Here at Norwich School we are delighted to celebrate the talented diversity of our Upper Sixth cohort as UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) offers continue to roll in. Law is a popular university course for Norwich School pupils to apply to and career for them to consider. Pupils were able to speak to solicitors and barristers working in a range of fields at the school’s Careers and Networking Evening earlier this week and the Model Arctic Council Event we hosted last weekend honed the public speaking and debating skills of the sixth formers involved. This blog post asks three pupils about the application process that led to the offers they have received to date and the courses they are hoping to start in the autumn.

Our Upper Sixth Sport Scientists recently spent a fantastic day on location at Norwich City Football Club's Colney Training Centre. Pupils were able to tour the facilities and to hear specialist talks on psychology, nutrition and GPS and Playmaker advanced motion tracking technology. There was also a chance to experience the UKs only Soccerbot - a system designed to help players improve their scanning, first touch and passing skills using a 360 projector screen and a number of computer programmes. Our thanks to Dean Rastrick, Norwich City's H ead of Football Development, and his amazing team for their superb hospitality and for allowing our pupils to see what they have learnt in the classroom in an elite sporting environment.

During Celebrating Neurodiversity Week, our school hosted a variety of engaging events to promote awareness and inclusion. The refectory was brightened by the installation of colourful umbrellas as part of the ADHD Foundation's Umbrella Project, symbolizing the variety and diversity of minds within our community. Each Umbrella Project display is designed to represent the one in five of us who have a neurodevelopment condition, such as ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia or Tourette's Syndrome. These fall under the umbrella term of neurodiversity. The project aims to change the perception of neurodivergent people and celebrate all the many strengths that come from thinking differently. The Neurodiversity Group organized a creative badge and bracelet-making drop-in session at the Undercroft Library, fostering creativity and connection. We also launched the termly SEND Cafe, which aims to provide a supportive space for parents of neurodivergent pupils. ON Betsy James delivered an inspiring assembly, sharing her journey of learning to celebrate her neurodivergence and the positive impacts it has on her life; F or clarity, I’m autistic and have ADHD. Trying to sum up what that means is tough — because I don’t know what it’s like not to be neurodiverse. It’s like asking, “Why do you like being you?” I don’t know … I guess I’ve got good teeth… Focusing on the positives of neurodiversity can be challenging. It’s much easier to think of all the struggles because, honestly, if everything had been fine, I wouldn’t have ended up at the doctor’s office, begging for answers. Under normal circumstances, I’d make self-deprecating jokes about my ADHD, how it makes me talk too much, or how my overstimulated brain makes me forget my noise- cancelling headphones — which inevitably causes panic and chaos. Listing negatives is easy. Being kind to myself? That’s much harder. So, I asked my parents to help brainstorm the positives, and as my biggest supporters, they were quick to remind me of the things I’ve come to take for granted. I’m a great communicator - because I’ve had to be. When your brain doesn’t work like everyone else’s, you explain yourself a lot. I write well, speak well, and listen well — because if I don’t, neither me nor the people I’m talking to know what’s going on. When I was getting my diagnosis, I was able to describe to the doctors exactly what I felt. People used to call me “emotionally intelligent,” but really, I’m articulate out of necessity. I’m academically organised — because I have to be. My brain is constantly racing, so I rely on planners and to-do lists otherwise I’ll forget even the simplest of tasks. Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about ticking tasks off a list. If you don’t do that already, try it please. It’s an absolute game-changer. I’m deeply observant and learn quickly. I might miss some social cues naturally, but books and plays have also taught me a lot. Authors and playwrights alike have created brilliant characters, and I’ve learned a lot from fictional people. It’s a weird way to develop social skills, but it works, most of the time. I still need a hint or a nudge here and there but that’s what my friends and family are for. I’m incredibly loyal and deeply empathetic. I feel people’s emotions in a way that used to be exhausting, but now, I see it as a strength. My way of showing I care might be unconventional — like the time a friend had a panic attack, and I calmed them down by describing the entire plot of a 600-page book — but it works. I owe my entire degree to my neurodiversity. I study English Literature and Drama — two worlds that have always made sense to me. Books gave me a place to hide when I needed it, and the stage became my safe space. When I perform, a learned script means no surprises. Even on bad days, I can step on stage and feel totally in control. My acting skills are stronger because I’ve spent my life mimicking people. Observing mannerisms, mirroring speech patterns — it’s second nature to me. Recently, someone told me I embodied a blind 70-year-old man perfectly. Which is … odd, considering I’m neither blind, nor a man, nor 70 years old. But hey, I’ll take the compliment. I wonder how many of you, neurodiverse or not, see parts of yourselves in this? It can be difficult to celebrate neurodiversity sometimes, but I love my autistic quirks. I don’t know life any other way, and now I own it. When life feels like a struggle, don’t be afraid to ask for help . Norwich School has neurodiversity experts, allies, and champions who want to help you figure out how to be your best self. I’m eternally grateful to the teachers and staff who never doubted me and took the time to understand how I worked. And to those neurodiverse people listening — keep being your quirky, geeky, chatty, stubborn, quiet, loud, introverted, extroverted, fantastic selves (all words that have been used to describe me at one point or another). EVERYONE benefits when we’re all allowed to be who we are. So own it. Thank you for listening. The Close Creatives Collective produced a thought-provoking video featuring interviews on perceptions and experiences of neurodiversity, which was used to spark meaningful discussions in tutor groups. You can watch it below! 

