On Monday, five RAF Air Cadets from Gresham’s School CCF were selected to go for a once in a lifetime flight on an RAF C-17 Globemaster. Along with 70 other cadets from Norfolk and Suffolk Wing Air Training Corps, they travelled to Wattisham Flying Station in Suffolk to take part in an RAF evacuation training exercise. After receiving a safety brief about the aircraft and flight, they boarded and had a flight around the local area. 

FS Ella said “It was such an incredible experience, being able to see how big the aircraft was and getting to fly in it. It was definitely not an average day at school”.

At Gresham’s, pupils can opt to join the CCF at the end of Year 9 in the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Air Force sections, each with their own uniform, identity and training programs. Many choose to continue all the way through to Years 12 and 13 as Senior NCO’s.

Last Friday, as part of our third annual Diwali celebration, pupils came to enjoy the spectacle of 250 candles glistening in a dimmed Chapel as we observed the Diwali message of good over evil, light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance. Some of our pupils took the opportunity to learn some Indian dancing to traditional Indian music with Chetanya Y. Everyone received a tilak as a mark of honour and sign of welcome. The tilak, placed on the ‘third eye’ or ‘ajna chakra’, symbolises spiritual awareness and focus.

A highlight of the evening was decorating the chapel floor with rangoli, made from coloured sand and stencils. Rangoli’s significance is rooted in its role as a traditional Indian art form that welcomes deities, brings good fortune and wards off evil. Created at the entrance of homes and temples, particularly during festivals like Diwali, rangoli designs are believed to welcome the goddess Lakshmi and invite prosperity into the home. Beyond its spiritual importance, it’s a communal and therapeutic activity that fosters family and community bonds. 

No festival would be complete without the sharing of food and so, as pupils departed, they enjoyed a sweet treat or ‘mithai’.

A big thank you goes to pupils Shreya, Chetanya and Rohit for their hard work, advice, and for enabling us to take part in this wonderful Indian festival.

Year 12 IB Film Studies pupils visited the British Film Institute in London for an Auteur Theory workshop and a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo’.

Presented by a lecturer from University of Wales, Swansea, the session explored some of the ways in which Hitchcock can be considered an auteur, analysis of sequences from some of his other films, and chances for our pupils to share their film knowledge with pupils from other schools around the country.

This year’s Fright Night plunged audiences into The Hollowing—a twisted cult shrouded in secrecy and terror. Guests encountered eerie leaders, deranged disciples and cannibalistic inhabitants lurking in the darkness, each more disturbing than the last. The night built to a spectacular, explosive finale that left everyone reeling.

The makeup team delivered truly nightmarish creations, transforming performers into haunting figures of the cult. The production also featured a chilling soundscape, composed by Harry L, that enveloped guests in an atmosphere of dread during their meeting with the cult’s religious leader.

A huge thank you to our incredible performers, makeup artists, lighting crew, and Music Tech team for making The Hollowing an unforgettable Fright Night experience. The real question is—will you dare to visit Fright Night next year?

The last Friday of term saw an incredible team effort from every house to present House Music 2025. Our esteemed judge, Rollo Armstrong, notably known as the producer in Faithless and for the artist Dido, joined us for the occasion.

Each house presented three items:

Instrumental

Woodlands stormed to the top with an incredible rendition of Tune 88 by Jeff Corder – the band sounding like a professional jazz-funk set-up. 

Part Song

There was a dash of traction from most of the boys’ houses, keeping with the barbershop style and adding some contemporary twists. However, it was Oakeley’s stunning arrangement of Aurora’s Runaway, with complex harmonies and textural variations, that completely transcended the space and took us to another world entirely.

Unison Finale

Every pupil in the school took to the stage, with dance moves, costumes, and (fortunately!) impressive singing to match. Everything from The Fratellis to Madonna was performed, but it was Oakeley’s party anthem “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” that took the category.

This meant that Oakeley took the overall House Music competition, with Woodlands an incredibly close second place – only one point behind!

Well done to all, and it shows that the house spirit is still very much alive.

This week, Year 13 pupils enjoyed an enriching talk from four of their peers, each reflecting on the value of their work experience placements. Toby W spoke about his agriculture placement, Yssy D shared her virtual experience with Norfolk & Suffolk Constabulary, Jamie P discussed his week with stockbrokers Barratt & Cooke, and Cerys D presented on her London placement with KPMG.

All four delivered superb presentations, demonstrating how real-world experience builds skills, insight and confidence, while helping shape Post-18 decisions. A fantastic showcase of ambition and professional awareness — well done to all involved.

This November, Gresham’s will be supporting Movember, the movement dedicated to changing the face of men’s health. From mental health and suicide prevention to prostate cancer and testicular cancer, our Stash the Tash challenge will aim to raise awareness and start important conversations.

Pupils and staff are invited to follow the Stash the Tash journey throughout the month, as the mysterious moustache makes surprise appearances around the school.

Whilst our focus is going to be on raising awareness and helping people develop the skills and confidence to spot the signs, the annual Movember campaign works hard to raise funds helping to support those who need it.

Anyone wishing to support the campaign can do so by following the donation link here.