Lower School Michaelmas Concert – A Night of Magic at the King’s Centre

November 20, 2025

The Lower School’s Michaelmas Concert at the King’s Centre was a whirlwind of colour, confidence, and heart-melting musical performances. From plucky guitars to dreamy harp tones, the night showcased our wonderful young performers. 


The Guitar Ensemble set the tone with Corena Cracknell’s Bajito Samba, plucking their way through Latin rhythms with impressive focus. The toe-taps in the audience spread like a ripple—always a good sign—and the students handled the syncopations with style. Then the Infant Choir delivered a double bill full of charm - Orange and Yellow and Brown painted the autumn season with warm singing, followed by a wonderfully spirited Monster Stomp—suitably growly, adorably fierce, and 100% crowd-pleasing.


Celebrating recent successes in the Concordia Recitals, 3 pupils were chosen to showcase their solo instruments starting with Moli Li on the keyboard, who dazzled with two Classical gems: Spiritoso by Clementi and Sonata in C Major by Kuhlau. Crisp phrasing, calm poise, and beautiful musicality.


Next was the Reception Choir who took us to France with some traditional tunes: Un, Deux, Trois, Sur le pont d’Avignon and Frère Jacques. Delivered with bright eyes and sung entirely in French, each piece was sweeter than the last.


The String Ensemble then took to the stage and brought a wider emotional palette, with Golden from K-Pop Demon Hunters—a sleek, modern contrast to the rest of the programme. Their expressive playing continued through every bar, showcasing impressive maturity for such young string players and also highlighting some impressive solo playing from Phoenix on the Violin and Max on the Cello.


Another of our Concordia recitalists, Harpist Georgia Cornell Du Houx offered a serene contrast with Jeremiah Clarke’s Chaconne before filling the hall with glistening textures in The Flower Duet by Delibes. A truly magical moment—audiences leaned in as if the Harp itself was casting a spell.


The Lower 2 Little Voices group lived up to their name and lit up the stage with Happy Song —a bright, bouncy number complete with air guitars! A real crowd pleaser!


Our final Concordia pupil Betsy, played with crisp articulation and elegant control on the keyboard, bringing Germaine Tailleferre’s Sonata “All Scarlatti” to life with stylish flair, followed by a tender and lyrical rendition of Alexis Ffrench’s Last Song. A beautifully balanced pairing.


Moving into pop territory, the School Choir delivered a heartfelt version of the classic Time After Time with some beautifully blended harmonies and a spirited version of the Foo Fighters’ Learn to Fly. Voices were warm and full, and their enthusiasm was nothing short of infectious.


Closing the evening with poise, the Chamber Choir offered a beautifully controlled performance of The Water is Wide, followed by the up-tempo Scottish Riddle - full of tongue twisting brilliance! A perfect finale to a wonderful evening of music making.


From thundering tiny monsters to shimmering harp lines, the Lower School Michaelmas Concert was a glorious showcase of talent and pure joy. Whether it was a first stage appearance or a seasoned young musician polishing their craft, every performer contributed to a heart-warming evening that left families beaming and teachers glowing with pride.


