The Chronicle

Dear Parents

I hope that this week’s Chronicle finds you well and ready to enjoy half term.  I am sure that all the children, particularly our Reception pupils who have just completed their first half term, are ready for the break.

This week has been a particularly busy one with several trips taking place.  On Monday, Junior 4 departed for their residential visit to Kingswood Adventure Centre and they all returned tired and full of stories on Wednesday afternoon.  Junior 4 parents were kept updated with regular tweets from Mrs Hill and there are further photographs later in this week’s photographic gallery.  My thanks to Mrs Tanya Hill, Mrs Jackson-Mayne, Mrs Wildey, and Mrs Clare Hill who accompanied the children this year.

Reception classes visited the local Waitrose store on Wednesday to buy ingredients to make pumpkin soup.  This is the first trip for the Reception classes and our youngest ambassadors for school behaved impeccably throughout the visit. I know that they have another excursion lined up later this term and I am sure that it will be even more enjoyable.  My thanks to Mrs Glen-Roots, Mrs Convey, Mrs Verma and Mrs Green for organising the visit.

On Thursday Junior 2 visited the Mad Museum in Stratford-upon-Avon.  This is an annual visit for the Junior 2 cohort and it reinforces both science and DT aspects of the curriculum.  The children had a wonderful their time in the museum, then boarded a boat where they enjoyed their lunch.  There will be photographs later in the Chronicle and I would like to thank Mrs Malcolm, Mrs Holmes, Mrs Bhogal and Mrs Kaur for making this visit possible.

I would like to thank all the families for supporting the PTA and CAFOD today by making donations to the non-uniform day.  Once the PTA and School Council have counted the monies received, I will be able to update you on the final totals.

Congratulations to our Stars of the Week: Ellarose, Alfie, Nieve, Lexi-Jean, Patrick, Isaac, Carter, Ralph, J4J, J4W, Isabel, Sam, Jorja and Soren.  They all worked so hard and can be proud of their efforts.  We enjoyed the beautiful music provided by our school orchestra and were treated to a lovely piano performance from Isla.  Two groups of our wonderful J6’s were recipients of our RE award and I am aware that many pupils challenged to be Mathlete of the Week.  Well done to everyone who gave of their best.  Our sports teams played well against Bablake and Bilton Grange but, in the main, lost close matches.  However, today saw our U9 A and B rugby sides put in outstanding performances against Eversfield.  Well done to all our teams.

I hope that you all enjoy a well-earned rest during half term; staff and pupils have all given of their very best (as have parents as well).  School will remain open throughout the half-term, with Nursery and Holiday Club operating from 8.00am-6.00pm.  If you would like to book holiday club at short notice, please contact the school office first to enquire about availability.  When school returns after half term we will be in November with the Princethorpe College, and other, loomimg  I am sure that children will be keeping up their preparation during the half term and the final week before the examination will be focussed upon helping Junior 6 feel confident and calm about sitting their remaining examinations.

Thank you very much to the staff for their hard work and also to our parents for their overwhelmingly positive support; a special thank you goes to all our pupils who invariably try their best and really are motivated and well-intended.  Enjoy the sport over half-term, both football and World Cup Rugby.  India are giving South Africa a cricketing lesson!  Have a lovely time with your families.

God bless

Mr Duigan 

Gym club will be cancelled on 6 November due to a concert taking place in the hall.

If it is necessary for your child to take medication during the school day and the medication is to be stored at school, parents will be required to complete a Parental Consent Medicine Form (see below).

All medicines delivered to school must be in the original container, labelled with your child’s name, dosage and frequency prescribed and expiry date clearly visible.

It is the parent’s responsibility for the safe delivery of medication and to replace medicine that has
expired. Out of date medication stored will be returned home for disposal.

Administration of Medicine Form

Following on from the School Photography Company visiting the School, you should have now received the logon details for accessing your photographs.

There should be separate details for individual photographs, and also for the class photograph. Sibling photographs, if these were taken, should be attached to one of the siblings’ individual details.

This is a new system that the School Photography Company are using this year for accessing photographs.  If you are experiencing any issues accessing your photographs, or if you do not have logon details please contact the School Office.

Members of the public can report and submit road traffic offences by visiting https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/operationsnap

You will need to submit digital footage of offences (digital image(s) for parking offences will suffice) along with details of the offence, date/time and location.

Your assistance will help reduce road related incidents in our county.

We have been asked to share this information with you:

Dear Parent or Guardian

We need your help to warn young people about the dangers and consequences of becoming a
money mule.

What is a money mule?

