Charlotte Davey talks to pupils about the future of work in an AI world

This morning, we were delighted to welcome Charlotte Davey, Strategy and Propositions Director at Succession Wealth, to deliver a thought-provoking Chapel talk on The Future of Work in an AI World.

Charlotte explored how the rise of Artificial Intelligence is reshaping careers and workplaces, while highlighting the timeless value of human strengths—particularly resilience, adaptability, and curiosity.

She encouraged pupils to embrace challenge, learn from failure, and step outside their comfort zones—skills that will be vital in thriving alongside AI and navigating the careers of tomorrow.

Lizz B awarded commendation for languages competition

We are delighted to announce that Year 10 pupil, Lizz B, was selected for a commendation in the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators. Lizz entered the Year 10-11 category and translated a passage from a novel telling the story of the author Maryse Condé’s childhood in Guadeloupe. Guadeloupe, an island in the Caribbean, was made an Overseas Department of France (DOM: Département d’Outre-Mer) in 1946, which means that Guadeloupe has the same status as any region of mainland France and the inhabitants of Guadeloupe are French citizens. In the opening chapter of this novel, the narrator recalled how much her parents loved their trips to France which had been interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War. The passage recounted the experience of their first trip back to Paris in 1946.   

Over 22,000 students participated in the competition in 2025 with almost 5,000 entries judged, so this is a fantastic achievement. The judges also commented on the very high standard of entries this year and remarked that it was extremely hard to choose winners and commendations. Lizz’s success sits alongside that of Cerys D who won the Spanish Level 4 category. 

Music and Munch goes international 

On Friday 23rd May, 14 talented pupils performed in an international-themed Music and Munch. The audience were treated to music from different countries and in different languages, including Russian, Italian and an amazing performance of a Brazilian piece from the Percussion Ensemble.

To enhance the journey across the world, everyone enjoyed Spanish tortilla, Cuban sandwiches and Greek honey cake. The event was in aid of the Association for Language Learning, a charity which supports language teachers and promotes the learning of foreign languages. 

The concert was organised by four IB pupils for their CAS Project, with the help of the Languages, Music and Catering Department. Thank you to all who contributed to such a successful event.  

Year 9 showcase their performance skills in Music extravaganza

Wednesday 14th May saw the Auden theatre packed with expectant parents (and staff) ahead of the Year 9 Music Showcase. If there was nervous anticipation, fears were soon allayed, as excellence prevailed. 

Pupils showcased their talent with a variety of performances from Beethoven and Vittorio Monti to Meghan Trainor, Bill Withers and David Bowie. The evening was a roaring success. The performances of each individual took the audience on a journey of discovery, played with their emotions and brought a smile to their faces.

They were moved by the tenacity, bravery, composure, and confidence of the pupils willing to display their talents or just take part. The extravaganza was exactly what a music showcase should be… Enjoyable for all. 

Girls’ Tennis Summer Half Term review 2025

The Summer Term for girls’ tennis began with exceptional weather, providing ample opportunities for players to engage in matches and hone their skills.

The junior girls’ teams have demonstrated remarkable performance, playing against Beeston on two occasions. They also faced strong competition from King’s Ely, Framlingham, and RHS, achieving commendable results that have boosted their confidence and experience.

The senior girls’ teams have experienced a mix of outcomes but have relished the chance to compete in numerous challenging matches. Their fixtures included games against Framlingham, King’s Ely, North Elmham, and Cromer Ladies, providing valuable exposure to high-level tennis.

The final tennis match was round two of the National Cup, at Framlingham. A special mention goes to Prep School pupil, Yevheniia, who played in the U16 tournament. Yevheniia has had yet another sensational Half Term, as have her teammates who also attended this event. 

Throughout the Half Term, the girls’ teams have actively participated in various prestigious tournaments. The U14 and U16 teams competed in the School Sports Magazine Cup, while the U18 girls showcased their abilities in the LTA Abedare Cup. Looking ahead, the junior teams are set to compete in the LTA Year 9-10 competition.

The Summer Term has been a period of growth and success for the girls’ tennis teams, marked by strong performances and valuable experiences. As the term progresses, the teams continue to demonstrate their passion for the sport and their dedication to achieving their goals.

Impressive pre-season sets the tone for Girls Cricket in 2025

The Girls Cricket team has made a fantastic start to the 2025 season, recording 17 wins, 7 losses, and 2 walkovers. This strong record was built on a productive pre-season, where the U15 and 1st XI squads gained momentum through four matches and two additional days of training.

