Cransley School
Last week’s Y11 Final Assembly was a moving and memorable event as our eldest pupils began their Study Leave - indeed only a day before their first GCSE - with the sharing of awards, recollections and aspirations.
How quickly it comes around. This particular cohort was a group of six pupils in Year 2 when I joined Cransley to lead the Junior School in 2014. I am delighted to say that they have flourished ever since - despite my presence - and truly personify the development of the School through that time.
Their number has grown steadily. Characters, all, and each treading their own path. Most walking confidently, some faltering, some mis-stepping, some overstriding - but all of them given our best possible care, guidance and attention.
Their range of abilities and personalities demonstrates what Cransley truly does best:
One could argue that it is easy enough to teach clever children. However it requires specialist talent to teach a section of particular need, and then true experts to be able to teach all of them - all abilities and all needs - and still to have each one meet to even exceed their capability. My colleagues are brilliantly equipped with this expertise.
I wish them every success in what is likely to be the most intense period so far in their young lives and we will do all we can to ensure that success. Focussed and supportive revision sessions have continued in School and all pupils are expected to attend. Staff are always available to query, to clarify and to care.
It is worth the parents of pupils in other year groups noting that intensity.
Our pupils will endure five or more exams in five days twice this term, often with two on the same day. Many with over 20 two-hour exams between now and the 19th of June. So much of our role is ensuring that the ‘biting-point’ between nerves and anxiety is maintained; so pupils are excitedly ready but not overwhelmed.
We still accept this means of assessment without question; partly because exams are the only efficient way of vaguely standardising a child’s ability in a subject, and partly to maintain an accountability for schools and pupils against an arbitrarily-set national benchmark. A benchmark which changes depending on how many pupils actually get each grade.
For example last year, the Department for Education simply raised the grade boundaries collectively across all subject, regardless of how well the pupils did, so that it was harder to get the higher grades. They didn’t make the questions more difficult, just the number of marks required. A crude analogy is that it is like extending the 100m sprint by another 5 metres but keeping the world record the same just because sprinters were all getting faster.
Let’s be honest: that's why grades were converted from letters (A,B,C) to numbers (9-1), so they can be entered into a spreadsheet and could therefore be manipulated into statistics.
These children are not numbers however. We known them for so long; noticed the normal and abnormal and nurtured each one. The fruits of our labour.
Next year brings a variety of pathways: those staying close at Sir John Deane’s and Priestley Sixth Form Colleges, others edging further afield to Reaseheath College, to Stonyhurst College and Myerscough College (with both pupils on elite sporting pathways) and one entering straight into the workplace with an apprenticeship and training from a Michelin-starred chef’s cookery academy.
I cannot help having paternal care for each, as well as my own - whether they have wanted it or not, and acknowledge every young person for the joy, fun, character and challenge of the last years.
All parents should hope that their children grow to be like these.
Richard Pollock
Headteacher (and Y11 parent)
PS If you wish to have a lovely night out in the company of our Year 11 pupils, staff and other guests, please do consider our Midsummer Ball on the 29th June. Tickets cost £75 which includes food and great entertainment. If you are unsure about attending such an event for the first time, I would be delighted to host a table, introduce you to new friends and set up a most enjoyable night. Do let me know through the Office.