FUTURE PATHS – WHERE ARE SOME OF OUR UPPER SIXTH HEADING AFTER SCHOOL LIFE?

February 17, 2022

Here at Norwich School, we place a strong emphasis on equipping pupils with the skills that they need for whatever direction they choose to take beyond School life. We believe our extensive co-curricular programme, including the Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Norfolk Sports Academy, Community Service, Making Musicians and the Gather Arts Festival, reinforces and underpins academic success, and is valued by universities and employers alike. So, with many of our current Upper Sixth beginning to hear from their chosen universities (with 12 pupils successfully achieving Oxbridge offers, having chosen the competitive university route), we reflect on the diverse and varied future paths that our pupils choose on leaving School. 


As well as securing places to study a wide range of courses at universities across the UK, some of our pupils choose to travel further afield to pursue their future path overseas, for example in the USA, Hong Kong and Holland, while others are looking ahead to work-based learning programmes or gap years. 

With offers still coming in, the range and breadth of options and universities this year’s cohort can look forward to is truly impressive and our congratulations to them all as they begin to embark on future paths. 


Medical, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine 
Karthik Prabhu - Medicine - Cambridge
Abigail Hill - Veterinary Medicine - Nottingham, Surrey
Rohan Damodar - Veterinary Biosciences - Surrey
Isabella George - Midwifery - Greenwich
Alice Shaw - Adult Nursing - Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham


Engineering
Benjamin Groat – Aeronautical Engineering – Cambridge, Imperial, Southampton, Sheffield
Flynn Robbins – Aerospace Engineering – Sheffield
Bryony Brierley – Architectural Engineering – Heriot-Watt, Liverpool JM, Loughborough, Sheffield
James Dixon – Chemical Engineering – Newcastle, Birmingham
Arjuna Puvanachandra – Mechanical Engineering – Southampton, Bristol
William Blythe-Bartram – Mechanical Engineering – Sheffield
Robert Stevens – Mechanical Engineering – Lancaster, Nottingham, Sheffield
Arthur Wildish – Mechanical Engineering – Newcastle, Northumbria, Nottingham
Ben Scott – Mechanical Engineering – Loughborough, Exeter
Henry Farr – Mechanical Engineering – Bath, Brunel, Imperial
Aaron Chiu Ho Lun – Engineering – HKU
Isaac Betts – Engineering – Exeter, Southampton, Newcastle
Joseph Ford – Engineering – Southampton, Nottingham, Sheffield
Robert Mackintosh – Engineering – Loughborough, Nottingham
Isaac Mann – Engineering – QML 


Creative Courses
Mia Bartram – Architecture – Falmouth Unconditional offer
Bryony Brierley: Architectural Engineering – Herriot Watt, LJM, Loughborough, Sheffield
Aanya Mukhtyar – Art and Design – London Met
Thomas Thornton – Graphic Design – Falmouth, Leeds University if the Arts, Northumbria
Amélie Clark – Music – Cambridge, KCL, York, plus Conservatoires: Guildhall, Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music
Poppy Woodruff – Drama – UEA
Abigail Mansley – Drama and English Literature – Manchester
Sam Honey – Computer Games Design – Portsmouth, Nottingham Trent
Adam Jones – Computer Games Design – Staffordshire Gloucestershire Bournemouth Huddersfield, Abertay
James Ribbands – Computer Games – Essex, Birmingham City,
Chloe Davies – Film TV production – Bristol, Royal Holloway, Newcastle
Scarlett Collins – Fashion Marketing – Manchester met, Nottingham, UAL
Amelie Bredican – Fashion Communication – Nottingham Trent
Tilly Banks – Art Design and Fashion Communication – Liverpool Hope, Nottingham Trent
Kit Whitaker – Advertising Brand Design – Falmouth, UAL, Lincoln, Ravensbourne,


Economics, Business & Finance
Oliver Holden – Business and Environment with Industrial Experience – Exeter, Warwick, Leeds
Joseph Roy – Business and Management – Oxford Brookes, Nottingham Trent, Nottingham
Poppy Woodruff – Business Management – UEA
Aidan McCabe – Business Management – LJM
Daniel Murphy – Business Management – Nottingham Trent, Sheffield, London Met
Charlie Humphrey – Bristol, Nottingham, Economics
Akshay Pissay – Economics – Nottingham, York
Luke Yerby – Economics – Reading, Sussex, Nottingham Trent, Kent, Sheffield
Taha Raja – Economics – Sheffield, York
Ben Lettice – Economics and Finance – Sussex
Vani Kumar – Economics with a Year Abroad – QML
Lee Lin – Economics and Finance with a Year in Industry – Bristol, QML
George Smith – Accounting and Finance – Newcastle
Jason Kwok – Management HKUST, Financial Technology, Professional Accounting from CUHK


