Seats were at a premium for the Music and Munch on Friday 15 November as audiences were treated to wide range of vocal and instrumental offerings. Jemima A opened the lunchtime concert playing Allegretto by Godard, Tom S played Idea 22, a contemplative piano piece and Stanley W entertained with a saxophone favourite Lose Control.
Following a trio of songs, Maybe This Time from Edie C, Silent Noon from Jemima W, and I dreamed a dream from Clara Leeper, Dr Limbrick and his Percussion Ensemble concluded the concert with a foot-tapping performance of St Thomas by Sonny Rollins.
The School community gathered on Saturday to celebrate the announcement of the new Prep Heads of School for the 2024/2025 academic year. Reverend Jack kindly helped complete the announcements, adding a touch of fun by answering ‘would you rather..?’ questions before presenting a Head Boy badge.
We are delighted to congratulate the following pupils on their leadership roles:
Heads of School – Martha L, Hetty O, and Sammy B Head of Dyson – Cameron M
These pupils will head our leadership team in the year ahead, and we look forward to seeing their contributions to school life.
The STEAM Careers Convention was a dynamic and buzzing learning event, celebrating the exciting collaboration of employment and education with a focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). STEAM subjects are used in a variety of employment sectors and higher education courses.
The event welcomed all Senior School pupils, Year 7 Prep School pupils, and pupils from Alderman Peel, Cromer Academy, Fakenham Academy, Sheringham High School & Sixth Form. This collaborative gathering fostered a shared enthusiasm for exploring future pathways.
A standout feature of the day was the creative contribution of Rebecca Graphics, whose stunning illustrated wall captured the energy, curiosity, and insights of the pupils. This vibrant artwork brought their learning experiences to life, serving as a vivid reminder of the inspiration gained throughout the event.
This event perfectly demonstrated the vital role of STEAM in education and employment, and how linking the two can shape future learning, careers, and opportunities for both pupils and employers.
Year 9 explore the Archives as part of Remembrance Week
News > Year 9 explore the Archives as part of Remembrance Week
As part of Remembrance Week 2024, the History Department provided Year 9 pupils with a unique opportunity to engage directly with historical primary sources. This hands-on experience allowed pupils to delve into artefacts such as the 1903 school prospectus, photograph albums, the Junior School vellum Roll of Honour, The Gresham magazines from 1914-1918, and the personal diaries of housemaster Dallas Wynne Willson.
This immersive activity deepened their understanding of the school’s history during World War I and highlighted the significance of remembrance through tangible connections to the past.
Memories of Occupation, World War II, France
News > Memories of Occupation, World War II, France
On Thursday, the French Department was delighted to welcome Marie-Claude Hawkes who talked about life in Occupied France during the Second World War. Marie-Claude talked lucidly about her family’s experiences and memories of everyday life in rural Normandy during the war, particularly in the weeks following the D-Day landings.
The insight she shared was profoundly personal, and she recounted captivating, sometimes chilling, anecdotes. This period in history is a key theme in the A level French course and a focus in the IB HL French curriculum, making her first-hand recollections both highly valuable and enlightening for our Year 12 and 13 pupils.
It was a thought-provoking talk with ample opportunities to ask questions and pupils gained a great deal from the experience. Many thanks to Marie-Claude. We look forward to seeing her again next year.
In October, pupils marked Black History Month with impactful celebrations. Highlights included a memorable chapel talk from Mojo A, who shared the inspiring story of her Nigerian grandfather’s journey to success, driven by his belief in the power of education.
In class, pupils selected a role model of the month. IB English pupils explored Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches, analysing his powerful use of rhetorical techniques—emotive language, hyperbole, and anaphora—to relay his message and promote his dream of a time when “children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character”.
In PE, Mr. Sharrock’s class highlighted inspiring black athletes, learning how each person had overcome discrimination to excel. These activities offered meaningful insights and celebrated resilience, empowerment, and equality.
Year 12 Historians explore African History in East Anglia
News > Year 12 Historians explore African History in East Anglia
On Saturday, three of our Year 12 history pupils—Margie, Pablo, and Paul—visited Norwich Castle to attend a lecture by Dr Richard Maguire, Honorary Senior Lecturer at UEA’s School of History. The talk, hosted by the Norfolk and Norwich Historical Association, focused on Africans in East Anglia, 1467-1833.
Dr Maguire’s fascinating presentation traced the experiences of Africans in Norfolk and Suffolk, beginning with Eylys, a ship’s cabin boy recorded in Great Yarmouth in 1467, and leading up to the emancipation of slaves in 1833.
