25 November 2022
It has been an exciting week across the school as rehearsals for Christmas events gather pace against a busy back drop of normal school business from sports fixtures to productions, clubs, lessons and so much more besides! It is hard to capture the full richness of a week in school within a short newsletter!
Senior School Show – Little Shop of Horrors!
We have to start this week with the incredible production of Little Shop of Horrors staged by our fabulous Senior School pupils! I never cease to be astonished by the incredible depth and range of performing talents from pupils across the school. Across two action packed evenings audiences were treated to a genuinely exceptional production, offering a performance of impressive emotional depth, comedy, drama and musicality. I think what I have been most struck by over the last two evenings, outside of the incredible talent of the performers, has been the teamwork, camaraderie and sense of fun that has been evident amongst the cast and crew. It takes huge empathy, generosity of spirit and courage to stage such a complex production. The talent of all the performers and backstage crew really shone through, and I know I was not the only member of the audience who was blown away by the abilities of our Senior pupils in tackling such a complex story, captivating the audience and filling us with horror at the prospect of our next visit to the dentist! Well done to everyone involved and enjoy a well-deserved rest over the weekend. Enjoy photos from the show!
PTA Christmas Fair
Excitement is building in school for the return of the annual PTA Christmas Fair. I am very much looking forward to seeing many of you in school tomorrow for the official start of Christmas at Cranford. We are all incredibly grateful to the PTA and the very dedicated parent volunteers who are helping make this event happen for our community!
EYFS Open Morning
Fortunately, the rain held off sufficiently for our youngest visitors to enjoy exploring the Reception classrooms and outdoor learning environment on Thursday morning, for our EYFS Open Morning. We welcomed existing Nursery families and several new families to Cranford, to meet our EYFS teaching team and to gain a better understanding of the firm foundations of learning offered by a Cranford Early Years education. There was lots of happy chatter, as parents enjoyed talking to staff and children made the most of being able to try something new, through the activities on offer. We look forward to our next EYFS Open Morning in the Spring Term.
Sixth Form Enrichment Trips
Having experiences outside of the classroom is very much part of Cranford life, giving all our pupils the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills and preparing pupils for life beyond school. We are delighted this week to have launched two life-enhancing opportunities for our Senior pupils;
World Challenge
On Wednesday morning, we were pleased to be joined by parents of pupils in Year 11 and 12 considering joining World Challenge, in the summer of 2024. This time, pupils are being offered a unique opportunity to travel to eSwatini and Kruger National Park. This 13-night trip is an exceptional chance for our pupils to broaden their horizons, stepping out of their comfort zone and tackle challenges that will stand them in good stead for university, the workplace and life in general. It is an incredible, once in a lifetime adventure, recognised by universities and employers alike. For more information, please take a look at the itinerary here.
New York – October 2023
We are also very much looking forward to being able to offer our current Year 11 and 12 pupils a fabulous opportunity to visit some of the iconic sights of New York in a trip over the October half-term of 2023. In a bespoke and purposefully designed itinerary, our pupils will enjoy a culturally broad trip, visiting the 9/11 Memorial Museum, Statue of Liberty, Central Park, a Broadway show and of course some obligatory shopping!
Have a good weekend.
With best wishes,
Dr James Raymond