Enrichment talk: the humanitarian impact of the Ukraine–Russia war

Year 13 pupils were privileged to hear from Ukrainian lawyer Maria Pryzyhlei, who delivered a powerful enrichment talk on the humanitarian consequences of the Ukraine–Russia conflict.

Drawing on her expertise and lived perspective, Maria spoke with knowledge, passion, and honesty about the reality of daily life for ordinary people caught in the war. She illustrated the scale of the crisis through a compelling presentation, showing:

• The advancement of Russian forces into Ukraine
• The size of Ukraine, and how it compares to regions across Europe and the UK
• The profound human impact — from displacement and loss to the resilience of communities.

The session challenged pupils to engage and think about the impact of invasion and war with issues of everyday life, education, social interaction and food supplies being disrupted. Our pupils showed great empathy and understanding to those affected.

This talk is part of our ongoing Sixth Form Enrichment Programme, designed to bring global issues into the classroom, broaden perspectives, and deepen the academic and human context of our pupils’ learning.

IB pupils investigate plastic waste in Collaborative Sciences Project

Last week, pupils in Year 12 studying for the IB completed their Collaborative Sciences Project. This project involved researching a theme that had a local, national and international context, as well as designing and carrying out an experiment related to that theme. After 10 hours of planning, research and preparation, each group then delivered a presentation to their peers and other academic staff.

This year, the theme was plastics. We had experiments that investigated a range of factors, including how far different plastics travelled in moving water, how UV light affected plastic breakdown, whether different solvents could help with plastic degradation and whether recycled/biodegradable plastics were significantly weaker than others. They also made bio-friendly plastic from corn starch.

The ideas were varied and the research detailed. Not only was this excellently done by all involved, but the projects gave everyone a sense of conviction about how we can solve the scale of the problems caused by plastic waste. As one group asked in their presentation: “To what extent does knowledge about the harms of plastic create an obligation to act?”

Pupils deliver complex presentation on the history of the Middle Eastern conflict

The 2025–26 Academic Enrichment Lecture Series began yesterday with a compelling presentation delivered by Mr Kinder, Head of History, alongside Head Boy Tamin R and fellow Sixth Form pupil, Seb W.

Their lecture, titled The History of the Middle Eastern Conflict, was a masterclass in historical knowledge, preparation, and clarity of thought. It was particularly impressive to see two of our current pupils present with such confidence and depth, exemplifying both their hard work and their ability to engage with complex subject matter.

Academic Scholars attend first ever Scholars’ Supper

This week, our Academic Scholars met for their inaugural Scholars’ Supper. Designed as a forum for sharing academic excellence, the Scholars were served supper by Mr Robb, Mr Chart-Boyles, Mr Seldon and Mr Philpott who then joined pupils for some lively table discussions.

The evening ended with a presentation ceremony where pupils were each given a Scholar’s Journal in which they will record as many interesting and exciting academic thoughts and experiences as they can before their next supper together.

Boarders enjoy Gresham’s ‘In-weekend’

This past weekend, we welcomed boarders to join in with our inaugural ‘In-Weekend’.

The activities kicked off with pupils gathering in their Houses and across campus, engaging in lively conversations and getting to know one another better. Saturday evening saw everyone dining together in the dining hall before a special blessing from Rev. Jack, complete with generous chocolate treats.

Afterwards, the fun continued outdoors with a game of manhunt in the school woods followed by Prefect-led sports including rounders, cricket, and football. Pupils then returned to their Houses to relax — some enjoying movie nights and pampering sessions, while others gathered around fire pits to make s’mores.

Sunday started with a quick boarders’ run and a refreshing Pilates session before pupils enjoyed the much-anticipated brunch in the CFB. The afternoon featured a trip to Holkham Beach. With sunny skies and a gentle breeze, the pupils made the most of the visit — many stopping first for ice cream before heading down to the shore explore.

Back at Gresham’s, pupils had time to unwind or practice music in the Britten Building, followed by a hearty Sunday roast dinner. Some took advantage of the school pool for a twilight swim to round off the weekend.

In the coming weeks pupils will have the chance to part-take in a range of activities, including paddle boarding, hockey on the Astros, cricket nets, climbing tower challenges, robotics and VR sessions, art workshops, pizza making, and local trips to Sheringham for seaside fun and shopping.

Welcome Tea Party for International pupils

We had a fantastic turnout for the International Pupil Welcome Tea Party in the first week of term, with our busiest event yet. International pupils – both new starters and returners from last year – from across the school came together in the Library to get to know each other and swap experiences and advice. 

It was fantastic to see so many smiling faces and the rich diversity we have in school, with representatives from every house, year group and at least eighteen nationalities in attendance, all enjoying some well-earned downtime and sweet treats.

Attendees wore flag badges which served as conversation starters and allowed pupils to spot others from their home country, meet pupils from other parts of the world, and brush up on their geography, while hopefully forming the foundations of some lifelong friendships. For pupils adjusting to a new school as well as a new country, culture and language, it can be a helpful reassurance to know others have similar experiences and our returning pupils did a wonderful job of offering support to their newer peers.

We will continue to hold bi-termly informal gatherings for our international community, enabling the pupils to build upon these strong foundations.

Year 11 pupils celebrate top-tier GCSE results

Continuing the academic momentum set earlier in the summer by our pupils’ superb IB, A level and BTEC outcomes, Gresham’s GCSE pupils are also celebrating fantastic results. 

This year, nearly 40% of pupils’ grades are at the highest 9/8 level, a 7.5% increase on 2024, while our 96.5% grade 9-4 pass rate continues to defy the national trend (which fell again this year to 67.4%). 

87 pupils have managed to achieve at least one coveted grade 9 or 8 this year, showing that this cohort of Greshamians have been recognised for their talents across the full breadth of subjects on offer. 

Particular successes include Kyla C, James C and Lottie H who achieved a grade 9 or 8 across all 11 subjects, while Polly H, Amelie H and Freddie L all secured 10 GCSEs at the top two grades. 

Congratulations to the whole Year 11 cohort on their hard work this summer, and a huge thank you to their teachers and parents for supporting them so well.