This was a stimulating talk which showed the importance of local history in challenging accepted narratives, and our pupils look forward to attending future lectures.
English-Speaking Union Mace Debating Competition
News > English-Speaking Union Mace Debating Competition
Many congratulations to Zinny B, Pablo B-G, and Cerys D for winning the first round of the ESU Mace Debating Competition’s Eastern Region. On Monday evening, they delivered a compelling argument to propose the motion This House would ban the use of facial recognition technology in public spaces against Norwich High School for Girls.
In an impressive display of quick thinking, they also volunteered to oppose the motion This House supports the implementation of a four-day school week as a swing team against Langley School—without any preparation time.
Out of the three teams advancing from this heat, Gresham’s was named the overall winner and now heads to round two. Well done, team, and best of luck in the next round!
Academic Enrichment: Oliver Logan explores STEAM in sports
News > Academic Enrichment: Oliver Logan explores STEAM in sports
As part of STEAM Week, we were delighted to host Oliver Logan, professional sports practitioner working with elite athletes and representing Team GB at four Olympic Games. Oliver’s visit provided a remarkable opportunity for our pupils to gain first-hand insight into the role of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) in the world of high-performance sports. His extensive experience showed how STEAM drives the success of Olympic and Paralympic athletes, enhancing performance in events such as Diving, Swimming, Athletics and Archery.
Oliver’s talk to both Sixth Form pupils and younger year groups offered a fascinating perspective on the sophisticated science and technology that underpin athletic excellence. His expertise shed light on the pivotal roles played by biomechanics, fluid mechanics, materials science, motion capture, artificial intelligence, and engineering—all of which contribute to pushing athletes toward peak performance.
In addition to his talk, Oliver engaged directly with pupils across various sports sessions, working alongside our athletic development pupils, coaching swimmers, and interacting with our GCSE and A level Sports pupils. His presence extended into classrooms as well, where he contributed to subject learning in Computer Science, Physics, and Maths. These immersive sessions brought STEAM concepts to life, demonstrating to pupils how real-world data and technological tools are essential in refining training, improving technique, and enhancing overall performance.
Through hands-on activities, such as using motion capture for technique analysis, studying fluid mechanics to optimise swimming, and exploring artificial intelligence in performance monitoring, pupils gained a deeper appreciation of how STEAM disciplines directly impact athletic achievement. Oliver’s guidance provided a practical understanding of how precision, problem solving, and innovation are essential to the world of elite sports today.
Oliver Logan’s visit was an outstanding celebration of STEAM in sports. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Oliver Logan, fostering enriching experiences for our pupils as they explore the limitless potential of STEAM in their studies and future careers. For more about Oliver’s work in performance enhancement, visit Logan Performance.
The historic grounds of Binham Priory served as an atmospheric and pensive backdrop to November’s School concert, which was a showcase of our most talented and dedicated choral singers.
Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine, written when he was nineteen years old and often paired with his Requiem in D minor, began proceedings in a meditative fashion. Next was the moving choral piece For the fallen by Douglas Guest, originally written for the Remembrance Sunday service in Westminster Abbey.
We then heard Charles Villiers Stanford’s motet Justorum animae, another song honouring the dead. Mendelssohn’s For the wings of a dove! from his anthem Hear my prayer, followed which featured a spellbinding soprano solo from Reva S. Continuing our theme of English composers, Purcell’s Thou Knowest, Lord was next, and to conclude the first half of the concert, our Crickets group performed Vivaldi’s Domine ad adjuvandum, which included a spirited duo performance from Naomi H-S and Zinny B.
The second half of the concert comprised entirely of Fauré’s aforementioned Requiem in D minor. The origins of this work are somewhat mysterious; although it was written relatively soon after the death of Fauré’s parents, he would later declare that “My Requiem wasn’t written for anything”. Whatever the case, this is probably the most popular of Fauré’s large scale works, and a full orchestral version was performed at his own funeral.
In the Offertoire movement, Milan H delivered an incredible tenor solo. In the calming Pie Jesu, we were again treated to a solo from Reva S. The next solo we heard was from baritone Rory R in the haunting and pleading Libera me. The final movement, the heavenly In Paradisum, rounded off the concert.
Special thanks to Mr Holford and Mr Brown on the keyboards, as well as the visiting professionals who made up the orchestra, joined by Kai S and Ilana B on violin. Finally, thank you to Mr Jones, Head of Chapel Music, for leading this wonderful concert.
