Mrs Cheryl Wood Addresses The Fourth Form For Her Last Time As Head of Fourth Form

May 21, 2024

Mrs Cheryl Wood said farewell to her role as Head of Fourth Form this morning and reflected on her time in this incredibly rewarding role.

"What makes you lot special? This is the last assembly that I’ll have with you as Head of 4th Form and so I thought I would share some of the things about you that I love, have made me laugh a lot, and while there are times, I have felt deeply sad with and for you … we’ll leave that side of it for today.

Seven years is a long time and over this time I would have got to know about 800 4th formers. Now that is a lot of names. Names are important, I think, and every summer and start of Michaelmas term I have had, at various points, tutor group by tutor group the names of you all on my recipe book stand in the kitchen. Cooking, learning names and testing myself – seemed like a recipe for success. At the same time, I challenged myself to name one special fact about each of you. And yet, there would have been times when I would have gone blank and let myself down but nonetheless, I believe that names matter and is the first step in getting to know you well.

Now talking about 4th form as a whole feels risky. You may not realise it but you change so much in your L4 year, metamorphosing into altogether more confident young people. You may not be surprised to learn that one of the best parts of this job is watching how the 4th Formers one has ‘angsted’ over are set free, liked winged seed loosed from the parent stem, half-fledged things set free into 5th form to fly on to develop your selfhoods and become the individuals you have shown the promise to become at the time you were selected for Norwich School.

Starting in 4th form is exciting, isn’t it – all the opportunities seem to stretch out ahead of you. Yet, the poet Billy Collins in his poem entitled ‘On Turning Ten’ talked about how awful it was to turn ten. He said This is the beginning of sadness, I say to myself, as I walk through the universe in my sneakers. It is time to say good-bye to my imaginary friends, time to turn the first big number. I bet however that I should be able to find 800 current or ex-4th Formers who would say that turning 11, 12 or 13 had been the most exciting time in their lives and so here is a challenge for someone to write a poem about the excitement of starting at Norwich School in L4 to refute Collins’ idea that fun and excitement ends at 10.

Let’s think about some of the characteristics in the acronym Fourth Form:

F Fearful, eager to get things right and def a sense of going forth on a new journey

O Overflowing with enthusiasm

U uniforms so smart, clean and crisp – well for the first week anyway

R reticent yet quietly confident

T Timorous or over-confident

H Hopeful

F Feisty, shy, friendly,

O organised or oh dear its very opposite

R restless for knowledge, to get that answer, to be first, to be noticed

M magic, sheer magic

Did you recognise yourself in any of that?

More seriously and not just a list of adjectives this time. Let me share, if I may, the seven things I love most about you as 4th Formers:

You are charming, polite and a pleasure to spend time with.

You care and are kind about your peers. You go out of your way to support them in difficult times, to share their triumphant moments, and you show such generosity of spirit. What can I say but that you are actually very nice human beings.

Some of the best conversations I have had with 4th Formers have been around the difficult times – and every year there are a number of these occasions. Hopefully you come to realise that these moments are just a part of growing up. When you get it wrong, you are not defined by that and there are opportunities to put matters right. In these moments you have often come along as a group, to tell us what you think is wrong (Funny that, I usually haven’t had to tell you, you tell me). To ask what you can do to help others who are getting it wrong too, and seeking support as you work to help your friendship group.

Again, what can I say – such moments of self-awareness, such maturity, such thoughtfulness, and in so many moments glimpses of what make you all extra special.

You are awfully serious about so many things. Your top subjects, your sport, your clubs and the causes you support. Such passion is typical of Norwich School and it is these things that set you aside. Caring passionately about something is a wonderful, affirming quality and many of you have this in abundance.

Your enthusiasm is boundless, life-affirming, and it is what makes being a teacher at Norwich School such a privilege.

You are multi-dimensional – interested in so much with such a diverse range of interests and talents

You have made me laugh more times than you might ever imagine. Not at you – I hope – but with you. I am not sure I can elaborate without getting myself into trouble. Let’s leave it at that.

