FOREWORD

The Autumn Term has flown by and it has made me think back to this time last year when we had just completed our first term as Cranleigh Abu Dhabi – what a distance we have come since then. Although we are only four terms old, we are now functioning like a fully established school. Yes, the dynamic has changed slightly as the campus has grown but that is to be expected and the change must be embraced. It is wonderful to now have the sports centre, swimming pool, senior school and auditorium open for our

use. This has made a whole world of difference to the children on so many fronts as you will see from this report. In the world of education, there is an increasing amount of emphasis being placed on emotional intelligence and mental wellbeing, the former being the ability children have to recognise their own and others emotions, to discriminate between feelings and label them appropriately and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour. Studies have shown that emotional intelligence is twice as important in leadership as technical ability. This is the backbone of the ‘soft skills’ that the children will learn here at Cranleigh. Next term, Dick Moore, a leading speaker on the subject of mental health, has agreed to come and talk to us as a community. He is inspirational and it is one talk not to miss. International Day is also happening next term on 10th March – this is a wonderful celebration of the diversity in our school. We have families from all over the world, each bringing with them a part of their culture and something that we can learn from. We are lucky to have over 50 nationalities here at Cranleigh and this promises to be a super day of festivities. If you would like to take an active part as your country’s ‘representative’, please click the link here. Some of the unfortunate incidents to hit the news this term were the tragic events in Paris and Beirut. In this modern world, security is becoming an ever increasing issue and we as a school are not immune. We would like you to rest assured that we are in contact with all the main embassies in order to stay abreast of any situation that might arise. Security is taken seriously here without the place having to resemble a fortress. Finally, as well as finding out from me what has been going on at Cranleigh and what we have to look forward to next term, you also have the important task of seeing how your children are getting on in the classroom. Please click here which will take you to the portal where you can unlock their report. That just leaves me to wish you a restful and relaxing holiday; make sure your children recharge their batteries and we will look forward to seeing you all again in January. Simon Kenworthy Head of the Prep School

CRANLEIGH PREP SCHOOL DECEMBER 2015

HEAD’S REPORT

ACADEMICS SCHOLARSHIPS Whilst all the children at Cranleigh work hard, it would be remiss not to mention two outstanding academic performances this term: we were delighted to hear that two of our pupils have been awarded scholarships to their senior schools in the UK. Congratulations to Shahid Naqvi who earned a scholarship to Reigate Grammar School and to Oliver Fidler who was awarded the top scholarship (Jane Rowbotham Award) to Sedbergh School. We are delighted for them and wish them well; it illustrates how well they are being prepared here at Cranleigh. MODEL UNITED NATIONS Cranleigh had 39 pupils participate in the Change the World Model United Nations at NYU where our delegates dominated the conference with their empathy, hope, diplomacy and passion. Cranleighans debated the potential of nuclear

technology, and security in the digital world. Cranleigh won more awards than any other school represented in this 200 delegate conference, sweeping the ceremony. Special congratulations to our winners in the Prep School: Felix Jones, Ffion Button and Tareq Madanat.

PASTORAL The Cranleigh Code has been further ingrained in the children this term and is a backbone for how we deal with each other as part of our community. You will see framed copies of the Cranleigh Code all around the Prep School. Moreover, we have also adopted a “Value of the Month” which we try to bring out in lessons and tutor time, and it gives a pastoral focus for the children. The theme this month is ‘Kindness and Inclusivity’ and in January we will move on to ‘Honesty”. The Cranleigh Voice is another initiative that we have started, which allows the children to have an input into the daily life of the school. They meet each week and are able to make suggestions and put forward motions for what they would like to see happen at school. Each year group has its representatives and they will then feed back to their classes each week. My thanks goes to Mr Coulson for getting the Prep School Voice up and running; it is already a great success.

Cranleigh Voice - Junior Division Cranleigh Voice - Senior Division The Cranleigh Code

Oliver Fidler was awarded a scholarship to Sedbergh School

Shahid Naqvi was awarded a scholarship to

Reigate Grammar

Cranleighans at the MUN

PERFORMING ARTS The opening of the auditorium has also breathed a new lease of life into the school: it is used for assem-blies, productions and Drama lessons, not to mention the “Open Minds” series of talks that Cranleigh has been hosting. The main production this term was The Nutting Play, performed by children in Years 7 – 10, which actu-ally took place all around the Senior School with the audience following the actors around. It was a won-derfully colourful event with some great humour. More recently, over 100 children performed in “Dance Unleashed”, which was a spectacular carnival of dance moves and music. It is clear that Dance is hugely popular here at Cranleigh and we are soon going to need a bigger space to perform in. Furthermore, our musicians have also been in action with over 40% of the Prep School pupils learning an instrument at school. The Informal Concert Series has now started, providing the pupils with a re-laxed and supportive platform to perform in front of an audience in the recently opened Recital Hall. Then, just this last week, we have borne witness to a more formal musical showcase where the school music ensembles and bands demonstrated their talents and hard work at the ‘A Little Night Music’ con-cert which involved over 200 performers.

The dancers practise their moves before performing

Ava Burton plays the cello at an Informal Concert

The colourful characters of The Nutting Play A dancer unleashed

SPORT Being able to host PE lessons and inter school fixtures on site has given the school a real buzz. The pitches are now a hive of activity all day and we have experienced good successes across a range of sports as you will see below. Cranleigh are becoming a competitive force on the circuit and we look

forward to seeing this ascendancy continuing. Next term the sports will change but the children’s desire to succeed will still be as strong as ever.

