The latest Music and Munch featured a programme of singing, guitar and piano performances

The first concert of 2024 and the new term was Music & Munch on Friday 19th January. Despite it being a cold and frosty day, a decent audience came along to enjoy a programme of singing, guitar and piano performances. Edward DM topped and tailed the lunchtime concert, with a lively guitar performance of Iron Maiden’s The Trooper and brought things to a close with the more relaxing 1st movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight sonata. In between, Hennie D, Tristan B, Tilly R, Lucy C and Olivia E sang and Thomas S and Peter R played the piano. 

Remaining Music & Munch dates this term: Friday 16th February and Friday 15th March

Congratulations to Luisa, winner of the ESL Essay Writing Competition 2023

The competition is organised by the ESL Department at Gresham’s School. This year’s title invited pupils from schools across East Anglia to consider the following:

“Art is considered an essential part of all cultures throughout the world. However, these days, fewer and fewer people appreciate art and turn their focus to science, technology and business.

Why do you think that is?

What could be done to encourage more people to take interest in the arts?”

The field of entries was extremely strong and the judge, local award-winning journalist Alison Huntley, described them as “impressive…well-thought-out, reasoned, intelligent and knowledgeable”. Her job was almost impossible. In the end she chose two pupils from RHS as her junior winners and, in the senior category as her near-wins, Leonie B and Anjelika J and, as her overall winner, Luisa S for her wonderfully evocative opening and sensitive tone throughout.

Luisa received her prize of an Amazon voucher in chapel from the Headmaster.

We are delighted to be in the Sports Magazine Top 200 Schools for 2023

We are delighted to make the top 200 in the Sports Magazine Top 200 Schools for 2023. We came in 71st and we are thrilled to be in the list for the first time. Over the last year the School has had significant successes with girls and boys cricket; the girls reaching the Finals Day of the National U15 Cup and the boys the last 16 of the U18 Cup. The U15 girls reached the quarter finals of the netball cup. This year we hope to build on these successes and in the next few days our pupils are involved in 3 U15 National Quarter Finals in both girls hockey and rugby. A huge amount of hard work has been put into the programmes by the pupils and staff which we hope to continue to reap rewards in the future years to come.

Miranda presented ‘The Limits of Freedom’ in the latest Senior Colloquium

The Senior Colloquium enjoyed a presentation on Saturday from one of its star participants, Year 13 pupil Miranda H-S, entitled ‘The Limits of Freedom’. She had drawn on the ‘Four Freedoms’ (made popular by the Roosevelt administration in the first years of WW2) to explore, among other things, the modern challenges of censorship in literature, politics and religion. Room 11 in Big School was packed and the level and quality of questions and participation was excellent, in no small part due to Miranda’s deft management of the discussion.

Religious Studies and Philosophy pupils visited London for a Buddhism trip

At the beginning of term, Sixth Form pupils from the Religious Studies and Philosophy department departed for a two-day Buddhism trip from the 10th – 12th January. Arriving on Wednesday evening at London Docklands, the pupils were up for a busy first day.

Wednesday

Kagyu Samye Dzong

A Tibetan Buddhist centre of the Kagyu school. Pupils were led into Shrine Room Two and given a talk reflecting core Vajrayana beliefs. The various symbols significant to Vajrayana Buddhism in the shrine room were explained and the relationship the Kagyu School has with the Dalai Lama’s Gelug school was elaborated. Pupils engaged in Mindfulness, a breathing practice, with the lay practitioner taking the visit.

London Buddhist Centre

A Triratna organisation that reflects the Western combination of various Buddhist schools was a rich visit. With an initial discussion from the visit leader on the six core principles of their school, the mix of lay and monastic practice within the school and processes of ordination were explained. This was followed by a body-scan meditation and loving-kindness meditation. After a Q&A session, pupils arrived at Tottenham Court Road for lunch in central London.

SOAS University

The Chair of the Centre for Buddhist Studies at SOAS, Dr Lucia Dolce, kindly gave a seminar with her colleague, Dr Christian Luczanits. With initial discussion reflecting their interests (Japanese Buddhism and the impact of Buddhist art respectively), pupils were exposed to the standard of university-level study in Buddhism. Discussion topics during the seminar included the status of women, the inclusion of meditation in the school curriculum, and the significance of art in the transmission of Buddhism.

