Lower 5 Pupil, Tilly Guyton has been selected for Team England All Girl Youth Squad. To celebrate her success, we asked her some questions; How long have you been cheerleading? I have been cheerleading for 7 years and i started competing in 2018. How often do you train/practice? I train 4 times a week and once a week for Team England. How did you get selected for the Team England All Girl Youth Squad? I had to attend a tryout session which was held over the first weekend of October half term. Here the coaches ask you to do certain skills to see what you are capable of and also place you in a stunt group with other athletes, you are asked to perform skills with them to see how you get on together. There are 3 others in my stunt group all from London. There were 150 athletes on the the first day and half got cut going through to the second day. at the end of the second day the team was selected. We then had our first training session on the third day. What does being selected for this entail? As a team we will compete to represent England in the youth all girls division at the ICU worlds competition in Orlando in April 2025. What do you enjoy most about cheerleading? I enjoy being part of a team sport and competing all around the world. It also keeps me active and fit and you get to meet lots of new people. What are your future ambitions in cheerleading? I am currently an assistant coach and an ambition would be to coach my own team one day. I would also like to compete at all the big competitions in america I have a list of them I’d like to tick off. What would you say to somebody who is interested in cheerleading? Find a local club and give it go. Cheerleading has lots of different sections including tumbling, stunting and dance so it is always interesting and different. It gives you the opportunity to meet new friends and to keep healthy and keep flexible and learn new skills whilst also being part of a supportive team. 

On Friday 15 November, Rev Child Addressed pupils on the importance of kindness, to mark anti-bullying week. 8 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34) The passage we’ve just heard from Mark’s gospel is the famous ‘Golden Rule’. It’s a foundational idea in Christianity, that if what you’re doing is motivated by love and kindness, you won’t go far wrong. (Those of you doing GCSE RS will already have discovered that ‘Love your neighbour’ is a fantastically useful all-purpose quote; and for those of you doing A-Level Philosophy, Religion and Ethics, the Greek word used for ‘love’ here is agape, the central theme of Joseph Fletcher’s influential book Situation Ethics. Sorry - I just had to get that in.) ‘Love your neighbour’ is always an important message. But in fact there’s one detail at the end of this passage that I’d like us to notice. Jesus has this conversation with a teacher of the law, and he’s impressed by what he hears. The passage ends like this: ‘When Jesus saw that the teacher had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”’ It’s just one line. A little moment of respect. Then – end of conversation. But imagine what the effect must have been on the teacher of the law as he walks away with those simple words ringing in his ears. ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God’. And perhaps even more than that, how important was the respect that Jesus had shown him? In fact if you look through the gospels, you frequently find Jesus dispensing short, concentrated moments of respect and encouragement. A gesture here, a one-liner there. Apparently not much – but enough to make someone’s day. Respect is a medicine that works in low doses – you don’t always need a lot for it to have an effect. There’s a nice example of this in Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson. The book is a modern classic – the insights of an American who tours the UK, seeing it all with fresh eyes. Bryson settled in the Yorkshire Dales for a while and lived in a place called Malhamdale. It took him a while to get used to the people; he was more familiar with the extravagance and the extroverts of the American Mid-West. But he came to appreciate the small gestures of his new home. This is from the book: In Yorkshire, little by little, they find a corner for you in their hearts, and drive past you with what I call the Malhamdale wave. This is an exciting day in the life of any new arrival. To make the Malhamdale wave, pretend for a moment that you are grasping a steering wheel. Now very slowly extend the index finger of your right hand as if you were having a small involuntary spasm. That's it. It doesn't look like much, but it speaks volumes, believe me, and I shall miss it very much. I love that image of Yorkshire drivers giving the tiniest sign of recognition to an American, who has come to learn that it means a lot. Respect: you don’t always need a lot for it to have an effect. On Wednesday you heard from the pastoral prefects and peer supporters about the theme of this year’s anti-bullying week, which is ‘Choose Respect’. They reminded us that ‘when we choose to respect one another, we build stronger, kinder, and more supportive communities.’ I would only add this to their thoughtful message: that respect may not cost you very much at all. It only takes a word of gratitude at the right moment, or even just a quiet signal of appreciation. Here is a challenge for you to take into today: see just how concise you can make your encouragements. ‘Brilliant.’ ‘Love it’. ‘That’s so cool.’ That’s all it takes – just a little respect.