Languages
Toby Hunt – Modern Languages – Durham, Bristol, Exeter,
Simone Heap – Modern Languages – Exeter, UCL and UCL Institute Paris
Laura Garrod – Modern Languages – UCL, Exeter
Candice Wong – Linguistics – Warwick, KCL, Manchester, Lancaster as well as an interview at Princeton.


Law
Leanne Leung – Exeter, Leeds, Law Batchelor of Law and Business Administration - HKU
Annabel Thompson – Law – Cardiff, Exeter, York
Orla Hardiman – Law and Business Studies – Liverpool, Nottingham Trent, Exeter
Anna Austin – Law with Spanish Law – Bristol, Nottingham
George Sommerville – Law and Business – Nottingham Trent


Humanities and Social Sciences
Hector Frith – Geography with International Relations – Plymouth
Luke Fox – Geography – Manchester
Joshua Means – Geography – UEA
Cora St John Cooper – Geography – Nottingham, Kent
Eleanor Bezova-Lyons – Geography – Durham, UEA, York
George McGuire – Geology with Geography – UEA
Oliver Holden – Global Sustainable Development – Warwick
Ella Craggs – Environmental Science – Birmingham, Leeds, York, Southampton
George McGuire – Exploration Geology – Cardiff, UEA
Abigail Cunningham – History – UCL, York
Sophie Cook – History – Oxford
Bertie Comer – War Studies – KCL
Edward Maxwell-Preston – History – Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Southampton
Nicola Hinsley – History and Ancient History – Swansea, Nottingham, Leicester, Wales Trinity, Surrey
Matthew Doylend – Ancient History – Newcastle, Birmingham
Grace Futter – Classics – Cambridge, Exeter, St. Andrews
Lucy Conroy – Classics – Oxford
Benjamin Tremelling – Archaeology – Cambridge, UCL, Exeter and Toronto
Emily White – History of Art – Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester
Freddie Power – Politics – Cardiff, Newcastle, Sheffield, Warwick
Daniel Collins – Politics and International Relations – Strathclyde
Benedict Cranfield – Politics and International Relations – Nottingham, York
Maxwell Murray – Politics and International Relations – Newcastle, Nottingham
Daniel Griffiths – Politics – UEA, YSJ, Winchester
Eleanor Porter – English – York, Strathclyde
Ruby McDowell – English – UEA, York
Bo Spurling – English – Bristol, York
Joanne Bale – English – York
Jemima Miller – Media and Communication – Loughborough, Cardiff, Newcastle
Isabel Cutts – Anthropology – Durham, Exeter
Adrienne Ng – Urban Planning – Manchester, Reading, Loughborough, UCL
Atiya Bussey – Psychology – Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Nottingham Trent, Newcastle
Elizabeth Collinson – Psychology – Nottingham
Emily Rivett – Psychology – Kent, York, Newcastle
Yin Liang – Psychology and Language Sciences – UCL, Edinburgh
Charlene Chan – Psychology – Sussex
Amelia Cropley – Criminology and Psychology – Nottingham Trent, Loughborough, Bath, Edge Hill
Frederick Paterson – Criminology – Lancaster, Manchester, York
Benedict Fletcher – Criminology – Manchester Met, Nottingham Trent, Leicester, Liverpool
Tatiana Mitchell – Criminology – Northumbria, Leicester, Nottingham
Lucy Jenkinson – Criminology and Social Policy – Cardiff, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol


