Venturing Beyond

New York Trip

I think I speak for both travelling pupils and fellow colleagues alike, when I say that it has taken me until now - a week later - to fully recover from the utter delights (and exhaustion) of our New York Trip last week.

Please do not underestimate the efforts required to take 28 teenagers across the world, yet the perfectly organised and executed three days of excursions lead by Mr Wilson, with the support of Mrs Lowe and Mrs Nutley, made the trip remarkably rewarding and deeply memorable. I am more than happy when my role is reduced to being the school nurse and mule for mislaid rucksacks.

Our pupils were perfectly behaved, with conduct and courtesy enough to garner particular comments from our hotel staff, restaurant staff, cabin crew and tour guides. I was very proud indeed.

Before the academic year is over, we will have taken two groups to Spain, both skiing and for a language cultural visit. Where Mt Wilson takes us next in his global science journey is unknown. But what I do know, is that when Cransley does venture beyond, it is done in the best possible way.

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Cransley School Farm Project

For those families, particularly in the Senior School who were not able to join us for our Junior Harvest Festival, it gives me great pleasure to promote the a most marvellous and culture-changing Farm project in our Junior School, using the working title ‘Cransley Sustainable Futures’, the brainchild of Mr Morris together with some notable Cransley parents. The first stages of the project have now been completed with the ground preparation and the planting of fruit trees by parents, pupils and staff before half term. Please take a short moment to review the project on the dedicated webpage.

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Admissions

We will be holding a Senior School Year 7 Experience Day on Saturday 23rd November at 9am until 12.30pm) for all prospective Year 7 pupils starting in September 2025. Please do share this event with any friends and family and direct them to our website for further information.

For younger families, we are holding an EYFS Bright Beginnings day on the 21st November at 1.30pm for all nursery-aged children thinking of joining our EYFS in September.

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Dates for the Diary (Please see further emails for individual class events and class trips):

• 4.11.24 - School opens for Autumn 2nd half term

• 8.11.24 - Individual/Sibling Photographs

• 8.11.24 - Foundation Fireworks - Tickets on ParentPay

• 22.11.24 - Nasal Flu Vaccinations

• 6.12.24 - School Closed

• 11.12.24 - Christmas House Feast

• 17.12.24 - Junior School Christmas Performance (in School)

• 18.12.24 - Senior School Reward Trip (Cheshire Oaks)

• 19.12.24 - Senior School Carol Service (at St Marys, Great Budworth)

• 19.12.24 - School closes for Christmas

Cransley Content Creators and other alliterative events (1 of 2)

Cransley Content Creators

Cransley Content Creators

For a couple of years, a group of highly focussed and committed pupils in our Senior School have been keen to develop pupil life through digital content. Such efforts have included the creation of a dedicated online pupil hub and weekly briefing, with sections promoting areas of cultural interest such as film, art, design, music, pets and books, and even areas of support for pupils on matters of neurodiversity (The Umbrella Club) and LGBT+. The team are keen to branch out into other subjects and other media including podcasting, filmmaking and even early entrepreneurism.

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Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Expedition

Finally, after three weeks, the washing machine has stopped spinning and the once-much muddied detritus belonging to our Year 10 and 11 D of E’ers has spilled out onto the floor. Our pupils - all since walking in some discomfort after their weekend expedition, put in over seven miles a day, camped overnight, fed themselves and navigated their way through the wilds of Delamere. In the main, all went well and the weather was a little more favourable than on the test weekend. We continue to support our pupils as they finish the volunteer, skills and physical sections of their D of E criteria to successfully gain their Bronze Award.

Our D of E partner has been Excel Outdoors Ltd over recent years, and I am keen to develop that partnership, with the Silver Award offered to Year 10, and staff and pupils having the opportunity to gain a Hills Skills accreditation through a number of hikes and expeditions across the school later in the year.

