Michaelmas End of Term Address

December 13, 2024

On the last day of the Michaelmas Term, the Head addressed pupils before they departed for the holidays.

As ever, it is lovely to share this service as a community today before we spend time apart in our different settings. While I am sure that we could have a guess at what happens in each other’s houses over Christmas, I think we would be surprised by the range and scale of difference between families in terms of their traditions: when do you open presents? When do you have the main Christmas meal? Do you have Christmas crackers at all and, if so, when do you pull them? Do you watch the King’s Speech? And so on.

And that is before you think about people who have different faiths or traditions. I enjoyed one of the most inspirational visits of my year to Kensington Primary School in East Ham earlier this week. I went to see our WoLLoW scheme in action there but arrived just before their dress rehearsal of their Year 5 play, Christmas Around the World, featuring differing cultural traditions at this time of year in countries such as Turkey, Spain, Australia and the UK. The pupil population is 95% non-White British and the majority are from non-Christian families, so the sense of educational openness and inclusive celebration was intoxicating.

Yet the consideration of reality during the upcoming holiday in different settings started for me somewhere else: the excellent resources prepared by our peer supporters in tutor slides to raise awareness around grief and National Grief Awareness Week which took place earlier this month.

I am going to say more about this. If anyone finds the topics raised uncomfortable, pastoral staff are available towards the West End in order to offer support.

Key points from the peer supporters’ slides were that:

grief is not confined to an emotion connected with death but may come as a result of many different types of loss;
people experience grief in a number of ways and there are different social expectations in different parts of the world;
the key is to communicate in ways which feel comfortable to the individual;
expert help is available for those who feel they need to talk. Relevant organisations include Nelson’s Journey, Norwich Mind and the Good Grief Trust.

While statistical research undermines the commonly held belief that there is a spike in suicides at Christmas time, there is no doubt that this “season of good cheer” is not experienced as such by all people. You may think that this is not an appropriate topic for this address, but I take my lead from the peer supporters’ advice: we need to talk about these difficult topics to break down taboos about them. On a separate but related theme, earlier in the term the 6th Form heard an excellent address about men’s mental health on International Men’s Day, where again the need for open and honest communication was highlighted.

We had the treat which was the Choreography Competition at the start of this week. The winning entry in the senior category was a duet by Leah Feetham and Aggie Johnson called “To my sister”, its theme of love and loss is particularly poignant for this address.

The theme of grief ties in with one of the most powerful books I have read this year. It is called 3 Dads Walking – 300 Miles of Hope and was written by three fathers who walked across the country in 2022 to raise awareness and money for the suicide charity PAPYRUS because they had each lost a daughter in this way. There was a particular Norfolk connection because one of the fathers is from here and the walk finished in this county.

The book was harrowing, certainly, but there was also a message of hope and practical action which was inspirational. Some key statistics and messages that I took from the book were as follows:

On average, 135 people are directly affected when an individual takes their own life;
Suicide is the biggest killer in those under 35 in this country;
Those closest to people who have died by suicide are 80-300% more likely to take own lives;
The main message from the three fathers to avoid the shocking devastation that they experienced was to keep talking: “talk, talk, talk”. They felt that “suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem…there is always away out, no matter how hard it seems”;
They recommended the PAPYRUS Hopeline 247 as a source of immediate, expert help.

Talk talk talk: we certainly should not think it could never happen here. Indeed, I am in my 14th year at Norwich School and know that this community has experienced it directly. Having been involved in services of memorial and thanksgiving, for me, the points about the ripple effects of a young person’s death through families and friendship groups resonate strongly.

Right time or wrong time to talk about this? In some ways, it can never be the right time so we just have to get over our reticence and make sure that the key points have been made. Also, Advent and Christmas are a joyful season for Christians but one must also remember that this time captures a moment of vulnerability in the shape of a baby.

One of the aspects of the manger scene is to invite us to reflect on the preciousness and fragility of our lives and relationships. Another of my favourite moments this week has been the Special Schools Service which took place in here yesterday; it is why our presentation assemblies were on Wednesday and Friday. It is always humbling to see a congregation very different from this one sitting in these seats, a congregation of people facing significant challenges on a daily basis. Yet the atmosphere is one of unbridled joy; I am afraid to have to tell you that the cheer when the Christmas tree lights are turned on in the organ loft puts some of your singing in the morning to shame.

