Year 9 pupils take on the One Day Film School 10-Shot Challenge
News > Year 9 pupils take on the One Day Film School 10-Shot Challenge
Year 9 pupils recently enjoyed an inspiring and action-packed visit from One Day Film School, taking part in the 10-Shot Challenge Day.
The brief challenged pupils to work collaboratively in production teams to script, shoot and edit a complete 10-shot silent film. With no spoken dialogue allowed, each team had to translate a classic narrative into a clear and compelling visual story, relying on performance, camera work, editing and music to bring their ideas to life.
Throughout the day, pupils developed their creativity, communication and problem-solving skills, learning how much can be achieved through careful planning and strong teamwork. From storyboarding and directing to acting, filming and editing, every pupil played a part in the filmmaking process.
The day culminated in the 2026 Gresham’s Oscars, celebrating the imagination, technical skill and performances shown across the year group. The award for Best Motion Picture went to It All Works Out, while Otis was recognised for Best Performance in The Choice. Death of the Groom received Best Technical Achievement.
The One Day Film School experience gave pupils a memorable opportunity to explore storytelling in a completely new way, showing how powerful film can be even without words. It was a fantastic celebration of creativity, collaboration and young talent among our pupils.
It All Works Out is eligible for the 2026 10 Shot Film Awards which recognise filmmaking excellence in 150+ leading UK & international schools. The judging panel includes Robin Kinsey, VP Marketing, Walt Disney Studios, Suzanne Smith, Casting Director (Band of Brothers, Silo), Ilan Eshkeri – Composer (Kick-Ass, Layer Cake) and Marc Mailley, Stunt Coordinator (Skyfall, Harry Potter).
Theatre in the Woods comes alive for our annual summer Pop Concert
News > Theatre in the Woods comes alive for our annual summer Pop Concert
Last Friday, the sun was shining and there was a buzz of excitement in the air as just under 1,000 people gathered in our Theatre in the Woods for the annual Gresham’s Pop Concert — an evening of unadulterated rock and pop performed by our talented pupils.
What a night it was! The concert opened with Thriller by Albert L, followed by a string of performances that delighted our eager audience over and over again. From Olivia Dean and Kim Wilde to Queen, Oasis and Shaggy, the first set ended with Arctic Monkeys’ I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor sung by Harry W, with Charlie P, Dylan R and Arlo G on guitar, George RL on kit and Charlie P on bass. Pupils in the audience could not resist heading into the mosh pit, fists pumping the air with adulation as those on stage gave it their all.
The second set opened with a bang, as Edie C sang Raye’s Where Is My Husband. Ilana B and Zinnia-Claire B varied the pace with ballads by Sade and Billie Eilish. Seb C and Dougie L took us back to the 80s to The Cure’s Friday I’m in Love, whilst Ruby P pleaded with uswith a spectacular rendition of Don’t Stop Believin’.
It was perhaps the final rock set that clinched the night, with Charlie P as lead vocalist, Kai S on bass, Dylan R, Harry and George J on guitar and Timo F on kit.
From backing vocalists and lead singers to instrumentalists and bands, huge thanks go to all performers who made the evening a success. A special mention goes to pianist, Benny S, who performed in over 20 songs, leading the bands with professionalism and authority throughout the night.
Photos by Mr McMurray and A level Photography pupils, Austin L and Georgina S-P.
Year 9 attend immersive STEAM Flight Simulation event
News > Year 9 attend immersive STEAM Flight Simulation event
Year 9 pupils recently took part in an inspiring STEAM Flight Simulation event, hosted by Crawford & Corry in Big School Hall for day two of Field Day. The event brought together the full year group for a highly immersive and ambitious interdisciplinary challenge, designed to connect classroom learning with the demands of real-world problem solving.
Throughout the day, pupils were divided into specialist teams and tasked with responding to a series of complex flight-related scenarios and crises. Working under the professional guidance of mentors with backgrounds in world-leading institutions across engineering, medicine, computer science, business, and design, the pupils were encouraged to think critically, collaborate effectively, and apply their knowledge across science, technology, engineering, design, and mathematics.
Our Year 9 pupils rose superbly to the challenge. They demonstrated impressive leadership, resilience, analytical thinking and public speaking skills as they navigated each scenario.
