This half term has seen the Boat Club battling a range of weather- from misty winter mornings to driving rain, wind and snow. With a couple of sessions off the water due to the river freezing, we have been on the water since, covering the miles in both the Senior and Inters Squads, while elsewhere flooded rivers have led to a number of race cancellations for us. We are hopeful that we will be racing over half term, with many of the new J14s and J15s racing in their first event. On the representative level, Ellie Thwaites (L6), James Howard (L6) and Nicholas Conway (U6) have all progressed to the next stage of the GB U19 Rowing Trials. With a training day last week, there has been some time to practice in their Trials pairs ahead of the February Trials this weekend coming. These trials have also been adjusted due to flooding and will be held at the GB Rowing Centre in Caversham. We wish all 3 the best of luck.

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:1-6) Having done some thinking last week about why we sing hymns in assemblies, this week I want to think about why it is we usually have a Bible reading on Fridays. Let’s start with a quick game: I’m going to read out some sentences which may or may not be from the Bible – you have to choose the ones that are. Neither a borrower nor a lender be. (Not from the Bible – it’s from Shakespeare.) Go the extra mile . (Yes – from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.) Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. (Yes – from Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve are told they will become mortal.) All will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of things will be well. (Not from the Bible, but a saying of Julian of Norwich, whose statue is at the West Doors.) Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them round your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. (Yes, that was from the reading we had a moment ago. It’s from the book of Proverbs, one of the passage printed in the back of our hymn boo Well done if you managed to guess the sentences that were from the Bible. A few things we can learn from that game: The Bible contains a lot of wisdom that has passed into the English language, though we may not realise it. Turning the other cheek; the writing’s on the wall; the salt of the earth; you reap what you sow; there’s a time and a place for everything. These and many more expressions all started in some thought-provoking part of the Bible. The Bible is not the only place that we can go to get wisdom. Saints, celebrities, Shakespeare and other scriptures have lines for us to ponder too. What the Bible gives us, though – and this is really how we use it in our Friday assemblies – is a regular nudge in the right direction . We live in a world where there are all kinds of things trying to nudge us in all sorts of directions. For instance, “Drink Coca Cola.” “Click on the link to find out more.” “I dare you. Go on, I dare you!” Some of the nudges around you are good and well-intentioned, and hopefully that’s true at school, where you hear from speakers, PPD lessons, and calendar events like LGBTQ+ History Month (which you heard about in here on Wednesday). But I only need to mention a few other things, like hard-sell advertising or unrelenting phone notifications, for you to realise that you need to filter what’s coming at you. We listen to Bible passages week by week because these are nudges in the right direction. “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them round your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.” That’s decent advice – hear it and go with it. Whatever’s going on for you on this particular Friday, be a loving, caring, faithful person – and you won’t go far wrong. I’ve played a little bit of golf – not much, and I’m not especially good at it. When I have played, it has usually been in a group. I think I’ve played alongside basically two different types of people. One type of person wants to give me a constant stream of advice about how I should be standing differently, what’s wrong with my swing, how I’ve got the wrong sort of clubs, and so on. To be honest, I find it difficult playing with people like that because it’s a bit overwhelming. But there’s another type of fellow golfer who, now and again, will just mention something. I know one person in particular who is like a golf-whisperer . He will stand to one side while I take a practice swing, and then say something like – ‘Just try lifting your chin up a bit’. And I will take his advice, and it works – because he’s a good enough golfer (and a good enough teacher) to see the thing I need to focus on. Listening to regular Bible passages can be like listening to that second type of golfer. Many of the people who read the world’s bestselling book read it in short chunks, but regularly. And they find (as I find) that it can have just the right thing to say. On the occasion when anger or ambition or irritation is getting the better of me, the Bible reminds me to be loving and faithful; and to trust God, even if I can’t quite see where my life is leading. When we’re getting a bit wild or loose, the Bible can help us keep our shape; the Bible is a kind of life-whisperer . Something to keep in mind whenever you hear it read in assembly.

