ONS INVITED TO GOLD DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE

June 12, 2023

To achieve a gold award, pupils must volunteer for twelve months as well as undertake a physical activity and learn a new skill. One of these must be done for twelve months and the other for six months, and they must be completed for one hour per week. Further to this, pupils must undertake a 4-day long expedition and a residential of their choice for five days. Congratulations to the following ONs who have successfully completed the gold award and, who attended Buckingham Palace in May in recognition of this.



Alexandra Ackerman; Edward Bayes; Elizabeth Collinson; Isabel Cutts; Jonathan Elkins; Gabriella Elwell; Luke Fox; Abigail Hill; Chloe Loveland; Ellie McKay; Joshua Means; Mustafa Mohammed; Frederick Paterson; Akshay Pissay; Freya Sarson; Harry Vincent; Emily White.


As well as being an enjoyable experience, undertaking a Duke of Edinburgh award gives young people important life skills and can have a positive impact on their future. For example, one ON, Ellie McKay (16-21) said she took part in an archaeology dig in North Norfolk and enjoyed it so much she in now studying Ancient History and Archaeology at Durham University.


ON Emily White (15-22) kindly wrote the following report about her trip to Buckingham Palace on 15th May to celebrate her Gold Award.


“Upon the receipt of formal invitations and admittance cards, my expedition group of 5 arranged travel to London and, of course, a group rendezvous. At 10am, we entered through the front gates and then the garden entrance itself, along a processional pathway towards the West Terrace overlooking the expansive gardens. We were welcomed in by the British Army Band Tidworth, who also accompanied the coronation procession. Throughout the gardens, there were a series of satellite stages, where we heard from inspirational public figures who gave short talks and held Q&A sessions. These guests included Rav Wilding, Hugo and Ross Turner, Ade Adepitan MBE, Alice Beer, Kirstie Allsopp and Jon Culshaw. Norwich School Award holders found the talk by the Turner twins to be especially interesting – relating to the expedition section of the Duke of Edinburgh Award - in expeditions which push the boundaries of new technology and science.


We also had the chance to explore Buckingham Palace gardens, with access to a map and descriptions of areas of interest, such as The Lake, established in 1827, and the Chamomile Lawn. Central to the event, however, were the speeches from the West Terrace, to reflect on all that we have accomplished. His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh, congratulated Award holders on all five sections of the Gold Award; physical, skills, volunteering, a 5 day residential and 4 day expedition, and recognised the passion and resilience necessary for the completion of this. We also heard from Jermaine Jenas, and Ffion Davies, a 19-year-old Gold Award holder and on-call firefighter for South Wales Fire and Rescue Services, who spoke of completing her DofE in spite of several obstacles, inspiring her to embrace as many opportunities as possible and trust her capabilities. After the speeches from the West Terrace, the Norwich School group reminisced over the expedition section of the Award and had photos taken together which was a lovely way to conclude the morning of celebrations. In light of the event, the Award holders are not only proud of their accomplishments, but also keen to stay in touch with the DofE charity to help inspire the next generation of young people interested in the Award.”


Photograph of ON Ellie McKay (16-21) with her certificate. 

An Assembly on World Mental Health Day from Pastoral Prefects

By Eleanor Lewis • October 10, 2025
On Friday 10 October, Pastoral Prefects gave an assembly on the importance of looking after your mental health. World Mental Health Day takes place every year on 10 October. It is a day to remind us of the importance of good mental health and the need to prioritise and invest in everyone's mental health both as individuals and as a community. Poor mental health is not inevitable, and World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for us all to consider how, together, we can help everyone have better mental health. This year we're focusing on the mental health impact of repeated exposure to news coverage of crises and conflicts. The theme is: Overwhelm: when global events and relentless bad news become too much. Constantly hearing about negative news from around the world can feel like a lot to take in – and that’s because it is. Feeling overwhelmed by current events, no matter how big or small, can take a toll on our mental health. In the digital age, managing how much information we take on board might feel impossible. But you can take control and limit the impact of global overwhelm on your well-being. Keeping up with the latest news is simpler than ever thanks to smartphones and social media. However, it’s easy to end up doomscrolling – constantly scrolling through negative news for long periods of time. Doomscrolling is a natural and human response to a world that can feel unstable. However, it can also affect our mental and physical health. While online content can help us feel more informed, reassured and in control, doomscrolling can cause us to become more anxious, sad, or overwhelmed. Doomscrolling can also result in physical issues such as headaches, nausea, neck and shoulder pain or even difficulty sleeping. As pastoral prefects, we are keen to promote good mental health within our school community and we have found some top tips to help you cope with global news overwhelm, refrain from doomscrolling and find a way to balance things to improve the way we feel.

