This week, Year 13 pupils welcomed Old Greshamian Siam Kidd for an enrichment talk examining the rapid development of artificial intelligence and the technological forces likely to shape the decades ahead.

Drawing on examples from previous waves of innovation — from the rise of the internet, to today’s accelerating AI infrastructure — Siam encouraged pupils to consider how transformative technologies have historically reshaped economies, industries and everyday life. His talk explored how AI is now influencing fields as diverse as robotics, biotechnology and space exploration, and challenged pupils to think about the scale and speed of change that may define the coming generation. 

The session prompted a wide range of reactions among the Year 13 cohort. Some pupils appreciated the speaker’s direct and provocative style, valuing the honesty with which he discussed both the promise and the uncertainty of emerging technologies. Others questioned aspects of the predictions presented and engaged critically with the ideas shared.

Whatever individual viewpoints, the talk certainly achieved its aim of stimulating thought and discussion. 

As Generation Z prepares to enter an increasingly technology-driven society, opportunities to hear different perspectives on innovation, ethics and global change remain an important part of the enrichment programme. The session served as a reminder that while the future of AI may be uncertain, intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and adaptability will be essential qualities for the next generation navigating it.

The annual School versus Old Greshamian small-bore target rifle match recently took place at Gresham’s. Traditionally, the match has been held on Winfarthing Rifle Range, in Suffolk, but this year, it was decided that the event would take place on the Gresham’s School Range. A total of thirty-five people competed, and for the first time in many years, both the School and the OGs were able to field two teams of eight for the match.

Within the match, each individual shoots two 10-bull deliberate cards to give the team a total out of a possible 1,600 points. The ‘A’ team’s match was a very close contest, with the School scoring a strong 1,542 points, just five points behind the OGs’ 1,547 points. 

Although the OG team have won this match for the past four years, the School team didn’t make it easy for them this year. The top shot on the day was from Ilana B, who scored a fantastic 199 out of 200. The top OG shot was by Ben D, who scored an impressive 198, having not shot a small-bore rifle since he left school five years ago. 

In the ‘B’ Team’s match, the OGs had a slightly more comfortable victory, by 26 points, against our younger School team. The top shot was Bertie B, who scored an impressive 195 out of 200. Matt F was top shot for the OG team, with a 193.

We also ran a Rapid competition, in which each competitor had just 90 seconds to fire 10 scoring shots. With so little time available, there is barely a moment for anything other than focusing on getting the best ten shots away as quickly as possible. Many shooters struggle simply to complete the course of fire, let alone achieve a strong score. That was not the case for Bertie B, who not only completed his shoot but also recorded his first-ever perfect score of 100. An impressive achievement!

The day ended with a debrief and an enjoyable Sunday roast for the OG team at The Feathers.

Year 10 historians studying Medicine Through Time as part of their GCSE History course were able to explore the impact of the printing press in the Renaissance period by visiting the School Archive.

They journeyed to the basement under the Library to explore the Foundation Library, which dates back to the time of Headmaster Thomas Tallis. Pupils were able to handle books dating back to the 1530s and received a memorable insight into the difference that the printing press made to the transmission of knowledge.

On Wednesday afternoon, our Year 12 and 13 A level historians studying the Wars of the Roses were fortunate enough to be addressed by Andy Johnson, a former Gresham’s parent, who has recently published a book entitled ‘York versus Lancaster: The Battles and History of the Wars of the Roses’.

Mr Johnson explored the origins of the conflict and explained how recent scholarship is challenging the traditional explanations of battles such as St Albans I, Wakefield and Towton. His Q & A session followed, exploring all aspects of the conflict through to the 1460s.