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ISA Arts Competition

Congratulations to a record number of ISA North Arts Competition entries from the Junior and Senior Schools, and to the fabulous Mrs Chester and Mrs West, for a bumper set of first places! All go through to the national Final at the ISA Autumn Conference next month.

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Macmillan Coffee Morning

Thank you to those who joined us for our Coffee morning and contributed so generously by donating baked goods and then buying the cakes of others. An astonishing £1,197.24 was raised, alongside a deliciously sweet, buttery aroma and a happy energy throughout the school. I have put on at least half a stone in lemon drizzle cake alone.

Now, many guests claimed that cake before 10am was frowned upon - by whom I do not know - however I did note that no one had reason to complain much after a few minutes, especially whilst stuffing ginger tiffin into their faces. Happy days…

My thanks for Miss Totterdell and Mrs Totterdell-Lambert for their commitment to the cause and so many family bakers.

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Cransley Foundation Fireworks

A reminder to buy tickets through ParentPay for this popular event. Already many tickets have been sold and we are capped at 449 due to our event licence and car park. Therefore please buy quickly - for your sake - to avoid the little faces of abject disappointment and lingering sadness as you confess to your children that you were too late to get tickets.

They will never forgive you.

More information can be found here.

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Socials

Adventures await

Trips and educational visits

It is at this time of year that a series of exciting requests come through to my desktop, seeking permission to take our pupils on a variety of inspiring and enjoyable educational trips over the coming academic year.

These excursions range from our usual residentials, designed to encourage personal growth, risk-taking and teamwork, to a local exploration where pupils delve into the fascinating hidden history of Knutsford or Chester; planned visits to significant places such as Quarry Bank Mill, where students can learn about our local industrial heritage, and even a David Hockney exhibition that showcases contemporary art. Trips such as these will, in the coming weeks, whisk some pupils away to the bustling streets of the Big Apple, and some to the big pond on the other side of the Estate.

Year 7 at the Conwy Centre, Plas Coch

Our considerations are around timing, risk mangement and pupil well-being, and cost, of course, with a cap now placed at £120 per year (excluding residentials), whilst ensuring the pupils have the most engaging opportunities to develop local, regional and even international experience and curriculum enhancement.

We hope that ParentPay is proving a suitable means of paying for such trips and giving permission. It certainly assist with the considerable workload requrieed to organise, manage and carry out these varied events.

Such adventures await!

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Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award

Cheshire clay sticks fast!

A majority of our Year 10 and Year 11 pupils will be enjoying an exciting early autumn excursion across the picturesque Cheshire countryside this weekend, all in pursuit of their Duke of Edinburgh Award, which is expertly run by Excel Outdoors, a reputable and specialist provider for DofE activities. This initiative has been brilliantly organised by the dedicated efforts of Mrs. Lowe and Mrs. Harford.

This weekend marks the crucial Expedition element of their training—where pupils must meticulously plan, train for, and successfully complete an unaccompanied, self-reliant expedition with a clearly defined aim. Participants are required to complete three further integral and substantial commitments in order to achieve the Bronze Award - Volunteering, Skills, and Physical.

After enduring a rather soggy practice expedition during the weekend of our Open Day, we are pleased to note that the weather appears a little more promising for them in the days ahead.

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New York

Times Square, New York

We continue Mr. Wilson’s “Grand Tour across America in the Name of Science” with an exhilarating five days in New York City, providing both pupils and staff an unforgettable experience in one of the world’s most vibrant and bustling urban environments, renowned for its iconic skyline, incredibly diverse culture, and rich historical significance, with some science-related opportunities cleverly woven into a week otherwise filled with fun and excitement*.

Throughout our adventure, we will be visiting a selection of world-famous landmarks, including the majestic Statue of Liberty, the poignant World Trade Centre site, the electrifying atmosphere of Times Square, and the tranquil beauty of Central Park.

Anticipation is building for another adventure, and I can’t wait!

