2023/24
WELCOME
to the 2023-24 edition of Norwich Highlights magazine
Alison Sefton, Head of Norwich High School for Girls, GDST
Now in its second year, Norwich Highlights is an opportunity to showcase the amazing work of the whole Norwich High community. From the youngest girls in the Nursery taking their first steps into our EYFS Hub through to the Year 13 students as they step away and on to university and the world of work; we are very proud of all of their achievements. For those who are regular readers of our weekly newsletters or regular visitors to school I hope this brings back excellent memories of what has been going on at Norwich High. For those who are in and around school less often or are new to Norwich High, I hope this gives you a good flavour of the opportunities that are available to the girls of Norwich High.
As we head into our 150th year, we would be delighted to hear from you if you have stories to share of your time at Norwich High. Please get in touch with Elli Mitchelson, Development Officer, by emailing e.mitchelson@nor.gdst.net if you would like to get involved.
Happy reading!
Stay up to date
Design: Katie Cox
Want to find out more?
We are always delighted to welcome visitors to our school. There are many occasions throughout the year to visit us and see the school in action, whether you are a current parent, alumna, prospective parent, or someone keen to partner with us.
To find out more about applying to our award-winning school, visit our website or contact our Registrar, Miss Ali Ready, via admissions@nor.gdst.net / 01603 453 265
You can keep up to date with all the latest events on our website at www.norwichhigh.gdst.net/events/
Photography: Katie Cox, Amy Beck, Trish Barnes and Tile Media
NORWICH HIGH LIGHTS
2024 Exam Results
It was another year of excellent exam results across GCSE and A Level, a testament to the hard work of our students and staff.
An impressive 65% of all A Level results were A* to A and 85% of students secured their first choice university place.
Particular congratulations go to Ella Ingleby, Rosie Munnings and Josie Dewing who all achieved straight A*s.
At GCSE, 97% of results were grade 9-4, with a brilliant 40% of grades coming in at 9-8, the highest possible grades.
Special congratulations go to Francesca Sablowski and Sienna Francis who both achieved straight 9s and are looking forward to continuing their studies at Norwich High Sixth Form.
Norwich
High School for Girls is ranked as the Best Independent Secondary School in Norfolk
Norwich High School for Girls has been ranked as the Best Independent Secondary School in Norfolk in the Sunday Times Parent Power League 2024.
The Parent Power League is the guide to the best national and regional schools of the year. Beyond Norfolk, we have been ranked as fourth overall in East Anglia, and 116th nationally.
““Our sector-leading outcomes are testament to a culture which prioritises resilience and selfcare and encourages students to follow their own passions and interests.”
- Alison Sefton
Prizegiving
“On Wednesday 10th July, the Norwich High Senior and Sixth Form community came together to mark the end of the 2023/24 academic year with Prizegiving.
This year the event was held in a marquee on the Big Pitch due to ongoing renovations at St Andrew’s Hall. We were thrilled to welcome two keynote speakers, alumna Helen Seymour (Class of 1997) and her colleague, Nic ‘Rosie’ Steevenson. Both women have had distinguished careers in the Royal Air Force and shared their insights and experiences with us in an inspiring speech.
Head Girl Team
Congratulations to Year 12 student Inayah Alam, who was named as the new Head Girl for 2024/25. She is joined by Deputy Head Girl, Phoebe Court and three further deputies with new specific roles: Lara Osbaldeston (Prep School Link), Miranda Robinson and Hannah Williams (Social Action Leads).
GDST Spotlight: Estelle
We were thrilled to release our Spotlight film, created in collaboration with the GDST, which shines a light on one of our many talented students in the Senior School, Estelle Widdows.
Renovations
Several spaces across the school have been transformed over the past year as part of our ongoing efforts to enhance student experience.
Our main reception area had a refurbishment in summer 2023 as the first phase of a two phase project to prioritise the ability to showcase our students’ work and bring new learning spaces to the front of school.
The ground floor of the Sixth Form Centre had a complete makeover in 2023 in a modern style of organic and natural interior design. Two new communal spaces for Senior School students were also created: the Wellbeing Room in the Lodge and a Year 11 Common Room.
Year 13 Leavers’ Day
In May we celebrated our Year 13 students as they headed off on study leave. As is tradition, overnight the school had been transformed by the students with imaginative decorations and different themed areas for ‘muck up day’. Dressed in their old school uniforms, the Year 13s then led a flash mob in assembly, followed by fun in the sunshine on an inflatable obstacle course with refreshments from an ice cream van.
Alumnae and Development
In October, we were pleased to welcome Elli Mitchelson to the Marketing Team as the Development Officer. She has oversight of our alumnae relations and fundraising and will be helping us coordinate an exciting year of events as we celebrate our 150th anniversary in February 2025.
“In this last year I have enjoyed getting to know our fantastic alumnae community through a series of events and contacts at school and further afield. It has been wonderful to meet so many people whose lives have been changed by their experiences at Norwich High School for Girls.
“I am looking forward to meeting more alumnae in the next year as we celebrate our 150th anniversary. We will be building on our bursary fundraising and continuing to raise awareness of the transformational impact that bursaries have on the recipient, their families and the wider community.”
