The biannual Lower School Family Ski Trip proved once again to be a fantastic opportunity for pupils and parents to bond, learn, and create lasting memories in the snow. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Dolomites, this year’s adventure was filled with sunshine, laughter, and plenty of skiing. From day one, families took part in private group tuition, giving everyone – from complete beginners to seasoned skiers – the chance to improve their skills side by side. It was inspiring to see how quickly confidence grew on the slopes, and by the end of the six-day trip, even those who had never skied before were whizzing down the pistes with ease. The experience was made all the more special by the beautiful blue skies that greeted us each day, a fabulous hotel that kept everyone cosy and well-fed, and of course, the unbeatable Italian pizzas – a highlight for many! As the week drew to a close, excitement reached a peak with a friendly slalom race. In true community spirit, not only did the pupils take part, but all the adults joined in too. It was a brilliant way to finish the trip – full of cheers, challenges, and a touch of healthy competition. A huge thank you to the ski instructors, staff and all the families who made this trip so memorable. Bellissimo!

The Cub Scouts raised a total of £600 for the new field for Ho School (Kekeli Foundation). This school is an all-inclusive facility in Ghana that enables people with and without disability to access everything they need. The field will be developed from an existing patch of land – which will be appropriately known as the ‘ Canaries Playing Field ’.

Norwich School’s Andrew Curtis ( Assistant Head - Fifth Form) , has recently had his first book published. Some Trust in Chariots explores the life of writer and ornithologist, John Keith Stanford. With extensive access to his private archive, the book provides a unique insight into the life of this 20th century author and conservationist from his Victorian upbringing as the grandson of the founder of the family cartography business, ‘Stanfords’, to his death in 1971. Readers of social, political, and military history will find his life an important prism through which to view the 20 th century anew. Stanford was an ornithologist par excellence; those wishing to learn about the natural history of birds will find this book vital in deepening their understanding. In his novels, Stanford’s wry and humorous observations about characters on the sporting field and in the rural community will delight those with a passion for the British countryside. This book brings his work to the fore and tells the story of his life from an objective but sympathetic perspective. Andrew Curtis was born in 1977 in Hampshire and educated at Swansea University and Universität Augsburg. He attended RMA Sandhurst before joining the Royal Artillery, completing operational tours in Cyprus and Iraq. After leaving the army, he trained as a teacher and has taught History and German at Norwich School since 2006. The book is available in East Anglian bookshops, on Amazon, and direct from www.poppyland.co.uk It can also be ordered through all good bookshops throughout the UK. Some Trust in Chariots - The Remarkable Life and Legacy of JK Stanford by AP Curtis is published by Poppyland Publishing (ISBN 978-1-869831-42-4)

