In assemblies and Form Time, we have been thinking about Children’s Mental Health Week The theme this year is This Is My Place, which encourages us to build a sense of belonging within our community. The children also took part in a Hug in a Mug hot chocolate sale, a fundraising initiative for the charity Place2Be. Thank you to the PSHE team and our School Council representatives for organising this event.
It has also been a busy week of trips: Year 1 ventured to Godstone Farm; Year 5 visited St Teresa’s for a French breakfast; and Year 6 headed to the theatre to see the stage adaptation of Onjali Raúf’s award winning book The Boy at the Back of the Class Our U11 hockey squad U11 performed brilliantly at the IAPS Regionals Congratulations to all who were involved!
Throughout the week, we were delighted to welcome a number of special guests: the esteemed author Fiorella Nash, who spoke to us about the life of Maximilian Kolbe; Alex Holmes OBE, a recognised anti bullying campaigner; and our Cranmore families from Reception to Year 3, who came to see the wonderful work the children have produced this year
I wish everyone a restful half term break
Mr Heaver
Wintershall Assembly Celebrating Children’s Mental Health Week at Cranmore
This week at school, we have been celebrating Children’s Mental Health Week a valuable opportunity to focus on pupils’ emotional wellbeing and strengthen understanding across our community This year’s theme, This Is My Place, highlights the importance of belonging, kindness, and caring for ourselves and others.
During Form Time, students discussed what mental health means and explored practical strategies for managing feelings and challenges They were thoughtful, reflective, and supportive, showing the importance of talking openly about their emotions
On Thursday, we held our whole school Hug in a Mug event. Pupils and staff enjoyed a hot chocolate and a moment to connect, while raising a fantastic £425 for Place2Be a leading children’s mental health charity providing in school counselling, staff training, and support for families We are grateful to everyone who donated £2 to help fund this vital work
To finish the week, we welcomed Alex Holmes OBE, who spoke to the Senior School and Years 4 and 5 about kindness, bullying, and the power of positive actions. His message encouraged students to consider the impact of their behaviour and the importance of standing up for one another.
It has been a meaningful week of learning and supporting each other We are incredibly proud of our students for engaging so positively Let us continue to look out for one another, practise kindness each day, and remember that talking about our feelings helps us all to thrive.
Mr Kelly
Year 6 pupils visited the Rose Theatre in Kingston on Friday to watch The Boy at the Back of the Class This stage adaptation of Onjali Rauf's award-winning novel highlighted the importance of having good friends and reminded us that everyone deserves to have a place to call home.
On Wednesday morning, pupils from across the Trust gathered at St Teresa’s for a delicious French breakfast They enjoyed chocolat chaud, pains au chocolat, and croissants while practising French phrases designed to help them get to know one another. Merci beaucoup to St Teresa’s for hosting us for this enriching cultural experience.
Lower Prep Drama Workshop Author Visit from Fiorella de Maria
Fiorella De Maria visited Cranmore on Tuesday to speak about her life as an author and to share insights into her book on St Maximilian Kolbe. Pupils were captivated by her description of the courage, faith, and selflessness shown by St Maximilian, encouraging them to reflect on what true heroism looks like in everyday life.
She reminded pupils that each of them has a unique gift to offer the world and that we are all called to be heroes not necessarily through grand gestures, but through kindness, perseverance, and standing up for what is right. Her visit left the children inspired and thoughtful.
Mr Jakubowski
House Meeting Pancake Races
Pupils enjoyed taking part in pancake races during their House Meetings this week. They proved themselves to be expert pancake flippers!
Offer Holders’ Day
We were delighted to welcome our offer holders, including both current pupils and those joining us from other schools. They enjoyed an exciting afternoon of DT and were able to take home their very own 3D printed racing car!
From initial concepts to the race on the 25-metre track, pupils designed, refined and brought their compressed gas-powered cars to life. Awards for Fastest Time and Best Design celebrated both performance and innovation.
The winning design was even digitally rendered into a full-scale Formula 1 concept car, demonstrating the power of technology to transform a pupil’s idea into a professional-level visualisation
Seeing pupils iterate, problem-solve and take real ownership of their ideas is exactly why I am so passionate about STEM.
A fantastic event that highlights the creativity of our pupils and the strength of our Design and Technology department
Mr McGhee
Wintershall Assembly Year 5 Explore the Science behind Baking
Year 5 recently enjoyed a creative homework task, exploring the science behind baking and discovering what makes cakes and bread rise. The challenge to bake using bicarbonate of soda or baking powder was embraced by pupils with relish and, in some cases, we were lucky enough to taste the results. The boys enjoyed sharing their experiences in class, and we all agreed it was a delicious piece of homework!
Dr Verny White
Year 5 Explore the Science behind Baking
For my science homework this week, we were asked to bake something, or research how bicarbonate of soda and baking powder help to make cakes or cookies rise Bicarbonate of soda creates carbon dioxide bubbles These bubbles expand when they are heated, causing the dough of a cookie or the batter of a cake to rise, resulting in light, fluffy baked goods. I chose to bake and made a chocolate orange fudge cake. I took a slice of the cake in for Dr Verny White and she said that it was amazing (It really was, well done Alfie! Dr VW)
Rory W’s poster explaining the science behind the baking process
Alfie H (5MP)
Wintershall Assembly Year 6 Biology Project
As part of their Year 6 homework, pupils completed a project at home entitled Making Models of Specialised Animal and Plant Cells It was wonderful to see how creative our young biologists are! They used different coloured playdough to carefully model and label a variety of specialised cells, including sperm cells, egg cells, muscle cells, nerve cells, and red blood cells, as well as plant cells such as xylem,
phloem, palisade, and root hair cells
The creativity and attention to detail shown in representing the unique structures of each cell were truly impressive The boys confidently presented their models to the class, explaining the adaptations of each cell They also reflected on the challenges they encountered during the project and how they overcame them. Many expressed their gratitude to their parents for the support and encouragement that helped them complete their final products so successfully.
