3 December 2021
This week has begun to feel truly festive. As I am sure you will agree, the outside of Moulsford House is looking splendid, as are the Christmas trees inside and out. This is all adding to the excitement that is building amongst pupils and staff as we near the end of term.
This morning and yesterday morning, some of our youngest pupils took to the stage for the Reception Nativity Show. This truly joyful telling of the Christmas story was made all the more special staged in the beauty of Moulsford Church. The children performed brilliantly and clearly enjoyed being centre-stage and showing off their many talents to visiting parents and spreading plenty of Christmas cheer! Please do take a moment to have a look at the Reception Nativity photos, which are guaranteed to raise a smile.
On Tuesday, as part of the GCSE and A level Tea Concert, parents, pupils and staff enjoyed listening to our GCSE and A level musicians. They provided an excellent concert featuring a range of different musical styles from classical to jazz and everything in between. For some pupils it was their first experience of performing to a live audience and each performance was hugely enjoyable, revealing some outstanding musical skills. It is so great to see live music happening again and the audience were extremely appreciative for the opportunity to come into school to enjoy this event.
Although Junior pupils were not able to sing carols to the elderly at Cholsey Day Centre this year, Christmas cheer was demonstrated in abundance when our Junior Heads of School Team delivered Christmas hampers instead. We hope the contents will be enjoyed! This also provided our Junior pupils with the opportunity to think about the true meaning of Christmas and the custom of giving presents.
Next week, we are looking forward to Christmas at Cranford landing splendidly and celebrated vividly with our Junior and Senior Carol Services, Key Stage 1 Christmas Show and Junior Panto before erupting on the final day of term in a frenzy of colourful Christmas jumpers and a whole school Christmas lunch. Please see notices below for further information.
I am incredibly proud of the maturity on display by our Year 13 pupils, as they have navigated a week of mock A level exams. Their focus has been commendable, and it has also been an exciting week of more university offers coming in, which is purely down to their hard work and discipline and guaranteed to secure the right academic outcome for each student.
On the subject of academic success, we were delighted to see ourselves rank 2nd nationally in ‘The Times Parent Power’ survey of top independent schools with a small 6th Form (based on data from 2017-2019 as 2020 examination data has not been included due to the disruption caused by the pandemic). The Times Parent Power Survey is widely acknowledged as the most authoritative survey of the country’s highest-achieving schools. I am thrilled on behalf of the whole school to be in receipt of such significant recognition.
Have a lovely weekend.
James Raymond
Headmaster