Cransley is evolving

A ‘brief brief’ from me to you all as the school family takes a half term break - mainly because we leave for Spain with forty pupils on Sunday, and although I have everyone's medication, plus the ski travel first aid kit/suitcase cataloged and stored, and I have, as yet, done none of my packing.

The half-term has been shaped by the challenges of weather and windows, admissions and AI, tax systems and timetables, all conveniently alliterative and sometimes inconveniently impactful, and all a small part of being an independent school headteacher nowadays. 

I do wish to take an opportunity to say thank you to my colleagues who are just superb at what they do and the manner in which they do it.  My goal is for our teachers and pupils to continue their learning journeys unburdened and unaffected by all of these changes. Each gives their all in their field of responsibility and it fills me with deep pride.  Our new teachers (how wonderful are they?) feedback openly that the experience working here is far removed from the difficulties and divisions of their previous places of employment.  Truly, this can only benefit our pupils, when staff feel so comfortable and happy themselves that they can be creative and innovative in their teaching.

Isn’t it sad that the common workplace, and schools in particular, seem characterised by negativity, exhaustion, bitterness and er… management?  I am happy to buck the trend, or at least attempt to. Trusting my colleagues to be the very best they can be is the easiest part of my role, and I am very fond and in admiration of them all.

Likewise our pupils who work their way through the days smiling, full of life, enjoying each other’s company, riding life's pot-holes, full of respect for each other, learning all that they possibly can on that day.  

I am deeply proud of them not only for what they are becoming, but also for what they are not.  We, as parents, are best minded to remember that.

Our new pupils for September, in Reception and Year 7, are already well known to us, having been assessed carefully over this last month.  They are a delight - kind, caring and full of good potential to complement our existing students.  The future of the pupil roll is in good hands. 

Incidentally we have a Junior School Open Afternoon on the 26th February.  Please invite any interested friends and families.   

Cransley is evolving: it is not enough to remain as a traditional immobile school that should stay immersed in the ‘blob’ of the educational sector, but one that thinks about what our younger generation and their families need as they enter the next phases in their lives, and then acts on it, within our means, with the flexibility, operational adaptation and pure ambition to make it work. 

Dear parents: I have asked a lot of you this term, with the school closure, revised contracts and terms and conditions, a new code of conduct and now timetable changes ahead.  I hope you all will be patient and positive over the coming weeks, secure in the knowledge that this is all to benefit and enhance the experience of our pupils here and to guide the school safely through interesting times.  It is what you would expect of me.

I wish you a happy half-term.

Richard Pollock

Headteacher

The right sense of ‘privilege’

A slightly unusual Saturday morning message from me, but I have a spare monent after welcoming our prospective Year 7 pupils, from a variety of different settings outside of Cransley, into School to carry out their selection assessments.

It is a pleasure to host such a group of potential new pupils, all a little nervous, in a kaleidoscope of uniforms, but all keen and prepared.  We will have some very difficult decisions ahead this week.

Four Three letter words

I asked our Senior School pupils during assembly ‘what three letter word is annoying but needed, dull and broadly miserable to many, but inescapable and required’.  

“Ice” was a suggestion eagerly and innocently suggested by a keen Year 7. “Mud” astutely said another*.  Thankfully no one suggested “You” which was a blessing, although I'm sure not far from people’s lips.

The following assembly on ‘Tax’ (the correct answer called by a Y9 pupil - it’s in the family!) was scripted for pupils to know exactly what the circumstances were around the introduction of VAT on school fees.  At Cransley, we have never taken for granted the extraordinary cost of private education, and I regularly begin every term’s staff training with an outline of our school fees, so that colleagues - not that they need reminding - are fully conscious of the commitment and investment that parents are making to their child’s education. I must thank parents for their efforts in inevitably restructuring their lifestyles and finances to meet this imposed cost. I know what it will have taken for so many families.

Equally, it is important that our (Senior) pupils know this also.  We take pride in our pupils having a sense of ‘privilege’ - not that they are superior or wealthier than others, but rather that they are grateful, fortunate and aware of the opportunities made available to them, and show that gratitude to parents in a meaningful variety of ways.  For pupils across all independent schools, the rapid imposed increase in fees means that the acceptability for falling below potential, or coasting, or failing to take full advantage of those opportunities is now near nil.  Families will struggle to justify the cost of supporting children who show apathy, disengagement and poor behaviour, and Schools must work with parents to ensure pupils are of a clear mindset.  

Pupils are also now aware, as I trust parents are, that the introduction of VAT brings no additional revenue at all into our independent schools.  We are simply the conduit for HMRC’s added tax on the value of our services.

What we as a school - like any business - can do, is continue to review our efficiency in terms of how we deliver our curriculum and maintain our learning environment; avoid increasing costs or any compromise to our educational services, and ensure our pupil roll is stable and sustained - hence why I am pleased to have so many apply for our Y7 places.  Our financial culture in this regard remains unchanged.

* I struggle to find anywhere rural or semi rural that isn't dominated by mud currently.  The Rivers Weaver and Mersey, and even the brimming Ship Canal, are struggling to take water out of the Cheshire plain and certainly on the School Estate our pools and ponds are completely full.  This dry week has prevented further problems, but until the Spring begins and warmer temperatures ensue, we are going to continue to need our wellies.

Artificial Intelligence 

Our Staff INSET on Monday 6th January (so long ago, it feels!) took us on the next steps in our Artificial Intelligence implementation plan, and how this extraordinary technical power will influence and enhance, and in some ways compromise, our operational and pedagogical practice.

