The Chronicle

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

After all the preparations, the plans, the discussions, the designs and the build it was finally time to plug in the compressed air canisters and get down to some serious racing at this year’s Jaguar Primary School Challenge.  Team ‘Firecrackers’, comprising Junior 4’s Amelia Hunt, Jasper Nicholls, Woody Osborn, Henry Verity and Thomas Zanyi, had been fiendishly busy working hard to prepare for the big day.  The challenge requires teams to research, design, manufacture, test, promote and race the fastest car possible using standard chassis and engine housing nets with a car body made only from card. It is a technical brief but one that has proven to really engage potential future engineers.

As soon as they parked up at Princethorpe College, the team leapt into action setting up their pit display. Crackley’s team boards and table displays looked smart and professional. Bright colours and eye-catching graphics told the visual story of their journey so far.

After a welcome from Mr Scopes, Head of Design Technology at Princethorpe College, they were on to their first assessment, the Engineering judging where the team were examined on their car design and manufacturing process.  Then it was on to the all-important Verbal presentation where the judges were looking at technique, composition and knowledge of subject matter.  After break the judges examined the Portfolio and Pit Stop Display and the team took time to carefully explain their work to the judges. 

During the day, the team also had to complete an Additional Challenge, a Design Technology Challenge to manufacture a carry case for their racing car.  The focus of the exercise was once again to test the team’s ability to work together, delegate, design and manufacture. 

Then finally, it was time to get down to the serious business of racing. This was, after all, what the whole challenge has been about. Team Firecrackers carefully set up their car for a head-to-head down the racetrack and prepared themselves quietly and calmly for the competition. The cardboard Formula One cars flew down the track recording lightning-quick times. In a matter of seconds, it was all over.

Standards had been incredibly high and after a day’s worth of demonstration, presentations and racing the judges got down to their deliberations and analysing the scores. The Firecrackers waited calmly but confidently, they knew it would be a close call but when the results were announced they could hardly believe it.  Not only had they won the award for 'Best Engineered Car', they had also won 'Best Portfolio and Pit Display' but best of all the team had placed second overall and had only gone and earned themselves a place in the National Finals at the British Motor Museum in June.

Mrs Hardwick and Mrs Spillane who helped guide the Crackley Hall team were jubilant, “What an amazing day. Our Crackley Hall pupils have worked so hard. They’ve dealt with the pressure of competition brilliantly and we are so very proud of them.”

Thanks must also go to the team's sponsors Skywave Communications, Chapter Agency, Sew2It Sewing School, WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group), Laser Tools, Race Rapid and Tow-Trust Towbars, and of course the children’s parents.  We are very grateful for all your support. 

On Wednesday 1 May Junior 5 pupils had the chance to spend the day at Princethorpe College. The special Crackley Hall only taster day gave them an early opportunity to experience life at the Foundation’s senior school.  Pupils were involved in a number of different classroom lessons; depending on their group, they enjoyed Maths, Art, Computer Science, History, Science, English or Design Technology.  They also had a tour of the school buildings and grounds including the bluebells on the Mile Walk, lunch in the Refectory and participated in other activities including a pupil panel (a great chance to ask those questions you wouldn’t ask a teacher!)

The Taster Day experience is all about letting the Junior 5 children enjoy a day at senior school, it is a chance for them to start to become familiar with a bigger school environment, to orientate themselves and to help make the forthcoming change a less daunting experience.

Amongst the images you can see the children making Zentangle patterns in Art and programming the mirco:bit mini computers, Soren and Teddy cleverly programmed their micro:bit to play rock, paper scissors!  It was clear they all had a great time.

Parents are reminded that Crackley Hall children are not automatically entered for Princethorpe’s Entrance Examinations.  Those wishing to apply for September 2020 entry must complete a registration form by Friday 4 October at the latest and the Entrance Examinations will take place on Saturday 9 November.

On Monday the sun shone on Junior 3 and 4 as they took part in Crackley Hall’s annual May procession to honour Mary, the Mother of God.

After a short presentation led by Mrs Jackson-Mayne, where she and volunteers from both year groups led a decade of the rosary, the pupils processed outside.

Pupils sang the Hail Mary prayer as Dylan Horran advanced to Mary's statue. Our thanks go to Annabel (J5) who baked cakes for the occasion and to Mrs Simmonds, who laid them out in the shape of the rosary to remind us all that May is a special month where we remember Mary and say the rosary.

Afterwards it was back to the classroom with cake in hand to reflect on these teachings and this very special day.   

What an early start our triathletes had for this year’s ISA Triathlon. The event was taking place at Lucton School in Herefordshire so we were up at dawn just to make sure we were there in time for registration at 9am. Thank goodness the weather was on our side this year after the arctic conditions of last!                                              

31 schools had entered the event and the competition was fierce, although there was somewhat of a scarcity of our usual Midlands rivals – not brave enough perhaps!

We took 23 determined athletes this time (a mixture of boys and girls from Junior 3 through to Junior 6) and they competed in the Tristar Start, 1 and 2 events.
Tristar Start (Year 3): Swim 50m, Cycle 800m, Run 600m
Tristar 1 (Year 4/5): Swim 150m, Cycle 2km, Run 1.2km
Tristar 2 (Year 5/6): Swim 200m, Cycle 4km, Run 1.8km

The children all performed fantastically - for many of them it was their first triathlon, an increasingly popular multi-discipline sport involving an indoor swim, followed by a bike ride and then a run; for others more used to competition there were high hopes of a medal.

In the end our highest finisher was Issey, who finished 1st in the Tristar 1 girls, closely followed by Merryn and Holly who placed 3rd and 17th respectively. That said, the boys of Tristar 1 were keen not to be outdone, as Niki ran in 2nd, with George (6th), Olly (7th) and Harry (9th) all hot on his heels. We are so proud of all of the children who did outstandingly well, given 12 of our 23 competitors placed in the top quarter of final placings, with every competitor finishing well above the midpoint of entries for their age category. A special mention to Soren who finished a fine 10th overall in the TS1 category.

The organisation required, the worry about transition and the energy sapping nature of the course meant that the children showed true grit and determination on the day. Mrs Kat Vaughan said, “It is such an amazingly proud moment when you see a Year 3 pupil completing their final lap of their first ever triathlon with several of the Year 5 and 6 children running with them to cheer them on. I was also touched to see that former Crackley pupils who are now at Princethorpe also joined in to encourage our tenacious little ones.”

What true triathlon motivation our Crackley iron-men and iron-women showed - after all as triathletes know - everything is hard before it gets easy. Well done everybody.

Mrs Holmes has asked if parents can bring in any old bits of unwanted jewellery which they can use for Tudor Art and any old food magazines that you may have at home.

They also require the use of an old rocking chair for the summer show suitable for an adult.

Thank you