Blackbird Cottage sleeping 3 is another new 2011 cottage.

Positioned just off Pearsons Road it used to form part of the old workhouse. A super renovation by a local builder has given the new owners a high quality starting point and they have enthusiastically and thoughtfully furnished Blackbird to a very good standard.

The Holt essential of parking is available as well as a good size walled garden and patio. For more inclement weather the interior is cosy and well equipped with a woodburner in the sitting room. The cottage is all on one level so suitable for the less mobile.

• Weekly charges from £395
• Short breaks from £260

For more information please visit www.countrysidecottagesnorfolk.com

On Sunday 2nd October, Gresham’s welcomed to the Auden Theatre cricketing legend Sir Vivian Richards. Accompanying Sir Viv were the Antiguan Netball Coach, Karen Joseph and Don Gooding, leading Sports Tour Operator who were visiting the UK to promote Cricket and Netball tours to Antigua.

After retiring from Test cricket, Sir Vivian Richards was coach of the West Indies team and chairman of selectors, he also received an honorary knighthood for his services to cricket, and was named as one of Wisden Five Cricketers of the Century in 2000.

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Gresham’s new Shooting Master, James Lothian, will be captaining the Great Britain (GB) U25 rifle team at the Long Range Rifle Shooting World Championships in Brisbane, Australia, this October. Competing against five other nations, including the USA and South Africa, the GB team will have to undergo two weeks of intense competition in both the individual and team disciplines in order to make the final.

Nevertheless, we can be sure that the team is in good hands; James has had an impressive shooting career so far, competing annually in the National Championships and having undertaken a tour of South Africa with the Senior England team in 2009. What’s more, James will be joined in the GB team this year by Old Greshamian Gareth Davies, a testament to the strong shooting tradition at the School. Whilst it’s a tough task that lies ahead of him and the British team, we wish James and the GB team great luck at the Championships in October!

As part of an exciting scheme to boost the number of string players at Gresham’s, this term pupils in Year 4 have all started learning the cello. Taught in one of their weekly music lessons by Gresham’s team of string teachers, the Year 4 pupils, all of whom learnt violin in Year 3, are really enjoying learning the instrument altogether in a class environment.

All children in Years 3 and 5 are also learning the violin in class music lessons, which takes the number of children learning violin or cello at Gresham’s Prep and Pre-Prep Schools to well over 100. Through the School’s string scheme, “children are not only broadening their musicianship; they are developing their skills and technique for string playing which in turn is widening their personal and social skills through ensemble playing. Perhaps though the most rewarding aspect of the scheme however, is seeing the enjoyment that they are getting from making music together” said Director of Music at Gresham’s Prep School Nathan Waring.

Gresham’s returned for a sixteenth year at the Fringe with a dark take on Lewis Carroll’s popular classic ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Charlie Ponder wrote and directed Alice’s Wonderland as a part-dream, part-nightmare production that left audiences with a new sense of wonder at the strangeness of the everyday. A cast of 14, Year 7 and 8 children worked extremely hard to bring this tale to life and performed with energy and maturity. As well as staging six midday shows, there was plenty of time for creatively promoting the play on the Royal Mile each day to bring in audiences, and visiting a selection of other Fringe productions including the Cambridge Footlights, Simon Callow, Flawless and Shakespeare for Breakfast. A wonderful time was had by all despite the vagaries of the Scottish weather.

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Gresham’s Tom Fisher has had a terrific summer of tennis, competing in some of the top competitions in the country and rising up in the national ratings. Tom’s journey to the top began on 3rd July, when he won the Norfolk County round of the U14 National Road to Wimbledon Competition, a victory which allowed him to realise the dream of any English tennis player, to play at Wimbledon in August. In this competition, he exceeded his rating-predicted position to win through the first stage qualifying rounds and make it into the main draw. Tom rose to the challenge of competing on the big stage, and was only beaten in the main draw by a professional tennis player; nevertheless, it was both a formative and thrilling experience for the young Greshamian, which included having the chance to play on two of the famous championship courts; first on Court 16 in the qualifying rounds and then on Court 18 in his doubles match.

