The Chronicle

Dear Parents  
 
Welcome back to school at the start of the second half of the Michaelmas Term which promises to offer many opportunities for our pupils. I hope that everyone had a restful and rejuvenating half term break with their loved ones. 
 
The school remained open during the break, and the holiday club staff did an excellent job of organising various activities and visits to local attractions, providing our children with wonderful experiences.  We look forward to the upcoming Christmas holiday club, so do keep an eye out for the bookings as the demand for places is likely to be high and we wouldn't want anyone to miss out on the fun-filled activities. 
 
I am humbled by the kindness and generosity of the families who donated to the Harvest Festival during half term. Their donations have been passed on to the Warwick District Foodbank. Thank you very much!  The office is now piling up with shoeboxes for our Shoebox Appeal, and I couldn't be more grateful for this outpouring of support. These shoeboxes represent hope and joy for hundreds of thousands of people living in poverty, and we are proud to be a part of this effort. 
 
Next week is National Anti-Bullying Week, and it is ever so important that we support this important cause at our school. We believe that even the smallest positive changes can make a big difference in a child's life and can have a lasting impact into adulthood. To show our support, we encourage all children to participate in "Odd Sock Day" on Monday 13 November, by wearing different socks. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those affected by bullying. 
 
On Monday morning, we had an inspiring Vocations Assembly. We had the honour of welcoming three prefects from Princethorpe College: Chloe and Grace, the Charity Prefects, and Zara, the Ethos Prefect, to lead the assembly. They enlightened us on the importance of finding a vocation which is more than just a job or a religious calling. It's about pursuing something you've always desired to do when you grow up. The pupils were asked about their dream vocations, and we were most impressed with their responses. From a cartoon creator to a builder, banker, author, surfer, and even the Prime Minister, their aspirations and inspirations were truly fascinating. It was heartwarming to see the pupils' passion towards their dream vocations. We're truly grateful to the Princethorpe Prefects for joining us and leading such an inspiring assembly. 
 
On Thursday, the entire school came together to celebrate the Feast of All Saints. Led by Junior 4R, we reflected on the remarkable lives of the Saints who devoted their lives to serving others. We also took a moment to remember the brave souls who gave their lives during the wars and are now resting in the peace of our Lord. During the mass, Father Kevin reminded us that we are all God's children, and that we are loved by Him. He asked us to show God's love by doing good deeds such as helping those in need, being kind, sharing, and treating others with respect. By following God's path, we can find true happiness. Let us all strive to be like the Saints who came before us, by doing good things for others. 
 
Thank you to all the children who participated in the CISC Christmas card competition. The entries were of an exceptionally high standard. The winner will be announced at next Friday’s assembly. 
 
Our PTA is working hard to organise a Christmas Fair for the children to enjoy at school. Keep an eye out for more information on this exciting event. Thank you to Mrs Gordon and Mrs Weir for taking time to address the school at assembly this morning. Please can we ask for as much support for the Fair as possible - it is on Saturday 2 December, in the afternoon. 
 
Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of young children? Our school is seeking a dedicated Nursery Practitioner to join our team. We believe that every child deserves the best start in life, and we need your help to make that happen. Visit our school website for more details on this exciting opportunity or contact Mrs. Davis-Harris to request an application pack. Together, we can inspire a new generation of learners. 
 
I am incredibly proud of the U11 football team for their impressive performance at the ISA Midlands 5-a-side Football Tournament. Even when faced with highly skilled opponents, they worked tirelessly as a team, never giving up. Through their hard work and tenacity, they were able to secure 2nd place in a group of 10 and qualified for the semi-finals. Despite facing tough matches, they finished in 4th place, earning a spot in the national finals. Their success is a testament to their dedication and teamwork. 
 
Please note that due to safety concerns for children with the night’s drawing in, some school Sports Clubs now finish at 4.15 pm. Please refer to the Chronicle for further information. 
 