Get in touch!
Want to visit the school or arrange a reunion of your year group? You can contact Elli by email: e.mitchelson@nor.gdst.net.
We are always keen to hear from our former students, so do not hesitate to get in touch if you have a story to share.
Make sure to follow Norwich High on social media and keep an eye on our website for the latest updates about upcoming alumnae events throughout the year.
STEM
British Science Week
The Science Department hosted an inflatable planetarium for two days in June, including sessions for parents in association with the NHSA.
Ex-NASA Scientist Dr Willis presented a fascinating view of the universe and students of all ages gained a valuable alternative insight to their topics about space.
We celebrated British Science Week in March with our usual exciting programme of science activities across the whole school.
Our students had the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of science through various events and activities. From a captivating chemiluminescence workshop to the magical transformation of 2p coins into ‘gold’ for our Prep students, there was something for everyone to enjoy. One of the highlights in the Prep School and Nursery was the ‘Marvellous Medicine’ assemblies, delivered by parents in medical careers, showing how they use science everyday.
Norwich Science Festival
This year we supported the Norwich Science Festival in the delivery of a series of free STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) focused careers talks. The sessions included talks about careers in medicine and engineering, as well as a panel discussion from leading women working in STEMM industries.
““We are really pleased to start this partnership with the multi-award winning Norwich Science Festival. We are committed to investing in our community and the Science Festival continues to do a fantastic job in inspiring the current and next generation into STEMM careers and hobbies.”
- Alison Sefton
F24 Racing
“The F24 car has been updated and improved and this year we had a new F24 team made up of students from Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11.
Megan Andrews in Year 13 was a capable mentor for the students, providing knowledge from her time as a driver in the previous team. The team gained valuable experience of working together, solving problems, being creative and physically driving the car.
The students enjoyed the experience of driving at the Lotus Hethel track in May and learnt a lot in the process of the day.
Hack-her-thon
Atherton Award
Sixth Form students Estelle Widdows and Megan Andrews were among the winners of this year’s GDST Atherton Award, which recognises girls who show entrepreneurial thinking in a STEM discipline.
Estelle and Megan’s Atherton Award entry was a programme to introduce students to different engineering disciplines. They were motivated by the fact that engineering remains a largely maledominated industry and it can be challenging for girls and women to access the same career opportunities as men.
In March, over 50 students from six Norfolk schools joined together at Norwich High School for Girls for the 2024 Hack-her-thon, an exciting day of coding, cyber challenges and creativity.
This year’s event was themed around dragons and offered a dynamic platform for students to dive into the world of coding, transcending beyond just learning programming languages.
Arkwright Scholarship
Year 11 student Arya Puvanachandra has been awarded a prestigious Arkwright Scholarship. The Arkwright Engineering Scholarships programme aims to identify, inspire and nurture future leaders in engineering, computing and technical design.
GDST Space Diploma
For the second year, A Level Computer Science students took part in the pre-university GDST Space Technology Diploma.
Utilising Python, they honed industry-specific skills aimed at securing internships. The initiative garnered significant recognition, securing a Royal Society STEM Partnership Grant and an AWS Proof of Concept investment, collaborating with esteemed institutions such as Cambridge University Space Flight, NASA, and Launch Access Ltd.
One of a kind, part of the family
LANGUAGES AND HUMANITIES
Languages and Cultures Week
We celebrated Languages and Cultures Week at the end of February. In the Senior School and Sixth Form there was a huge range of activities to enjoy, including a fun lunchtime event at which volunteers gave tasters of their mother tongues for everyone to try. Our language assistants also organised a very popular pancake stall which raised money for the ‘Soupe St Eustache’, a food kitchen in Paris.
In the Prep School and Nursery, we welcomed guest speakers in assemblies throughout the week to share their culture and language. On Friday breaktime, well over 60 pupils and staff came to our Languages and Cultures Café to either teach someone or learn about a different language, culture or religion.
Classics Trip
The highlight of the year for the Classics department was the amazing residential trip to Greece in the October half-term. Students were able to visit sites that are key for both A Level and GCSE Classics including Athens, Olympia, Delphi and Mycenae.
Geography Alumnae
We welcomed back into school Geography alumnae Alice, Hannah, Charlotte, Zoe and Hannah, who came to talk to our GCSE and A Level Geographers about where Geography can take you. It was fascinating to hear about the diversity of career options open to Geographers and to get some practical advice around university applications and travelling.
World Book Day
National Poetry Day
National Poetry Day, on the theme of ‘Refuge’ this year, inspired a whole range of poetry from staff and students alike. A display of poems on the theme appeared around the school and a workshop took place in the Jameson Library at lunchtime.
World Book Day is an occasion for a celebration of reading, and this year was no exception. In the Senior School, the day began with a whole school assembly in which students from across the school introduced the theme of Fantasy Fiction. The costume competition was a very impressive occasion with some beautiful handmade outfits. In our Prep School and Nursery, the theme was ‘Around the World in Books’ and students were joined by author Karen Li in assembly.
Latin Play Perspectives Project
The History Department has continued to incorporate the student-led ‘Perspectives Project’ into the curriculum, seeking to increase the narratives of marginalised groups.
