The Chronicle

Dear Parents

I hope that by the time that you read this week’s newsletter you will be relaxing and looking forward to the weekend ahead.  Thankfully, Storm Ciara did not cause too much damage on our school site but I know that there were several local areas that have been affected by fallen branches and trees. We pray that Storm Dennis will not wreak too much havoc.

On Tuesday this week, Mr Hester visited our Junior 6 classes to challenge them with a quiz and set the children a task of designing a bridge using use paper and sticky tape.  Everyone enjoyed the morning.  Congratulations to Tesla (Jorja, Seb, Lucas N and Oliver) for attaining the best quiz score and to Einstein (Nancy, Avar and Harvey) for building the highest tower.  The overall winners were The Newtons (Bella, Annabel, Sam and Aaron) and Newton (Ajunee, Hunter, Thomas and Archie).  Well done to all teams.

It was the turn of Key Stage 2 pupils to entertain their families on Tuesday evening at our KS2 Performing Arts evening.  This was another super showcase of exceptional talent throughout the evening.  This was such an enjoyable event and I would like to thank, once again, all the peripatetic staff, Mrs Olden, Mrs Wildey and Mrs Paphitis for co-ordinating both events.  Thank you also to our office, caretaking and catering staff for their involvement before, and on, both evenings.

Congratulations to all our sports teams who, in the main, enjoyed very good results against Twycross, Crescent and Bilton Grange.

The Skipathon was held on Thursday and I was delighted to see so many children taking part.  I know that Mrs Simmonds has been kept very busy organising this charitable event to raise much-needed funds for St Aloysius School in Nigeria.  Thank you for all the sponsorship received so far and Mrs Simmonds would be grateful if any outstanding forms and money could be sent to school as soon as possible.

Well done to all our Stars of the Week: Lewis, Felix, Lena, Beatrice, Issy, Chloe, Sidney, Jasmine, Oliver, Max, Aaron and Iman.  We were treated to two outstanding musical performances at assembly – firstly by our excellent Junior 6 group who attend sessions with Mrs Goode and secondly our wonderful and enthusiastic Choral Groups who work hard every week.  Well done and thank you to both groups.

The mid-year reports will be issued shortly and these can be discussed at the parent consultation evening which will take place the week we return to school.   If you have yet to make your appointment, this can now be done via My School Portal.  Thank you for your patience with the booking system; the initial problems have now been addressed but if you experience any difficult making an appointment, please contact the school office.

The school will remain open during half term as Little Crackers and holiday club will be available Monday to Friday.  Should you need to visit school next week, please call ahead to ensure that the office staff are available to meet you.

Thank you all very much for the tremendous care and support that so many of you have shown me and my family at a very difficult time – the many emails, messages, words, cards, Mass offerings and flowers have meant so much and help through some difficult days.

I wish you all a wonderful half term and hope that you have the opportunity to relax and spend time with your family.  The rugby and cricket are interesting but, believe it or not, I am still very nervous about Liverpool’s ability to continue through to a first title in 30 years.

God bless

Mr Duigan 

Progress reports for pupils in Reception to Junior 6 will be sent to parents shortly.

This term, the reporting process has been revised and staff will have an opportunity to expand on aspects of each child’s progress and attainment at the forthcoming parent consultation evenings. In addition, staff have assessed pupils’ learning behaviours across a range of areas.

To help ensure consistency, set grade descriptors are now in place, copies of which can be found by clicking on the links below. All parents are asked to refer to these when reading their child’s report.

Reception

J1 and J2

J3 to J6

Due to the Parents Consultation evenings the following clubs will be cancelled:

Wednesday 26 February

Gymnastics

Thursday 27 February

Tennis

J5/J6 Yoga

Crackley Hall Half Term Holiday Club will be available from 8.00 am until 6.00 pm Monday 17 February to Friday 21 February, 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 £3.40 per day.

Holiday Club

Please can parents provide a photocopy of their child's valid passport to the school office as soon as possible.

If your child's passport will have less than 6 months left to run in May 2020, under new regulations you must apply for a new one.

Thank you 

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

Junior 6 welcomed a special visitor on Tuesday 11 February when Foundation Head, Ed Hester, visited Crackley Hall to set them all a special STEAM Challenge.

Mr Hester began by stressing the importance of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) subjects to the modern world. He shared with the children how they run through all our lives and how, as pupils of the Foundation, they could embrace STEAM to forge their own futures.

Mr Hester invited the children to test their STEAM knowledge. Working in groups of four he asked the pupils a series of questions on a wide range of topics, from binary to bones, scientists to stars to the speed of light and even mind-boggling optical illusions, the children all enjoyed puzzling out the answers. After the quiz Mr Hester set them one further design challenge. Using just tape, scissors and index cards, pupils worked together to build a free-standing tower. The children all took different approaches, testing out structures and the towers began to grow. In just ten minutes many were reaching lofty heights, with the tallest finally measuring in at 69.1cm. They all had fantastic fun. 

