A celebration of culture at our annual International Tea Party

14 September 2026

Thursday afternoon saw the return of our much-anticipated start of term international tea party, with the location this year upgraded to the Headmaster’s office. Members of our international community, from all year groups and houses and a range of nationalities, came together over tea, cake and other sweet treats to socialise, compare notes on the first few days of term, and forge the foundations of friendship and an ongoing support network.

The rich cultural community at Gresham’s includes pupils of over 25 different nationalities and, for some, acclimatising to a new school, country and culture away from family can be a lot to process, especially at the start of term when everything is unknown. Both new and returning pupils attended the busy gathering, those with previous experience of Gresham’s kindly sharing their expertise and offering invaluable guidance to our new cohort to put them at their ease. Returning pupils, along with staff, did a sterling job of welcoming our new pupils, and it was lovely to see so many smiling faces and hear Mr Robb’s office full of conversation and laughter. The general consensus among the group on day five of term was that everyone is busy and tired, but happy!

Pupils have been set some mini challenges, designed to get them exploring the school campus and interacting with others. Smaller scale regular social events for our international community are also scheduled throughout the year, allowing pupils time and space to relax, connect with their peers and share experiences. There will therefore be plenty more opportunities for getting together over tea and biscuits, just not always in the Headmaster’s office.