STEM Courses
Max White – Biological Sciences – Lancaster, Warwick
Xander Wimmer – Biological Sciences – Reading
Chloe Cheng – Biomedical Sciences – Leeds, QML
Joseph Byrne – Biomedical Science – Sheffield
Chloe Loveland – Marine Biology – Newcastle, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Liverpool, Bangor
Joshua Means – Geography/ Marine Biology – Plymouth, Southampton, UEA, Loughborough
Finn Duncan – Ecology – Leeds
Aaron Chiu – Neuroscience – QML
Olivia Richards – Neuroscience – Bristol, Nottingham, Exeter, Cardiff, Leeds
Edward Wilson – Chemistry – Bath, UEA,
Toby Finch – Chemistry – Bristol, Newcastle, UCL
Edward Wilson – Chemistry – Bath, UEA
Navaneeth Hari Krishnan – Physics – Cambridge, Bath, Manchester, Durham
Jacob Brown – Physics – UEA, Warwick, Bath, Manchester
Stephanie Cho – Physics and Philosophy as well as an interview at Princeton – Bristol
William Hardy - Physics Astrophysics – Sussex
Zen Hei Lau – Physics with Foundation – QML
Doris Qiqi Zhang – Mathematics – Birmingham, Bristol
Venus Sze Yu Chow – Mathematics – Bristol
Sonny Cooper – Computer Science – City
Ben Livesey – Computer Science – Anglia Ruskin, Hertfordshire
Sebastian Gotto – Data Science – Bath, Bristol
Olivia White – Sports Science – Loughborough, St Marys, AECC, Edge Hill
Harry Mackenzie – Sport and Exercise Psychology – Edge Hill


International Offers
Aaron Chiu - Bachelor of Science HKU and Bachelor of Engineering in Data Science and Engineering – HKU
Jason Kwok – Finance – HKU Business School


In addition, congratulations to ONs Dan Possener and Harry Vincent who have secured places at Cambridge, Dan to study Theology & Philosophy of Religions and Harry to read Engineering; and Kitty Womack who has received an offer from Oxford to study English Literature. 



Offers are still coming in this year and we wish everyone good luck for the remaining weeks!

Norwich School French Horn player becomes full member of The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain

By Eleanor Lewis • October 24, 2025
Melissa Hawkings (U6) has become a full member of The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. To celebrate her success, Mrs Fry sat down with her and asked her some questions. Mrs Fry: Melissa, huge congratulations on becoming a full member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. You’re not completely new to this, are you? Can you tell me what your involvement has been in NYO so far? Melissa Last year I was a residency guest so I took part in the spring in the summer concerts in the full horn section, including playing The Planets and Star Wars music at The Proms in the Royal Albert Hall, and the year before I was an associate member, which a nice introduction to NYO. One of the best concerts I played in was as an off stage horn in the Alpine Symphony conducted by Sir Mark Elder. Mrs Fry: Wow! That’s not an opportunity that comes around too often! A whole new learning curve for playing in time. What will it mean to you now that you’re a full member? What will your annual commitment be? Melissa: I’ll do three of the courses a year including the 14 day summer residency, four days of which is the concert tour. We might do some community work too, introducing instruments and music to young people. Mrs Fry: How does a residency day look? Melissa: We rehearse from 9am until 5pm with breaks and then again in the evening until 9pm. It’s a bit of a marathon! There is a rest day though. Sometimes we have full orchestra rehearsals, sometimes, full brass and sometimes horn sectionals. Mrs Fry: Do you get to see the music in advance of the course? Melissa: Yes, we get sent the music a month in advance so everyone turns up able to play everything. Because of this we can spend time on interpretation and really playing together which is what makes NYO so good. Mrs Fry: Melissa, you don’t get to be an elite level musician playing at National level by accident. Tell me about your journey to NYO. Melissa: When I was about 10 I went to an NYM (Norfolk Youth Music, now Guildhall Young Artists) Open Day days at CNS where you could try different instruments. I don’t know why I chose the horn. It just felt fun and was the most unusual. I wanted to be different so I chose it! I remember when I got home trying for ages to play a scale. I kept playing over and over again until I could play it. Then I took part in groups at school and when I felt more confident with my playing I joined the County Youth Wind Band. A little later I joined the Norfolk County Youth Orchestra where I was a member for 3 years. I think NCYO was actually really important for me because it’s how I got I to orchestral playing. I remember the first thing we did was Beethoven 5. It was really exciting. I was so nervous I was barely playing because everyone was older than me! I just kept doing it because I really liked the music. And then after that, I started going to Junior Guildhall in London on Saturdays which pushed me to the next level, playing with people from all over the country. The highlight of that for me was lots of chamber music playing. I’m now at Junior Royal College with a new teacher on Saturdays, leaving Norwich station at 0630 and returning home by 7pm or so. Mrs Fry: Long day! We’ve spoken a lot about the orchestral side of things and the coaching that you get outside of your daily routine but what does it what’s required of you to get to your level as an individual? What do you do on a daily basis? Your fitness routine? Melissa: Early in the morning, I have a half an hour warmup routine where I do different technical exercises just to make sure every aspect of my playing stays in shape: if you don’t use it, you lose it! Not every day is the same due to school commitments, but ideally I’ll do three hours practice. That’s what I did when I was preparing for the auditions: I like to do like an hour of technique, an hour on the excerpts and then an hour on my pieces. When I’m consistently doing three hours practice I notice such a difference in my playing - it’s like an athlete, you need constantly to be playing and being mindful of how you play - efficient and good practice is so important. Mrs Fry: There must be pieces of music that is special to you or musicians that have inspired you? Melissa: Right now, my favourite composer is Stravinsky. I loved playing Firebird at 14. I thought this is the most crazy, insane thing I’ve ever heard! The horn parts are amazing! That lead me into listening to The Rite of Spring and then I played Petrushka in NYO last spring at the Roundhouse in Camden. I also like Debussy and Ravel. The horn player who has inspired me is Sarah Willis, the 4th horn player in the Berlin Philharmonic. She’s not just a classical horn player - she’s recorded the Mozart horn concertos reimagined with Latin influences. Mrs Fry: Sounds slightly different to the Norwich Baroque version coming up in March when you will perform one of the Mozart concertos in the Norwich School Choral Society concert! Melissa: Yes! I also watched a masterclass with her where she made instant differences to peoples’ playing. I also really like Ben Goldscheider, a young horn player. We share the same teacher. Mrs Fry: So, what next for Melissa Hawkings the horn player? Melissa: I’m hoping to go to conservatoire next year. My dream career is to be an orchestral player but now I just want to see where it takes me - what kind of ensembles I might play in as I go through conservatoire and beyond. Mrs Fry: Who knows, you could follow Sarah Willis’s trailblazing footsteps to the Berlin Phil. Good luck with it all. If you have been inspired by Melissa’s musical journey and want to follow in her footsteps, here are some links to the local music groups she joined: https://www.gsmd.ac.uk/study-with-guildhall/children-and-young-people/guildhall-young-artists/guildhall-young-artists-norwich https://www.gsmd.ac.uk/study-with-guildhall/children-and-young-people/guildhall-young-artists/guildhall-young-artists-norwich/norfolk-county-youth-orchestra And tickets to NYO concerts are free for teens! Next up ‘Shimmer’ in January. Details here: https://www.nyo.org.uk/performances/shimmer Concert tour highlights - https://youtu.be/oVDFRtvPxsE?si=QqYITRq7GpjaBMp9 Jupiter in rehearsal - https://youtu.be/Hl2iTL4tnxk?si=UeWadansnIeV_x7e

Ben Rothery, ON 96-02, at Norwich Book Festival

By Sonja Mitchell • October 23, 2025
Award-winning author and illustrator, Ben is at Norwich Book Festival for two outstanding events for all ages.

ON Tom Isaac (05-12) in upcoming concert

By Sonja Mitchell • October 23, 2025
Thomas Isaac will be playing cello with the Norwich Philharmonic Orchestra.