Kailash Momo

After a brief rest in the hotel pupils went to London’s only Tibetan restaurant. A reflection of the meat-eating practiced by Buddhists that contrasts with teachings of harmlessness (Ahimsa), pupils enjoyed a mix of Momo (dumplings), curries, and plenty of spice!

Thursday

Victoria and Albert Museum – Permanent Buddhist and Southeast Asian exhibits

After a minibus drive past Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, pupils arrived as the V&A opened. The three sections relating to Buddhism in the museum included artifacts depicting Buddhist concepts, such as the wheel of dharma and Buddha’s archery competition for the hand of Yasdhora. With an array of art relating to the different schools of Buddhism, pupils saw images such as the mourning of disciples at the Buddha’s death, the Buddha during his ascetic period and Tibetan Mandala.

Three Wheels Pure Land

A small semi-detached house forms the Three Wheels Pure Land centre. Featuring a Zen garden, the priest Kenshin, gave talks on his priority in seeking the unseen, practices important to the Shin Pure Land School and the practice of gratitude.

Buddhapadipa

The last visit was to the Uposatha hall at the 4-acre site home to the Theravadan monastics resident in Wimbledon. With rich and detailed art covering all the walls within the hall, the group’s monk explained the birth, mission, and death of the Buddha through the artwork displayed on the wall. A combination of modern science with Buddhist views was represented with a rocket, Mona Lisa and Charlie Chaplin found. This was followed by a Q&A session discussing the daily life of Theravadan Monks and views significant to Theravadans when compared to other schools, which was useful to the A level course pupils study.

Thanks goes to the pupils for representing the school so well with active engagement for each visit and making the trip a positive and useful learning experience. Also, to Mrs Nash and Mr Liberman for assisting with driving, travel, their energy and meditation prowess!

Our Schools’ Challenge Quiz Team have excelled in the East Anglia region tournament  

On Tuesday evening, Gresham’s Quiz Team – Guy P, Cerys D, James C, Darcy G and supporting sub Hennie D travelled out to King Edward VII’s Academy in King’s Lynn to play two back-to-back fixtures against KES. Our matches there have previously always been close and hotly contested. We were behind in the first match but pulled ahead to prevail 350-260 in the final stages. The second match was a much more comprehensive win, 390-120. Our team showed excellent knowledge of Prime Ministers, currencies, monarchs, bestselling albums and much else besides but it was great to see all four quizzers scoring key starters and contributing to a clean sweep of answers in some rounds. Special mention to Guy who performed with distinction in both matches, especially on the buzzer for starter questions. We have only lost one match in this competition in three years – good luck to the team in the next round.

The History Society met to discuss ‘this week in history’

The Gresham’s History Society met again on Tuesday evening and pupils from Years 11-13 discussed ‘this week in history’. Events discussed included Henry VIII’s becoming Supreme Head of the Church in England, the development of electric lighting, the coronation of Elizabeth I, the first air raids on Britain (which fell on Norfolk) and Hitler’s move to the bunker in Berlin as the Second World War moved decisively against him.

Guest speakers have been talking to pupils about career opportunities

Dale willis from My Great First Job

Dale Willis from My Great First Job visited Gresham’s to give insight on the skills needed to achieve career goals.

Year 10 pupils enjoyed an interactive presentation about skills. Dale talked to them about skills they are gaining and learning at Gresham’s and demonstrated, with his bag of props, how subject learning and skills are key for being successful in the working world.

Year 13 pupils had an instructive talk with Dale on using LinkedIn to showcase their personal brand.

Charlotte Hathaway from Excelsior

We were joined at Chapel by guest speaker, Charlotte Hathaway, Skipper of Excelsior.

Charlotte talked about the superb sailing opportunities with Excelsior in 2024, including:

• completing your DofE Gold residential on board the historic wooden sailing smack, sailing out of Lowestoft
• navigating the Baltic Sea as crew on the biggest and most beautiful tall ships if adventure calls and you are aged 15+
• sailing from Helsinki in Finland to Tallinn in Estonia or Mariehamn in Finland to Szczecin in Poland at the beginning of July

Schola Cantorum sang at the Fishmongers’ annual Livery Dinner and Carol Service

Members of Schola Cantorum made two trips to Fishmongers’ after term finished to sing at the annual Livery Dinner and the Carol Service. Resplendent in black tie and evening dress the choir sang carols on the impressive staircase as guests gathered to go into dinner on Wednesday 13th December. They then entertained between courses. On Monday 18th December, evening dress was swapped for school uniform and gowns as the choir led the carol service in St Magnus the Martyr.