Mr Hester commented, “STEAM subjects are essential for all our futures, we can’t even begin to imagine the changes that are going to happen to our world in these children’s lifetimes. Hopefully my session today will inspire them to engage in every STEAM related opportunity presented to them during the rest of their time at Crackley and when they move on to senior school.”

Well done to all the children, the results were:

Best Quiz Score:

Tesla:  Jorja, Seb, Lucan N, Oliver

Highest Tower:

Einstein: Nancy, Avar, Harvey.

Combined Scores Overall Winners:

Joint 1st:

The Newtons: Bella, Annabel, Sam, Aaron

Newton:  Hunter, Ajunee, Thomas and Archie

On Thursday 13 February Crackley Hall’s pupils took it in turn to hop, skip or jump in a charity skipathon, an annual fund-raising event organised by Crackley’s Mini Vinnies.

Mini Vinnies’ Co-ordinator, Mrs Dolores Simmonds explains, “This year the children are again skipping to support the Sister Mary Aloysius College of Mercy in Nigeria.  It is a school funded completely by donations named in thanks after one of the Sisters of Mercy.  Our school also has links with the Sisters of Mercy as Sister Philomena, who is now in charge of the Sisters of Mercy order, was once Headmistress here at Crackley Hall when the school was a convent.  This year is Sister Philomena's final year as Mother Superior so we wanted to make an extra special effort.”

The children at Crackley Hall pledged to raise as much money as possible for the charity and have been collecting sponsors over the last few weeks.  In the skipathon the children took it in turns, one House at a time, to skip, hop or jump for one minute each.  Supervised by Mrs Simmonds and Mrs Bhogal, wave after wave of eager skippers jumped across the hall.

The underlying purpose of the Mini Vinnies, the junior arm of the St Vincent de Paul organisation, is to make a difference to underprivileged people’s lives. As always, Crackley Hall’s bouncing beans have done just exactly that. The money raised will be donated to the College of Mercy to help with an urgent repair to the roof, which will enable more children in Nigeria to benefit from an education.

Well done to all the skippers who took part and a big thank you to those who have generously donated to the skipathon. Pledges so far total over £2,000 but we'll keep you updated as to the final amount raised once it rolls in. Please can any outstanding sponsorship money be brought into school straight after half term.

The Key Stage 2 Evening of Performing Arts took place on Tuesday 11 February.  It showcased the breadth and depth of pupils’ musical and dramatic talents as the audience was treated to a variety of individual and group performances.

The orchestra opened proceedings with a stirring rendition of Vivaldi’s Spring from The Four Seasons. Then followed some 28 performances all sparkling with crisp clear deliveries and well-rehearsed polish. Too many to mention individually, a wonderful testament to the wide range of the repertoire.

There were entertaining ensemble numbers from the brass, violin, cello, guitar and choral speaking groups. Delightful solos on piano, viola, trumpet, drum, saxophone and flute.

Throughout the concert, pupils recited LAMDA pieces, many causing a chuckle, and there were many high-quality group and solo musical theatre performances.

The evening finished, as it had begun, with the stage packed with performers as the Chamber Choir and Choral Group delivered glorious performances of favourites such as Somewhere Only We Know and There’s Power In The Music.

Headmaster Mr Duigan expressed his delight announcing, ‘There is no better way to spend an evening than to come and watch Crackley’s children perform.  Our Key Stage 2 Evening of Performing Arts is always a highlight of the year. I am so proud of them all.  It has been a truly wonderful evening.”

Huge thanks also to all of the staff involved in preparing the children and supporting the production and to Mrs Olden, Mrs Wildey and Mrs Paphitis who have shown us yet again what talent, energy and zest for the performing arts there is at Crackley Hall.

It looks like Lego has inspired another pupil’s imagination to share their Lego model with the Crackley family. 

Following on from last week’s inspirational prison and police station built by Lego Captain Arthur and his brother, Alfred, this pupil has gone on a mission to build her own house! 

Beatrice in J2 decided she wanted to build a house with its own balcony for her to play in.  To share in her excitement, she got a few horses, birds, dogs and cats to live with her and added in a space rocket in the corner of the garden for good measure.  It took her a month to build and afterwards a very happy Beatrice said, “This is my dream house which one day I want to live in.” 

We all hope she will fulfil her dream!