Each year the illustrious Norfolk Cambridge Society (NCS), with whom Norwich School has close and long-standing ties, runs a prestigious essay competition open to any Year 13 pupils across the county considering Cambridge University for their tertiary education. As ever, the entries were of the highest standard and competition was extremely tough. Entrants were short listed and invited to a panel interview. In late 2025, two Norwich School Upper 6 pupils were told that they had performed exceptionally well, to scoop joint 1st prize award. Arthur Dannatt was awarded for an astonishingly complex maths-based essay entitled: What is the Archimedes cattle problem and how can it be solved? and Becky Brown was awarded her exquisite album of nine songs composed and performed by herself – the first time a musical entry has been awarded top prize in the competition’s history. In addition to a generous cash prize, award winners and their families were invited as special guest to the Lent Term NCS public lecture, and this duly took place on 5 February 2026. Following pre-drinks in the school’s refectory, a record audience some 500-strong filled the nave and side aisles of the cathedral to hear a scintillating talk given by Professor 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. The title of his thought-provoking talk was How AI Works and How it will Transform our Lives. As the event kicked off, President of NCS, Rob Edwards, and the event organiser, Geoffrey Smart, presented both pupils with their awards in front of the substantial Cathedral audience. It was a fitting reward to reflect both pupils’ endeavour and talent, and we commend them on their impressive achievement. The school could not be more proud.

On Wednesday 4 February Lana Kiddell from our school Pride Group and Mrs Scott, EDI Officer, gave an assembly to commemorate LGBTQ+ History Month. A story is a powerful thing. Stories can unite, divide, inspire and soothe us and I truly do not believe that there is a single human alive who has not been moved by a story in some way. Stories, and books in particular, are amazing vehicles for empathy and connection. They allow us to step into someone else’s shoes, to experience a world that is not our own, and to gain insight into what it feels like to be someone else. Through stories, we come to understand people we may never meet, lives we may never live, and perspectives far beyond our own. In many ways, all of human existence is preserved through stories. And because of that, I often find myself wondering whose stories we choose to tell, and whose stories are lost to time because of their identity, their background, or their social standing. February marks LGBTQ+ History Month, and a key part of any history month is storytelling. LGBTQ+ stories have often been marginalised, suppressed, or erased altogether. For much of history, Queer people were forced to hide their identities and communities for fear of persecution, punishment, or exclusion. As a result, many stories were never shared openly, and many were deliberately silenced. Today, we are going to shine a light on just a few LGBTQ+ stories that deserve to be heard, because they help us understand the world, and one another, more fully. One of the most well-known figures in British literary history is Oscar Wilde. Wilde was celebrated in his lifetime for his wit, his intelligence, and his writing. His plays and books were extremely popular and still are today. Despite his fame, Wilde was imprisoned for being gay in 1895. After his conviction, his reputation was destroyed. His work was removed from theatres, his name became a source of shame, and for many years his writing was dismissed or ignored. Wilde’s story reminds us that even the most brilliant voices can be silenced when society decides that someone’s identity makes them unacceptable. Despite this, Oscar Wilde’s work is now widely celebrated and shared along with his LGBTQ+ identity. Where Wilde shows us how stories can be suppressed, Audre Lorde shows us how storytelling can be an act of resistance. Lorde described herself as a Black, lesbian mother, warrior poet. She wrote unapologetically about identity, power, love, and injustice, refusing to separate who she was from what she wrote, contributing a powerful voice to the civil rights movement. One of her famous quotes “Your silence does not protect you” reminds us that speaking up about injustice is powerful and important, and that remaining quiet does nothing to protect ourselves or others. She understood that telling your story, especially when the world would prefer you not to, is an act of courage. Her work challenges readers to listen to voices they may not be used to hearing, and to recognise that our differences are not weaknesses, but sources of strength. More recently, we are seeing LGBTQ+ stories shared more openly, particularly in literature for young people. One example is Alice Oseman, creator of the now iconic Heartstopper series, whose work centres queer characters living ordinary, everyday lives, forming friendships, falling in love, struggling, and growing. These are not stories defined by tragedy or secrecy, but they are universally relatable experiences. For many young people, reading stories like these can be the first time they truly see themselves reflected in a book. And for others, it may be their first opportunity to understand experiences different from their own. That matters. Seeing yourself in a story can be affirming, but learning about someone else through a story is how empathy grows. So LGBTQ+ History Month is not just about looking backwards. It is about asking ourselves what we do with stories now. Whose voices do we listen to, and how can we learn from the past to more positively shape the future. Stories help us understand one another. They remind us that people are complex, layered, and deserving of respect. When we choose to listen to stories that are not about us, we practise empathy. And when we make space for all stories to be told, we create a world where fewer people feel invisible, unheard, or alone. If you would like to get involved in celebrating LGBTQ+ history month please join us this lunchtime in the Undercroft where we will be creating a display for LGBTQ+ history month and making a badges with a visitor from the LGBTQ+ project. Thank you.

