The Chronicle

Dear Parents

The first week back after half term has been a very busy one and next week looks like it could be even busier.

I would like to start by thanking everyone for the Harvest Festival donations which were passed to the Warwick District Foodbank during half term.  Mrs Jackson-Mayne and children from holiday club helped the charity load their van with all the goods you kindly donated and I am delighted to report that just over 172kg of food was received by the charity.  There have been other charitable donations recently including the Air Ambulance and CAFOD.  I will be able to update you on the amount raised next week.

Mrs Jackson-Mayne organised many activities and visitors to school for our Vocations Week including the superhero day, Mass, class and house events including Saints Alive.  The range of super heroes in school on Tuesday was quite spectacular and I hope you enjoy looking at the photographs later in this edition.  As the children will have learned during the day, you do not have to wear a cape or costume to be a hero; a simple act of kindness or compassion can make you a hero to someone.  Following on from the Saints Alive event, I am pleased to confirm we now have a Patron Saint who will help be the light and hope for each house.  St Joseph will be representing Mars, St Francis linked to Saturn, St Teresa overseeing Jupiter and St John Henry Newman linked to Venus. 

Tomorrow will be an important day for many of our Junior 6 children when they will be sitting the Princethorpe College entrance examination.  The children have prepared for this both at school and home.  I have spoken to the children to wish them the very best of luck, to keep calm, be on their best behaviour and to do their best.  When they return on Monday, they will enjoy an amended timetable to allow them to enjoy a range of activities which will include team building, a visit to Costa Coffee and a bake off.

Next week will be national Anti-Bullying Week and we will be supporting this in school.  Bullying can take many forms, make a significant impact on a child’s life and last well into adulthood.  Even small positive changes now can make a big difference to a child’s life.   Children are encouraged to wear different socks for Odd Sock day which will be held on Wednesday 13 November, to show their support.

U11 A, B, C and D Football vs Crescent on Wednesday resulted in three wins and a draw for Crackley Hall.  A very good performance by every team.  I was delighted to hear Julia play the violin and Kiran singing at this morning’s assembly.  They were both absolutely fantastic.

Our Stars of the Week were Fiorella, Oscar, Zach, Charlie, Rory, Ellie, David, Jia, Summer, Carolina, Rosa, Henry, Rosie, Avar and Mrs Jackson-Mayne.  The RE book of the week was awarded to Beatrice and Aryan and Ajunee were awarded Da Vincis.  Many congratulations to everyone, including our recipients of their Merit Certificates.

Next week will see our U11 and U9 A teams compete in the ISA 5-aside football competition. Crescent School will be here enjoying a choral day and I also look forward to seeing Junior 6 parents at the information evening for the 2020 residential visit to France. 

Thank you for all of your congratulatory good wishes regarding the rugby last weekend.  I thought that Japan were outstanding hosts and the whole tournament was a huge success. 

I hope you all enjoy a restful weekend and that those families with children visiting Princethorpe College tomorrow morning are able to relax once the entrance examination has been completed.

God bless

Mr Duigan 

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

• Junior 2 Remembrance Assembly – Monday 11 November at 8.50am, Junior 2 parents are welcome to attend.
  
  
• Junior 5 Alton Castle Trip Parents Information Meeting – 4.10pm Monday 11 November will be held in the Science Room. There is parent parking on the field.
  
  
• J5/J5 Choral Day – Tuesday 12 November. Parents concert in the Hall at 4pm
  
  
• Junior 6 France Trip Parents Information Meeting – Wednesday 13 November at 4.15pm will be in the Hall. There is parent parking on the field.
  
  
• Warwick Arts Centre – Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas - Nursery 2, Reception and Junior 1 Trip - Thursday 28 November 2019
  
  We have a few spare tickets if any parent from Nursery 2, Reception or Junior 1 wishes to accompany their child on this trip.  These will be allocated on a first come first served basis, at the same cost as the children’s tickets £17, and includes a seat on the coach, leaving Crackley Hall at 12.45pm and being back at school in time for the end of the school day. Please contact the office if you are interested.

• Can any outstanding Flu Immunisation forms be returned to the school office on Monday morning, 11 November.