The Lower School Chamber Choir were in attendance at last nights open office at Sowerbys in Norwich, bringing some festive cheer to the appreciative audience and passers-by on Queen Street on their way to the Norwich Christmas Lights Switch On. The choir provided the perfect accompaniment to the evening, singing carol favourites including some beautiful descants from the Choristers. Head of Music Mr Vine said ‘ I am so proud of the Chamber Choirs professional attitude and wonderful singing last night and a big thank you to all the parents for your support. Thank you Sowerbys for asking us to come and perform. A truly memorable evening’

The battle lines were drawn... The Theme was ANIMALS and it was all down to the pupils to organise and rehearse their houses!  The Lower School House Music Festival 2024 was an absolute triumph. Heigham, Magdalen and Conisford choosing songs from The Beatles, Culture Club and Survivor all gave incredible performances in the Hall, led and directed by the House Captains, Harrison Rafftree, Ben McNeilly and Josh Bevan. Head of Singing from the Senior School Mrs Walton came down to adjudicate and was incredibly impressed with the standard of singing, stage presence, diction, intonation, and enthusiasm from each House. The singing truly raised the roof! It was a close competition with only a few marks in between each place. The worthy winners were announced as Conisford and their version of ‘The Eye of the Tiger’ by Survivor. Huge congratulation s to Conisford and well done to everyone for taking part, and a special ‘bravo’ to the 3 House Captains for their excellent work in leading and directing their Houses so well

Upper 4 pupil, Noah Delicata shares his recent successes in eventing and tells us about what is next for him! How long have you been riding? "I have been riding for seven years, I never used to like it but my sister asked me to come to stables and it all started from there." Can you tell us a little about your horse? "My horse is very speedy and quarab. Her name is Biscuit but his racing name is BMJ Choffi." Can you tell me a little bit about your recent achievements? "Last month, I took part in the England regional championship, I played for the east region and we came 5th! I really enjoyed the competition, it was in Chillington, a one day event and a 80cm class. It was really fun despite being very nervous with it being my first championship?" Do many of your family members do eventing? "Yes! My whole family, my mum does dressage." To someone not well versed in eventing, can you explain the difference between dressage and jumping? "Dressage is more technical, foot patterns, instead of jumps it is in an arena with letters and you need to complete a course. Jumping however has jumps dotted around the arena." What do you prefer? "Definitely showjumping, I find it more exhilarating." What are you future hopes, have you got anything lined up? "I have Oasby which is a 1 day British show jumping event. I’m nervous but mainly excited, this will be my first 90cm class!" How much preparation have you done? "Plenty of practicing, accurate circling, and trying to get more confident with my horse." How often do you practice? "5 times a week, before school." Is there anything else you would like to share? "Eventing helps a lot with memory and focus. It has also helped me build my confidence, I would strongly recommend it. My first event was nearly 5 years ago and since then I’ve made nearly £500 in prize money!" 

Pumpkins are a staple for Halloween, with millions being brought every year, carved, and displayed at the fronts of our houses. However, when November comes, what happens to the pumpkins? For the estimated 39.9 million pumpkins that were brought this year 22.2 million will go to waste. As well as this, the climate ramifications are staggering; in a landfill pumpkins decompose and release methane which has 20 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide. These shocking statistics call to action a change in our food waste habits with education on the ways pumpkins can be repurposed once the decorations come down. Today at Norwich School with Thomas Franks, our menu aims to showcase the various uses of pumpkins from the pulp to the seeds, in delicious soups and nutritious salads. Look out for the seasonal surplus logo where we have used pumpkins that would have simply gone into landfill! Of course, pumpkins are not the only issue in the UK 15 million tonnes of food is wasted every year (which is enough to fill 8 Wembley Stadiums!)! An easy way to start combatting this is eating seasonally, which entails eating foods that are naturally in harvest for the specified time of year. When we eat produce that is grown out of season that usually means that it has either been imported from overseas or that intensive farming methods have been used to force them to grow, both of these carrying a large carbon footprint. Simple methods such as planning ahead, storing leftovers and buying only what you need can help tackle the impacts of food waste.

