News & Events
Latest News From the Senior and Lower Schools
Lower School News
The Lower 3 Informal Concert in the Lower School Hall was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, celebrating the confidence, musicality and growing skills of our young musicians. The relaxed atmosphere created the perfect setting for pupils to share their hard work and enjoy performing for friends, family and staff. A nice variety of instruments and vocals provided some excellent contrast to the programme including Trumpets' Flutes' Drums, Piano, Guitar, French Horn and Vocals. The music on show was also well chosen including Elegy for the Arctic by Ludovico Einaudi , Naughty by Tim Minchin , Bolero by Ravel, Always With Me from Spirited Away and Breakfast in America by Supertramp on the drums. The concert was a wonderful reminder of the enthusiasm and dedication of our Lower 3 musicians. Every performance was warmly received, and the afternoon was filled with encouragement, applause and pride. Well done to all involved for a fantastic concert.
Lower Two had a fantastic Egyptian Day on Monday 19th January. The children learned about the importance of black kohl eye make-up in ancient Egypt, explored why mummification was so significant, and discovered how hieroglyphs were used to communicate stories and messages. One of the highlights of the day was reenacting an Egyptian burial, which really brought their learning to life. Everyone looked amazing in their Egyptian costumes, and the children had the best day immersing themselves in ancient Egyptian history.
Lent Term Informal concerts kicked off in style showcasing talent with a wide mix of instruments, styles, and moods that kept the audience engaged from start to finish. Each performer brought something different to the programme, making the afternoon feel varied, exciting, and full of personality. Music included Cinarosa's Sonata in G for Piano, Gossec's fun Gavotte on the Cello and a hoe down on the Violin followed by a beautiful rendition of The Skye Boat song on the Harp. A touch of Rock n Roll on the electric guitar with Been There by A Lambert and rounded off with a gentle interpretation of Chopin's Waltz in A Minor . Overall, the concert was a great success and highlighted the hard work and musical ability of all the performers. It was an enjoyable and memorable event that showed the impressive range of talent within the school.
Senior School News
On 19 and 20 January, we welcomed Australian youth advocate and educator, Daniel Principe, who presented to all Senior School boys from Lower 4 to Upper 6 on topics including toxic influences, limiting stereotypes, objectification, relationships and the challenges young men are facing in a world of social media. Inviting participation in his talks, pupils were encouraged to consider and discuss stereotypically taboo subject matters, to advocate for a more open conversation surrounding these topics. Daniel’s journey to becoming a prominent youth advocate was a result of his own early experiences and challenges. He faced significant bullying during his adolescence, leading him to question social norms and seek a path that aligns with his values. His mission to change the way boys socialise and to promote healthy masculinity had pupils considering the unfair stereotypes boys and men face in our culture, specifically through the media. One conversation had pupils thinking about the challenges young people are facing in a world of smartphones and social media. Themes surrounding dopamine addiction, body dissatisfaction, catfishing, and objectification were raised as Daniel encouraged pupils to participate in a ‘digital detox’, providing an opportunity to learn new skills and do things that make you come alive offline. Daniel’s empathetic and open approach resonated with many of our boys and young men. His mission to ‘Challenge culture, Champion Boys’ was truly seen as he approached the sessions with vulnerability and a clear passion for uplifting young men and boys. His honesty, integrity and warmth truly put the wellbeing of boys at the heart of his approach, and we hope that his message is echoed throughout the school community and into the future.
Our A Level Spanish pupils enjoyed an inspiring study day in London focused on the iconic Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar , a key part of their Paper 2 syllabus. The day offered pupils the opportunity to deepen their understanding of his work through expert-led sessions and engaging discussions with university professors and fellow Spanish students from other schools. Beyond the classroom, they also embraced the cultural side of Spain by sharing a well-deserved tapas dinner , bringing their learning to life through food, conversation and authentic cultural experiences.