A money mule is someone who transfers stolen money through their own bank account on behalf of
someone else and is paid for doing so.

Criminals need money mules to launder the profits of their crimes.

Young people are increasingly being targeted to become money mules. They are approached online
or in person, including through social media, at school, college or sports clubs. Sometimes people
they know persuade them to take part, often because they are also acting as money mules.

Mules will usually be unaware of where the money comes from – commonly fraud and scams – and
that it can go on to fund crimes such as drug dealing and people trafficking.

Being a money mule is illegal.

When someone is caught, their bank account will be closed, and they will have problems getting
student loans, mobile phone contracts and credit in the future. They could even face arrest for
money laundering which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

What to look out for

Tell-tale signs that someone might be involved could be them suddenly having extra cash, buying
expensive new clothes or top-of-the-range mobile phones and gadgets with very little explanation as
to how they got the money. They may also become more secretive, withdrawn or appear stressed.

You and your child can learn more and get advice by visiting www.moneymules.co.uk together.

If you are worried that someone close to you might be caught up in money muling, you can contact
Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Please do not attempt to contact any individual you suspect of organising money muling.

Please find attached the termly curriculum sheet for your child's year group:

Reception

Junior 1

Junior 2

Junior 3

Junior 4

Junior 5

Junior 6

Not even the rain and the slate grey skies of could dampen the enthusiasm and exuberance of this year’s Junior 4 adventurers on their residential trip to Kingswood Activity Centre in Staffordshire.

For three days, our Junior 4 pupils took up the challenge of working together as a team taking part in a wide range of activities, including zipwiring, problem solving, bouldering and, perhaps the most challenging of all, bed making!

All of the pupils showed a wonderful willingness to try new experiences and to celebrate each others' successes.

Way to go, Junior 4!

On Thursday 17 October Junior 2 had a super interactive trip out to visit the best museum in Warwickshire. The MAD museum (Mechanical, Art and Design), in Stratford upon Avon, is the UK’s only permanent venue for mechanical art. It is a real Aladdin's cave of treasures which aim to surprise and amuse. The cleverly made, complicated and fully interactive displays provided plenty of hands on experiences for the children. They eagerly operated sensors, buttons and handles aplenty to see what happened next.

The visit to the museum supported many of Junior 2’s curricular topics, but particularly informed their Design & Technology and STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) studies.

Junior 2 teacher, Mrs Hardwick, said, “It was a fabulous day, the children thoroughly enjoyed the interactive elements in the museum and were all able to get involved with a number of different activities and work together to solve problems.”

After the museum the children took a short walk down to the canal where they boarded a boat for a pleasant cruise down the river. Their visit to Stratford-upon-Avon finished with a chance to let off some steam in the autumnal sunshine in the park.

Many thanks to all the staff for organising such a fascinating and participative trip.

The children were involved in three workshops throughout the day. These included a Victorian lesson, where they dressed up as a Victorian pupil and spent time in the Victorian classroom. They learned reading and arithmetic by rote, using a class abacus to do their sums. The class practised their handwriting using slates and pencils and were taken outside for a short physical activity known as Drill.

They also took part in a laundry workshop with a laundry maid. Here they experienced doing the washing without electricity in this hands-on workshop. They also used real and replica late Victorian equipment to carry out the washing tasks and took turns to pump the water, grate the soap and mangle the washing before hanging it out to dry.

Finally, the children had the opportunity to compare the lives of working class and wealthy Victorian families using the model houses. They explored how the homes were lit and how people kept clean. They examined Victorian domestic techniques using original objects and learnt about the difference between family life, servants and education for rich and poor families. Children played the roles of different members of the household and the workshop included the chance to try on some Victorian clothing.

It was a very worth-while and memorable day.

We are delighted to announce the launch of this year’s CISC Christmas Card competition.

This year’s theme is ‘Light and Peace’ – plenty of scope for young artists to think spiritually in their creative interpretation of the theme!

Entries should be submitted to school by Tuesday 12 November. Any winning artists will be featured on this year’s CISC Christmas Card and on the CISC website.

Details

·         Theme – ‘Light and Peace’

·         Entries should be 2D art work in any media, or a photograph and can be portrait or landscape.

·         Please make sure that your art work has your full name and age on the back.  

·         Entries can be handed in to the school office or to Ms Holmes

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

Mathlete of the week for:

J2H - Ted

J3Z - Mitchell

Mrs Roberts group - Henry

Mrs Lammas group - Thomas

Well done!