Mr Rahman
Lower Prep Come and See Event - Year 3
Year 3 loved welcoming their parents and grandparents to come and see their wonderful work. The children were proud to share pieces of writing and art and enjoyed explaining science experiments and maths problems too They were full of facts and information about India, our topic for the term As one parent commented, 'Now we know why our children are so tired after a day at school!'
Thank you to all the parents who came.
Mrs Norris and Mrs Spencer
Lower Prep Come and See Event
We were thrilled to welcome the parents of all pupils from Reception through to Year 3 for our ‘Come and See’ event on Wednesday. It was a wonderful opportunity for families to step into the classrooms, and our pupils were brimming with pride as they shared their learning and showcased the fantastic effort they have been putting into their work
Year 2 News
Year 2 had a wonderful time at Forest School this week They helped care for the site by feeding the birds and spreading bark along the pathways. Afterwards, they enjoyed imaginative games inspired by safari animals, linking beautifully to our current topic on Kenya.
Mrs Green
Wintershall Assembly Year 1 Visit to Godstone Farm
Year 1 rounded off their food and farming topic with a wonderful visit to Godstone Farm The children were thrilled to take part in animal handling, meeting a bearded dragon and some very fluffy chickens. They also enjoyed feeding many of the farm animals, including pigs, goats, llamas, a Highland cow and sheep. The day ended with plenty of laughter and adventure on the enormous playground.
Throughout the trip, the children represented Cranmore beautifully with their polite manners and enthusiasm. It was a fantastic outing and a memorable way to complete the topic.
Mrs Parker
In Expressive Arts and Design, we created a Polar Box Craft. First, we collaged a shoe box, then we painted the inside, before creating a snowy scene with pictures, glitter and cotton wool Mrs Prothero was so proud of us!
On Tuesday, our caterers, Harrisons, prepared a delightful spread in celebration of Shrove Tuesday Pupils were able to select from an assortment of toppings to complement the offerings
Sports News
Outstanding U11 Hockey Performance at the IAPS Regionals
The U11 hockey squad delivered a superb day of hockey at the IAPS Regionals, showcasing skill, resilience and teamwork throughout a demanding schedule of fixtures Cranmore opened the tournament with a tightly contested 0–0 draw with Ashford School, a match that could easily have resulted in a comfortable win were it not for an outstanding opposition goalkeeper. From there, the boys quickly found their rhythm:
3–0 win vs Windlesham House School
5–0 win vs Marlborough House Vinehall
3–0 win vs Brighton College
Quarter-Final
1–0 win vs Bede’s
This excellent run set up a thrilling semi-final against Hurstpierpoint After leading for much of the match, the team were denied victory when Hurstpierpoint equalised in the final three minutes The result then came down to shuffles, where Hurstpierpoint narrowly edged the win
In the 3rd/4th place play-off, the team once again showed tremendous spirit, finishing with an exciting 2–2 draw. Throughout the day, the boys were outstanding full of determination, energy and high-quality hockey. A special congratulations goes to Fabian H (Year 6), who was deservedly named Player of the Tournament
A fantastic effort from the whole squad Well done!
Mr Hodgson, Director of Sport
Easter Sports Camp
Lions Sports Academy are hosting an Easter Camp at Cranmore, 30th March - 2nd April. Please see flyer and booking link below Cranmore parents can get a 15% discount using the code: Cranmore15 https://lionssports.academy/bookingpage/School-Camp/Cranmore-School
Mouthguards
Home Fit Cranmore Mouthguard - please use this link to order Cranmore’s bespoke mouth guard (discount code cranmore10 to receive 10% off)
Professional Fit Mouthguard (at local dentists) - Topguards. To book: https://form jotform com/241132543497355
For more information: enquiries@topguards.co.uk
Chaplaincy
This Week
A Reading from the Gospel of Matthew
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied
‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy
‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.’
Reflection
Each Beatitude offers both comfort and challenge comfort, because God draws near to the poor, the gentle, the sorrowing, and the persecuted; and challenge, because we are called to embody these attitudes in our daily lives.
When we choose kindness over pride, peace over anger, and forgiveness over resentment, we begin to reflect the heart of Christ
The Beatitudes remind us that life is not always easy. We will face hardships, but these very challenges can draw us closer to the One who created us.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You teach us the way of blessing through the Beatitudes. Make our hearts humble and open, our actions gentle and merciful, our choices rooted in justice and peace Bless us when the path feels difficult, and strengthen us to live as Your disciples. May our lives reflect Your Kingdom here in our school and in the world Amen.
Soup
Monday
Main
Vegetarian
Sweet & Sour
Chicken Hong Kong Style Slow Cooked Beef Lasagne
Roast Pork with Yorkshire Pudding, Apple Sauce & Gravy
Loaded Mexican Chicken Nachos with Sour Cream, Salsa & Cheese
Freshly Battered Fish, Breaded
Fishcake or Fish
Finger with Ketchup and Tartare Sauce
Sticky Teriyaki Quorn & Aubergine
Egg Fried Rice Broccoli
Sides
Additional
Pasta with Tomato & Basil Sauce
Freshly Baked Bread
Salad bar
Roasted Vegetable Lasagne
Garlic Bread
Roquette& Balsamic Tomato Salad
Braised Lentil Cottage Pie with a Sweet Potato Top