Upper 4 and Lower 5 Scholars Explore London and it's History

By Eleanor Lewis • October 18, 2025
At the end of an industrious first half-term, 31 pupils embarked on our annual U4/L5 Academic Scholars residential trip to London. The visit was designed around the following key aims: To enjoy each other’s company outside of school and spend time discussing what we encounter. To learn more about our capital city- key historical sites of societal and scientific significance and important works of art. To create links between curricular areas of interest and personal interest and develop new areas of interest. To use this trip as inspiration to complete a reflective assignment to answer one of these questions: Is London truly an iconic city, as it is often described? OR How have different historical periods shaped London? What does the future hold? OR When learning about London, whose stories do we hear and whose stories are missing? In order to achieve these aims we visited a wide variety of attractions over our two days in London. We began with a walk from Liverpool Street to the Tower of London where Mr Rowlandson helped pupils to reflect on both the geography of this site as well as comparing the history of the White Tower with Norwich Castle. We then travelled along the Thames to Greenwich in order to visit the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich Observatory and the fascinating Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition. Dr Leeder, as Head of Nelson House, was delighted to be able to see Admiral Nelson’s coat (complete with bullet hole on the left shoulder!), particularly since the trip took place on Norwich School’s commemoration of Trafalgar Day. We also discovered that linking art and astronomy to enter the photography competition is much more complicated than taking a snap of the night sky, as Mrs Grant explained before our visit. After a trip back down the Thames and a jovial dinner together our evening was spent at the National Gallery before a walk to our hotel, absorbing the vibrant atmosphere of London on a Friday night. Saturday morning began with a lively scavenger hunt around Bloomsbury, passing institutions like SOAS and UCL and even encountering a film shoot on one street. The group then visited the British Library where Mr Douglas-Field offered a compelling introduction to this building (8km of shelving are added every year to the collection!) and prompted pupils to reflect on the future of such an institution. Inside we visited the Treasures Gallery, where we saw the Magna Carta, Beethoven’s original score for his Pastoral Symphony and a notebook of Leonardo Da Vinci, amongst many other amazing artefacts. The British Library also houses a brilliant Sound Archive where we could listen to anything from bird calls to regional accents. As we returned to Norwich pupils began to reflect on their visit and their assignment task. Pupils will share their work with their peers online and offer comment on each other’s work. We are so looking forward to reading pupils’ work and seeing how their perspectives have been shaped by our trip. 

ABBA Abounds at Lower School House Music Competition

October 17, 2025
The Lower School House Music Festival 2025 took place on the final morning before half-term and was an absolute triumph of singing talent! Heigham, Magdalen and Conisford choose a trio of ABBA hits and all gave incredible performances in a Lower School Hall filled with an atmosphere of excitement and support. Heigham gave us their version of ‘Money, Money, Money', Conisford sung 'Waterloo' and Magdalen performed 'Mamma Mia'. Head of Singing from the Senior School, Mrs Walton, was on hand to adjudicate and was incredibly impressed with the standard of singing, stage presence, diction, intonation, and enthusiasm from each House. The singing truly raised the roof! It was a close competition with only a few marks in between each place, with the winners announced as Heigham house. Huge congratulations to Heigham and well done to everyone for taking part, and a special ‘bravo’ to the three House Captains for their excellent work in leading and directing their Houses so well.

