MACY-JANE HEWITT REPORTS ON THE GATHER22 CLOISTERS PLAY: MACBETH

July 11, 2022

A cast of talented Senior School pupils performed in this year’s Cloister Play, a dark and gripping adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’. Set in a war-torn state, the Macbeths are ruthless in their fight for survival and will stop at nothing to succeed. L6 pupil Macy-Jane Hewitt reports:

 

“With the recent political turmoil overseas. I believed now to be a fitting time for the narrative of Macbeth to be re-visited. Set within a military camp, my adaptation focused on the obsessive and power-hungry Macbeths who would stop at nothing in their destructive rise to power. It was a powerful production and one that challenged the lack of female roles in the original Shakespearean text and offered a relevant spin to the timeless story. I am so proud of the whole cast for what they have achieved.” - Miss Cary, Director of the Senior Play 2022.



On Sunday 3 and Monday 4 July this year’s senior play ‘Macbeth’ was performed by a cast of outstanding senior school pupils in the Norwich Cathedral Cloisters. The use of the already haunting Cloisters for sound effects and 360-degree staging made the performance of one of Shakespeare's most famous revenge tragedies chilling, thrilling and extremely unsettling. 


Miss Cary’s adaptation of this Early Modern classic transported the audience into the front line and the 21st century. It made each individual member of the audience not only question the brutality of war, especially in today’s climate, but dig below surface level to contemplate the cause of the ‘strange infirmity’ which riddled the Macbeths. Whether you believe in witchcraft and magic like an Early Modern audience or think the effects of psychological disorders such as shell shock lead to the character’s demise, this production left everyone questioning and wanting more. 


The reversal of gender roles in this adaptation cannot be ignored. Abi Mansley, who played Macbeth, had the challenge of executing one of literature’s most famous tragic heroes. She conveys that “The most exciting part of playing Macbeth was exploring the absolute mental deterioration he goes through”. If Abi could have played another character she would “love to be a witch because they are so iconic and they have such an overwhelming presence in the play”.


The Witches, played by Ewan Brett, Marcus O’Sullivan and Oscar Taylor put on an intense performance. Like apparitions, they made their way through the audience echoing lines in perfect unison. They were the only characters to use microphones which gave them an ominous and omnipotent tone. 


As well as gender reversal, many members of the cast, such as Bibi Boyce who played Fleance, Captain and Doctor, had the exciting opportunity to multi-role adding further layers to the play. 


Bibi explained that “playing multiple characters is really interesting. It means that I get to play lots of different aspects of the play. Even though Fleance is one of the smaller characters his symbolism is extremely important. I also got to play Captain and the Doctor which are more serious roles as I announce that the queen is dead”.


Emily White, who played Lady Macbeth, was a standout performer. Her ability to convey emotion to the audience and interact with her surroundings caused an immersive spell to be cast over the crowd. A highlight of the performance was when the resident peregrine falcons or ‘The raven himself’ as if by cue started shrieking. Emily took this in her stride and weaved it into her soliloquy perfectly. 


I had the chance to interview cast members Bibi Boyce, Olivia Elverson and Ewan Brett before the evening show on Monday and here’s what they had to say: 

 

What inspired you to audition for this year’s senior play?  

EB ‘I like Shakespeare, and I like Macbeth. I’ve always wanted to do Macbeth in the Cloisters. It sounded really cool and the experience has been amazing.’ 


BB ‘I’ve always liked acting but I don’t like singing or dancing. I really wanted to get involved with more acting in school. I’ve never done anything as serious as Shakespeare before and I really wanted to get involved. When I found out it was Macbeth I was really excited. 


OE ‘I love the Cathedral. It’s a very beautiful setting. I also studied Macbeth at GCSE so I thought I might give it a go. I used to do drama at my old school and I wanted to give it a go at Norwich School.’

 

How do you feel about this take on one of Shakespeare’s classics?  

EB ‘I think it’s a great take. Bringing this play into modern times makes it more relevant, contemporary, and the adaptation of some of the words makes it more accessible particularly to younger audiences like we had in the matinee.’ 