Year 12 student Anusha Upadhyay assisted with the planning of a new post-war Year 9 unit on Indian Partition. Other adjustments made to the curriculum in recent years include the unit: “Was World War One just fought by white men in Europe?”, which has become very popular with students.
Prep Immersive Learning
In the Prep School, our pupils once again enjoyed taking part in some immersive learning days, including Year 2 Egyptian Day and Year 3 Roman Day. As well as learning all about Ancient Egyptian and Roman culture, they also took part in lots of fun activites throughout the days, including creating colouful Sarcophagi, trying their hand at Roman-inspired cooking and investigating historical artefacts.
Several Year 7 students took part in the annual Latin play competition. The cast competed and won the competition in Cambridge at the Ludi Scaenici with their production ‘Cinderella’ written by Mrs Dearden and performed entirely in Latin.
Individual English Achievements
Evie Murray (Year 11) entered this year’s GDST Chrystall Prize Public Speaking Competition, delivering a well-researched and wideranging speech entitled: ‘Is it immoral to use historical events in fictional settings?’.
Year 2 student Dara Nasta won the GDST Laurie Magnus Poetry Prize with her poem, The Everyday Magic of Music. Dara also won the youngest age category in the GDST Creative Writing Prize with her piece Kindness Senses
Year 7 student Verity Pearce was highly commended in the Years 7-9 category for her piece, An Act of Kindness
Library Updates
This year we welcomed a new librarian, Miss Katie Smith.
In October, alumna Jane Clarke (Class of 1970), who writes under the name Jane Lythell, came into school to speak to some of our Sixth Formers. Jane was a television producer for 15 years and later worked as the Chief Executive of BAFTA before becoming a full time author.
In June we were joined by students from six different Norwich senior schools for an inspiring talk, Q&A and book signing from author and activist Laura Bates.
Thank you to alumna Val Sarah (Class of 1958), who made a generous donation to our library, which allowed us to expand our range of dyslexia friendly books.
Our Student Librarian scheme and Bookworms Club remain popular in the Prep School, with our Year 6 students coming to the library to read to Nursery and Reception pupils on a Wednesday lunchtime.
Norwich High teams continue to be strong competitors in the ESU debating competition where we argued very well on the issue of the efficacy of government legislation versus individual action on solving environmental challenges. Students also took part in the GDST Senior Debating competition where we were highly commended for our arguments.
CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS
The Addams Family
Senior School and Sixth Form students presented their bi-annual school musical in November with a spooktacular run of sold out performances of The Addams Family Musical. The talented cast, skilled musicians and dedicated production team brought to life the beloved Addams Family with eerie charm and impeccable humour.
Prep School Productions
Our Prep pupils took to the stage with confidence and enthusiasm throughout the year, delighting audiences with several brilliant productions.
In February, we found out how William Shakespeare came ‘To Be’ as Year 3 and Year 4 performed the musical Shakespeare Rocks. In March, Year 5 transported us to a secret island in The Island That Rocks. We finished the year with Year 6’s wonderful performance of Sherlock and Cinders as the pupils reached the end of their time with us in the Prep School.
Pre-Prep Christmas Productions
Our Early Years girls performed their Christmas productions of ‘Snowmen at Sunset’ and ‘Hey Ewe!’ to the school and to their families at the start of December.
The girls demonstrated their confidence when sharing their lines and the singing was impressive for their age.
Prep Summer Concert
At the beginning of June, Prep pupils performed their Summer Concert to a packed Eaton Grove Hall. The performance was a showcase of all the amazing music provision within the Prep School, from instrument playing to singing, and the standard was incredibly high.
Dance
This year we welcomed dance teacher Miss LiliMae Hamilton, who joins us in the Prep School on Thursdays. The girls absolutely loved working with her during WAF week for our whole school street dance routine and there has been an incredible take up for her dance clubs, which include ballet, street dance and musical theatre.
Coward Piano Prize
Pianists from Year 4 to Year 13 took part in our prestigious annual Coward Piano Prize, this year taking place in our beautiful Eaton Grove foyer, using the grand piano.
It was a truly impressive standard, with Year 11 student Kesia Dubberley named as the winner of this year’s Prize and Year 6 pupil Lena Crisp awarded the ‘Most Promising’ Award.
Carol Service
Choral Concert
Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations
Choral Concert
Prep Carol Service
The Long Way to the End
Senior School and Sixth Form Drama
Our Year 13 BTEC Drama students devised an exceptional piece, titled The Long Way to the End, based on Greek Mythology. It incorporated live music, dance and drama, highlighting their range of talents as performing artists.
At the end of the year, Year 7 students took on the challenge of Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations under the excellent direction of Dr Ellerby, taking us inside the mind of a young boy whose imagination brings things to life!
Choral Concert
The largest event of the musical calendar was the return of our Choral Society, Chamber Choir, Vocal Ensemble and Orchestra to the Cathedral of St John the Baptist for the Choral Concert.