During this upcoming holiday, keep your challenges in perspective and remain grateful for what you have. Do not be afraid to reach out if you need support and be there for each other as a network of friends if those around you are struggling. I trust that we are renewed in our wish to be forces for positive change within our families and the wider world, both at home in the coming weeks and as we prepare for the start of 2025.

I wish you and your families a happy holiday.

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Tom Little KC, ON 82-91, Returns to Norwich School

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By Sonja Mitchell • September 26, 2025

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Girls Mentorship Programme Returns for New Academic Year

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By Eleanor Lewis • September 22, 2025

On Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 September, 28 pupils from the Friedrich-Leopold-Woeste-Gymnasium visited Norwich School as part of their Languages trip to Norwich. On Monday, they were treated to a tour of the school in German by our U5 GCSE class and on Tuesday, the two classes were excited to see each other again and spent the afternoon speaking German and English to each other at a Language cafe in UKS, where they ended the afternoon by playing board games together. The pupils enjoyed getting to know each other and speaking each other's languages. They will keep in contact privately now that the German group has departed. Quotes from pupils are as follows: 'We were laughing with them the whole time!' 'We made some strong connections with them and will talk with them online' 'It was very nice to meet them and make some new friends!' 'It was very enjoyable and a lovely opportunity to practise our German and make new friends.' 'It was nice to meet and talk to them while practising our German.' 'We went to the city with them and loved it!' 'We learnt so much about their home in Germany.'

On the Front of the Book - An Assembly from Rev Child

By Eleanor Lewis • September 19, 2025

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:25-27) There’s a saying that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Years ago I met someone who doesn’t like that saying very much. That’s because his job is to design book covers. I watched him lead a really interesting seminar where he showed us some of his designs. He explained how his artwork was trying to sum up – on just one piece of laminated, folded paper - the message and themes of all the other pages in the book. Just occasionally, some book covers do this by choosing a key phrase from the book and putting it in large letters on the front. A famous example is Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, where some editions had a cover that read: ‘Big Brother is Watching You’. If you know the story then you’ll recognise that as the sinister propaganda message that no-one can get away from. Some copies of the Lord of the Rings had printed on the front ‘One ring to rule them all’. And The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams had just two words on the cover of some editions – ‘DON’T PANIC’. It begins to make sense when you discover that some of the characters in the story are using a space travel guide (the Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) which is designed to help you through any difficult situation. And what makes the guide so successful and popular is that its first principle is on the front cover. Whatever happens – DON’T PANIC. Have a look at the cover of your hymn book for a moment. What do you think? We’ve gone for a pretty classic look. The name of our school in gold embossed lettering, and the school crest complete with a motto in Latin for a classy finish. Sometimes I wonder – entirely hypothetically – how we might redesign the cover. If you were going to put a few words on the front, one essential message that everyone in the school was going to see at the beginning of every day, what would it be? Here are a few suggestions I got from people around the school, some more serious than others: · “Show Love” · “Shine Bright!” · “Treat others as you would like to be treated” · “Do some work in your study periods” · “Wake Up!” Actually, I think the words ‘DON’T PANIC’ might work here too. I hope you’re realising, now that we’re a few weeks into term, that panicking is never worth it – and if you’re tempted to panic then sharing your problem and talking to someone almost always helps. Maybe that would be good to remember at the start of the school day. This also reminds me of one of my favourite passages from the Bible, the words of Jesus we heard just now: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? … Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” I’ve had times myself where those words from the Sermon on the Mount have given me some perspective. Perhaps part of that passage would work well on the front of our hymn books – that wouldn’t be a bad thing to keep remembering. We’re not about to reissue the school hymn books with a new cover any time soon. But there’s nothing stopping you imagining a message on the front of the hymn book – whatever you need that message to be. “Don’t panic.” “Do not worry.” “Show love.” Why not have a few helpful words in your mind’s eye every time you pick up these blue books in the morning?

Air Raid Shelter Open to Visitors

By Sonja Mitchell • September 19, 2025

As part of Heritage Open Days we were delighted to open the Air Raid Shelter and Norwich School Chapel to visitors this month.

