All About WoLLoW

January 8, 2025

To celebrate the various partnerships in our Norwich School community, we sat down with Abbie Dean, co-founder of WoLLoW, to find what WoLLoW is all about.

What is WoLLoW for those who are unfamiliar?

WoLLoW is a course that we have created for primary and secondary schools, looking at languages as a whole. I’m a languages teacher and I specialise in German but WoLLoW is looking at all language including English, classical languages and modern foreign languages. We also want to bring in languages that are spoken in our classrooms, in our communities and England and the UK as a whole; we are trying to have a less Eurocentric approach and a more global approach to languages. We look at similarities and differences, we look at the oddities of languages, we look at where our languages come from and how they are linked. We are trying to give pupils an understanding that languages are relevant and useful and that languages are central to them in succeeding both in school and in later life. We focus on literacy and celebrating the linguistic diversity in our classrooms. We promote literacy by looking at words and where they come from (their etymology) and how sentences are structured. We look at language and how it shapes our identity and we also focus on modern languages. Our aim is that their interest in language as a whole in the younger years continues through to an interest in modern languages so we can improve outcomes in language lessons, as well as interest and enjoyment. We believe that by starting this at such an early level (in Norwich school we teach it from year 3) and see it through until secondary then we can encourage that big push on both literacy and language as a whole, building on that foundation that we have created.

Great, now just coming off from that, you mentioned making languages less Eurocentric, what do you mean by that?

So, in schools traditionally we have taught French, German and Spanish. At home pupils’ parents probably would have been taught French and German but when we look at the children in front of us we have Arabic speakers; we have Hindi speakers; we have Yoruba speakers and we aren’t realising that our pupils with an additional language, what they have really is a superpower. We are not giving them the centre stage to discuss their language and their family’s languages, which relates to identity and heritage which we should be celebrating. If these children already have a language is addition to English then they will find it a lot easier to pick up another language and they have all these skills that they have that we aren’t quite tapping into. We also think that, if you look at the languages spoken nationally, as well as having French, German, Spanish we need to be focusing on languages such as Mandarin; in Norwich school mandarin is taught from year 3 all the way up to sixth form. However, this isn’t a national picture, we want WoLLoW to be an opportunity for schools across the UK to be able to have a little insight into some languages spoken in Africa for example, or Arabic or Hindi. We’ve got stand-alone lessons on those languages which don’t necessarily focus on specific vocabulary but look into the origin of those languages so that they are understood on both a geographical and historical level. We also look at how those languages are linked to English and other languages and why these languages are so important to our community and to our society in the 21st Century.

And how many lessons do WoLLoW pupils have?

So, from year 3 onwards they have 1 lesson a week, in the Lower School here that is about 30 minutes. I alternate with Mrs Song, so the children are taught half a year of both WoLLoW and Mandarin. That is for years 3, 4, 5 and 6. When pupils join the secondary school, in years 7 and 8 we have one lesson per week, and we also have an option at GCSE level for them to do a non-examined course in WoLLoW. This is an opportunity for them to keep looking at language and linguistics and keep thinking about literacy in a linguistic environment. In Sixth Form, we offer WoLLoW as a form of Community Service where pupils can decide to become a WoLLoW teacher. As well as being given the opportunity to create their own language lessons, they can go out and teach the lessons which we have created to local primary schools. With this, the pupils get teaching experience and some good exposure to how languages and literacy can be taught.

So how did WoLLoW start?