This year’s programme featured Fauré’s timeless Requiem alongside Dvořák’s monumental Heirs of the White Mountain. The event also celebrated the talents of our Year 13 Music A Level students and Music Captains, Eve Kelleway and Zara Hunter, who performed as solo instrumentalists with the orchestra.
Music Exams
Carol Service
Our annual Carol Service in Norwich Cathedral was once again a resounding success, with readers and musicians from Year 5 to Year 13 captivating the fully-booked audience.
Head Girl Erin Wilcox delivered a particularly poignant rendition of the opening verse of Once in Royal David’s City, following the stirring procession of Hodie Christus Natus Est
The Music Department maintained its 100% pass rate across all grades and disciplines in termly ABRSM and Trinity instrumental examinations.
Congratulations to all students who took exams this year.
Young Voices
For the second year running, Norwich High Prep School took part in the Young Voices children’s choir concerts by performing to a sold out audience of parents, family and friends at the OVO Arena Wembley.
65 pupils from Year 3 to Year 6 signed up to the Young Voices lunchtime club at the start of the academic year in September and enjoyed taking part in the exciting evening of singing in London in February.
Coffee Concerts and Stay and Sing
Parents were treated to plenty of opportunities throughout the year to come and see their daughters perform at our regular Prep Coffee Concerts and Early Years Stay and Sing events.
For many of our youngest pupils, this was the first time they had performed on stage in front of an audience and it was very special to watch new faces perform so confidently for their parents and peers.
Performance Opportunities
Throughout the year, Senior School musicians have had the chance to perform to audiences at a variety of different events, including Musical Theatre Cabaret, termly Scholars’ Concerts, ensembles concerts and more! As ever, the level of talent on display was outstanding.
Showstopper
This year saw the introduction of a brand new event: Showstopper.
This unique production brought together dance, drama, musical theatre and music in a studentdirected extravaganza featuring students from Years 5 to 13. It was a truly memorable occasion that showcased the incredible creativity and talent of our students.
Art & Textiles
In Art and Textiles, some of the exciting opportunities for Senior and Sixth Form students included trips for Year 10 and Year 12 students to the V&A Museum in London and the opportunity to participate in a fashion design workshop at NUA. Year 9 enjoyed a Nikon-Ga workshop with artist Priscilla Moore; and the workshop days for Year 7 and Year 8 included Christmas crafting and producing Chinese opera masks.
Our Prep pupils had plenty of creative projects to get involved in over the year as usual. In September, Year 4, 5 and 6 also took part in an Art workshop in Eaton Grove Hall with the Senior art teachers.
Fashion Show and Art Exhibition
The annual end of year Art Exhibition and Fashion Show showcased the many talents of artists and designers from Year 7 to Year 13.
There was so much amazing creativity on display and it was particularly brilliant to see the final examination pieces of our students in Year 11 and Year 13.
2024 GCSE Art and Textiles Work
Emily Mason
Mia Atkinson
Hannah Kelleway
Molly Daniels
Florence Perrin
Vanisha Rohilla
Alisha Mueller
Jessica Chen
India Bunn
Mia Scarborough
Prep Winter Arts Festival
Our Winter Arts Festival is always a vibrant way to end the first half of the Spring term, and none more so than this year. The theme for WAF Week 2024 was ‘Find Your Rhythm’ and the pupils danced, drummed, beatboxed and boarded their way through the week.
Alongside all of the fun and activity, the girls also applied ‘Find Your Rhythm’ to themselves as they spent some time unpacking what it means to know themselves well. Taking some time to focus on our mental health has become a key feature of our Winter Arts Festival weeks over the last few years and it is always good to create some space to do this as a community.
Beatboxing
Product Design Workshop
Street Dance
Skateboarding
Art projects
House Art Event
Fashion Design
Fusion Percussion
Football
Our U13 football team took part in the U13 EFL Tournament at The Nest in November, finishing third overall in their pool. In July they lifted the trophy at the Norwich City High Schools Girls’ League, held at UEA Sportspark.
Cricket
In cricket, the U13 team reached the semi-final of the County Cup for the first time ever. The U15s remained unbeaten to win the regional round of the GDST hardball competition, reaching the finals in July.
Our U11 team had a very busy year with some brilliant victories in their Spring League, winning the Hall Cup. In April, we welcomed ten local U11 football teams to take part in our annual Prep Football Tournament, with our Norwich High team performing well to come in third.
Netball
Both the Under 14 and Under 16 netball teams successfully qualified for the County tournaments with both teams County runners up.
The Under 12 netball team also played superbly in their County tournament, reaching the semifinals to finish third overall.
The Under 11 teams enjoyed the GDST Netball tournament at Condover Hall in March, playing lots of netball, as well as participating in the many outdoor adventure activities.
Equestrian
Hockey
In hockey, the 1XI were crowned Tier 4 County winners, qualifying for the East Region tournament. The Under 14s progressed to the Regional tournament after beating Langley in the Tier 2 County match. The Under 12 team came runners up in the County hockey tournament, qualifying for the Regional tournament for the first time.
Swimming
Our partnership with Norwich Swan Swimming Club continues to go from strength to strength. This included additional coaching in our Prep swimming lessons and over 35 swimmers regularly took part in our two after school squad sessions.