I am very keen for Cransley to be at the cutting edge of AI use in education 

I will write to parents with a more detailed Head’s journal entry on our approach to AI, but for now, our focus has been on developing Gemini as our sole integrated tool within our Google Workspace for Education, with particular focus on the following:

• The creation of a robust but aspirant Use of AI Policy;

• The suitable safeguarding and acceptable user agreements by staff and pupils over the age of 13;

• The necessary data protection protocols so that no sensitive individual information is shared with Gemini, as well as an investment in locking down the Gemini tool to our own workspace, so that when school users access the Gemini app as a core service, their prompts ‘chats’ and uploaded files won't be reviewed by human reviewers or otherwise be used to improve generative AI models.

• The technical enabling of the AI tool within our strict school-based filtering and monitoring systems;

• Careful examination of the Google privacy terms and conditions to ensure privacy, intellectual property, transparency, overseen by a school Digital Management and Review Team which I will chair personally.

• Clear parameters as to when pupils and staff can suitably and effectively utilise AI in their learning, with transparency and critical review.

I would be very interested to know a little more about the parental perception of AI and would encourage readers to take part in this short AI Acceptability questionnaire.  Please.  It would be very useful to curate our AI development. 

Christingle

Having been unable to attend the Senior School Carol Service on our last day of term, I was pleased to see our Junior School in their Christingle service yesterday - a reflection event after the busy Christmas period, and an opportunity to acknowledge those children around the world who are vulnerable and in need.  Although a secular school, the time to reflect and show gratitude is much needed by adults and children alike, and St Mary’s Church is no finer local setting for this to take place.

Our visiting prospective pupils are now finished and we will see this relieved and happy lot to their waiting parents, and I wish you all a lovely weekend.

At Day Close in November

Dear Parents and Families

The Estate never fails to impress, especially when gazing over the top of my screen at the snow-capped landscape, as the ten hours’ light is abating, and a late bird wings across.  (Bit of Thomas Hardy poetry in that sentence there, for you literary experts). 

The weather has presented many challenges to us over the last week (and thank you to all of our careful drivers), and there is more to come with Storm Bert’s arrival overnight.

At Day Close in November

The beautiful view, and the fortune I enjoy in having it, is indeed in stark contrast to the dreary Coventry conference room hosting a conference I attended last week.  

With talk of VAT issues, financial pressures, closures and mergers, ‘vulnerable’ leadership*, the impact of AI on education, marketing, nationally declining levels of pupil behaviour, and of course the corridored rows of sales representatives peddling their Edtech wares, as I spilled machine-manufactured pastry and cheap coffee over their over-logoed merch, everyone seemed really rather miserable.

Therefore it is rather nice to return to the pleasures of Cransley and the joy of our pupils scattered across the classrooms, engaged with their various learnings, and to meet many parents in similarly buoyant moods.  How lucky we are!  I did hope that the peaceful snow scene would continue for our Year 7 experience day tomorrow morning, but fear Bert has other ideas.

Indeed in that respect, we are in line to have yet another full year 7 next year - something which is vital to maintain future financial health and security - with over 40 applications already received for the 20 places available. This alone makes me and the finance team very content.

A little thank you to them: Mrs Gordon and Mrs Dunning have been remarkable as Mrs Parrott continues her convalescence at home, dealing with a number of issues and laying the necessary administration in advance of VAT registration and interpretation of the technical requirements and substantial changes ahead.  We wish Mrs Parrott a swift recovery nonetheless.

* the latest pseudo-psychological buzzword - to be demonstrated alongside ‘real’ leadership, ‘authentic’ leadership and ‘genuine’ leadership. One has to wonder whether there are twice as many leadership coaches as there are actual leaders these days… and how many of those developing leaders are actually suffering from being invulnerable, unreal and inauthentic.

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The Foundation Fireworks display and bonfire was wonderfully organised, attended and executed with over 450 guests finding their way up the driveway, and I gather at least 300 burgers and hotdogs were demolished over the course of the evening.  Well done to the 150 who abstained from the appeal of Chef’s french onions.  I am still picking the flavour from my beard.

My thanks to the Foundation volunteers and all others involved in its perfect arrangement, and those parents with 4x4s who risked all by parking on our field.  The proceeds incredibly exceeded £4,000 and every penny has been transferred straight into the library fund in readiness for the next major fitting of furniture in the coming weeks.  Watch this space.

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Whilst talking of money matters, please look out for a forthcoming update on our financial management of the four-fold impact of the recent government budget (VAT, NI, Business Rates and the minimum wage) and the associated enabling financial prudence and review of our operational efficiency that would be expected of us, as we focus on taking Cransley forward in educational provision and development of the facilities and the Estate.  We know things are going to be tough for everybody, but, for our part, we are doing all we can to maintain these principles going forwards with awareness, sympathy, optimism and intent.

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On a practical note, my sources up amongst the highest echelons of the NHS inform me that the RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is at record local levels currently, and yet we still fail to wash hands properly, forget to disinfect door handles and pick our noses whilst waiting at the traffic lights. You would think we would learn by now.  It would be lovely if we could prevent Cransley becoming the devil’s den of disease which most schools end up being at this time of year.  We will remind pupils and staff to regularly wash hands often and properly, maintain our high cleanliness and sanitation levels and more.  We would appreciate you doing the same at home.

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Thank you for your ongoing support, loyalty and optimism. Let’s keep ourselves warm and dry and happy and healthy and always rather lovely (and now and then, absolutely unreal)

Have a great weekend,

Mr R Pollock

Headteacher

At Day-Close in November

The ten hours' light is abating,
And a late bird wings across,
Where the pines, like waltzers waiting,
Give their black heads a toss.

Beech leaves, that yellow the noon-time,
Float past like specks in the eye;
I set every tree in my June time,
And now they obscure the sky.

And the children who ramble through here
Conceive that there never has been
A time when no tall trees grew here,
That none will in time be seen.

by Thomas Hardy