Welcome back to you all; I hope you have had a good break, including exploring various avenues for curiosity after I mentioned them in my address at the end of last term. The final period of the school year to come now is the easiest in terms of predictability in that we have exams in the first part of the Summer Term, followed by an expansion of co-curricular activity in the last few weeks. There is inevitably a raising of stakes that comes with accountability at the end of courses and the school year. As at the end of last term, I want to put this school journey in perspective, but in a very different way. The school and your families cannot shield you from the scrutiny of being measured in the upcoming assessment processes, whether internal or external; many love the chance to show off what they have learned, but others find it more challenging. I hope you agree that the adults in your lives, both at home and at school, are supportive in helping you to give of your best during this fixed period of time. Whichever group you are in, please remember that you will not be defined as a person by your results and there are much more important qualities in you than your examination certificates could ever show. Indeed, while exam scores are a clear measure of the progress you have made in your time in Cathedral Close, they are not even the most important thing I want Norwich School to have taught you. If I could only have one thing for you to show for being a Norvicensian, I should like it to be that you fully appreciate and live our values of love, compassion and inclusion. The death yesterday of the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, made more poignant his final Easter Sunday message where he appealed for peace in the many conflict zones around the world. He encouraged nations to use their resources to de-escalate conflicts and break down barriers; he advocated “care for one another”, the very compassion which is one of our core values. This concept of community compassion, made more vivid and powerful by the news of recent days, is embodied in our bible reading today: “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another”. It is also at the heart of our own Bishop’s Easter message to “build bridges and not barriers”, a thought which has been on my mind this holiday because I went to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. It has been my intention to do so for a long time but various factors combined in recent months: · the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the camp on 27th January, with the upcoming VE anniversary on 8th May; · reading two excellent books: The Escape Artist by Jonathan Freedland about life in Auschwitz, and The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan which explores the complex context of the Middle East crisis; · and, finally, my feeling of responsibility as an educator in the face of growing anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial. It certainly shocked me to read that 1 in 20 people in the UK deny that the Holocaust happened, while 1 in 12 say that its scale was exaggerated. In the context of roughly 1000 people in the Cathedral now, that would equate to 50 denying and over 80 asserting exaggeration. In such a context, it felt important to bear personal witness at the site itself; partly to feel the raw shock of dismantled and discarded humanity in the piles of items such as human hair, children’s shoes, and victims’ suitcases on display in the museum; partly to see the frightening scale and efficiency of the operation at Birkenau, complete with the horrific detail of mendacious reassurances to achieve compliance from the new arrivals; partly to see the painstakingly curated written and material records which have contributed to providing the headline figure of 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, as well as millions from other minoritised communities. To take again our congregation of 1000 today, we would need 6000 such congregrations to reach the Holocaust figure. Not 6, 60 or 600 but 6000 times our number today? These are numbers so large that they take active effort to absorb. So why do I tell you now about my trip and how does it link with the start of this address? Primo Levi, a Holocaust survivor and writer, said of the Holocaust “It happened, therefore it can happen again; this is the core of what we have to say. It can happen, and it can happen anywhere”. This quote speaks to the collective responsibility we all face to stand in the way of division and the hostility which puts people apart, to stand instead for compassion and kindness towards others. It is perhaps best expressed by another Holocaust survivor, Marian Turski, who finished Simon Schama’s excellent recent documentary, The Road to Auschwitz, with the following: “Auschwitz did not fall from the sky. It comes step by step. Evil comes step by step. And, therefore, you should not be indifferent. Let’s start by reducing hatred, and trying to understand other people…the most important thing is compassion. Its absence dehumanises”. In this context, love and inclusion are excellent words to add to compassion. And did you notice what is meant in “you should not be indifferent”? It is the notion of upstander rather than bystander that Mrs Fairweather has been teaching us about. I am proud as I reflect on our school’s values and culture that they answer so effectively the call to witness and action that I personally have felt in the aftermath of my visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau. We have to aspire to be a force for good in the world, both individually and collectively; that means not looking away from injustice and harm, but taking it in so that we can challenge its reoccurrence, even when its scale is so daunting. When you come out of West Doors at the end of the Summer Term and school year, of course I want you to have good results and to have got the benefit of all the co-curricular activities available here, but most of all I want you to have a deep intimacy with and respect for the principles of love, inclusion and compassion, but also to know how to implement them in your routine habits, practised over and over again each and every day. Being kind to those you come across inside and outside school is not a nice add-on; it is the very essence of what we teach here. Have a great term!

