Our school community celebrated One Norwich School Day this term with a series of exciting and inclusive events, which took place during the week of 6 March.
Beginning on Wednesday 8 March which marked International Women’s Day. The Feminist Society produced an exciting assembly highlighting inspirational women and they invited the school to share messages to inspiring women over lunch time to create a collective art piece. After school there was a screening of the powerful play, Prima Facie which was well attended by staff and pupils alike.
On Thursday, a planned Tri-Sports event was shaken by the weather, and instead transformed into a one sport event of bench ball. Despite the disruptions the tournament was a huge success, with mixed teams of both age and gender playing in short, 5-minute matches. It was a brilliant opportunity for pupils across the school to take part in an inclusive, charity sports event and particular focus was placed on good sportsmanship, leadership, and teamwork.
Friday saw the conclusion and culmination of One Norwich School Day events. The day opened with an assembly address from the Head of School, Pieter De Lange and over lunch The Chapel became the hub of the celebrations. The Cultural Food Fair was a great success, with food from Singapore, Japan, Pakistan and more. Other societies including the Pride Group, The Feminist Society and the Round Table Society joined in the event, sharing their recent work and providing interactive activities for pupils to get involved in. We also had a visit from the Norfolk LGBT+ project who spoke with pupils and offered a great array of merchandise in support of their charity. The soundtrack to the event was provided by the Amazing African Choir of Norfolk, who truly captivated the audience with their performance.
The day ended with a Creative Celebration in the Blake Studio. The Refectory staff had prepared a taster food from each of the seven continents, which was served on the playground to all pupils and the parents arriving for the creative celebration; so, with a well-fed audience, we were ready to begin!
Members of the Lower School performed a rousing number from their musical, Peter Pan, called the Pirate Crew, before a dance troupe – also from the Lower School – performed a beautiful piece. The first ever all-girl band, comprising of Amy Griffiths, Florence Wilks, Natasha Bew and Yara Kherbeck performed Learn to Fly by the Foo Fighters, followed by Ben Griffiths singing John Legend’s All of Me. Ann Kalu, one of our Senior prefects, spoke movingly about the importance of BAME Society in the Norwich School community, expressing its role in giving a voice to those in Ethnic minorities, and read a poignant poem by Maya Angelou which encapsulates the feeling of being ‘seen’. Sarvine and Krishni Theiventhira sang a duet, Alessia Cara's Scars to Your Beautiful, a feel-good anthem about the importance of appreciating all kinds of beauty. Sruthi Santosh performed the Jathiswaram, dancing the Bharathanatyam style, impressing the audience with the complex and beautiful moves. Moya Adams finished the creative celebration with a stunning and powerful performance of Rise Up by Andra Day.
Overall, the Creative Celebration was a wonderful opportunity to not only showcase the diverse talent we have at the school, but also gave pupils, parents and staff alike a chance to reflect on One Norwich School Day and its message of inclusivity and equity. To further this chance to reflect, here is the poem that Ann read:
Human Family – Maya Angelou
I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
some thrive on comedy.
Some declare their lives are lived
as true profundity,
and others claim they really live
the real reality.
The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.
I've sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land,
I've seen the wonders of the world
not yet one common man.
I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
but I've not seen any two
who really were the same.
Mirror twins are different
although their features jibe,
and lovers think quite different thoughts
while lying side by side.
We love and lose in China,
we weep on England's moors,
and laugh and moan in Guinea,
and thrive on Spanish shores.
We seek success in Finland,
are born and die in Maine.
In minor ways we differ,
in major we're the same.
I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