Congratulations to our Stars of the Week - Nursery: Eadie and Hendrix; Reception: Joel & Milla; Junior 1:  Alice & Tazio; Junior 2: Cole & Daya; Junior 3: Cameron & Lillyrose; Junior 4: Sophia & Ethan; Junior 5: Ella & Lexi-Jean; Junior 6: Isaac & Wade. They have all worked so hard and can be proud of their efforts. The music that touched the hearts of many this morning was beautifully performed by Tristan in Junior 4 on the piano and Darcey in Junior 6, with her beautiful singing.  Well done and thank you to both of them. 
 
Tomorrow is a momentous day for our Junior 6 students, as they take the Princethorpe College entrance examination. Our pupils have worked hard, both in the classroom and at home, to prepare for this moment. I have personally encouraged them to stay focused, keep calm, and to do their very best. I believe in their ability to rise to the occasion and achieve great things. 
 
As we step into November, a month of remembrance, let's pause and pay our heartfelt tribute to the valiant souls who have lost their lives in wars and conflicts worldwide throughout history. Let's remember the sacrifices made and the bravery shown by those who fought for our freedom and safety. May we never forget the profound impact of war on individuals, families, and communities, and may we always strive for lasting peace and harmony in our world. We also take time to remember our own loved ones, now deceased. 
 
I was fortunate to enjoy some wonderful sport over half term and was delighted that the Springboks retained their World Cup. I have to admit that I was not confident. I certainly think that they are now coming unstack in the Cricket World Cup, which India should win with ease. 
 
I would like to say that I will be thinking of all our families who will be celebrating Diwali on Sunday. Have a wonderful day - Shush Deepavali. 
 
I hope everyone has a restful weekend and that there is some good weather to look forward to. 
 
God bless 
Rob Duigan 
 

‘Ask a question and you're a fool for three minutes – don't ask a question and you're a fool all your life’.

– Chinese proverb

Odd Socks Day marks the start of Anti-Bullying Week every year and this year Odd Socks Day 2023 will take place on Monday 13 November.

Please could children wear odd socks on Monday 13 November as we aim to celebrate what makes us all unique.

Odd Socks Day sends an important message to all pupils that they should be allowed to be themselves, free from bullying, and helps us to celebrate Anti-Bullying Week in a fun and positive way.

Please note - due to the nights drawing in, and with the safety of the children in mind, the following after school Sports Clubs now finish at 4.15pm.

Could we please request that children are collected promptly at 4.15pm. If you require Aftercare from 4.15pm, please notify the school office no later than lunchtime on that day.

Please also note, Hockey Club on Monday will continue to run from 4.00 - 5.00pm (Collection will be at 5.00pm from North Leamington School or at 5.30pm from Crackley Hall).

Christmas is fast approaching and each year we enter a tree into the St Nicholas Church Christmas Tree Festival. All money raised will be donated to Flourish, a Christian based charity, who support girls aged 11 to 18 years, nurturing self-esteem and mental wellbeing within Warwickshire. The Crackley Hall Christmas Tree will be adorned with decorations created by the pupils of Crackley Hall.

We are continuing to look for ways to live more sustainably and with this in mind this year’s Christmas Tree Decorations must be made from products from your recycling! The theme is ‘Peace’.

All decorations need to be submitted by Monday 20 November. Please be creative, have fun and ensure your competition entry is made from materials which were destined for the recycling. Further information will be sent out on Seesaw.

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

Congratulations to them all!

This morning, Headmaster, Mr Duigan led a whole school assembly to allow pupils and staff to mark Remembrance Day. 

Mr Duigan explained how important the occasion is as we remember those people who looked after and protected our country for us, for our parents and for our grandparents.

We were reminded of the work of the Royal British Legion, a national veterans charity supporting the Armed Forces, people with disabilities and people who are unemployed. Mr Duigan explained how we can help this charity by buying a poppy and praying for all wars to stop.

The school observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect.

Our best wishes go out to all of the Junior 6 pupils who have taken or are about to take school entrance examinations.

