Pre-Prep Speech Day & Summer Concert
Cundall Open
This year saw the launch of the inaugural Cundall Open—a new golf competition set to become an annual event. Held at the stunning Rudding Park Golf Club, the day brought together players of all ages for some fun and friendly competition on a challenging course. Congratulations to our first individual champion, Paul C, and to the winning team: Ollie C, Nick J, Matt B, and Paul C. With golf now part of our enrichment programme from Pre-Prep to Thornton, we look forward to seeing the event grow year on year. See you at the 2026 Cundall Open!
Record-Breaking Sports Day
Record-Breaking Sports Day Cundall Manor School in North Yorkshire hosted an unforgettable annual Sports Day this year. Despite the blazing heat, Cundall pupils showed incredible determination — breaking seven school records along the way. Josh B (Eldmire, Year 10) delivered a remarkable performance in the shot put, setting a new school record with a throw of 11.39 metres—surpassing the previous best from 2017. On the track, Imogen S ran the race of her life in the 800 m, finishing in a record-breaking 2 minutes and 39 seconds, comfortably beating the school’s previous mark. Rainia Clark added to the achievements with a new best time of 46.69 seconds in the 300 m sprint. Over in Leckby, Darcy B (Year 9) soared to a new personal and house best in the long jump, leaping 3.60 metres. The youngest athletes also played their part in rewriting the Cundall Manor School record books. Year 6 pupil Frank N sprinted to victory in the 50 m dash with a time of 8.25 seconds, while Sophie B ran brilliantly in the girls’ 50 m, finishing in 8.69 seconds. Meanwhile, Lowery A impressed in the 300 m, crossing the line in just 55.72 seconds to set a new Cundall Manor School record. The day was filled with energy, encouragement, and strong support from staff, students, and families. Headteacher Simon Weale praised the pupils, commenting: “We are so proud of every student who gave it their all. Breaking records is exciting, but it’s the team spirit and resilience that truly define our sports day at Cundall Manor.” The overal winning house was SAXONS, claiming their first victory in 14 years! Congratulations to all who took part in Sports Day 2025 at Cundall Manor School—and special recognition to the record breakers who made this year one for the history books.
Form 6 conquer the Three Peaks
The Form 6 had a very early start to set off on their Three Peaks adventure, after completing all of their Common Entrance exams. Whernside was the first peak to be completed and done so in good time and in very sunny conditions. The children were all high spirited and then set off to climb the highest peak, Ingleborough. This proved a little more challenging, especially as they were surrounded by howling winds and mist at the top, however all the children completed it successfully. The final peak saw some weary legs and, again, tricky conditions at the top but great team spirit and stamina meant that all of the children completed all of the peaks in a very respectable time! The group even made it back to school early! The children must be congratulated on their achievement and how well they supported each other and worked together.
Form 3 on the Farm
Form 3 rounded off exam week with a wonderful trip to the Throup’s farm in Nun Monkton. They started the day, in glorious sunshine, looking at the gorgeous calves, exploring the acres of grazing land and investigating the milking parlour. The children then went across the road to the vineyard where they looked at the vines growing at different stages and learned all about how they grew and the best conditions for the plants. After a quick break the children learned how to make butter from cream and were rewarded with enjoying the finished product smothered on some homemade scones. A fantastic morning was had by all and thank-you very much to James and Sophie Throup for organising the morning.
Form 2’s Big Write
On Friday, ten talented writers from Forms 2-4 enjoyed taking part in a LendMeYourLiteracy event called The Big Write at The Royal Hall in Harrogate. During the morning, the children heard from the guest speaker, author David Mark, who inspired us all to unlock our imaginations. A tour of The Royal Hall helped the children to understand the place which was to become an exciting story setting, rich with history and texture of all kinds. Word workshops followed until the children wrote their own stories to explain how various objects had made their way into the giant lost property box which was found suddenly under the stage. The children’s work has been entered into a ‘Big Write’ story competition, and all entries, including stories written at home and sent in by school, will be published at www.lendmeyourliteracy.com. Parents and children can register on the website for free to read the stories. It was an exciting morning; the workshop leaders commented on our children’s superb concentration and their determination to produce excellent work. Well done everyone – you made your teachers feel very proud.