* It’s important to note, that apparently science is not only informative, but it can also be quite fun and exciting. (I have to say that - I’m now going to be spending five days and two long flights in the company of three enthusiastic and fantastic science teachers - Mr. Wilson, Mrs. Lowe, and Mrs. Nutley - who will undoubtedly find a way to make me pay for my earlier scientific flippancy.)

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Friday Biscuits

For some of our younger pupils, it is an adventure simply to visit the rooms of Belmont Hall and in particular the sometimes-daunting Head’s Study (daunting for me as well!)

But not our fabulous Year 4 class who joined me for Friday biscuits and juice earlier this afternoon. 

In return for an elderflower cordial and a shortbread, the pupils began their interrogation with a series of probing and emotionally-intelligent questions about life as a headteacher; to which I offered some vague, bumbling, and considerably less intelligent answers, and Year 4 eventually left, muttering about inadequacies amongst the school leadership, but with pockets full of biscuits.

I hope they return soon.  I can’t find my secret chocolate stash…or my integrity.

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Cransley Foundation Fireworks

As Autumn slowly creeps forward, it will not be long until our ever popular Fireworks Night.  Please see the dedicated webpage below, and book quickly through Parentpay.  All 450 tickets were sold last year, with some left disappointed.

Have a fabulous warm weekend.

Richard Pollock

Headteacher

Welcome back to Cransley

The Start

It has been a beautiful week.  Our pupils are sparkling and smiling, as are my colleagues, and you all are looking great the moment! Yes, you! 

I will do my best to see as many of you as possible over the coming year: at our events and on the playground and car park.  Do come to as many events as possible, and make a careful note of the dates at the bottom of this journal entry.

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Cransley School Enrichment (CSE)

If you haven't done so already (Junior Parents!), our CS Enrichment sessions will be launched next week.  Aside from the usual football and netball, we have clubs in cricket, badminton, rugby, yoga, craft, chess, modelling, textiles, gymnastics, benchball, handchimes, band practice, singing, ensemble work and more besides.  In particular, we have an exciting new Filmmaking club, Podcasting club and of course our F1 in Schools club. We have tried our best to hear the wishes of our pupils to bring new experiences along, even supporting the pupils in running their own clubs. 

Design and Technology

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Schoolbase Parent Portal

All parents are able to access the parent portal of our management information system, Schoolbase.  This will enable families to see their child(ren)'s attendance, academic reports, school calendar and also to update personal information securely online.

We would advise that you log in as soon as possible - ideally this week - to ensure that you are kept up to date.  Please click the link HERE to access the portal. 

Even if you are a new user, please click on "Forgot login details" and enter your email address.  Please follow the instructions provided to set your own new secure password and log in.

Once logged in, please click on "Child Details" and update any details as necessary for your child. 

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the School Office.

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Autumn Open Day

Belmont Hall

We will be holding an important Open Day on the 21st September at 10am. ‘Important’ as we ensure growth of the pupil roll, and of future revenue and security. Don’t worry, I have no intention of reaching our capacity of 300 as indicated by ISI in our material change inspection two years ago.

Our pupils have always been the most honest and impressive resource for new families, as good as the Estate and the learning environment is.  Therefore please keep an eye out for permission requests for children to attend on the Saturday, and support the School by allowing them to attend.

We already have nearly 70 families registered with us already, so if you have (likeable) friends and family who might consider joining the school, please ask them to be in touch immediately.  Our registration form can be found HERE or by clicking the banner at the top of this page.

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Cransleyfest 2024

Cransleyfest 2024

Forgive me repeating myself, but Cransleyfest is the best possible opening to the School year; the perfect icebreaker for everyone - pupils, staff and families. Personally, I had a great time, with great people, with great entertainment.

My thanks to our sponsors, the small army of trustworthy and willing staff and parental volunteers, and our guests for attending.

Missed out this year? Mark the 30th August 2025 in your diaries now.

