Message from the Headmaster
It has certainly been a busy end to this half term with the call from the Independent Schools Inspectorate team on Monday, indicating that they would be visiting Cranmore throughout this week. The inspection process is always extremely thorough; changes to the framework have made it a more condensed and intense event than in previous years. There is no longer a grading system, and the individual categories simply need to be met. What I can share with you is how proud I am of the whole school community for their help and support. Pupils, parents and staff were immensely helpful in sharing their love for our school which permeated through the questionnaires into the classrooms, around the auditorium and onto the playing pitches. Everyone made an enormous effort to show Cranmore at its very best and I am delighted with the outcome.
On reflection, hosting an IAPS event with visiting schools in the midst of the process was a brave step but one that gave a great impression of the ability of our school to function seamlessly at such a busy time. Thank you once again to everyone involved this week and I am sure we can now all enjoy a restful half term break.
Mr Everitt
Offer Holders’ Day
Last Friday, we held an offer holders’ day with 40 external boys attending, combined with our Year 6 boys. They enjoyed a fish and chip lunch with our Year 6s in the Dining Hall and then split into two groups, with a mix of Cranmore boys and our offer holders in each group.
One group was in the Sports Hall and the second group was in the Auditorium. The boys in the Sports Hall performed a variety of tasks in small groups such as basketball shooting, building a tower out of trainers and working as a team to move a mat. Those in the Auditorium each decorated a piece of what became the Cranmore crest. All the pieces were very individual – a mix of sports patterns, colourful spots and meaningful words. All the boys seemed to have a great afternoon and loved seeing their piece of the puzzle in the assembled crest, which was created by our DT team.
French Breakfast
Year 5 pupils from across the Trust came together this week for a French breakfast experience. The pupils enjoyed typical French breakfast foods and drinks. One of the highlights for many was drinking hot chocolate from a bowl! They also practised greeting each other and introducing themselves in French. We were joined by some of our Year 10 pupils who were on hand to serve and also encourage some French speaking.
Mrs Spooner
How much vitamin C is in cucumber? Not as much as we thought according to Cranmore Science club. Analysis using a special indicator to identify the presence of Vitamin C found strong quantitative evidence (based on data) that chopped peppers have more Vitamin C than cucumber and apples. All enjoyed extracting the vitamin C with a pestle and mortar and dissolving the water-soluble nutrient for testing as much as they did analysing the results.
Dr Verny White, Head of Prep Science
Congratulations to Stokes House in the Lower Prep and Radford House in the Upper Prep for gaining the highest number of merits this week!
This Week’s House Cup Winners
Nursery
Following on from Children’s Mental Health Week, this week in Nursery, the children have enjoyed various activities around out topic book, 'The Colour Monster’, which focuses on understanding our different emotions. They used the interactive whiteboard to draw the person that makes them feel happy and loved. In PSED we talked all about what made us feel happy, angry, sad and confused. In Science they had great fun learning all about forces, they built some super constructions in order to generate more speed. At Forest School they walked around the site looking at seasonal changes beginning to take place. They saw snowdrops, crocuses and how the daffodils are just starting to grow from the bulb. In small groups they looked at colour matching.
Ms Luke, Director of Nursery
A Message from our Chaplaincy Team
This Week
A Reading from the Gospel of Luke
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Reflection
Jesus calls the disciples. He calls them to put out into the deep. This is a great moment where reason meets with revelation. It seems unreasonable for Simon Peter to start fishing again. They have fished all night and caught nothing. It is time to leave it for now. And yet Jesus’ words and commandments bring life and hope. They sustain us and make the impossible, possible. Put out into the deep.
Prayer
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears
Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us, and after this exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Soup Soup of the Soup of the Soup of the Soup of the Soup of the
Main Mild Beef Chilli Con Carne
served in a taco & dips
Piri Piri Chicken with Pitta Bread, Baby Gem and Homemade Sauces
Honey Roasted Gammon with Stuffing & Gravy
Sweet & Sour
Turkey Noodles
Vegetarian
Mixed Bean & Quorn Chilli
Sides Spicy rice
Steamed Sweetcorn
Cheesy Vegetable Enchilada
Feta & Spinach Filo Pie
Sticky Teriyaki
Quorn & Aubergine
Additional Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Dessert Citrus Drizzle Cake
Potato Wedges
Macho Peas
Rainbow Slaw Garlic & Thyme Roasted Potatoes
Pasta with Tomato & Basil Sauce
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
White Chocolate & Cherry Shortbread
Fresh Fruit Friday Menu
Freshly Battered Fish or Breaded Fish
Fillet with Ketchup and Tartare Sauce
Macaroni
Cheese with a Crispy Onion Topping
Steamed Rice Broccoli
Chunky Chips Garden Peas
Green Beans
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Pasta with Tomato & Basil Sauce
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Jacket Potato & Baked Beans
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Apple Filo Pie with Custard
Items in Italic - Sourced from F Conisbee’s, our local butcher
Chocolate Brownie