Dancers Enjoy an Action-Packed Workshop with DanceEast

By Eleanor Lewis • October 7, 2025
Last week, our Junior and Senior Dance Company pupils enjoyed an action-packed workshop with DanceEast. The afternoon was bursting with contemporary dance, creative challenges, and plenty of energy and enthusiasm! Our dancers pushed their skills, explored new ideas, and worked brilliantly as a team. A huge thank you to DanceEast for such an engaging and inspiring session - our pupils had a fantastic time!

Danny Bate, ON, Talks to Pupils About his Lifelong Love of Languages

By Eleanor Lewis • October 7, 2025
On Tuesday 7 October, Danny Bate ON came to school to talk to our budding young linguists about his lifelong love of languages and his PHD work on Proto-Indo-European. We learnt about the field of historical linguistics and language reconstruction. We had so many questions and pupils were inspired to explore this area of study further. Danny has a brilliant book newly published, "Why Q needs U" which explores the stories behind the letters of the alphabet and the oddities of English spelling. It ties in beautifully with WoLLoW lessons and we look forward to welcoming him back again in the future. Thank you, Danny!

Upper 3 Geographers Visit the Peaks!

By Eleanor Lewis • October 3, 2025
On September 30, fifty-nine members of U3 set off on their annual four-day residential Geography Field Trip to the Peak District, eager to ‘read the landscape’. Over the course of the trip, pupils immersed themselves in the natural beauty and geological wonders of the region. They visited the National Stone Centre for a dynamic round-robin of activities, strolled through the picturesque Dovedale Valley, delved into the intriguing Treakcliff Cavern cave system, and ascended Mam Tor to take in the breathtaking panoramic views of the Hope Valley. With notebooks and pencils in hand, pupils began to unravel the formation of iconic Dovedale features such as the Dovehole Caves and Reynard’s Arch, while also collecting river data to be analysed back in the classroom.  The trip also offered time to unwind and soak up the surroundings. Pupils enjoyed browsing for gems and fossils at local gift shops and relished the opportunity to relax at the scenic Ilam Hall youth hostel. It was a memorable and informative experience, enjoyed thoroughly by both staff and pupils alike.

Scholars' Dinner 2025

By Eleanor Lewis • October 3, 2025
This year’s annual dinner welcomed Professor Christopher Joby (ON) to speak about his life in languages. This thought-provoking lecture started with Professor Joby’s memories of life at Norwich School, the journey through his academic career and his experiences living across the globe. Professor Joby is a Dutch enthusiast (to put it mildly!) and he inspired scholars with his experiences of following this passion. He touched on Taiwan’s Dutch colony of 1624 to 1662, the desire of Polish communities to learn Dutch for economic reasons and the culture shock of moving to South Korea. Professor Joby has published on several fascinating topics and has kindly given a copy of his book Christian Mission in Seventeeth-Century Taiwan to the school in honour of this occasion. Following our lecture and some pertinent questions from the audience, Professor Joby joined our M5 to U6 academic scholars in the school’s refectory for a chance to discuss our own dreams, passions and thoughts of what the future might hold. It is always a joy to welcome an ON back to Norwich School, and there is real pride in knowing that a fascinating, fulfilling and far-reaching academic career all began within the confines of The Close.