Trafalgar Day Service from Rosie Pank, Head of School

By Eleanor Lewis • October 17, 2025
On Trafalgar Day each year, we come together to celebrate Viscount Nelson, who famously led his troops to a decisive victory in the Battle of Trafalgar, which took place in 1805. Nelson’s leadership in the navy was marked by his outstanding bravery in conflict, and his ability to lead from the front and stand up for what he believed right. For example, he opposed the harsh and traditional naval punishment of flogging, showing his concern for his soldiers, as he felt they should be treated with respect. His resilience was legendary; despite being blind in one eye, he continued to fight fiercely, displaying an extraordinary courage that inspired loyalty and confidence among his men. Today, as we commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar, we honour not only Nelson’s strategic brilliance in naval warfare but also the leadership qualities he demonstrated throughout his career. This year, Trafalgar Day coincides with One Norwich School Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the strength and diversity within our school community. To me, these themes of leadership and community are key to furthering our thriving school life, and important take aways from figures such as Nelson, one of the many we celebrate throughout the school year. They remind us that true leadership is not just about commanding on the battlefield but about fostering unity and strength in the everyday lives of those around us. That’s leads me consider the impact leadership has within our school and how it is evident in our everyday life. The importance of strong leadership cannot be overstated. Traditional leaders like Nelson lead by boldly standing as visible symbols of strength, courage, and decisiveness. Their actions motivate those around them and create a sense of purpose and unwavering loyalty. Nelson’s own leadership style was characterized by his willingness to face danger head-on, maintaining a sense of calm and demonstrating bravery even when injury threatened to take him down. This bravery was demonstrated when he continued to give orders in a battle despite losing the vision in one of his eyes. His leadership inspired through action and sacrifice, radiating unshakable confidence and a commitment to a cause greater than himself. But while this form of leadership is undoubtedly heroic, it can also feel distant and almost unattainable. Leaders such as Nelson appear made in an entirely different way to the rest of us; creating people who are able to act fearlessly and decisively in moments of extreme pressure. This heroic image, though inspiring, can sometimes create a pedestal so high that it alienates us, making us wonder if such leadership is out of reach. It can foster the belief that leadership requires a flawless strength and courage that most people lack, widening the gap between us and the leaders we admire. If you’ve ever looked up at the statute of Nelson on the green, you might know how out of reach these heroic leaders can feel. Yet leadership does not have be confined to this traditional idea. Leadership can also be deeply personal and flexible, reflecting the unique qualities each of us inherently possess. Though Nelson’s courage will always be timeless, I want to turn your attention to another kind of leadership: the power of ‘quiet leadership.’ Quiet leadership often goes unnoticed because it doesn’t demand the spotlight. Despite this, some of the most impactful leaders are those who lead through everyday acts of kindness and empathy - whether it’s offering a helping hand, holding a door, or simply being present when someone needs support. Leadership is not solely defined by heroic behaviour; it begins with compassion, involvement, and genuine care for others. Every one of us has the potential to be a leader, not by striving to be perfect and inspiring all the time; but by practicing empathy, kindness, and demonstrating strong commitment to the communities we are in. A figure who embodies quiet leadership remarkably well is Marcus Rashford. Many of you will know him for his football skills, but beyond the pitch, Rashford has quietly championed a campaign to extend free school meals and reduce child food poverty in the UK. His leadership style stood out to me, as it was not loud or confrontational; instead, it was humble and purposeful. Rashford used his high-profile platform to build connections and create real, measurable change. He quietly wrote personal letters to government officials, using his personal experience to advocate for children who needed support. This quiet, humble approach to leadership resonated with me, and evidently many others nationally, as people rallied to support his cause. Rashford’s example is powerful because it teaches us that leadership does not rely on volume or visibility alone; it is rooted in authenticity and the ability to include others through shared values and purpose. True strength lies in the community and the collective efforts that bring about meaningful change. Even Nelson demonstrated qualities of quiet and committed leadership. One story that particularly strikes me is from just before the Battle of Trafalgar. It is said that Nelson ordered the last dispatch boat, which was already en route back to England, to be recalled temporarily so that a petty officer could include a personal letter to his wife. This small act of kindness reveals a lot about his leadership style, it is not just about heroic gestures on the battlefield but also about being attentive to the needs of individuals within a team, no matter their role. By prioritizing the desire of this junior sailor, Nelson showed that true leaders care deeply for every individual under their command, fostering a sense of community and belonging. As you move around school today, I invite you to reflect on these lessons from both history and the present day, using them to think about the leaders you admire and the qualities which make them inspiring. I also urge you to consider your own role as leaders in this school, whether that’s in a sports team, classroom, lunchtime club or on the playground, leaders are found everywhere. Finally, I am going to share a quote with you that has stuck with me since I heard it; Barack Obama said, “One voice can change a room.” And my challenge to you is this: How will you make your voice heard? Think about this, sometimes, those who shout the loudest are not truly heard – could it be that taking the time to listen to others, is the best way to get people to listen to you?  As an old teacher used to say; if you were - thank you for listening.

Netball News - The First Half of Michaelmas 2025

By Eleanor Lewis • October 16, 2025
Despite Netball only being played non-curriculum time this term, the Netball Club have been busy competing in four National Cup competitions, The England Netball National Schools competition, The Sisters in Sport Cup, the Independent Schools Cup and the School Sports Magazine Cup. The U14 squad have secured two wins tin their cup runs, against Wymondham College and Norwich High School for Girls. The U16s won their Area tournament with seven wins out of seven, alongside a strong cup win over St Joseph's College.  Not to be outdone, the U19 team have been victorious against Ipswich School and also produced a classy and composed performance to secure a comprehensive win over Oakham.

Hockey Highlights - Girls' Hockey Season Update 2025

By Eleanor Lewis • October 16, 2025
The Girls’ Hockey programme has enjoyed an excellent start to the season, with teams across all age groups showing determination, teamwork, and impressive progress on the pitch.  The U12s have had some highly competitive fixtures, demonstrating real growth in skill and confidence as the season has progressed. A particular highlight was the U12A team’s outstanding 3-1 victory over Woodbridge School. The squad also performed brilliantly at their recent tournament, qualifying for the Regional Finals - a fantastic achievement and reward for their hard work and enthusiasm. The U13s have gone from strength to strength, producing a series of excellent performances. The U13A team recorded an emphatic 9-0 win against Glebe House and followed this up with a strong 5-2 victory over Culford School. The U13B team also impressed, battling hard to earn a 2-1 win against Wymondham College’s A team, a testament to their determination and growing confidence. The Inters teams continue to make steady progress, competing in several close and exciting matches. The 14A team notched up impressive wins against both Framlingham College and Ipswich School, while the B team recorded a solid win over Framlingham College and a well-earned draw with Culford School. The Senior teams have also enjoyed a strong start. The 3rd XI have shown fantastic grit and determination throughout the season, highlighted by an excellent 4-0 win against Wymondham College’s 2nd XI. The 2nd XI have been superb, losing only one game so far, with standout moments including qualification for Regionals and a commanding 4-0 victory over Culford School. Meanwhile, the 1st XI have been working tirelessly behind the scenes, with their 3-1 win against UEA’s 1st XI reflecting their exceptional progress and dedication. With such positive momentum, the future of the Girls’ Hockey programme looks incredibly bright.