Lastly, there are your playground antics. I don’t think I need to add anymore, do I?

Seven is an important number and is the biblical number of completeness. It seems therefore to be an appropriate time to be standing back from a job I have cared deeply about. Why I have loved it so much is down to you the extraordinary pupils whose wellbeing and development I have been charged with and which has felt like a blessing. This coupled with working alongside the amazing pastoral team who work tirelessly to support you. You owe a debt of gratitude to your Heads of House and your tutors that you might only appreciate in later life. I have loved working with them all and say a big thank you to this professional team.

As you reflect may I share a few thoughts from the poet Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If’

"If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,"

I mentioned at the start of this assembly the imminent departure of the U4s to the 5th Form. I have also talked about journeys in other assemblies and so you might be wondering what the next part of my Norwich School Journey looks like.

Looking forward with anticipation is important, I firmly believe that is what keeps us motivated and happy - and so I am looking forward to a timetable that is jammed full of the things that I love. First and foremost, it is a full English timetable. I cannot wait to be back full-time in the English department. It means that I’ll get to be a tutor again – best thing ever! It also means a day a week working in the Norwich School Archive. Did you know we had one? I hope to set up an Archive club and some of you might like to join me to record current news items for posterity.

I leave with you a thoughtful poem entitled Farewell from the poet Rabindranath Tagore, a Bengali poet I encountered in my first year at University.

I have got my leave. Bid me farewell, my brothers!
I bow to you all and take my departure.

Here I give back the keys of my door
---and I give up all claims to my house.
I only ask for last kind words from you.

We were neighbours for long,
but I received more than I could give.
Now the day has dawned
and the lamp that lit my dark corner is out.
A summons has come and I am ready for my journey.

Thank you for listening..."

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Head's Address from the Start of Michaelmas 2025