It was a hugely upbeat, insightful and rewarding day, offering our pupils the chance to broaden their thinking, work creatively under pressure and experience the value of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Race for Reading Challenge raises over £2,750 for Schoolreaders
News > Race for Reading Challenge raises over £2,750 for Schoolreaders
We were delighted to welcome Penny Hubbard, Schoolreaders Norfolk Ambassador, back to Chapel to share the final update on the Schoolreaders Race for Reading Challenge.
The challenge encouraged pupils to move 40 miles and raise £40 over the 40 days of Lent, supporting Schoolreaders’ vital work providing one-to-one reading support for primary school children. Penny, who volunteers weekly at Hunstanton Primary School, spoke to pupils about the impact of their efforts and thanked everyone who took part.
Together, the Gresham’s community raised an incredible £2,754.50, including Gift Aid, which will help provide one-to-one reading support for 68 primary school children in Norfolk next academic year.
Queens’ House were the overall winners, raising £650, plus Gift Aid, and recording the highest total mileage, with over 255 miles completed. Arkell House finished second for fundraising, raising £370, plus Gift Aid.
Special congratulations go to Emily K, top fundraiser with £270 raised, Katie Jl, second top fundraiser with £200 raised, and Anni S, who recorded the most miles with an impressive 108.5 miles.
A huge thank you goes to pupil ambassadors Lewis B-R and Katie J, whose hard work and enthusiasm helped make the challenge such a success. Thanks also to Kyla C and Pullo W for their committee input.
Gresham’s STEAM Primary School Competition 2026
News > Gresham’s STEAM Primary School Competition 2026
The overall winners of our STEAM Primary School Competition 2026, held in Gresham’s Dyson Building, have been announced.
Huge congratulations to Mrigank and Leyton from St Peter’s Primary Academy, Easton, who were awarded this year’s winning trophy by Dr Jess French. Dr French is a British television presenter, veterinarian and best-selling children’s author, well known for presenting Minibeast Adventure with Jess on CBeebies, as well as being a regular contributor to science, music and literary festivals.
Mrigank and Leyton’s outstanding work across the Final’s three exciting challenges — Lego Robots, The Sailboat Challenge and Rockets & Targets — impressed judges with their teamwork, problem solving, creativity and design thinking.
The Final brought together 13 primary schools from across Norfolk, including Reepham Primary School, Astley Primary School, Sheringham Community Primary School, St Mary’s Roughton, Langham Village School, St Peter’s Primary Academy, Easton, Holt Primary School, The Belfry CE VA Primary School, St Faith’s Church of England Primary School, Stalham Infant & Junior School, Blakeney CE VA Primary School, Cawston Church of England Primary Academy and Mundesley Junior School.
Since February, we have welcomed more than 30 local primary schools and over 650 pupils to take part in this inspiring competition. Pupils left the Dyson Building feeling “excited and inspired” after taking on hands-on challenges designed to spark curiosity, creativity and confidence.
Through challenges involving robotics, product design, engineering, space innovation and creative problem solving, pupils have had the opportunity to work alongside Gresham’s staff, explore new ideas and imagine future possibilities.
This competition is about much more than winning. It is about inspiring the next generation of innovators, designers, scientists, engineers, creative thinkers and problem solvers. It encourages young people to collaborate, experiment, test ideas and discover the excitement of STEAM learning.
Following the success of this year’s event, we are delighted that the competition will return in 2027, when we look forward to welcoming even more Norfolk primary schools to take up this superb opportunity for inspirational STEAM learning.
French and Spanish success in the Anthea Bell Translation Competition
News > French and Spanish success in the Anthea Bell Translation Competition
The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators was launched in 2020 by the Translation Exchange at The Queen’s College, Oxford. The competition is inspired by the work of the translator, Anthea Bell OBE (1936–2018), one of the finest and most influential literary translators of the 20th and 21st centuries, best known for her witty translations of the Asterix comic books. Not only did she translate works from French but also from German and Danish, tackling major works of European literature, including Kafka and Sebald.
The competition was founded to promote language learning across the UK, to inspire creativity in the classroom and to motivate more pupils to study modern foreign languages throughout their schooling and beyond.
