The Chronicle

Dear Parents

Greetings from Wales! I am currently attending the CISC Conference in Cardiff, where Head Teachers from up to 150 Catholic independent schools have gathered to consider aspects and initiatives that will continue to enhance our provision now and into the future. One of our goals is to improve and celebrate Catholic education, and I am honored to be a part of this thought-provoking and inspiring forum which includes some of the best minds in the sector.

Thank you to all who contributed to today's Number Day! This year, our theme was eco-friendly, and we explored how Mathematics is used in the real world to create a sustainable future. Your support for Number Day and the NSPCC, as demonstrated by your green attire and links to the mathematical world is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your contribution to such a deserving charity.

The enthusiasm and interest shown by the Reception class as they prepare for their upcoming farm trip is wonderful. Reading the story of 'Farmer Duck' has instilled a sense of perseverance in them despite the obstacles someone may face. Through their creativity and commitment, they have impressed their teachers with their exceptional work. Congratulations to everyone for their amazing effort and dedication!

As per the termly calendar, the upcoming Pupil Progress Meetings are being held on Tuesday 5 and Thursday 7 March. The evenings will begin at 4.15pm and run until the last appointment at 6.35pm. Further details will follow soon.

Please could we ask families to take a moment to check the labels on your children's clothing and ensure that all items of uniform, equipment, and sports kit are named. If you do happen to notice any items of uniform that belong to another pupil, please would you return them to the school office as soon as possible.

I have been informed that there are only limited spaces available from Monday 12 to Friday 16 February 2024 at the Holiday Club. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate last-minute requests. Therefore, kindly ensure that you have secured your place by Wednesday of next week.

Please continue to regularly check the events calendar and also the SOCS application for sports fixtures. Any updates to fixtures, or cancellations, are indicated via these platforms.

I’d like to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our Stars of the Week who received their well-deserved certificates at the assembly: Nursery – Bella and Freya; Reception – Aurora and Henry; J1 – Ted and Avni; J2 – Sherry and Elliott; J3 – Poppy and Fiorella; J4 – Jess and Gaby; J5 – Swaran and Charlotte; J6 – Sukhmani and Beatrice. Well done to all the recipients of the rewards today. And let's not forget the beautiful singing performance from May and Eduardo on the piano, reminding us of all the amazing talents within our school. Keep up the great work! 

Congratulations to the England cricket team on their performance in the first test against India. We also have the Six Nations Rugby starting this weekend and I am sure that many of you are looking forward to seeing your team do well – there has been some rebuilding going on. I wish everyone a most restful and happy weekend with friends and family. 

God bless  

Rob Duigan 

"Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher." - Japanese Proverb.

Create your own obstacle course!

Keep yourself active this half term by creating your own obstacle course in your home or garden.

Plan, design and complete your obstacle course and send your ideas into your teacher by Friday 23 February ready for a display.

You could photograph or video yourself completing this course – what is your record time? Can your friends/siblings/parents complete it as well? What about as a team?

Here is your task outline:

1. Choose your location – ask parents where a good place would be to build your obstacle course.

2. Plan your layout – you need a start and finish line and a stopwatch to see how fast you can complete the course. Make sure you include obstacles for climbing on, balancing on, crawling over/under/through. Make sure you draw out your plan of the course.

3. Collect the materials – think about the obstacles you are going to need, cardboard boxes, benches, skipping ropes. If you have a climbing frame or trampoline are these included as part of your obstacle course?

4. Set up the course – place your obstacles and walk through each activity to check that it is safe.

5. Create a story – use your imagination to bring the obstacle course to life, are those really pillows or are they the backs of turtles to get across the shark infested water? Is that skipping rope on the grass really a tightrope across a ravine?

Send in your plan, and some photos or videos of you completing your obstacle course to your teacher.

We would like to inform you that we have experienced some connectivity issues with our mobile network provider for Aftercare and Holiday Club services outside of normal hours. To remedy this, we have taken the necessary steps to switch to a new network provider.

Please take note of our new phone number for Aftercare and Holiday Club services outside of normal hours: 07543 164 779

We appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the School Office.