Our swim squads competed in the GDST gala in Guildford, with the Under 14 team finishing second and Annika Mueller (Year 7) coming second in the 50m butterfly.
Bethany Barrett (Year 13), Kate Barrett (Year 11), Evie Marcantonio (Year 11) and Chloe Suppiah (Year 9) returned to the British Showjumping Finals at Stoneleigh this year, with Kate coming home as Champion in the 1 metre class. The team also went to the NSEA National Championships, with Evie bringing home eighth place in the Jumping with Style. Chloe stayed on for the Championship Plate, taking second and third place in her classes. Sophia Southgate (Year 8) and Eve Mealing-Mills (Year 8) represented Norfolk in the NSEA County Dressage Championships at Hickstead.
Cross Country
Our cross country runners didn’t let the freezing conditions deter them in the Area championships, with 11 competitors qualifying for the County championships, representing Norwich. Camilla Lake Jones in Year 7 also went on to represent Norfolk in the Regional Championships.
Tennis
The U13 and U15 tennis teams finished runners-up in the Norfolk leagues this year and our team also played in the GDST tournament at the end of June. In school, it has also been fantastic to see our comprehensive tennis programme, led by Donna Andrews, continue to inspire over 70 pupils from Year 1 to Year 13 to take part in and enjoy tennis.
Sports Awards Dinner
We were fortunate enough to welcome Katie Cox, Chelsea and England U19 goalkeeper and member of the London Lions basketball squad, to our annual Sports Awards Dinner.
Katie also spoke to the Prep School earlier in the day, answering questions about becoming a successful sportswoman and motivating pupils to believe they can be the best.
Athletics
In Athletics our U10 to U15 teams performed very well at the GDST Athletics in Nottingham, with the team finishing fifth overall. The Junior team came third overall and the Senior team were sixth. Eleri Hancock (Year 9) won the U14 discus with a throw of 22 metres and Ophelia Martin in Year 6 won the 150m in 21.39s.
Pupils from Year 4, 5 and 6 enjoyed the East Prep athletics competition with many fantastic results. Holly Cartwright (Year 4) won the 75m race and Cressie Chan (Year 5) finished second in the 100m and High Jump.
Rowing
Lilly Howard (Year 13) has been training in the English Development Squad for Beach Sprints, aiming to make the England Beach Sprint team for the home international regatta.
In November in a new fixture, our WJ14s went to Broxbourne for a private match against their new rowers. In December we had a good entry into the Carrow Cup, with some excellent performances from the WJ14s, 15s and 16s.
The first VIII, made up of students from Years 1013, raced in Yare Eights Head of the River Race against 11 other local eights and put up a great performance, pushing our rivals closer than ever before and beating one of the UEA women’s crews. They also raced at Peterborough Head and Norwich Head this year.
Sports Days
Students from Nursery to Year 13 took to the track and field at the end of Summer term for our Sports Days. There were lots of brilliant individual and team performances on display and plenty of House spirit.
Well done to our Nursery and Prep students who broke an incredible 21 Sports Day records this year. Particular congratulations also go to Sophia Hill (Year 7), Chloe Spence-Utting (Year 7) and Eleri Hancock (Year 9), who all broke Senior School Sports Day records. Congratulations to Martineau, who won the Prep School and Nursery Sports Day, and Julian, who took home the trophy for the Senior School and Sixth Form Sports Day.
CHARITIES AND PARTNERSHIPS
Charities and Services Committee
The Sixth Form Charities and Services Committee helped to organise lots of events throughout the school year, including the Sixth Form Big Night In, WInter Ball, Harvest Festival and many more.
This year’s chosen charities for our fundraising efforts were Nelson’s Journey and Finnbar’s Force, charities which do such valuable work with young people in Norfolk.
Forum Busking
Our Prep students from Years 1 to 6 braved the chilly weather at the beginning of December to spread some Christmas cheer and raise money for The Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital charity by singing outside the Forum in Norwich.
Science Partnerships
Continuing our science partnership programme, this year local primary school students were invited to Monday afternoon science sessions to perform practical experiments.
In autumn, students explored light by building Lego light mazes, creating periscopes, dissecting eyeballs and solving a forensic candy theft mystery. In spring, topics included pond dipping, electricity and the human body. Several of our Sixth Form students assisted, gaining valuable experience in teaching and communication.
£7,219.62
15 raised this year for different charities
Harvest Festival
We held food collections in both the Prep and Senior School for the Harvest Festival, with all donations going to the Norwich Foodbank. There were an amazing amount of donations, with Year 8 claiming the award for most donations, bringing in a whopping 255 products between them.
Charities Day
At the end of Summer term, our Prep School students showed off their creativity with lots of inventive games and stalls to raise money for charity, including a homemade coconut shy, lucky dips, sponge the student and lots more!
The Great Norfolk Ice Cream Challenge
At this year’s Royal Norfolk Show, a team of six Year 12 students took part in the Great Norfolk Ice Cream Challenge, in association with Ronaldo Ices and Nelsonspirit. The Sixth Formers competed against other schools to see who could sell the most ice cream to raise money for their chosen charity. Our team chose to raise money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
Baby Bugs and Little Caterpillars
Our ever popular stay and play groups, Baby Bugs and Little Caterpillars, continued to run in our Prep School throughout the year.
