Chronicle: 21 June 2019

Cranmore Chronicle 21st June 2019 Editor: Mrs S Watkinson

Dear Parents

I am sure you will join me in congratulating our 6th Form pupils who maintained our 100% pass rate for Common Entrance. They have enjoyed a well-earned break in Cornwall this week with lots of adventure activities.

We were delighted to welcome Onjali RaĂşf on Monday, an award-winning author who really inspired the children.

It has been a particularly busy week in the Junior Department. The Form 1 Assembly was fantastic and we were fortunate to have fine weather for our Nursery/LP Sports Day yesterday.

Equally, we enjoyed the sunshine on Monday for our inaugural Proms in the Paddock which was a real showcase for our talented children. I do hope that some of the children might visit the Proms in London this Summer, Shelagh is already in rehearsal for her two concerts there, which I am very much looking forward to attending.

Yours sincerely, Michael Connolly

Nursery News

Woodland Adventure Day fun: balancing on and playing with ropes!

Role play: visiting the doctor’s surgery for a check up

During the Woodland Adventure Day, the children made a pet on a stick.

Getting ready for Proms in the Paddock

Juniors We were blessed with glorious sunshine on Monday afternoon when the Junior Department hosted Proms in the Paddock. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to perform outside. All the children looked so colourful and the finale of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ had everyone standing and singing, whilst waving their Union Jack flags. Everyone enjoyed their well-deserved picnic afterwards!

Mrs Nicholson, Head of Junior Department

Role play: visiting the doctor’sLower Prep: If I surgery for a check up Were a Butterfly

Lower Prep: Train Song

Middle Prep: Let’s Go Fly a Kite

Middle Prep: Songs from Oliver

Upper Prep: Songs from The Lion King

Form 1: Land of Hope and Glory

We had a very successful Moving Up Afternoon in the Junior Department on Tuesday; the children really enjoyed spending time in their new classes and felt very grown up.

Role play: visiting the doctor’s surgery for a check up

Lower Prep trip to Brooklands Museum

Upper Prep had a wonderful trip to Wakehurst Place, being artists, scientists and botanists!

Creating our collaborative piece of natural artwork. This was named ‘The Red Wreath.’

Role play: visiting the doctor’s surgery for a check up

Identifying the creatures and making observations about them

Upper Prep have been learning about the Wright brothers and they were set a challenge to make something that flies!

Seniors 4th Form Bushy Park Trip On 1st May the Fourth Form went on a Biology trip to Bushy Park, where we got to go pond dipping and complete a survey about how humans affect the environment.

When we arrived after the bus journey we were taken to a room in which we were given clipboards and a booklet. Looking around the room, there were pictures on the walls of the animals that we might find pond dipping. We then grabbed some nets and equipment and set off for the pond dipping. When we got to the pond, we were all given an area to dip in. I was with Cameron B., William B., Lawrence B. and Colton K. We managed to find many creatures including Water Louse, Lesser Water Boatmen and more. Everyone was shown a Dragonfly Nymph that had crawled out of the water and was going through metamorphosis, which was an amazing experience. We then did a sheet about how clean the water was.

When we came back, we had our lunch, after a long hand wash. When lunch was finished, we set out for the 2nd activity, a survey of how humans affect the environment. We completed a survey for different areas. On it were questions like ‘How loud is it?’, ‘Is the ground eroded?’ and ‘How many dog poos are there?’ (There were none anywhere). Along the way we also played a game where there was a bat and a moth. It was like Marco and Polo, but Bat and Moth. During the game other people who weren't a bat or moth started to speak. After that, it was harder for the bats to get the moths. This showed us how noise affects animals.

The final activity we did was a survey on trampled and un-trampled ground. We checked how many plants were growing, how soft the ground was, etc. in a small grid of space. This showed us how humans walking on the ground can affect plant life.

Overall, Bushy Park was a great trip and we thank Mr Minikin, Dr Verny-White and all the other staff involved.

By Jonty Edmonds

Bat and Moth game

Dragonfly Nymph

Visit by Onjali Raúf, author of The Boy at the Back of the Class

We had a fantastic visit on Monday from Onjali Raúf at the start of Refugee Week. Pupils from Form One were able to hear her speak in Assembly and then came to have their books signed later in the morning. They were delighted to be offered a lemon sherbet, the sweet offered by the main character in the book to the refugee boy, Ahmet, as an act of friendship.

They also enjoyed meeting Onjali’s toy dog, Snowy of Tintin fame!

Forms Two to Four attended longer talks and learnt a great deal about the inspiration behind the book. They returned at lunchtime to have their books signed and chat with Onjali. It was a very inspirational day.