Form 6 End of Year Review
true review style, the programme afforded many an opportunity for the children to lampoon Cundall life and Cundall staff, all with uncanny perception and to hilarious effect. The children only had two and half days to plan, write and rehearse the whole show and it really was incredible what they managed to achieve. Our hearty thanks to Mrs Riddell and Mrs Ballantyne for guiding the children through the whole process. A couple of highlights of the evening can be seen on the Cundall Manor YouTube channel by following this link.
Double Success for the Sullivans
any congratulations to the Sullivan brother and sister duo Ross and Sarah. Both have recently received recognition for outstanding performances in their own specialists fields: Sarah was awarded a Highly Commended certificate in the Independent Schools Association’s national Essay Writing Competition. The judges commented “Highly Commended in the girls’ section was Sarah Sullivan from Cundall Manor School, who chose the title ‘Invisible’ to write about a homeless man in the street who was invisible to passers-by. Her story was nicely written and had an interesting twist in the tail.” Older Sullivan sibling Ross will be heading off to Oxford University this summer, having won a coveted place at a Maths Summer School. Following his excellent performance in the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge, Thornton pupil Ross has been invited to the National Mathematics Summer School at St Anne’s College, Oxford in August. The invitation has only gone out to around 40 of the UK’s most talented mathematicians and so it is an extraordinary achievement for Ross. During the course of the week Ross will be involved with whole group masterclasses, small group workshops and team competitions with activities designed to stimulate and challenge the pupils. Congratulations to both Sarah and Ross
Cundall Manor pupils Conquer Ben Nevis
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough… for Cundall Manor Students. 13-Year-Olds Conquer Ben Nevis on Summer Term Residential Year 8 pupils from Cundall Manor School in North Yorkshire have returned from their summer residential with a major accomplishment under their belts: a 100% success rate in climbing Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. The 1,345m (4,420ft) ascent, part of the school’s annual outdoor education programme, is a true test of endurance. The trip, based at the Glencoe Outdoor Centre in the Scottish Highlands, is a longstanding tradition at Cundall Manor. Students tackled a full programme of activities either side of the climb, including mountain biking through pine forests, canoeing and paddleboarding on quarry lakes, and cliff-jumping into icy lochs. But it’s the Ben Nevis climb that remains the most physically and mentally demanding challenge of all. As the only school group on the mountain that day, the 30 students and four accompanying staff were alongside military personnel in training and experienced hikers from across the globe. One group reached the peak under blue skies with snow still on the ground; the next faced a white-out in high winds and cloud. Both succeeded. Some pupils were hesitant at first, struggling with the steep incline and thinner air—but with guidance from trained instructors and school staff, every child reached the top. The climb took a full day, with regular breaks and plenty of snacks (including chocolate supplies) to keep spirits high. One student reflected, “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done—and the best. I didn’t think I could do it, but now I know I can.” Headteacher Simon Weale said:“Our school was founded with the aim of producing resilient young people who can solve problems by learning to try new things, face setbacks positively, and support one another. That’s the heart of our character curriculum and what this climb is all about—and why outdoor learning is integral to life at Cundall Manor.” Set in the North Yorkshire countryside near Ripon and Thirsk, Cundall Manor is an independent, co-educational school for ages 2–16. With a phone-free site and a strong emphasis on hands-on learning, the school encourages curiosity, independence, and confidence in every pupil. From nursery to GCSE, pupils benefit from a personalised education that blends academic ambition with meaningful experiences—from go-kart races and sports tours to climbing mountains. At Cundall, no two days are ever the same. The school champions a ‘dynamic education is best’ approach that fosters a love of learning that lasts a lifetime. With every challenge comes the chance to grow in confidence and self-belief—equipping pupils with the mindset and life skills they need to thrive far beyond the classroom. To find out more about life at Cundall Manor or to arrange a tour or taster day, contact Admissions on 01423 360 200 or email admissions@cundallmanor.org.uk.Next Open Morning: Friday 26th September, 9:30am
Sports Day
Join us for our annual House Competition! Pupils will compete in a range of fun and challenging events. Families and friends are welcome to come and spectate and cheer on your favourite house!