16 March 2018

My highlight of the week came on Wednesday as we were treated to an uplifting day of musical performances from pupils in our Junior Music Festivals.

Anyone watching couldn’t fail to be impressed by the musicality and poise on show in the solo and ensemble performances of even our youngest pupils. The vast array of talent on display amongst our singers, pianists, drummers, violinist and saxophonists, to mention just a few, was spectacular!  

Music and the Performing Arts have always played a central role in school life here at Cranford House. As I write, our GCSE musicians are completing their recordings, a central aspect of their final examination submission. The GCSE requires our pupils to demonstrate their playing and singing abilities, performing a piece accurately and with appropriate interpretation, as well as demonstrating composition techniques and the ability to perform within an ensemble. Music continues to be one of the most popular aspects of school life, with around half of Senior School pupils attending Choir and more than 200 peripatetic music lessons taking place every week. One of the many positive aspects of life in an all-through school is the ability to see the broad pattern of development from Reception through to Year 11 and beyond. Our musicians’ individual learning journeys and love of music start in the Junior School lessons and performances that we watched with parents on Wednesday. My thanks to Mrs Powell and her team for allowing us to share in it.

Elsewhere in school it was enjoyable to welcome many of you to school on Tuesday for our Year 7 Parents’ Evening and for a Year 3 assembly that reminded us of the importance of looking after our planet and protecting the environment, starting close to home. It was also lovely to welcome our two new Reception Forms for 2018 to their first transition event with their new teachers for September and to join so many parents in cheering on Year 2 in their Inter-House Football Tournament.  

For your awareness, the next Governors’ Finance Meeting will take place on 21 May. It is likely that a small fee increase will be agreed, to take effect from September 2018. However, as ever, the governors will endeavour to keep this as low as possible. The exact increase will be confirmed early next term. 

With best wishes for a restful weekend,

Best wishes

Dr J Raymond