Sian Watkinson and Jessica Schembri

‘‘A great, inspiring book to enhance our future lives and turn the story of a poor refugee into less of a sad topic, giving us more hope for the future of other refugees.” Kaden, Form 4

“I thought that Onjali was a very jolly person and she opened my eyes: I didn’t realise that refugees were treated so badly.” Hugo, Form 4

6th Form Residential Trip: An Action-packed Week in Cornwall

Trekking through the trees Preparing to zip line across the Eden Project

Enjoying several different types of water sports

CAPS (Cranmore Assessment in Public Speaking) We are now more than halfway through our assessments and it has been a real pleasure to see how much energy and effort the Second, Third and Fourth Form pupils have put into these. There have been many excellent readings and recitations of poems.

The presentations have covered a diverse range of topics including, 'The Cow's Digestive System', How to Care for Hedgehogs', 'Orienteering', 'Apartheid in South Africa', 'Memory', and many more on pets, sports and holiday destinations. It is lovely to see how well even the shyest individuals perform when they do not have to write an essay about it!

Meredith Hopkins, Head of English

Here are 3J painting the scenery for the Nut Room in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. They worked at an impressive pace and completed the three panels during a double period. Some of them also competed in Sports Day Field events for part of the lesson!

Sports Focus Our athletics squad has been in action over the last week, competing at Epsom College, Donhead and Bracknell for the West Surrey Meet. The effort and determination from all the Cranmore children has been superb, and there has been some valuable athletics experience gained in representing the school. A mention must go to our Forms 3 and 4 squad who finished 3rd at the Epsom College Meet and this was amongst 14 teams competing. In the Form 5 and 6 competition, there were 10 teams involved, some of these teams being senior schools. Across the whole squad, there were some outstanding individual and team performances, which resulted in Cranmore finishing 1st, a truly magnificent result.

Weather has affected cricket fixtures over the last week, but our U10s were able to play their matches against Parkside. Fantastic bowling and some good shot-selection contributed to winning all three matches. A Cranmore U9s team represented the school at the Downsend Sixes tournament on Friday and performed very well. Finally, there was an U11s tennis match against Lanesborough on Monday, in which Cranmore were eventual winners, 6 matches to 3.

Summer Holiday Camps: For all Activate Camps, book here https://www.activatecamps.co.uk/venues/cranmore-school/ Tennis (Mr Harris) - 15th to 19th July Cricket (Activate Camps) - 5th to 9th August Hockey (Activate Camps) - 12th to 16th August Football (Activate Camps) - 19th to 21st August Netball (Activate Camps) - 19th to 21st August Football (Surrey Football) - 27th to 30th August Rowing - 27th to 31st - Summer Rowing course at Walton Rowing Club F2 to F6 Football (Surrey Football Coaching) - 2nd to 4th September Paul Hodgson Director of Sport

Downsend U9 Cricket Sixes

Donhead Athletics

Epsom College Athletics

SPORTS DAY TRACK EVENTS 27TH JUNE A reminder to Senior parents that Senior Sports Day track events have been rescheduled to the afternoon of the 27th June. The event timings remain the same and the timings are below. As it is Founders Day Mass that day, all students should come to school in their uniform and will then change into their sports kit at lunch time.

Time

Event

2.00 p.m.

F2

80m B and A

2.15 p.m.

F4

1500m

2.30 p.m.

F2, 3 and 4

200m B

2.40 p.m.

All years F2 and 3

200m A 600m

F4

400m B and A

F5 and 6

400m A

2.55 p.m.

F2 and 3

60m B

3.05 p.m.

F2 and 3 F5 and 6

60m A 800m

3.15 p.m.

F3

100m B and A

F4

100m B and A

3.30 p.m.

F5 and 6 F2 and 3

100m A 300m B

3.45 p.m.

F2 and 3 F4

300m A 800m

4.00 p.m.

All years

4 x 100m relay

4.15 p.m.

F2

House distance relay

Three of our pupils are taking part in productions at Grange Park Opera this season: Stanley is performing in Porgy and Bess; Alex and Effie are performing in Don Carlo.

We are delighted that they have this wonderful opportunity!

Well done to the Junior pupils who performed in Monday’s Junior Piano Concert. The standard was incredibly high. Thank you to all of the parents who support your child’s music making and to our wonderful piano teachers.

The picture shows a selection of the pupils who performed.

Brilliant playing by these young string players at Wednesday’s cello and bass tea time concert.

Congratulations to Fifth Former Tom, who played ‘Red Hot Polka’

by Richard Kershaw brilliantly on his oboe during assembly.

First day back after the holidays: Chatting with friends in the playground