The Friends of Norwich School have funded new folders for our incredible Chapel Choir.

A new piano located in Upper King Street will support our musicians and Norwich School's fantastic co-curricular programme.

187 Norwich School applications have been sent to UCAS (universities and colleges admissions service) this academic year. Mrs Warren would like to thank all staff involved in supporting Upper Sixth pupils and ONs through this process, in particular Upper Sixth tutors, Heads of Department, Mr Pearce, Mr Croston, Mr Peters and Mrs Meader. As is the norm at this point in the year, many universities are still making decisions on which applicants to offer places to. Another onward routes update early next term will share some offers that come in in the next six weeks.  We congratulate all pupils on their university offers and offers for apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships received so far. We hope these pupils will understand that the size of the Upper 6 year group means we cannot announce every offer in cathedral. The offers being read out are those that required additional hurdles on top of the UCAS form. The school’s Apply Plus Programme is run by Mr Pearce. It supports pupils applying to academic courses that require admissions tests and/or interviews. Apply Plus offers so far this cycle: Charlotte Cheung – Chemical Engineering at Manchester University Reuben Francis – Law at Bristol, Cambridge and Durham Universities Vera Hung – Law at Durham University Aadith Jamadagni and Jack Rowley - Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Industrial Experience at Manchester University Barnaby Karlson-Evans – Law at Durham University Freddie Miller – Maths and Statistics at Warwick University Joschka Molenaar – Mathematics at Cambridge University and Mathematics with a Year Abroad at Imperial College London Sean O’Malley – Classics at Oxford University Sophia Roy - Assyriology at Oxford University Alethea Tweddle – Common Law and English Literature at Glasgow University Leuka Ye – Mathematics at Imperial College London Lily Yu - Geology at Imperial College London Offers to study highly competitive medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine courses: these all require interviews, with most requiring an admissions test as well Mary Amaka-Maidoh – Medicine at Exeter University and KCL (King’s College London) Arshia Bhatia – Medicine at KCL and Sheffield University Georgia Hodgson – Medicine at Cambridge, Imperial and UEA Dev Kamath – Medicine at Anglia Ruskin University Rahul Kaushal – Medicine at Manchester University Elain Law – Veterinary Medicine at RVC (Royal Veterinary College) Freya Osborne – Veterinary Medicine at Edinburgh, Liverpool, RVC and Surrey Universities Adi Santosh (ON) – Medicine at Plymouth University and UEA Grace Yeo – Medicine at Imperial and Manchester University Offers to study other vocational courses which require interviews: Elliot Brooke – Occupational Therapy at UEA Claudia Davidson (ON) – Primary Education at Reading University Billy Francis – Physiotherapy at Essex, Hertfordshire, Plymouth and Sheffield Hallam Universities Beth Herring – Chemistry with Teaching at Strathclyde University Kiki Lau – Diagnostic Radiography at Liverpool University Anson Tam – Physiotherapy at UEA, Liverpool, Salford and Southampton Universities Bosco Tang – Physiotherapy at Liverpool and Southampton Universities Natalie Tso – Occupational Therapy at Brunel, Coventry, UEA and Liverpool Universities Offers to study creative courses that required submission of a portfolio or video of the pupil’s work and/or auditions: George Bellinghall and Berry Ward – Film and Moving Image Production at NUA (Norwich University of the Arts) Edward Chan – Architecture at Manchester University Lily Fairweather – Graphic Design with Professional Placement at Falmouth University Isabel Girling (ON) – Musical Theatre at the University of West London Ben Hawes – Furniture and Product Design at Chelsea College of Art (part of University of the Arts, London) Isabella Kirby – Filmmaking at Arts University Bournemouth Nathanael Lindner – Architecture at York University Isabelle Mardle – Architecture at Sheffield Hallam University Yona McDonnell – Product and Furniture Design at Kingston University Coni Meade – Design with Placement year at Loughborough University Alvaro Smoolenaars-Garcia – Design for Sustainable Innovation at Warwick University Jacob Stevenson -Fashion Marketing and Content Creation at the London College of Fashion (part of UAL) starting in 2026 after a level 4 Digital Marketing for Fashion Diploma at the London Retail Academy Hannah Thornley – Fashion Design at Nottingham Trent University A number of pupils have been selected for final round auditions for highly competitive performing arts courses; we wish them all the best with these and will share successes at the start of next term. Offers to study at universities abroad: Edward Chan – Architecture at Hong Kong University Ava deCooper Wride – full rugby scholarship for Quinnipiac University (USA) Helen Ng – Computer Science at UST, (University of Science and Technology), Hong Kong Uma Patel – Dentistry at the Universidad Catolica de Valencia (Spain) Bosco Tang - Business at UST (University of Science and Technology), Hong Kong Non university destinations: A number of pupils have applied directly to employer for positions such apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships; gaining these highly competitive positions can involve up to three rounds of tests and interviews. Isaac Betts - accountancy apprenticeship with Lovewell Blake Hugo Pattinson - engineering degree apprenticeship with Airbus Archie Taylor - accountancy degree apprenticeship with Price Bailey

