Head's Address at the Beginning of the 2024/25 Academic Year

September 4, 2024

It is terrific to see the whole school back in the Cathedral after a summer apart. I trust you are looking forward to the year, both individually and as part of the wider school community.

Regarding this balance of hope for us as individuals and together, I think many of you have already walked past two prominent figures in Cathedral Close, each of whom has something helpful to say. And if you have not yet done so, I think most of you will do so before the end of the day and all of you before the end of the week. Any guesses? I am talking, of course, about the statues which stand either side of the mighty doors of the West End, located behind you as you sit in the Nave: as you look at the Cathedral from the West Front, Julian of Norwich is on the left holding a book and St Benedict is on the right with his finger to his lips. For those who are new to Norwich School (and the less observant of you from past years), cast your eyes up when you next walk past.

Mother Julian was an anchoress who chose to live in the walled-up cell of a church not far from here in Norwich during the late 1300s and early 1400s. She is credited with writing the first book in English by a female, Revelations of Divine Love, which describes visions of Christ that she experienced; it is the book she is sculpted with on the statue outside. Among her most famous statements is: “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well”. Whether you are a person or faith or not, one cannot help but be struck by the confidence and optimism of this statement. It is almost certainly the earliest example of manifesting in the English language. I think it is a timely phrase as we set about this new school year: there is much uncertainty in the world and much even in our own lives that we cannot control, but we can trust the process of the educational year which starts up again today after the summer and afford to be optimistic that our own ambitions can be achieved.

Indeed, this quality of hope and optimism is one of the reasons I love working in education. Young people, yes you, this amazing group in front, around and behind me, set about life with a collective cheerfulness and joy; it has been wonderful already to hear the babble of chatter as you make new friends or catch up after a summer apart. Sometimes you are not realistic or hopeful, but often you get what you want because you are confident that you can achieve your goal and simply take the steps to make it happen (I mentioned this flippantly before, but it is true that manifesting and visualising are modern terms associated with this process). Regardless of details of your individual ambition, whether in academic work, sport, music, drama, dance, debating, Warhammer or anything in between, I want each of you to be positive and joyful as you start this new year; I hope Julian’s statue will encourage you to keep going for your targets as you walk past it during the year.

The right-hand statue as you look at the West doors of the Cathedral is St Benedict, holding a finger to his lips for quiet prayer. From its foundation in 1096 until the Reformation of the 16th century, this Cathedral Church was a community of monks which was part of the Benedictine Order. If you were to attend Evensong this evening, you would hear a passage being read out from his guiding words, called the Rule of St Benedict.

At a service in the summer, Canon Aiden, one of the Canons of the Cathedral and a governor of the school, spoke of Benedict’s interest in mutual obedience, the need for the monastic community to pull together to be effective. In a modern world where rights are sometimes trumpeted more than responsibilities, Canon Aiden noted that this concept of mutual obedience is not fashionable. However, its importance resonated for me in subsequent weeks because of the civil unrest that was witnessed in many parts of the country. Sparked by the spreading of misinformation in the wake of the horrific murders in Southport, episodes of civil disobedience involving both violent conduct and expressions of ideological extremism sprung up in different parts of the country during the first part of August.

The hostile intensity of these events shocked the country because they demonstrated how quickly respect for the rule of law can be lost in certain circumstances. Mercifully, there was no major incidence of disorder in Norfolk during this period, though nobody should be under any illusions that the significant differences of opinion which underpinned the unrest exist in this part of the country, too.

The quality of our Norwich School community is one of our signature strengths, perhaps even the most important. However, this only remains true because we actively work at it, because we behave in a way each and every day that makes it the loving, compassionate, inclusive community that we cherish so much. That does not mean that we all have to agree with each other all the time; indeed, we are so much more vibrant and thoughtful because from time to time we disagree with and challenge each other. However, when that happens there must be a tone of mutual respect and we must be careful not to over-personalise any disputes that arise.

Unconditional positive regard for each other is a key phrase we use here; it comes centuries after Benedict’s discussion of mutual obedience, but I believe there is a strong overlap in thought. There is for me a sense in each idea that we may not get exactly what we want from an exchange, we may need to agree to disagree respectfully with another member of our community and we may need to compromise to achieve mutually agreeable practical outcomes. Yet, this compromise at an individual level is worth it for the community benefit. Schools are crucibles which can hold a range of opinions in a framework of mutual respect for each individual.