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Key Dates for the Diary

11-13 Sept Y7 Residential

21 Sept Autumn Open Day, 10am

24 Sept Whole School Photograph (all staff, governors and pupils)

30 Sept Junior Parents Evening

3 Oct Bright Beginnings Experience Day, 9.30am

18 Oct Junior Harvest Festival, 2pm

School Closes for half term

21-25 Oct Trip to New York (Y8-11)

4 Nov Term begins

6-12 Nov Y11 GCSE Mock exams (Gymnasium and Hub rooms)

8 Nov Individual Photographs - all staff and pupils

8 Nov Foundation Fireworks Night

14 Nov Sports Presentation Evening

21 Nov Bright Beginnings Experience Day - Sport & Movement

23 Nov Year 7 2025 Experience Day

6 Dec School Closed to pupils and staff

9 Dec Bright Beginnings Experience Day- Little Chefs 

17 Dec Junior Christmas Performances

19 Dec Senior Christmas Concert & School Closes for Christmas

A long summer ends

We are approaching the end of a long summer, and I am sure keen to deliver your children back to us for the start of a new exciting term.

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Estate Development

As ever, there has been no pause in developments at School, even without the pupils. The notable educational improvements are outlined below, but such an beautiful Estate such as ours requires extensive unseen and often unrecognised work, and substantial improvements have been made to the drainage, the driveway, the utilities and landscaping.

My thanks as always to the unfailing Operations and Finance team who have enabled the extensive work taking place over these summer months, including Mr Colclough, Mr Gresty, and my evergreen dream team of Mrs Lambert and, of course, Mrs Holt.

Thanks also to Mark Walsh of Cheshire Contract Furniture for his supervision, oversight and sub-contracting, together with the teams from:

• Countrywide Ground Maintenance

• DW Hargreaves Electrical Services

• South Warrington Plastering

• Lee Mac Painting and Decorating.

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Food and Technology Kitchen

Our brand new kitchen is reaching its final stages with an impressive ten workstations now installed and ready for action, with all of the necessary equipments, safety features and teaching tools at hand for some amazing culinary creations.

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New Study Room and Library

Our old food and technology kitchen has been fully re-plastered, re-floored, re-wired and fitted ready for future furnishing as a new study area, office and library, and our main corridor through the engine rooms of the school have also been stripped, replastered, refloored and painted to prepare for the onslaught of pupils, scruffing shoes and heavy school bags.

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Cransleyfest 2024

My final preparations, checks and risk assessment are in place for Cransleyfest 2024 - the fabulous start to our academic year, and tickets are quickly selling as parents return from holidays, so please don’t delay. Please visit the Cransleyfest page and book tickets through Parentpay as soon as possible to be assured of a ticket.

Headline Sponsors

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Open Day

Open Day takes place on Saturday 21st of September for all prospective Junior School and Year 7 parents. Please do share details of the event and this website with friends and family (only if you like them, of course) and mark the date in your own diary: we may need your child.

Other Dates for the Diary will be released this week.

End of Year Delights

The Cransley Foundation Events

There are currently a small group of utterly-committed and talented mums giving every bit of their energy and effort to prepare the most glorious Midsummer Ball for tomorrow. Our guests and Year 11 pupils will have the most beautiful night.

Only a few days past, the marquee was stunningly decorated for Wednesday’s Afternoon Tea, adorned with flowers, fragrances and fanciful gifts, with over a hundred happy guests enjoying friends and fashion in the most sedate and refined manner. It was a joy to join and be involved with - a sentiment I hope is shared by all those who were able to attend.

Since then the marquee has undergone a complete transformation to now be dressed in nature’s finest regalia for our Midsummer event.