What a joyful, toe-tapping concert it was! The hall buzzing with excitement as very young musicians from Lower 1 and Upper 1 (some performing for the very first time) took to the stage, beaming with pride and confidence. From the very first notes, it was clear this was a celebration not just of music, but of courage, enthusiasm, and the sheer fun of performing. Smiling families filled the room, cameras at the ready, soaking up every moment as each of our Lower School pupils shared their hard work and musical imagination. The piano pieces sparkled with variety and character. Familiar melodies like Ode to Joy floated out warmly and confidently, while playful pieces such as Whirleybird , ABC Playtime , and Up and Down Song bounced along with energy and charm. More atmospheric moments appeared too, from the gentle magic of Walking in the Air to the bouncy rhythms of Minnie Mouse Hits The Town! There were also lovely storytelling moments at the piano, with music inspired by wildlife, farmers, and even a cheerful boat ride or two. Every performance, no matter how short was delivered with huge smiles, careful concentration and an infectious sense of joy. Overall, the L1 and U1 Informal Concert was a heart-warming showcase of young talent and growing confidence. The enthusiasm of the performers, the supportive energy of the audience, and the wide range of music made it a truly uplifting event, one that left everyone applauding loudly and walking away with happy hearts.  Head of Music Mr Vine said 'another fantastic concert full of music making at its finest! So proud of our L1 and U1 pupils who worked so hard to get their pieces ready. A big thank you as always, to our fabulous visiting music tutors for all their guidance and preparation! Bravo to all!'

On Tuesday 3 January, Upper 2 visited Norwich Synagogue as part of their learning about the local community. The children were immersed in an enriching experience that helped them develop an understanding of different cultures and traditions. They particularly enjoyed dressing up with a kippah and a tallit, and were fascinated by the opportunity to view the Torah scrolls. The visit provided a valuable and memorable insight into the Jewish faith and community around us.

Juliette Kelly (17-19), lead singer, is back on stage across the country with breakout indie band, Fright Years.

