The Chronicle

Having had two of our three staff induction and training days, all our schools are well prepped and looking forward to welcoming the pupils back after the summer break.

Following my email on Wednesday 21 August I hope all our Foundation parents will be aware of our response to the Government’s plan to add VAT on private school fees and our intention that if implemented, we will reduce our fees so that the gross increase passed on to parents will be 5%, substantially less than the 20% VAT rate. For more detailed information visit our website here.

Many thanks to parents across our Foundation schools for your feedback on our strategy which has been overwhelmingly both appreciative and positive of our efforts to minimise the impact on our families, whilst maintaining the high quality of the education we provide.

Of course, this is currently draft legislation, and the Treasury is in the process of consulting over the plans until Sunday 15 September. Whilst the Government is committed to implementing the tax changes, this consultation is an opportunity for us to raise concerns and suggest potential mitigations to the policy, we will therefore be submitting our response to the draft legislation, alongside industry bodies and fellow schools.

We will also be continuing our dialogue with the newly elected local MPs, who will be voting on the legislation, so they are aware of the impact on our schools and families in their constituencies.

It is a public consultation so if you would like to add your voice to ours, you can do so by emailing independentschools@hmtreasury.gov.uk or contacting your local MP, see link here.

If you have any queries or comments on the prospective January fee increase and the matters outlined in this email, please submit them using the link here. If there is any change to the Government’s position following the consultation, then we will of course provide further information.

Many thanks for your continued support of the Foundation, we are heartened that we start the year on the back of excellent A-level and GCSE results at the College and with the Foundation in very strong position.

I send our best wishes to all our families for the start of the Michaelmas Term.

E D Hester

Dear Parents

I really hope that everyone has been able to enjoy some time with their families and friends over the summer break. I know that many of us would have been working for parts of the summer but the importance and joy of spending time with loved ones, wherever you are able to be, is not to be taken for granted.

I look forward to welcoming all our pupils and their families back to school for the start of another school year and we extend a special welcome to our new pupils and their families. I hope that everyone will be able to enjoy a very happy, busy and successful year ahead. We welcome Corrina Tennant-Bale who will be one our teaching assistants in Reception and Samantha Swann, our new chef. They have both already made a very good impression. Some other members of staff have changed roles and we wish them all the very best for the year ahead. We remember in our prayers those of our families who are having especially hard times at the moment.

With the government's announcement regarding the imposition of VAT on school fees, senior leadership from across the Foundation have worked tirelessly over the holidays, along with our dedicated Trustees who have managed to minimise the impact  on our families and parents. This has been a rather busy summer break but I feel confident that we are well-placed to negotiate the times ahead. Early thought and planning by senior Foundation staff, so ably led by Mr Hester, with support from Mrs Griffin and our excellent trustees, along with further hard work in recent weeks has left me feeling very reassured and confident. I thank them all sincerely. It has been a pleasure to have worked alongside all these people and my fellow Foundation Heads in preparation to mitigate the effect to parents of the VAT on school fees.

It was really wonderful to see all our staff back for training days this week. Mrs Bond, my interim PA, will be leaving us on Monday and I should like to thank her for her invaluable contribution over the past six months. Mrs Holt has taken over from Mrs Bond and has settled back seamlessly into life Crackley Hall. I am so grateful to her for her hard work and support over the holiday period and I look forward to continuing to work with her and our super office team.

For the benefit of our new families, the Chronicle is a weekly newsletter that is sent to all parents. It provides reports on events that involve our children and the school during the current or recent weeks. Additionally, the Chronicle is a useful resource for important dates in the calendar and includes links to letters and relevant information. It is recommended that parents take the time to read it over the weekend to reduce the number of emails sent during the week and make the Chronicle the primary source of information. 

Please peruse the important information contained in this edition and we look forward to seeing you on the first day of term, with a keenness and eagerness to enjoy and undertake a new academic year. 

I should like to wish everyone a happy weekend with family and friends and look forward to seeing you back on Tuesday.

God bless

 
Rob Duigan 

School Day Timings

The school day commences at 8:30am promptly, and pupils should arrive at 8:20am for registration, to ensure that that they have plenty of time to get to their first lesson punctually.