The school provides a designated car parking area for our Accessible badge holders only which we also allow Pregnant mothers the freedom to use.

We kindly request everyone to cooperate and follow our accessible parking regulations in order to create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. By showing consideration and respect towards one another, we can make a positive impact and inspire others to do the same.

If you require an additional accessible parking area, please do not hesitate to contact the office.

February Half Term Holiday club will be running from Monday 12 to Friday 16 February 2024.

Please click here to see our jam-packed programme of fun activities, including some exciting trips out of school (additional charges will apply).

Please email holidayclub@crackleyhall.co.uk to make your booking.

We have been made aware of planned works by HS2 which will result in the road closure of Dalehouse Lane between Common Lane and Stoneleigh Road from 12 February to 1 March 2024.

A full road closure will be in place during these dates. Please use the signed diversion route during the closure.

Please click here for more information or visit https://www.hs2.org.uk/work-items/road-closure-on-dalehouse-lane-kenilworth/

This term, our theme is ‘SUSTAINABLE PORTRAITS’ 

Ms Holmes challenges you to create a portrait of yourself, or someone else, maybe someone you admire using recycled and sustainable resources. (The image shown is to give you an idea only of how you could achieve this). House points will be given for entering, for innovative ideas and for overall creativity.

Entering - 5 house points

3rd prize - 10 house points

2nd prize - 20 house points

1st prize - 25 house points

Work should be your own and no larger than A3.

You should demonstrate clever use of recycling and reusing resources. Work should be brought into school to Ms Holmes by Thursday 21 March.

Sustainability is key.

Professor Penguin is conscientious – a trait we should all be working towards. Creating sustainable artwork is a fabulous way to show how YOU can contribute to the planet’s future.

Please click here for further information.

Good luck everyone, can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Get CREATING!

On Friday the 2 February, pupils at Crackley Hall all celebrated Number Day by ‘going green’. Dressed in our finest green, we found out how mathematics is used in the real world to create a sustainable future. The topics explored ranged from measuring food waste, to how maths is used to recycle rubbish and even calculating food miles. We also heard some very sobering statistics about the impact of climate change and pollution on our planet. Pupils enjoyed activities such as creating bar charts of their recycling, calculating food waste in tons, looking at temperature increases around the world, and suggesting multiplication arrays for future planting.  

We all feel compelled to help create a sustainable future and are overjoyed to know how maths can help us achieve this.

On Wednesday, the U11A girls' team travelled to Bilton Grange and despite gale force winds, the girls showing outstanding talent, using their knowledge of passing required to ensure possession was kept and the ball didn't fly away!

The girls have been working hard in training, on driving onto the ball and putting a pass into space using a shoulder pass, which all girls demonstrated during this game. The girls were patient coming down the court, showing their maturing knowledge of the game. Essential defensive turnovers, consistently accurate shooting and some brilliant feeds into the D, sealed our 19-10 win against Bilton Grange. Well done to Elsie (Captain), Alexa, Amy, Issy, Elora, Phoebe, Darcey and Eloise.

Congratulations also to the J3 girls who also played at Bilton Grange and won 13-3.  Well done to Sloan, Charley, Fiorella, Laura, Poppy and Lillyrose.

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

Congratulations to them all!

On Thursday 8 February, the Witherslack Group will be holding a free webinar delivered by Tony Lloyd, CEO of The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity, exploring children's mental health, 'Understanding myself, liking myself, being me, helping your child to understand strategies & lifestyles for good mental health.

Please click here to register for this event.

This virtual session will explore top tips and strategies for promoting positive mental health and well-being, drawing on the theme of this years Children's Mental Health Week campaign, 'My Voice Matters'. Tony will guide us through a journey that empowers parents and carers to play a vital role in nurturing the mental and emotional resilience in our children.

This webinar will explore the following topics;

Understanding myself, liking myself, being me
Daily lifestyle choices 
Friendships
What do we mean by being 'Happy'? Is this a feeling or an emotion - or is it something that I 'know'?
Stress reduction strategies
Dealing with difficult conversations 
What do we mean by self-esteem and self-confidence?