2026 is National Year of Reading and we are going all in here at Norwich School! We know reading expands worlds, sharpens minds, and fuels creativity, so let's get inspired! Every month we are focusing on a different genre and hearing from a member of staff about what they like to read, why, when and where! We are kicking off in January with Historical Fiction and one of the school's biggest fans of this genre has to be Mrs Morgan. Let's find out more about why Mrs Morgan loves historical fiction... Tell us a little bit about the genre; what common themes or elements do you particularly enjoy? I love the characters who reflect the beliefs, limitations and social pressures of their era. Stories that weave real historical events with imaginative elements showing how ordinary people experience extraordinary moments such as in ‘The Help’ by Kathryn Stockett. What was the book that introduced you to historical fiction? Was there a particular book or author that made you fall in love with this genre? I have always loved reading historical fiction even as a child and this is possibly why I went on to study History at university. When I was growing up I loved reading books based on historical events such as Little House on the Prairie , Goodnight Mr Tom , the Hornblower series, classics like The Secret Garden and books by Phillipa Gregory. Has your taste in this genre changed over time? I think in recent years I have focused more on the stories of people who lived through tumultuous times, but who had a story that hasn’t been told like Heather Morris’ The Tattooist of Auschwitz . Would you recommend this genre to someone who doesn’t usually read it? Why? I think historical fiction gives readers something unique: the opportunity to experience the past not as a list of dates but as a living world full of people who feel real. It helps us understand how individuals living at that time navigated the forces that shaped their lives – war, inequality, migration, discovering, and in doing so it deepens our understanding of how those same forces echo today. Do you tend to reread favourites from this genre or always look for something new? I never re-read books as I feel like there are so many books available, I don’t want to waste my time re-reading one, even if I loved it! When was the last time a book from this genre really surprised you? I really enjoyed There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak, as it follows the life of a drop of water as it travels through different time periods and locations, intertwining the stories of the three main characters across various time periods and countries. Do you prefer classic or modern books within this genre, and why? Both – I’m happy to read anything! Obviously one of the joys of my job is that I get to read many new children’s books so that I can recommend them to Lower School pupils such as Tom Palmer’s ‘Resist’ and ‘After the War’. What do you enjoy most about reading, whether historical fiction or anything else? The spotlight it shines on parts of history or everyday life that might otherwise go unnoticed. I have just finished reading a few books by Francis Quinn which focus on the lives of people who did not become famous, but who had a vital role to play within the societies in which they lived. The Smallest Man , That Bonesetter Woma n and The Lost Passenger all use real historical events as a backdrop for highlighting the ordinary people that have been caught in extraordinary circumstances. I have also recently enjoyed The Eights by Joanna Miller which documents the experience of the first women to study at Oxford University. When and where is your favourite time and place to read?/ Do you have a favourite reading spot or routine for diving into books? I usually only have time to read a few pages a night during term time, but I love to spend more time reading in the school holidays. In winter I love to sit on the sofa, in front of the wood burner with my dog snoring next to me and a cup of tea nearby! In the summer I enjoy reading outdoors, either in the garden or on the beach. Which fictional character would you most like to have a cup of tea with? I think I would like to share a cup of tea with Paddington bear as he would almost certainly bring marmalade sandwiches too! If you could step into the world of any book, which would it be and why? I would love to visit the Faraway Tree in The Enchanted Wood! I would be so excited to explore the magical lands and meet Moonface and Silky, although I would do my best to avoid Dame Wash-a-lot’s water! There is a film coming out later this year and I can’t wait to watch it. Click here to see Mrs Morgan's reading list!

Following Emi's success at the Norfolk Country Cross Country Championships we decided to ask her a few questions about her love of running and her upcoming London Mini Marathon. How long have you been running?/How long have you been running with the school? I have now been running for 3 years, and I have been competing for the school since Upper 3. How often do you run outside of school? I run with a training group 2-3 times a week depending on the dates of various competitions. How do you train?/How do you prepare for a race? I think that mental preparation is the most important; I use visualisation which can help me enter an open mindset. And I think it is mainly accepting that it will have painful aspects, but the aftermath feels phenomenal. And physically preparing, is a matter of being consistent at training in my case. How did you find the Cross Country championships? The Cross Country Championships was certainly nerve-racking beforehand, but I think the race went very smoothly and I left it all out on the course. And attempted to compete to the best of my abilities! Can you tell us a bit about the London Mini Marathon in April? Fortunately because of my performance at the County Championships I have been accepted to run at the London Mini Marathon! How are you feeling about it? As much as I am excited, there is no doubt I will be feeling nervous. But I think that it is a great opportunity, also to be surrounded by excellent runners! Where do you hope your running will take you? As for my running, I would like to compete at a high level but most of all I would love to continue to enjoy it! Because I truly believe if it is bringing you no satisfaction or joy, there is not a point in pursuing it. What piece of advice would you give to aspiring cross country runners? For people who are aspiring to do cross country as a sport, I would advise them to just have a go and give it a chance. Because if you are willing to give it a chance, you might just find that you will like it!