Early Birds runs from 7:45am to 8:20am.

Any pupils arriving after 8:30am, must sign in at the School Office.

End of the day collection times and locations are as follows:

Registration

Pupils are electronically registered in the morning and after lunch. Registration closes at 8:30am and all children arriving after this time, will need to register with the School Office on arrival. Lateness is recorded and monitored closely. Persistent lateness and/or absence from school will clearly affect a pupil’s achievement and learning.

On the day of your parent information meeting, please make your way to The Gables where you will be met by staff.

Parking for the meetings will be on the School Field, please avoid parking on the local residential roads.

Children and their Crackley Hall siblings will be looked after by staff for the duration of the meeting only (4:15pm to 4:45pm or 5:15pm for the Junior 6 meeting). Please ensure you collect your children as usual from carline and bring them to The Gables for just before 4:15pm. When collecting your children, please ensure that they are signed out by a member of staff.

If you have any questions regarding the meetings please contact sharonmcaloon@crackleyhall.co.uk

Thank you in advance

From September 2024 Aftercare will need to be booked through My School Portal.  You will be able to book the whole term in advance, and you are able to cancel this yourself, should you need to.

https://princethorpe.myschoolportal.co.uk/login 

The sessions available are:

Session 1 - 3:30pm to 4:30pm (includes drink and biscuit)

Session 2 - 4:30pm to 6:00pm (includes tea)

Both Sessions - 3:30pm to 6:00pm (includes drink, biscuit and tea)

The costs for Aftercare are £5.00 per hour, or part thereof. You will only be charged for the time that your child spends in Aftercare.

If you require tea, please ensure that you have booked by 12:00pm on the day.

Please ensure that you book Aftercare in good time, as the School Office will be unable to log in to book Aftercare on your behalf.

Aftercare will be open for booking on Friday 30 August from 6:00pm

Club Timetable

Michaelmas 2024 Clubs Timetable

Some clubs are very popular or may have limited numbers. If you find that you don’t get a place in a club, please email the organiser/teaching staff running the club to ask if you can be put onto the waiting list for the next half term/term. You will then be given first refusal.

External Clubs

If you wish your child to be registered for one of our externally provided clubs, please do contact them directly at your earliest convenience for registration, booking and payment. Flyers and/or details of our external clubs are provided below. Email/contact details for each are also included in the timetable above - please search under the tab for your child’s year group. Please do use these details to contact the providers in the first instance should you have any queries regarding registration for external clubs.

Fencing Club Junior 1 and 2 Lunchtime Club - https://wix.to/06brtlr

Fencing Club Junior 4, 5 and 6 Afterschool Club - https://wix.to/tOg5NE3

Tennis

Complete Cricket

Rugby Tots

KS1 Clubs Contact Information

KS2 Clubs Contact Information

Club Start Dates
Due to planned parent information evenings involving staff, all clubs will start on the third week of term (w/b 16 September).
For EXTERNALLY PROVIDED clubs, please refer to the details that will have been sent to you by that provider on registering with them, as they will stipulate their start date.

SOCS Registration
SOCS is now open for registration. Some clubs have limited numbers and these tend to book up very quickly, so please put a reminder into your diaries.
Externally run clubs should only be registered on SOCS once you have contacted the external providers and have confirmed registration. It is important that you contact them directly to secure a place.

What you need to do now
Read the timetable carefully and discuss with your child what they would like to do. Please ensure your child is aware of which clubs you sign them up for. They might have to make a choice between clubs.
Contact any external providers as soon as you are able in order to register with them (for those clubs that don’t have registration documents attached, please contact the provider using the email listed on the spreadsheet).
Log in to SOCS using the link: https://www.socscms.com/login/25085/pupil to register your child for their clubs. Use YOUR CHILD’s school email address as a username. The password is Crackley19.

Registration will remain open until the end of Friday 6 September.

Morning Drop Off

If using the carline, please move carefully around the roundabout before dropping your child off. Do not stop in the middle of carline, do not block in parked cars or empty spaces and do not use the staff parking spaces.

If you need to walk your child into school, or need to come in for any reason, please use the Lower Playground to park considerately, before making your way into school.

