A summary adaptation of my usual termly report to the Board. nb. Dates for the Diary at the end!
Academic & Curricular
Education, training and recreation
The School continues to enhance its curriculum for the engagement and enjoyment of learning and finally to benefit the results of GCSE examinations. The Junior Curriculum continues to employ research-based pedagogical approaches to enhance the delivery of learning, and the Senior School subject specialists are developing even more cross-subject collaboration within their departments and the Junior School, and with other settings.
The Year 11 pupils have commenced their GCSE examination period. They have received ever more comprehensive preparation, including additional intervention and teacher-led revision sessions, exam technique and instruction. This year has brought about the innovative application of AI (Notebook LM) for resource creation and revision. This software synthesises GCSE course materials (indeed any source material), and then enables interactive text dialogue conversations/quizzes to facilitate revision, even generating podcast-style conversations. Consequently, pupils can engage in revision even when walking the dog. Parents could even subliminally play the podcast in their rooms, so pupils could even revise as they sleep!
Our Year 10 pupils have also recently had their first taste of formal examination procedures - something which we have long recognised allows pupils to feel as comfortable as possible with the real thing, when it quickly comes around.
As mentioned above, the swift but safe and steady development at Cransley of Artificial Intelligence as a tool for learning, a tool for assessment and a tool for administrative time-saving, has been hugely beneficial across the school. The Digital Review and Management Team, and the associated AI implementation team, continue to seek new innovative opportunities whilst maintaining a high level of privacy and confidentiality, support for unsure staff, systems for monitoring pupil activity and conduct and wider standards of use.
Personal Enrichment & Wellbeing
Social and economic wellbeing and contributions to society, including careers.
Enrichment (CSE) clubs will be maintained next year within a similar timetable from Monday to Thursday, desipte the longer working day. On a Friday Afternoon, when the formal timetable ends at 1 pm, enrichment activities will be led mainly by external providers (with supervision from Senior leaders) or part time staff working additional hours providing enrichment activities at a cost (approx £10-12 per hour, depending on the specialism). Alternatively, Senior School pupils can study independently (supervised, and free) using our new library facility and Junior school pupils can attend ASC (at our competitive rate of approx £5 per per hour).
Plans for Junior Friday Enrichment includes: Judo and Archery, Mad Science, Street dance, Farming and more. Senior Friday Enrichment includes Performing Arts, Gourmet Bakery, Motorsport and Engineering and Sports. Further details will be shared with parents in due course.
We are also exploring the development of a social space for parents and staff based within our glorious grounds, where children can play and parents can access refreshments and enjoy the beautiful surroundings - something which could be run by our older pupils for work experience. Feedback on the concept would be appreciated.
Cransley Community
Farm
The outdoor provision at Cransley continues within our beautiful estate with the Cransley Farm Project now ahead of schedule and engaging and employing all Junior pupils several times each week, to the delight of them all. The holistic advantages of working outside, preparing and managing land and seeing results within a matter of months has been hugely rewarding.
Cransley Speedworks Motorsport has developed quickly and sustainably, already achieving standards far beyond our initial objectives, reaching the National Final of the F1 in Schools Competition, and preparing to race their two new F24 electric carts at the forthcoming Aintree circuit in September. A new garage facility will be built on the Estate to allow easier access to the workshop, and funded in part by our motorsport partners.
The pupils and staff have enjoyed the opportunity of two foreign trips this term - a ski trip to La Molina (Spain) and a short cultural trip to Madrid. The next trip aboard will be in December 2025 to Bormio, Italy, before a major trip being planned to California in June 2026.
Other visits include a wonderful history residential for Y5 and Y6 in York, trips to Jodrell Bank, Roman Chester, even Tescos amongst many others, this term alone.
The revitalised assembly system has continued to engagement pupils with House events, a substantial and well supported ‘Cransley’s Got Talent’ event, and a series of meaningful class assemblies based on some difficult subjects, and fantastic guest speakers.
Wellbeing Support - Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing and safeguarding
The Hub remains a vital and integral source of support for pupils who may find elements of learning difficult, or who may be experiencing personal difficulties. Our ELSAs (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants) manage a supportive timetable of listening support, organisation assistance, peaceful retreat and behaviour restoration.
Our staff training on Health and Safety systems recently took the form of an in-depth review of risk assessment and, in particular, our Invacuation procedures. Senior pupils have had the matter addressed in an assembly and staff will speak to pupils in the Juniors separately to discuss what these procedures are, and why they are important, before we conduct some invacuation drills. We are aware that some child may question such matters as a result of our conversation and rehearsals, but we will assure them that we are just trying to be the safest we can possibly be.
It is surprising sometimes to see news reports of schools taking the ‘pioneering’ steps of banning mobile phones in class. Cransley has never permitted pupil phones. It is nice to be about 14 years ahead of everyone else.
