8 May 2026

Dear Parents 

It has been one of those weeks at Cranford that reminds you exactly what a school community is at its best: busy, purposeful, and full of moments that matter. 

Our Year 3 and Year 6 Tea Concerts have been a genuine highlight. The musicality on display was impressive, but what stood out even more was the spirit behind it - the encouragement, the shared nerves, the quiet support pupils gave one another. Learning an instrument does far more than develop technical skill. It builds confidence, resilience, and the habits of practice and perseverance that underpin success across school life - and just as importantly, it brings joy. These concerts captured all of that. 

At the other end of the school, GCSE examinations are now fully underway. I want to congratulate our Year 11 pupils on such a strong start. There is a quiet determination about the year group, and it has been evident this week. We are all behind you - staff, families, and younger pupils alike and we will continue to support you in every way we can over the weeks ahead. 

I would also like to congratulate all those involved in last weekend’s Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. These are a significant challenge, physically, mentally in terms of teamwork, and they demand resilience, organisation and real determination. To see them completed so successfully is a testament not only to the pupils themselves, but also to the staff who support and guide them. These are the kinds of experiences that stay with young people long after school, building confidence and independence in a very real way. 

Yesterday, we gathered as a whole school for our Year 13 Leavers’ Service, with pupils from Year 5 through to Year 13 together in the Sports Hall, and with families joining us for the assembly and celebration drinks at the Coppa Club. It was a special occasion, both a celebration and a moment of transition. 

In the assembly, we spoke about the idea of handing on the baton. A school is, in many ways, a relay: each generation runs its part of the race, contributes to the life of the community, and then passes something on, values, standards, traditions, friendships, to those who follow. Our Year 13 have carried that baton with distinction. They now pass it on, not as something finished, but as something to be built upon. For the younger pupils in the hall, it was a powerful reminder that they are not simply watching from the side-lines. They are already part of that same story. To our Year 13, thank you. You leave with our very best wishes for what comes next - university, travel and the many different paths ahead. We look forward to hearing about all that you go on to achieve. 

Looking ahead to next week, we wish the very best of luck to all those involved in residential trips in Years 3, 5 and 6. These experiences matter enormously. They build independence, strengthen friendships, and often become the moments pupils remember most vividly. 

For those in the Senior School continuing with internal assessments and examinations, the message we shared in assembly holds just as true: work hard, give your best, and take pride in your effort, but keep everything in perspective. These moments are important, but they are part of a much bigger journey. What matters most is the character you are building along the way. 

As ever, thank you for your continued support. 

James Raymond 

Head