BB ‘At first, I was a bit hesitant as I didn’t know how it was going to work. Now we’re all in military gear I think that it’s a really interesting take and I really enjoy it. 


OE ‘I like it. There’s female unity which is lovely. I also like the modern spin and combat costumes. We also haven’t changed much of the script so there’s a juxtaposition between the Shakespearian language and the modern theme.’ 

 

What was challenging about bringing this version to life?  

EB ‘This version is relatively similar in a literary sense, however, all the props were modern. We got to use guns and adapted sound effects such as artillery explosions and gun fire in a lot of the scenes. This makes it feel a lot more realistic and hard hitting.’ 


BB ‘When all the artillery and gunfire goes off you can’t hear your cue!’ 

OE ‘When we first rehearsed, we were in Blake Studio and I was nervous about bringing it to the Cloisters.’ 

 

Is there a lasting message you want members of the audience to take home?  

EB ‘Shakespeare’s brilliant. Do a play in the Cloisters if you have the chance.’ 

BB ‘Abi Mansley, who plays Macbeth and Emily White, who plays Lady Macbeth are brilliant.’ 

OE ‘Shakespeare's plays can be adapted so many different ways. There’s no one strict format.’ 

 

What would you say to younger pupils who are thinking about taking part in theatre at Norwich School?  

EB ‘Do it. It doesn’t matter if you’re nervous. Really, it’s kind of the point. It’s an amazing feeling once you’re finished and it’s good fun.’ 


BB ‘I’m new this year and at my old school there were a couple of opportunities to do things but I'd say that there’s a lot more at Norwich School. I feel that the level of production is higher as I've never done anything as good as ‘Macbeth’ has been. I’d definitely encourage people who are new to the school or younger in the school to get involved in the Cloisters’ play because I loved it. 


OE ‘Definitely do it. It’s really good fun. It’s a uniting experience as you get to know people in other year groups. The celebratory teas are also really good!’ 

 

How has the location of the cloisters changed your performance or has it?  

EB ‘This necessarily isn’t the way you have to do it in the Cloisters but we decided to do it in the round which means you’re constantly surrounded by the audience. This means you have to make sure you’re acting to all sides of the audience. We also use the space around the green for other scenes such as the marching scenes. This adds more atmosphere as the audience feels surrounded. The space is great and the echos created due to the sound effects are really atmospheric.’ 


BB ‘It reminds me to turn around and puts me more into character as the audience is everywhere. This makes me really think about staying in character when I'm turning and stumbling. There isn't a backstage which I find more enjoyable because we are immersed with the audience. The Cloisters also made the performance much more dramatic with the Cathedral in the background. In some scenes, I stare up to the Cathedral and in one performance the sky was grey and it started to rain. I hope this enhances the scenes and drama.   

OE ‘The open space is amazing and it prompted me to project my voice.’ 

 

 

Congratulations to the cast: Abi Mansley, Emily White, Poppy Woodruff, Ruby McDowell, Marni Hill, Bibi Boyce, Abi Flatt, Will Clarke, Elfie Anema-Galpin, Gracie Brand, Olivia Elverson, Ewan Brett, Marcus O’Sullivan and Oscar Taylor. 

A huge thank you and congratulations to Miss Cary for directing this adaptation. 