It started with the Head (Steffan Griffiths) and John Claughton (who used to be the Head of King Edward’s School in Birmingham) who are both Classicists and passionate about Classics and Languages but frustrated with how languages were perceived nationally. It is particularly noticeable when pupils join secondary school, that there is a feeling of deflation regarding language learning and so, regardless of how much languages pupils had learnt or not learnt at primary school, we had to start from the very beginning. There was real pinch point in the languages transition. From then we felt as if we lost the pupils a little, regardless of what we tried, we felt we were missing a trick. Nationally, there has been an exodus of pupils studying a language at GCSE and even more so at A Levels and University level. With that frustration came a desire to do something about it. The feeling was that we should look at languages as whole: Classical Languages, Modern Languages and English and all the literacy subjects and try to bring them together: teaching them as a programme which celebrates language and linguistic diversity rather than teaching them in silos. A lot of the time pupils find languages quite challenging but I think that that is a challenge to be embraced rather than ignored. WoLLoW aims to show them that they can do it, through pattern finding and problem solving as well as discussion, we want to show pupils that language learning is useful in our multi-lingual society, is relevant and is achievable. So we created WoLLoW which has now been rolled out internationally. Teachers around the country and beyond can access our resources for free. We have around 200 schools using WoLLoW resources around the country but also internationally, in the Netherlands and Germany for example, but also from further afield such as Australia, Hong Kong and Argentina, so we like to think that the word is spreading!

So you have mentioned providing resources to schools, do you personally ever go and teach in other schools?

Absolutely! I visit other schools providing staff CPD as part of their teacher training. I come and give whole staff meetings, or one-to-one sessions for staff who are interested in teaching WoLLoW. They see how the lessons look and what our general approach is. We do this to give teachers a bit of confidence before they embark on WoLLoW teaching. I’ve given lectures and seminars to pupils before they start their Community Service; I’ve visited universities and trainee teachers. I am to show them that they some scope in their teacher training programme to try something a bit different. Additionally, I visit local primary schools and deliver either one-off lessons or a series of lessons. Sixth formers in their Community Service accompany me so it isn’t just me teaching it, it’s the sixth formers which we have trained up.

How does your schedule work in line with WoLLoW? How do you manage to fit everything in?

I teach WoLLoW here in school but it isn’t just me. Mr Griffiths, Miss Arien and Miss Watkinson teach it as well, and at the Lower School a few teachers have taught it too. Thursdays is the day that I am out of the school, I go around the country delivering at conferences, visiting schools, delivery staff CPD, teaching lessons, spreading the word and meeting really interesting people who are interested in language learning and linguistics. We have a lot of interesting people on board and we are working closely with various educational institutions and universities around the country to make sure that what we are doing is working and aligned with current educational thinking but also aligned with what schools both need and want. I think it is really important that, when we are looking at something that promotes partnerships work, it is about giving schools what they want rather than what we think they want. For example, I have been working with one school, Magdalen Gates Primary where I have had those conversations with pupils and staff about what languages they speak and what languages they are interested in. From then, I can go ahead and tweak my lessons accordingly, catering to their prior learning and their curriculum. In doing this it ensures that the lessons are personalised and make sense to the pupils rather than just teaching a generic lesson and hoping it makes sense. Schools around the country that are using WoLLoW can also tweak the lessons, or they can use the lessons that we have provided as they are.

What are the aims of WoLLoW?

We want pupils to come out of WoLLoW feeling empowered, able, enthusiastic and knowing that there is worth in studying languages.

What are the future hopes of WoLLoW?

We jokingly talk about global success (even though we have already had that to a certain extent), creating a global network of WoLLoW schools. We want to set up categories within our schools to be able to say that ‘we are a WoLLoW school’ because the schools that use WoLLoW are really committed to and care about languages and linguistic diversity. There is nothing else out there quite like it that focuses on the word and the sentence and the links between languages, as well as languages that are taught traditionally. In short, we want a global network, we want WoLLoW schools and we want to celebrate our WoLLoW schools. We also would like to, take WoLLoW to a policy level nationally, bringing our ideas forward. We are in the process of that working with HMC for example, to geta foot in the door there at policy level as well.

So how is WoLLoW involved in Norwich School?

WoLLoW has charitable status (we are an independent charity) and there are four of us as co-founders. As a charity, we also need trustees, so we have a group of those as well who guide us. We have donors and we also have researchers who are looking into whether WoLLoW does what we hope it is doing. Essentially, we are a charitable organisation set up independent of Norwich School, however, we have Steffan Griffiths (Head) who along with John Claughton came up with the concept and then Steffan got me onboard to create the resources and to get things moving. Norwich School has been where it all started in terms of teaching WoLLoW. We have run the course throughout the year groups and we are continuing to. We get feedback from our pupils and try out new material and it has gone really well and so really, although it isn’t on paper a Norwich School initiative I’d say that the heart of WoLLoW is here at Norwich School.