The Sports Field is always open for parking in the morning, please consider parking here and walking over to school to alleviate congestion. Please do not park in the local residential roads where possible. 

Afternoon Collection 

Please arrive promptly at your child’s collection time, as arriving early can cause unnecessary congestion. If using the carline, please move carefully around the roundabout, being extremely aware of pedestrians and other cars.

If you need to come into school for any reason, please use the Lower Playground to park considerately, before making your way into school.

The Sports Field is always open for parking in the afternoon, please consider parking here and walking over to school to alleviate congestion. Please do not park in the local residential roads where possible.

The Foundation is constantly looking closely at all ways to reduce our costs and consequently keep our fees as low as possible - not least with the announcement that VAT will be chargeable on tuition fees from January 2025.  

One significant cost, despite having a highly competitive agreement, relates to the charges we incur when fees are paid by debit or credit card, currently in the region of £50,000 per annum. Direct debit and bank transfer are entirely without additional costs. 

We want to start saving money without delay, so have withdrawn the card payment option. If you currently pay by card, we would now ask you to please pay your fees by one of the following alternative methods:  

• direct debit – a form is attached, please sign and return the form to the School Office marked for the attention of the Bursary (fees are due on the first day of term so please allow sufficient time for processing);  direct bank transfer - bank details can be found on our website and your termly invoice;  
• school fee plan - leaflet attached.    
• Whilst we recognise that paying by card is a convenient option for some parents, we believe that it is better to use this money to help reduce the amount payable by all parents from January. This is one of a range of cost saving measures we will be implementing over the coming year. 

School Fee Plan Leaflet

DD Instruction

We apologise for the short notice, but hope you will understand that by working together we can reduce the impact of the imposition of VAT.  

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Informing the School of pupil absence

Parents must inform the school via the online absence form on My School Portal or telephone 01926 514444 and leave a voicemail on Option 1, as soon as possible, before 9:00am, if they know that their child will not be in school for either the whole day or any part thereof. For unplanned absence, parents must complete the Absence Form. This can be found on the dashboard or in the My Children section of My School Portal.

If a pupil has a pre-planned appointment, e.g. medical, please inform the school in advance on the Requesting Student Absence: Planned Form, which can be found within the My Children section of My School Portal. This can then be pre-coded on our attendance system. Having alerted the school for any reason of absence it is not necessary to follow up the absence with a written note.

We ask that, where possible, all pupil appointments (e.g. medical or dental) are made out of school hours, to avoid disruption to learning.

Holidays

Parents are strongly discouraged from taking their children out of school and family holidays should always be taken in the school holiday period which is published over a year in advance. Permission for leave of absence for valid reasons such as a family funeral, should be sought in writing and in advance via My School Portal, with as much notice as possible.  Pupils with persistent absence may be asked to provide medical evidence.

Diarrhoea and Vomiting 

Children must stay off school for 48 hours after the last instance of diarrhoea or vomiting.

Short-Term Medicines 

In general, most short-term medicines, e.g. antibiotics, cough medicine, seasonal hay fever medication etc should be managed so that it is not necessary for the medicines to come into school.

If this is not possible, the medication should be brought to the School Office by yourself, not your child, in it's original packaging, clearly named with your child’s name and class, and with a completed Administration of Medication Form. 

Long-Term Medicines

If your child suffers with a chronic medical condition and has been prescribed medication to take whilst at school, the medication should be brought to the School Office by yourself, not your child, in it’s original packaging, clearly named with your child’s name and class, and with a completed Administration of Medication Form. 

Further documentation may need to be completed, e.g. Inhaler Consent Form, Care Plan etc. Please discuss this with the School Office.

Administration of Medication Form

Individual Care Plan

Inhaler Consent Form

Asthma Individual HealthCare Plan

HS2 has shared information about the forthcoming closure of the A429 Kenilworth Road from Monday 2 September to Sunday 29 September. Please ensure you allow plenty of time for the journey to school.

Monday 16 September to Friday 27 September

• Stop-go boards will be operated as required during off peak hours between 9.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday only. We will be undertaking further surveys and verge maintenance.

Monday 30 September to Friday 25 October

• A 24/7 full road closure of A429 Kenilworth Road will be in place for four weeks. A fully signposted diversion will be in place.