Staff, disabled and visitors’ parking are provided at Crackley Hall.  The parking spaces directly on your left as you come through the gates are for staff only. Please park considerately in the neighbouring roads, for example, do not park on or near a corner or outside or opposite a neighbour’s drive. The grasscrete area on Fennyland Lane is also for staff only.

In the morning children in Reception and Nursery can be accompanied into school, but older year groups are expected to bring themselves in, and they should be dropped off at the front steps – or if there are cars behind you please pull further round the turning circle before the children leave the car. If your child arrives at school before 8.20am they must sign in with the Early Birds staff on the playground.

At the end of the school day, Reception and J1 children are collected from The Gables entrance at 3.30pm (please collect older siblings from the normal car line according to their time slot). Please park in the lower car park located off Fennyland Lane, which will usually be open from 3.00pm, and then walk up to the entrance.

For the collection of the children from Junior 2 to Junior 6 after school, we use a system of six carlines, whereby parents pull up in their cars around the roundabout in the car park and wait for their child to come out of school. Several members of staff oversee the dismissal of children at the end of the school day, and one will remain on duty until 4.10pm. If you are not here to collect your child by this time, they will be taken to After Care. The times for 'car line' are as follows:

3.35pm - 1st car line – J2 with no older siblings in J3-J6)

3.45pm - 2nd car line - All other J2 children (with their siblings in J3-J6)

3.50pm - 3rd car line - Junior 3 (with their older siblings in J4-J6)

4.00pm - 4th car line – Junior 4 (with their older siblings in J5-J6)

4.05pm – 5th car line - Junior 5 (with their older siblings in J6)

4.10pm – 6th carline – Junior 6 only

We request that Nursery parents park off site if collecting their children between 3.30pm and 4.00pm to enable us to keep the car line moving smoothly.

Please adhere to these times as it helps keep car line flowing smoothly and prevents undue congestion in the neighbouring roads.

• Gym Club Cancelled – Wednesday 13 November due to French Meeting in Hall

• Hockey Club on Monday 11 November is cancelled due to fixtures (except for those girls who are selected).

• There will be no U8/U9 netball club on Thursday 14 November due to fixtures.

   

Next week is Anti-Bullying week and we are encouraging the children to take part.  Everyone is invited to wear odd socks on Wednesday 13 November.

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

Our best wishes go out to all of the J6 pupils who have taken or are about to take school entrance examinations. We know that your teachers have prepared you well and that each of you has also worked really hard in preparation. Remember to stay calm and focused and trust in what you have learnt. All of you are in our prayers; and although you might worry, remember to take strength from the Lord.

The Princethorpe College Entrance Examination is this weekend, so we are pleased to announce that next week marks the arrival of the J6 post examination activities, a series of events that are richly deserved. So if you are in J6, do make sure you're up-to-date with everything that's planned. Parents of J6, please refer to your correspondence from the class teacher, as this lists any equipment needed.

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.

Competition 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

Violin tuition spaces are available from after Christmas - all years welcome.

20 or 30 minute lessons are available and some school voilins are available to borrow.

Free Trial lesson anytime before the end of term.

Please contact Susan Olden - Susanolden@crackleyhall.co.uk or Katrin Gilbert katrincrackley@gmail.com

Please see below a selection of snacks available to purchase each day: 

Holroyd Howe will continue to source other items and will regularly review our provision.

• Proper Corn for Kids: 50p
• Pure Fruit YoYo: 50p
• Hydra Juice: 50p
• Milk: 30p
• Variety of fresh fruit: 30p each

Each day there will be a hot snack alternative for 50p.  These include paninis, pizza, hot dogs, bacon sandwiches, toast or muffins.  Please note that there will only be one item per week containing processed meat.

500ml sports cap water bottles: 30p (however, water is available for free throughout the school and we actively encourage all children to bring a water bottle into school each day which can be refilled).

Friday’s only, cookies: 50p (this is a day when cakes are not served at lunchtimes).

Just a note to express our grateful thanks for your school's very generous donation amounting to an amazing 172.05 kg of food & toiletries.

Your donations will certainly make a difference to those in our local community experiencing hardship and crisis.