By Eleanor Lewis May 1, 2025
From September 2 - 15, Pathways is displayed in the Crypt Gallery. Drawn together for Pathways, five visual artists and a poet show works arising from immersion in the landscape. Below are some information from the artists (and poet) with some additional information if you would like to find out more! Fliss Cary I make drawings, prints and artists books in response to the landscape and to particular elements of nature. I'm fascinated by the chaotic abundance of nature, by tangled stems and stalks, its transience and its constant renewal. I'm exploring these aspects through a variety of media alongside drawings with a wider view made while walking through the landscape. Find out more here - https://flisscary.com Jude Chaney My work is landscape based. I walk and see images I find appealing then photograph and work on a large scale image soon after as to capture the feeling. I love mixing colour and my work is bold and colourful with pattern. I've worked Plein air on smaller pieces but have felt the need recently to be in the landscape to create my larger ones too, so I'm starting to take the large canvas Plein air too. As I get older the landscape has become even more important to me, I walk daily. Find out more here - https://www.instagram.com/judechaneyartist Cherry Vernon My current work is inspired by the landscape of East Anglia – the broad view and the intimate details of real and sometimes imagined landscapes. In looking and contemplation, the imagery used in the work is varied and highly personal, reflecting the landscape, and hoping to engage viewers with a sense of time and place. My work, which is hung on walls, is predominantly on linen. I put a mixture of earth pigments and soy milk on to cloth in a variety of ways. I quilt by hand and machine. Find out more here - http://vernon-harcourt.com Kate Vogler My pots seek to capture the timelessness sensed when at one with nature: by water, amongst trees or on a mountain path. They are made from coils of clay with impressions of handmade lace, grasses or seaweed in the smooth burnished surface. The colours come from slips and oxides, smoke and pit firings. When touched, each vessel could be part of the landscape: weathered, eroded and raw; somehow inviting quiet introspection. Find out more here - https://www.katevogler.co.uk Beth Walsh My work is based on direct experience and sensory response, using lace as a conduit rather than an end in itself. Some pieces are inspired by text, music or local environment, others by artists of the past, but all are a personal interpretation of a source. Lace has always juxtaposed structure and line with space, exploiting its semi-transparency. My work examines and challenges traditional lacemaking through use of pattern, colour and scale, often combined with other media. I have recently begun spinning and dyeing various fibres to produce particular effects in the yarns I use for lacemaking. Find out more here - https://artlace.co.uk Jonathan Ward My poems are often written in response to place, walks, swims and encounters with the natural world such as bird sightings. I visit and revisit places and landscapes – local and further afield – at different times of day and in all weathers and seasons, taking time to pay attention to what is found there and to reflect. Finished poems, often capturing illuminating moments, arise from notes written outside, from memory or a combination of the two. "... Patience to stand at the entrance to a field watch the clouds move, the shifting light, ..." from Patience: Jonathan Ward
By Eleanor Lewis May 1, 2025
In the February half term, Anoushka Craggs (U6) starred in the Young Film Academy's 'Project Paradiso' which is due to be shown this summer. To celebrate this and to find out a little bit more about the experience, we asked her a few questions... So can you tell me a little bit about how were chosen for the Project Paradiso? So to be chosen for the Project Paradiso cast/crew you had to show exceptional kindness to those around you, it was mostly based on a behavioural thing from the summer camp. They chose the people who they thought would work best with each other, I think that as an actor the film that I did from the film camp was a comedy which helped a lot as the film for Project Paradiso, Running Hot, is also a comedy. So I think it was a mixture of skill and just your attitude and how you work with others. How did you go about fundraising for Project Paradiso? Mainly it was through word of mouth, I just told lots of people about it, I did a funded marathon walk, it was a really busy time so it was amazing to have the support of so many really generous people but also other people fundraised with bake sales, screenings of other films that project Paradiso has produced. So did you get much support from YFA in terms of fundraising? From YFA they gave us plenty of ideas on how to fundraise but they were very clear that we had to do the fundraising ourselves otherwise the project wouldn’t happen. How much did you have to raise? The original goal was £78,000 which they rose to £82,000 in the end which we managed to raise! And where does that money go? It mostly goes