The final Music and Munch of the year celebrated our school leavers

The final Music and Munch of the academic year celebrated our wonderful school leavers. In a showcase of their versatility, we enjoyed performances from Alice S on piano, Noah W on cello, Julius S on french horn, and Beatrice G and Summer H singing. We will greatly miss them in the Music Department and wish them all the best. Year 12 pupils Ruby S and Larkin A also stepped in at remarkably short notice to perform – a brilliant indication of the high standard of next year’s leading musicians. Thank you to all those who have supported our Music and Munch recital series this year and we look forward to next year’s concerts.

Cadet Clay Championships 2023

Two teams of Gresham’s cadets travelled to Cambridge Gun Club on Saturday and Sunday for the National Clay Target Shooting Championships. The ‘A Team’ of Charles A, Will N, Jack K and George A came first in the Flurry Competition, holding off their closest rivals Ampleforth College, by just one point, and retaining the trophy once again. They also retained the ‘Down the Line’ competition trophy and so remain national champions, and Gold Medal winners in both events. Charles A was the top shot of all CCF competitors and therefore represented the CCF in the prestigious inter-services national final where he top-scored once again.

The B Team, led by Sam W, with Toby W Alec A & Max C also shot well, especially considering that most of them were new to the competition. They came a very creditable 5^th in the Flurry, 3^rd in the ‘Down the Line’ and put in an astonishing team performance to beat the ‘A Team’ and achieve the silver medal in the 6-stand Sporting event, with the ‘A Team’ taking the Bronze. Max C was ranked as the 3^rd best CCF shot, in his first appearance at the competition.

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

Cadets enjoyed the CCF Afloat Camp during half term

The CCF held a tri-service afloat camp at Hickling Broad during the half term break, 26-30 May. On Saturday and Monday the cadets took RYA training courses in powerboating and dinghy sailing with cadets earning stage 2, stage 3 and Assistant Instructor qualifications in sailing and level 2 powerboating.

Sunday was an upriver trip to Horsey Mill in sail and powerboats. All cadets also enjoyed an evening of paddleboarding, and some additional sailing time on the water. It was a great long weekend of camping and water activities, complete with excellent catering by our professional RAF chef. Even the unseasonably cold weather didn’t dampen spirits! We look forward to more afloat activity on CCF field days.

Gritty Grasshopper 2023

The Gritty Grasshopper 2023 has concluded, the race times are in and most of the mud and stench has been washed out. Over 270 pupils took part in what was a great whole school event. It saw the Houses come together to raise some much-needed funds for the Holt Youth Project. They have currently raised over £4,000!  

Notable moments from the afternoon included the Howson’s chants and team spirit, the new fashion of wearing underwear on the outside and the brilliant support that the girls’ houses showed each other around the course. There are a few different categories; the team race, result, the House race result, and the ultimate winners; a combination of the house race time and total funds raised by the house. To work this out we subtracted the total pennies raised from the Houses’ total time.

Any last donations would be greatly appreciated, please click here to donate.

Music from the Movies

Any concert in Theatre in the Woods is special, purely because of its setting, a path leading to a wonderful open-air space with a leafy canopy and peaceful ambience. Add in an audience and a stage of musicians and the area, enhanced by lights, comes alive. It certainly did that on Thursday 25 May when the Music Department staged a ‘Music from the Movies’ Spectacular. A week of intensive rehearsals following weekly ensemble sessions since the beginning of the academic year showcased the passion and hard work of some 70 pupils as Concert Band, Orchestra, Marching Band, Brass Group, Strings Orchestra, Choirs and Soloists and House Band took a large and enthusiastic audience on a journey of music from the Silver Screen. 

The Opening Fanfare could only be one piece – the Theme from 20^th Century Fox opened a programme of some 30 pieces of music from films such as Space Odyssey, Star Wars, The Great Escape, Mulan, Toy Story, The Incredibles, Rock, Up!, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, The Body Guard, Top Gun, James Bond… on and on! Gresham’s has long had a high standard of choral singing, but the concert this evening particularly highlighted our instrumental musicians. What a back line of brass, sensitive playing from our strings, melodic sounds from the wind section, a strong percussion section and an Impressive House Band. Thanks must go to the music staff who performed with the pupils and all credit to our pupils to be able to play alongside professionals so effortlessly.

With too many pupils to mention, it was a final opportunity for our talented Year 13s to play with their friends and remind us how much the Music Department will miss their input and ability – some playing several instruments, singing and sorting tech back stage. Thank you  Johnny D, Jake O, Will J, Jethro H, Freddie S, Noah W, Grace H, Bea G, Summer H and Raphael C for the music. The rousing finale of Simple Minds Don’t You forget about Me, with Johnny on lead vocals was an apt way to close an memorable evening. Fortunately for the department there is no lack of talent to fill their big shoes and some spine-tingling performances from younger years across the musical disciplines makes for an exciting future.

For anyone who missed this wonderful evening, the Pop Concert on 23 June will be a chance to see many of our singers and musicians perform once again. Tickets from https://www.trybooking.co.uk/CKBB

Year 12 and 13 pupils visited three Buddhist centres representing different forms of Buddhism

Year 12 and 13 A level pupils visited three Buddhist centres representing Theravada, Vajrayana and Western forms of Buddhism. They received talks from resident teachers and practitioners, practised their respective forms of meditation and participated in Q&A sessions.

The U15 girls cricket team won the third round of the National Cup

The U15 girls win by 3 wickets in Round 3 of the National Cup competition. 39 for Liv M, 35 for Georgia D and 2/14 for Amelie H. Thanks to The Perse School for a great fantastic afternoon of cricket, and well done to everyone involved!

Year 12 pupils listened to the ‘Fatal 4’ Young Driver presentation

On 22^nd May, as part of the Year 12 Wellbeing Programme, Andy Nattrass from the Norfolk Roads and Armed Policing Team made his annual visit to Gresham’s to deliver the ‘Fatal 4’ Young Driver presentation. He explained how the four main causes of accidents and injury on Norfolk roads are: speeding, alcohol and drugs, mobile phones and not wearing seat belts. He also showed interviews with young people who had had lucky escapes, hospital staff and traffic police.  

This is an excellent talk that seeks to inform young people of the potential risks and dangers involved whilst empowering them to make good decisions and responsible choices.   

Andy returns to Gresham’s on 12^th June with other members of his team for their lorry blind spot event “Can you see me?”

The Charity Committee organised a House rounders tournament

The School Charity Committee organised a House rounders tournament earlier this half term to raise funds for our school charity partner The Holt Youth Project. Lots of fun in the sun was had by all participants but Queens’ emerged as champions by the very smallest of margins.