Visit the WoLLoW website here: WoLLoW - World of Languages, Languages of the World

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The Journey Through School Life: An Inspiring Assembly from Mr Curtis

By Eleanor Lewis • June 26, 2026

I have now worked at Norwich School for quite some time, which has prompted me to reflect: what is our school like? What are its virtues? What makes it tick? Attending or working at a school is very much like going on a journey, which is why I chose today’s bible reading. It records a journey two people made, and how they encountered Jesus along the way without recognising him. The story of the road to Emmaus, as it is called, and our journey through school, have some interesting parallels which help us understand our school better, and that our journey through it so very full of potential. The first connection between our school and the reading is found in this line “they urged him strongly, “Stay with us”. The two travellers offer the stranger hospitality. In my first ever U6 History class at Norwich School there was a boy called George. George was the Head of School and scrum half for the First XV. One day, George was missing from my lesson. I asked the other pupils where he might be: “Don’t you know he’s the head of School, sir?” they answered, “he’ll be with the Head for an important meeting – it happens all the time”. I felt rather silly. Sometime later George arrived. “Sorry I’m late, sir” he said. ‘How was the meeting?’ I enquired. ‘Meeting?’ he replied, ‘I wasn’t at a meeting. I was having my hair cut!’ In my naivety, I just assumed that heads of school were permitted to have a haircut during period one and carried on with the lesson. Furthermore, George had been extremely warm and welcoming to me as a new teacher, whilst the rest of the class were a bit frosty, given, as they were happy to explain, just how brilliant my predecessor had been. Another character was Fraser. Fraser was a cross-country runner, so I used to spend a lot of time with him during Games, as did Mr Todd, the Deputy Head. Fraser’s particular eccentricity was hugging teachers without warning. This was as inappropriate then as it would be now, but Fraser somehow got away with it. I remember watching Fraser suddenly embrace Mr Todd, pinning his arms to his side leaving him with barely sufficient breath to gasp: “Fraser, please release me.” His warm sentiment was genuine which meant that he, and only he, could get away with it. There were also two teachers who were particularly welcoming when first I arrived. The first, Miss Weiler, was the Head of German. She always remembered my birthday and offered me glass of champagne to celebrate. There was also Mr Barber who, before I even started at Norwich School said, ‘well, if you’re joining us, you’d better play in this evening’s staff cricket match’. His kind offer meant I quickly felt accepted. This tradition of hospitality is one of which we can be proud. It continues with our relationships with organisations like English Plus and Able 2 Be. We welcome pupils from all over the globe which strengthens and enriches our community. As Professor Charles Forsdick ON, during a recent school visit said: ‘we should be rooted in the local but maintain a global perspective’. There can be no doubt that front and centre of Norwich School is learning. One need look no further to find evidence of this than that famed repository of wisdom, the leavers’ book. Our class of 2025, in answer to the question, ‘what is the best lesson Norwich School taught you’, offered these answers: - Don’t do stupid thing whilst CCTV is watching - Don’t accept homemade chocolate milk from a Travelodge sink - Stock up on the salad bar otherwise your stomach will scream in the afternoon - Never get caught with your shirt untucked around Mr Sims - If you speed walk, it only takes four minutes to get to HFH (I did get shin splints though) - Don’t play badminton with more than two players per side because that’s how you end up with teeth missing. But more seriously, Norwich School pupils and staff are ambitious in their learning, and this learning is valued and rigorous. On the road to Emmaus, the disciples were confused about the everts that had taken place over the first Easter weekend. They too sought understanding and were, therefore, keen to hear the teaching of the man they had encountered: our reading says “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” This is a 1st century example of people’s thirst for knowledge and understanding; we should continue to treasure our 21st century opportunity to be curious, to enquire and to learn. The journey we are on at school and our bible reading are also connected via the notion of togetherness and community, and how this can lead to something more profound. Once he had been invited into their house, Jesus shared a meal with the disciples: “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.” A simple enough act, but one that speaks of shared experience and common humanity. Norwich School shares much of its history and culture with the community of this cathedral church, which is a precious space in at least these three ways: longevity – Norwich Cathedral is the oldest building in Norwich which is still used for its original purpose. The fact that it has survived and thrived for so long is remarkable. Accessibility – Norwich Cathedral is open 365 days of the year, free of charge, with no entry requirements. Anyone can enter, regardless of background, where you come from or what you believe. Sacredness – these precincts are set apart, designated as a special or holy place. Some people regard the cathedral as a ‘thin place’: somewhere in which it is possible to sense the intangible, something mystical, maybe even glimpse the divine; a place in which God is not proven, but rather in which He might be experienced. On the road to Emmaus, the disciples didn’t recognise Jesus at first, even though he was walking alongside them. It was only when they invited him in, when they made themselves open to an encounter with God, that he revealed himself: “then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” For me, the most special thing about our school, and the reason I have stayed for so long, is that we are hospitable and scholarly, yes, but also that we enjoy a privileged and precious relationship with the cathedral community. This is a place where we can make time to explore spirituality, to consider the good news of the Christian message, and to reflect on the possibility of encountering Jesus Christ, as he walks alongside us, on our journey through school.

