Congratulations to Paul on his new film The Christmas Dream - out now!

Pupils celebrated the wonderful range of vegetables that have been grown in Little Roots this year with a special 'From Seed to Soup' event in the outdoor classroom. The highlight for many pupils was tasting a delicious homemade soup made from vegetables grown in the allotment, including pumpkin, carrot and parsnip . It was fantastic to see so many children willing to try the soup and discover just how tasty freshly grown vegetables can be. The celebrations continued with a range of seasonal activities. Pupils enjoyed a lively game of Pass the Pumpkin , which brought plenty of laughter, before heading off on an autumn scavenger hunt . Armed with keen eyes and plenty of enthusiasm, they explored the area looking for signs of the changing season, spotting colourful leaves, seeds, berries and other treasures of autumn. To bring the event to a cosy close, everyone gathered around the fire to toast a marshmallow and enjoy a warming cup of hot chocolate. The 'From Seed to Soup' celebration was a wonderful reminder of the rewards of growing our own food and spending time learning in the natural environment.

On Thursday 5 November, Junior Boys and Senior Girls cross country teams made the trip to Stowe School in Buckingham for the Regional Final of the English Schools' Cross-Country Cup. The course included short sharp hills, as well as long, gradual climbs and even roaming flocks of sheep to contend with, all within the spacious, rolling grounds of the Stowe School. 104 runners competed in the Junior Boys race over 2.4km. First home for Norwich was Beetle D, coming 18 th overall in a time of 11:37. Sebastian T and Jesse M, both racing up a year, finished in 26 th and 36 th positions respectively. Also successively dodging the marauding sheep were Jonty C in 64th, Max K in 73 rd and Tom MC in 96th. The team finish in an impressive 6 th place out of the 19 competing schools. Emi M was our only runner in the Intermediate Girls' race, over a 3km course. She had the best finishing position of the day, coming 7 th out of 86 runners in a time of 13:13. The Senior Girls all battled strongly on the uphills and picked off runners on the downhills over their 3.4km course. First to finish was Minnie A who came 14 th in a time of 14:46. She was closely followed by Amelie I in 21st, Olivia A 28 th and Bea G 35th. With all 4 finishing in the top half of the field, the Girls came 5 th out of the 12 competing schools. Well done to all who ran so strongly.

Upper 1 had a fantastic time visiting Norwich Cathedral for ‘The Big Bible Story’! We explored lots of different parts of the Bible, discovering some of its best-known stories. The children loved the chance to dress up as a bishop and learn all about their role as a shepherd, linking this to the wonderful story of the Good Shepherd. We became story detectives, searching the Cathedral’s beautiful stained-glass windows and ceiling bosses for clues about the stories from the Old and New Testaments. We also found out more about two important Christian traditions – Baptism and Holy Communion (Eucharist). There was so much to see, discover and talk about, and we had a brilliant time bringing our Religious Education learning to life! "I liked learning about baptism and looking at the font." - Yuvraj "My favourite bit was the Good Shepherd story." - Roshy

Our series of external lectures hosted by the school continued on 05 November, when we welcomed back on site the illustrious Royal Geographical Society (RGS) eastern region branch for their latest public lecture. A large audience of pupils, ONs, parents, staff, academic staff from UEA and Members/Fellows of the RGS heard from national expert Dr Andy Jefferson on the very topical subject of Sustainable Aviation. Andy is an international expert in this field, having worked for decades with the likes of Rolls Royce, Boeing, BA, plus national governments and agencies. See: A&G Jefferson Ltd . With the help of a beautiful slide deck of meticulously researched and clear slides, Andy took the audience on global aviation’s long journey, in which the UK has played a prominent role in technical and operational advances. His gaze inevitably dwelt on the period from the 1950’s explosion in frequent, low-cost air travel to the huge increase forecasted for coming decades. Acknowledging the substantial contribution the aviation industry plays in CO₂ impacts, and against a backdrop of August 2026 being the warmest month in global history, he shared the industry’s plans to address calls for greater sustainability. This includes initiatives such as flight path planning efficiency, aircraft design improvements, sustainable fuel, and carbon trading. The impact of the Iran war and fuel blockades, coming on the back of the unprecedented upheaval during Covid have only imposed further headwinds. Nevertheless, Andy presented a spirited exposition of technical advances that will lead towards greater sustainability in aviation, especially in propulsion methods (jet fuels from waste products, hydrogen power), aerodynamics (wing airflow modelling, carbon fibre materials, even ‘slick’ paint) and AI to optimise air traffic control. Andy faced intense, and at times frankly sceptical, questioning from climate scientists and chemists in the audience. There was some consensus afterwards over refreshments regarding the need to accelerate technical advances to deliver greater sustainability, as well as a pragmatic acknowledgement that the days of easy, cheap, unlimited flights might be numbered. With a cohort of pupils and students in the audience, all could agree that their generation would require energy, purpose and focus to find equitable and urgent solutions to the issue of sustainable aviation. The final word goes to Head of School Immy C (U6) who commented afterwards: “I really enjoyed the talk and found it fascinating to explore the challenges facing the aviation industry in achieving net zero, particularly the potential and limitations of sustainable aviation fuels. It was thought-provoking to consider how technological innovation, economic pressures and global cooperation intersect, and I’m sure the discussion will be valuable to my Geography studies and future aspirations in this field.” The voice of young people will also be the focus of the next RGS event held on Monday 23 November in the Blake Studio. Back by popular demand for its fifth year, you are invited to hear from pupils from various Norfolk Schools each presenting a 15-minute presentation to a Royal Geographical Society audience showcasing a broad range of subjects in human, physical and environmental geography. It is a valuable educational opportunity for them and a wonderful opportunity for our audience to learn from our youth leaders on important global topics. Speaker come from Hethersett Academy, Notre Dame School, University Technical College, Framlingham Earl and pupil Oscar L. (U5) from Norwich School. A rich spread of topics includes the Sahara Desert, China’s economic policies, the costs of AI, shark finning, biodiversity in agriculture, and the London’s design issues. The evening will be chaired by the ever-brilliant Professor Michael O’Riordan OBE DL FBA, and our very own Dr Anthony Speca FRGS. This is a free event suitable for all senior school pupils and parents, starting at the earlier time of 17:00. All are welcome.

