Earlier this month, The Oddballs Foundation visited the school to give a talk to our Sixth Form pupils about testicular cancer. The talk concerned the signs and symptoms of testicular cancer, also with the resounding message to talk and support each other. Pupils were also informed of the work that Oddballs does as a charity and the support it provides to those affected by testicular cancer.
Well done to pupils who have recently taken LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) exams. Spike C took his Grade 7 (silver medal) in Solo Acting, Yssy D took her Grade 5 in Solo Acting, Seb W & Luca H both took their Grade 6 (silver medal) in Duologue Acting and Freddie L took his Grade 5 in Solo Acting.
There is now a period of time to wait until the New Year for the exam results but all pupils seemed happy and confident with their performances. These medal grade exams also achieve valuable additional UCAS points for pupils.
The standard was incredibly high this year, with many entries making the final short list. Mr Hazelwood judged this year’s entries and came up with an overall top three ranking. Emilie G came in third place for an excellent model with sound effects and Ilana B took second place for an outstanding cross section complete with full annotations and lovely additional details such as Reginald the Rat. Theo H, Will B and Rafe C came first with their life-size trench system construction alongside a film of the trenches and a filmed reconstruction of a trench attack.
Congratulations to all of the winners, who will receive Amazon vouchers as a prize.
Congratulations to Cerys D (O), Eva O’D (O), and Zinnia-Claire B (O), who have progressed through the Norfolk round of the English-Speaking Union Churchill Public Speaking Competition. Well done to the second team too, Pablo B-G (F), who spoke brilliantly as Speaker, and came in as a late substitute along with James C (F) and Pullo W (T) as Questioner and Chair, and also to Maddi W (E) for supporting the team.
This is the first time the School have competed in this competition, certainly in recent years, so well done to both teams.
Careers and the STEAM coordinator worked together to produce STEAM Week. It was a busy week with speakers, workshops, a Chapel talk, virtual Maths Challenge with F1 McLaren and a STEAM Careers Fair with 40 exhibitors including Lotus Cars, The Dyson Institute, the Armed Forces, the Quadram Institute and more.
The Sixth form Academic Enrichment talk was with Zoe Griffiths, from Think Maths https://think-maths.co.uk/ who gave a interactive talk on the Hidden Maths of Technology.
On Tuesday Zoe did a sequence of four Maths workshops on ‘Shapes and Smoke Rings’ which were attended in separate sessions for year 11, year 10, year 7 and outreached to pupils from Sheringham High School and Cromer Academy.
On Wednesday Blakely Clothing gave a Chapel talk to illustrate how the creative industry is part of STEAM, embracing design, manufacture, creativity, technology, logistics and sustainability.
Later on Wednesday F1 McLaren Aerodynamicist, OG Kunz Chow (W 2009 – 13) together with the F1 McLaren outreach team did a virtual maths and science challenge to show pupils how curriculum learning and mathematical theory is used with performance analysis. The pupils were given a challenge involving use of algebra, calculus, pie and trigonometry.
The STEAM Careers Fair celebrated and showcased a diverse variety of STEAM employment with 40 exhibitors representing Creativity, Design, Art, Engineering, Property, the Armed Forces, Software Engineering, Technology Design, Science, Agriculture, the Environment and Space.
All year 9-13 pupils attended with external schools bringing pupils from Alderman Peel High School, Aylsham High School, Sheringham High School and Cromer Academy.
Prep School pupils from years 7 & 8 attended and Parents were invited.
The learning outcome was for pupils to link STEAM subject learning to employment by finding out from exhibitors what their role is, how they got to where they are now and what skills and opportunities employers offer.
IN THE NEWS
BSA
Gresham’s School welcomes employers to Dyson Building for STEAM Careers Fair
Friday 14 October was the date in the diary this term for that most fiercely contested of competitions – House Music 2022. For any new pupils who had witnessed the build-up and may have been wondering exactly what the fuss was all about, all was about to be revealed.
Mezzo-Soprano Laura Wright, no stranger to performing at high profile events such as International sports events, and performing for Royalty was in the hot seat as Judge.
Instrumental showcased an eclectic mix of pieces and musical skills to an already packed Sports Hall. Tallis, with their rendition of Stevie Wonder’s I Wish, were crowned winners but the overall scores not read out. The overall winner would not be revealed until the end of the evening. After a quick tea break, it was back in the Hall for Part Song. More audience had arrived and once again the Houses went head to head with a variety of songs to best show off their singers. It was the turn of one of the girls’ Houses to claim victory and Oakeley were delighted to win with Kate Bush’s Running up that Hill. As with Instrumental Laura gave a summing up.