It is not surprising, at the same time, to see our youngest pupils superseding adults as the sensible and astute factors within the diseased time of smartphone social media addiction. Our Year 5 pupils have studied the benefits and disadvantages of social media and wider smartphone use, and have made a Smartphone pact amongst themselves to request of their parents that they are not given a smartphone until they begin Y7 at the earliest, and some even pressing on to their 13th birthday. The leadership intend to support parents and pupils in making similar choices in the younger years, before the temptation grows too strong.
Staff and HR
Teaching, Administrative and operational
The term will serve as the swansong to four colleagues who will starting retirement after many years of service (although nearly all of them will be immediately reemployed in a different role) and and another returning to a life aboard. Further details will follow in a separate Journal entry, with the time and space to better acknowledge their huge contribution to the School, over the years.
We have already begun recruitment for their replacements with the net cast wide in order to assure ourselves of the very best of future colleague.
Three members of teaching staff are about to embark on a two-year Senior Leader Apprenticeship (with Masters) qualification, which is currently being completed by Mr Morris, who has entered his end-point assessment this month. The course delivers a comprehensive and challenging study of leadership styles within an educational context and accumulates in a substantial business project to enhance the School.
Finance and Business Management
The school has rolled out a new version of the Parental Contract and new Parental Code of Conduct in readiness for September 2025. There have been no objections or queries.
The School is unlikely to meet its admissions target of 270+ pupils for September 2025, but will at least maintain a slightly higher pupil roll at around 260. This is traditionally a fertile time for admissions, and this year is no exception with several tours and taster days held already and scheduled over the coming weeks.
School Tours remain delightful opportunities to showcase the school without effort, manipulation or false selling. Our pupils remain polite and welcoming to guests and keen to share their experiences, and the beauty of the Estate, in this sustained glorious weather, never fails to impress
Our ability to source alternative forms of business income have been developed to holding a pupil holiday club through school holidays (moving from The Grange); hosting events for a local nurseries, and becoming a Hub for a local large Cheshire music group. Although direct income is limited, we have received several admission enquiries as a result of families attending these events and being impressed by the school grounds. We are considering further alternative business revenue.
Belmont Hall
The Estate work currently is focused on the rear windows of the school, replacing all frames and casing, much of which is over 100 years old. Once complete the attention will shift to the front of the school with a steady yet sustained replacement of each 18th Century curved sash windows with their unique octagonal windows.
Further Estate developments being considered include small versatile multi-purpose enterprise units, sustainable developments (e.g. solar panel installations and foresting areas of current agricultural land) as part of a necessary Climate Action Plan and repairs to our driveway and Estate roads.
Richard Pollock
Headteacher
Dates for the Diary
02 Jun 25 - SCHOOL RE-OPENS
07 Jun 25 - Yr 9 Duke of Edinburgh Training Weekend
07 Jun 25 - EYFS OPEN DAY - TEDDY BEARS' GARDEN PICNIC
08 Jun 25 - Yr 9 Duke of Edinburgh Training Weekend
09 Jun 25 - Junior School Assessment Week
09 Jun 25 - FULL STAFF MEETING, 3.45-5pm No CSE clubs on this day.
10/11 Jun 25 - Year 6 to 7 Transition Days
11 Jun 25 - STEM Trip Liverpool (selected pupils)
11 Jun 25 - U13 and U15 ISA Rounders Tournament @ Alderley Edge
11 Jun 25 - All the flavours of Spain for lunch
12 Jun 25 - LAMDA Exams - Year 6 and some Y7 and 8s
12 Jun 25 - Y10 Extra Parent's Evening for pupils on progress review
16 Jun 25 - ISA National Athletic Finals in Birmingham
17 Jun 25 - Manchester School of Art Degree Show Trip
18 Jun 25 - Pupils permitted to attend the Royal Cheshire Show with families
19 Jun 25 - Junior and Senior Sports day
20 Jun 25 - Reserve Junior and Senior Sports day
21 Jun 25 - Yr9 Duke of Edinburgh Qualifying Weekend
25 Jun 25 - Cransley Foundation Afternoon Tea
26 Jun 25 - Y6 & New Y7 Starters Campout
26 Jun 25 - Acting Bug Performance - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
28 Jun 25 - Cransley Foundation Summer Ball
30 Jun 25 - GCSE Y10 Geography/Biology Field Trip
30 Jun 25 - Junior and Senior Reports Issued
01 Jul 25 - Y7-9 Reward Trip- Ninja Warrior
03 Jul 25 - PRIZE GIVING JUNIOR (AFTERNOON) SENIOR (EVENING)
04 Jul 25 - Year 6 Leavers Assembly in Gymnasium
04 Jul 25 - SCHOOL CLOSES FOR SUMMER
08 Jul 25 - Speedworks Race - Doncaster
30 Aug 25 - CransleyFest 2025