The Princethorpe College Entrance Examination is this weekend and 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.

As part of our preparations for our upcoming Vocations Week, on Monday morning we were delighted to welcome three prefects from Princethorpe College, Chloe and Grace, both Charity Prefects, and Zara, Ethos Prefect, to lead our Vocations assembly.

Chloe, Grace and Zara discussed with pupils what a vocation is. How it is not just a job or a religious calling, how it can also be a desire to do something you have always wanted to do when you are older and living your life. They asked pupils what their dream vocation would be. Their answers ranged from being a cartoon creator, a builder, a banker, an author, to a surfer and even the Prime Minister. It was lovely to hear all their ideas and inspirations.

Many thanks to the Princethorpe Prefects for joining us.

On Thursday, the whole school celebrated the Feast of All Saints, which was led by Junior 4R, and we welcomed Father Kevin into school. We reflected on the Saints who dedicated their lives to others. We also took time to remember those who are now in heaven and the people who had died during the wars. The mass was offered for the life of the school. Father Kevin spoke about each of us being one of God's children who are each loved by God and, in return, we are called by God to love. Linked with the Beatitudes, Fr Kevin explained that if we try to follow God, we shall be happy. Father Kevin asked the children what sort of good things we can each do to show God's love? Answers ranged from helping those who are hurt, being kind rather than being nasty to one another, sharing so we can make a difference to someone's life, making people feel welcome by engaging them in our conversations, planting trees to help us and the whole world, and treating people how we would want to be treated. In conclusion, there are lots of ways we can all show love for God and we can be like those Saints from the past because of the good things we can do now. 

We love to celebrate our pupils' talents, so every week in Celebration Assembly we hear of the childrens' successes and achievements and we watch performances by some of our pupils.  Here are photos from this morning.

A huge well done to all!

This week in Science, Junior 6 have started a new topic in which we are learning all about the human body. We started the week thinking about all the major organs that we all have inside ourselves and what they do. The children were tasked with labelling a diagram of a body, precisely placing each of the major organs where they thought they should go. We then set the children an independent research task where they had to find out as much about the heart as they could. We were amazed at some of the fantastic facts we found! Junior 6 were all super scientists this week - let's keep up the hard work!

This week in Junior 5, the children have been working hard to learn the key features of comic strips. They each enjoyed discovering how to create panels, speech and thought bubbles, captions and had fun using onomatopoeia to ZAP! WHAM! KAPOW! Alongside our history topic of Aztecs, we then introduced our new feature text, The Princess and the Warrior. After learning the story of Izta and Popoca, they then used their newly improved knowledge of comic strips, to retell their own version of the story in the form of a comic. Junior 5 have started the second half of Michaelmas term with aplomb and we have all been very impressed.

This week, Junior 4 have been researching and learning about the various Roman gods and understanding their roles in the world. The children hunted around the classroom for the hidden gods and discovered and wrote down facts about their powers, history, and physical features. They then created their own Pokémon cards based on their favourite Roman god.

Junior 3 have crossed continents and landed in Kenya this week. We found out about and recreated the Kenyan flag, read the fascinating story of Lila and the Secret of Rain and located the country on a world map. The childrens' fact-finding comprised of learning about the ‘Big Five’, their delicious food including fish, stews and mursik, the population of Kenya being similar to England’s but the climate being very different!

The exciting return to school after the half-term break is like embarking on a new adventure, this is certainly how we, in Junior 2, feel. Children have been busy creating dragons following our topic on castles and they used a variety of paints to create amazing mythical creatures. The children also made Remembrance day poppies; this was so very touching as we remembered the sacrifice veterans made and those who have served in the military. This allowed children to discuss and engage in historical events and the importance of honouring those who have served our country.

Over half-term children were encouraged to make a creative project about their environment. We had so many beautiful projects which we were able to share with the whole class. It was wonderful to see how each child applied their knowledge and understanding of a topic that is of interest to them, it was clear to see that we have many keen researchers in Junior 2.