By Eleanor Lewis • September 3, 2025

Welcome to the start of the new academic year. Whether this is a return or your first year, it is a delight to have the 25/26 Norwich School community together in the Cathedral. Some of you are entering your last year of school and are already thinking specifically about UCAS applications, apprenticeships and predicted grades. Our new Lower Sixth have the exciting prospect of new subjects, new uniform, new friends and new opportunities. Others are in the middle of or entering the GCSE years and focusing on setting up strong work habits to cope with an increasing workload. Further down the school, you may be starting Lower Five or Lower Four and thinking about how the bigger year-groups will work out, both academically and socially. Upper Four are involved here too; no longer the youngest in the school, we look to you to be welcoming and set a good example to those around you. Whichever stage you are at in your Norwich School journey, I hope you are ready to make the most of another year of education in Cathedral Close, this extraordinary learning environment that we are fortunate to enjoy. I saw a phrase over the holiday which may prove a helpful guideline as you establish your priorities. It was written in the changing room of the British and Irish Lions rugby team during their summer tour of Australia. The phrase was “We go beyond” and I invite you to reflect on it: “we go beyond”. Initially, I thought it was a simple encouragement to try hard, something which is necessary in a sport as physically exacting as rugby union, as we are seeing on our TV screens as the Red Roses attempt to win their home women’s World Rugby Cup. However, these encouragements for effort can quickly morph to a post-game stereotype of “giving 110% and being over the moon at the end of the day”. I would not draw such glib platitudes to your attention. I am also cautious to draw attention to changing room culture; we have made much progress at Norwich School in recent years to leave behind the macho toxicity that can sometimes be found there. However, the head coach, Andy Farrell, is a renowned motivator so I reflected more on what might be behind the phrase, regardless of one’s interest in rugby. For those unfamiliar with the Lions rugby tour concept, it only happens once every four years as the home nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland produce a composite side made up of the best players from each team. It is a romantic concept which is unusual in modern elite sport, tying into supper table conversations about the best team and the fantasy league or FIFA game models which are so popular. The challenge to create tactical and attitudinal cohesion from players who are typically on opposite sides must be significant; “we go beyond” is a call both to demand more of oneself and to contribute to the overall dynamic in order to create a culture of success. What might such a process mean in practice for us at Norwich School? Some of you may remember your Welcome Service from the start of the year and, if you are joining this term, do come with your families on Sunday afternoon as it is a lovely occasion. In it, I use the following phrase in my address: “Be the one to do the extra practice question, the extra lap, the extra rehearsal but also to be the one to volunteer, to help your friend, to open the door, to offer a smile”. It is perhaps our version of “going beyond”: involving yourselves in the different things we offer, both in and out of the classroom, but also contributing more than one might expect in our community; being helpful and supportive to others; assisting others in the way that you would want to be assisted, especially when things are hard. If each of us takes such an approach, we will create an extraordinary community in action for the coming year, one where expectations are exceeded and the sum is greater than its parts. This line of thinking opens up an extra dimension of Andy Farrell’s strapline for the Lions: “We go beyond” becomes a voyage of exploration where we go to places that have not yet been visited and accomplish achievements that had not been anticipated. The Lions certainly wanted to set precedents, securing their legacy by being unbeaten. I am no less ambitious for Norwich School in this coming year: if each of us “goes beyond”, we might take ourselves further than was thought possible, both individually and collectively. Much of the planning and attitude we show is in our control and I hope you talk to your family, friend and teachers in order to set exciting targets for yourselves. However, we should all acknowledge that we cannot be in charge of everything and we should be ready to react during the coming year. I like the sailing phrase: “we cannot control the wind but we can adjust the sails”. Part of “going beyond” is an appropriate individual and collective reaction to our changing environment. So I finish with an encouragement for you to practise enjoyment, to be intentional about creating time and space for things that make you smile, give you pleasure or help you to unwind. “Going beyond” should not be a relentless chore and I am keen that you experience joy at school and at home in the year ahead. Christine Webber, the EDP columnist, talks about enjoyment as a muscle which needs exercising: “build high spots into every day…keep a check on how often you smile (at someone or something)…when you put effort into keeping up your levels of enjoyment, you become more likely to notice and take pleasure in happy happenings”. I agree with this, so my key concluding message is to encourage you to be productive and ambitious for the coming year (remember “we go beyond”), but this should not be instead of or at the expense of looking after yourselves. Indeed, the ideal is that we enjoy our programme of activities sufficiently that we want to commit to going be yond in them. Overall, there should be enough space and rest to allow your whole programme to be sustainable. It is great to start the year with you and I look forward to seeing you around school in the coming days

Cricket Catch Up from the Summer Break

September 1, 2025

Cricket Catch Up from the Summer Break It has been wonderful to see the Norwich School contingent for Swardeston perform so well. Lawry Williams (who was named man-of-the-match) led their U19 squad with Lewis, Ollie and Deeran to victory in their T20 competition on Monday 25 August, winning the Norfolk Cricket Foundation Vitality Club U-19 T20 Trophy. We have had several players involved with Norfolk, England Over 40’s and Bunbury’s over the years… Highlights include - Ollie Longdon Scoring 87 and 90 at Bunbury in the 2-day fixture. Maiden 50 in the EAPL at 15. Tom Bush Bunbury selection. Bella Lewis Bella was an amazing captain for the U15 girls this year and currently leads the Norfolk youth wicket taking stats with 28 wickets including 5 for 21 against Harrow. Bella Borges Bella scored an amazing 1,086 runs for the 2025 season over three ages groups including U15, U18 and Norfolk Ladies first XI. This has made her top of the batting for all of Norfolk Youth. Best of Bella's Stats: 153 for the U18’s against Suffolk. 102* for the U15’s against Cricket East and 5 wickets for 13 runs. 119 against Herfordshire for the U15s. 80* off 26 balls v Cambridgeshire for U15’s. 59 v Shropshire for ladies first XI. Not only impressive batting but bowling too, taking 23 wickets including the 5 for 13 off her 4 overs in the U15 T20 game v Cricket East. Staff achievements - Alfie Cooper and the Norfolk Men’s winners of the national T20. Richard Sims selection and 50 runs scored for the England over 40 team against Scotland.