Jonathan Pearson, the school’s Development Director and Old Norvicensian 78-87 gives his perspective on a “Norwich School hero” at this time of Remembrance….. "Good morning, everyone. Norwich School can seem a bit quirky at times, but I view that as a positive. Have you ever wondered why things are named the way they are? I am sure those who joined this term may well have questioned who was the Fleming of the 1950’s Fleming Building – maybe Ian Fleming, the writer of James Bond books for example? Are the Dyers of Dyers’ Lodge still alive or are the Dyers dead? Did Coke (as in Coke House) invent a fizzy drink and who or what is a Valpy? Of course, being Development Director, you would rightly expect me to know the answers, so, do collar me in the playground or the lunch queue if you want to know more. It would be a fair assumption that many unfamiliar names relate to people of great merit who have strong connections to the schools’ illustrious past. I would like to share the details of one whose name you may have heard, but you will likely have no idea who he is or know nothing of his remarkable story. I want to put that right today and this is the theme of today’s assembly. To start our story, let me take you back to the height of World War II and to the jungles of Burma (now known as Myanmar). At the base of a deep thicket a young officer Philip has been very badly wounded and lies dying. In his head he wonders what will get him first: infection from his wounds; starvation or dehydration; or, even worse, being discovered by Japanese enemy soldiers patrolling these jungles looking for British soldiers to dispatch on sight. There is a rustle in the nearby bushes and a face appears through the undergrowth. Philip realizes in that moment that his life hangs by the slenderest of threads. Fortune though is smiling on him, as this is a local Burmese Rifleman Maung Tun, who immediately grasps the urgency of the situation, tends Philip’s injuries, provides him with sustenance and care. A friendship develops between Philip and Maung Tun, whom Philip nicknames ‘Mo To’ for short. This continues for some while and Philip recuperates, when, suddenly, visits from Mo To stop and Philip is perplexed. Only later does he discover that Mo To had been captured by the Japanese and tortured to reveal the whereabouts of British troops in the vicinity. Refusing to give up information about Philip’s hiding place, Mo To is cruelly tortured to death. Philip struggles all his life to understand what compelled a virtual stranger to sacrifice his own life for Philip’s, and this profoundly moves him. Philip recovers, but later in the war he is captured by the Japanese who incarcerate him in one of their brutal prisoner of war camps. Two years of subsequent torture and privation, of waterboarding and starvation, and the death of many of his comrades are poignantly captured in this book, his autobiography: Return via Rangoon. It is a heart-breaking account and was republished last year to celebrate 80 years since that military campaign. I cannot recommend this moving read highly enough. I now fast-forward to autumn 1977 when I first met Philip. Of course, I did not call him Philip at the time - after all he was the Headmaster of Norwich School. He was known as ‘Mr Stibbe’. I was being interviewed by him to join Norwich School as a pupil. At the end of World War II, Philip Stibbe returned to his studies at Merton College, Oxford. They had kept the same room waiting for him that he had left in 1940 when he joined up – a lovely touch. He subsequently moved into teaching and his last post was as Headmaster at Norwich School from 1975 until 1984. Following periods of financial hardship and national austerity, the Norwich School he inherited could at times be a grim and sombre place. Philip’s moving experiences in Burma had instilled in him a formidable sense of love for humanity and compassion towards others – both of which are central to today’s Norwich School. It is not to say they did not exist before his time, but it was Philip Stibbe who made such a positive effort to reflect love and compassion in the culture and everyday experiences here at school. I have two examples. Feeling sorry for the meagre rations at lunch in the 1980s, he petitioned the Bursar and was successful in increasing food portion sizes, especially on Fridays when the number of fish fingers was increased by one on each plate, earning him the nickname of Four Fish Fingers Phil. More profoundly, the second relates to his increasingly frail health. Years of starvation rations had irreparably weakened his constitution and brought about the onset of the debilitating condition known as Parkinson’s Disease, causing him to retire early. At a time when pupil relations with teachers