Please find decade letters below:

Reception

J1

J2

J3

J4

J5

J6

Last weeks Mathlete of the week for Mrs Lammas's group is Woody and for Mrs Roberts group it is Francesca 

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Mathlete of the week for J3S is Lucas 

Mathlete of the week for J1H is Jude

Mathlete of the week for Mrs Lammas group is Millie and Helayna

Mathlete of the week for Mrs Roberts group is Henry

Mathlete of the week for Mrs Hill's group is Holly

Well done all!

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

Kieran McCullough, Director of Ethos at Princethorpe College, led our Mission Assembly on Monday in celebration of Our Lady of Lourdes. 

He talked about Mary being the role model around the world for people to look up to.  He talked about how we can remember Mary through the Hail Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, Mary’s Meals and Pilgrimages. 

His challenge for us this week was to remember and to thank the stars in our lives who guide and direct us.

As we prepare for Easter, during Lent, we are asked to reflect on ways that we can actively support our neighbours, locally and globally.

Next week pupils will bring home Father Hudson’s collection boxes, by filling up the collection boxes with loose change, we will help those less fortunate than us. Please could these be returned to school by Monday 16 March.

Father Hudson was a remarkable man and an exceptional priest who was well ahead of his time in respecting the dignity of children, desiring to give them the best start in life that was possible in their circumstances.

Many people familiar with Father Hudson’s will be aware of the network of homes, especially in Coleshill, that he developed with the support of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, its parishes and schools, and the sisters of the Selly Park Convent over a period of 30 years. Father Hudson’s provides Family Support in 36 schools in the Archdiocese. Through intensive and tailored mentoring of over 400 children and their families every year, they improve the outcomes for children living in adversity.

All are welcome to join us for our Ash Wednesday Mass which will be led by Junior 3V in the Gables during One World Week at 11am on Wednesday 26 February.

Crackley Hall had its best ever year at the Regional ISA Midlands Cross Country at Bedstone College on Wednesday 5 February with nine pupils finishing in the top 10 for their race and qualifying for the Nationals.

The course was exciting and challenging involving undulating fields, hills, streams, woodland, gravel and even mole hills! The U9 Girls and Boys had a 1500m course while the U11s took on a 1800m course that crossed two streams. There were over 120 children running in each race.

The school took 39 runners who enthusiastically tackled the course's tricky twists and turns with courage and determination.

Nine runners have qualified for the ISA Nationals, and will travel to Worksop College, north of Mansfield, on Friday 20 March. Huge congratulations to Martha, Sam, Alex, Elle, Issey, George, Dexter, Sid and Leonardo.

In the team events the first four across the line count so with so many top placings Crackley also secured first place for the U9 Boys, second place for the U9 Girls and U11 Boys and third place for the U11 Girls events.

A special mention must go to George Moreton (pictured) who stopped to help Sid who had a stitch. He put his arm round him and helped him to carry on until another of our lads passed them. George then asked Sid if it was okay for him to carry on. George went on to win the race and Sid finished third, a fantastic achievement for them both but what is more important was the care and support the boys offered to each other, an example of Crackley Spirit at its best.

Commenting on the event, PE Teacher, Kat Vaughan, said, “As always, the children were exceptionally well behaved, a real credit to the school, and a pleasure to take to the competition.  They were nervous but excited and ran courageously to achieve a superb set of results.”

Running for Crackley were:

U9 Girls: Elle Weir 2nd, Issey Cleary 3rd, Elsie Glover 24th, Esme Card 26th, Jasmine Staveley 47th, Merryn Cleary 63rd, Holly Lloyd-Evans 65th, Olivia Lamb 74th, Penny Thomas 76th and Lexi Ward 82nd.

U9 Boys: George Moreton 1st, Dexter Robinson 2nd, Sidney Penn 3rd, Leonardo Pavli 4th, George Wilcox 26th, Aaron Anderson 31st, George Knott 65th, Marley Hardwick 80th and Dillon Horan 90th.

U11 Girls: Martha Summers 5th, Rosa Davis 26th, Emily Hutton 28th, Kiran Dhillon 29th, Rosie Moreton 35th, Louisa Cooper 46th, Francesca Voisey 47th, Anabel Davis 48th, Scarlett Hammond 60th and Cadie Hardwick 88th.

U11 Boys: Sam Grindal 4th, Alex Vaughan 7th, Henry Fox 24th, Iman Khan 33rd, Soren Wasley 36th, Conor Horan 47th, Jimmy Loftus 59th, Maxwell Kiely 76th, Freddie Young 77th and Finlay Williams 86th.

Crackley Hall took a team of eight boys to the U11 ISA National Hockey Sevens Finals at the Lee Valley Stadium last Thursday 6 February. It was an early start leaving school before the sun had even risen but the boys were full of excitement and anticipation.

Taking part were 16 teams from across the country, split into four groups. The morning games were all about qualification. Crackley faced Copthill School, Lewes Old Grammar Prep School and Thorpe Hall School, the boys played steadily not losing a game or conceding a single goal. The team finished second in their group and were one of eight teams to qualify for the afternoon’s Cup competition.