Lower 2 and Upper 2 Pupils Wrap Up a Year of Informal Concerts in Style

By Eleanor Lewis • June 25, 2026

A warm Lower School Hall was alive with music, laughter, and a touch of theatrical flair as children from Lower 2 and Upper 2 took to the stage for a truly delightful concert last night. The evening opened with a confident piano performance of Rocking the Boat , quickly followed by the wonderfully imaginative The Dinosaurs Bedtime March , which had the audience picturing a parade of sleepy prehistoric creatures. The ever-popular Sun City by P. Wedgwood made several cheerful appearances throughout the programme, each performance bringing its own sparkle. There was elegance and poise in The Ballet Dancer , while a charming cello rendition of Gavotte by Gossec added a touch of classical sophistication. The audience was then treated to, I Love Coffee , which was delivered with great character and more than a hint of humour. Film fans in the room were delighted by a violin performance of Hedwig’s Theme by John Williams, transporting everyone straight into a world of magic. This was followed by more lively piano pieces, including the flowing The River Flows in You and the crisp Allegretto by Bartok. The energy lifted even further with Way Out West and The Machine , before a bold trumpet performance of the James Bond Theme by M. Norman had toes tapping and imaginations racing with spy adventures. The concert continued with the spirited Tarantella Twist on the piano and a relaxed guitar piece, Fingers and Thumbs by G. Whitworth. A light and playful flute performance of A Tisket A Tasket added a traditional touch, followed by more confident piano playing including Lightly Row and Le petit mendiant . One of the highlights of the evening was a lively vocal duet of The Lady is a Vamp by the Spice Girls, which brought plenty of smiles and a real sense of fun to the hall. Throughout the concert, the children showed not only their growing musical skills but also great courage and enthusiasm. It was a joy to see such a variety of instruments and styles on display, and the supportive audience created a wonderfully warm atmosphere. Well done to all performers for an entertaining and memorable afternoon of music and well done to all pupils in the Lower School who have showcased their musical instruments throughout the year.

Four Horticultural Gold Medals Achieved at the Royal Norfolk Show!