were often distant and subservient, at the end of his last ever assembly in this Cathedral I recall him warmly shaking the hand of every boy as they left through the great west doors. I was moved that he knew my name and wished me well with a tear in his eye. Recently I discovered that on his death he committed his body to medical research, allowing them to assess the impact of his war-time privations. When I returned in 2018 to work at Norwich School, I was overjoyed to learn that Stibbe Awards in his honour are handed out each term. This is a Stibbe Tie and Pin, given to those of exceptional ability and application across more than one co-curricular discipline, for example taking a lead role in a musical whilst also leading a charitable initiative. It is effectively awarded as co-curricular full colours. Only a select few Sixth Formers ever attain this high accolade. I first met Philip Stibbe’s son in 2023, having been invited by him to the re-launch of Philip’s book Return Via Rangoon. Retired Major Giles Stibbe, OBE, Director of the Household Cavalry Foundation, is himself a decorated veteran of many conflicts over the last 40 years. Giles was thrilled to learn his father is still celebrated through the Stibbe Awards and his legacy lives large at Norwich School today. I am delighted that Giles has accepted my invitation to be with us in assembly this morning. He is also (and I mean this as the highest compliment) the spitting image of his father when I first met him. To conclude my address, if you see anyone round school wearing one of these ties or pins, do ask them how they earned their Stibbe Award. I hope you to will be inspired by their stories and aspire to receive this accolade yourself one day. To those wearing a Stibbe Award today, Giles and I salute you. You will have made an important mark on the school through your sterling efforts and continue to make Norwich School a better place. It is interesting to note that among the cohort of Stibbe recipients in school at present, is our very own Mr Gent who, as a schoolboy here, was one of its first ever recipients. So, in this building that Philip loved so much and where he finished his Norwich School career, let us consider the courage, humbleness and lifelong compassion of Philip Stibbe and, at this time of Remembrance, reflect on the astonishing act of sacrifice of Mo To in 1943, the Burmese soldier who laid down his life for his fellow man. Let us now give all Stibbe Award Holders a well-deserved round of applause."

On Friday 9 November, Tim Ollivier's exhibition 'Journey' opens at the Crypt Gallery! Read below to find out more about what 'Journey' is about. 8th — 16th November Open daily 10 — 5pm Closed 10th November. Free admission. Can you tell me a little bit about this exhibition, in your own words? "In this exhibition, my work delves into studying qualities of light as it shifts throughout the day, and I have reflected on ideas gathered through exploring new locations and travel. Working with Print, Paint, Photography and Collage to show how ideas develop and evolve through the working process." This exhibition is a result of your sabbatical I believe, can you tell me about what this was? "The exhibition is the culmination of two activities I chose to do during the end of the school year and into the summer of 2024. Firstly, I attended a Printmaking course at Curwen Press just outside Cambridge. This is a specialist centre that allows artists to access excellent printmaking facilities and studio spaces to make their own work and learn new skills. I completed a course working with Solar Plates, using light to transfer images onto an etching plate and then produce a printed image. I followed this experience with travel and study at the location that Henri Matisse lived and worked in his later life. Vence in the hills above Nice in the south of France became a key influence in producing work for the exhibition, I was able to visit key places that Matisse had worked, lived, and shown his own work." Is this your first solo exhibition? "I have been lucky to have had a number of solo shows, mainly in London, I used to have a couple of galleries that represented and showed my work, The Paton Gallery in Hackney and Sarah Myerscough in Mayfair. It is always really nice to get work out of the studio and see it together in a clear space, stepping back and seeing it afresh." What is your creative history? "My earliest ambitions were to become an Architect, but during my Foundation course in Farnham, Surrey, I became increasingly fascinated with the possibilities and individual control I could have working as a Fine Artist. Painting became my dominant medium, through my first degree at Norwich Art school, but printmaking and technically combining