It runs across four levels in six languages, French, German, Russian, Mandarin, Spanish and Italian. There are close to 25,000 entries every year and this year, pupils of French and Spanish were highly commended for their translations. Albert P in Year 10 translated an extract from Marguerite Audoux’s 1911 novel Marie-Claireand Clementine F and Evie J translated an extract from the Chilean author, José Ignacio Valenzuela’s, Mi Tío Pachunga. With close to 25,000 entries per year, this is a superb achievement for our pupils.
England Rugby Legend Dan Cole joins Gresham’s
News > England Rugby Legend Dan Cole joins Gresham’s
We are excited to announce that England rugby legend Dan Cole will join Gresham’s in September 2026. He will work alongside For The Love Of Rugby co-host, Ben Youngs, who is our Head of Performance Sport. Bringing a wealth of elite sporting experience, both Cole and Youngs share a strong commitment to developing the next generation of athletes.
Dan Cole has enjoyed an outstanding rugby career spanning more than 18 years. The tighthead prop made over 340 appearances for Leicester Tigers, establishing himself as a cornerstone of the club. He is England’s second most capped men’s player, representing his country 118 times. During his international career, Cole helped England secure three Six Nations Championship titles, competed in four Rugby World Cups and represented the British and Irish Lions on two tours. Known for his scrum consistency, he is widely regarded as one of the most reliable tighthead props of his generation.
In his new role, Cole will support Youngs in nurturing our high-performance athletes across a range of disciplines. He will also strengthen our recruitment of emerging talent. Cole will play an important role in our Talented Athlete Development (TAD) programme, providing additional support to talented pupils through technical coaching, strength and conditioning sessions, and workshops in topics like nutrition and psychology.
Commenting on his appointment, Dan Cole said:
“I’m delighted to be joining Gresham’s and helping to strengthen its sport offering while attracting talented individuals. The opportunity to work alongside Ben and help young athletes develop their skills, confidence and mindset, and ultimately achieve their full potential, is something I’m very passionate about.”
James Knight, Director of Sport at Gresham’s, added:
“It is incredibly exciting to welcome Dan to Gresham’s. His outstanding achievements in rugby, combined with his dedication and expertise, will make a significant contribution to our sporting programmes. His passion and understanding of elite sport will inspire our pupils and help foster a lifelong love of sport in the next generation of athletes.”
We’re delighted to welcome Dan to Gresham’s. His appointment reflects our commitment to a culture of excellence, discipline and sportsmanship, giving our pupils every opportunity to thrive.
One final Music and Munch with our 2026 leavers
News > One final Music and Munch with our 2026 leavers
Last Friday was the final Music & Munch concert of the academic year, providing an opportunity for our leavers to showcase their talents with us one last time.
We had a fantastic line-up, with vocal performances from Olivia E, Kai S, Mia W and Zinnia-Claire B, a Clarinet solo by Lily D and a performance on acoustic guitar by Dylan R. The concert finished with the Jazz Trio (Benny S, Kai S and Timothei F) playing Moanin by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. It was a fitting send-off to a remarkable set of musicians.
The Jazz Trio then went on that evening to play live at Bracon Hall and in support of BBC Big Band. Wherever their musical journey takes them, we feel sure that the future is looking very bright for these three.
Year 12 pupils discover a world of opportunity at Post-18 Options event
News > Year 12 pupils discover a world of opportunity at Post-18 Options event
Year 12 pupils and their parents were warmly welcomed to our Post-18 Options event, an engaging and informative event designed to help pupils explore the many exciting pathways available after Sixth Form.
The event brought together a wide range of speakers from universities, specialist organisations and industry, offering pupils valuable insight into higher education, apprenticeships, international study, professional pathways and future career opportunities.
We were delighted to welcome representatives from the Universities of Sheffield, Exeter and East Anglia, who delivered sessions on topics including why go to university, student finance, choosing the right course and writing a strong personal statement. Pupils also heard from a variety of organisations and experts on areas such as higher & degree apprenticeships, drama school, performing arts and university applications, work experience, business and media professional diplomas, studying in Europe, applying to study in the US, Canada & Europe, sports US scholarships, gap year travels and studying history of art.
The event gave pupils the chance to tailor their experience by attending sessions most relevant to their interests and ambitions, while parents were able to gain a clearer understanding of the breadth of post-18 routes now available.