I must name names - Janet Ainslow, Lucy Fairclough, Estelle Flanagan, Chris Rees, Heidi Nickson, Mel Mather, Penny Storey, Jo Taylor alongside the ever-present (my own dream team) Clare Holt, Kathy Matthews and Lisa Lambert have worked tirelessly to bring the events together. My thanks also to Jasmine Worsley for her stunning balloon-art decorations, to Estelle for bringing her angelically-voiced students to perform, as well as her own considerable vocal talents, the Knowles family for their incredible working of some recently-felled Estate timber and many more individuals that I am simply too ignorant not to have added to this paragraph of gratitude. I hope I can make up for it over the weekend.

I look forward to seeing many parents and families over the coming days, as our school year ends with the climax and the celebration it deserves.

Richard Pollock

Headteacher

Preparing for the Summer

Cransley Sports Day

You see it all at Sports Day: varying levels of physical preparation (from a brief, pathetic stretch, to months of max-hyper-all-body-deep-high-intensity-enhanced-protein-enriched-hi-gain-hi-pain-endurance-sprint-fitness and lifestyle training, all meticulously diaried on Instagram and celebrated with numerous unnecesary self love hashtags*); abject and unnecessary posturing and flexing; the inevitable pale heaving flesh and flailing limbs; ; sweaty, tense disappointed traumatised faces, and ultimately, the feeble and pitiful efforts to maintain the already long-lost respect of family and friends.

But enough about the Junior Dads’ race, weren’t the children just amazing?

Mrs Storey and Mr Low - our extraordinary PE teachers

Thank you to all of our families who took time away from work and other duties to cheer on their children, enjoy the effervescent company of others and bask under a warming sun. There are few better places to enjoy a picnic than our back lawn in summer.

My sincere thanks as a Headteacher and as a daddy to Mrs Storey and Mr Low particularly, and all of the staff of both schools for their time and energy in making our Sports day the proper and correct balance of performance and participation. I watched all with pride and affection for all, and thoroughly enjoyed chatting so many families on the sidelines, despite the need to now heavily moisturise my sun-kissed receding hairline… I doubt I am the only one!

Photographs can be seen on our Instagram feed (details below).

*Honestly I would be one of these people if I wasn’t so fond of cheese and a glass of red wine. And lying down.

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INSTAGRAM NEWS

Catch up with all of our day-to-day learning experiences with our Instagram feed. Please follow us if you aren’t already.

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THE CRANSLEY MARQUEE

Thank you to two of our generous families who have sponsored the Cransley Marquee in readiness for the Cransley Foundation Afternoon Tea (26th June) and Midsummer Ball (29th June) next week. The Marquee was erected today on a beautiful morning by Craig Walker and his Marquees.com team in what I believe to be record time. A good supply of biscuits were on hand.

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Cransleyfest 2024

Even in the midst of our end of year celebrations, we are already preparing to begin the new academic year in the same frame of mind - with a party! Cransleyfest takes place on the 31st August this year with our fun-filled festival of food, funfairs, fireworks and fabulous bands. This year will be bigger than ever, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Storey’s of Cheshire Estate Agents.

All are welcome. TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW THROUGH PARENTPAY. Please buy quickly and bring friends and family.

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ESTATE DEVELOPments

You will have seen the rapid construction of our Science and Technology Centre extension, and in the last week alone, the main internal installation of the Food Nutrition and Technology kitchen has taken place. I think you all deserve a little peek inside. My thanks to the teams from Wernick, Cheshire Contract Furniture (Mark Walsh) and DW Hargreaves for their brilliant work to get this completed in quick-time.

This project is one of several taking place over another busy summer, with new toilets being fitted in our Pavilion, the completion of a Junior School Outdoor building, refurbishments to corridors, and the conversion of the old Food Technology room into a free study space and office prior to the fitting of our new School libary. Mrs Holt and Mrs Lambert are the astonishing colleagues making this happen - fabulous pair that they are.

Our Autumn Open Day takes place on the 21st September (save the date!), and all parents are invited to tour the School and see the new room, particularly if you havent visited for a while. Further details will be announced in due course.