Hockey Highlights - Boys’ 1st XI Hockey Season Update

By Eleanor Lewis • October 16, 2025
Following the success of last season, the Boys’ 1st XI hockey team has entered a rebuilding phase, welcoming eight new faces into the squad. With a fresh mix of talent and energy, the focus this term has been on developing team cohesion, refining structures, and preparing for the challenges of Tier 1 competition. The team began their campaign with a series of local fixtures against Dragons, Norwich City, Dereham, and Magpies. These early matches provided valuable opportunities for the new-look side to gel and test combinations in competitive settings. The boys showed great commitment and resilience throughout, competing hard in every fixture and demonstrating steady progress with each performance. Their opening Tier 1 encounter came against Ipswich, where the team narrowly missed out on victory in a closely contested game. Despite the result, the performance was full of positives, with the squad displaying strong defensive organisation and promising attacking intent. The following fixture saw the team take on Whitgift – the four-time reigning champions – where they once again rose to the challenge, matching their opponents for long periods and showing encouraging signs of growth.  With each match, the group continues to build confidence, understanding, and belief. The foundation being laid this season will no doubt serve the team well for the remainder of the campaign and beyond.

Onward Routes for our 2025 Cohort - October Update

By Eleanor Lewis • October 16, 2025
August is an important month for our Upper 6 cohort as they come into school to collect their A Level results. Understandably, they are extremely nervous as the culmination of two year’s hard work and commitment is reflected on that one piece of paper. However, we always say to the pupils that those letters are simply a stepping stone and the most important thing is that they deliver the key to unlocking the next stage of their journey. With our leavers now having started their university courses and apprenticeships, we wanted to celebrate both the success of the whole cohort as well as share a range of individual destinations. We are delighted therefore to be able to report that an impressive 80% of our 2025 leavers have been awarded the results they needed to go on to their first choice, whether that be their preferred university, here or abroad, securing their plans for a gap year and their education beyond that or successfully securing a sought-after apprenticeship. This equates to 141 pupils out of an Upper 6 cohort of 177. Especially impressive is that 97% of the 2025 cohort (171 pupils from 177) gained the grades required for their first or second choice onward route. These statistics show an upward trajectory in our success rates with these being higher than those of the 2024 cohort which were higher than those of the 2023 cohort. The universities with the most Norwich School pupils starting there this autumn were Durham, UCL and Newcastle and the most popular courses being Economics/Finance, Engineering and History/Ancient History. However, pupils have started at 44 different UK universities and 6 overseas universities. The examples below show the range of onward routes that our 2025 cohort went on to: Joschka Molenaar has started studying Mathematics at the University of Cambridge having achieved an S grade in STEP III (the highest grade in this, the hardest STEP paper) as well as A*A*A*A* at A-level. Ava de Cooper Wride is now at Quinnipiac University in USA on a full rugby scholarship. Noah Rastrick flew to USA in August to start at Robert Morris University on a full soccer scholarship. Archie Taylor secured a highly competitive finance degree apprenticeship with Price Bailey, so now combines working for them with them paying for him to gain a degree. Kitty Millard has moved to London where she is working for a film company whilst gaining an apprenticeship in Design and Illustration in Film. Leah Feetham has also moved to London and is loving her degree in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre at the highly competitive Bird College (a conservatoire). Jemima Curtis is using her experience as Head Girls’ Chorister at Norwich Cathedral as she works with choristers at King’s College School, Cambridge, this year before starting her degree at the University of Exeter in September 2026.  Jacob Stevenson has started a diploma in Digital Marketing for Fashion at the London Retail Academy and will go to university to study Psychology in September 2026.
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