The Chronicle

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

Dear Parents

We are very pleased to inform you of an exclusive cricketing event to be held at Crackley Hall after half term for our Junior 4, 5 and 6 boys and girls. Complete Cricket, who have been working alongside us as a club provider since last year, are delighted to announce a Batting Masterclass with England & Warwickshire CCC legend Ian Bell MBE.

Date: Tuesday 11 June 2019
Times: 4:30pm – 6:30pm

Venue: Crackley Hall School, St Joseph's Park, Kenilworth CV8 2FT

Cost: £60 pp
Places Available: 30

The batting masterclass will offer all players attending the unique opportunity to be coached by an England legend. There will also be a Question and Answer session at the end of the Masterclass together with an opportunity for photos and autographs. Please note that we have 30 places available on this course and will be sold on a first come first served basis via our online booking system. All bookings and booking enquiries will be dealt with by Complete Cricket. Crackley Hall School is only providing the venue for this event.

Children attending will have the option of going home first before returning to school. Alternatively they will be allowed to remain at school in Mr Lamprecht’s care until the event starts. Please note that normal Crackley Hall aftercare will not be used in this regard. As it is a two hour session we do ask that children have additional drinks and snacks provided from home. Parking for parents will be available on the gravelled area by our playing fields.

The Complete Cricket website and booking system is now live for the Ian Bell Masterclass at Crackley Hall using the link below.

https://www.completecricket.co.uk/ian-bell-batting-masterclass-june-2019-crackley-hall-school/

Thank you for your support. We look forward to hosting this exceptional opportunity for our pupils.

Kind regards

Charles Lamprecht
Assistant Head: Co-Curricular

Jamie Spires, Sales and Marketing Director, Complete Cricket (International) Ltd

+44 (0) 7884 313 721             jamie.spires@completecricket.co.uk

Junior 1 pupils were treated to a hands-on history lesson when they took a peek into St John’s Museum’s old toy collection.  The museum, which is based in Warwick, brought a range of real and replica toys and games into school on Thursday 16 May to run an interactive workshop for the children as they approach the end of their topic on ‘Toys’.  They gave a talk on the history and construction of the toys in the museum’s collection before letting the children loose to investigate all the toys.

The workshop consolidated the children’s studies supporting both the History and Design Technology curriculums. The collection included toys from the Victorian era through to the 1970s.    The children explored how toys have changed over the years as technology and materials have developed.  They found out interesting facts such as Victorian toys were developed to teach children important skills.  Although that did not stop Victorian children from having fun!

Assistant Head – Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, Susan Glen-Roots commented, “It was a fascinating workshop, the children were really interested and listened beautifully before playing very carefully with the old toys.  I am very proud of them and it was wonderful to see them having so much fun.  Sessions like these really do help to bring the curriculum to life.”

On Thursday 23 May Crackley Hall School joined thousands of schools worldwide in taking lessons outside in celebration of Outdoor Classroom Day.

Forest School practitioner, Verity Clark had organised a range of resources and activities to encourage her fellow teachers to take their classes outdoors.  On the day Reception, Junior 1 and Junior 2 together with the Junior 6s in school this week spent time in the school’s woods.  Other classes made the most of the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine, with for example Art lessons taking place in the grounds.

Outside learning teaches critical life skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and creativity and spending time outdoors supports positive mental health.  Whether constructing a simple rope swing, examining invertebrates or taking part in role-playing games it was clear that all of the children enjoyed their time outside.

Mrs Clark explained, ”We run regular Forest School sessions here at Crackley but Outdoor Classroom Day has given us the opportunity to celebrate our outdoor learning even more.  We have our own wonderful wood on site that we are slowly opening up for the children to use.  Children really do thrive in the outdoor environment and get very excited about their learning.”

One word, 'captivated'. That sums up the almost magical spell cast over Crackley's assembled pupils by Pilgrim Puppets last Monday. Their premise is simple enough; re-tell Bible stories through the medium of puppetry and song in schools and churches, as a simple story told well is easy to understand.