to the equipment and the specialists that work with that equipment, they brought in 3 industry professionals that work on short form and long form pieces as well as commercials, so they handled all the various equipment. The camera was an Arri Alexa which is what Netflix uses for a lot of their films and shows. It is a really high quality camera and I learnt a lot about it. Going to Italy was of course a huge expense as well. And you had a week of intense filming? What was the day-to-day of that like? So we would wake up around, 6 then in hair and makeup most mornings in which I would definitely take the longest, being in there for around an hour and a half whereas other people would be much quicker, some as short as 10 minutes! At 10:30 we would be ready but then tech would take some time, we’d be on set from 11. On set we’d have a run through with the director, a rehearsal with the lighting and sound as well as the camera, checking you’re in focus. We would often shoot until 1 for lunch but the aim was always to shoot an entire section/scene before lunch but we quite often ran over. After lunch we’d run from 2-6 but the latest night we did was until 8! What was it like filming Iin another country as well? It was really cool! I’m not going to lie the weather was quite bad, it was raining most of the week. The scenery is right by Etna so when it was clear and sunny you could completely see her and she was actually erupting when were there which meant lots of volcanic ash which became a bit of a problem for the kit. It felt so surreal being on a film set and in another country at the same time, the lemon groves were also very picturesque. Did you decide on the location yourselves? No, Project Paradiso is built on YFA’s relationship with this particular farm and so the last 2 films also were filmed there. And did your team write the script? Yes there were also a group of writers that fundraised but they didn’t come to Italy with us. There were various zoom calls with them about the script and what it means which is really helpful. And how does this differ with other film experiences that you have had? So I have only really had a little film experience but this was so professional in comparison to what I had done before and the level of focus was just unlike anything else. It was very structured and organised although it was at times chaotic it still felt very structured. And how long is the film? Roughly it will be around 40 minutes. So that’s quite long for only a week of filming? Yeah it was 19 pages to do in a week and I think that scene was the least amount of shots we had to do was 3. Each scene varied between 3 and 12 different shots. And how many people were on the team in total? 23 I believe. And how many were actors? Just 4 actually. Had you met anyone before? I knew a couple of people that worked on the film in the summer but other than that I didn’t know anyone else so I had to meet loads of new pupil even though we were all at the same camp. And what can you tell us about the film? I can say that it’s a romcom and that it has something to do with Etna! I can tell you that I had to have my hair crispy fried straight for the entire week so I won’t look like my regular curly self! Oh and there’s 2 couples, one being more obvious and the other kind of just creeping up. When is it going to be released? July/August time because it is a the longest film that they have ever done on this project and there’s only one person doing all the post-production work. And is it going to be sent off to film festivals? Is there a premiere? The premiere is around the same time as the Leavers Ball so I’m a little stressed about that! It will be held at BFI Southbank and there’s going to be people flying in from all over. They will also send it to tons of film festivals, the previous project has won 50 or so awards around the world which are quite big shoes to fill. What is the aim of Project Paradiso? It is kind of a Catch22 in the film industry that you need to have film experience to get on a film set but to have film experience you need to get on a film set. So the idea of Project Paradiso is to give people experience of being on a professional film set, to have that in your portfolio at such a young age. It is really invaluable, as an actor your reputation is built by your performances and if you don’t have anything to show for it, you just won’t get booked. What’s the end goal for you in terms of acting? End goal is acting in film and tv, I like theatre as well but I find Film and TV more interesting and it requires a different skillset which I really enjoy and also being able to do retakes when I mess up! That’s the end goal, to be an actor. How do other people get involved?  So definitely going to the YFA summer camp, it’s an amazing experience for anyone that wants to get into anything related to film, its really helpful and the tutors really know their stuff and will be able to help you. There’s 2 courses, acting and screen-making, with screen-making being behind the camera and acting of course being in front. There are also various day courses form YFA as well as other film schools that can teach you skills such as how to use a camera. And if you take art, are an actor or just someone who is interested in film look up the opportunities or even just look at School because they will also provide opportunities and workshops.