Whilst the Baby Bugs events provided engaging seasonal activities for children aged 0-2 at Christmas, Easter and in the summer, our Little Caterpillars aged 2-4 took part in blocks of sessions including forest school, singing and dancing and crafts.
Norwich Theatre
Norwich High School for Girls joined forces with Norwich Theatre in a new partnership this year. We took up a corporate membership with the independent, not-forprofit charity, to help support their artistic and creative programmes and their work with the community to keep inspiring future generations.
Sing Up!
Our Sing Up! Initiative has continued this year, working with local primary schools to inspire the next generation of musicians.
Several Sixth Formers were involved in the partnership, which delivers interactive singing sessions to primary school children.
Cricket Hub
Norwich High School for Girls is proud to be the host venue for the new MCCF Girls’ Cricket Hub in Norfolk, which launched this year.
The MCC Foundation runs a network of more than 120 cricket hubs serving around 4,000 young players across the UK and providing access to free coaching and match play.
“We are delighted to be opening up our sports facilities as the host for the new MCCF Girls’ Hub. This commitment forms part of our extensive community partnership programme and we are passionate about reaching as many girls as possible.
- Marie Hood
Summer Fete
“NHSA
Thank you to our parent association, the NHSA, for their hard work in fundraising and putting on events for the school. Some of the highlights from this year include:
Shopping by Starlight
The NHSA hosted a ‘Shopping by Starlight’ event in November, with over 50 stallholders coming to school to sell unique gifts, as well as plenty of student-run stalls, festive food and drink and our Christmas lights switch on!
The ever-popular NHSA Summer Fete returned at the end of June, with lots of inflatables, refreshments and games on the Big Pitch.
Leap Year Disco
Our Prep School and Nursery pupils donned their best disco outfits and took to the dance floor for our NHSA Leap Year Disco at the end of February. There was plenty of sparkle provided by the glitter bar and some groovy dance moves on display.
The NHSA were delighted to support the following initiatives this year:
• 4x computers for Design Studio
• FormBox Desktop Vacuum Former
• Funding for furniture/ decoration for Year 11 Common Room
• Playground scooters
• 1st XI hockey shirts
• Wonderdome Planetarium
• 2x GlideTide Coastal rowing boats
• Crochet Qualities Girls dolls
• Prep School sandpit
• Sensory space by Prep polytunnel
• Summer garden games for Wellbeing Deck
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Bramley Lakes
Year 7 students started the year with an action packed trip to Bramley Lakes. With crate stacking, raft building, archery, climbing tall poles and flying across the lake on a zip wire, the day was the beginning of many new friendships.
Whitwell Hall
Our Year 9 students enjoyed a team building residential to Whitwell Hall for a two night, three day expedition at the start of the year. A cooking competition, team building activities and camp fires ensured all students got involved and developed new skills that could be utilised later in the year when training for their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh.
Language Immersion Trip
In February, the French Department organised another very successful language immersion cultural trip to Paris for Year 10 to Year 13. While Year 10 enjoyed visiting the main touristic sights of Paris, the Sixth Form group benefited from a bespoke programme relating directly to the A Level course, meeting with French people to talk about topics such as immigration, support for the homeless and French cinema.
279 awards actively underway
75 enrolments onto awards this year
58 completed awards celebrated at our presentation evening
1287 volunteering in the community HOURS £6,794 with a societal value of
Prep Residentials
Several year groups enjoyed exciting residential trips throughout the school year.
Year 4 ventured to Burwell House in November while Year 3 headed down the road for their first ever residential, taking part in lots of outdoor activities at Eaton Vale in April. Year 5 enjoyed an adventurous few days at Hilltop Outdoor Centre in May and Year 6 crossed the Channel to Chateau du Broutel in France, enjoying lots of classic French activities, including a trip to a snail farm!
19 of our Year 6 pupils had an amazing time on the GDST ski trip to Les Menuires, France. During the trip they showed a huge improvement in their skiing skills and also enjoyed après ski life with a talent show, disco and scavenger hunt.
Big Skies Week
Our annual ‘Big Skies Week’ happened at the end of Summer term in the Norwich High Senior School and Sixth Form. It was a week filled with exciting activities and trips beyond the classroom, both locally in Norfolk and further afield, including trips to York and Normandy in France. All year groups had a busy week getting stuck into a wide range of activities, from beach cleans to adventure days. We also enjoyed two days of glorious sunshine at the Royal Norfolk Show on Wednesday and Thursday.
Diversity and Inclusion
House Days
House Days provided an opportunity for collaboration between year groups across the school as they were given different challenges to complete in their Houses. In Spring term, House Drama saw some inventive, creative and funny Greek myth retellings, while in Summer term our incoming Head Girls team organised a brilliant House Day challenge themed around several classic rom-com films. At the end of the year, the overall winner in the Senior School and Sixth Form was Martineau House.
Our Senior School and Sixth Form ‘Changemakers’ club continued to meet this year and organise inclusive student-led events. Activities this year included Black History Month celebrations on the theme of black music; a whole school picnic and barbecue for Pride Day; Languages and Cultures Week and a popular Holi festival colour run.