Friday 23 February 2024 - 6:45pm to 10:00pm

Join us for a night of good food, great company, and valuable insights into the future of farming.

Hear from two speakers:

• Jennie Wheildon: Unlock New Funding Opportunities and Plan for the Next Generation in Farming.
• John Price (OP 2014): My Journey into Farming and prospects for the future of farming.

Don't miss this opportunity to connect with fellow farmers, enjoy delicious food and drinks, and gain valuable knowledge for the future of your farm.

Secure your spot here by Friday 16 February 2024.

During the month of February, we enter the time of Lent and we reflect on God’s great love for us. We look for ways to share that love with others, so this month we are asking pupils in Junior 4 to donate items for our local foodbank.  

A reminder of the required items:

Long life milk
Long life fruit juice
Tinned vegetables
Instant mash
Instant noodles
Pasta sauce
Tinned fruit
Tomato ketchup/Brown Sauce
Shower gel
Toilet rolls
Deoderant
Washing up liquid

Pupil Progress Meetings will be held on Tuesday 5 and Thursday 7 March between 4.15pm with the last appointment finishing at 6.35pm. This will be for Reception to Junior 6.  More details will follow nearer the time.

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 some photos from this morning.

A huge well done to all!

Reception have been getting ready for a trip to the farm, so our story this week was, 'Farmer Duck.'  Poor Farmer Duck found himself having to do all the work for the lazy farmer – but we certainly didn’t have any lazy farmers in school!  The children have been working really hard; sequencing the story, matching and writing key words, writing captions to go with pictures, and then retelling the story themselves.  It’s been a busy week, and we spotted some fabulous work – well done everyone.

In the Outside Learning Area, Badgers and Hedgehogs were tasked to find the right words to talk a teacher through different activities: to prepare a bowl of cornflakes and to brush your teeth. Mrs Whitehurst did exactly as she was told, which created a lot of messy fun and giggles, until the children gave the correct instructions, in the right order.

Our Dormice had great fun in their PE lesson with Mr Vaughan, learning about movement to music and incorporating colour matching to physical effort. 

Inside, Charlotte invited the children to take turns in the sensory tray. They squirted foam, dripped food-colouring in, and then whooshed and swirled in the soapy goo. So, lots of squeals of delight here too!

Encouraging independence and managing risk: the children are enjoying using their water bottles to top up throughout the day, as well as to be able to access the climbing frame via the side bars now that everyone is more confident on this apparatus.

This week’s topical focus has been to explore the role of  ‘Teachers’, who guide Learning and keep everyone safe in Nursery. The children called the registers, played a memory game using a tray of teacher tools, and solved clues to play ‘Guess the teacher’. We sang ‘Five, fat pencils, sitting on the wall’ and, ‘I went to visit a school one day’.

During RE, we used the internet to find our local Church, St Francis and to look at the features inside that show us it’s a house of God with plenty of room to welcome everyone. We saw photos of Father Kevin, wearing lots of different coloured vestments as well as his everyday black suit and clerical collar.

This week in Art, Junior 6 have been looking at the work of the Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. Focusing primarily on his signature piece, 'The Starry Night,' we looked at the life of this famous artist. We learnt all about the brilliant works of art that he produced, but also all the challenges that he faced. We then began weaving our own stars to create our very own Starry Night! The children have also wrapped up their Titanic paintings - the finished results of which are on display in the Art Room and are fantastic – we highly recommend going to have a look at them! Well done everyone, you’ve worked so hard this week.

On Wednesday, Junior 5 were given the wonderful opportunity to watch the Princethorpe production of ‘Loserville’. They were extremely excited to see this inspirational performance, led by pupils from Years 7 to 10. The children were respectful when giving the talented performers positive and constructive feedback and we are very proud of how they conducted themselves. Some may even follow in the footsteps of the former Crackley students (of which there were many) and audition for shows when they go into Year 7 themselves!

Another exciting week in Junior 4. In their science lessons, pupils were asked to predict which type of chocolate would melt the quickest and why - white, milk or dark? The sweet aroma of melted chocolate filled both classrooms and, as the pupils worked so enthusiastically, they all got to sample each type. They also noted that this was a reversible change - the solid chocolate, once heated, became a liquid and, when cooled, it became a solid again.

