Trips, Expeditions and Exchanges

The Norwich School New York Creative Arts Trip 2025 was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. It was a week filled with inspiration, creativity and excitement, and I still cannot believe everything we managed to see and do. Spending time in one of the most artistic and fast-paced cities in the world with such a talented group of students and teachers made it truly unforgettable. Every day offered something different and opened our eyes to just how powerful and varied the creative arts can be. We set off from Norwich in the early hours of the morning and after a long but exciting journey, we finally arrived in Manhattan. Walking through the city for the first time felt completely surreal. The lights, the sounds and the energy of New York were overwhelming in the best possible way. That first evening we explored the area around our hotel and even though everyone was tired, the excitement of being there made it impossible to stop smiling. The next few days were packed with incredible activities that gave us a real insight into the creative world. Visiting the Empire State Building was one of the first highlights and seeing the city from above felt like looking down on an endless sea of inspiration. The Museum of the Moving Image was another favourite, especially for anyone interested in film, photography or design. That evening we went to Madison Square Garden to watch the Knicks play which was such a fun and energetic experience that brought everyone together. The weekend was equally full of creativity. We spent time at the Museum of Art and Design and the Metropolitan Museum of Art which were both breathtaking. Seeing world-famous artworks in real life made everything we have studied in school feel even more meaningful, another fantastic opportunity for research and inspiration for those taking art and design subjects. We also walked through Central Park, visited the Drama Bookshop and ended the day watching the Broadway show Hell’s Kitchen . The performance was emotional, powerful and completely unforgettable. Sunday was one of the most inspiring days. We took part in a Broadway workshop and met a professional performer who shared their journey and gave us advice about working in the creative industry. It was such an incredible opportunity to learn from someone doing what so many of us dream of. Later we went to Ellen’s Stardust Diner where the staff sang live, which made dinner feel like another performance. We finished the evening exploring Broadway and visiting Grand Central Station, which genuinely felt like stepping into a piece of cinematic art. On Monday we toured the NBC Studios at Rockefeller Plaza which gave us a look behind the scenes of live television. We then visited Ground Zero which was a deeply moving experience that reminded us how art and design can also be used to commemorate and tell powerful stories. Afterwards we took the Staten Island Ferry where we saw the Statue of Liberty and ended the day at Spyscape, which was creative, interactive and so much fun. Our final morning was spent walking the High Line, a peaceful space above the busy streets with beautiful views of the city. It gave us time to reflect on everything we had done and how lucky we were to experience it all. What made this trip so special was not just the places we went but the people we shared it with. We built strong friendships and created bonds with our teachers that made the experience even more enjoyable. Everyone supported one another and the laughter and energy never stopped. I made memories that will stay with me for a lifetime and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity. The New York trip reminded all of us just how important creativity is and how it connects people from all over the world. It showed us how art can be expressed in so many different forms, from theatre and film to architecture and design. For anyone who has the chance to go in the future, I could not recommend it more. You will come home full of ideas, inspiration and confidence in your own creativity. It was more than just a school trip; it was an experience that reminded us why we chose to study the arts in the first place. - Lily Minns, U6

Our school residential took place at Eaton Vale Activity Centre in Norwich, and everyone was excited to begin the adventure! When we arrived, we went straight to our dorms and found out who we would be sharing rooms with. There were bunk beds, and I found out I was sharing a room with all my good friends. We were divided into groups for our activities. The first one was clout archery, where we had to shoot arrows high into the air to land as close as possible to a target on the ground. Many of us managed to shoot high, which was so much fun! After a quick break, we moved on to crate stacking. This was one of the favourite activities because it was all about teamwork. Each person had a different job — the climber, bell ringer, builder, VIP (Very Irritating Penguin!), and the boss (the one who could shout the loudest!). We rotated between roles and worked together to help the climber reach the top of the crates. Everyone was cheering and encouraging each other. After our packed lunches, we did raft building and water rafting on the River Yare. We built our own rafts in teams of girls and boys and then floated them on the river to reach a checkpoint. Some teams had to rescue a paddle pretending to be a person who couldn’t swim — and most teams managed to do this successfully! Luckily, some of us avoided getting splashed by the instructors, but the boys, ended up capsizing! Afterwards, several of us jumped in — it was soooo cold! Then we had a quick shower and changed into clothes ready for the next activity. Next came the cave bus, which had lots of narrow tunnels to climb through. It was a challenge for anyone who felt a little claustrophobic, but everyone enjoyed making their way through safely with helmets and torches. Then we tried go-karting, which was hard work because we had to pedal our way around the track. Some go-karts were tricky to stop, making it even more exciting! Afterwards, we visited the tuck shop, which was a real treat — everyone stocked up on snacks and sweets to enjoy later. After that, we had some relaxing time back in the dorms and explored around the building before dinner, which was delicious: sausage, jacket potato, and hamburger. In the evening, we played after-dinner games, including a parachute challenge to protect an egg from breaking. We also did the baby photo challenge, which was funny — everyone guessed me straight away! Before bed, we reflected on the busy day and got ready for a good night’s sleep. The next morning, we had a lovely breakfast of bacon rolls before starting our first activity of the day — the trapeze jump, where we had to leap off a high platform and try to reach a bar. It was thrilling! After a short break, we did Tomahawk Throwing and tried to hit a wooden target. Most of us managed to hit it, and later we added playing cards to aim at and slice — several people succeeded! Before our final activity, we went into the marquee for lunch. Then we finished the trip with orienteering, where each person used a “dibber” to scan checkpoints and we completed two courses before getting our kit together to go home. Some of the funniest moments were when we tried to make up spooky ghost stories, and, of course, when we jumped into the water during rafting!  Overall, the trip was full of adventure, laughter, and new experiences. Everyone worked together as a team during the activities, and it was a great way to make new friendships. It was wonderful to see how much we could achieve by supporting and encouraging each other.