U15s Shine at New Hall

The U15s launched their season with a full day of cricket at New Hall School, opening with a commanding 48-run victory. Prep school star Sophia S marked her debut in style with an unbeaten 43, leading the team to a total of 139. The bowling attack fired on all cylinders, with wickets evenly distributed among Clemmie O, Emilia C, Georgina W, and Livs S—who delivered a remarkable 2 for 3 in just two overs. Sophia S earned Player of the Match honours.

In the afternoon fixture, the confidence was clear. New Hall batted first but were again restricted, managing just 59. Bowlers Gen H (2 for 3) and Angelica (2 for 1) starred, supported by consistent wicket-taking from the rest of the squad. The chase was a formality, completed with 12 overs to spare. Gen H’s all-round performance—20 runs and two wickets—secured her the Player of the Match award.

First Team Tested by County Talent

The 1st XI faced a challenging start against the Norfolk County U18s. Charlotte G impressed with a fluent 54 as the team posted 129, but the experienced county side proved too strong. Despite wickets from Issy, Angelica, and Amelie H, the total was chased down. Notably, this match saw the First XI debuts of Livs S and Lotty D—names to watch for the future.

Bounce-Back Win in Style

The squad bounced back in style in their next outing. Bowling first, they restricted their opponents to 103 thanks to a standout performance from Amelie H (1 for 16) and a game-changing spell by Livs S, who claimed 3 for 5 in under two overs. With the bat, the chase was calm and controlled. Etta C led the way with 26, while debutant Gen H anchored the innings with Clemmie O to finish the game five overs early.

Georgia D leads first XI triumph

One of the season’s standout individual performances came in the First XI’s triumphant clash against Repton. Georgia D was in top form, blasting 50 runs in just 12 overs, leading the team to a victorious win.

A Promising Outlook

The 2025 Girls Cricket team has shown depth, resilience, and emerging talent. With strong individual performances across both junior and senior teams, and players stepping up in key moments, the season promises much more success as fixtures continue.

Cerys D crowned winner of prestigious translation competition

Cerys D in Year 12 has been crowned the winner for the East of England in the 2025 Anthea Bell Translation Competition for Spanish.

This year’s competition was especially competitive, with over 5,000 entries submitted from more than 22,000 participants nationwide. Judges praised the exceptionally high standard of submissions, making Cerys’s win all the more impressive.

We are incredibly proud of Cerys for this tremendous achievement.

Grace C breaks six Girls’ Swimming records

This term, the swim team were tasked with the challenge of attempting to break longer distance school records.

Year 9 pupil, Grace C met this challenge head-on and managed to break six Girls’ records, all of which are long standing, for ten or more years.

At just 14 years old, Grace now holds the record for the following:

  • U16 Girls 400m Free
  • U16 Girls 800m Free
  • U16 Girls 1000m Free
  • U16 Girls 100m Fly
  • U16 Girls 1500 Free (60 Lengths)
  • U19 Girls 1500 Free

Congratulations to Grace on this fantastic achievement.

Boys’ Cricket season highlights

The cricket season at Gresham’s launched in spectacular fashion, with both promising performances and glorious spring weather.

Pre-Season Action

Over the Easter break, the U15 Boys kicked things off with an overnight trip to Newhall, securing two confident wins. Will C led the charge with an unbeaten 50 in the first match.

Meanwhile, the 1st XI faced Haileybury College in pre-season fixtures, splitting the games with one win and one loss. Notable performances included JC M’s fluent 72 and a blistering 100 from Charlie J off just 60 balls. The week wrapped up with a narrow defeat to The Leys in what was a closely contested encounter.

Week 1: Competitive Start Against Norwich

The first block fixture of the term was against Norwich, with the honours shared across six matches—three wins apiece.

  • U14A chased down 89 comfortably to win by 9 wickets, with Monty W scoring a composed 50*.
  • U15B continued last season’s momentum, with Freddy W starring with figures of 3-6.
  • U15A fell short by 30 runs.
  • 2nd XI secured their first win thanks to a brilliant 71* from James C-M.
  • 1st XI came up short chasing 278, undone by a flurry of run-outs and missed opportunities, eventually losing by 62 runs.
  • The Development XI won against Sheringham, with half-centuries from Charlie S and Elliot A, and an incredible 7-23 from Toby M.
Week 2: Mixed Results and Big Performances

Gresham’s bounced back well in Week 2, starting with victories for both the 1st and 3rd XI against Culford. JC and Josh K each scored fine half-centuries.

