11 September 2020

We have really enjoyed seeing all our Cranford community back together again this week, after such a long time apart. New beginnings are always exciting and full of anticipation and this is how the start of this new academic year at Cranford feels. We are delighted to welcome back all our pupils and extend a very warm welcome to our new pupils and their families. We are very grateful for your support and understanding as we settle in new systems this year and the very many kind messages of support we have received from families.

We are celebrating this year a very special milestone in Cranford's history, in the opening of the Sixth Form. It was with great pleasure that we received our first Year 12 cohort through the doors on Monday morning and they quickly made themselves at home in the Common Room, enjoying some of Mr Bennett’s finest croissants as they embarked on the start of their Sixth Form career. Our Year 12 students had a diverse two-day induction programme, including a well-being talk, year-group rounders, team-building activities and a picnic and punting in Oxford. We know that all the students are eager to commence their A level courses and we are thrilled to have such a strong cohort leading the way through Sixth Form.

We also celebrate the start of co-education in Senior School and welcomed lots of new faces into Year 7. All the pupils have thrown themselves into school life with great enthusiasm! Following settling in day, where everyone got to meet their tutors and fellow tutees, Year 7 spent an action-packed day at Oxford Wet’n’Wild! Pupils and staff had their stamina put to the test on the inflatable water assault course, where pupils took great delight in pushing in the teachers! The afternoon’s activities included a scavenger hunt, paddle-boarding and pedalo fun followed by team-building games. All the pupils were a delight to spend time with and we are looking forward to seeing them take great strides throughout the rest of the year and beyond!

Finally, we must applaud the way in which some of our youngest pupils have adapted to school life. Reception children have had a wonderful first week, exploring all that the Reception environment has to offer. They have had lots of fun outside in the glorious sunshine, working together to enjoy games of golf and tennis, finding some new residents for the bug hotel, and developing skills on the climbing frame. Back inside the classroom the children have been busy getting to know each other in the bustling beach café and ice cream shop! They have been exercising their creative talents painting self-portraits and have wowed Mrs Raymond and Mrs McKenzie with how well they have adopted the classroom routines, heading excitedly off to their first PE, swimming and music lessons, and of course to the dining hall for a delicious lunch!

Please see a snapshot of our week in pictures.

We look forward to watching the progression of all our pupils over the course of the year! Have a lovely weekend.

Best wishes,

Dr James Raymond
Headmaster