Kwame Bekoe (L6) Represented England in the U18 International Series

By Eleanor Lewis • August 22, 2025

Lower 6 pupil, Kwame Bekoe, has represented England U18s in the 2025 U18 International Series in South Africa this summer. Kwame started at lock in the opening fixture against Georgia, before coming off the bench to make a strong impact in the second match against France. His performances earned him a place in the starting XV for England’s clash with tournament hosts South Africa on Saturday 16 August. Kwame is a member of the Leicester Tigers Academy and has been a standout player for the school’s First XV since joining the side in Upper Fifth. To celebrate his success, we asked him a few questions... How long have you been playing rugby? I started rugby at 9 years old with Norwich Rugby Football club. So I've been playing for about 8 years now. How often do you train? In season I'll train with school 2-3 times a week and with tigers 1-2 times a week. I also try and go to the gym at least 5 days a week. How did you get into the Leicester Tigers Academy? I officially got into the academy in year 11 after attending numerous developmental training sessions hosted by tigers since the start of year 10. I was put forward by my rugby club coach to be apart of these sessions and was kept through the pathway after multiple selections until I was selected for the academy. How did you get selected for the U18 International Series in South Africa? Fortunately, I was selected for the England U17 may development camp after missing out on being selected for the first camp in April. It was a four day camp with a match on the fourth day and this camp determined which players out of the 46 on camp would play in the summer series. How did it go? It was a great two weeks with a great group of talented players. Unfortunately we didn’t come away with a win but everyone got better as players and had a wonderful experience playing at international level. What was the best part? The best part for me was after the France game having a dinner party with all the teams (Georgia, Ireland, France, England and South Africa) and having a good time singing and dancing with all the players. What was the most challenging? The most challenging part for me was matching the physicality of the national teams as they were all exceptionally strong and maintained a relentless level of intensity throughout the games. It was also challenging to memorise all the calls and plays that we used for the 3 games. How has Norwich School supported your rugby journey? Norwich has helped especially with providing transport to training with tigers. They have also supported me with sports scholarship programme to help with mentally and physically preparing myself before matches. The coaches have also taught me a lot since joining in year 7 and some skills that I still use to this day. What's next? Hopefully I will be selected for more England Camps towards the end of the year and being selected for the U18 Six Nations in 2026. What are your future prospects in Rugby? I hope to continue playing rugby at a high level in order to improve and become the best player I can be.

GCSE Results Day 2025 - We Hear From Some of our Pupils Who Received Their Results Today...

By Eleanor Lewis • August 21, 2025

It was a real pleasure to welcome back our 2025 GCSE pupils today as they collected their results. The atmosphere was full of excitement, with many smiling faces as pupils celebrated their hard-earned successes. We are enormously proud of such a strong performance from this year’s cohort, including: 29% of our pupils achieved a grade 9 Over half our pupils (54%) achieved grades 9-8 74% of our pupils achieved grades 9-7 There were also some outstanding individual performances, including 10 candidates with 10 x grade 9 or better and 35 candidates with at least 9 x grades 8 or 9. We caught up with some of the pupils to learn more about their personal successes and hear about what lies ahead for them.