methods and material qualities has continually fascinated me. After completed an MA Fine Art Painting course at the Royal College, I gained a gallery to represent my work and begun showing and working from a London Studio I helped set up in Hoxton, London. I later supplemented my income from painting sales with offering technical advice to artists, becoming involved in the manufacture of artist oil paints, and picture framing and work involving the transportation of artworks around the world for the National Gallery, London." How does your creative career fit into your work at the school? "I continue to produce new works from my studio that I have in the garden of my home in North Norfolk. I love to encourage and develop new ways of producing art and working with the pupils in the art department allows me to demonstrate how digital methods can enhance and question traditional creative techniques. There are always endless new skills, approaches and combinations that can be developed to enhance future creative works." What are you hoping that people take away from the exhibition? "My intentions for the show are that I communicate how an initial stimulus from visiting or doing something different can spark a creative response. I wished to capture the process, over the last 6 months, how ideas form, development through play and experimentation, and how the refinement of a making vocabulary can begin. I hope my travel and experience is captured as the audience moves around the works in the exhibition and the sense of travel is conveyed." What's next for you? "Hopefully, I will continue to develop some of the experimentation and work from the inspiration gained, bringing this together to produce some larger oil paintings that will be exhibited in the staff show due to take place next summer!"

To celebrate partnerships week, manager for the Swire Chinese Language Foundation Scheme, Peter Goddard, tells us a little about his involvement in SWIRE and its impact on the Norwich School community and beyond. I retired (early I might add) back in 2018, having begun my Norwich School career back in 1983. During my final ten years at Norwich School, I instigated the International Homestay Scheme at Norwich School and successfully introduced Norwich School to about 280 pupils to study at the school. It was on one of my trips to Hong Kong that I was asked by a friend at one of the Educational Agencies if I had seen details of the Swire Chinese Foundation Scheme. I very quickly submitted a proposal to the Swire Foundation in London, with Head and Governor support, and the rest as they say is history. Involvement in the scheme as it’s Manager has been a fantastic experience and has enabled me to continue the partnership work, I started at the school under the then Head – Jim Hawkins. So, the Swire Chinese Language Foundation Scheme is a ten-year (we are in year 8) initiative funded by the wider Swire Group (Swire is a major stakeholder in Cathay Pacific, has property portfolios across Asia and is the Coca Cola franchise holder in Asia amongst many other things!). The major goal of the scheme is to widen the learning of Mandarin Chinese in Britain. Norwich School is one of 12 Centres of Excellence established across the country teaching students from aged 4 to 18+. Over time it is hoped future generations will develop a greater understanding of China. The impact the scheme has had in Norfolk is certainly transformational. On average we teach about 1000 students per week in 12 schools across Norwich and Great Yarmouth. Students are aged form Year 4 to Year 13. We have had outstanding success at GCSE and A-Level and the numbers successful at HSK (a Chinese Assessment test) are in the low hundreds); success at HSK has led to the number of Norfolk students studying Chinese and Asian related courses to increase at university – including now Cambridge. We recently instituted online courses in Mandarin, this initiative has been super successful attracting many students beyond the reach of the Norwich and Great Yarmouth groupings. 23 pupils and 9 senior teachers recently returned from a 10 day, three centre trip to China supported by Swire. This exciting trip has really enthused still further all involved. Of course, all the above would not be possible without the five outstanding Mandarin classroom practitioners we have in the scheme. All now employed by their partner schools. Though not a direct benefactor of funds from Swire, involvement in the scheme has enhanced the importance of Mandarin at Norwich School, the subject is now taught from Reception through to A-Level. Direct funding ends in 2026 but our involvement ensures that many schools in Norfolk will benefit for many, many years to come. Photo: Recent school visit from China