Please pass on our grateful thanks to all the children, parents and colleagues for their donations.

The date for this years Christmas Jumper Day for Save the Children is Friday 13 December.

If children would like to participate, they should come to school in their usual uniform with a Christmas jumper in place of their school jumper.

All children wearing a Christmas jumper are asked to bring in a £1.00 donation for Save the Children.

Mathlete of the week for:

Mrs Wildey’s maths group Mathlete is Leonardo

Lena is Mathlete of the week for J1H

Thomas is Mathlete of the week for J2H

Elena is Mathlete of the week for J3Z

Thomas is Mrs Lammas's group Mathlete of the week

Henry is Mrs Roberts group Mathlete of the week

Well done!

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

Our first week back in school has been a busy one as we explored the subject of Vocations.

It began on Monday with Mrs Jackson-Mayne reminding pupils that we are all set a unique mission to use our gifts to have an impact on the world. She was supported by Junior 4 pupils who helped to convey the message that if we trust in God, all things are possible.

It was fantastic to see everyone get so involved in Tuesday’s Super Hero Day.  Together the school celebrated the Super Acts of Kindness shown by people who put others first. Volunteer, Richard McMahon, from the Warwickshire Air Ambulance, came to the school to talk about the work they do.

Pupils from all year groups shared their super hero power and more importantly what they would do to leave a legacy for the world. It was impressive to hear children demonstrate their knowledge of current affairs and see their empathy for the environment they live in.

Tuesday afternoon Nursery through to Junior 6 were entertained with a performance of I Need A Hero by our very own Crackley Players - Mrs Vaughan, Ms Holmes, Mrs Van Zyl, Mrs Wildey and Mrs Jackson-Mayne. Pupils hissed and booed at the 'baddies' and marvelled at how good triumphs over evil and how kindness wins the day.  Thanks to our Junior 6 pupils who took on many different roles to help the play run smoothly.

On Wednesday morning our Vocations Mass was celebrated by Father Kevin and Deacon Owen. Junior 6 pupils read beautifully and the celebration ended with the children waving glow sticks to the final hymn, This Little Light of Mine, to symbolise how God calls them to shine. During the week pupils in different classes have had the opportunity to work with Shirley Bell from the Vocations Team and try on the vestments priests wear, as well as meet with Deacon Owen and Deacon Sean to find out about the roles and responsibilities in the Church.

In Collective Worship time on Thursday, pupils met in their House Groups - Saturn, Venus, Mars and Jupiter and took part in a 'Saints Alive' session. Visiting speakers: Mary Lomas (an ex Crackley Hall pupil, Alan Chalmers (parent to Thomas Zanyi), David Harris, RE Adviser, and Deacon Owen Gresty took on the roles of St Therese of Lisieux, St Joseph, St Francis of Assisi and St John Henry Newman. Our ‘Saints Alive’ speakers gave pupils the opportunity to learn more about their own school House saint, their life and vocation, their skills and service. 

Then Junior 6 met together for a Vocations Afternoon led by Deacon Owen, in a time when they are focused on tests, we provided them time to clear their heads and consider their special talents and gifts and the ways they can make a difference.

RE Coordinator, Mrs Jackson-Mayne summed up the week “I wanted the children to see that there are so many different ways they can use their talents to make a difference to the world, and I have been delighted with how they have all responded. They have really engaged in the different sessions and I hope they have been inspired by all the people who have spoken this week.”

It was fantastic to see everyone get so involved in Tuesday’s Super Hero Day.

Together the school celebrated the Super Acts of Kindness shown by people who put others first.

Volunteer, Richard McMahon, from the Warwickshire Air Ambulance, came to the school to talk about the work they do.

RE Book of the Week has been awarded to Beatrice (J2M).

Oliver (J6H) came 3rd in the U18 Warwickshire Junior Golf finals day on 6 October. 

He is competing in the European and World Qualifier later this month with the finals being held in San Diego.

Well done Oliver!

Alex (J6H) has been playing badminton ever since his older brother needed a willing opponent, about five years ago. Since then he has trained with a group at David Lloyd and began having 1:1 coaching last year.

