Chronicle 11 September 2020

7TH SEPTEMBER 2020

Message from the Headmaster It has been a delight to welcome back pupils, parents and staff for the first full week of school. We are excited to have increased pupil numbers for this academic year and the future looks extremely positive with a record number of families registered to attend our Open Morning this term. You may have noticed a smart new look to the area immediately outside the Reception and there have been further developments internally by redesigning classrooms for the Lower Prep, Upper Prep and Senior School pupils.

I wish to thank everyone for their help and assistance at drop off and pick up which is now running smoothly. We will of course continue to review the systems and procedures to make the day as ‘normal’ as possible for the pupils. I am delighted to confirm that we will begin reintroducing the service of hot meals at lunchtime next week. In addition, we will recommence swimming lessons for all pupils from Monday.

I am proud to have Cameron as Head Boy and Adrian as Deputy Head of our school for this academic year and I hope you are impressed with our new school uniform for Senior School pupils in Year 7. Finally, I am very grateful to all the parents for their ongoing support and I appreciate your patience as we settle back into school life.

Mr Everitt

A busy and successful first week It has been wonderful to see our pupils settling into their new classrooms and routines with ease. They have had a busy and productive first week and they are happy to see their friends and teachers again.

The Music Department is ready to welcome you We are taking every precaution to keep our pupils safe throughout their practice lessons, with separate rooms for each Bubble, and music lessons are taking place in pupils’ regular classrooms.

Opportunities to learn a musical instrument at Cranmore Cranmore pupils are fortunate to have the services of fifteen excellent visiting music teachers who teach a wide range of instruments. Currently they teach piano (we have four piano staff), organ, violin, viola, cello, double bass, clarinet, saxophone, flute, bassoon, oboe, recorder, trumpet, trombone, French horn, euphonium, tuba, classical guitar, electric guitar, drum kit, orchestral percussion and singing.

Most pupils start an instrument at Cranmore when in Year 2 or 3, although some start later. There are so many benefits to learning a musical instrument. It teaches patience, boosts organisational skills, develops perseverance, creates responsibility, boosts self-esteem, improves reading skills, enhances coordination, promotes maths skills and encourages self-expression.

If your child would like to start lessons on an instrument, please contact Mrs Thornton (Lower Prep pupils) and Mr Harris (Upper Prep and Senior pupils ).

Join our ‘C# Choir’ Auditions Any pupils in Years 7 and 8 who wish to audition for C# (the top choir of the school), please sign up on the sheet on Mrs Thornton’s door. She will then speak with each individual about what they will need to prepare.

A Message of compassion from our caring Progress Department We have all had to adapt and learn new skills during the pandemic and we at Cranmore appreciate how difficult it has been for you and our pupils. However, our pupils have benefited from one of the best online curriculums available and we are proud to have had your support in delivering as much learning as possible during the lockdown.

It is natural for children to be a little apprehensive about the return to school but the teaching staff will be concentrating on developing social skills, and re-engaging children with collaborative learning and team work during the first few days. This will give us the opportunity to observe and monitor the children’s progress in an encouraging and creative environment. Rest assured that our academic goals are set and will be worked towards as soon as the children have settled into their new routines.

Our school focus this year is Compassion. We will be listening, sharing and supporting as an example to your children and know this will build their resilience to future challenges and add to the unique opportunities offered by a Cranmore education.

We look forward to welcoming them back into the Cranmore family.

Mrs K. Offord

Sports Reminders Please can all pupils from Year 2 upwards have their shin pads and boots with them for their PE and Games lessons. Mr Hodgson and the Sports Team are delighted to welcome back all the pupils!

Rain or shine, sports lessons in Year 4 and upwards will always be outside. Please can pupils have a change of clothing with them on the days they participate in sport, particularly in periods of adverse weather.

Mr Hodgson

Activate Camps are available again!

Activate Camps are back at Cranmore School this October half term to deliver the Hockey Masterclass. Sessions are 3 hours long and separated by age groups with robust COVID safety measures in place.

Book now for 10% discount using the code OCT2020 (expires September 30th) https://www.activatecamps.co.uk/venues/cranmore-school/

Sports Scholarship Programme

Chaplaincy Message: New Beginnings A Reading from Book of Genesis Then on the sixth day God said, “Let the earth be filled with animals. And let each produce more of its own kind. Let there be tame animals and small crawling animals and wild animals. And let each produce more of its kind.”

And it happened.

So God made the wild animals, the tame animals and all the small crawling animals to produce more of their own kind. God saw that this was good.

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image and likeness. And let them rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky. Let them rule over the tame animals, over all the earth and over all the small crawling animals on the earth.

The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God Reflection In the story of Creation that we hear this week we are reminded that God loves a new beginning, that He made us and He does not make mistakes. The story in Genesis reminds us that Creation and people are good; all is sacred. As we start our new year may we look positively at the many adventures ahead and ensure we look after each other this year for we are all made in His Sacred Image.

Notices The Cranmore Faith Family will be starting to meet soon via Teams. If you are interested in joining us, please email: stephen.jakubowski@cranmore.org

E-Safety Talk inspires pupils and parents At this time when we are all using computers, social media and the internet more, it is especially important that pupils are aware of the dangers of the internet. Therefore, on Tuesday 7th September, we were delighted to welcome Karl Hopwood, independent expert on e-safety, to speak via Teams to pupils in Years 5, 6, 7 and 8 across the Effingham Schools Trust. Later that evening, parents across the Trust were invited to attend a parent session and we were delighted to note that over 120 parents attended.

The parent session has been saved and can be accessed here: https://stteresaas-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/ k_jones_st-teresas_com/Ec8FdJfq1tdMoW_xVqbngQsBDpgXomPuIj7aGA5mK1p4KQ?e=hn4574 Further links regarding online safety guidance can also be found here: https://cranmorevle.fireflycloud.net/e-safety/e-safety-parent-meeting If you have not logged into the VLE before, please click on ‘Logging in for the first time?’ and use the email address you have given to school.

Library News While pupils are not able to visit the library in person for the time being, we are bringing the books to our pupils via their Form teachers and English teachers. Upper Prep and Senior pupils will be able to take their library books home and Lower Prep pupils will keep their library books in their classrooms. If you have a particular book request, please feel free to email sian.watkinson@cranmore.org.