We are delighted to share that we received funding to support our growing dance programme at the Lower School. With over 50 junior members now actively participating in dance groups, this support has been invaluable in ensuring our dancers are well-equipped for upcoming performances. Dance Costumes – The funding allowed us to purchase high-quality costumes for the Great Big Dance Off Regional Heats, where our teams performed brilliantly and one secured a place in the National Final. Additional costumes were also acquired for the Senior Dance Festival, ensuring our dancers are fully prepared for this prestigious event. New T-Shirts – As our dance groups continue to expand, we used part of the funding to provide new branded t-shirts for our members. These not only create a sense of unity but also give our dancers a professional and confident appearance. This funding has had a significant impact, enabling our dancers to perform at their best while representing Lower School with pride on a national stage. Thank you for your support in making this possible!

The plight of the humble coral, one of the marvels of the natural world, has been under the spotlight at Norwich School. We are a host site of the eastern region of the prestigious Royal Geographical Society (RGS), and we are always delighted to welcome them to the Blake Studio. On 19 March 2025 we enjoyed an excellent evening in their company hearing their latest lecture entitled Coral Reefs: From Darwin to Doomsday. The large audience of eager pupils, parents, staff, alumni and RGS members heard how the age-old process of tiny individual corals building up impressively huge reef structures has intrigued marine scientists for almost 200 years. It was Charles Darwin’s seminal research on this topic that first kicked off international interest, and research is still at the cutting edge of science today, as we seek to understand better the criticality of these vital ecosystems. The talk explored how corals reefs are fast becoming depressing barometers for biodiversity loss due to man-made global warming. We learned that, despite their amazing intrinsic resilience against natural disasters and rising and falling sea levels over millennia, the relentless combination of negative human factors such as pollution, thoughtless tourism and sea temperature warming means reefs are under threat like never before. Our guide for the evening was the highly esteemed academic and prolific author Tom Spencer. Tom is Emeritus Professor of Coastal Dynamics at the University of Cambridge and an internationally recognised expert in this field. He is currently working on a project on coral atoll 'habitability' in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. With a compelling slide deck and a measured delivery devoid of sensationalism, Tom imparted pearls of wisdom drawn from a lifetime of studying these amazing ecosystems, and concluded with a balanced prognosis of what the future may hold. The RGS regularly attracts speakers of the highest quality, yet all talks are eminently approachable to the lay person interested in our natural world. The RGS East’s exciting spring programme is online here: Upcoming events - RGS The next talk to be held at school is during the holidays on Thursday 10 April at 19:30 in the Blake Studio. The lecture is entitled: Reimaging our urban spaces as future green spaces. Our urban commons are a precious resource with enormous significance for promoting biodiversity, health and wellbeing in an urban context. This talk will explore the different legal and cultural concepts of an urban common, illustrated with examples from research that includes Mousehold Heath in Norwich. Our speak is Chris Rogers whose career has encompassed being a Solicitor, Professor of law at the University of Wales Aberystwyth and he is now Emeritus Professor of Law at Newcastle University. The link to book tickets is here: Reimaging our urban spaces as future green spaces - RGS All are welcome.

Photography Club in the Lower School has six new cameras.