Contemporary Arts group Entranced by Collaborative Artists in Blake Studio

By Eleanor Lewis • September 18, 2025

Creative Arts are strongly supported at Norwich School, and this was very much in evidence with the return to site of the well-respected local Creative Arts group, the Norfolk Contemporary Art Society (n-cas). For many years we have hosted their ground-breaking talks in the Blake Studio, and we were delighted to welcome them back on 18 September 2025. Our talk was introduced by Lisa Newby, recently appointed Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Norfolk Museums, based at the Castle. She introduced us to Essex-based multimedia artists Daniel & Clara . Since meeting in 2010, the pair have dedicated themselves to a shared life of creative experimentation, working across moving image, photography, performance and ‘mail-art’ to explore the nature of human experience, the natural world and our perception of reality. With work recently on display at Norwich Castle Museum, this was a welcome trip to Norfolk for them and one which saw them entertain an audience of pupils, staff, alumni, n-cas members and local creatives with a visually arresting talk, including some striking images and poetic prose accompaniment. Of great interest were the selection of their short films that showcased their love of the natural world through landscapes, intriguingly crafted taxidermy imagery and appealing sound archives. In the ensuing Q&A the audience seemed very taken by their reflections on how up-and-coming creative artists, such as themselves, have to work hard to earn a living through constant innovation and multimedia versatility. Working with Norwich Castle and commissions from n-cas were undoubted highlights, readily acknowledged by Daniel & Clara. N-cas host regular talks at Norwich School. Their next talk is on 14 October – see: The Mike Toll Film Archive - three short films featuring David Jones, Michael Chapman and Oliver Creed — ncas . All those interested in the creative ats are welcome. The next talk on site in our culturally enriching series of lectures with partner organisations sees the welcome return on 07 October of the Royal Geographical Society. Major General (Retired) Rob Thomson CBE DSO of The HALO Trust, the world’s largest mine-clearing NGO, will discuss how a changing geopolitical order marked by great power competition, increased conflict, and the retreat of multi-lateralism is affecting human development and security. See: Clearing a path through the new world disorder . All those interested in the natural world and geopolitics are very welcome.

Lower 2 Experience Stone Age Life!

By Eleanor Lewis • September 12, 2025

Lower Twos had a wonderful Stone Age Day, immersing themselves in activities such as tool-making, fishing techniques, and learning about the hides. They built a fire, cooked fish over it, which they all then tried, and some even bravely tried the eyeballs! Using tools and instruments made from bone, the children thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are eager to continue exploring this era in their Topic lessons throughout the Michaelmas term.

The role of languages to build a better world – the scintillating return of the Norfolk Cambridge Society to Norwich School

By Eleanor Lewis • September 11, 2025

Norwich School has an established tradition of working with partner organisations to host high-quality lectures on our site. We are particularly proud of our links with the prestigious Norfolk Cambridge Society, whose long-running series of 23 lectures has been amazing. The 24 th public lecture took place in the Blake Studio on 11 September 2025 in front of a capacity audience comprising school pupils, parents, staff, alumni, and interested members of the city’s intelligentsia. It was of particular interest to the Norwich School community that the speaker was one of our own: Old Norvicensian Professor Charles Forsdick , Drapers Professor of French at the University of Cambridge and Lead Fellow for Languages at the British Academy. He has published widely on travel writing, colonial history and literature, penal culture and slavery, all reflective of his lifelong humanitarianism. His topic was “The Role of Language Skills in Building a Better World“ in which he discussed the growing importance of language skills in an increasingly complex and dangerous world. Charles is well known as an academic of great insight and erudition, combined with natural talent as a brilliant communicator, a lively sense of humour and a profound social conscience. His love of languages has firm roots in the teaching he received at Norwich School. Indeed, his hometown of East Dereham featured prominently in his talk, and his links to the school and to Norfolk remain strong, Following his talk and over refreshments a lively debate continued, discussing a wide variety of thorny issues brought up in his talk. These included the short-sightedness of monolingualism, the value of languages to improving vaccine take-up during the pandemic, our woeful language proficiency versus our European neighbours and challenges with current grade boundaries in language A Levels. It was a pleasure welcoming the Norfolk Cambridge Society and an illustrious speaker of such calibre on site for such a compelling event. We greatly look forward to next term’s lecture to take place on 5 February 2025: How AI Works and How it will Transform our Lives given by Neil Lawrence , DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge, Senior AI Fellow at the Alan Turing Institute and Visiting Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Sheffield. Booking is now open, and tickets are selling fast. See this link: Lecture: How AI Works and How it will Transform our Lives – Norfolk Cambridge Society . - Jonathan Pearson, Development Director ( jpearson@norwich-school.org.uk )