a joyous culmination of a term filled with incredible musical achievements, showcasing the dedication and talent of our pupils.

The evening was packed with musical delights, from timeless classics like Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and White Christmas to performances of Silent Night by the Flute Choir and Winter from Max Richter’s Recomposed Vivaldi.

Jazz, strings, brass, and voices united to bring the magic of Christmas alive, with performances ranging from The Polar Express Medley to Fairy Tale of New York, performed by Year 13 vocalists with the Concert Band and String Ensemble. The atmosphere was electric, and the shared joy of music-making was palpable throughout the evening.

The audience were also treated to the world premieres of the Gresham’s Guys and Gresham’s Girls singles. The Gresham’s Girls recorded an enchanting and ethereal version of Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen, performed by Sophia P, Tilly R, Jemima W, Sophie L, Olga, B, Emily M, Reva S, Naomi HS, Zinny B and Mia W.

The Gresham’s Guys recorded a fresh take on Never Ever by All Saints with and features the vocals of Josh K, Bruno B, Milan H, Rory R, Finn S, Albert W, Dougie L, Noah P and Seb C. These singles are now available to stream on all digital platforms and on our Gresham’s Media YouTube Channel. Please download and share with your friends and family and spread the Gresham’s Girls and Guy’s joy! All proceeds go to Holt Youth Project.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, performed, or supported this wonderful event.

Oakeley triumphs in Sixth Form Inter-House Debating Competition

The Sixth Form Inter-House Debating Competition concluded in thrilling fashion this Michaelmas Term, with Oakeley retaining the prestigious Marsham Trophy for 2024-25.

Throughout the term, all eight Houses debated fiercely during Monday evening sessions. Queens’ and Farfield reached the semi-finals, but the final saw Oakeley’s Zinny B, Mojuba A, and Eva O’D go head-to-head with Tallis’s James C-M, Seb W, and Jack K.

The teams explored the motion This House would rather have Trump in charge than Starmer. This was an excellent contest in which the arguments in favour of Trump’s leadership prevailed and, as a result, Oakeley remain the holders of the Marsham Trophy for 2024-25.