9 June 2023

9 June 2023

Dear Parents

It has a been a great start to the final half-term of the academic year and we are so excited about all the events and activities that will take place over the next few weeks in the run up to the Summer holidays. We have lots to look forward to, including the Year 8 Surf Trip, Year 12 residential, Senior Experience Day, Junior and Senior Sports Day, Y11 residential, Year 9 residential, various Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions, Year 11 Prom, Sixth Form Induction, GCSE and A level Art and Textiles Exhibition and the excitement of the enrichment days at the end of term. As if that wasn’t enough, our performing arts team are working exceptionally hard to bring you not just one, but three spectacular shows! Pupils in Years 7 to 9 are busy rehearsing for what promises to be a fabulous rendition of ‘Bugsy Malone’. Meanwhile, our Year 5 and 6 pupils are in full swing treading the boards for their show, ‘Superstan’. Our musical super-stars are busy practising for our musical extravaganza on Monday 3 July at the Hexagon in Reading, which we know will be the most uplifting way to celebrate what has been an extraordinary year. We do hope you will be able to join us!

Year 7 Trip
Earlier this week, Year 7 set out for their residential, travelling to sunny Surrey for three days of adventure! They were tested physically and mentally, enjoying some challenging activities that pushed them all out of their comfort zones, but made them realise that a little courage and a lot of team spirit meant they achieved much more than they thought they could. The took part in rifle shooting, archery, conquered Jacob’s Ladder and also in a huge leap of faith jumped off a high platform on the trapeze. The encouragement and support they demonstrated for each other was inspiring, particularly in the raft building activity as they then set sail across the lake. We are incredibly proud of Year 7 – they have had a brilliant first year of Senior School and I know they returned from the trip happy and proud of their accomplishments, if not looking forward to their own beds!

Year 10 Trip to Venice
Year 10 also had a week of adventure, as they travelled to Venice to enjoy some culture, pizza, pasta and ice cream! They were able to pack in a lot over three days, including a demonstration of how traditional lace is made and they also visited Murano by boat, to watch a glass blowing demonstration at the Glass Museum. Exploring on foot, they embraced the atmosphere of this truly magical city and enjoyed taking in the magnificent architecture as they meandered through the streets. Naturally, a trip to Venice is not the same without a gondola trip and the pupils loved viewing Venice from the water, gently drifting under many of the bridges they had regularly walked over! The highlight was definitely when Mrs Viggers’ gondola lost the gondolier, after he lost balance and fell in! It was a great trip, full of memories and laughter and the pupils were brilliant company for each other and the staff!

Cricket, cricket and more cricket!
Earlier this week, on consecutive days, the U15 mixed cricket team and the U13 boys’ cricket team travelled to St James Senior School for their respective ISA tournaments.

Both teams excelled on the pitch, demonstrating impressive batting and fielding. They played brilliantly, learning from mistakes and taking on the positives into their next games. Exciting and tense games for both teams left Mr Heywood-Bourne and Miss Clarke with much shorter fingernails! We are very proud of the pupils who took part in the tournaments, as they showed tremendous application and perseverance throughout two long days of cricket in a beautiful setting. The experience our cricketers involved have gained has been invaluable. We look forward to showcasing Cranford’s talent in future national tournaments.

Have a lovely, sunny weekend!

Kind regards

Dr James Raymond
Headmaster