CCF Summer Field Days 2025

Over the last few days, pupils have been taking part in their Annual CCF Summer Field Days across our Tri-Service Contingent (Army, Navy, RAF).

Our CCF Cadets were lucky enough to have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of activities including Live Firing at Robertson Army Barracks in Swanton Morley, Overnight Patrol Exercise at Muckleburgh, Open Water Sailing at Hickling Broad, and an Adventure Training package at the Mike Thurston Centre – to name but a few.

These Field Days offered a fantastic opportunity for pupils to get out and exercise the skills that they have been learning all year.

None of this would happen without the dedicated work of our CCF Contingent Commander and his extensive CCF team, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the pupils have the absolute best experiences possible.

A huge well done to all who took part in this truly fantastic event. 

Year 12 pupils set out to raise £10K for charity

Four Year 12 pupils from the Senior School are currently on a mega fundraising mission to raise £10,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Close friends, Seb W, James C-M, Dougie L and Tamim R have all seen loved ones affected by cancer. More recently, Seb’s father was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer which has spread to his spine, inspiring the boys to group together to show their support.

The group, branding themselves as ‘banter not cancer’, have been taking part in a series of forfeits. From shaving their heads (in solidarity with Seb’s dad during his chemo treatment) and ice bucket challenges to the ultimate goal of a 45K ultra marathon along the Norfolk coast, documenting each challenge on their dedicated social media channels.

So far, they have managed to raise a whopping £8,075 and continue to push forward. The boys have put in a tremendous effort and are welcoming any support for this important cause.

If you would like to donate, please click here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/banternotcancer

A fantastic day at Breaking Clays

Gresham’s was proud to send two teams in support of Break Charity’s annual clay shooting event, ‘Breaking Clays’. This year, the event was held in the beautiful grounds of Kimberley Hall. The Senior team was made up of Edgar A , Jack K, Alf S and Toby A. The Junior team was made up of Alec A, James B, Harry L and Max C. 

The teams shot a total of 8 stands of 80 ‘birds’ that were presented as a ‘flush’. The 8 different stands were varied and challenging. There were more than twenty adult teams who had entered, with Gresham’s being the only school teams.

On arrival, pupils enjoyed a Bacon roll, followed by the safety briefing. During the morning around 40,000 cartridges are fired in around three hours of shooting; there were some bruised shoulders by the end of it!
When the shooting was over, there was a fantastic lunch provided in the marquee, followed by some games and auctions to raise money for Break’s valuable charity work.

The Senior team scored a total of 528 / 640 clays, only about 40 clays short of the seasoned adult team who won the competition. The Junior team demonstrated great promise with a score of 488. 

Thanks go to Break charity for an amazing day and to all the teams who entered for making our pupils feel so welcome throughout the whole day. It was great to see several OG’s shooting too.  

Year 9 pupils take part in One Day Film course

We were delighted to welcome Ed Boase and Rosie Frecker from the One Day Film School to Gresham’s. Year 9 pupils were fully immersed in the world of filmmaking, working collaboratively to create their own short films with expert, step-by-step guidance.

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 needs, how to create memorable characters (and make us care)

Then 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 (eg. ’Someone is kidnapped, an attempted rescue’).

Then it was time for the Oscars: the judges (Young Film Academy representatives) took their seats for the world premiere of pupils’ films, and to decide who would win Best Motion Picture, Best Performance and Best Technical Achievement.

Congratulations to the winners:

Best Motion Picture: “Together, Forever?”

Best Performance: Esme, “Double Jeopardy”

Best Technical Achievement: “Capturing the Crown”

“Together, Forever?” will be eligible for the 2025 10 Shot Film Awards (Years 7-9) which recognises filmmaking excellence in 150+ leading UK schools. The judging panel is headed by Robin Kinsey, Vice President Marketing, Walt Disney Studios EMEA & UK – Marvel, Lucasfilm & 20th Century Studios. Nominations will be announced in November.

Translation Bee Final boasts Year 9 bilingual brilliance

Last week, Year 9 pupils battled it out in the Translation Bee class competitions, racing against the clock to earn a spot in the grand final. With just one minute on the clock, participants strived to translate as many sentences as possible, out loud, in either French or Spanish. The top performers will then take the stage at Fishmongers’ Recital Hall.

A huge congratulations go to Sophie J, winner of the Spanish competition and to Amelie S, winner of the French competition.

Year 9 Inter-House Debating Competition

This year’s Year 9 Inter-House Debating Competition came to a fitting finale with an excellent Grand Final held in Chapel on Monday evening. 

Two very talented teams faced each other in debating the motion This House would rather be Pope than President of the USA.

Woodlands – Albert L, Albert P and Bertie B – proposed the motion and they were opposed by Tallis – Lewis H, Arlo G and Olly M. 

The two teams clashed over which position was the better institution from which to provide a moral compass and deliver change and impact on people’s lives. Both teams dealt brilliantly with many challenging questions from the floor, including some put by pupils from our Prep School. 

The result was very close but Tallis just edged home against a very promising Woodlands team and therefore lifted the Carolyn Thomas Trophy. 

Well done to all those Year 9 pupils who have participated in this year’s competition and particularly to Howson’s and Queens’ who both reached the semi-final stage.  

Diversity Day 2025

Gresham’s second annual Diversity Day, organised by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team, was celebrated in even more style this year, with pupils showcasing aspects of their identities of which they are proud of. Organised to coincide with Pride month, pupils were invited to showcase something about themselves by ‘dressing to express’. Outfits ranged from national dress – German, Dutch, Indian and German, Native Canadian, American and Thai –  to LGBT+ colours, favourite band t-shirts, favourite hobbies, including sports, cooking and crafts, music genres, through to dressing as your favourite animal. Slogans were used to educate too: notably, a t-shirt emblazoned ‘Autism: seeing the world through a different angle’.

The celebrations continued into breaktime with a tea party of colourful cakes and drinks. Pupils came along and discussed their outfits and explained the meaning behind their clothes and why this aspect of themselves was one they wanted to express today. Then at lunchtime, we were all treated to a fantastic jazz concert in the CFB, orchestrated by Benny and Timo and their talented band, designed to showcase a diverse range of music from around the world.

In the morning, we also had a fantastic Chapel talk by Mr O’Donnell, who shared insights from his American heritage. His talk marked the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolutionary Wars and offered an engaging and educational perspective on this significant moment in history.