GCSE Results 2025

By Eleanor Lewis • August 21, 2025

We are pleased to announce very strong GCSE results for 2025. From the cohort of 132 candidates, overall percentages are as follows: 29% at grade 9 54% at grades 9-8 (A*) 74% at grades 9-7 (A*-A) 88% at grades 9-6 (A*-B) 98%: overall pass-rate (grades 9-4) Outstanding individual performances included: 4 candidates with 11 x 9 or better; 10 candidates with 10 x 9 or better; 35 candidates with at least 9 x 8 or 9. Steffan Griffiths, Head, commented, “Our GCSE Class of 2025 have worked very hard for these results and they now thoroughly deserve their success. Well-supported at home and at school, they have laid terrific foundations to make the most of our Sixth Form, whether academically or in other aspects of our holistic provision. We look forward to supporting them as they make this exciting transition.” Assistant Head (5th Form), Andrew Curtis, said, “I offer sincere congratulations to our Upper Five pupils on their excellent results. They have been diligent in their academic work, but they have also contributed strongly in sport, drama, music, dance and school clubs. Perhaps most importantly, they have built strong friendships which will stand them in good stead for the future. They have much to offer as they move into our 6th Form and I wish them all well.

What's Next for the Class of 2025

By Eleanor Lewis • August 14, 2025

Emotions ran high on A Level results day, and rightly so, as our Class of 2025 reached a major milestone after two years of hard work and commitment. Today marks the beginning of an exciting new journey as they step into the future, armed with the results of their hard work. Over 95% of pupils achieved their first or second choice onward route and there are also some truly outstanding personal triumphs. No question, the pupils in this year’s cohort have every reason to feel proud. We caught up with a few of them to hear first-hand what these results mean and how they’re feeling as they look ahead.

A Level Results 2025

August 14, 2025

The school is pleased to announce strong A Level results. The cohort of 177 U6 candidates have achieved the following: 24% of grades at A*; 52% of grades at A*-A; 82% at A*-B; 94% at A*-C; 100% at A*-E. Outstanding individual performances included: 5 candidates with 4 A*; 16 candidates with 3A* or more; 54 candidates with 3A or more. These results are enabling positive next steps. Even before improvements from the UCAS Clearing process have been absorbed, 80% of leavers have secured their first choice onward route and over 95% have achieved their first or second choice. The Head, Steffan Griffiths, said, “I am delighted for the Class of 2025; they have been terrific in so many areas of school life, acting as positive role models in our community and offering much in arenas such as sport, music, drama, dance and service. It is fitting that they now round off their time in Cathedral Close with strong academic results, too, thereby opening up all sorts of exciting individual onward routes. All at school wish them well”. Richard Peters, Head of Sixth Form, commented, “This cohort of pupils committed to a concerted spell of hard work, so I am pleased that they have been appropriately rewarded with these impressive results. They enjoyed support of families at home and teachers in school, to whom I am grateful. I offer sincere good wishes for our leavers’ next steps”. NB: specific grade percentages will be published when the subject paper review process has been completed.

Nick Conway (L6) to Represent Great Britain at the U19 Junior World Championships

By Eleanor Lewis • August 5, 2025

Nick Conway, L6 pupil, has been selected to represent Great Britain at the Under 19 Junior World Championships in the Men’s Eight racing in Trakai, Lithuania, which is taking place from 6-10 August. This is a very proud moment for the Boat Club program and the School as a whole, as Nick is the first Sixth Form rower from Norwich School to be selected for the Junior World Championships. To celebrate this achievement, we caught up with Nick in the lead up to the Championships... How long have you been rowing? I’ve been rowing for 2 1/2 years since starting lent term in L5. However, rowing has been a part of my life from a young age through my parents. How often do you practice/train? As a boat club we have 14 sessions a week, where we train as a whole boat club, both girls and boys squads together, which helps build a strong community and group. How has Norwich School helped you on your rowing journey? Norwich School have helped me develop by providing elite coaching by various members of the sports department, most of all, Mr Carter-Mayers, our senior rowing coach, along with my academic teachers who have been supportive along the way. How did you get selected to represent GB in U19 Junior World Championships? Selection was decided by a week of testing and racing up to 8 times a day. Through the results from then and throughout various trials this year the selectors build a ranking of the top 7 rowers, which they will take to the worlds championships. Thankfully I was in this group to be selected. How have you been preparing for the event? Since leaving for selection camp on the first week of the summer holidays I’ve been down in London and Reading at the national training centre. I have been rowing with my crew and getting familiar with each other ready for when we take on the rest of the world on the 7th of August. Throughout these 4 weeks we’ve come together well, with a few rocky patches, but nonetheless feeling confident as we enter competition week. We wish Nick the best of luck!

