During the first half of Half Term, our Senior Rugby players embarked on an exciting tour to Cardiff, immersing themselves in Welsh rugby culture and enjoying a range of brilliant activities along the way.

A real highlight of the trip was the visit to the Principality Stadium, where the boys explored behind the scenes – from the players’ changing rooms and hospitality suites to walking out pitch-side where so many rugby greats have played. In the Media Room afterwards, the group had great fun interviewing each other, testing their quick thinking and seeing how they’d handle the spotlight.

Thank you to Glamorgan Wanderers RFC for hosting our fixture against Caerau RFC. It was an excellent game played in great spirit, with plenty of tries scored and Gresham’s finishing with a well-earned win.

Off the field, the tour offered a perfect mix of team bonding and adventure – from white water rafting and canyoning to a more relaxed evening of bowling and fun challenges. The boys represented the school superbly throughout, showing great camaraderie, enthusiasm and sportsmanship.

The first half of term was a very busy one for the History Department at Gresham’s. The second meeting of the History Society saw IB History pupil, Pablo B-G, addressing the fascinating topic of Nostradamus. In his presentation, Pablo explored the meanings behind Nostradamus’s prophecies and examined their historical context.

On Sunday, Gresham’s was proud to host a branch meeting of the Norfolk and Norwich Historical Association at which Dr Alan Metters delivered an engaging lecture about the Jacobean merchants of King’s Lynn. 

This week, our Year 12 pupils had the exciting opportunity to partake in a special filmmaking workshop run by the One Day Film School.

In a whirlwind day of Hollywood-style action, pupils dived headfirst into the world of moviemaking.

In the morning, they learned the essentials: 

• Film History: from the early days of film to the latest in special effects
• Fight Choreography: analysing classic fight scenes then filming their own roundhouse punch
• Camera: learning to film like a pro, and tips and tricks to avoid common mistakes
• Screenwriting: learning the 3 things every good script need, how to create memorable characters (and make us care)

In the afternoon, it was time for the 10 Shot Challenge: pupils worked in groups to create silent (with music) films of up to 2 minutes based on a classic narrative.

The cinematic adventure culminated in a glamorous Oscars Night, where pupils dressed to impress and walked the red carpet to celebrate their hard work. The winners were as follows:

2025 Gresham’s School Oscars:

Best Motion Picture: “A Million Times”

Best Performance: “Aid”

Best Technical Achievement: “Chaplain Wars”

A huge well done to all our talented pupils for their creativity, teamwork and cinematic flair.

This term our Year 9 pupils went on the annual trip to the Ypres Battlefields in Belgium.

Their first stop was a family pilgrimage for Albert N to visit the grave of his relative, Captain Robert John Charles ‘Jack’ Otter. Captain Otter was a professional soldier and member of the British Expeditionary Force sent to Belgium in 1914, who was laid to rest at Dranouter in February 1915.

Day two was packed with historic visits. The morning began at Bard Cottage Cemetery where the pupils visited the grave of John Wright, an Old School House (OSH) and Farfield boy. Later, they toured Talbot House in Poperinge, which was once a morale-boosting rest house for soldiers during the war. The preservation of Talbot House is closely linked to Gresham’s School history, thanks to Paul Slessor, father of former pupil Hugh Slessor, who attended the school in the 1920s. Pupils Izzy, Cameron, and Ed laid a wreath on behalf of the school at the Menin Gate Last Post Ceremony, while Cleo K discovered her great-great uncle, Lance Sergeant Charles Evans of the 19th Lancers, among the war stories shared.

On the final day, the group paid their respects at St George’s Memorial Church in Ypres, stopping by the Gresham’s School Memorial. The trip concluded at Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in the world, where they honoured the memory of 113 pupils and 3 staff from the school who lost their lives during the war. Here, they also found the name of Jacob G’s ancestor, Victoria Cross recipient William Charles Clamp, who has no known grave.

The first Scholars & Choirs concert of the academic year took place in Chapel on the last Wednesday of September. The programme showcased a variety of musical genres with something to appeal to everyone, and featured soloists applying to conservatoire – a testament to the level of music at Gresham’s.

The largely new repertoire included Pie Jesu’s Requiem by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Mozart’s Deh Vieni non tarder – Le Nozze di Figaro and Gresham’s own George R-L’s single, ‘Wanna Feel’, recently released on Strathmore Records. The concert closed with Hubert Parry’s monumental anthem, Hear My Words Ye People.