cransleyfest

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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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