Next at the Crypt - Reepham Artists and Makers

By Eleanor Lewis • July 31, 2025

5 - 16 August Open daily 10:00 - 16:00 Closed Sundays. Free admission. Reepham Artists and Makers are a collective of artists and makers based in and around Reepham, Norfolk. They have been exhibiting together since 2017 in galleries and other venues. They work in textiles, ceramics, painting, silver-smithing, glass, wood, gilding and sculpture. Many of the group display and sell as individuals but also come together as a group. Meeting on a regular basis, the artists work together on exhibitions, run workshops within their disciplines and have social visits to galleries and exhibitions in and around Norfolk. Jackie Watson - Ceramics • Sue Johnston - Paintings and Textile Art • Carolyn Penney - Glass and Metal Work • Sara Kenyon - Painter and Water Colourist • Linda Sadler - Ceramics and Textiles • Jane Bygrave - Ceramics • Emily Longhurst - Artist, Working in wood, acrylics and gilding • Tamara Goulding - Lacemaker

The Final Day for the Class of 25

By Eleanor Lewis • July 14, 2025

Friday 4 July, Independence Day in America, happened to be a memorable day of independence for some of our community, as it heralded the last day of school for our Upper Sixth pupils. And it wasn’t just the pupils sharing this special day – parents and guardians were welcomed to the Close to share in the celebrations. Some pupils had been through the entire Norwich School journey, reflecting on 11 years growing up in the Close, whilst others had experienced a packed and exciting two year Norwich School journey, having joined in Sixth Form. Whatever the ‘length of service’, however, the mixed emotions amongst leavers were shared – excitement for the future, sadness and trepidation as such an important chapter of their lives drew to a close, pride at having reached such a milestone and a touch of exhaustion at the end of such an important academic year. A beautiful sunny day dawned, with an early breakfast for the pupils and a special address from the President of the Horatio Society, Jacob Stevenson, who wished his peers well and encouraged them to embrace their new status as Old Norvicensians (ONs). Jacob also handed out awards as voted for by the pupils themselves including, to name but a few, Most Likely to Start A Charity, Best Bromance, Most Likely to Headline Glastonbury and Most Likely to End Up Back at Norwich School (an easy win for Joel Newman who returns next year as a Lower School Gap Student!). They then headed to tutor group where they were presented with their Valedictory Reports – as written by their Head of House and the Head. Parents and Guardians then joined the celebrations for a brunch on the Refectory lawn before filing into the Cathedral for a very special Farewell Assembly. It was hard to spot a dry eye as parents and pupils joined in singing I Vow To Thee My Country and Jerusalem, and the Head delivered a moving and inspirational address. The congregation were then upstanding and clapped continuously as the Upper Sixth filed out of the Cathedral for the very last time, exiting the West Doors, where they were greeted with a farewell and handshake from the Head. The Upper Close was buzzing as families reunited with one another, hugging and crying as they shared the emotion of such a significant day. Overall, however, despite the tears, it was a day for celebration – to toast a job well done to the Class of 2025 who gave it their all and embraced every opportunity on their Norwich School journey. Corks popped and there were photos a-plenty as families embraced a last chance to take pictures in the Norwich School uniform, before departing for perhaps a rest or a power nap, before dressing in their finest and heading for Norwich City Football Club for the Leavers Ball. Over 300 parents, staff and pupils attended a magnificent evening, with a sumptuous three course meal, entertainment and a live band which kept everyone on the dancefloor until 1am. There was an after party, but we will leave it at that…! Wishing the Class of 2025 every success for the future and stay in touch. Remember. You are all ONs for life!