The Careers Department took prospective medical pupils to UEA and an OG spoke about the use of LinkedIn

OG Nathan Lomax T (2006 – 12) returned to his former House, Tallis to give some current Year 13 pupils a presentation into using the professional networking platform LinkedIn.

In his presentation he talked about life after school, careers and how to make yourself and using the platform of LinkedIn to help with this journey.  It was an extremely charismatic and helpful presentation.

The careers department organised and accompanied 5 prospective sixth form medical pupils to attend the Norwich Undergraduate Surgical Society event at UEA organised by current medical students studying at Norwich Medical School.

It was an extremely beneficial learning afternoon for the pupils with informative, honest and realistic presentations from current medical students on the application process. They particularly enjoyed the medical workshop carousel of suturing, bls, x-rays and shoulder examination.

All in all it was an extremely helpful & proactive afternoon which gave our pupils the opportunity to hear presentations but also to talk to students studying medicine to find out more for their next stage of study and application.

Year 12 pupil Jonny reflects on the RAF section’s first Wing Field competition

On Friday 21st April, the RAF section sent a team of 8 cadets to the annual Norfolk and Suffolk Wing ATC Wing Field competition which took place over the weekend at Wretham Camp in Thetford. It was the first time Gresham’s had attended and also the first time a CCF team had ever competed. The team took part in nine different activities, which were; aircraft recognition, first aid, archery, shotgun shooting, fieldcraft, STEM, orienteering, river crossing and tug of war, competing against the 25 Air Training Corps Squadrons from Norfolk and Suffolk.

Overall, the team placed 16th which is a very respectable result considering it was the team’s first time at this event and that there was some very well experienced teams competing. The best individual activity score was tug of war where Gresham’s placed joint third. All of the cadets who attended had a great time, and have paved the way for future competitions. Many thanks to Flt Lt Williams and Capt Bates who helped to train, organise and transport the team.

Well done to our U15 girls cricket team who won the first round of the National Tournament

The U15 team completed a great win over Wymondham College in the first round of the U15 National Tournament. Grace H-K hit a superb 83 not out from 56 balls, facing the first ball and carrying her bat in an impressive captain’s innings. Amelie H hit 22 from 15 balls and took 3 wickets for 11 runs off 4 overs in a fine all-round performance. It was an outstanding team outing and should set the team up nicely for Thursday’s Regional Final of the National Indoor Competition in Cambridge.

The team then came third in the Eastern Region after beating Shenfield, Champions of Essex, Leicester Grammar School, Champions of Leicestershire, and Ipswich School, Champions of Suffolk. They had a great run, and they must now focus on winning the outdoor national tournament.

Well done to Nico for organising a charity rugby match

Year 13 pupil Nico organised a charity rugby match in memory of his uncle, Jake Van Poortvliet, who sadly passed away in 2021 after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2019.

The match was set up to raise money for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which funds research and raises awareness of MND. Any donations to the Just Giving page are greatly appreciated, and can be made using this link: https://www.justgiving.com/page/nico-allen-1682009883424

LAMDA pupils achieved great results in their recent exams

Two LAMDA Drama pupils achieved great results in their graded exams recently – Joseph G and Grace C took their Grade 6 (Bronze Medal) exams in Solo Acting and both gained Distinction (also earning than additional UCAS points). Both pupils had to postpone their exams at the end of last year – but it was clearly worth the wait!  The LAMDA tutor, Eliza Miller, said “I’m extremely proud of both pupils for doing so well – they have worked very hard and it is has paid off – well done!”

Marie-Claude spoke to pupils about her memories of Occupied France during World War II 

On Tuesday 18th April, the French Department were delighted to welcome back Marie-Claude Hawkes talking about life in Occupied France during the Second World War. Marie-Claude talks very lucidly about her family’s experiences and memories in rural Normandy during the war and particularly in the weeks following the D Day landings. The insight she gives is profoundly personal and rooted in historical fact. This period in history is now one of the set themes of the A level French course and a literary period at IB HL French, and so first-hand recollections are immensely useful and insightful. It was a thought-provoking talk with ample opportunities to ask questions at any point and pupils gained a great deal from the experience. Many thanks to Marie-Claude. We look forward to seeing her again next year.  

The pupils involved were Daisy W, Kitty R, Harrie W, Darcey L and Phoebe W.  

Year 11 are enjoying adventure acitivities this term

This term there is the option for Year 11 pupils to take part in adventure/outdoor activities which will include surfing, mountain biking, paddle boarding and sea kayaking. In the first week, the group put their fire lighting skills to the test. Nothing more satisfying than foraging for, building and lighting a fire and keeping it lit to toast a marshmallow or two in the sunshine! There will be an opportunity for pupils to try the high ropes course later in the week.

They then tried out the high ropes, zip line and climbing wall. They also practiced tying knots and prepared a new rope for the climbing wall.

In the following weeks, the group had a go at mountain biking through the woods.

Jake Fiennes gave the final academic enrichment talk of the year

For the final enrichment talk of the academic year, we were delighted to welcome Jake Fiennes, Director of Conservation at Holkham Estate, to talk to Year 13 pupils about his book publication, ‘Land Healer – How Farming Can Save Britain’s Countryside’.

Jake gave an absorbing and enriching insight into Land Healer the story of Jake’s ambition to bring back flora and fauna – by reclaiming our traditions and trialling new experiments. Following the farming year and the natural cycle of the seasons, Land Healer chronicles a life of conservation and is a manifesto for rethinking our relationship with the natural world.

The Rifle Club enjoyed an Easter Training Week at Bisley

In the first week of the Easter Holidays, the Rifle Club enjoyed a very wet, and slightly cold, Easter Training week. In total, 15 members of the team, along with five members of staff, headed to Bisley for the week. Three pupils had already travelled to Bisley the previous day and were taking part in ‘Maple Taste’, a training / selection weekend for forthcoming GB cadet rifle team tours. Harry P and Jonny W were both training with the British Cadet Rifle Team ahead of their three-week tour to Canada in August and Georgie B was hoping for selection to the UK Cadet Rifle Team for the ten-day tour to the Channel Islands, also in August. By the end of the Rifle Clubs week at Bisley, the UKCRT team selection had been announced and Georgie B had been successful. Many congratulations to Georgie B on this thoroughly deserved achievement.

After their weekend with the GB cadet training, two of the three Gresham’s pupils (Jonny W headed off on DofE) then joined the rest of the Gresham’s team for the remainder of the week. Unfortunately, Georgie C had to leave the Camp after the weekend due to academic commitments.

The team had an excellent week of shooting but, other than on the first day, the weather was basically wet every day, all day. The training always starts at short range (300yds) and then over the course of the week we shoot over increasingly longer and longer distances. By the end of the week, the team were shooting over a distance of 1000yds. Shooting is not just about firing the perfect shot, although this is clearly important, there is also a lot of personal admin required and record keeping to be done. The evenings were spent learning the skills of plotting and coaching, which are both very important skills to have as the wind can have a massive effect on a bullet even at short range, let alone at 1000yds.

The new members of the Rifle Team did particularly well during the week and if they can shoot as well as they did, in the conditions we faced, then they can shoot well in almost any conditions. Very well done to them all.

These sorts of trips do not happen without the assistance of many people and thanks must go to Mrs Liberman, Capt. Scoles, Tony Clarke and Owen Liberman who all gave up their time to assist with the smooth running of the camp. It was a fantastically successful trip.