Gresham's

Since 2014, Douglas Robb, previously head of Oswestry School. Masters in politics from Edinburgh, MEd from Homerton, Cambridge. A post-university spell teaching in Zimbabwe and at Fettes College helped decide his career and, after teaching politics and economics at Loughborough Grammar School, he spent 10 ‘very happy years’ at Oundle as a politics and economics teacher and housemaster. Robust and sporty (a former rugby player), he is also a lively conversationalist with an infectious energy. ‘Great sense of humour,’ say parents, who also approve that – as one put it – ‘He is present at almost all events around the school and will always step in to help; he even serves lunch to the children from time to time.’

He says school has become ‘better, bigger and bouncier’ under his leadership – others agree. Teaching is ‘less cosy’ and new facilities have elevated music and STEAM in particular. ‘It’s an everyman type of school,’ he believes. ‘Whole families come here and we will send one sibling off to Cambridge, another to Cirencester, while another will be a professional cricketer – any child will thrive.’

Married to Lucinda, with three children (one still at Gresham’s, two have moved on to university). Enjoys north Norfolk life, ‘countryside, dogs, getting to know people’. Maintains keen interest in rugby, as well as golf, skiing, travel and ‘proper holidays’.

Roughly 50 per cent of senior school come up from the prep, others from a mix of day and boarding preps from across the region (increasingly from Cambridge), some from maintained sector. No CE; an assessment day is held for year 9 entrants in Lent term for following September. Tests in English and maths plus reports and references from current school. For sixth form, usually a minimum of six GCSEs at grade 6, including minimum grade 4 in maths and English and a 6 in the subjects to be studied at A level, plus school report and interview.

Around 15 per cent leave post-GCSEs (including the five per cent who join just for the one-year GCSE course). Post sixth form, two to Oxbridge in 2024 and sizeable numbers to London (Imperial, LSE, UCL) plus the other Russell Group universities. Wide range of subjects studied, including two medics in 2024. Regular few to drama school and music colleges (Central St Martins, Guildhall).

Focus on academics has sharpened in recent years and new teachers are gradually injecting energy as well as modernity. Classes are small (no more than 24) and there are sets for English, maths and sciences. ‘Teachers are really great at noticing when you need help,’ a pupil told us. ‘Majority are passionate and go the extra mile,’ felt a parent, though there are still whispers of a little lingering complacency in the common room. There’s a pleasing level of mutual respect between teacher and pupils and a good pace, we noted. Science lessons we popped into were very hands-on and there was much proactive discussion between members of groups working together towards a common aim.

Pupils choose two languages from French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Mandarin (Latin, a third) and at least one must be among the 10 subjects generally taken at GCSE. As well as languages, the arts remain popular and haven’t lost out to the recent surge in interest in STEM.

Three pathways for sixth formers: A levels, BTECs or IB, with creditable results across the board. Sixty per cent plump for A levels. Most take three and any combination of subjects can be accommodated (our guide picked up GCSE ancient Greek in upper sixth having despatched A level maths in one year). One or two A levels may be replaced with BTECs – currently on offer are agriculture, digital music production and sport. IB route a popular alternative and a particular draw for European students. Business and economics top subject choices at both A level and IB.

Full-time careers officer sees all lower sixth pupils then follows up to help with university and course choices, even gap years. Apprenticeships encouraged (place on competitive City scheme recently secured). Programme of careers talks with many Old Greshamians (OGs) returning to give their insights.

Genuinely mixed ability here and around a fifth of pupils receive extra help with SEN, mostly dyslexia, dyscalculia and sensory impairments. Spacious purpose-built learning support centre in the midst of the campus is staffed by three full-time qualified SpLD teachers and two LSAs. Timetabled one-to-one lessons and prep support with a specialist teacher and/or support with an LSA available (additional charge); individual programme mapped out twice a year. ‘Support from someone who really knows how to help is so good,’ said one pupil. SENCo is a qualified assessor and screens all new pupils joining the school, and also reaches out to feeder schools.