After a wonderful half-term to rest and recuperate, Junior 1 have returned with a new zest for learning. Jack and the Beanstalk is our new focus in English and already we have re-created the story using the Mighty Writer, sequenced the story’s main parts and created our own story-map of it. In Science we have been looking at shadows – what they are, how they are created and how they change size depending on how close an object is to the light source. Geography has seen us develop an understanding of the differences between arable farms and pastoral farms and what we would get from each of them. While in History we went back in time to a Victorian kitchen and compared what we would eat for breakfast 150 years ago to what we eat now. So, as you can see, we have had a very busy start to this new term!

This week Reception have been writing, writing, writing! The children have been practising their letter formation and perfecting their wonderful writing. We have been amazed by their super attitude coming back to school after the half-term and the progress that they are making. We have also started to practise for the Nativity, what an exciting half-term it is going to be!

This week in Nursery, our Dormice have been making their special Remembrance poppies and also learning about Arctic animals; penguins and polar bears were among the favourites!  

In Badgers and Hedgehogs, we began the week thinking about bonfire night and all its exciting colours, sounds and smells.

Outside, the children collected leaves to make their own pretend bonfire. We had a go at making our own fireworks using diet coke and mentos. The children were highly amused to watch the bubbles fizz up and cover Mrs Allen! This then prompted lots of fantastic questioning and the children were keen to see what happened when mentos were added to milk, water, Fanta and Pepsi Max.

Inside, the children explored lots of ways of creating their own paintings of fireworks exploding in the night sky. They used feathered cardboard rolls to press print glittery fireworks; straws to blow spikey explosions; car wheels to drive the paint splatters; and cotton wool pads and a rolling pin to bash little puddles of paint - it was great fun experimenting.

Our story of the week was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The children have enjoyed acting out this story in the role play corner and singing the Goldilocks song, which has prompted lots of comparative maths discussions around size.

Junior 2 have been learning all about Psalms this week in RE. Psalms is a book in the Bible that is dedicated to teaching people how to worship God. The book is full of different songs and poems that praise God for His goodness and mercy. The children worked in pairs and together they devised their own psalms which they then presented to the class.

Please click on the link below for this week's Weekly Mission:

Weekly Mission

Please find information below:

Children's Liturgy

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
Jesus tells us a story about how it is important to be ready and prepared for whatever will happen.

Activity Sheet 

We are so proud of our U11 Football team who have qualified for the National Finals, finishing 4th out of 19 teams at the ISA Midlands 5-a-side Football Tournament on Monday.

Knowing that they had to start quickly, their first match was against a very talented Crescent team. Impressively, Crackley worked tirelessly to restrict their opponents, which included a penalty save from Josh. A great start saw Crackley beating Crescent 2-1, consequently lifting their confidence as a team. Throughout the day, almost every match was played against skilful teams but through hard work and a tenacious attitude, Crackley finished 2nd in a group of 10, playing 9 matches, winning 6, drawing 2 and only losing 1. As a result, they qualified for the semi-finals. Eventually, after two extremely tough matches, Crackley finished in 4th place.

Head of Games, Mr Stedeford, commented on the excellent attitude of the children and every single one of them should be immensely proud of their achievement, they thoroughly deserved their success.

Well done to Josh, Isaac, Wade, Vaughan, Scarlett, Leo, Theo and Ryan!

Please remember to check team sheets and find further fixture information on www.crackleyhallsport.co.uk

This week in Lego Club we delved into the world of wildlife exploration in the jungle. We uncovered a forest thick with trees and slippery leaves and created our very own animal rescue centre – always handy when dealing with endangered species like elephants, pandas and giant otters. Venturing further into the depths of the dark jungle habitat, we discovered a forest fire, only to be extinguished by a solar powered aeroplane’s water sprinkling system aided by a lady with giant arms scooping up any distressed animals to the safety of a ready-made river on the aeroplane! How we all love our dramatic and creative play...and our new Lego City Advent calendar!