Parents headed off to Big School to enjoy refreshments and the pupils headed back to House for refuelling and last minute unison rehearsals and to change into their costumes. With hardly an empty seat in the Hall, Oakeley took their place on stage to start the Unison element of the competition. It was apt they sang The Greatest Show – the day was certainly producing some spectacular performances. Farfield concluded the Unison performances and all eyes turned to Laura on stage for her feedback and final summing up of the competition.
After what seemed an age, the waiting was over and Mrs Wolfe returned to the stage with Laura to award the cups. Tallis and Oakeley proudly received their cups and Farfield were victorious in Unison with Get Down on it/You should be Dancing. And the overall winner was… Oakeley!
Our thanks must go to Laura for judging, to the Ground and Technical staff for creating a Concert Hall out of a Sports Hall, to the Music Department and House Staff for helping where necessary, but bravo to the pupils, who once again, showed that music runs through the very veins of Gresham’s.
Unison:
Part Song:
Instrumental:
Cadets have again enjoyed a varied training programme over the term, focusing on completing elements of their basic and advanced syllabus. All cadets have done teamwork activities and some drill, in preparation for the Remembrance parades. In addition the Army Section cadets have been instructed in the use of the cadet weapon systems and infantry skills, RAF cadets have used their flight simulator and Navy cadets have had time ‘afloat’ in the school pool. RAF cadets have also been gliding and enjoyed a STEM day at RAF Marham. Senior cadets have enhanced their leadership and instructional skills with some yr11 cadets successfully completing a junior leadership course during the half term break. Remembrance Day saw senior NCOs lay wreathes in the chapel at 11am on the 11th November while the whole contingent had a moments reflection, accompanied by apposite music from the CCF band, in the afternoon. Looking ahead there is already much excitement about the Adventure Training camp for summer 2023, as well as other AT events in the Lent and Summer terms. The contingent is busy!
The Dyson building has seen even more collaboration between departments at the start of this academic year. Art, Science, Computing and Maths have all joined forces to deliver some spectacular GAP’s STEAM activities. Students have begun many projects including; an interactive conductive paint wall, bath bomb making, satellite tracking systems, VEX and Lego robotics, F24 electric cars, 3D printing, Electronics and the processes of architecture.
The VEX robotic teams are preparing for regional competitions in January for the ‘Spin up’ challenge this year. The Lego robotics teams are preparing their Sumo bots for a robotics competition in Estonia next year.
From January we will welcome over 600 students from 36 Norfolk primary schools, who will take part in the STEAM Outreach Competition that was highly successful last year.
Any questions please email [email protected]
Career Bite talk on Marine Science & Oceanology
Ian Wilson, an Oceanologist from Benthic Solutions Ltd talked to pupils on the variety of jobs embracing Oceanology in the oil & gas industry, renewable energy, utilities and in Marine Science in Geo Physics/Geo Technics/Geo Chemists and Oceanography.
He advised that to work in either sector a degree in a Marine Science would be needed.
For further information contact Gresham’s Careers – [email protected]
Poul Hoveson delivered a talk on estate management embracing his forty years of estate management in Denmark, Poland and Norfolk, together with Poul’s passion for innovative agriculture, combining traditional farming with the latest technologies.
George King, Gresham’s Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach gave a talk to sixth form pupils on the myths and misconceptions surrounding supplement use.
Gresham’s Careers welcomed Bob Goodson CEO of NetBaseQuid to give an Academic Enrichment talk to sixth form pupils. Bob shared practical tools and inspiration with sixth formers for career and education decisions in any field.
November 3rd and 4th saw the return of Fright Night to Gresham’s School! The cast of pupils from Year 12 and 13 took the audience on a hair-raising search for paranormal activity in The Auden Theatre and our school woods. Along the way, the audience heard from a variety of different ghostly characters, each telling their tale of woe. They also came across a variety of other ghosts and ghouls who wanted to make their presence known to the audience at various points in the journey. The piece was supported by Mr Myers and the BTEC Music Production students who created a fantastically sinister soundscape that added to the eerie atmosphere. Terrifying makeup designs were provided by the very talented Tillie C and Beatrice G. A huge thank you to everyone who took part and came along for the ride. Come along next year…. if you dare!