The Annual Poetry Slam Sparks Creativity

By Eleanor Lewis • October 2, 2025
Pupils from Lower Four to Upper Six gathered for a vibrant Poetry Slam i n the Undercroft Library on National Poetry Day, showcasing an i mpressive range of talent and creativity. Performances i ncluded original works, from extended narratives to short, sharp pieces, alongside “found” poetry created from a page of a dictionary, classic verse by Christina Rossetti, some humorous contributions, as well as rap performances.  The audience was thoroughly engaged, responding warmly to readings that were by turns witty, moving, thought-provoking and highly original. Among the standout performers were a former Poetry By Heart Best i n County winner* and another prize-winning poet - watch this space for more on this. It was an i nspiring occasion, and a memorable celebration of poetry i n all it s forms.

Keeping Track of Cross Country at the Start of Michaelmas 2025

By Eleanor Lewis • September 29, 2025
On Monday 29 September, 32 runners from the Cross-Country Club travelled to a sunny and hilly Woodbridge for the first round of the English Schools Cross Country Cup. The Junior Girls team came 3rd overall with excellent performances from Poppy Short, Iris Wells, Annabelle Hitchings, Ophee Martin and Emi Muntingh, who came 4th in the race. We also took the 4 th spot in the Junior Boys thanks to a determined run from Samuel Trickey, with Jonty Croskell, Ruan Ekkerd, Joshua Bevan and Albie Cater all in the top 25 finishers and Henry Drew and Oscar Bevington not far behind. Our Intermediate Girls team were hit by injuries, but Ruby Ivie ran very well to secure 10 th place, and Anna Clayton finished strongly for the team as well. The Intermediate Boys all finished in the top 20, with Riccardo Di Maria first home for Norwich in 12th, closely followed by Harry Kensell, Noah Buchan and Jamie Kidd. The Senior Boys were up against some of the region's very best cross-country runners. They held their own with Nicholas Conway first home for Norwich in 11 th place and Kort Tsui, Leo Pitt, George Yiasimi and Edward Lott not far behind. The performance of the day came from the Senior Girls who came 2nd in the team competition. Individually they all finished highly with Georgia Lloyd 14th, Bella Muntingh 12th, Olivia Allen 9th, Amelie Ivie 6th, Bea Green 5th and Minnie Andrews 3rd. Well done to all those who took part

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

By Sonja Mitchell • September 26, 2025
We are very grateful to Tom Little for being our guest speaker at Prizegiving this year.

Professor Charles Forsdick, ON 78-87, on the Role of Languages to Build a Better World.

By Sonja Mitchell • September 26, 2025
We were delighted to hear Professor Charles Forsdick speak about the importance of languages in society at a recent Norfolk Cambridge Society lecture at Norwich School.

Science and History to the Fore in Lower 3 Leicester Trip

By Eleanor Lewis • September 26, 2025
In the penultimate week of September, Lower 3 set off on their residential trip to Leicester. To complement their curriculum learning, we visited the National Space Centre, Bradgate Park, and the Battle of Bosworth battlefield. On the Wednesday at the Space Centre, the pupils learned what it takes to be an astronaut. They enjoyed an immersive show in the UK’s largest planetarium and scaled the rocket tower to learn about space exploration and its history. On the Thursday, we travelled to Bradgate Park, where we were greeted by some magnificent fallow deer stags with impressive antlers. We ventured further to the ruins of Lady Jane Grey’s house, where we were welcomed by Frances Brandon, Lady Jane Grey’s mother. Inside the chapel, we re-enacted Jane’s tragic story and then used our history detective skills to work out the purposes of different rooms within the ruins. After a spot of lunch, we began the gentle climb up to Old John’s Tower. Along the way, we saw veteran oak trees and discovered some very old igneous rocks—among the oldest on the planet. We were fortunate enough to be allowed inside Old John’s Tower, where the pupils loved the spectacular views. On the final day, en route back to Norwich, we visited the battlefield where Henry Tudor defeated Richard III. Under the instruction of Sir John, in charge of the livery, we were trained in medieval army combat and learned how to handle a halberd. We then explored the battlefield before, of course, spending some money in the gift shop!  It was a memorable trip that allowed the pupils to work collaboratively, bond as a group, and enhance their curriculum learning.
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