By Eleanor Lewis August 20, 2026
It was a joy to see the school come to life once again as our 2026 GCSE cohort arrived to collect their results and it was a record breaking year, so there was much to celebrate. Congratulations to each and every pupil - your dedication, resilience and commitment are reflected in an outstanding set of results. There were also some remarkable individual performances, with many pupils achieving exceptional outcomes. We caught up with some of them to learn more about their successes and hear about what they are looking forward to as they embark on their exciting next steps. Art Here at Norwich School we are enormously proud of our Cater Building, which boasts three floors of cutting edge art and design equipment, across multiple art and design studios and workshops. These pupils demonstrate their love of creative art and look forward to spending more time in Carter exploring their creativity in Sixth Form. Name Isla How many GCSEs did you take? 10 What were your results? 9 x grade 9 and 1 x grade 8 What was your favourite subject and why? History – I loved my class and the lessons were so much fun! What will you go on to study in Sixth Form? History, 2D Art, Psychology and Politics. Is there any particular reason or inspiration for choosing these A Levels? I really enjoyed History and 2D Art at GCSE, so wanted to continue studying these subjects. What are you most looking forward to about going into Sixth Form? The freedom and more independence. What are your co-curricular activities? I love hockey and I am looking forward to joining the Debating Team in Sixth Form. What do you love most about being a pupil at Norwich School? The community.
By Eleanor Lewis August 20, 2026
We are thrilled to announce record-breaking GCSE results for 2026. Overall percentages are as follows: 37% at grade 9 - best performance ever, including Covid years 59% at grades 9-8 (A*) – best performance outside Covid years 76% at grades 9-7 (A*-A) – best performance since Covid 87% at grades 9-6 (A*-B) 97%: overall pass-rate (grades 9-4) Outstanding individual performances included: 1 candidate with 11 x 9 or better; 6 candidates with 10 x 9 or better; 16 candidates with 9 x 9 or better; 24 candidates with 8 x 9 or better; 32 candidates with 7 x 9 or better; 38 candidates with 6 x 9 or better. Overall, of the 1163 grades received, 431 were at grade 9, 681 at 9-8 and 884 at 9-7. Steffan Griffiths, Head, commented, “This is the first cohort to benefit from the school’s decision to offer greater optionality regarding number and choice of subjects at GCSE. We are all delighted that our Year 11 have taken advantage of the change to such brilliant effect. “Taken collectively, they are the best GCSE results in the school’s history and I offer heartfelt congratulations to the pupils on their generation. They are in a wonderful position now to make the most of our outstanding Sixth Form provision and we look forward to welcoming them back in September.” Assistant Head (Fifth Form), Andrew Curtis, said, “I offer sincere congratulations to our Upper 5 pupils on their record-breaking results. Well-supported both at home and at school, they have excelled academically while also making the most of co-curricular opportunities in sport, drama, music and the wider community. We look forward to supporting them as they make the exciting transition to benefit from the development available both inside and outside the classroom in our Sixth Form.”
By Sonja Mitchell August 19, 2026
FONS is proud to support partnerships with the local community
By Sonja Mitchell August 19, 2026
Friends of Norwich School were delighted to support this event for the second year running
By Sonja Mitchell August 19, 2026
FONS has funded materials for L6 pupils to design a mural in the UKS Cafe
By Sonja Mitchell August 19, 2026
Ben tells us what inspired him to write his new book which is out now.
By Eleanor Lewis August 19, 2026
Norwich School is thrilled to have achieved the best A Level results in the county: 24% A*; 53% A*-A; 80% A*-B; 92% A*-C. If we focus on STEM subjects, the results are even better, with 31% at A* and 65% at A*-A. Maths, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science form an important part of our 6th Form offer, with just under 200 of our 500 U6 grades in these subjects. The raw numbers are 62 A* and 66 A grades which have led to a huge number of exciting onward STEM routes. Overall, over 75% (123 pupils) have got to their first choice onward route, with over 90% (over 150 pupils) to first or second choice. The STEM outcomes are even more eye-catching: 87% of STEM places accepted were at Russell Group universities; 5 out 5 STEM Oxbridge candidates successfully made their offers (with a total of 17 A* out of 18 grades!) 7 out of 8 (88%) of medics got into their first choice university (national average of 33%); 2 out of 2 (100%) of vets got their first choice; 11 out of 11 engineers (100%) were accepted onto Engineering courses (university or apprenticeship); 6 out 6 Computer Science applicants (100%) were accepted onto Computer Science courses; If you are interested in STEM for Sixth Form, join the best and study at Norwich School: outstanding STEM facilities; expert teachers and strong laboratory ratios; personalised provision and onward route guidance; unrivalled STEM enrichment opportunities, including: clubs and societies (MedSoc, Maths Club, F24 car, Chess Club); Olympiad preparation; independent project; community service. To hear about some of our STEM Successes from this year's cohort click here. Interested in studying STEM at Norwich School? Book a tour today - places available from September 2026! Contact admissions@norwich-school.org.uk.
By Eleanor Lewis August 19, 2026
At Norwich School, STEM learning extends far beyond the classroom. Through outstanding facilities in Horsefair House and inspiring teaching, pupils develop the confidence to investigate, experiment and excel. There is no question that this was reflected in this year’s A Level results. So, we caught up with just a few of our scientists to find out what’s next for them.
By Eleanor Lewis August 13, 2026
A Level results day is always an emotional occasion, and this year was no different. For the Class of 2026, it marked the culmination of two years of dedication, perseverance and hard work and there was much to celebrate. From pupils who have been with us from Lower 1 to those who have joined us for Sixth Form, it is inspiring to hear their reflections of their time in Cathedral Close and learn about their planned next steps. We caught up with just a few of this year’s leavers to find out more about their individual journey.
By Eleanor Lewis August 13, 2026
The school is pleased to announce strong A Level results. The cohort of Upper 6 candidates have achieved the following: 24% of grades at A*; 53% of grades at A*-A; 80% at A*-B; 92% at A*-C; 98% at A*-E. Outstanding individual performances included: 2 candidates with 4 A*; 12 candidates with 3A* or more; 52 candidates with 3A or more. The Head, Steffan Griffiths, said, “I am delighted for the Class of 2026; they have been a wonderful year-group, setting high standards in our community across all areas of our provision, including sport, music, drama, dance and service. As is evident in these strong results, impressive academic progress has matched their extensive co-curricular activity, onward individual routes are equally exciting and we look forward to staying in touch so that we can hear of their future successes”. Richard Sims, Head of Sixth Form, commented, “This cohort of young people have been good friends to each other and exemplary role models to younger pupils. I am pleased that they have now finished their time in Cathedral Close with pleasing academic results, too. Throughout their studies, they have enjoyed support from families at home and teachers in school; on the pupils’ behalf, I pass on my gratitude to them. I close by offering sincere good wishes for our leavers’ next steps”. NB: specific grade percentages will be published when the subject paper review process has been completed.
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