Well done, Junior 4!

This week Junior 3 have been really getting to grips with how to use a bar model to help with division in their Maths lesson. They are now able to divide increasingly large numbers using their knowledge of equal groups, flexible partitioning and they even know how to calculate and record a remainder!

Children have also been working hard to put the finishing touches to our class assembly, which we are looking forward to sharing with everyone next week.

Junior 2 children continue to impress their teachers with how hard they are working and their consistently positive attitude. This week, we have been using arrays to help make multiplication sentences. We have been retelling a familiar story in English, considering the beginning, middle and end, finding out about the story of the willow pattern plate.

In science, the children made fruit kebabs as a healthy snack and they have learnt all about making food choices that are good for their bodies and minds. Well done, Junior 2.

This week, we have travelled all the way from the Antarctic right back here to the capital of England! In science, we learnt a little more about penguins and how they keep warm. This then led us to consider which materials would be good to use to keep ourselves warm. The children were so excited to be real scientists, experimenting with test tubes and hot water. Five test tubes were filled and water temperatures were recorded, before being placed near an open window. The tubes were wrapped in different materials and predictions were made. The temperature was then recorded after half an hour with surprising results for the children. It was then a quick trip to London for geography, as we looked at the landmarks of London; the children particularly loved the idea of the MI6 building housing real spies. Finally, it was up, up and away for our art lesson as the children made their pulley hot air balloons. We are certainly never standing still for a moment in Junior 1!

Mrs Glen-Roots led the Monday Mission Assembly and asked how Jesus' disciples prepared themselves to follow Him. Mrs Glen-Roots said that by being fishers of people we too can be like Jesus. Reference was made to Jesus asking fishermen to catch fish and, like a penguin, we too can catch fish - or people - to let them know about the Word of Jesus.

Jesus didn't just ask fishermen to join Him; he wanted tax collectors and everyone to reach out to Him. Just as a fishing net scoops up more than just fish, we too could tell everyone about Jesus, without making exception. Just as Jesus loves us, we can try and love others in the same way. 

As a heart was pulled out of the fishing net in Mrs Glen-Roots' display, Jesus has asked us to be kind to each other, to love others, to be a good friend, to listen and to reach out to people who don't have many friends. If we can do all this and show courage and bravery by standing up for what is right and by resisting temptation, we too can all be fishers of people and do the right thing. Who do we want to show kindness to this week?

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

Weekly Mission

Please find information below:

Children's Liturgy

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Jesus healed people who were sick. Who makes you feel better when you are sick? How can we care for one another?

Activity Sheet

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

Kenilworth Tennis & Squash Club are offering full day and half day camps this half term holidays. 

Please click here for more information.

In Lego Club this week we headed for the highway with a heap of imagination and a passion for creating cool cars just bursting with awesome design details. We engineered aerodynamic bodywork, ignited removable roofs for open-top driving, added adjustable rear spoilers, affixed sporty rims with ground-gripping tyres and connected a cockpit for a minifigure to drive in.  You name it, we built it and designed some awesome racing cars using meticulous and precision engineering, turning our budding Lego builders into iconic master builders.  We even had a race to the finish line. Sir Lewis Hamilton – you would be proud!

200 Club

It's back and better than ever!  Click here to sign up to raise money for the playground climbing wall fund and give yourself a chance of winning your donation back!  We are running a draw each half term and every single £5 entry will not only be valid for the half termly prizes of £50 and £25 but also give you an entry to the end of year Super Draw for £200.  Our first draw this year is Friday 9 February so don't delay, sign up now!

PTA Headmaster's Quiz

Get ready to be a part of an exciting evening filled with fun and entertainment! Join us on Friday 23 February, for the Headmaster's Quiz.

This event is sure to be the highlight of the year, and it will be packed with a range of activities that will keep you on your toes. You can indulge in a delectable cheese board and enjoy a bar service to keep you refreshed throughout the night.