The furry friends brought the parables of Jesus heals a man, Luke 5:17-39, and the feeding of the five thousand, Mathew 14:13-21, easily to life.  Puppetry skills take years of dedicated practice to perfect, so it was no surprise that the gathered crowd greeted Amy (J5R) with spontaneous applause when she revealed herself as one of the puppeteers dressed in black - we are reliably informed that her favourite puppet is the Giant. Such was the total immersion, that even the Chronicle's reporter asked the puppets to look and smile into the camera!

Our grateful thanks are extended to Mrs Farquharson for providing the whole school with such a fabulous opportunity to see such an engaging, insightful and fun packed performance.  

Junior 2 had a monumental tour of our local medieval fortress Kenilworth Castle to finish off their study of castles in History this term. They have been busy studying the role of castles in the classroom, so the day provided them with a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our local castle and what life was like back then. Their trip included a guided tour of the castle buildings including the Keep and the Great Hall, where they even got the chance to climb the towers. The children clambered up the battlements, explored the ruins and re-enacted a pageant before settling down to enjoy a picnic in the beautiful castle grounds.

Learning through play is a Key Stage maxim, so our charges set about storming the castle, marching towards the front door, then raising their shields to avoid the arrows showering down. Such exertions were subsequently replaced with a hunt for architectural clues, where the children were required to decode the features of fireplaces, staircases, toilets, wells and arrow slits. They had a go at imagining they were archers firing arrows at the enemies through the arrow slits and then went to the highest points to watch for approaching enemies. Then it was down to the kitchens, where they were treated to a variety of smells such as rotten veg, fish, sweat, honey and wood smoke - all to help them imagine what like it was like hundreds of years ago.

Learning days don't get much more engaging and insightful than this, so we are very grateful to our Junior 2 Class Teachers and Assistants for facilitating such a magical day out. 

An intrepid band of Princethorpe College staff, parents and former pupils are to take on an epic challenge over the May half term holiday when they cycle 110 miles between the French towns of Saumur and Amboise in the Loire Valley, in aid of Mary's Meals.

This is the second Cycling Pilgrimage undertaken by Princethorpe College, the last being part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2017. The 20 cyclists and their supporters will travel to France by coach and cycle 110 miles over two days, with a rest day in between in the beautiful chateau town of Azay-le-Rideau.

Comments, Foundation Headmaster, Ed Hester, “110 miles in two days is no mean feat and all the pilgrims deserve to be encouraged. Many of the cycling pilgrims are taking part for a second time and we are expecting once again for there to be fantastic camaraderie on the trip. With pilgrims aged from under 20 to in their 70s this really epitomises Princethorpe’s spirit of family.” 

The cyclists will once again be raising money for the College's chosen charity, Mary's Meals and have set a target of £2,000, enough to feed 143 children at Makalanga Primary School in Malawi for a year. 

If you would like to support them please go to their fundraising page here.

Follow their journey on Twitter - @PC_Pilgrimage

Richard Hill, Aftercare Assistant and former pupil of Crackley Hall and Princethorpe College, who is studying a Degree in Sports Science, will be leaving today to start a year's placement at Southampton Football Club, working for the Premiership Football Team alongside their football players. 

Richard was delighted to be offered the prestigious placement and will be travelling to every game with the football players, his work will include working with the team supporting their fitness training.  Richard will be very busy indeed, but is looking forward to it immensely. 

Richard has enjoyed his time with the Aftercare team, run by Dr. Wasey Foladi, very much. Richard said, "The children are all amazing and each one of them has something very special and unique to offer. I hope they continue to learn from Crackley Hall, it is a place that holds many, many happy memories for me."

We all wish Richard the very best in Southampton.

If any parents have a plastic rotating garden see-saw we can use for our show please can you contact Mrs Wildey - please click on the link below for more details:

Garden See Saw