5 June 2026

Dear Parents 

This summer term continues to fly by at an incredible pace, and it has been another wonderful week across the school. 

One of the highlights of the week has been our Year 10 Work Experience Programme. Throughout the week, pupils have immersed themselves in an extraordinary range of professional environments, from law firms and engineering companies to veterinary practices, schools, retailers and businesses of every kind. 

The feedback we have received has been exceptional. Time and again employers have commented on the maturity, enthusiasm, professionalism and confidence demonstrated by our pupils. It has been a wonderful reflection of both the young people themselves and the values they embody. Work experience remains one of the most powerful educational experiences we can offer. It helps pupils understand the realities of the workplace, develop confidence, build professional skills and begin to explore possible future pathways. Just as importantly, it encourages them to ask questions, challenge assumptions and discover interests they may never have considered before. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the many parents, alumni and members of our wider Cranford community who supported this programme. The opportunities you provide make an enormous difference to our pupils and we are deeply grateful for your generosity. 

Building on this success we are delighted to be launching the Cranford Futures Programme. This ambitious initiative reflects our commitment to ensuring that every Cranford student leaves us exceptionally well prepared for life beyond school. As many of you will have seen in the recent launch letter, the world facing today’s young people is changing rapidly. University remains an important pathway for many students, but the landscape is evolving. Degree apprenticeships, new industries, technological change and an increasingly competitive graduate employment market mean that academic success alone is no longer enough. Young people need experience, professional awareness, networks and practical skills alongside outstanding qualifications. Our ambition is therefore simple: to combine academic excellence with meaningful opportunities that help students understand and navigate the world beyond school. The edge we want to give our students is your expertise, your experience and the extraordinary professional network that exists within the Cranford community. Through internships, workplace experiences, mentoring opportunities and our forthcoming Cranford Futures Conference, we hope to create opportunities that inspire, challenge and open doors for our students. If you feel you may be able to support this provision in any way, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please view this letter for further information.  

On Thursday evening, that focus on future pathways continued as our Sixth Form team welcomed families for an information evening on Higher Education applications and post-18 planning. The programme highlighted the highly personalised support available to every Cranford student as they navigate university applications, degree apprenticeships and the increasingly diverse opportunities available beyond school. While the choices available to young people have never been broader, they have also never been more complex. Our Sixth Form team does an outstanding job supporting students through this process. Whether guiding a prospective medic through competitive admissions tests, helping an Oxbridge applicant prepare for interview, supporting a degree apprenticeship application or assisting students in identifying the university course that best matches their aspirations, the care, expertise and individual attention provided by the team is exceptional. 

Elsewhere, we were delighted to welcome so many current and prospective Year 5 pupils into the Senior School for their first taste of life beyond the Junior School for the Year 7 Discovery Day! 

The day was packed with activity. Pupils explored coding and drones, experimented with dry ice in science, tackled mathematical challenges, enjoyed creative and performing arts activities and participated in a wide range of sporting opportunities. What stood out most, however, was not the activities themselves but the people. I was enormously proud of the warmth with which our Year 5 pupils welcomed those joining us from other schools. Equally, I was proud of the many Senior School students who gave up their time to act as buddies, guides and members of our parent panel. Throughout the day, our values of generosity of spirit and happiness were on full display. The overwhelmingly positive response from families was wonderful to see and we continue to be delighted by the strong demand for places at Cranford. More than anything, this represents an endorsement of the community that pupils, staff and parents have worked so hard to create together. 

Sporting success has also continued at an extraordinary pace. Congratulations to all those involved in the ISA Athletics Championships, where Cranford pupils delivered an exceptional set of performances. Several athletes have now progressed through to national finals, an outstanding achievement and a testament to their commitment and hard work. This success follows hot on the heels of another remarkable year for Cranford sport. From our third successive appearance in the National Hockey Finals, to county and regional success across hockey and football, and multiple teams progressing to the national stages of school competitions, there is much to celebrate. 

Yet while we are always proud of trophies, medals and results, what matters most is the culture that sits behind them. I firmly believe that sport should be for everyone. It should provide opportunities for pupils to challenge themselves, build friendships, develop leadership and teamwork skills, discover new passions, pursue excellence where appropriate and, above all, enjoy themselves. Whether representing the school nationally, competing for the first time or simply participating with enthusiasm and commitment, every pupil contributes to that culture. Thank you to all our pupils, staff, coaches and parents who continue to make Cranford sport such a special part of school life. 

As we move towards the final weeks of term, there remains much to look forward to. Thank you, as always, for your continued support of the school and for the role you play in making Cranford such a vibrant, ambitious and caring community. Please do take a moment to view some of the pictures from this week demonstrating just that.  

With best wishes 

James Raymond 

Head