The end of the Half Term break marked the much-anticipated annual House Music 2024 competition, showcasing the incredible musical talent across the School. Pupils from all houses competed in three categories: instrumental, part song, and unison, with each house delivering captivating performances.

The event was judged by expert vocal coach and choral director Mark De-Lisser. Most famously, Mark appeared as a vocal coach on ITV talent show The Voice for eight years, and currently performs the same role on The Masked Singer.

The competition was fierce, with every house striving for top honours in each category. Woodlands House took the trophy for the Instrumental category. Queens’ House emerged as the winner of the Part Song category, while Edinburgh House captured the Unison award. A huge well done to Queens’ House who was crowned the overall winner of the 2024 competition.

The event was a true celebration of the house system, with every pupil contributing to their house’s success. Supported by the entire school community, the atmosphere was electric, making House Music 2024 a resounding success.

A group of eighteen Year 11 cadets spent the first day of the October Half Term break on the CCF Junior Leadership Course.

In a day filled with activity, they were all introduced to leadership in practical tasks, taking command of teams in scenarios that varied from saving casualties, crossing simulated minefields, building watercourses, and re-constructing sabotaged information.

They all performed well, despite unpleasant weather conditions, and finished the course with a smart parade in front of their parents.

For the first time in several decades, Gresham’s has a group of keen campanologists learning to change ring at Upper Sheringham Church each week.

The pupils are all new to bellringing and are making astounding progress. In a few months, we hope the pupils will share their new talent with the local community—perhaps they will be ringing for a wedding or Sunday service near you.

Our final Saturday Chapel service of the Half Term was nothing short of a feast for the ears and the mind. It blended outstanding musical performances with thought-provoking insights on the importance of caring for our planet.

The service opened with incredible musical performances, featuring our talented Concert Band, Jazz Band, and the Junior Girls Choir. For many pupils, it was their first time performing in front of the entire school, making their achievements even more remarkable.

We also enjoyed a moment for reflection through a compelling talk delivered by Cara Parrett from the Faraday Institute. Her presentation explored the scientific, religious, and cultural factors that need to be addressed if we are to care for our planet effectively.

Sixth Form pupils who had the privilege of going on the Kenya trip this summer recently delivered a captivating presentation to the school, sharing their experiences from the journey. The talk covered a wide range of topics, from encounters with wildlife to football matches, moving stories, even an account of the toilet facilities!

Perhaps most importantly though, the pupils talked about the ongoing link between Gresham’s and Opalagilagi School in Kenya. As Gresham’s main overseas charity partner, Olpalagilagi School plays a vital role in improving the lives of young people, and the pupils highlighted the meaningful impact of this long-term partnership.

During Field Days, eighteen pupils had the exciting opportunity to learn how to teach English as a foreign language. Over the course of two days, they engaged in a variety of fun and interactive activities, ultimately earning a valuable qualification in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language).

The first day was about ‘systems’ (grammar) and understanding what the classroom experience is like for those learning English. To do this, the instructor taught the group some basic greetings in Chinese without speaking any English. Instead, he used pictures and gestures to convey meaning and instruction. This helped the whole group learn how to ensure pupils with little knowledge of English can understand instructions and learn new vocabulary.

That afternoon, the pupils taught their first lesson in small groups to the whole class about any aspect of English grammar. Topics ranged from the future simple tense to adverbs of frequency. Although the topics were wide-ranging, all the lessons followed TEFL guidelines, such as minimise Teacher Talking Time and follow the three Ps (Presentation, Practice, Production).  

The next day focused on teaching the skills of learning a new language: reading, writing, listening and speaking, with a particular focus on reading and listening. They took part in many different activities that they could use to teach people listening and reading skills, such as dictation, gap fills and sequencing events in a story.

The group also learnt to structure a skills lesson with activities before, during and after the reading or listening. With plenty of knowledge under their belts, the pupils taught their skills lessons that afternoon which featured many different activities, including those that they had created themselves, and some familiar favourites such as board slap and charades.  

This TEFL course was a wonderful experience for all involved, and in a few weeks, pupils will receive a certificate which shows that they are qualified to teach EFL abroad.

The whole group would like to say a big thank you to Mrs Osborne for organising the course, Ms Masters for supervising and Nathan Lomax, the TEFL instructor.  

