11 January 2019
Welcome back! It has been a busy and exciting first few days of the Spring Term.
It was wonderful to see pupils returning to school with their customary enthusiasm at the start of the week. A new term always provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on our ambitions for the weeks ahead and the opportunities for adventure, excitement, and learning they will bring. I enjoyed sharing these reflections with Senior pupils during our Tuesday assembly.
We have all been impressed by the focused, mature approach demonstrated by our Year 11s as they tackle the challenges of mock examinations this week. I'm sure you will all join me in wishing them every success as they approach their final full term of teaching as Cranford House pupils. They are wonderful role models for pupils across the school thanks to their hard work and determination, not to mention their sheer sense of fun!
Fun was also much in evidence elsewhere in school as Year 3 started work on a new Philip Pullman book, Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp, with an Aladdin-themed day. The children arrived at school in an amazingly colourful array of costumes and enjoyed a day full of creative activities including baking flat breads, making lanterns, experimenting with herbs and spices and even some Arabian dancing! Please click here to see more photos from the day.
The start of term has also seen work start on our new Sixth Form Centre and it is wonderful to see the onset of building work, combined with last term’s exciting news regarding the addition of a new Sports field in the next academic year, really bringing our 2020 Vision developments to life. Building work is expected to take 12 months to complete and we look forward to sharing further details of the build as the year unfolds. Please rest assured our highest priority will continue to be ensuring there is minimal disruption to daily school life. We will be holding a Coffee Morning next Tuesday at 8:35am in the Orangery to which all parents are very welcome to drop in and chat about the start of term or life at school over the next 12 months. I look forward to seeing many of you there.
This week, it has also been my pleasure to welcome not only several new pupils into school, but also three new members of staff: Mr Redman as a Science Teacher, Miss Parkes as a Teaching Assistant and Mr MacKay as our new Director of Sport. I'm sure you will join me in welcoming them into our school community.
Finally, I am very much looking forward to welcoming Year 6 pupils and parents into school tomorrow morning for our Senior School Scholarship and Assessment day. It promises to be a busy and enjoyable day in school with over 80 pupils in attendance!
With best wishes
Dr James Raymond