Our annual ‘Big Skies Week’ happens at the end of Summer Term every year in the Norwich High Senior School and Sixth Form. It is a week filled with exciting activities and trips beyond the classroom, both locally in Norfolk and further afield. All year groups have 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.
Norwich High School for Girls Big Skies Week 2024.
Here we round up some of the key activities which have taken place during Big Skies Week 2024.
Monday
Year 7 spent the morning at Ranworth Broad looking at freshwater succession and visited the Norfolk wildlife centre at Ranworth. In the afternoon they visited Carr Farm and had a great insight into the farming business with an informative talk and tour of the farm, by the owner Richard Hirst. It was interesting to hear about the diversification of the business and sustainable methods of farming to conserve the environment.
“We all enjoyed having a walk in the woods in Ranworth Broad, answering and discussing the questions in the booklet in classes, getting to know the nature more and learning about plants and nature habitats. We also loved having lunch near the ducks. For Carr farm, we got to know about the farm and the farm’s history by listening to Mr Hirst’s talk. Then we had a really nice walk around the farm.”
Year 9 headed Whitlingham for an adventure day, enjoying activities like paddle boarding and raft building on the lake in the beautiful weather.
“As a class we really enjoyed the day at Whitlingham and found it a very fun trip. A highlight was paddle boarding which the majority of us did. We loved jumping into the lake and splashing each other to cool us down in the very hot weather. When we did raft building or group games it helped us with our teamwork but also many of us were given the opportunity to try something new or out of our comfort zone. Overall, the day was very fun and a great experience – something we would definitely do again.”
Back at school, Year 10 students enjoyed a well-being day to launch their Big Skies Week and were blessed with beautiful weather!
They started the day with a carousel of activities including Yoga with Holly, Emergency CPR with Simone from East Anglian Air Ambulance and mindfulness crafts. Hopefully, the students now have some vital life skills under their belts, and have some ideas of how they can relax and be mindful during busy exam periods. The array of beautiful painted jars, friendship bracelets and pom pom animals were superb and showed that they all have a creative side.
In the afternoon, it was time to enjoy the outdoors, taking part in garden games, tennis, table tennis, just dance and a water fight! It has been wonderful to see the students relaxing and having fun with their friends.
“We enjoyed being able to express ourselves through artwork and creativity. The free time activities were really enjoyable.”
Tuesday
Year 7 had a fantastic day visiting three medieval sites at Castle Acre in Norfolk. Despite the soaring temperatures, the students listened attentively and completed all independent tasks with enthusiasm. They started at the castle itself, where they applied their knowledge of the Norman conquest, before moving onto the church of St James the Great to learn about the importance of religion to medieval people. Their final stop was the Priory, where they learned about the Cluniac community that was founded at the end of the 11th century and thrived until its dissolution during the reign of Henry VIII. The students explored the evocative ruins and enjoyed a well-deserved ice-cream at the visitor centre before departure. It was the perfect link between our medieval curriculum in Year 7 and the work the students will do on the Tudors/the Reformation in the autumn term of next year.
Year 10 had a busy adventure day at Thetford Forest trying their hand at activities like archery, shooting and team challenges. Lots of new opportunities and a good chance to develop their teamwork skills.
The Norfolk Show
On Wednesday and Thursday, we were exhibiting at the Norfolk Show, welcoming parents, students, alumnae and visitors to our tent. On Wednesday a team of Sixth Formers were taking part in the Great Norfolk Ice Cream Challenge, selling Ronaldo’s Ice Creams to raise money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. On Thursday, Sixth Form student Miranda even got into the presence of royalty as Prince Edward visited our neighbouring stand to hear all about the Ice Cream Challenge. Thank you to everyone who came to visit us at the tent, we hope you enjoyed the refreshments and activities on offer!
Thursday
On Thursday, Years 7 and 9 got to enjoy the great outdoors once again, with Year 7 taking part in a beach clean at Caister on Sea, Scratby and Sea Palling, while Year 9 were helping with conservation at Mousehold Heath.
Friday
For the last day of Big Skies Week, Year 7 had an ‘ACTIVE‘ day in school, enjoying all sorts of activities such as Forest School, cookery and art, before a film night in the evening. Meanwhile, our Year 9 students departed for North Norfolk for a Bronze DofE expedition over the weekend.
Elsewhere, students in Years 10 and 12 have immersed themselves in a variety of work experience opportunities, taking the chance to learn new skills, find out about future pathways and build upon their individual employability skills. From film sets to operating theatres and coding to customer service, students have relished the chance to experience life outside the classroom. On their return to school, all students will reflect on their time on work experience and update CVs and personal statements in preparation for their next steps in whichever path they choose.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the employers who have supported our students and provided work experience placements. Any parent or friend of the school who could provide a placement for a Year 10 student in June 2025, please contact Miss Mickleburgh, Head of Careers, l.mickleburgh@nor.gdst.net.
Trips
Year 8 travelled to Normandy for an interesting and fun trip all week working in their French as well as touching on art and history. Year 12 headed out to York over the first weekend of Big Skies, visiting the university, Cathedral and York Dungeons, as well as exploring the city and taking part in a spooky evening tour exploring York’s haunted history.
Year 12 trip to York: report
- Sixth Form