The Under 9 Team that won both the league and tournament

The Under 11 girls were runners-up in the league

The Under 12B Boys won the league and cup double

The Under 14 boys won the cricket championship

The Under 12s had great fun playing netball with over half of them having never played before. They were runners-up at the tournament.

The Under 11 Mixed Touch Rugby Team were tournament winners

YEARS 3 & 4 The foundations of much of what we do in the Prep School are laid down in Years 3 & 4 and it always amazes me how kind, polite and helpful they are. This was evident when they were working collaboratively during their Innovation Day, when they completed four innovative events: Philosophy, Environmental Science, Code-Breaking and Design & Technology. Years 3 also held a very successful Roman Day to conclude their work on that topic. Finally, their term culminated with an away day for Year 4 to the newly opened Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre, where they learned about the culture, history and natural history of the UAE.

YEARS 5 & 6 The focus in Year 5 during this first term is getting the children used to becoming more independent. They no longer have a class teacher; instead they have lessons all around the school and have to be far more organised. It is a big jump from Year 4 to Year 5 and I am always amazed with how well the children cope. The children in Years 5 & 6 then have the November exams as a focus; at that age it is more about the experience than the actual result, but they are well prepared by their teachers and took the whole process very seriously indeed. We find that during Years 5 & 6 the children start to understand that they are responsible for their own learning to some extent and that they will ultimately dictate how much they achieve.

The Romans invade Cranleigh

A close up of one of the volcano cakes

Taking notes from the tectonic cakes

The Newly opened Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre was a highlight of the trip to Al Ain

Two of our Year 5s were chosen to go and visit the UAE Heroes in hospital and wish them well

YEARS 7 & 8 In Years 7 & 8 the focus shifts from ‘becoming independent’ to ‘looking out for others’. The Year 8s in particular are encouraged to help out wherever possible as they are the ambassadors for the Prep School. We have introduced a series of duties that the Year 8s do around the school, which they complete with pride. These include being a welcome party in the mornings, helping with lost property, or looking out for lonely or upset children on the campus to name but a few. My sincere thanks goes out to them for all the time they give up in order to give this school the wonderful ethos that it has.

Our first Head Girl and Boy, Nicole Lee -Heberling and Michael Bell

The Cranleigh Listeners with Miss Williams

We have also introduced the Year 8 Cranleigh Listeners who have been given training to spot and report pastoral matters in school. They will be a support to all the younger children in the community and are able to defuse issues at the onset rather than waiting for them to fester. Again, their help is enormous and I thank them for doing it so willingly.

NEWS FROM THE HOUSES

Spelling Bee champions 2015 - Al Sharaf

The Zaeem team talk Sadeeq v Etihad in petanque on MFL Day

There have been so many highlights so far this year with house competitions galore. A variety of new additions to the schedule has made a huge impact in the inclusivity and creativity of events including the bake-off, MFL Sporting Challenge, touch rugby, Cranleigh’s Got Talent, rounders and the swimming gala. The football and netball events were well contested illustrating excellent house spirit with a competitive edge. This carried on into the final all-inclusive swimming gala, which saw students come together from beginners to advanced level competing side by side for their house, encouraging and supporting one another to the finish. The excitement and fulfillment of the house events are high with the winning house bringing home the trophy. Looking ahead to next term, we have another busy schedule of events including cross country, sketch off, cricket, rugby, Pi day, the Hip House Holler & sports day.

Will he save it?

SPECIAL EVENTS PINK SHIRT DAY “Pink Shirt Day” was celebrated here on 19th November to symbolise a stand against bullying at schools. It emphasises that we do not tolerate unkindness or bullying at Cranleigh and that it should be reported immediately. What it also highlighted is what a lovely, caring and supportive society we have already created in our school community.

Louis McKenzie giving a reading on Remembrance Day

A beautiful display of National Day costumes

Pink Shirt Day symbolised a stand against bullying

NATIONAL DAY National Day was another huge success – bigger and more involved than last year - incorporating a house competition element to the day as well. There was an assembly to tell us all about the UAE and then all of the cultural activities laid on around the school. We had several parents saying that this was the best National Day celebration that they had seen in a school. A huge thank you to all those who offered their help to make the day so fantastic and, of course, to Stephen Deady who co-ordinated it this end; it was a really lovely way to cel-ebrate the 44th anniversary of the UAE’s independence.

The children in the colours of the national flag with the staff in the background

Mr Law opens the swimming pool with a splash

The Arabic singers were in good voice

The inter-house Bake Off was keenly fought over

JANUARY 10th January Start of term 17th January After School Activities (ASAs) start 17th - 21st January House cross country 24th January Years 3 & 4 Sports Day and Swimming Gala 26th January Years 3 Parents’ Evening

FEBRUARY 5th and 6th February World Scholar’s Cup 14th and 15th February Half Term 16th February Open Minds Lecture: Emotional Intelligence by Dick Moore 17th February Year 8 Parents’ Evening 21st-25th February Innovation Week 25th February Years 5 - 10 Sports Day at NYU 28th February Year 4 Parents’ Evening

MARCH

3rd March World Book Day - dress up as a character from a book 10th March International Day 13th-15th March Bookworm Book Fair 14th March Year 7 Parents’ Evening 15th March Science Day - dress up as something or someone scientific 16th March Years 5 & 6 Junior Drama production of Wind in the Willows 17th March Last day of After School Activities (ASAs) 17th March Years 5 & 6 Junior Drama production of Wind in the Willows 24th March The Hip House Holler 24th March Term finishes at 12:30

DATES FOR THE DIARY