We were delighted to welcome on site the Norfolk Contemporary Art Society (n-cas) on 21 January 2026 for a stunning public lecture, their first talk of the calendar year in our Blake Studio. This visually arresting lecture was given by celebrated German artist Lothar Götz entitled: Colour – Space – Light – Spirit Götz has an international reputation and has exhibited all over the world, showcasing his incredibly distinctive and eye-catching style. He is also Associate Professor of Fine Art at the University of Sunderland. He uses colour in a unique way to create visually arresting public art often on a simply monumental scale, principally using his trademark precise geometric forms. He almost overwhelms his viewers with a riot of colour and shape. His unusual “canvases” for both inside and outside art installations have included underground stations (most recently the Elizabeth Line), huge walls, church chairs, ballrooms, staircases, warehouses, atria to public buildings, flags and have even included the outside of whole buildings, most notably the Towner Art Gallery Eastbourne (which has become a tourist attraction in its own right). An audience of n-cas members, local creative artists and students, parents, staff and alumni were entertained by an astonishing slide show of his mesmerising works, and all enjoyed meeting him over refreshments afterwards. Our nest lecture in the Blake Studio promises to be a real cracker. ON Barney Broom will speak about the wonders of the silver screen in the inaugural Friends of Norwich School sponsored talk on the world of film. Barney is a Member of BAFTA as well as an accomplished film director, screenwriter and published novelist, but first and foremost he is a compelling storyteller, one who lives and breathes his material. This promises to be an entertaining evening for all ages and interests. All are welcome. Tickets on sale: HERE . Finally, we have recently launched our full programme of exciting and cultural events organised by Norwich School taking place in and around Cathedral Close this term. There really is something for everyone to brighten up these dark winter months. Do have a flick through At Close Quarters Lent Term 2026 . Booking for many of the school events can be found on our homepage under “Upcoming Events”: www.norwich-school.org.uk
Blog
The school marked Holocaust Memorial Day during our senior school service on Friday 23 January. Assistant Head, Mr Grant, spoke about the life of survivor, Eva Schloss, who died earlier this month, and her work to remember those from her family that were killed, including her stepsister, Anne Frank. Because of its history, the city of Norwich has a particular responsibility to challenge antisemitism. Yet, as antisemitism grows – in Britain and around the world – Jews remain particularly vulnerable. Eva Schloss’ witness reminds us of the importance of remembering Holocaust victims as individuals to help ensure the evil of the past does not resurface. Isaiah, 56, verse 5 To them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever. "Eva Schloss was 96 years old when she died recently on the third of this month. Most of her life, she had lived in London where she’d arrived in 1951 to study photography. Yet, for decades, Eva had been haunted by nightmares, memories of her early life. Born in Vienna to a prosperous family, she was very close to her mother, Elfriede, her father, Erich, and her anxious but talented older brother, Heinz. She remembered happy times skiing in the Austrian mountains as a family. This ended abruptly in 1938 when Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany. This upended Eva’s life because Eva and her family were Jewish. To avoid persecution, they moved to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. There, Eva befriended another girl of the same age called Anne. Anne was from a neighbouring family who were also Jewish. Eva remembered that Anne had a nickname, Miss Quack Quack, as she never stopped talking. But Amsterdam did not provide the safety these two families needed. The Netherlands too was invaded by Germany in 1940. With no escape possible, the families faced growing restrictions on their lives. Eva remembered Jews being barred from the cinema. She was upset that she couldn’t watch the Disney film, Snow White. To cheer her up, her brother, Heinz painted cardboard versions of the seven dwarves for her to play with. Indeed, Heinz increasingly focused on his painting to pass the time, especially once the family were forced into hiding for months to avoid the tightening persecution. Heinz became increasingly worried about what would happen, but their father, Erich, assured him that, whatever happens and however long we live, our lives are important and the things we do in them won’t be forgotten. The family’s hiding place was betrayed and the four of them were deported to the death camp, Auschwitz, in May 1944. Next Tuesday is Holocaust Memorial Day, the 81 st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945. Eva’s father, Erich, and her brother, Heinz, did not survive; two of the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. It was only through luck that Eva and her mother lived. On their journey to Auschwitz, before the family were separated – over three days in a dirty, cramped cattle truck - Heinz had grown