By Eleanor Lewis • June 24, 2026

This year, our Lower School pupils embraced an exciting opportunity to take part in not just one, but two competitions at the Royal Norfolk Show: the School Gardening Competition and the School Growing Competition. Their hard work, creativity and enthusiasm were truly rewarded, as pupils proudly brought home an incredible four gold medals! In the School Gardening competition, pupils from Lower One and Upper One were thrilled to be awarded a gold medal for their outstanding exhibit. Their entry featured a beautifully designed wheelbarrow display inspired by Beatrix Potter’s Mr McGregor’s garden, created in celebration of 160 years since Beatrix Potter’s birth. The imaginative design brought a miniature allotment to life, complete with a rustic potting shed, garden gate, wellington boots and beloved characters from the Peter Rabbit stories. Every element was thoughtfully crafted, resulting in a delightful and highly detailed scene. One of the standout features of the display was a stunning willow arch and gate, expertly created by the Upper One pupils and decorated with flowers and crocheted carrots. This eye-catching centrepiece captivated both judges and visitors alike. Four Upper One pupils also had the opportunity to speak with the judges, confidently explaining the inspiration behind their design and proudly showcasing their exhibit. The School Growing competition saw over forty pupils eagerly take part, nurturing their basil, calendula and radish plants at home with care and commitment in the weeks leading up to the Show. The best examples from each category were then selected and taken to the Showground, where they were judged against entries from other schools. Pupils were delighted to win all three categories which they entered. We are incredibly proud of our pupils for their creativity, perseverance and teamwork. The achievements are a testament to their enthusiasm and hard work, and we are absolutely delighted to celebrate the success of winning four gold medals at this year’s Royal Norfolk Show! Outdoor learning and gardening skills are interwoven throughout the Lower School curriculum, and our success at the Norfolk Show is a testament to this.

Oliver Jr Left Audiences Asking for More!

June 22, 2026

To set off Gather26 was the beloved Oliver! Jr. Rosie B, Lowe 6, writes her experience of being part of the backstage crew, and the production as a whole, below. On Monday the 15 and Tuesday the 16 June, the Fourth Form kicked off Gather 2026 with an exciting and uplifting production of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! Jr. Being an independent project, it was directed by Daisy S and Charlie Br in the Lower 6, who have been working incredibly hard behind the scenes to bring to life this fantastic show. Starting off the performance with ‘Food! Glorious Food!’ choreographed by Benji S, it was clear that the audience were in for a treat. Santiago O’D and Sampson O’F were compelling and funny as partners in crime, Fagin and Dodger, whilst Annabelle H as Nancy and Oliver PW as Oliver provided a deeply moving emotional core to the show. Not forgetting William M, terrifying as Bill Sykes! There are so many more performers I could name, each one clearly giving their everything and loving every minute of their performance. I also got the opportunity to help as backstage crew- it was astounding to see the professionalism of these young actors despite having to navigate costume crises and prop panics backstage! I look forward to seeing what they’ll do next year. Oliver! Jr was a brilliant performance that absolutely left the audience asking for “more”!

Dragon Days Delights Audiences

By Eleanor Lewis • June 22, 2026

Upper 2 took to the stage this week with their fantastic production of Dragon Days , delivering a performance full of energy, comedy and wonderful singing. The children embraced every moment of the show, bringing their characters to life with confidence, enthusiasm and great humour. Their lively performances, combined with impressive vocals and excellent teamwork, kept audiences entertained throughout. It was clear how much the children enjoyed being part of the production, and their excitement shone through in every scene. From the catchy songs to the laugh-out-loud moments, Dragon Days was a tremendous success and a memorable experience for everyone involved. Congratulations to all of Upper 2 for their hard work, dedication and outstanding performances.

Representing England at the Under-19 European Korfball Championships

By Eleanor Lewis • June 19, 2026

Cara B, Lower 6, represented England in their Under-19 squad at the European Korfball Championships in Türkiye. Cara shares her experience below. Over the Easter holidays, I had the incredible opportunity to represent England as part of the Under-19 squad at the European Korfball Championships in Turkey. Korfball is a mixed-gender team sport that originated in the Netherlands and combines elements of basketball and netball. Each team consists of four male and four female players, with players switching between attack and defence every two goals. The tournament began with group-stage fixtures against Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, Portugal and Hungary. Our opening match was against a strong Czech side, who went on to come second overall. Despite a determined effort, we were defeated 17-8 in our first game. However, we responded brilliantly later that day with a convincing 12-2 win over Slovakia. At the end of day 1, we remained in contention for a strong finish in the competition. Day 2 proved to be another challenging but rewarding day. We started with an impressive 13-8 win against Poland before facing Portugal in a crucial match. Despite our efforts, Portugal edged us out in a hard-fought 13-10 defeat at full time after a goal for goal match. We finished the day strongly with an excellent 23-14 victory over Hungary, one of our highest-scoring performances of the tournament. Going into the final day, we were determined to secure the highest possible placing. This set up a closely contested placement match against the host nation, Turkey. The game was highly competitive, with both teams going goal for goal for much of the match. We held our nerve in the closing stages to secure a 16-13 win, earning England a final placing of 5th in Europe. Cara's recent success at Korfball, has been mirrored by an outstanding performance on the netball court this season. Cara was a key member of the Norwich School 1 st VII who finished an impressive 11 th in the country this season, as well as representing her netball club, Norfolk United in the National Premier League, the highest club league in the country. Head of Netball, Gemma Ashton comments "Cara has made an immense contribution to Norwich School Netball since joining us in L6 and her considerable talent on court is matched by her dedication and commitment off it. Her success this season is fully deserved and we are very proud of all she has achieved. Cara is also a Norwich School Sport Scholar, and we are delighted that this programme was able to contribute towards funding her attendance at the Korfball European Championships."