A Steinway School, so there’s a top-notch piano in every practice room in the buzzing Britten Building (opened in 2017 by HRH The Princess Royal and named after Old Greshamian composer Benjamin Britten). Hundreds of lessons in all kinds of instruments – a third of pupils learn one (including two of Scottish heritage mastering the bagpipes). Professional suite for A level music tech and BTEC digital music production. Includes studio for eg recording performances by the school’s many bands and choirs (from Gresham’s Girls and Guys charity singles to prep pupils’ Christmas album), producing school videos and providing soundscapes for school performances (conundrum when we visited was how to recreate squirrels cracking nuts for upcoming staging of His Dark Materials). School’s own record label launching soon. Magnificent 140-seat Fishmongers’ Recital Hall hosts regular concerts throughout the term by Schola sixth form choir, chapel choir, concert band, strings and wind ensembles, but pupils also perform in local venues and in Norwich (Haydn and Mozart Requiem coming up). Pupils welcome to put together own groups and ensembles. Drum kits everywhere.

Giant (and terrifying) robotic Audrey II left over from school production of Little Shop of Horrors welcomes visitors to the drama centre, a professional quality facility (after all, this is the school that produced Olivia Colman). School’s atmospheric 300-seater Auden Theatre stages a musical every year for all (auditions for key roles) and junior play in the Lent term (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory much anticipated). Full-time theatre technician on hand. Backstage types have plenty of opportunities to develop skills of stage management, sound and lighting. GCSE and A level/IB theatre studies popular; accredited private learner centre for LAMDA exams. Regular theatre trips to London (Wicked next) and Norwich Theatre Royal; touring companies also visit.

Artists achieve top grades at GCSE, A level and IB and the most talented artists head straight to degree courses, skipping the foundation at the Slade, the Ruskin and Glasgow School of Art, for example. Alongside traditional disciplines, graphics and 3D design flourish and there are some impressively intricate, technical drawings on display in the art department, which has a new and inspiring home in the Dyson Building, an industrial-styled edifice in the centre of campus focusing on all things STEAM. Financed by Sir James Dyson himself, former pupil and current governor. Parents acknowledge the boon this is – ‘We’re very lucky to have it.’

Many pupils spend their downtime in the Dyson Building’s Maker Space, engrossed in their own engineering projects, such as designing and building an electric car to race at Silverstone or robotic creations to enter into competitions across Europe. As well as this great technological opportunity, clubs and activities (known as ‘gaps’) run three times a week and are ‘improving year-on-year’, one parent reported, though some told us they and their children would like to be more involved in the choice available. However, more than one pupil declared they’re ‘never bored and always find something to do that’s interesting’.

They’re just as likely to be found outdoors as indoors. After all, school has its own (daunting) 21-part armed forces style obstacle course with 220-metre zip wire, high ropes course, low ropes course, abseiling facilities, two climbing walls and a 25-metre Bourdillon Tower. Also an intentionally basic bunkhouse used as a dorm or teaching facility for 20. Survival course for year 9 pupils based on a military escape and evasion exercise with shelter building, fire building, wild food preparation, open fire cooking and emergency first aid exercises to hone interpersonal and life skills such as team building, leadership, resilience, and self-confidence, and to encourage pupils to care about their local environment.

CCF is one of the largest in the country with Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and popular Royal Engineers represented. Participation is high – 90 per cent of pupils take part from the summer term in year 9; half continue in the sixth form – around 50 are NCOs. Parade ground on site and field days twice a year including shooting at RAF Marham and exercises at Muckleburgh. Active DofE with majority of students completing bronze and silver and many progressing to gold – expeditions in the Peaks, Dales and Lakes.

Holder of the Eco-Schools Green Flag programme’s gold ward and Green Flag status. Environmental co-ordinator implements waste-reducing and sustainability initiatives; school now completely powered by solar or renewables.

A ski trip every other year and opportunities to volunteer in Nepal and Kenya.

‘The school supports children with interests and strengths in all areas,’ said a parent. ‘It’s very much an all-round school where almost all children can find their “thing”.’

Pristine cricket pitch takes pride of place in the middle of the school grounds and ‘it doesn’t matter who’s playing, pupils and staff will stop and watch,’ we heard. Long fixture lists for cricket (boys and girls), but also rugby, netball and boys’ and girls’ hockey and football, usually with three teams fielded. ‘Everyone trains together and there’s real encouragement,’ approved a less sporty pupil we chatted to. New strength and conditioning gym (with two full-time performance trainers offering personalised programmes) has made a difference to the score lines (‘Other schools’ players seemed to be fitter and stronger before,’ a keen rugby player explained) and has also helped students to get into the exercise habit. Racket sports popular, as are sailing, fencing, cycling and swimming higher up the school. Riding lessons at local centre offered as a games option, from beginners to experienced equestrians; school showjumping team brings home rosettes in NSEA competitions. Swimming an extracurricular activity in school’s own pool. Many keen cross-country runners, and shooting also big – school has its own rifle range and has produced GB under-19 rifle team and cadet rifle team members. Training camps (some residential) in cricket, rugby and hockey are held here over the summer.