The sum of all of these events produced our highest scores yet from our annual Undivided Survey. Our tireless, whole-school efforts will explain why, following on from our annual whole-school survey, 96% of our students felt that their faith, culture and background are respected in school and that 95% of our students felt that, over the last year, we have worked together to support diversity and inclusion in our school community.
Careers
This year, our Head of Careers, Miss Mickleburgh, introduced careers weeks in tutor time across the Senior School. Each year group received multiple careers sessions each half term focusing on a variety of topics including employability skills, school vs work differences, financial awareness and employability rights, as well as understanding and creating a CV to name just a few. Highlights included insightful talks from those in industry, work experience and workshops like the Year 8 Automotive Engineering day at City College.
Opportunities with the GDST
Norwich High School for Girls is proud to be part of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), a unique family of 26 all girls’ schools across England and Wales. Being a part of the GDST gives our students a wealth of opportunities beyond life at Norwich High, from trips and workshops to scholarship funds and a worldwide alumnae network.
One of a kind, part of the family
GDST Select
We were delighted that two of our students, Imogen Dolding (Year 10) and Elspeth Vinters (Year 10) were chosen for the GDST Select squads this year, as the best in their sport from across all 26 GDST schools. Imogen was selected for both the hockey and cricket teams, with Elspeth being selected as a goalkeeper for the hockey team.
Alumnae
It was wonderful to connect with lots of alumnae throughout the year. Highlights included a Class of 2004 reunion at Stafford House in September, alumnae drinks events in Norwich and London in November and our popular summer alumnae event in June.
We also once again opened our doors for the Heritage Open Days in September, where our brilliant archivist Tom Greenwood shared his knowledge of the school.
In 2025, Norwich High School for Girls is celebrating our 150th anniversary, so keep your eyes peeled for more information about exciting events on the horizon!
Congratulations to Classics A Level student Miranda Robinson in Year 12 for winning a GDST Pearson & Silver Award which she will be using to participate in an archaeological dig during the summer holiday.
Students once again benefitted from a range of different trips organised by the GDST. In the Prep School, this year’s trips included visits to The Royal Institution, the Globe Theatre and Trust Office in London for a Diversity and Inclusion conference.
EXAM RESULTS
GCSE Results 2024
Congratulations to the following students who completed their GCSEs in the Summer of 2024:
Mia Atkinson, Izzy Aukland, Tilda Baldwin, Eleanor Barnes, Kate Barrett, Isabel Berry, Emily Brown, Sophie Browne, Millie Buckley, India Bunn, Skye Campbell, Jessica Chen, Lottie Clements, Yasmin Colla Mesquita, Mimi Cornwell, Sophie Court, Molly Daniels, Iris Dearden, Kesia Dubberley, Isabelle Elderkin, Eleanor English, Caitlin Finch, Nancy Flanagan, Thalia Foster, Sienna Francis, Katy Frost, Lily Fuller, Grace Grand, Rebecca Green, Isabella Grubb, Laila Hanfrey, Lisa Harrison, Orla Hayden, Holly Huang, Esmee Hummel, Hannah Kelleway, Rose Kimber, Hannah Kirton-Warner, Poppy KozmianLedward, Sophie Kumar, Stella Lee, Sarah Leeder, Evie Marcantonio, Jennifer Markellos, Grace Marriott, Emily Mason, Alex Mealing-Mills, Hailey Mtariswa, Alisha Mueller, Evie Murray, Ava Pallant, Sophia Pantazis, Rose Pasteur, Eliza Peake, Bella Peel, Florence Perrin, Betty Perryman-Wilde, Daisy Phillippo, Ivy Platten, Natalie Platten, Eva Prendergast, Arya Puvanachandra, Claudia Pymm, Lucy Read, Anna Rechel, Sophie Reynolds, Meena Rimington De Craecker, Georgia Rogers, Vanisha Rohilla, Madeleine Rose, Francesca Sablowski, Jesamine Sanderson, Mia Scarborough, Siena Scarlett, Tabitha Schunmann, Jaimie Sisterson, Emilia Skylogiannis, Georgia Smith, Emily Spence-Utting, Saskia Tan-Worthington-Chapman, Alexandra Turner, Poppy Waller, Becca Warnes, Grace Warrell, Isabel Warren, Esther Warrington, Elsie Rose Webster, Sophie Young.