By Eleanor Lewis May 1, 2025
What a wonderful evening of music making as the Upper 3 pupils performed their last Informal Concert in the Lower School. A concert full of joy, confidence, and some seriously impressive talent on a warm May evening! The concert had something for everyone—from a beautiful and expressive solo Bach cello prelude that filled the room with calm and grace, to lively songs from Musicals Annie and Beauty and the Beast that had us all smiling and humming along. The performers truly enjoyed themselves, which added to the magic of the evening. There was a cool and catchy railroad blues piece on the piano, a rocking Lenny Kravitz 'Are You Gonna Go My Way' showcasing some impressive drum skills that brought serious energy to the hall, and a refined Clementi piano performance that showed off real musical skill, virtuosic flair and poise. The audience loved every moment, and it was clear that all the performers had worked hard—and had loads of fun along the way. They played and sang with heart, professionalism, and big smiles. Head of Music Mr Vine said 'I've been lucky to have watched your confidence levels grow and grow over the last 3 years and develop your music skills. Fabulous performances this evening! Thank you all for your hard work and thank you to our visiting music tutors for their hard work too - well done everyone!' The next Informal Concert features pupils from Lower 3 and will take place on Thursday 8 May at 4.45pm in the Lower School Hall.
April 29, 2025
On Friday 25 April, a special assembly was given by Andrew Rowlandson - Deputy Head (Staff) with the title Both Sides Now. You can read a transcript of the assembly below. This year marked the end of an era. For the past 8 years, Lower 6 th geographers have been blessed by a remarkable fieldtrip to …. Mulbarton - a perfect example of a village just 5 miles south of Norwich that I am privileged to call home. Sadly, as our A Level specification is changing, this year’s pilgrimage was our last. As a class, we study the impacts of housing developments on the natural environment and local community. On one occasion early on, as we drove into Mulbarton, I made the point about greedy developers ripping the heart out of our village by sending in bulldozers to demolish habitats and tarmac green spaces with no regard for local people. In hindsight I was perhaps a tad over dramatic – but I wanted pupils to understand a local’s perspective. The next morning, one pupil stayed behind after class. “Sir”, they said, “I thought I should mention ahead of parent’s evening that it’s my dad’s company that is developing the land in Mulbarton”. “Ah” I said. And quickly backtracking, I began to outline all the reasons why we need to build more houses; how the NIMBY (‘Not in my back yard’) brigade in some villages can be unhelpful – for “they’ve got to go somewhere”. After a slightly awkward parents evening. We put it behind us. I’d learnt several valuable lessons! “Evaluation” is an important skill to develop. We encourage our pupils to be critical. To look at issues from different perspectives. Whilst still rather protective of my village way of life with its beautiful common, abundance of ducks, peacocks and a strong community spirit, I try to be more measured in my approach. Not least because I actually live on one of the new build developments! Last weekend Christians around the world celebrated Easter. I say ‘celebrated’ lightly because at the heart of the Easter story we find two contrasting emotions: grief and hope. On one side, we have Good Friday - a day of darkness, suffering, and apparent defeat when we remember the day Jesus was crucified on a cross. At the time, Jesus’ disciples will have experienced profound grief - everything they believed-in appeared to be lost. On the other side, we have Easter Sunday. It’s the day we remember that Jesus conquered death and rose from the grave so that we might have life. It is when the darkness of Good Friday gives way to the light of Easter Sunday. When the disciples’ grief and despair was replaced with joy and hope. When what seemed like the end of the story became the beginning of a new one. These two sides of Easter - suffering and rejoicing, death and life, endings and beginnings - might seem contradictory, but they're inseparable parts of the same story. This idea of looking at things from different perspectives is beautifully portrayed in the film ‘Coda’. It follows Ruby, the only hearing member of a deaf family. Through her use of sign language, Ruby is crucial to helping her family communicate with others. Ruby’s story is made more complex by her love of singing. As she approaches the end of high school, Ruby becomes torn between leaving home to study music at university and staying put to continue the crucial support she provides to her family. Her parents make it clear - they rely on her and want her to stay. As the film draws to a close, Ruby auditions for music college with the song “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell. As she performs, her family, who have had a change of heart, slip into the back of the auditorium. In a poignant moment – Ruby spots them and begins to sign the words of the song. At that moment, they enter her world, see things from her perspective, and give her their blessing. The song Ruby sings captures the reality of life - its highs and lows, wins and losses. It invites us to step back and see a bigger picture – even if we don’t always understand it. Life won’t be trouble-free, but there is something to be gained by living every day. What we experience today might only be part of the picture. The challenge of revision will give way to celebrating the last exam. Marathon training will be replaced with crossing the finish line. Good Friday is always followed by Easter Sunday. And even building developments on beautiful fields might one day provide homes for families. Maleeya in U5 has kindly agreed to sing ‘Both Sides Now’. As you listen, reflect on whether there’s anything in your life that would benefit from being seen from a different perspective or as a temporary season. Consider how the different perspectives may ultimately give our lives richness. And I pray you will know something of the hope of Easter as you embrace both sides to your story.
April 29, 2025
Rowing Report: Inter Regional Regatta and GB Trials On Saturday, 10 J15 and J16 rowers raced at Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, representing the Eastern Region at the Junior Inter Regional Regatta. They competed against 13 other regions covering England, Scotland and Wales. Following the 1000m Time Trials, all crews reached the A Finals where the top 6 Regions from each time trial would race side by side over 1500m. The Girls J15 Coxed 4 of Harriet Brightwell, Freya Dixon, Hannah Conway, Baye Reynolds and Izi Mayhew moved up one place to finish 4 th. Charlotte Douglas and Amelie Ivie raced the Womens J16 Pair, and having tied with a crew in the TIme Trial they had a close race finishing 4 th by just a second. Ellie Thwaites had gained her selection as the fastest J16 Eastern Sculler and with 2 scullers selected she again came out as the 1 st Sculler for the Eastern Region, securing her a place in the A FInal. A 6 th place finish for Ellie placed her amongst some well established Scullers from across the UK. The penultimate race of the day was James Howard and Joseph Hawkes in the J16 Pair, and with 4 crews neck and neck down the course and the boys pushing to keep their bows in front the last 250m saw real tussle for the line. A mere 0.2 seconds separated the boys from the winning Thames London crew and achieving a well deserved Silver medal. On Sunday, Daniel White and Nicholas Conway were also racing at HolmePierrpont in the GB U19 Spring Trials Regatta, with all rowers who had progressed through the selection process with their ergo scores and February trials results. The trials followed a Regatta format with Heats, Semis and Finals. Daniel, along with his Latymer crew finished 30 th overall. Nicholas, despite his pairs partner from Shiplake College, only being confirmed on Saturday, had some great results early in the day to reach the A Final. A phonemonal race saw Nicholas finish as the 2 nd pair in Great Britain. Well done to both boys, and we wish them well in the next stage of the Trials process in July – the Crew Formation - to decide on crews for World and European Championships.
By Eleanor Lewis April 29, 2025
Lower One had a fantastic visit to the Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell on Tuesday 29 April as part of their history topic on Florence Nightingale. The children were thrilled to meet "Florence Nightingale" herself and hear firsthand about her incredible work during the Crimean War. They explored items she would have used during her time as a nurse and learned how she helped to change the way hospitals cared for their patients. As part of the interactive experience, pupils helped pack Florence’s bag ready for her journey to Scutari and even made their own versions of her iconic lamp to take home. The visit brought history to life and left everyone feeling inspired by her bravery and determination. A big thank you to The Bridewell Museum for a memorable and engaging day!
By Eleanor Lewis April 29, 2025
Norwich School hosted our annual Scholars Showcase on Monday 28 th April. In total 25 pupils, including L4 and U4 academic scholars and additional participants in the Youth STEMM Award, presented academic posters for discussion. The posters displayed pupil-led research on the general theme of "object(s) of historical significance", with titles including: The Enigma Machine; The Gates of Auschwitz; and The Terracotta Army. Staff, parents and pupils engaged with the presenters on their chosen content which was also assessed by a judging team consisting of Mrs Gra nt (Assistant Head - Pupil Progress), Mrs Stevenson (Director of Norwich School Marketing) and Sophia Roy (Current U6 Academic Scholar). Sophia kindly then entertained us all with her keynote lecture on "The Origin of Writing" with a specific interest in the development of cunieform, an ancient writing system developed