This year's Techathon for the Norwich Science Festival was bigger and better than ever, with a fully packed Daynes Sports Centre! Two pupils, Jay Ng and Jeremy Lo, volunteered for this year's festival and Jay told us a little about his experience below! What made you want to volunteer for the event in the first place? I also have an interest in technology-related hardware and software. I am constantly delving into different aspects of the Raspberry Pi platform. As my specialties are in this department, I like to mentor others for skills I know to further intensify their passion for technology. That is why I have immediately volunteered for the event after I heard about it. How did you hear about it? I first heard about the Norwich Techathon when Mr. James Livesey (ON), who is from the BBC and completing a Software Engineer Apprentice, who presented a Wednesday Business Breakfast at Norwich School. He mentioned this event as the BBC is a sponsor for this event. Can you explain a little about what you did over the two days and what the participants got up to? The participants chose 1 of the 4 questions created by the sponsors of the event. They had to create a product (either hardware or software) in response to these questions. Opportunities during the event include the assembly and coding of Arduino Sensor Kit, the use of Micro:bit to create interesting projects, and the Raspberry Pi for advanced coding. Did you learn anything new while you were there? I have learnt the skills for teaching others on how to use the latest technology. I believe this experience has also taught me how to effectively teach other participants skills from my strengths. Through the teamwork and insistence on perfecting the product created, I have learnt the importance of collaboration and communication. I have also deepened my knowledge and understanding regarding the Arduino platform. How did you find working with the younger participants? I found working with younger participants eye-opening, as it involves helping others by guiding them through individual steps and procedures. This has taught me how to teach others in a manner where they would not be overwhelmed by an assortment of instructions, but yet proceed efficiently in creating an intriguing product. Do you think the experience might have helped you with your future career aspirations? The Norwich Techathon has increased my interest in digging into new technology out of my comfort zone. The knowledge and curiosity gained from this event has fascinated me to study and pursue a career relating to the use of technology. Did you find anything challenging? I found helping participants with time management challenging. They constantly think up new, better, and more awesome ideas to add to the functionality of the creation they make. These include making it more user-friendly, making it more interactive, etc. But sadly, they had a two-day limit to make and code this creation. For that reason, not every idea could be added. I am sure if the duration of the event is long, they can create more sophisticated and complex products! Would you recommend volunteering to others? Yes, absolutely. Not only do I feel very proud and was overcome by a sense of accomplishment for being able to teach and help the participants of the event to gain interest in technology and develop their skills in this subject, I also personally have gained a lot of knowledge from information I have learnt on the spot during the Techathon. All photo credits are to Connor McKee, Norfolk County Council and Step into Tech CIC

For a number of years Norwich School has played host to the eastern region of the prestigious Royal Geographical Society (RGS), hosting their informative and popular lectures on site. On 10 April 2025, we were delighted to welcome them back for their latest public lecture entitled: Reimaging our urban spaces as future green spaces. Our guide was the country’s leading expert in this complex field, Professor Chris Rogers. Chris’ career has encompassed being a Solicitor, then Professor of Law at the University of Wales Aberystwyth, and latterly he is Emeritus Professor of Law at Newcastle University, from where he had travelled to give this talk. During his interesting talk, attended by a number of pupils, staff, alumni and members of the RGS, Chris explained how our urban commons are a precious resource with enormous significance for promoting a wide variety of (sometimes conflicting) stakeholder interests: biodiversity, agricultural, heritage and wellbeing, and even as sites of congregation and protest. However, these commons are under threat as never before as cash-strapped councils look to cut expenditure to balance their books and to maintain frontline services. His talk explored the different legal and cultural concepts of an urban common, illustrated with examples from his extensive research. He gave considerable focus to Mousehold Heath in Norwich, which is a prime example of a well-managed and much-loved urban common that has a multiplicity of uses, despite its complex and at times fraught legal history. Lower 6 pupil Hannah commented: “I really enjoyed yesterday’s lecture. I thought it was captivating and thought- provoking on how we need to protect our natural spaces within cities. It was all very interesting.” RGS talks are open to all and are very approachable and friendly. Further details of RGS events are posted here: Upcoming events - RGS ,. We greatly look forward to welcoming them back on site for two mouth-watering talks next month comprising: Thursday 1 st May 2025 – Royal Geographical Society public lecture The Rise and Rise of the Riviera - Jim Ring This talk marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of Jim Ring’s biography of the coast. He traces the story of the Riviera back to the British aristocrats who discovered it in the late 18th century. He finds a group seeking health, warmth, a breathtaking land and seascape, and the easy morals with which the coast became associated. 'A sunny place,' said Somerset Maugham, 'for shady people.' Despite the rampant development that has characterised the coast since WW2, Jim will identify the qualities of topography, climate and culture that have enabled the Cote d'Azur to stay ahead of the pack over all these years. Jim's books and documentary films have won various awards. 19:30 - Blake Studio Norwich School, The Close - doors open 19:00 Booking: The rise and rise of the French Riviera - RGS Thursday 29 May – Royal Geographical Society public lecture A Life in Green: looking back, looking forward – Sir Jonathon Porritt CBE. Jonathon is a very eminent writer and campaigner on sustainable development, co-founder of Forum for the Future and the Prince of Wales Business and Sustainability Programme, and for many years Chair of the UK Sustainable Development Commission. Jonathon’s talk will address what we have learnt from the last 50 years of activism on climate and biodiversity issues, and what are now the priorities when the challenge has never been more pressing. Jonathon’s view is that we now face an inflection point, ecologically, politically and economically, with some very turbulent times ahead. The current focus of his work is on intergenerational justice, supporting young people in their activities addressing the twin crises of the Climate and Biodiversity Emergencies. 19:30 - Blake Studio Norwich School, The Close - doors open 19:00 Booking: A life in green: looking back, looking forward - RGS Details of Norwich School’s eclectic selection of cultural events round site feature in our termly publication, At Close Quarters , with the summer 2025 edition due out imminently. See: Publications | Norwich School . 

