Gresham’s entered two young teams in the Great Schools Debate hosted by Aylsham High School on Friday. Gresham’s A – Darcy G, Irene T and Izzie L – spoke about the issues related to animal testing. Team B – Pullo W, Alex H and Will M – discussed the dangers of entitlement for the current generation. Both teams had a great time, and we would like to thank Aylsham for hosting the competition.Â
The U14s travelled to QE Barnett to take part in their annual 7s competition. The U14s narrowly lost to Whitgift School 10-12 in the group stages but went on to beat Brighton College and Mill Hill and Belmont Schools. They made it through to the quarter finals of the plate but unfortunately lost to Abingdon School. A great effort from the U14s and brilliant preparations for Rosslyn Park 7s.
The U15s took part in the County Cup 7s competition which was hosted here at Gresham’s and they had a superb day despite the bad weather. After playing five group games and a final, the U15s came out County Champions. The team manged to score 210 points and only concede 10, a brilliant effort.
Our U18s travelled to a very wet Uppingham for their 7s tournament and played some great 7s at times. Next week they will travel to Rosslyn Park to take part in the world’s largest school boy 7s competition.
The theme this year has been #Inspire Inclusion and, in tutor groups, pupils came up with ideas to support gender equality in different spheres such as Education, Employment, Healthcare, Workplace equality, Representation in media and Leadership positions. Â
In Houses, pupils watched films with a feminist theme or those which showcased the lives and achievements of women. Favourites included ‘WonderWoman’, which is about the first female superhero, and ‘Barbie’, which followed with a lively discussion about the film’s message. In the library, Mrs Corder and her team of helpers produced a colourful display of books for WHM and they celebrated International Women’s Day (8th March) with purple cakes in the library and a discussion about why we devote a day to celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women around the world.Â
The highlight of the month, however, has been the wonderful interviews conducted between our allies in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion group, Tara G, Milan H, Polina Z, Yuqi L and Margie G and six female members of staff: Mrs Brighton-Watt, Mrs Seldon, Mrs Corder, Miss Pink, Miss Mitchell and Mrs Knightbridge. In the interviews, staff answered questions about their childhood and education, their role models and career paths. All gave the inspiring message that although they had faced some challenges they had not allowed their gender to limit their choices nor hold them back.
Furthermore, Arkell pupils partook in several International Women’s Day games to celebrate. To make our pupils aware of the talented women that work at Gresham’s, female staff were also included in the answers to quiz, bingo and cross word questions. This prompted some brilliant discussion as the pupils learned they do not need to look very far to see that there are inspirational women all around them!
We also marked International Women’s Day by joining in with the FA’s biggest girls football session initiative. Teams from all the Houses played in a Junior and Senior competition over on the Jubilee Fields. It was a great evening of football with plenty of skills and future promise on show! Oakeley triumphed in the Senior Competition and Queens’ in the Junior Competition.
Our Senior School boarders took part in a special outdoor service to mark the 100th anniversary of inspirational Old Greshamian Tom Bourdillon. Tom Bourdillon was one of England’s greatest mountaineers in the immediate post-war era and was a key part of the 1953 British Mount Everest Expedition which made the first ascent of Mount Everest. The service took place at The Bourdillon Tower which is named in his honour. Former Prep School teacher, and keen climber, Phil Hawes gave the address and a member of Tom’s old house – Howson’s – laid flowers in his memory.
Year 5 have been practising their fire-lighting skills in the School woods as part of their own Outdoor Wild Learning School (OWLS) programme. Although it has been difficult with all the recent rain, things now appear to be drying out!
On Wednesday 13th March, a group of 18 pupils in Years 11 and 12 went to the UEA Sacré Theatre production of Toujours 1789. 1789 was originally performed at the Milan Festival in 1970, then taken up by the Théâtre du Soleil in Paris. Sacré Theatre at the UEA is the UK’s longest-running permanent French language theatre company and they are a permanent fixture in our calendar: we are so lucky to have them on our doorstep. It is always an immensely enjoyable evening, and this year was no exception.
This year’s production combined key episodes of the French Revolution, from early attempts to reform the monarchy to the queen’s execution, with light musical intervals largely drawn from the vast repertoire of revolutionary and other contemporary songs. For our pupils, it was an introduction to this cataclysmic episode of French history and a timely response to how revolution, born from a desire to change a tyrannical status quo can itself descend into tyranny. However, it wasn’t all serious: ‘Royals, nobles and clergy vs the People. Marie-Antoinette, Robespierre, The Storming of La Bastille, Declaration of the Rights of Man, jugglers, royals on the run, la guillotine, revolutionary songs, audience participation – something for everyone!’Â
We look forward to next year’s offering.Â
In the run up to the General Election later this year our pupils will be hearing Chapel talks from a variety of different candidates who are seeking to become the Member of Parliament for North Norfolk. The Liberal Democrat candidate Steffan Aquarone began the series with an interesting talk on the importance of ‘soft power’.
A Gap Year Information Session was held in Big School for Sixth Form pupils and their parents to hear presentations from different gap year providers offering a variety of programmes.
It was super to welcome back Old Greshamians Maddie Gainher and Lara King to talk about their respective volunteering programmes in Ghana.
On Saturday 9th March, string players from the Senior School were lucky enough to share the stage with the North Norfolk Sinfonia playing suits from Tchaikovsky’s Ballets, such as the Nutcracker and Swan Lake. This gave the pupils the chance to play in larger sections, as well as a full traditional orchestra. Whilst the music was difficult, they did exceptionally well and just took the whole experience in their stride.Â
The Year 10 and 11 Inter-House Debating competition reached its climax on Monday evening as Farfield (Connor M, Pablo B-G and James C) proposed and Oakeley (Cerys D, Zinny B and Erin O’D) opposed the motion ‘This House believes that the response of the West to Russian aggression in Ukraine has been weak.’ The motion was tackled with great sensitivity and skill by both teams and played out in front of an audience of nearly 100 in Big School. In a very close match, Oakeley’s opposition prevailed and therefore they hold the O’Connell Trophy for 2023-24.