As a reminder, please find attached the Extra-Curricular Club Timetable:

Michaelmas Term Clubs

Changes to Extra Curricular Clubs

J5 and J6 Chamber Choir has moved to Thursday morning, from Wednesday.

J5 Art & DT Club has moved to Friday afternoon, from Thursday.

J1 Cartoon Drawing has moved to Wednesday lunchtime (12:30), from Friday

Rec Yoga has moved to Tuesday lunchtime (12:30), from Monday

Cancellations to Extra Curricular Clubs

Chess club is currently not running - we will update you as soon as we have a new start date

Afterschool Clubs - pick up locations and times

Mondays

J1 Rugby Tots - 3.45pm - Lower Playground

J3 to J6 Move It Shake It - 4.45pm - Gables

J4 STEAM Club - 4.45pm - Front Steps

J5 and J6 Girls Hockey Club - 5.00pm at North Leam School or 5.30pm at Crackley Hall

Tuesdays

J1 and J2 Eco Club - 4.15pm - Front Steps

J1 and J2 Coding Club - 4.15pm - Front Steps

J3 and J4 Hockey Club - 4.15pm - Lower Playground

J4 to J6 Fencing Club - 4.45pm - Gables

Rec to J6 Bayleaf Cookery - 4.45pm - Front Steps

J3 to J6 STEM Young Engineers - 5.00pm - Science Room Door 

Wednesdays

Rec to J2 Move It Shake It - 4.15pm - Gables

J5 and J6 Girls Football Club - 4.15pm - Crackley Hall Playing Fields

J5 and J6 Boys Football Club - 4.15pm - Crackley Hall Playing Fields

Thursdays

J3 and J4 Girls Football Club - 4.15pm - Crackley Hall Playing Fields

J3 and J4 Boys Football Club - 4.15pm - Crackley Hall Playing Fields

Fridays

J1 and J2 ATMA Karate - 4.00pm - Gables

J1 to J6 Complete Cricket - 4.30pm - Lower Playground

J5 Art and DT Workshop - 4.45pm - Science Room Door

J3 to J6 ATMA Karate - 5.00pm - Gables

The Christmas Fair Saturday 2 December 

The Christmas Fair will soon be upon us and this year we are going to be doing things a bit differently. We are asking the parents of each class or year (depending upon class size) to take responsibility for organising the volunteers to run the stall.

Reception: Where is Santa Hiding?

J1G: Pick Rudolph’s Nose

J1H: Sprout or Chocolate

J2B: Match the Snowman

J2R: Name the Teddy

J3: Teddy Tombola

J4A: Magic Key

J4R: Pin the nose on the Snowman

J5L: Tinsel Tug

J5S: Santa bottle flip

J6H: Splat the Snowman

J6V: Snowball Tin Can Alley

All equipment, prizes, rules, floats etc. will be provided by the PTA. All we would like you to do is organise between yourselves who will be on each stall. The fair will run 1pm-4pm and how it is manned in regards to the number of volunteers is totally up to you. Each volunteer will get a free drink token.

Christmas Shopping

Thank you to everyone who ordered cards, wrap and gifts through the Classfundraising web shop. Your orders are being processed and we will distribute them to you at home via your child/children as we receive them. It is likely that we will receive cards, wrap and tags first and other items such as mugs, bags, teddies, baubles and tea towels in a second delivery.

There are two more great ways to support the school's PTA and your children this Christmas!

1. Sign up to Easyfundraising for Crackley. Download the mobile app and it automatically pops up if you visit a site offering a donation. It doesn't cost you anything and really could boost funds if we all chip in a little bit by how we shop.

2. We will be holding a Grand Christmas Raffle and welcome both individual and corporate donations for prizes to create some extra joy and excitement! Please click here to let us know if you can help.  Look out for our business donors in future PTA communications.  

