Our Stars of the Week this week are:
| Nursery | Ella |
| Reception | Charley |
| J1G | Isabel |
| J1H | Beatrice |
| J2H | Shuvan |
| J3S | Finley |
| J3V | Darcey |
| J4B | Mairen |
| J4W | Carter |
| J5L | Leonardo |
| J5R | Stephanie |
| J6H | Freddie |
| J6V | Noah |
Congratulations to them all!
Pupils and staff will be welcoming a new member to the school’s leadership team in September. Sharon McAloon, an experienced teacher and senior leader, has been appointed Assistant Head of Academic and Key Stage 2.
Ms McAloon brings a wealth of experience to her new role having played a significant part in the development and management of a number of primary schools. Ms McAloon will be joining us from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Southam where she has been working as a senior leader and teacher with responsibilities across the curriculum. She has nearly 15 years of experience of teaching at Key Stage 2 and on leading schools programmes on Mathematics, Literacy, Special Educational Needs and Gifted and Talented. She has also worked in Switzerland at La Cote International School.
As a member of the senior leadership team, she will work closely with the Headmaster and colleagues to ensure that pupils achieve to the very best of their abilities.
Explaining her approach to learning, Sharon McAloon comments, “A child's happiness is intrinsic to their personal and academic growth. Staff must know every single pupil as an individual and put their happiness and welfare first and from that success flows. I am delighted that I have been given the opportunity to lead on Academic and Key Stage 2 at Crackley Hall. I look forward to working with all of the parents and staff, but my main aim will be to engage Crackley’s pupils with an enthusiasm for learning.”
Rob Duigan, comments, “We are delighted that Sharon has accepted the position of Assistant Head, Academic and Key Stage 2. When interviewing her for the role I was impressed with how her passion for the curriculum was balanced with her philosophy that achievement sits alongside pastoral wellbeing, an ethos which is echoed here at Crackley Hall. She will be a key figure in the future of our teaching provision at Crackley and the education of the children here. I wish her well in her new role.”
Crackley Hall School has been marking Chinese New Year this week with pupils exploring Chinese culture by taking part in a variety of activities and lessons. Across the school pupils have been discussing Chinese New Year, what the Chinese do to prepare, how they celebrate, why the Chinese are so fond of the colour red and which zodiac animal year is coming up. They have loved sharing in the celebration and have produced stunning work in school and at home.
The children in Nursery have joined in the fun exploring Chinese numbers and taking part in their own lion dance while pupils in Reception wished one another ‘Gong Xi Fa Cai’ ‘Wishing you great health and prosperity’ as they learned about the traditions associated with Chinese New Year. They also enjoyed reading and sequencing the traditional tale of the Jade Emperor who decided which animals would have a year of the zodiac, finding out which animal corresponded to their year of birth and writing sentences explaining whether they were a goat or a monkey!
Pupils in Year 3 explored the Legend of Nian and wrote Chinese setting descriptions. In their history lessons they compared the Terracotta Army with the Egyptian Pyramids creating presentations about both historical wonders. The children also drew Chinese dragons and make a Chinese dragon from an egg box in their Art lessons. Ivy's mum sent through information about Lucky New Year Fish and instructions on how to make them - which the children really enjoyed. Then today Junior 3 have undertaken a Maths challenge set by the Chinese Emperor – including a lantern sequencing challenge, investigating the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, a chessboard challenge and a fortune cookie conundrum.
Junior 5 also enjoyed celebrating Chinese New Year making dumplings, a long-held Lunar New Year ritual, usually done over festive reunion dinners to usher in a celebration of new beginnings, wealth and good fortune.
Mr Vaughan, a black belt and British and European Gold Medallist in Aikido, who also studied Taiho Jutsu and Wing Chun for a number of years, organised live Wing Chun lessons for pupils. It was an amazing opportunity for the children to experience the martial arts.
The Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days so the celebrations will continue after half term with Mandarin teacher, Mrs Huang. Key Stage 1 pupils will have the option of playing zodiac animal martial art, drawing a cute cow/ox and learning a Chinese 'Happy New Year' song while Key Stage 2 will take part in a quiz.
Chinese New Year has offered another wonderful opportunity for the children to take a cross curricular approach to their learning, an approach we know excites and engages them. They have all enjoyed immersing themselves in the vibrant celebrations and we would like to take this opportunity to wish all in our community a happy and prosperous Chinese New Year.
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Please use the following link to sign up for school closure updates on the Warwickshire County Council website.
On Tuesday it was Safer Internet Day, please follow the links below for information:
https://www.net-aware.org.uk/networks/dubsmash/
https://www.net-aware.org.uk/networks/tiktok/
https://www.net-aware.org.uk/networks/snapchat/
Please see the letter below from Warwickshire County Council which provides links for Mental Health and Wellbeing Services.
On World Book Day the children (and staff) will be asked to dress up as a character from a book, even though we are likely to still be at home.
More details to follow nearer the time.
Mathletes of the week for Mrs Hardwick's class is Aaryan
Mathlete of the week for Mrs Glen-Roots's class is Jess
Mathlete of the week for Mrs Holmes's class is Daiya
Mathlete of the week for Mr Stedeford's group is Sebastian
Mathletes of the week for Mrs VanZyl's group are Sienna and Ted
Mathlete of the week for Mrs Wildey's class is Joseph
Mathletes of the week for Mrs Burley's group is Ralph
Mathlete of the week for Mrs Roberts's group is Alfred
Mathlete of the week for Mrs Lammas's group is George
Well done all!
The Broadway Arts Festival are running a short story competition – it is the one that Seb Dibb won last year.
You can find the information here:
https://broadwayartsfestival.com/short-story-prize/
It is free to enter and there is no theme. There is word limit of 2000 words and there is a prize of £50 for the U13 category.
The deadline for entries is 5pm on Wednesday 31 March. All information on how to enter is on the website.
Please do have a look and encourage the children to enter. We have some fantastic writers in all parts of the school!
The winning stories will be shared on the Broadway Arts Festival website - you can read Sebastian's winning story there!
This week Dan has been cooking with a helping hand from his daughters.
All put together on a step by step basis for pupils and parents to watch and cook along!
Dear Parents
As we look ahead to the half-term holiday I am sure both you and your children will be looking forward to a break from online learning. We are also conscious that whilst it is cold and dark keeping children purposefully occupied throughout the week can be difficult.
We know that our children thrive on being busy and occupied. With this in mind we have arranged for all pupils to have complimentary access, should they wish, to an academic Half-term Camp that is being hosted online by RocketLearn.
Put together by two former Independent Prep School Heads, the camp is free for pupils who sign up using our unique school code CRACKLEYHALFTERM. If you sign up your child will be able to access live lessons each day in Maths and English, together with an afternoon activity session. The English will focus on Mindfulness and diary writing, a topic we feel could be very useful in the current climate. Each child will also have a workbook in which they can complete their Maths and English.
Prizes and certificates will be awarded.
If you would like to sign up or read more about it please click here. There are three different Maths levels; Bronze (aimed at yrs 3-4) Silver (yrs 5-6)and Gold (yrs 7-8) children are welcome to try as many levels as they wish.
If you would like to reserve your FREE place please register here using code CRACKLEYHALFTERM when prompted.
With all best wishes
Alicia Coad (Rocket Learn)
The Stratford Literary Festival have an annual Young Poets Competition for local children. Please click on the link below for more details:
Please follow the link below to the Raring2go! Winter Digital Edition:
Please follow the link below for a digital copy of Families Warwickshire Magazine.