Recently, the CCF (Combined Cadet Force) enjoyed a diverse and action-packed series of Field Days, with each section of the contingent participating in unique activities tailored to their respective branches.

The Royal Navy section spent two days at Hickling Broad, sailing and powerboating. They also enjoyed an afloat expedition along the river which tested their boat handling skills.

Army section Junior Cadets went to the Muckleburgh training area and followed a circuit of activities to develop basic fieldcraft skills, including camouflage, navigation, patrolling and First Aid. They also spent half a day on-site at Gresham’s, where they practised fire and movement tactics on a specially constructed outdoor air rifle range and participated in an exciting paintball activity.

Senior Cadets conducted an evening platoon attack exercise using blank ammunition, designed to enhance their skills of night navigation and tactical manoeuvres. The seniors also put their training to the test by conducting building assault drills, using paintball weapons in a purpose-built compound nestled in the school woods.

The RAF section was treated to a rare opportunity to visit RAF Marham and see the F35 fighter jets up close, and gain insight into the daily operations of an active RAF station. In addition to this visit, senior RAF cadets worked on developing their leadership skills through a series of command challenges held at the school.

Overall, the October Field Days offered an incredible mix of learning, adventure, and skill-building for cadets across all sections.

As part of the Field Days this October, we sent a group of pupils to the Holt Youth Project to help with a number of jobs that needed to be done. Over two days, our pupils cleared out the upstairs, tidied the allotment, hung murals, checked and maintained bicycles, refreshed and cleaned the clothes shop, cleaned the kitchen, mowed the lawn and dismantled pallets. 

The pupils worked tirelessly for two days without a grumble and were a credit to themselves, and to Gresham’s. HYP staff complimented the pupils and were amazed at how they got on with the work so quickly and efficiently. 

Whilst they were there, Fleur B, Evie B and Kathryn D spent a small fortune on clothes from the HYP shop after cleaning and tidying it all morning – all the money goes towards the HYP, so thank you girls. Kit P, Joey H and Charlie R attached a huge mural to the wall. Beatrice C-L and Arthur L tried to attach a small board to the wall with less success. Belle W, Issy K, Inez C and Kevin Z worked incredibly hard with Father Jack to clear out the upstairs.

On the second day, the weather was much better, so the team tackled the outside area. Amelie C, Jikke D, Jamie S, Florence P, Annabelle L and Ella H did an amazing job clearing and tidying the allotment alongside Mrs Edwards. 

Mrs Nash, Izzy H, and Shreya Y did bike maintenance and, once they had figured out how to undo the ratchet straps, had fun blowing up tyres and ‘testing’ the bikes around the car park. Lucy B, Lottie B and Emily B made mincemeat of the pallets with a crowbar and hammer – it was quite scary to watch Lucy B demolish a pallet with a crowbar.

After a hard morning’s work and a much-needed break for lunch, the pupils built a fire in the firepit on the freshly mown lawn. Less was more here, as some of the girls thought it was bonfire night and wanted a huge fire. However, after halving the size of the fire, we made s’mores over the open flames. Some s’mores were slightly more cooked than others, but it was a lovely end to a very productive and happy two days helping at the Holt Youth Project. Thank you to all the pupils who participated, it was very much appreciated. 

As part of an engaging and dynamic day dedicated to building essential skills and adaptability post-Sixth Form life, the Year 13 pupils participated in a series of valuable workshops.

The Careers Department welcomed Accredited Executive Business Coach and trainer, Penny Hubbard, who led an energising Confidence Workshop. The pupils actively participated in group discussions, exploring the many benefits of confidence and how it can positively impact their future. The session was a resounding success, with pupils leaving equipped with practical strategies to implement over the next three months.

As part of the workshop’s challenge, each pupil made a personal pledge to step outside their comfort zone by undertaking one bold action before Christmas.

In the second half of the day, Dale Willis from My Great First Job delivered an interactive CV writing session, giving pupils the tools to create standout CVs. This was followed by a hands-on LinkedIn workshop where Year 13s were shown how to effectively set up and optimise their profiles. They also learned how to use the platform to take proactive steps toward their future career goals. The day left pupils feeling informed, and ready for the next stage of their journey.