Start of Trinity 2026 - Head's Address

April 23, 2026

Welcome back – I hope you have a good break and are feeling energized for the final term of the year ahead. As ever, the weeks that lie before us fall into two distinct categories: first there is the rigour and discipline of drawing course material together as we prepare for assessments, whether external or internal; second is the joy of exploring opportunities in the post-exam period towards the end of term.

My main advice as you approach the term is to make a connection between the two parts of term by establishing a routine that allows you make the most of both. Creating habits or behaviours that work for you are crucial. Keep balancing your academic focus with time to relax, particularly through physical activity and a strong sleep routine. Keep a sense of purpose in each activity; certainly be clear on what you are trying to achieve when you sit down for a session of revision and how it fits into your overall plans, but also be clear on the times when you want to get away from work, whether by organized co-curricular activities here at school or your own pursuits. Feeling guilty for not working is emotionally draining and should be avoided: either work or give yourself permission to have a break from work.

Overall, you cannot control outcomes but you can control the process and, if you can be proud of what you have done to prepare, there is every chance that you will achieve your academic goals; even if you do not achieve them, you are likely to be able to accept the outcome because you gave a good account of yourself in the build-up. No short cuts, just solid, honest preparation. If you are struggling with this, let us know so that we can help to get you back on the right path. Good luck to you all!

Another dimension in this process is perspective; no matter how much you want those grades or that mark, how you conduct yourself during the process and what you are establishing for yourself in terms of personal and shared values will always be more important for me than any particular score. Love, compassion and inclusion are key; nor should they be taken for granted, whether by you as individuals, by us all as a school, or indeed further afield because of the fact that we happen to live in a democratic country.

The Varieties of Democracy Institute based at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden conducts an annual survey of the state of government around the globe. It found that 72 percent of the world's population now lives in autocracies – the highest level since 1978. In 2024, 45 countries were moving toward more autocratic government across the globe. In these nations, the patterns were similar – erosions in areas such as: freedom of speech, open elections, the rule of law, judicial independence, civil society and academic freedom. Governments expanded their power over institutions and individuals. It didn't happen in the same order or at the same speed, but in the end the destination was the same.

My point is that people in the United Kingdom should be sensitive to the fact that so many other people on the planet have daily routines in political systems very different from our own. This divergence can be translated into the digital sphere, too, with the proliferation of extreme content making it increasingly possible for adversarial and hostile exchanges to take place because people see the world so differently.

I am sure many of you have seen or have been made aware of the recent Louis Theroux documentary, Inside the Manosphere. This has brought to the attention of a wider audience the strength and extremity of opinions being expressed by the influencers profiled and others like them. For me, it was not so much what they said, it was their popularity and the implied normalisation of what were undoubtedly extreme views.

For clarity, at Norwich School I expect the values of love, compassion and inclusion to be applied equally to every single member of our community, regardless of their sex and sexual orientation. Part of this is practical: we are bound in the UK by The Equality Act and it is an offence to discriminate against protected characteristics such as race, religion, age, disability and, for our focus today, sex. If we as a school and you as individuals get this wrong, there will be consequences. However, for me respectful treatment of others is more profound than that: whether it is the biblical advice of loving one’s neighbour as oneself, the principle of a PSHE classroom to have unconditional positive regard, or our school’s values of love, compassion and inclusion, I want each of you to brighten rather than undermine the day of those around you through your conduct.

There are a number of possible challenges to the views espoused in the Theroux documentary, but one is the general “othering” and alienation of one sex by the other: men like this; women don’t like that. It has always been a staple of prejudice to establish dislike of a group of people through clumsy and inaccurate stereotypes which preclude a need for greater understanding. Indeed, one of the most chilling aspects of the documentary was the increasing use of antisemitism used by manosphere influencers to explain global financial inequities.

That sort of stereotyping is harder to do when “the other” are real individuals alongside you in the same school community. As soon as someone tries to say, “Girls are like this and boys are like that,” it would be easy to identify members of our community who differ from such stereotypes: “That’s not what she likes and that’s not what he is like”. When you talk to any one of our pupils, whether male or female, you will get an individual with their own talents, interests and aspirations. For me, the manosphere influencers are wrong and I feel lucky that I work in a community every day that can show why.

If anybody wants to talk to me about these issues in our community’s context, I am more than happy to do so. As you know, I am available to see any pupil from 8.15am on any morning except Tuesdays. I believe it is one of the great privileges of being in a co-educational setting that boys and girls get to practise appropriate behaviour with and around each other every day, reflecting on what works and learning from less successful interactions. I am determined that this community uses its privilege to create an appropriately safe environment to discuss these challenging issues in positive fashion.