The England Flag: An Address from Revd Child

By Eleanor Lewis • June 19, 2026

(This assembly was delivered two days after England’s first world cup match of 2026, with a large England flag draped over the front of the pulpit.) God says: “ It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth .” (Isaiah 49:6) You may have noticed that I’ve decorated the pulpit this morning. I want to start by asking you this question: what was the first thing that went through your mind when you saw this England flag? Right now, of course, there’s a good chance that it reminded you of the England men’s football team, who kicked off their World Cup on Wednesday. Perhaps seeing this gave you a surge of national pride. (4-2: the first time we’ve scored that in a World Cup since 1966.) On the other hand, if you don’t think of this so much as your flag – for instance, if you’re from a different UK nation or from Europe – then this flag may stir feelings of rivalry. Context is everything. To see the flag flown on Windsor Castle on St George’s day in 2026 is very different to seeing the red cross on the front of crusader shields in the 13th century. Seeing the flag displayed on a church or a town hall is different to seeing it cable-tied to lampposts and painted on roundabouts. There was a spate of this a year ago which spread across the country. ‘Flagging’, as it became known, started in the month after the England Women’s football team won the Euros. (You may remember that moment of national pride – Chloe Kelly’s winning penalty, Hannah Hampton’s heroics in goal, Lucy Bronze somehow playing through the tournament with a fractured tibia. It’s just been announced that six members of that team will receive an MBE for their services to football and to the country.) Of course, all this meant that there were lots of England flags available to buy in the shops. And when they started going up in the streets, some people said it was patriotism. But it wasn’t just patriotism – there was also something more sinister and territorial going on. The context shifted, and the flags became associated with anti-immigration and extremist politics. All of that meant that, when I went into Home Bargains to buy this flag for my assembly, it felt like the shop staff were giving me funny looks. ‘What is he?’ they seemed to be asking themselves. ‘Is he an England fan… or is he a racist?’ There is a scene in the excellent TV drama Dear England, which is on iPlayer at the moment, where the then England manager Gareth Southgate hangs a St George’s flag in the goalmouth and gets all the players to discuss it. He begins by pointing at the flag and saying: ‘These things can be emotive and complicated.’ To get some perspective on all this complexity, I want to step away from England for a moment, and take note of a different nation in a different time – the Old Testament nation of Israel in the Bible. One of the developing themes of the Bible is what God’s chosen people think their nation is for. There are times where they retreat into self-isolation – they feel a need to pull up the drawbridge and protect their identity. But there are other times when they realise their blessings are for sharing with the world, rather than clinging onto. ‘It is too small a thing,’ God says to his people in that reading we heard earlier, it is too small a thing just to be concerned with the tribes of Israel. ‘I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’ In other words, the blessing that God’s people have is for spreading, not for desperately protecting. Christians believe that the ultimate expression of this is in the person of Jesus Christ, born a Jew, but a saviour for all peoples – the ‘salvation that reaches to the ends of the earth.’ Returning to England, I think we can learn something from our local heroine Edith Cavell, whose grave is outside the east end of the cathedral. She famously said before her wartime execution, ‘Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone.’ Perhaps we could adapt that line as: ‘Patriotism alone is too small a thing.’ No doubt the meaning of the England flag will continue to change as history unfolds. But here are my hopes for it. I hope that the current world cup tournament will reclaim the flag of St George from the tensions of last summer, and that it would help us feel united as a country, not divided. And I hope that as a country, we would discover generosity and hospitality towards other nations in the style of Isaiah 49. I hope we become the sort of country that is patriotic and outward-looking at the same time. In the end I want to live in a world where, when I buy a flag like this from Home Bargains, the staff think to themselves, ‘there goes a good person.'

