4 July 2025

Dear Parents

What a week and a wonderful way to end an incredible school year. From celebrations, the Gala Concert, the Year 10 trip to Wet ‘n’ Wild, the Year 5 trip to Brightwell allotments and much more, it has been a fitting finale to the 2024-2025 school year.

Year 6 Celebrations!
Year 6 celebrated the end of Junior School on Monday with an action-packed day! The day started with high-adrenaline fun from a pirate-themed inflatable assault course including the ever-popular Last Man Standing challenge. A beautiful boat trip added a touch of calm and reflection over lunch, and the day concluded with a heartfelt performance and a lovely tea party with parents—an unforgettable way to mark the end of a special chapter.

Bi-Annual Gala Concert
Another unforgettable event was the Gala Concert on Tuesday. What can I say except a huge thank you to all the parents that joined us for this; it was truly wonderful, brimming with astonishing musical talent and heartfelt performances. Your children were beyond incredible; their confidence on stage, whether speaking, playing as a member of the orchestra, singing in a choir or as a soloist or duo, was astounding. Vibrant singing, powerful orchestral pieces captivating performances and eloquent readings—every moment was exceptional and clearly achieved through countless hours of rehearsing. I am immensely proud of our Cranford pupils for putting on such an extraordinary evening. Events like these remind us of the dedication, creativity, and spirit that define our school community.

It also seems an apt moment to remind you of the exciting senior choir tour to Ghent, Belgium that Mrs Powell is overseeing next July. This forthcoming event promises to be another remarkable opportunity for our students to showcase their musical talents beyond the school grounds, and we are all looking forward to the experiences and memories it will bring.

Thank you for your continued support, and a special thank you to all the staff and students who made the Gala Concert so memorable, please enjoy the flickr album which captures some of the magic and also this video of some of the best bits!

Mountains, Milestones, and Memories: DofE Gold Expedition
This week, eleven of our Sixth Form students took part in their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition in the Brecon Beacons. Five year 13 students rounded off their time at Cranford and completed their assessed expedition, while six year 12 students undertook their practice. We are delighted to share that all of our assessed participants passed, and their instructor was absolutely blown away by the group’s teamwork, resilience, and determination. They showed exceptional motivation and the capacity to push through and support one another in some truly challenging conditions.

Over four days, the students covered around 80km of wild and beautiful terrain, summiting at least one mountain each day – and on some days, two – with most peaks reaching between 700 and 800 metres. Their route took them along a stretch of Offa’s Dyke, the 8th-century monument that once marked the boundary between the kingdoms of England and Wales. Highlights included camping near the literary town of Hay-on-Wye and spending a peaceful night under the stars in front of the awe-inspiring ruins of the 900-year-old Llanthony Priory. The expedition concluded in Abergavenny on Thursday.

We are incredibly proud of their achievements and the way they embodied the spirit of adventure, perseverance, and mutual support that the Gold Award represents. All of our students demonstrated the Cranford values of motivation, challenge and confidence and should be incredible proud of their accomplishments.

Equestrian triumph!
Last Thursday afternoon, our talented pupils and their horses set off for Hickstead, one of the most prestigious and internationally renowned showgrounds in the world. Just qualifying to ride at Hickstead is a remarkable accomplishment—it's the pinnacle of competitive equestrian sport.

Friday morning began bright and early, with ponies fed by 6:30am and a course walk completed by 7:15am. To ride into the arena under such pressure takes resilience, determination, and strength. In this knockout-style competition, only those who achieved a clear round progressed beyond the first stage. But simply completing the course was a triumph in itself. All pupils performed exceptionally well, navigating a challenging course with poise and skill. A special congratulations goes to Ella, who rode a clear round and earned the opportunity to compete in the International Arena, where she was awarded a rosette—a truly momentous achievement! Well to all our pupils who took part - we couldn’t be more thrilled with the dedication and sportsmanship shown by you all!

Key Dates for the Autumn Term
Whilst we don’t want to wish the summer away, we thought it would be helpful to outline a few key dates for your diaries that take place early in the Autumn Term – further details will be sent nearer the time.

• Welcome to Senior School – 4 September 6:00pm
• Welcome to Sixth Form – 4 September 7:00pm
• Welcome to Junior School – 9 September 6:00pm
• School Prize Giving (for pupils currently in Years 6-12) - 18 September at The Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford. Please see the letter linked below and also linked here and please ensure you complete the permission form.

It’s been a week full of incredible celebrations, each one a testament to the spirit and energy of our community and a wonderful way to end an incredible academic year – please do take a moment to enjoy the photos from this final week of term!

Finally, we have concluded the year with an epic Whole School assembly, which was an absolute joy. An uplifting celebration of talent and creativity, it was jam-packed with vibrant performances from the Junior Orchestra, show-stopping soloists, and a wonderful collection of memories from all the school productions throughout the academic year.

Wishing you all a truly wonderful and restful summer holiday. May it be filled with sunshine, laughter, and well-deserved relaxation.

With best wishes

James Raymond

Head