Tom also experienced considerable success in other tournaments over the summer break, including knocking out the number 2 and 3 seeds to win the U14 singles group at the tournament in Frinton in early July, as well as earning the top place in the U14 and U16 doubles competition at the same tournament. This impressive run of victories have served as a definite boost to his confidence, and have also secured him a jump up the national ratings, placing him at 6.2. Yet Tom is not ready to rest on his achievements just yet, and is already planning to work hard to improve his game over the winter in preparation for next summer’s tennis season, and the hope of similar success.

Enjoy the freedom and privacy of quality self catering cottages in the heart of Holt.

A new addition to our portfolio of the finest cottages is Spring Barn – some say its rather too close to all the wonderful, wallet loosening shops! A bijou barn conversion located in Lees Yard at the heart of Holt it offers a quiet location with a walled garden and, that rare creature the parking space. Sleeping 2 (+cot) its an ideal retreat and a cosy place to rest weary feet – and you can take your four legged friend too.

Call us on 01263 713133 or email info@countrysidecottagesnorfolk.com.

From £235.00

GCSE results were announced on Thursday 25th August and Gresham’s School, Holt, are celebrating another year of great results surpassing last year’s grades. Over half of all grades awarded were graded at either A* or A.

97.2% of students gained five or more A*-C GCSEs including English and Maths and 97.2% of students gained five or more A*-C GCSEs in any subjects

Of particular note are the School’s English Literature results, with 39% of students marked at A*, whilst Mathematics and Arts also performed very well, with an A* rate of 30%; figures that demonstrate the growing academic strength within the school.

A number of students achieved outstanding results, and particular mention should be given to Sophia Haywood, who achieved an astounding 11 A*s and 1 A with a further top grade in Additional Maths, and to Robert Platten and Rebecca Lawrence, who both gained 11 A*s. Eleanor Carter and Isobel Blower also excelled, achieving 10 A*s and 2 As and 9A*s and 2 As respectively.

Headmaster Philip John said, “I am delighted with this year’s GCSE results, with over 97% of students achieving an A* – C grade. 51% of all grades awarded were at A*or A with girls and boys performing equally. I would like to praise the dedication of our teaching staff and the diligent application of the pupils which has been justly rewarded by these excellent results.”

Gresham’s School in Holt is celebrating another excellent set of A-level results which reflect once again the academic rigour and intellectual creativity of its Sixth Form students. After a very strong set of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) results in July which saw one Gresham’s student, Connie Birch of Norfolk, being placed in the top 0.2% of candidates globally, the School is delighted that its A-level results complement this success.

Overall three-quarters of all A-levels sat were graded A*-B. Several departments have achieved unprecedented results; 100% of all candidates who took Spanish achieved an A* or A grade. 75% of all candidates who were entered for English have achieved either an A* or an A grade. As Gresham’s continues to build upon its academic success it is pleasing to see this high level of attainment replicated across the board.

The results of a number of students are particularly noteworthy. Jackson Partridge and Robert Cooke both of Norfolk achieved 4 A*s. Nancy Colombé, George Searle also from Norfolk and Ondrej Komora from Slovakia achieved 3 A*s and an A. With over 40 of Gresham’s students achieving the equivalent of at least three ‘As’ or above.

Headmaster Philip John said, ‘I am delighted with this fine set of A-level results. The sheer number of our students who have achieved excellent grades is indicative of the scholarly passion and self discipline that our academic staff routinely engenders in our students. This is another exciting year for Gresham’s as it sees a broadening of the curriculum for both the A-level and IB Diploma programmes. We will continue to build upon our academic success by providing a holistic and individualised educational experience which successfully enables young people to fulfil their potential’.

‘YOUNGSTERS ADD THIRD DIMENSION TO FESTIVAL’ was the headline in the Eastern Daily Press when the first Britten Music Course at Gresham’s concluded with a fantastic performance at the King’s Lynn Festival with the European Chamber Orchestra and the Kings Lynn Festival Chorus.

All 16 children performing, who came from across the country, had taken part in a three day residential music course at the School, with choral and instrumental workshops culminating in this exciting opportunity to perform with a major choir and a leading orchestra at the opening night of the Festival.

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