increasingly miserable; he had told his sister that he had hidden his paintings beneath the floorboards in the house in Amsterdam. If Eva survived, she should find them. Returning to Amsterdam after the war, Eva and her mother adjusted to life without the other half of their family. They encountered the father of the girl, Anne, with whom Eva had been friends. His entire family had been killed: Anne, her sister and their mother had all died at the Bergen Belsen concentration camp. The remains of these two shattered families united in their shared grief, Eva’s mother married Anne’s father. His name was Otto Frank. He became Eva’s stepfather and encouraged Eva’s interest in photography. Posthumously, therefore, Anne Frank became Eva’s stepsister. Otto discovered Anne’s diary hidden in their house. Eva discovered Heinz’s paintings under the floorboards. Each would do what they could to share these with the world; to ensure, as Eva’s father had promised, that, despite their brief lives, Anne and Heinz would not be forgotten. Heinz’s paintings remain on public display today. Anne Frank’s diary remains the most widely read testimony from a Holocaust victim. Anne had died aged just 15. Eva – born in the same year - had 81 more years of life than her stepsister, the span of a good life itself. Yad Vashem is the world’s Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. It aims to record – by name – as many of the six million victims as possible. Yad Vashem, in Hebrew, means ‘a memorial and a name’. It was inspired by the verse from the prophet Isaiah that we have just heard. After 81 years, there are fewer and fewer survivors to testify to what happened as the terrible events of the Holocaust fall out of lived memory. Gradually, those lights – like Eva – that, since 1945, have shone brightly to illuminate the world’s ignorance, are starting to flicker and go out. What is left? The names of those who were killed risk fading into the darkness of an unremembered past. I’ve noted before that Norwich has a particular responsibility to challenge antisemitism – the hatred of Jews. It was here in the Middle Ages that the blood libel originated; the lie that Jews killed Christian children, and this lie spread through Europe justifying persecution. Recently, the Dean of this cathedral has been working with the local Jewish community to consider the most appropriate ways of acknowledging this dark, difficult, distant past. Yet, in the modern age antisemitism is not distant. It is growing again, both in Britain and around the world. A malign mixture of racism and conspiracy theory, antisemitism creeps easily into the minds of the ignorant and the hateful. The spread of misinformation, the rise of extremism and the dangers of radicalisation – all stimulated by a lawless and irrational digital realm - mean that Jews remain particularly vulnerable. The last two years have seen the highest number of antisemitic incidents in Britain. In October two Jews were killed at a synagogue on Yom Kippur in Manchester. More families broken. More names to be remembered. In a BBC interview towards the end of her life, Eva admitted that she was pessimistic about human nature, that cruelty was ingrained within us. Perhaps she was right. Yet, there is a quiet, defiant power just in remembering. Anne, Heinz, Erich. Eva Schloss devoted the last four decades of her life to ensure that these names would not be forgotten. In those words again from Isaiah, she aimed to give them an everlasting name that will endure forever."
An upgrade to sound quality is music to our ears!
Good morning everyone. Last year my Dad turned 80. When we asked him if there was anything he’d like to do to celebrate, he said he wanted to tour the WW1 battlefields in France and Belgium. So during the May half-term I went over there with my brother and our parents and we spent a week exploring Flanders and the Somme region, as I know many of you have done on school trips. At the end of the week I dropped the others at Charles de Gaulle airport for their early morning flight home, and treated myself to a day of birdwatching near Calais before catching the ferry to Dover. I spent a delightful day at the coast, enjoying turtle doves and nightingales and my first ever Marsh Warbler, which I was very excited about. Species number 626 on my life list, in case you are wondering. I also stumbled across an information board that caught my eye. It was in French so I couldn’t entirely understand it, but it had pictures, and seemed to be about a pilot from the WW1 era. What caught my eye was the fact that the pilot appeared to be black and female. A week of touring the battlefields and learning about the war had taught me that all pilots in those very early days of flight were white and male. I jotted down the name Bessie Colman in my notebook, and told myself that I would do some research when I got home. And I’m glad I did. Bessie Colman’s story is quite remarkable, and I’m grateful to Rev Child for the chance to share it with you now. Her story is one of achieving a dream in the face of racist and sexist discrimination. I hope that in our more enlightened times none of you will suffer similar discrimination, but there will almost certainly be situations where you are denied the chance to do what you want, possibly just because someone else gets chosen