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Dates for the Diary

26 June - Cransley Foundation Afternoon Tea

29 June - Cransley Midsummer Ball

3 July - Prize Giving Ceremonies (2pm Juniors, 7pm Seniors) with refreshments on the Back lawn afterwards

4 July - End of Academic Year, 12pm

31 August - CransleyFest 2024

3 September - School opens for the Autumn term

21 September - Autumn Open Day

Coming soon!

Cransleyfest 2024

Our fabulous annual festival, Cransleyfest 2024, opens the new academic year on the 31st August in the most exciting and enjoyable way possible.

You are invited to bring families and friends for an evening of fun with fireworks, funfair, food and the funkiest bands we can find - including the brilliant Gillan Edgar Band.

I am delighted to announce that the event will be generously sponsored and supported this year by one of our fabulous families - Storeys of Cheshire Estate Agents, marketing unique homes throughout Cheshire and beyond.

Tickets will be priced at £30 per person, inclusive of all activities and funfair rides, and will be issued for sale on ParentPay next week.

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Cransley School Racing

Cransley will soon be driving its engineering and motorsport extra-curricular opportunities onto its next stage with a brand new opportunity for girls and boys in next year's Y8-10.

The provisional project, named Cransley School Racing, in partnership with BTCC Toyota Gazoo Speedworks Motorsport team, will be to create and operate a kart racing team, building and running two machines in local competitions and further develop our pupils’ love of motorsport and will work alongside our recent success in the national F1 in Schools competition.

Pupils would develop their new technology, teamwork and organisational skills, and develop a role which suited them within a CSR team - from Team Principal to mechanic, marketing officer to logistics expert and operations manager. They might even excel in our CSR driver development programme.

Please see the webpage for more information and complete this FORM to express your initial interest.

We will also be seeking sponsorship and if any families are keen to support the project, please email me.

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Sports Uniform

It seems our pupils are wearing their PE kit more than their regular uniforms these days, such is the wealth of sporting activities available each day. Therefore I think our pupils deserve a minor improvement to the PE apparel on offer. We have a new unisex 3/4 midlayer on offer at Monkhouse with new matching (and far more flattering) track pants due shortly. I believe stock will soon arrive at the Monkhouse store in Altrincham, across the size range and pre-embroidered.

We are also preparing the design and purchase of new sublimated football and netball kits for stock in School for fixtures next year, incorporating the Cransley tartan. If you are interested in sponsoring our shirts please give me or Mrs Holt a call or email.

These are unlikely to be for general purchase unless there is huge demand, in which case we would be happy to arrange as such.

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SPORTS Court

Our students and sports staff are thrilled about the refurbishment of our sport court at a cost of just under £50,000, funded by the Cransley Foundation. The fresh surface is non-slip, colourful, and versatile, addressing a long-standing need. Portable LED floodlights, also purchased with Foundation contributions, will provide a valuable asset for the darker autumn evenings. Your support at Foundation events made this possible, and we thank you all.

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The Library and Study Area Project

The Cransley Foundation is also funding the transformation of our old Food and Nutrition kitchen into a study area and library for students and staff. A £10,000 donation alongside school funds will allow Phase 1 to be finished by September. Phase 2 will equip the library with books and workstations using funds from upcoming Foundation events. All the more reason to buy tickets for Afternoon Tea and Midsummer Ball!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Richard Pollock

Headteacher

Dates for the Diary

20 June - Sports Day and Picnic (9.30am Juniors, 1pm Seniors)

21 June - Reserve Sports Day

26 June - Cransley Foundation Afternoon Tea

29 June - Cransley Midsummer Ball

3 July - Prize Giving Ceremonies (2pm Juniors, 6.30pm Seniors) Refreshments on the Back lawn afterwards

4 July - End of Academic Year, 12pm

31 August - CransleyFest 2024

3 September - School opens for the Autumn term