Abi smashed her debut marathon, finishing 18th out of 4500 female runners!

Friday 4 April 2025 saw us hosting a p ublic lecture held in conjunction with the Norfolk Contemporary Art Society (n-cas) in the Blake Studio. This presented an amazing opportunity to hear from Dr Hannah Higham, Senior Curator at the Royal Academy of Arts in London – one of the country’s most prestigious art institutions. Before joining in April 2023, she previously worked as the Senior Curator for the Henry Moore Foundation. Formerly, she has worked for Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery and the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norfolk, so she was enjoying being back in the county. A large audience of n-cas members, NUA students, ONs and staff learned what an august institution the Royal Academy of Arts in London truly is. From the days of its first President Joshua Reynolds, its collections and exhibitions are rightly world famous. Hannah’s wide ranging and informative talk charted how it brilliantly mixes modernism with the Old Masters (including a priceless Michelangelo carving) in its amazing collections and exhibitions. She reflected on its essential mission to remain a pre-eminent educational institution for art and mused on the current challenges of its charitable funding model (receiving no help from either the State or the Crown). The audience left inspired to visit its exciting programme of upcoming exhibitions, detailed here: Exhibitions & Events | Royal Academy of Arts N-cas continues to attract high-calibre, interesting speakers on a wide variety of areas of contemporary creative art. Their talks are open to all and are very approachable and friendly. Further details of n-cas events will be posted here: Events — ncas and we look forward to welcoming them back on site for talks later this year and to them exhibiting in our Crypt Gallery in 2026 to mark its 70 th anniversary. Details of all of Norwich School’s eclectic selection of cultural events round site feature in our termly publication, At Close Quarters with the summer edition due out imminently. See: Publications | Norwich School . Do join us.

Upper 4 pupil, Riya Sharma, tells us all about the exciting four-day residential trip to the Spanish capital. "In my opinion, the Madrid trip was absolutely fantastic! We explored key parts of Madrid and we had so much fun while doing it. Going to Real Madrid's stadium was mesmerising, and we got to see different parts of what made up such a unique place. Doing a tour of important aspects of Madrid was intriguing, and we learnt so much with a wonderful tour guide. Retiro park was outstandingly vast, and we had so much fun doing activities as well as the churros tasting. Last but certainly not least, was Warner Bros theme park. It was packed with many rides, each unique in their own way. It may have been petrifying to go on the rides, but it was certainly worth it. Overall, the trip was amazing, and I am very excited for next years group to go and enjoy a lovely time." Riya Sharma (U4)