A Level Results 2024
Aliya Adams
An asterisk * beside subject indicates an ‘A’ Grade A double asterisk ** beside subject indicates an ‘A*’ Grade
English Literature*, Psychology*, Religious Studies**
Saishruti Alanoor Biology**, Chemistry**, Mathematics*
Shaana Amarawickrama Chemistry*, Mathematics**, Further Maths*, Physics**
Megan Andrews Product Design*, Mathematics, Physics
Amelie Atkinson Biology, Geography*, Performing Arts*
Bethany Barrett Classical Civilisation*, English Literature**, Spanish*
Rhia Braithwaite Mathematics*, Further Maths, Physics**
Florence Bullion Classical Civilisation**, English Literature**, Performing Arts**
Emily Cunnington French*, Geography*, History*
Grace Cushing English Literature, Psychology*, Spanish
Josie Dewing Business Studies**, Product Design**, Economics**
Annabel Dornan Biology, Computer Studies
Isabelle Fitt Biology*, Classical Civilisation*, English Literature**, Latin*
Eve Glover Business Studies, Politics, BTEC Sport*
Sophie Glover Business Studies, Product Design
Sangeethaa Gnanakaran Biology**, Chemistry*, Latin, Mathematics
Advitha Gona Chemistry*, Computer Studies, Mathematics**, Further Maths*
Vicky Green Computer Studies**, Mathematics**, Further Maths**, Politics
Georganna Heatley Politics
Esme Holkham English Literature, History*, Politics
Rhianna Holloway Classical Civilisation**, English Literature*, Latin*
Ruby Holmes Art and Design Textiles**, Psychology, BTEC Sport*
Lilly Howard Biology, Geography*, History*
Zara Hunter History**, Music, Psychology**
Selina Husain English Literature*, French**, Mathematics*
Ella Ingleby Computer Studies**, Mathematics**, Further Maths**, Psychology**
Imogen Jones Biology, Chemistry, Geography*
Eve Kelleway Geography*, German*, Music*
Janya Harish Biology, Chemistry*, Psychology
Grace Martin Computer Studies, Fine Art, Mathematics
Rosie Munnings Biology**, Chemistry**, Mathematics**
Emily Ni Ghallachoir Business Studies*, History, Politics
Lucy Papworth Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics
Alicia Richards Business Studies, Product Design, Fine Art
Millie Rowlands Psychology, BTEC Sport*, Performing Arts*
Rashmi Samarakoon Mathematics**, Futher Maths**, Physics*
Jessica Schünmann Biology, Classical Civilisation*, English Literature*
Saanvi Shenoy Chemistry, French**, History**, Mathematics*
Amy Skepelhorn Art and Design Textiles, English Literature, Performing Arts*
Annalise Smith Biology*, Chemistry*, Mathematics*
Amber Stark Product Design*, Physics, BTEC Sport*
Hannah Straight Computer Studies*, Mathematics*, Further Maths*
Syd Sydney Classical Civilisation*, English Literature*, Spanish**
Aster Tinsley Biology, English Literature
Aila Tomlinson Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics
Clara Watson-Flowers Classical Civilisation, History, Performing Arts
Erin Wilcox Latin*, Psychology*, Spanish*
Callum Williams-Mitchell Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, History
Class of 2024 Destinations
Aliya Adams University of Bristol Philosophy
Saishruti Alanoor University of Nottingham Medicine
Shaana Amarawickrama Gap Year
Megan Andrews University of East Anglia
Amelie Atkinson University of Southampton
Bethany Barrett University of Manchester
Rhia Braithwaite University of Sheffield
Florence Bullion University of Cambridge
Emily Cunnington University of Oxford
Grace Cushing University of Bristol
Josie Dewing University of Nottingham
Annabel Dornan Norwich University of the Arts
Isabelle Fitt University College London
Eve Glover Gap Year
Sophie Glover Working
Sangeethaa Gnanakaran Gap Year
Advitha Gona University College London
Vicky Green Durham University
Georganna Heatley University of Brighton
Esme Holkham University of East Anglia
Rhianna Holloway University of Exeter
Ruby Holmes University of Gloucestershire
Lilly Howard University of Sheffield
Zara Hunter University of Manchester
Selina Husain University of Bristol
Ella Ingleby University of Southampton
Imogen Jones University of Sheffield
Eve Kelleway Gap Year
Janya Harish Gap Year
Grace Martin Norwich University of the Arts
Rosie Munnings University of Nottingham
Emily Ni Ghallachoir University of Sheffield
Lucy Papworth Queen’s University Belfast
Alicia Richards Norwich University of the Arts
Engineering with a Foundation Year
Marine Biology
French and Spanish
Physics
English
French
Modern Languages
Management
Creative Computing
Psychology and Language Sciences
Statistics, Economics and Finance
Mathematics
Politics and Social Change
History
Classical Studies and English with Study Abroad
Sports Therapy
Urban Studies
Music
Economics
Computer Science
Geography
Creative Technology and Robotics
Pharmacy
International Relations and Politics
Biological Sciences
Architecture
Millie Rowlands Arts Ed London followed by University of Plymouth Certificate HE Acting, then Physiotherapy
Rashmi Samarakoon University of East Anglia
Jessica Schünmann University of Leeds
Saanvi Shenoy University of Warwick
Amy Skepelhorn Bath Spa University
Annalise Smith University of Manchester
Mathematics
Zoology
Law
Musical Theatre
Dentistry
Amber Stark Nottingham Trent University Product Design
Hannah Straight Apprenticeship at AVIVA
Syd Sydney University of Manchester
Aster Tinsley Working
Aila Tomlinson University of Huddersfield
Clara Watson-Flowers University of Nottingham
Erin Wilcox University of Sheffield
Callum Williams-Mitchell University of Liverpool
Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies
Engineering
Education
Psychology
Ancient History