Monday 21 October to Friday 1 November

Crackley Hall Half Term Holiday Club will be available from 8.00 am until 6.00 pm Monday 21 October to Friday 1 November, at a cost of £30.00 for a full day. Half days (8am-1pm and 1pm - 6pm) can be booked at £20.00 per session. Lunch is available at a cost of £3.10 per day.

Places are limited as we are bound to strict adult to child ratios. Should you wish to book a place at short notice, please contact the school office on 01926 514444 to check availability. Cancellations can only be made by the school office, therefore please discuss any changes with a member of staff.

Please book a place using the following link: Holiday Club Bookings

School Office

Time to start thinking about your costumes!

As part of our Vocations Week, we will be focusing on Super Acts of Kindness. Pupils can come dressed as a well-known superhero or come as one they have made up.    ..............Super

Kind..... Super J  ...... Fantastic Fred ............... etc

Please click on 'View Gallery' to scroll through a few photos from this week's events.

Please email Mrs Jackson-Mayne if you would like to enrol your child to make their First Holy Communion next year. This applies to any children who are practising Catholics in Junior 3 upwards.

sjacksonmayne@crackleyhall.co.uk

Minnie Vinnies are busy collecting spare foreign coins - there is a box at Reception for donations. 

RE Book of the Week has been awarded to J6 pupils.

Can you believe it is Half Term already?! 

Some of us will be away from nursery for a couple of weeks, but others will stay to play and have Autumn fun – we know how much you look forward to having the space to yourselves! 

If you are away for a while, please don’t forget to come back on Monday 4th November, and wear your Superhero costume on the Tuesday, as we join the rest of the school to celebrate Vocations Week. 

The theme of Superheroes reflects those heroes we couldn’t do without in our lives, and we are looking forward to meeting someone from the Ambulance Service to tell us all about their important job. 

Have a wonderful Half Term everyone, whether you are staying or going, we hope you stay safe, stay happy and have lots of fun. We look forward to hearing all your lovely news when you return.

Newsletter

We would also like to say a massive thank you to ALL the PTA volunteers who have given up their time for this very busy first Half Term. We trust you have a restful break.

There is an Ordinary General Meeting on Wednesday 6 November at 7.30pm in the Science Room. 

All welcome to attend - many hands make light work.

Thank you so much to everyone who helped organise and to the staff, parents and friends who came along to participate in the Headmaster's Quiz last weekend.

Congratulations to the winning team 'QUIZ QUIZOFFERSON’, on a night filled with fun and laughter. It was quite an achievement to beat the teachers yet again!

We are delighted to tell you that all the children have designed a Christmas card in school and should by now have brought home their sample Christmas cards together with an order form for cards, gift tags, mugs, tea towels and bags.  This is a great opportunity to purchase reasonably priced cards and other items displaying individual artwork produced by your child, whilst also raising money for the PTA.

To ensure we get the orders back in plenty of time, all orders MUST be back at school before half term, i.e. Friday 18 October.  

Please include payment with your order form (cash or cheque payable to Crackley Hall PTA) or alternatively you can pay online:

Sort Code: 30-94-93

Account Number: 02023477

Ref: Surname Xmas

The designs are beautiful this year and the children should be proud of their efforts.  Hopefully, your families and friends will enjoy them as much as they did last year.

Saturday 30th November , 1.00pm to 4.00pm

Planning is now underway for what we hope will be another fantastic PTA event. This year's Winter Wonderland will take place on Saturday 30th November 

As always these events are a success because our wonderful school community come together and once again we are asking for your help ....

As well as lots of help needed on the day we are looking for help with the planning and setup of some of the stalls. Any aspiring chefs (or chefs), caterers or just parents who love to cook and can come up with some exciting and new suggestions around the food tents?

Home crafts is always very popular, so if you have any home craft skills in your back pocket please do let us know, the children and parents love buying Christmas gifts and goodies on this stall

We have set up a WhatsApp group for those of you who would like to get more involved, please let mfox1401@gmail.com  know if you would like to be added to this?

All help is welcome, both in the build-up to the event and planning and on the day so please do let us know if you are able to offer your support in any way?

Please see below our current vacancy:

Foundation Data Manager

Full details and how to apply are available via the following link: http://www.princethorpe.co.uk/page/?title=Join+Us&pid=1185

Should you know anyone who might be interested in this post, please do share this information with them.

Lost

Miley (J3Z) has lost her named blazer

---------------------------------------------------------------

Parents, please ensure that all school uniform and sports kits are named.

Could you please regularly check all uniform and sports kits at home – if it does not belong to your child, please return it to the School Office as soon as possible.