As you get started on this term, remember to establish routines that can cope equally with periods of academic revision, other activities and rest. And in all of this, remain true to the values that are at the heart of what we do here: be kind and positive to those around you, noting the injunction of our bible reading: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…but encouraging one another…” Have a great Summer Term!

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The Tortoise, The Monk and Mary - An Address from Revd Child

By Eleanor Lewis • May 15, 2026

At the Home of Martha and Mary – Luke 10:38-42 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Many of you will know the story of the Tortoise and the Hare - the one where the hare dashes off at the start of the race and finds himself so far ahead that he reckons he has time for a quick nap under a tree. When he awakes, he sees the slow but steady tortoise crossing the finish line ahead of him. A classic fable about two different approaches – the hare-brain versus the measured mind. Buddhist tradition uses a different animal to describe a similar thing. ‘Monkey mind’ is a way of describing that feeling when we’re rushing so that our attention won’t settle on anything. That state of mind is a bit like a monkey jumping around all over the place. The opposite of the monkey mind is the monk mind. As the name suggests, this is the state of mindfulness that monks cultivate as they prepare for meditation. It is a deliberate calming of the thoughts, so that instead of jumping around, everything is centred and focused. People who practice meditation, both in Buddhism and in other traditions, will tell you that this is hard at first, but it’s a skill that can be learned. The equivalent story in the Christian tradition is the one we heard just now – the story of Mary and Martha. It’s a little surprising when you first hear it; after all, Martha appears to be working hard, while Mary is just sitting around doing – apparently – nothing. And yet at the end of the story, it’s Martha that Jesus gently rebukes. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things…” Again, the story gives us two opposites. Martha is suffering from monkey mind – she is being hare-brained as she dashes round the kitchen, trying to pull everyone else into her maelstrom. Mary is doing something different – but she is doing something. For one thing, she is being deliberately still. She has found her place of quiet at the feet of her Rabbi. And for another thing, she is listening. The Bible tells us elsewhere that Jesus has the words of eternal life; Mary is paying attention to those words. Measured Mary is using her monk mind. The Trinity term can be a busy one. There’s lots to do – much of it very positive. Cricket, tennis, athletics – all those things you can do outside when the weather warms up. Drama, dance, music – all culminating in a live stage performance on the Lower Close in July. The academic year reaches its crescendo and its conclusion. At the moment we’re all aware of some end-of-year assessments coming up. In an atmosphere like this, you might think that we’d all go a bit hare-brained. Maybe we do a bit, sometimes – although actually we don’t always, which suggests that between us we might have learned a few self-calming skills already. All the same, I think the example of the tortoise, the monk and Mary bears repeating at this pacey stage of term. If we find ourselves becoming ‘worried and upset about many things’, try and remember that things are not what’s most important in life. God and other people are what’s ultimately important, Jesus suggests: ‘Few things are needed – or indeed only one.’ We concluded our assembly with a minute of simply sitting quietly, followed by this prayer: Lord God, you hold both heaven and earth in a single peace. Give peace among the nations, peace in our homes, and peace in our hearts. Amen.

Tilly G (Middle 5) and Her Teammates Win Gold at Cheerleading Worlds

By Eleanor Lewis • May 14, 2026

Winning gold at the Cheerleading Worlds is something most athletes only dream of, but for Tilly G and her teammates at Unity Allstars Flame, that dream became reality through hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. Tilly is part of Unity Allstars Flame, an all-girl under-18 team that became World Champions in their very first year as a Cheerleading Worlds team. Their achievement is even more impressive because many teams spend years trying to qualify for the Cheerleading Worlds, let alone win gold. Over the past year, Tilly has shown huge commitment to cheerleading. Since joining Unity Allstars, she and her family have travelled around three hours each way to training twice a week. This meant long nights travelling home, balancing schoolwork alongside training, and giving up so much of her free time to follow her passion. Cheerleading at this level requires strength, teamwork, trust, and determination. Athletes spend hours perfecting routines, stunts, tumbling, and dance sections, all while learning to perform under pressure. Despite the challenges, Tilly continued to work hard and support her team every step of the way. As a first-year Cheerleading Worlds team, Flame exceeded expectations throughout the competition. On day one, the team suffered a minor fall during their routine, resulting in deductions to their score. Despite this, they still finished the day in 1st place and qualified for day two. Determined to prove themselves, Flame returned to the floor on day two with confidence and absolutely smashed the routine, the atmosphere in the area was amazing , they delivered a powerful, clean routine with zero deductions. Their outstanding performance secured them the title of World Champions, winning their division by an incredible 10-point margin and bringing home the gold medal. Something that Tilly will remember for the rest of her life. Her journey shows that success comes from perseverance, commitment, and believing in yourself. Behind the gold medal are months of sacrifice, hard work, and determination, making this achievement even more special.