This event is the perfect opportunity to come and mingle with other parents, members of the PTA, and staff from Crackley. You can form a team of up to eight people and take part in the quiz that will test your knowledge and skills. It's an excellent chance to meet new people and make new connections that will last a lifetime.

So, don't miss out on this unforgettable experience that you'll cherish for years to come. Come and join us for an evening filled with laughter, excitement, and entertainment. Tickets on sale next week.  We can't wait to see you there!

PTA Pre-loved Uniform

Many thanks for all the donations that have been sent in this year - without these we literally could not operate!

Please continue to use the containers in the foyer to drop off any donations rather than dropping into the office staff. We are especially grateful to receive good quality sports items - particularly tracksuit bottoms!

Please email us at: uniform@pta.crackleyhall.co.uk stating your child’s name and class and we will get all orders sent home for you.

PTA Dates for Your Diary

We've moved a couple of dates to better accommodate activities happening at school so please check our save the date poster for key dates for your diary.

Below is a link to view the Lent Term 2024 calendar.

If any changes do arise we will infom you by email and the weekly Chronicle.

You can also keep yourself updated with all the school events and activities via the school website www.crackleyhall.co.uk or SOCS.

Click here to access Crackley Hall School Lent Term Calendar 24.

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

Due to club and activity changes, permanent Aftercare bookings are only valid for the current term. 

If you require either permanent or occasional Aftercare for the Lent Term, please make a new booking by emailing:

aftercare@crackleyhall.co.uk or receptionist@crackleyhall.co.uk

If you need to make a same-day Aftercare booking - please ensure you contact the school office no later than 1:00 pm that day. Any requests made after 1:00 pm will only be authorised at the Headmaster's discretion.

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

Any children not collected from the carline, for example, if parents are stuck in traffic, will be taken to Aftercare at 4:15 pm, when carline finishes and charged accordingly.

Aftercare runs from 3:15 pm until 6:00 pm, with charges being £5.00 per hour or part thereof.

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

The school office closes at 5:00pm, please call Aftercare directly on 07543 164 779 for collection. 

Please click here to view the term dates for 2023/24.

Please see the attached menus for the Lent Term. These rotate on a four weekly basis.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Crackley Hall School Office
01926 514 444
Email: post@crackleyhall.co.uk
Postal address: St Joseph's Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2FT
SATNAV: Use CV8 2FT

Office Manager/Headmaster’s Personal Assistant – Sharon Davis-Harris
01926 514 444
Email: receptionist@crackleyhall.co.uk

Little Crackers Nursery; Nursery Manager - Emma Birch
01926 514 456 - Email: post@littlecrackers.co.uk

After Care - David Johnson, Aftercare Manager
Collection contact no; 07732 036 625
Email: aftercare@crackleyhall.co.uk

Bills, Fees and Online Payment
01926 634 273
Email: georginamalin@princethorpe.co.uk

Registrar - Jenny Vaughan
01926 514 410
Email: admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk 
 
Princethorpe College General Office
01926 634 200
Email: post@princethorpe.co.uk
 
website: www.crackleyhall.co.uk
twitter: @CrackleyHallSch  
facebook: @crackleyhallandlittlecrackersofficial
instagram:@crackleyhall_littlecrackers

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 afternoon, 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 someone other than yourself is collecting your child, please ensure you have notified the School Office by email/telephone no later than lunchtime that day. If you would like alternative collection arrangements to be permanent, please can you notify the School Office by email.

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):

To order uniform please use the electronic form.

New Uniform Order 

Please also note the following items are stocked in the School Office and can be added to your account. Do pop in to collect any items.

Winter hats
Scarves
Gloves
Ties
Swimming hats
Hair bands
Hair scrunchies

School Uniform Shop 
Tel: 01926 634272
Email: uniform@princethorpe.co.uk

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

Please ensure that all items of school uniform, equiptment and sports kit are named. Please can you also check that any items purchased from the PTA are renamed and old labels removed.

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

Lost Property

Grace D - School Coat and Gloves

Eduardo M - Swim Kit

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

• Teacher of English
• Payroll Officer
• Digital Transformation Leader
• IT Engineer
• Minibus Driver

Little Crackers

• Learning Support Assistant

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