OG Beth Dunk delivers an inspiring talk on her journey into Pharmacy

We were delighted to welcome Old Greshamian Beth Dunk to deliver an inspiring Chapel talk on her journey into Pharmacy. Beth demonstrated that STEAM is far broader than engineering, highlighting the dynamic and evolving pathways available across pharmacy.

She shared her personal story of resilience after missing out on her first degree path, explaining how resilience and perseverance enabled her to re-sit, redirect and ultimately achieve First-Class Honours. Her message was clear and motivating: a setback is not the end—keep going, stay open to new possibilities, and success will follow.

BTEC Business pupils gain first-hand industry insights at Sponge

Last week, our Year 13 BTEC Business class were warmly welcomed by Sponge in Holt for an inside look at the company’s Marketing and Production functions.

The visit was led by Mark Joll (OG 1982–1991 (T)) and Marketing Director Natalie Douglas. Ahead of the trip, pupils researched the business and its recent successes, including Sponge’s gold medal at Britain’s Best Cake 2025 for its vegan chocolate caramel fudge cake.

After sharing a brief history, Mark and Natalie outlined Sponge’s business and marketing aims before taking pupils on a tour of the bakery. A group discussion followed, focusing on recent marketing developments, particularly the move toward greater product personalisation for gifting. The standout innovation was a new QR-code feature that lets gift senders upload personalised video messages, an idea pupils hope to reference in their external exam in January. The visit came at a great time, as it provided real-world insight for this upcoming assessment that requires pupils to create a full marketing plan based on a case study released just 24 hours before the exam.

Pupils were fascinated by the state-of-the-art production facilities, watching cakes and brownies move from mixing to packing and postal dispatch. They were struck by the rigorous separation of gluten-free production to maintain Coeliac UK accreditation.

It was hard not to build up an appetite during the tour, with so many delicious sights and smells. All were particularly delighted with the Legends Brownie Box they each received, printed off in a customised Gresham’s box, thanking them for the visit!

We are extremely grateful to Sponge and their team for such a warm welcome, and especially to Mark and Natalie for providing a truly valuable and inspiring visit.

History Society welcome guest and OG Professor David Green

On Tuesday evening, the History Society was treated to a stimulating lecture on the topic of ‘The Black Prince and the Terrors of Chivalry’ delivered by Professor David Green of Harlaxton College, University of Evansville.

David was a pupil in Tallis between 1983 and 1988 and was making a return to his old school for the first time in several decades. His lecture explored the origins, significance and demise of chivalry with the help of primary sources and written manuscripts from the medieval period.

A packed house of A level and IB historians witnessed a very special evening and asked several pertinent questions about chivalry. Thank you Professor Green for journeying out to Norfolk and hope he will visit again soon. 

The Michael Goff Lecture Theatre officially opens

Today, current and former Governors joined staff and the Goff Family to celebrate the opening of the Michael Goff Lecture Theatre in the Reith Block.

Michael’s association with Gresham’s stretches back to his time as a boarder in Farfield House and he has been a pupil, parent, OG Club chair, Governor and Foundation Committee member as well as serving as Chair of Governors from 2018-2024.

The lecture theatre provides a fantastic facility for pupils and forms part of the newly refurbished Reith building. 

An important ‘Movember’ message from OG, Joe Nash

Yesterday, our community continued its Movember initiative with an inspiring Chapel talk from OG Joe Nash, who courageously opened up about his own mental health journey.

Joe has been a remarkable advocate for men’s health. Last year, he became Movember’s highest fundraiser out of 23,000 students and was nominated in the organisation’s international awards for “Changing the Face of Men’s Health.” During that time, he ran 5k every day throughout November, sharing his reflections, along with contributions from around 30 others, on his dedicated Instagram page

Joe’s message resonated with pupils, as he encouraged everyone to seek support when they need it and to strive to be someone others can confide in. He also urged listeners to live life fully and authentically, without the fear of judgment and to always choose kindness, reminding his listeners that all that unkind words can have a profound negative impact.

We are grateful to Joe for returning to share his story and for helping to strengthen the culture of openness, empathy and support within our school community.

Gresham’s named Independent School of the Year: Central

Gresham’s has been named Independent School of the Year: Central – a recognition of our vibrant school community and the exceptional pupil experience on offer. 

The Independent Schools of the Year Awards said “The focus of the 2025 awards will be to celebrate the demonstrable benefits of an independent school education and showcase the innovative, caring and life-enhancing student experience which pupils in our schools receive”.

The competition was strong, six outstanding schools were shortlisted for the award including Repton School and Malvern College.

The judging chair, Helen Wright, who presented the award said “Gresham’s won for the way in which it crafts its education around and through its location in a market town, and in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and for how it integrates with the local community as well as making extensive use of the countryside for its activities”.

This latest award follows recent wins, including:
Best Public School – Tatler School Awards 2026
Best School for Creative and Performing Arts – Talk Education

OGs return to share tips on navigating university challenges

It was a pleasure to welcome back Old Greshamian’s Lucy Matthes and Andrew Kinder for an Enrichment Talk, where they shared thoughtful reflections on their individual university journeys. Both speakers offered valuable insights into the often complex process of higher education, beginning with the challenges of choosing – and, in some cases, changing – a degree course to better align with evolving interests and strengths.

They spoke candidly about the realities of university study, highlighting both the rewards and the unexpected demands of academic life. Lucy and Andrew also addressed the importance of coping strategies in the face of learning differences such as dyslexia, emphasising the value of self-advocacy and the support networks available to students.

Reflecting on their studies, both agreed that university provided more than subject-specific knowledge; it fostered independence, critical thinking, and the confidence to navigate uncertainty. They concluded that degree study equips graduates not only with academic expertise but also with confidence, knowledge and transferable skills essential for success in today’s employment sector.

History Society returns with talk on Gresham’s influential historians

The History Society met for the first time this academic year on Tuesday evening. Mr Kinder, Head of History, gave a presentation on four influential historians who attended Gresham’s as pupils: John Saltmarsh, Norman Cohn, Antony Copley and David Green.

The presentation shared research of their times at Gresham’s and reflected on the importance of their academic work in their various fields of specialism. David Green will be addressing the History Society in person in November.