ahead of you. You might not have got picked for the A team for tomorrow’s match, or get the role you want in the musical, or be selected to be a prefect, or get into the university of your choice. If that does happen to you, hopefully this story will encourage you not to give up. To set the scene, the Wright brothers flew their famous first flight in the year 1903. Young Bessie Colman was 11 years old at that time, growing up in Texas, and like many young people of the day, she was captivated by the idea of flight, and dreamt of getting the chance to fly herself. One of her brothers served with the army in WW1 and got to witness some of the first ever aerial combat action, taking place over his head as he dug and repaired trenches. When he returned home, he told his sister about these airborne daredevils, and she decided that was definitely what she wanted to do. The trouble was that Colman was not only female and black, she was also of native American descent. In those days, any one of these things made it impossible to get a pilot’s licence in America. She was also poor, which was another significant barrier. Colman was determined to fly planes, and while her race and gender made this impossible in America, she knew from what her brother told her that things were different in France. However, getting the money to travel across the Atlantic, and pay for flying lessons when she got there, proved an almost insurmountable hurdle. Education and employment opportunities for black women were limited in those days. Colman left her home in Texas and joined her brother in Chicago, got qualified as a beautician and started to earn money as a manicurist. She also knew there would be a language barrier in France. Unlike these days, she couldn’t rely on everyone speaking English, so she took French lessons in the evenings. After 2 years, she had earned enough money, and learned enough French, to start her adventure. She sailed for France on 20th November 1920 and enrolled at a flight school near Calais. During her 10 months of training, she learnt the basics, and soon moved on to advanced aerobatics. This was still in the early days of flight, when mechanical failure and crashes were all too common. One of Colman’s fellow students was killed before the completing the course, but Colman was undeterred and passed with flying colours. When she got her licence from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, she became the first American of any race or gender to be awarded these credentials. Once qualified, she embarked on a career as a stunt pilot, performing barrel rolls and loop the loops at airshows across Europe and America. She became something of a celebrity, flying under the name “Queen Bess, Daredevil Aviatrix”. She survived a crash in which she sustained a broken leg and ribs, but bounced back, and added parachute jumps to her shows, walking along the wing of a plane at 3000 feet before jumping off and landing safely in the arena. While all her dreams were coming true, Colman was aware that she was something of a trailblazer for black women, and was determined not to forget her roots, or be taken advantage of. In 1922 she signed a contract to be the star of a Hollywood movie, but shortly after filming started, she walked off the set, as her role reinforced all the negative stereotypes of black people at the time. Colman also took a stand against various forms of racial discrimination. At many of the airshows she performed at, there had been separate entrances for black and white people, and in some cases black people were not permitted to attend at all. Colman refused to perform at any such venue, and forced organisers to change their policies. One of her ambitions was to open a flight school specifically for African Americans, but sadly she didn’t live to see this happen as she died in a crash in 1926, while practising for an airshow in Florida. She died young, aged 34, but she died doing what she loved. And while she may not have opened her flight school during her lifetime, she had succeeded in breaking barriers and inspired other women and black americans to follow in her footsteps. When in 1992, Mae Jamieson became the first African American women in space, she took with her a photo of Bessie Colman. If Bessie Colman told her friends in Texas that she wanted to be a pilot, they would probably have laughed at her. That simply isn’t possible, they would have said. Don’t waste your time. You are a woman. You are black. You are poor. The chances of you getting to be a pilot are 1000000 to 1. This morning’s reading is a Psalm written by King David when it seemed that the whole world was against him. His own son was trying to depose him and he called out to God for help. “You Lord are a shield around me, and the one who lifts my head high…I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side”. It is words like these that give me strength when things aren’t going well and I feel like the world is against me. I don’t just imagine that I can just sit on my backside and wait for God sort everything out for me. But it gives me hope that if we can follow the example of someone like Bessie Colman, explore every possible avenue, work hard and never give up, there is no reason why we can’t achieve our dreams.
Meet the Team
Click on the images to read individual biographies.