in Mesopatamia and Persia. Looking at separate criteria of content, visual presentation and public engagement, we are pleased to announce the following awards: L4/U4 Academic Scholars: Winner for academic content - Owen Parker-Wright (L4N) - The Wright Flyer Highly commended for academic content - Andrea Lee (U4P) - The Mystery of the Easter Island Moai Winner for visual presentation - Katherine Davidson (L4E) - The Statue of Liberty Highly commended for visual presentation - Martha Pearce (U4N) - Samuel Johnson's Dictionary Winner for public engagement - Santiago O'Dwyer (L4V) - The Verona Astrolabe Highly commended for public engagement - Boden Barton (U4R) - The Benin Plaques The following pupils also received recognition for their efforts working towards their Youth STEMM Awards: Ana Paduraru (L6E) - The Harrison Clock Simran Chawla (M5B) - The Iron Lung Jack Conrad (U4B) - The First Telescope 
April 28, 2025
On 23 and 28 April, the 2025 Norfolk Maths Challenge took place in a bustling Daynes Sports Centre. Below, participants tell us more about their experiences of the event... What is the Norfolk Maths Challenge? The Norfolk Maths Challenge is a tournament held every year Norwich School, and schools all over Norfolk can enter 2 pairs (each with 2 pupils) to try and complete as many maths questions as they can in 1 hour. I was entered with my friend Izu. As we walked up to the Sports Hall, we were discussing things from the previous year that we were entered, considering our tactics and thoughts. What were the categories? Once we got started, we were welcomed by the teachers and the hosts. They briefly discussed the different categories the pairs would do. The first challenge was called Tangrams, where you have seven shapes including a square, two large triangles, two smaller triangles etc. With the shapes, you were given 6 shadow images of 2D images made with the shapes. My friend Izu and I completed the first 5 in the given time, which was very good. After that, the next challenge was code breaking. Before it started, we were told that to make it even, you had to run with your question sheet to the back of the Sports Hall and then run to the front to give it to our markers so it was equal, instead of people at the back having to run 2 times as much as the people at the front. For the next part, we had to complete small equations, then look at the key and find the letter. Once we had completed that, there was a series of bonus questions that we had to complete. Next, we had a small break to have a drink and a cookie, which was given by the caters, which I’m very thankful for because I was tired after running. For the final challenge, we were given information, and a table where we had to find out which child did what. We competed all of the questions, so our markers told us to go back and do questions we missed out earlier. Once we had completed everything, the competition had finished. Whilst we were waiting for the points to be counted up, we did some mind tricks with one of the teachers, which fascinated me very much. As they were announcing the winners, we were called up for 2nd place, which was incredible! We were presented with a shiny medal, and later we got a certificate and a badge we could put on our blazer. Overview of the day Overall, we had a great day. It has inspired me to do more maths! I would like to thank the teachers for choosing Izu and I, and for helping organise the questions, so thanks. Greta (Year 5)
April 28, 2025
The biannual Lower School Family Ski Trip proved once again to be a fantastic opportunity for pupils and parents to bond, learn, and create lasting memories in the snow. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Dolomites, this year’s adventure was filled with sunshine, laughter, and plenty of skiing. From day one, families took part in private group tuition, giving everyone – from complete beginners to seasoned skiers – the chance to improve their skills side by side. It was inspiring to see how quickly confidence grew on the slopes, and by the end of the six-day trip, even those who had never skied before were whizzing down the pistes with ease. The experience was made all the more special by the beautiful blue skies that greeted us each day, a fabulous hotel that kept everyone cosy and well-fed, and of course, the unbeatable Italian pizzas – a highlight for many! As the week drew to a close, excitement reached a peak with a friendly slalom race. In true community spirit, not only did the pupils take part, but all the adults joined in too. It was a brilliant way to finish the trip – full of cheers, challenges, and a touch of healthy competition. A huge thank you to the ski instructors, staff and all the families who made this trip so memorable. Bellissimo!
April 27, 2025
The Cub Scouts raised a total of £600 for the new field for Ho School (Kekeli Foundation). This school is an all-inclusive facility in Ghana that enables people with and without disability to access everything they need. The field will be developed from an existing patch of land – which will be appropriately known as the ‘ Canaries Playing Field ’.
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