Norwich’s stunning St John the Baptist Catholic Cathedral was the host site for the Norwich School Choral Society public concert for 2026 held on 04 March 2026. Since the Society’s founding in 1983, appreciative audiences have been treated to music of the highest quality, and this year’s concert was no exception. This musical highlight fosters some remarkable intergenerational collaborations: the Norwich School Choral Society (being the school’ s adult choir made up of alumni, friends, parents and staff) perform together with pupil singers, creating a combined chorus in excess of 110-strong, spanning ages from teenagers to the over 80s! Similarly, talented pupil instrumentalists and music scholars play alongside the professional musicians of the renowned Norwich Baroque ensemble, bringing together a 30-strong orchestra, complete with the pleasing notes of the harp this year. The visual spectacle and rousing sound of nearly 150 musicians performing together is simply terrific. This year’s programme comprised a mix of the modern and the old, the familiar and the new. Our performance kicked off with two beautifully expressive and moving 20 th century choral works: Daley’s Upon Your Heart (1999) and Bainton’ s And I Saw a New Heaven (1928) under the baton of the school’s hugely experienced Head of Vocal Studies, Posy Walton. Closing the first half saw the highly anticipated arrival on stage of Year 13 brass music specialist, Melissa Hawkings on her horn. A member of the National Youth Orchestra, a prolific performer and award-winning composer, Melissa has delighted school audiences for many years, and the virtuoso performance she gave of Mozart’s much-loved Horn Concerto No 3 was pure magic. Both the soloist and the orchestra under the Music Dept’s charismatic Andrew Weeks clearly relished their performance, as did our audience. Melissa reflected afterwards: It was an honour to perform Mozart's third horn concerto with Norwich Baroque. The opportunity to work with such a high-level ensemble was amazing, and I enjoyed every second of the experience! It was truly exhilarating to hear a piece I had been playing alone for so long being brought to life in the Cathedral. I'm so grateful for everyone at school who has supported me in my musical journey. After the interval, the programme moved on to another modern work, Goodall’s Eternal Light: A Requiem (2008), an elegiacal, varied and hugely moving piece, with the full orchestra and choir conducted by the inspirational Posy Walton. Many will be familiar with Goodall’s work from TV themes to such shows as Blackadder and The Vicar of Dibley, so will appreciate his strong melodies, but this work had a profundity and gravitas in a completely different league. It was performed magnificently by the ensemble, the culmination of many months of practice in the school’s Chapel throughout autumn’s gales and winter’s snows. The six talented vocal soloists in the Goodall piece (Ben Griffiths, Charlotte Platten, Anna Rechel, Pearl Lee, Charlie Collier and Isla Bowles) were all pupils from the school between Year 11 and Year 13, many having been Choristers at Norwich’s other Cathedral. Their mature and accomplished performances will undoubtedly be highlights in their careers at the school. The audience was astonished to have witnessed such youthful soloists at such a large public event with for their voices filing the nave. Norwich School has long been a member of the national Choir Schools’ Association (CSA), founded in 1918 to promote and support the education and wellbeing of choristers in the country’s great cathedrals and churches. After all, the choral tradition in Norwich School dates back to the 11 th century. We were therefore thrilled to welcome as our principal guest of honour its Executive Director, Rachel Hicks. Steffan Griffiths, Head of Norwich School, expressed his heartfelt thanks to the CSA for their extremely generous lead sponsorship for the third year in succession, enabling the school to put on such a memorable event. Rachel commented afterwards: I very much enjoyed the concert. It was fantastic to see CSA’s support being put to such excellent use and to see the school’s wider community uniting in an evening of excellent music-making. The staging of an event of such complexity was also made possible thanks to the generous support from other sponsors to whom organizers are incredibly grateful: respected local businesses Hansells Solicitors, Savills property agents and Drury Vehicle Services. Organizers’ gratitude goes out to family sponsors passionate about this event, namely the Boone, Bamber, King, Ricketts, Prior, Drake and Westgate families. We offer our appreciation to the new Dean the Very Revd Martin Hardy and the Bishop of East Anglia, Bishop Peter Collins, and their staff at the Cathedral for welcoming the school back to their lovely cathedral for a third year. Months of meticulous preparation from the Choral Society Committee and members of the school’s hard-working Music Department deserve heart-felt appreciation too. Finally, organizers’ thanks go to all performers for their sensational performances, and to the audience whose generous final ovation reflected the pleasure this memorable evening of music had brought them.

