Cranford Review 2020

Cranford in Lockdown
“Many of my
friends and I have
been watching the
news and actually
paying attention.
Not because we
are mandated in
school or told to
by our parents but
because we are
finally curious
about what is
happening around
the world”.
Manpreet 11Z
“Another thing I will always remember
about this dark time is how the whole
world has come together to support one
another in this difficult time – Like bees
in a hive”.
Yuvraj 11V
On
20th March 2020, Cranford closed its doors
to all but the most vulnerable students and
those with key worker parents due to the Coronavirus
pandemic.
For many years, we have heard students every winter
asking each other about potential snow days and
the answer is always the same: ‘Whatever else is
happening with local schools, Cranford never closes’.
It took a global crisis on an unprecedented scale to
shut our doors, but as is true across the UK and indeed
the world, it is often only in genuine adversity that
you see the true strength and spirit of a community
and that has certainly been the case at Cranford. The
following pages will hopefully give you a glimpse
of some of the care and creativity, innovation and
inspiration in the most challenging circumstances,
which our students and staff have exemplified. It has
without doubt been, as Ofsted once so wisely put it
‘beyond outstanding’.
Cranford prepared for the pandemic early, with
purchases of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
in mid-January that were later passed on to West
Middlesex University Hospital to be used by our
heroic frontline colleagues in the NHS. When the
Prime Minister’s instruction to close schools came on
March 18th 2020, we were as ready as we could be
and there was still time for staff training on Thursday
19th March 2020 on virtual learning and our online
learning platform FROG, before final assemblies
for year 11 and year 13. There were tears and fond
farewells but hugs had already been replaced by
elbow taps and socially distanced waves and good
wishes. This was an end of term like no other. It was
also the beginning of an entirely new chapter for the
academy and the community.
At the heart of our virtual school have been two
priorities: innovative and exciting learning and
teaching and the highest quality pastoral care. Form
tutors have made weekly phone calls to all students,
with some more in need in daily contact, and the
stunning collaborative leaps forward in teachers’
(and students’) use of technology has made remote
learning ever less remote.
Powerpoint presentations on FROG have moved to
learning mats and live lessons on MS Teams and
weekly tutor calls have become video group chats
with the chance for students and staff to see each
other and share learning and laughter, even in this
most difficult of times.
Alongside our academic provision, Cranford’s
partnership with Heston West Big Local leapt into
action and the pop-up foodbank has been providing
food parcels to 120 families throughout the lockdown.
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