PTA Opportunities

We're mobilising for the Christmas Fair and would welcome anyone who wants to help. It's a magical time of year for the children and how better to make it extra special than by helping to create a fun filled afternoon for them to enjoy with their friends? The children LOVE to see you helping! 

We have open roles for a Vice-Chair and Vice-Treasurer: please contact the office or the PTA directly if you would like to find out more about how you can support the school in either of these positions.

Contact us via the office or on mariagordonpta@gmail.com

The Crackley Hall Junior Da Vinci programme encourages all pupils to be inspired to be the best that they can be. The Junior Da Vinci programme embraces three adapted principles - Creativity, Practice and Mastery - that the children demonstrate in their learning.

This year we are ensuring that all pupils in the school have opportunities to achieve Junior Da Vinci awards. The attached leaflet gives more information about this programme.

Da Vinci Leaflet

Look out for children achieving Junior Da Vinci's in the Chronicle over the year.

To order uniform please use the electronic form.

New Uniform Order

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

Nursery

Reception

Junior 1

Junior 2

Junior 3

Junior 4

Junior 5

Junior 6

If you require either permanent or occassional Aftercare for the new Term you will need to book in your intentions by emailing aftercare@crackleyhall.co.uk or receptionist@crackleyhall.co.uk with as much notice as possible to ensure the children attending receive tea.

If you have booked an Aftercare session, it would also be helpful to let your child know.

Please also note that permanent bookings are only valid for the term, due to club and activity changes.

Any children who are not collected from carline, for example if parents are stuck in traffic, will be taken to Aftercare at 4.15pm, when carline finishes and charged accordingly.

Aftercare runs from 3.45pm until 6:00pm, with charges being £5.00 per hour or part thereof.

Childcare vouchers can be used as payment or part payment for Aftercare.

The office closes at 4.30pm, please call Aftercare directly on 07732 036625 if you need the staff after this time.

Please see the attached menus for the Michaelmas Term. These rotate on a five weekly basis.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

If your child is interested in taking music or singing lessons at school, please complete the below Expression of Interest Form and hand in to the school office

Expression of Interest Form

For children who require any medication periodically or on a permanent basis, the Office will require a completed Administration of Medication Form. A copy is attached for your convenience. 

Administration of Medication Form

Please ensure that any medication brought into school is dated and labelled with your child's name and form.

Please hand medication into the School Office, please do not give it to your child to hand in. 

We regularly recruit for a variety of roles, please do share news of the vacancies with interested friends and family. Current vacancies include:

Princethorpe College

• Casual Estates Assistant

Crescent School

• Teaching Assistant Key Stage 2
• Lunchtime Supervisor

Further information and application forms on all roles are available on the Foundation's website - www.princethorpe.co.uk/join-us

Please ensure that all items of 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 them to the School Office as soon as possible.

Lost Property

Otto (J1H) - School cap

Ava (J5L) - School jumper, sports trousers and fleece

Casper (J4R) - School sports trousers

When dropping off in the morning, if you are using carline, please move round the roundabout before dropping off and do not leave your car unattended. Carline can cause traffic issues on the Kenilworth Road, so please be mindful.

If you are dropping off and wish to walk your child up to the school or are coming into school please use the Lower Playground or the Sports Field. Please remember to park considerately as parking is at a premium.

We would ask that if you use the lower playground at morning drop off, that you leave the school site promptly, as parking is at a premium, and it has been causing traffic congestion.

Please do not park on the Grasscrete Parking area or on the left hand side when you enter the school main carline, as these are both staff parking areas.

Where possible, please avoid parking on the local residential roads, and if you do, please park considerately and legally. 

When collecting in the evening, please adhere to the collection times, as if you arrive too early, this causes traffic congestion. If you are early, we would suggest parking on the Sports Field and walking up to school.

If you are unsure or wish to clarify any points, please call the School Office.

Please see below the carline locations and collections for the Michaelmas Term:

Please see below collection locations for after games lessons (but not clubs):