In the afternoon, the boys played another three games, and were undefeated against Heywood Prep School and Chafyn Grove School before losing out, by two goals, to an excellent team, Langley Prep School, who then went on to play in the final.

Player of the tournament was Fintan McGrory – an exceptional natural talent.

Most improved player went to Archie Robinson.

Commenting on the event, PE Teacher Kat Vaughan, said, “The boys were an absolute pleasure to take out for the day. They showed exceptional team spirit, working hard to support each other in celebration and disappointment. I was incredibly proud of their standard of play, particularly their defence, many of the teams they faced train regularly on astros.”

Playing for Crackley were Harry Gallagher, Sam Grindal. Conor Horan, Jimmy Loftus (Vice-Captain), Fintan McGrory (Captain), Alex Vaughan, Soren Wasley and Archie Robinson.

We are pleased to announce that Elena (J3Z) and Carter (J3S) are our gymnasts of the week. 

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone from the Little Crackers in nursery! 

Hopefully we have filled your hearts, and maybe your cars, with paper, glue and a little sprinkling of glitter to show you just how much we care.  The children certainly enjoyed creating Valentine Cards for you, especially after hearing the story of Saint Valentine.  Did you know, he was a priest who was put in prison for secretly marrying people who loved each other, then fell in love with his jailor’s daughter.  Just before he died he wrote her a letter and signed it ‘from Your Valentine…’ and that is why we send cards to our loved ones today. 

I would like to say a big 'Thank You' to PC Marie from Warwickshire Police who came to visit on Tuesday afternoon.  The children really enjoyed meeting her, trying on uniforms and sitting in her car – we had such a lovely time, we can’t wait for her to come again!

I hope everyone enjoys their half term holiday, and as always, if you come to nursery all year round then the staff have plenty of adventures planned to keep us smiling through the storms!  Stay warm and safe this weekend!

Newsletter

We have had a great response the the new Little Crackers t-shirts. The t-shirts are high quality 100% cotton, suitable for 40^o wash and tumble dry and come in a selection of bright colours featuring the lovable nursery animals.

If you are interested in purchasing a t-shirt please obtain an order form from Little Crackers Nursery and return it with payment by Monday 24 February. We will need to ensure a minimum order of 25 t-shirts to proceed.

Little Crackers Nursery was delighted to welcome PC Holt into school on Tuesday 11 February.

PC Holt explained to the children that police officers are there to help people as well as to catch the bad guys.  She told the children all about the uniforms they wear, the equipment they use and how to stay safe on the roads. She even used her radio to talk to the Police Control Centre who gave all the nursery children a special hello.

After their short talk, the children all got the chance to dress up in police uniforms and high visibility jackets before taking a short trip out to see the Police car.  Everyone enjoyed sitting inside; some of the children even turned on the flashing blue police lights. 

It was all great educational fun – a huge thank you to Warwickshire Police.

We are mindful that there will be a number of parents and pupils who will be concerned about the situation regarding the Coronavirus.

The health and wellbeing of our community is of paramount importance to the Foundation and we are closely monitoring the situation and are following advice from Public Health England (PHE) and the Department for Education.

We have received the following advice from the Department for Education which we have been asked to share with staff, parents and pupils.

The government is closely monitoring the spread of the Coronavirus and is taking action at home and abroad.

The overall risk of Coronavirus to the UK remains moderate. Latest information and advice can also be found at:

•          https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

However, we understand that people may be concerned where there are children, students or staff returning from or visiting China.

Public Health England and the Foreign Office have issued advice for anyone travelling to the area.

This can be found at:

•          https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china

•          https://www.gov.uk/government/news/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-and-avian-flu-advice-for-travel-to-china

Advice for parents/guardians

You should not be unduly worried about the possibility of your children catching the Coronavirus. There is no reason why your children should not continue to attend their early years, school or further education setting as normal.

We recognise that some families or children may be planning to travel to China during the forthcoming half term period. If so, please refer to the FCO’s latest travel advice via the link above.

What action you can take

A UK wide campaign has been launched to provide clear advice on how to slow the spread of Coronavirus.

Please help to support the campaign which promotes basic hygiene practices, such as regularly washing hands and always sneezing into a tissue, to stem the spread of viruses.

We will continue to keep you informed if the situation and official advice changes. Should you wish to discuss any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact school.

Please find a link below to the current vacancies available across the Foundation:

• Invigilators
• Teacher of Computer Science

Full details of the roles and how to apply are available via the following link  https://www.princethorpe.co.uk/employment-opportunities

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

Lost

Stephanie (J4JM) has lost her girls named hockey/rugby top

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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.