Dylan, Lower 2, Aspires to Make a Difference

By Eleanor Lewis • June 19, 2026

Over the May half term, Lower Two pupil Dylan travelled to Kenya with his family and other volunteers to help with building work at the Jubilee Academy, Nakuru. The school was built in corrugated steel in 1998 to provide free schooling to local children. It was subsequently closed in 2019 when a new law was introduced that insisted that all schools should be made from brick. Undeterred, work started to rebuild the school. Currently, it is an infant school. However, due to the difficulty its pupils have in finding a school to attend once they have left, Jubilee Academy is committed to expanding to allow the children to continue their education. School can be the only place where children have a nutritious meal, so if they stay in school they have a greater likelihood of remaining healthy. Work had already started on building new classrooms, so Dylan helped to decorate them and worked on creating a new toilet block. During his rest periods he enjoyed playing football with the pupils there. Before the trip, he had called upon his year group to raise money to buy backpacks for the school in return for wearing Kenya's national flag colours for a day. Lower Two pupils were keen to do this and they also wrote letters to the children at Jubilee. Dylan's mother commented, "Seeing the children open the letters and see that someone has written them a letter just to them was priceless. I will remember their reactions for ever." Receiving replies from their Kenyan friends was equally exciting and fulfilling for our Lower Two pupils. Dylan worked incredibly hard in Nakuru as the youngest volunteer the organisation had ever welcomed. Not only did he learn new practical skills in painting, plastering and carpentry, he gained new friends, and discovered that football really is a shared language across the world. His friends and teachers are proud of what he helped to achieve on his trip.

Carnegie Book Discussions with Upper Four

By Eleanor Lewis • June 19, 2026

After shadowing the Carnegie Medal for Writing judging process since Easter as part of their Wollow lessons, the entire Upper Four cohort came together for a morning of discussion and debate about this year's shortlisted titles. There was a real buzz about reading as pupils shared their opinions in small groups, comparing favourite characters, discussing themes and debating which books they felt deserved to win. The conversations reflected a wide range of views, with pupils offering thoughtful perspectives on the quality of the shortlisted books. It was encouraging to see them engaging confidently and supporting their opinions with evidence from their reading. Staff from across the school also joined the discussions, including colleagues from History, Music, Art and Learning Support. Their involvement helped to model reading for pleasure and demonstrated that books can be a shared interest across the whole school community. Following the discussions, pupils cast their votes for their favourite title. Upper Four selected Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness as their overall winner. A few days later, the official Carnegie Medal results were announced, with both the judges' winner and the Shadowers' Choice Award going to Wolf Siren by Beth O'Brien. The event provided a valuable opportunity for the whole year group to come together to celebrate reading, exchange ideas and reflect on a shared reading experience.

A Successful Day at the Schools Simulated Shooting Event

By Eleanor Lewis • June 18, 2026

On Thursday 18 June, the inaugural Schools Simulated Shooting Event took place at the Euston Estate near Thetford. Norwich School was represented by two teams each consisting of four pupils. The event was hosted jointly by the Euston Estate and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT); participants were given a warm welcome by the Duke of Grafton before a representative of the GWCT explained how science was used to promote biodiversity and conservation. After a safety briefing, 15 teams, aged from 12-16, from 7 different schools, competed in a 50 bird (clay pigeon) sporting day during which they received expert coaching on each stand to hone their skills. The day was an enormous success: the teams enjoyed themselves, learnt more about estate management and conservation and improved their skills in the Olympic sport of clay pigeon shooting. Huge thanks to all involved and here's to returning next year!