26 September 2025

Dear Parents

Harvest Festival
Firstly, a huge than you to all the parents who made donations for the Harvest Festival collection. We are overwhelmed by your generosity. Celebrating Harvest is a powerful way to instil gratitude and community spirit and in our Junior School Assembly yesterday, we paused to give thanks for all we have and to also consider those facing hardship. We are proud of our long-standing tradition in supporting both the Wallingford Food Bank and The Cholsey Larder, who are experiencing record levels of demand. Thank you as always for your support. 

Congratulations to the U18 girls! 
We are proud to share that our U18 girls’ hockey team has reached the final of the U18 county Cup, securing their place in the Regional Cup competition later this year. Throughout the tournament, the team embodied the school values, showing resilience, teamwork and determination in every match. Their performance was nothing short of outstanding, with dominant wins over Magdalen College School and Cokethorpe! In the semi-final, the girls faced a technically strong Bloxham side, stacked with county and academy players. Despite the challenge, the girls rose to the occasion. The leadership and composure demonstrated by Sibby and Isla was exceptional, culminating in a dramatic penalty corner goal in the final moments. While the final result didn’t go our way, the team’s performance was a testament to the depth, talent and spirit within our Senior hockey programme. With the Regional competition on the horizon, we are excited to see what this brilliant group of players will do next. Well done girls – you have done Cranford proud! 

Senior School Experience Day
On Tuesday, we were delighted to welcome our Year 6 pupils, alongside guests from local primary and independent schools, for an exciting Senior Experience Day. This special event offered pupils a day immersed in Senior School life, and it was a joy to see their enthusiasm and curiosity throughout the day. Pupils enjoyed a rich and varied timetable, with lessons ranging from Science and Geography to German, Drama and Sport. The day certainly gave them a flavour of the opportunities and energy that define Senior School. We are pleased to be oversubscribed for Year 7 in September 2026 and see this as a strong endorsement of the warm, happy and inspiring environment that your children help to create here at Cranford. 

Year 7 Open Classroom
On Thursday, we warmly welcomed Year 7 parents for the first Open Classroom. We are so proud of how Year 7 are adjusting to the rigours and routines of Senior School life. It was a pleasure to share a window into their daily experience with families, offering a chance to see learning in action. We know how much it means to pupils to be able to show you their new routines, classrooms and teachers and we hope you enjoyed stepping inside Cranford. Although the open classroom form has closed ahead of next week's visit, if you haven’t visited yet and still wish to come in please email Mrs Clarance directly and she will be happy to accommodate your visit!

Art Exhibition

On Tuesday evening, we were proud to host our annual A level and GCSE Art, Textiles, Photography and 3D Design Exhibition – a true celebration of skill, creativity and dedication of our pupils. The Sixth Form Lecture Theatre was transformed into a vibrant gallery space, showcasing an extraordinary range of work. From intricate textiles to thought-provoking photography, to striking 3D design and expressive fine art, every piece reflected the hard work, passion and individuality of our pupils. The standard of work was exceptional (please do take a moment to look at pictures from the evening). We hope you enjoyed the evening as much as we did and thank you to our pupils for sharing your talents and to the staff who supported them throughout their creative journeys!

Please take a moment to enjoy these pictures from the week!

Have a good weekend. 

Best wishes

James Raymond

Head