On too many occasions in the modern world, complex issues are broken down into overly simplistic, even binary, choices by people holding extreme views on each side of a particular debate, often by talking in echo chambers only to those of a similar opinion. I should like us to resist such a trend here at Norwich School, to look after each other both as we work together in this amazing environment and as we communicate online when we are not in Cathedral Close. This is very much the collaborative spirit embodied in today’s bible reading: “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you”. We do not always need to agree, but we should continue to respect each other if and when we disagree.

The statues of Julian and St Benedict, which oversee us as we move about The Close during the year, will be good touchstones to encourage our individual ambitions and to harness them positively in the life of the wider community. Both as optimistic individuals and a cohesive, kind community, I welcome you back and offer good wishes for the year ahead.

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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.

Brains, Stem Cells and Growing Old - Reversing the Ravages of Time

By Eleanor Lewis • May 14, 2026

Norwich School has enjoyed a treasured relationship with the highly respected Norfolk Cambridge Society, and we have played a key role hosting their 26-lecture series on site. The latest Norfolk Cambridge Society public lecture took place at Norwich School on 14 May 2026, delivered by Professor Robin Franklin, FRS, Honorary Professor of Stem Cell Biology at the University of Cambridge. He is a leading stem cell scientist and multi-award-winning regeneration biologist. Professor Franklin's topic was Brains, Stem Cells and Growing Old - Reversing the Ravages of Time, in which he discussed neuro-degenerative diseases and how brain cells are progressively lost as we grow older - a major factor in age-related cognitive decline. Before the 1980s, scientists understood that the brain could not regenerate, as it lacked the stem cells required for the production of new cells. Coherently and with great humour, Professor Franklin explained why he believes that future developments in this field are hugely promising, being at the forefront of scientific innovation that he and his team at Cambridge University are working on. It was a beautifully illustrated lecture and a masterclass in clarity and intellectual stimulation. There was not a free seat in the house. A very interesting Q&A discussion was led by acclaimed local neurology researcher and leading authority on Multiple Sclerosis, Professor Charles ffrench-Constant, who had worked with Professor Franklin. Discussions continued during drinks in the refectory afterwards. The Norfolk Cambridge Society has a simply stellar line-up of future talks ahead, with the next one taking place on 17 September 2026: " A Conversation with Ed Balls " - an interview with TV personality and former high-ranking politician Ed Balls in conversation with Phil Webster, former Political Editor of The Times. Tickets available : HERE . All are welcome. Our thanks go to the dynamic NCS for putting on such a compelling series of talks. Finally, please have a flick through our publication: At Close Quarters Trinity Term 2026 to see our full programme of exciting, cultural events taking place in and around Cathedral Close this term.

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.

A Buzzing Blake Studio with the Infants Performing The Bee Musical

By Eleanor Lewis • May 14, 2026

Our Lower One and Upper One pupils delighted audiences with two wonderful performances of The Bee Musical in The Blake Studio. The children proudly took to the stage for a special morning performance for our friends at The Great Hospital, followed by an afternoon performance for parents and families. It was a real joy to showcase the performing arts talents of some of our youngest pupils. Over the few weeks, the children have worked incredibly hard learning their songs and lines, while growing in confidence through drama, comedy and character performance. Their enthusiasm and commitment shone through in every scene, and it was clear just how much they had enjoyed bringing this lively production to life. The show featured some fantastic performances, with many of the children delivering their roles with confidence, expression and excellent comic timing. The audience was thoroughly entertained by the uplifting musical numbers, including the catchy Bee Bop , the energetic Bees Knees and the unforgettable Honey Honey Honey Bee Mine . Mrs Barclay praised the children for their wonderful performances and dedication throughout the rehearsal process, reflecting on what a special experience the production has been for everyone involved. She commented, “The children have loved every part of this journey, from learning their songs and lines to performing so confidently on stage and working together to create such a fun and polished production. I have been so impressed by the confidence, teamwork and enthusiasm shown by every pupil. These performances were a true reflection of all their hard work and of just how much they have enjoyed being part of this very special show.”