It has taken a while for Alex to have the confidence to compete in a tournament and so it was, with gentle persuasion, that he entered the Warwickshire U12 Restricted Tournament last weekend. This tournament is open to all players who live in, or go to school in, Warwickshire and who are not currently playing for the County. It is also an opportunity for county coaches to spot talent at club level and open up a pathway into the county.

Alex won his first 3 matches comfortably, sending him through to the quarter finals where he won 15-2, going on to win the semi-final 15-2 and again 15-2 in the final! We are so incredibly proud of Alex and were thrilled when the head coach invited him to train with the U12 Warwickshire squad; we hope that he will follow in his brother’s footsteps to represent Warwickshire in the forthcoming shires fixtures.

Well done Alex!

Well, it’s been a super week all round! 

The nursery children loved dressing up on Tuesday to join in with the schools Vocations Week events.  We enjoyed taking part in assembly, meeting the man from the air ambulance team and especially the super hero performance in the afternoon.  The children got very excited and were all pleased when Captain Kindness saved the day and stopped ‘Duke Don’t Care’ and ‘Count Can’t be Bothered’ from making everyone grumpy and sad.  

The super theme has continued throughout the week and we have spotted super manners, super listening and super sound work all week.  The sssssuper theme also helped as we started learning our letter sounds, this week was sssss. 

Next week will be the short and bouncy a a a sound, so it looks like we will be eating plenty of apples, and keeping an eye out for angry alligators!

Newsletter

The ordinary meeting has been rescheduled to Wednesday 13 November at 7.30pm in the Science Room. 

All welcome to attend - many hands make light work.

Thank you to all of you who ordered your children’s homemade Christmas cards.

They should be with you shortly.

We lost quite a few of our regular bakers this year when their children moved on to secondary school.  So we have rather a depleted list!

So if any of you fantastic bakers can manage to rustle up a whole cake/minces pies/something to sell on our cake stall at our Winter Wonderland Fayre (Saturday 30 November) - we would really appreciate it  - as always.

Also, if anybody is feeling particularly crafty and would like to donate any unwanted gifts or handmade gifts such as candle holders, photo frames, decorative jars or homemade jams, marmalades or chutney’s this would also be very much appreciated and something you could maybe involve your children in creating!

Please let Emma know what and how many you can make emma.mauxion@gmail.com; boxes will be provided for cakes.

There will be a box out in the main entrance for donations in the run up to the Fayre

Please bring your donations into school on Wednesday 27 November. 

There will be a non-uniform day on Friday 29 November for all the children. In return we are asking for specific donations for the Christmas Fayre:

Little Crackers, Reception and J1 children: we kindly request that each child donates a box of chocolates for the hugely popular chocolate tombola stall.

J2, J3 and J4 children: we ask each child to donate a glass jar filled with Christmas-related treats for the ‘Goodies in a Jar’ tombola stall. Suggested fillings include:  Christmas chocolates, stationery items, small toys, craft items, etc.  (unisex where possible please)

J5 and J6 children: we would love every child to donate a bottle for the bottle tombola stall, such as a bottle of wine or spirits.

Donations can be left at either the main school entrance or the Gables entrance.

In addition we are also holding a teddy tombola and this year we are also adding a fabulous fancy dress stall which we are sure will be a HUGE success with all the children, so have a look and see if you have any unwanted teddies and fancy dress costumes at home in good condition that you can donate. There will be a box out shortly in the main entrance for donations in the run up to the Fayre.

We are still short of a few helpers on the day too, so if you can spare a couple of hours to help on the day then please let a member of the PTA know or email mfox1401@gmail.com

We really do appreciate all your help and all of the money raised goes straight back into the PTA fund.

Saturday 30 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 30 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 vacancies:

• Teacher of Latin - part-time
• Teacher of Mathematics
• Science Technician - part-time
• Graduate Teaching Assistant (2020-2021 academic year)
• Electrician - part-time
• Decorator - part-time
• Estates Assistant - casual\zero-hours contract

Full details and how to apply are available here: 

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

Lost

Isabella (J4JM) has lost her named jumper

Carolina (J4JM) has lost her school shirt 

Leonardo (J4W) has lost his blazer

Soren (J6V) has lost a spiral bound A5 notebook

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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.