Against RHS and Uppingham, the school recorded five wins:

  • U14B claimed their first win, with Stanley W scoring 25* and “Mr Extra” contributing generously.
  • U14A pulled off a dramatic turnaround victory thanks to Thomas H’s 78* and four wickets in a single over—including a hat-trick.
  • U15B beat RHS As in just 7 overs.
  • 2nd XI continued their strong run with another dominant win.
  • 3rd XI narrowly lost a thriller in the final over.
  • 4th XI made their Saturday debut at Uppingham, with strong batting from Max C and Freddie B.
  • In a high-quality fixture against Repton, the U15A lost despite fifties from Finley S (Year 8) and Charlie S, with over 400 runs scored in the match.
  • The 1st XI wrapped up the week chasing 160 comfortably—Alf S took 3 wickets on debut, and JC and Josh K finished the job in 20 overs.
Week 3: Strong Bounce Back After Oundle Defeats

A tough block against Oundle on VE Day saw four losses:

  • U14A suffered a heavy defeat despite 50s from Monty W and Theo C.
  • U15 batted inconsistently and lost chasing a modest total.

Saturday’s fixtures against Framlingham brought better results:

  • U14B edged a thriller by 3 runs thanks to Lewis H and Oscar F.
  • U14A posted 190 with 70s from Oli C and Monty W.
  • U15B remained unbeaten, with Benji L scoring 50 in a 6-wicket win.
  • 3rd XI lost by 29 runs; Hugo G scored 29 and Austin L took 3-22.
  • 2nd XI extended their unbeaten run with a commanding 7-wicket win—Alex K took 5-17, and Hector B smashed a 32-ball 53.
  • 1st XI set a dominant 314 total, led by Josh K’s maiden 1st XI hundred (106) and supported by Cameron H (43). The bowlers shared the spoils as Framlingham made 230-9.
  • The Development XI thrashed St Andrews CC by over 100 runs, thanks to 50s from Archie C, Jack H, and James C-M, and a 4-26 haul from Charlie W.
  • In the County Cup, U14s defeated Langley, with Monty W just missing out on a century, ending 99*.
Week 4: Cup Highlights and More Milestones
  • In the National U18 Cup vs Norwich, the 1st XI restricted their opponents to 158, but fell 18 runs short in the chase, despite 40s from JC and Will C.
  • The U14A continued their County Cup success with another 99* from Monty Waters and four wickets—including a second hat-trick of the season—for Thomas Howe.
  • The U15s were narrowly beaten by Norwich in the County Cup Final—an agonising loss in a competition they had real hopes of winning.

Saturday brought a successful block against Culford:

  • U14B won convincingly with Stanley W scoring an unbeaten 83.
  • U14A recorded another comfortable win with fifties from Monty and Thomas.
  • U15B coasted to another win, while the U15A fell short again.
  • The annual fixture against I Zingari saw a drawn result. Gresham’s declared on 277-6, with a 50 from JC and a stunning 100* from Will P—his first for the 1st XI. He also marked his 50th wicket for the team, a notable double milestone. I Zingari responded with 178-6.

The week wrapped up with anticipation for upcoming matches, including the U17s facing Cambridge University and more fixtures against Langley.

With standout performances, rising young stars, and numerous individual milestones, Gresham’s cricket season is off to a memorable start. From thrilling finishes to dominant displays, the boys are showing depth across all age groups—promising plenty more excitement as the term continues.

Pupils design new artwork for the Dyson Building

On Monday 19 May, two new wall rugs were unveiled at the bottom of the stairs in the Dyson Building.

A number of pupils and teachers were on hand to see the unveiling. The fabulous pieces of art were designed by Year 10 pupils Lachlan M and Miriam G, expertly made by the Deirdre Dyson Carpet company, and commissioned by one of the School’s most generous art benefactors – the Sir Colin Anderson Memorial Trust.

For more than forty years, the Sir Colin Anderson Memorial Trust has commissioned multiple pieces of art for the School, including the bouncing ball structure by the Parade Ground, the Auden and Britten stone pillars by the Chapel and behind the Auden Theatre, and the stone hand that lives outside the Cairns Centre, to name but just a few.

Last academic year, members of the Trust asked Year 9 pupils to come up with designs for two new wall rugs to be hung inside the building and that reflected the STEAM subjects. There proved to be stiff competition, with many interesting designs being submitted. In the end, Lachlan and Miriam’s colourful designs were chosen.

The School extends its sincere thanks to the trustees of the Sir Colin Anderson Memorial Trust for their loyal and generous support, as well as its congratulations to both Lachlan and Miriam for coming up with two fantastic designs that will forever be displayed in the Dyson Building.