It was a fantastic opportunity for our Year 12 pupils to think broadly, ask questions and begin making informed decisions about their next steps beyond school. Our thanks go to all the visiting speakers and staff who contributed to such a valuable and inspiring event.
Following this fantastic event, our Year 12 pupils also attended the UCAS Discovery event in Norwich and had the opportunity to chat to over 100 universities and apprenticeship providers. With the post-18 talks fresh in their mind, the UCAS Discovery function offered another invaluable experience to get them thinking about their future.
We are delighted to announce that we have met all standards across the board in our latest Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report and have been awarded a significant strength for our creative arts curriculum, a rare outcome under the current inspection framework. The report recognises us for combining a strong academic tradition with an innovative approach to education. Read the full report here.
Appointed by the Department of Education, the ISI evaluates standards across association independent schools in England. Only a small number of independent schools nationally are awarded a significant strength and receiving one places Gresham’s among the most highly regarded schools operating under the current ISI framework.
This follows an exceptional year for the school, which included a hat-trick of major awards, most notably being named Tatler magazine’s Best Public School 2026. Progress is also being made on the construction of our new state-of-the-art Prep School at the Dyson Campus and sport is seeing continued success under the leadership of England’s most capped men’s rugby player, Ben Youngs. Together, these achievements reinforce Gresham’s position as a leading voice in independent education.
The report highlights the distinctive ethos of Gresham’s, from our exceptional curriculum to our focus on pupil wellbeing. Inspectors note that “leaders implement an ambitious and coherent curriculum […] that is beyond statutory expectations.” This is reflected in the breadth of opportunities available across all stages of the school, from the innovative Discovery Curriculum in the Nursery and Pre-Prep to an expansive range of options at the Senior School, including GCSEs, iGCSEs, A Levels, BTECs and the IB Diploma.
Alongside academic ambition, the report emphasised pupil happiness. We place a strong emphasis on pupil wellbeing, fostering a supportive and positive boarding environment where “boarders behave with integrity and empathy towards each other,” while “pupils take responsibility for their own actions”. This underlines the school’s commitment to developing confident, well-rounded individuals.
Gresham’s was awarded its significant strength for its creative arts curriculum, highlighting our outstanding art and design provision, with the ISI noting;
“Pupils of all ages produce very high-quality art and creative pieces. They are successful in public examinations and national competitions, and a high proportion study linked areas after leaving school.”
Academic outcomes in Art and Design are particularly strong. In 2025, we celebrated 100% of pupils achieving A* or A grades in A-level Graphics, Art and 3D Design, which equates to a remarkable 32 A* grades. Pupils have also earned numerous accolades over the years, including the prestigious Chair of Virtue design award.
It is frequently observed that our Art and Design pupils produce work at a university level. This is reflected in the success of our alumni, many of whom secure places at leading institutions such as the Slade School of Fine Art, Central Saint Martins, The Ruskin School of Art, Chelsea College of Art, Edinburgh University, Arts University Bournemouth and UCL, often without the need to complete a customary foundation year.
We have long been renowned for producing outstanding achievers within the creative industries, with alumni including entrepreneur and inventor Sir James Dyson and abstract artist Benjamin Nicholson. This reputation has been strengthened by the sustained investment from the James Dyson Foundation, including the opening of the state-of-the-art Dyson STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) Building in 2021, and the planned relocation of the Prep School to the Dyson Campus in 2027. Together, cutting-edge facilities, alongside world-class teaching, allow pupils to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation in art and design.
Douglas Robb, Headmaster, commented:
“We are absolutely delighted with our ISI inspection report. Of course, we were compliant in all areas, which is great and very important, but perhaps more importantly, they drew out some of the special characteristics of the school, particularly our approach to creativity in our curriculum. We are absolutely delighted that this was reported as a significant strength throughout the three schools. Our new strategy talks about teaching children to be creative, to be critical thinkers and full of character, so it is a real pleasure for us that this was highlighted by the inspectors.”
These findings highlight Gresham’s as a school that combines academic excellence with creativity, innovation and a forward-looking approach to education. From our sector-leading art and design provision to our broad and dynamic curriculum, Gresham’s provides an inspiring environment in which pupils thrive.