Pupils in Lower 1 combined literacy and creativity this week by writing their own step-by-step instructions before putting them to the test in the kitchen. As part of their learning, the children carefully planned and wrote clear instructions on how to make gingerbread men, focusing on using bossy verbs, time connectives, and simple sequencing. Once their instructions were complete, it was time for the fun to begin. The classroom was filled with excitement as the children measured ingredients, mixed the dough, and carefully cut out their gingerbread men shapes. They proudly followed the very steps they had written, bringing their work to life in a delicious way. The activity helped reinforce their understanding of instructional writing while also developing teamwork and practical skills. Best of all, everyone enjoyed tasting their freshly baked gingerbread men at the end of the day — a sweet reward for their hard work!

2026 is National Year of Reading and we are going all in here at Norwich School! We know reading expands worlds, sharpens minds, and fuels creativity, so let's get inspired! Every month we are focusing on a different genre and hearing from a member of staff about what they like to read, why, when and where! Next up we have Fantasy for February and a huge fan of this genre, Stacey Boothby, Lower School - Deputy Head (Academic), is going to tell us a bit about why she loves Fantasy so much! Tell us a little bit about the genre; what common themes or elements do you particularly enjoy? Fantasy allows writers to explore big ideas – power, courage, loyalty, good and evil – all within beautifully imagined worlds. I love books that create their own unique universes, from the hobbits living peacefully in the Shire in The Hobbit to the magical world of Hogwarts in Harry Potter. I particularly enjoy looking at the maps of these worlds and learning about the history and legends behind them. I am especially drawn to ordinary characters who are faced with difficult choices, and to stories where seemingly unimportant people are forced to rise to extraordinary challenges. Magic, myth and invented cultures can make familiar human experiences feel new and exciting. Most importantly, fantasy allows me to step away from everyday life and immerse myself among dragons, elves and all the other creatures in between. What was the book that introduced you to fantasy? Was there a particular book or author that made you fall in love with this genre? Like many readers, I was introduced to fantasy through books I read as a child. Stories such as The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, and later Harry Potter showed me how completely immersive fantasy could be. These books made reading feel like stepping through a door into another world. Has your taste in this genre changed over time? Yes. As I’ve grown older, I’ve become more interested in fantasy that mixes magic with deeper characters and more complicated choices, rather than simple good-versus-evil stories. I still enjoy classic fantasy, but I now appreciate books that make me think as well as entertain me. Would you recommend this genre to someone who doesn’t usually read it? Why? Absolutely. Fantasy is not just about escaping reality; it is about understanding it in a different way. By setting a story in another world, authors can explore fear, hope, friendship and responsibility clearly and powerfully. It is also a brilliant genre for reluctant readers because the adventure keeps you turning the pages. What do you enjoy most about reading, whether fantasy or anything else? I enjoy looking for the finer details. Fantasy in particular rewards careful reading, because the details of a world – its rules, history and cultures – all matter. I love the moment when something clicks and you realise why a character did something three chapters earlier, and how it affects the outcome of the story. There is real satisfaction in finishing a book and feeling as though you truly know that fictional world. It is even better when you can discuss characters and ideas with others, or compare the book with its television or film adaptation. When and where is your favourite time and place to read? / Do you have a favourite reading spot or routine for diving into books? Much of my reading now takes the form of listening to audiobooks while gardening, washing the car or doing jobs around the house. It means I can enjoy a story even on busy days. When I am on holiday, I will often pick up a book to read, as I have more time to slow down. Which fictional character would you most like to have a cup of tea with? Gandalf – although I suspect the conversation would involve more wisdom (and perhaps fireworks) than tea. Click here to see the monthly Reading List!