Very firmly a boarding school, complete with evening tutor sessions and Saturday school. All pupils are allocated to one of seven on-campus houses (four boys’ and three girls’). Day pupils have desks in the bright and tidy dorms (mostly for two or four pupils, though individual for sixth formers) and come and go as they please until about 9pm – or they can just stay the night. ‘There’s no such thing as full, weekly and flexi boarders here,’ according to head, ‘they’re just boarders.’

Houses are substantial and spacious (the usual Gresham’s scale). One girls’ house has recently been extended to provide a beautiful common room with bi-folds, tastefully interior designed in consultation with students. All have communal spaces to chill out and study in – pupils pop back at break times and lunchtimes. Walls in all the houses are decorated with blown-up photos of ebullient groups having a whale of a time on outings and activities (seaside yoga, fire pit evenings, shopping trips), and in competitions such as the annual house singing and the ‘gritty grasshopper’ physical challenge in the woods – an assault course exacerbated by water cannons. Surprisingly a real hoot, we were reliably informed.

‘There is still a wonderful family atmosphere, despite the recent rapid growth of the school,’ said a parent – and that’s the general consensus. Built on the house system, there is a strong support network, from director of pastoral care through houseparents and tutors, all looking out for pupils’ wellbeing. Year 9 pupils who have not come up from school’s own prep are embraced and nurtured, while trained year 13 mental health first aiders offer an extra listening ear to any pupil who needs it. Lots of vertical integration, with twice-weekly in-house, mixed-age tutor groups from year 10 and informal chats on the way back from the hockey field – ‘Students often feel more comfortable to discuss their feelings while walking side-by-side,’ reckoned one experienced tutor. Joined-up approach – staff know the students well and ‘if we see the wheels are coming off, we can quickly put a plan in place,’ they say. Efficient reporting system logs academic as well as emotional observations, and parents in the loop.

Ongoing gripes from parents about the ‘inconsistent’ and ‘too junky’ food. Head retorts that, ‘for school food, it’s fine’ and invites complaining parents into the bright modern dining hall to taste it for themselves (‘They say, “Have you put this on specially for us?”’ he smiles). Quite a reasonable lasagne when we dined there.

Student-led group called Soc(I)ety aims to – in their own words – ‘celebrate the diversity at Gresham’s School’. Members meet regularly to ‘create a supportive community within the school’ and give talks emphasising the importance of being kind, considerate and understanding about fellow pupils’ sexual orientation and identity. School hosts its own Pride week annually (rainbow flag flies in chapel). Recent survey on racial inclusivity was thought-provoking.

‘Staff are generally firm but fair and have high expectations,’ said a parent. Consequently, few major misdemeanours. Zero tolerance for poor behaviour, bullying, drugs, alcohol, sex but ‘doesn’t always mean exclusion’, says head. ‘These are young people who make mistakes, so it means dealing with them appropriately, as learning experiences – most pupils are worth a second chance, but perhaps not a third or fourth.’ Parents usually involved before any sanction imposed.

Founded to educate the children of north Norfolk, the net has now spread much wider. Head has been on tour to strengthen ties with preps and primaries across Lincolnshire, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex, as far as the London border. Post-pandemic, a bunching of the usual number of families fleeing the capital annually, but not a mass exodus. Professional, business and artsy parents choose Gresham’s in the expectation that it will suit all siblings as long as they’re willing to get involved. ‘Families we have met have all been truly lovely,’ gushed a parent. Indeed, pupils friendly, polite and straightforward. Twenty per cent internationals – nearly all European (attracted by IB) – creates a culturally diverse community and avoids parochialism; some murmurs that those not familiar with the British education system may benefit from more hand-holding. Plays, concerts and matches streamed online. In-person FOGS-organised social events well attended and wordy newsletter sent home every three weeks.

Academic scholarships worth up to 20 per cent of fees offered for year 9 entry and can be topped up with a bursary if financial need is demonstrated. Drama, music, art and sport awards also offered, with 20 per cent off fees. Sixth form scholarships too, awarded in December of year 11. Long association with the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers adds to the bursary pot, as does the Gresham’s Foundation. Assistance for families who fall on hard times, at least to enable pupils to get through to the next public exam. Usual sibling discounts for three or more at one time.