Over half term, 29 pupils and 4 staff spent 5 unforgettable days in a land of fire and ice. Our adventure began, as soon as we landed, at the Bridge between the Continents on the Reykjanes Peninsula, where we stood astride the Eurasian and North American plates as they slowly drift apart. The next day, at Þingvellir National Park, we saw the same rift on a grander scale, in the very place where Iceland's first parliament met in 930. We watched Strokkur erupt every few minutes at the Geysir geothermal area, admired the thunder, spray and rainbows of Gullfoss, and then went underground into the Raufarhólshellir lava tunnel, formed over 5,000 years ago. Day 3 took us along the south coast, past the waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, where we saw the falls from different angles, both above and behind! We then travelled to the black sand and basalt columns of Reynisfjara, where the power of the Atlantic was plain to see. In the afternoon, pupils strapped on crampons and helmets and walked on Sólheimajökull glacier. Standing on ice that has been there for centuries, and seeing for ourselves how quickly it is retreating, made climate change feel personal in a way no textbook can. That night, we saw the northern lights! Ribbons of green light danced overhead, as the entire hotel descended into the car park to watch. It is something none of us will ever forget. On our last full day, the Lava Centre explained the forces behind everything we had seen, and we then visited the steaming fumaroles and bubbling mud pools of Hveradalir. After exploring Reykjavík, we watched molten lava flow at the Lava Show and soared over the whole country at FlyOver Iceland, which left us all wanting to come back. On our final morning, we stood beside the still-steaming lava fields of Nátthagi, formed by the recent Fagradalsfjall eruptions, before a well-earned soak in the Blue Lagoon! None of it would have been the same without our amazing guide, Karen. Her knowledge was extraordinary and her passion for Iceland was infectious. She answered every question, however many we asked, and made every landscape feel like a story we were part of.

Oscar PW, and Marcus R, competed as part of the East Anglia team at the British Orienteering Junior East Anglia came 7th overall, a fantastic achievement! Here is what Oscar and Marcus said about the event; "This was my first time competing for East Anglia, and I was running up an age category against runners two years older than me. I found the location for the first day quite challenging as there was very little to navigate by in places, which threw me off on some of the controls. I placed in the upper middle of the pack, which was a good result, although I felt I could have done better on another day. The venue for the relays on the second day felt easier to me, and I found the course less challenging. The runner before me in my team had put us in about 18th place, and I think I made a small improvement, taking us to 17th, and our final runner took us to 16th. Across the whole event, EAJS came 7th out of all the teams there, which was a great result considering we were one of the teams with the fewest runners." - Oscar "On the whole it was a very successful weekend for myself and east Anglia. with my individual performance I broke expectations as I was running up an age class, managing to earn an impressive 12th place. As east Anglia were the hosts, we had a good number of runners and a large number of relay teams. I ran the first leg for my team finishing 3 minutes behind the leader meaning we were right at the front of the race after my leg. Overall east Anglia once again performed better than predicted finishing 7th as a team, a very impressive weekend." - Marcus

The Crypt Gallery, Norwich, presents Unspoken , a joint exhibition by artists Sophie Eade and Marion Stuart , bringing together new paintings and ceramics shaped by their shared interest in text, transcription, and the quiet charge of language. Working from a thematic starting point of writing , both artists explore how words shift when they move across materials — from page to clay, from conversation to surface, from the spoken to the withheld. Their works carry fragments of text that are often difficult to read, partially obscured or embedded within layers of slip, glaze, paint, and mark‑making. Meaning sits in plain sight, but not always immediately accessible. The viewer is invited to look closely, to navigate the tension between what is said and what is left unsaid. The ceramics in Unspoken hold words pressed, carved, or transcribed into stoneware and wild clays. Some phrases emerge clearly; others dissolve into surface. The paintings echo this approach, using text, gesture, repetition, and erasure to test how language behaves with canvas and colour. Together, the works form a conversation about communication — its failures, its hesitations, and its quiet insistence. Eade and Stuart both work at StudioDo a ceramics space in Norwich , where their studio practice is shaped by discussion, shared problem‑solving, and a mutual interest in how materials carry thought. This exhibition reflects that ongoing dialogue: two distinct practices meeting at the point where text becomes form. Unspoken invites audiences to consider how language is held, altered, and sometimes lost — and how meaning can remain even when words slip out of reach. Exhibition Dates: 24 November - 29 November, 10:00 - 17:00 Private View: 27 November, 17:30 - 20:00

Entitled 'Multilingualism and the Early Modern City: Language and Society in Norwich (1500-1750)', it is a fascinating read.