More information is available here: HS2 Poster

Sunday 8 September 2024 - 2.00pm to 4.00pm

The Foundation's senior school, Princethorpe College will be opening its doors again in partnership with Heritage Open Days to share and celebrate the rich history of the school with the wider community.

Heritage Open Days is England's largest community-led festival of history and culture, involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations. Every year in September it brings people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history. Stories are told, traditions explored, and histories brought to life. It’s the nation's chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – and it’s all free!

Archivist, Jo Wong, has been busy preparing a display of key items from our diverse catalogue of archive materials ready to share the rich history of the iconic setting with visitors on Sunday 8 September.

Built in 1832, St Mary's Priory was one of the first Catholic buildings in England after the reformation. Come for a tour of the magnificent building and discover its history, including the routes and connections that made it the place it is today.

Guided Tours will be staggered, taking place at 2.00pm, 2.30pm and 3.00pm, with last entry at 3.00pm. All are welcome.

Wednesday 11 September - 6.30pm to 7.30pm

The College's Admissions Team will be holding a Virtual Parents' Q & A session on Wednesday 11 September from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

The event will be a live streamed Q & A session with Grove du Toit (Headmaster), Michael Spencer (Deputy Head - Academic) and Catherine Rogers (Registrar).

This is a chance for parents interested in Year 7 entry to the College in September 2025 to ask our Admissions Team questions relating to the admissions process and Entrance Examinations Day in an informal forum before the registration deadline of Friday 27 September.

If you would like to attend please click on this link where you will also be able to submit any questions in advance.

Sunday 15 September 2024 - 2.00pm to 5.00pm

Princethorpe will be holding its annual Open Afternoon on Sunday 15 September from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. All are welcome to visit the College and for younger visitors, there will be many fun subject related activities organised by the departments.

The Headmaster will address visitors during the afternoon and refreshments will be available. 

To book your place please click here.

NEW Pathway to Princethorpe - Admissions Podcast

Discover the ins and outs of applying to Princethorpe College in this new informative podcast series. From choosing the right school to preparing for the entrance exams, this podcast aims to help parents navigate the admissions process step by step. This is perfect for parents whose children are looking to join Princethorpe in Year 7 to Year 10. Join Catherine Rogers, Registrar and Georgia Newborough, Assistant Registrar, as they explore Princethorpe, share expert tips, and demystify the journey into independent secondary school.

Each episode is released every Friday on Spotify YouTube and Amazon Music, please click the links below and subscribe so you do not miss an episode.

Spotify

YouTube

Amazon Music 

Thursday 26 September 2023 - 6.30pm to 8.00pm

Crackley Hall School and Little Crackers Nursery in Kenilworth, are hosting a dedicated Nursery, Reception and Junior 3 Open Evening on Thursday 26 September from 6.30pm.

This Open Evening is a dedicated evening for prospective families wishing to join Little Crackers Nursery or Crackley Hall's Reception or Junior 3 class in September 2025 and beyond. 

This is a perfect opportunity to see the school and talk to key members of staff who will be teaching and supporting your child. 

To book your place please click here. 

If you can't make the Open Evening but would like to look around the school, you can book a personal tour buy contacting our Registrar, Mrs Jenny Vaughan on 01926 514410 or email admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk and come on a day to suit you.

For more information visit www.crackleyhall.co.uk

Welcome Back Picnic 

Crackley Hall PTA warmly invites you to join their 'Welcome back Picnic' on Friday 6 September 3.00pm to 6.00pm on the school sports field. Bring your own picnic! There will be a PTA bar and snacks.  

PTA Summer Activity

Many thanks for all your support last year. We hope you and your children made good use of our services and enjoyed all the activities and events.

• Summer Fair
• Quidditch Day
• Colour Run
• Play Equipment and Books Donations
• Olympian Visit
• Pre-Loved Uniform

Upcoming Dates For Your Diary

• Wednesday 25 September - PTA Meeting
• Friday 27 September - Head's Quiz 

Please do get involved, email us at: chair@pta.crackleyhall.co.uk

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

Menu Week 1

Menu Week 2

Menu Week 3

Menu Week 4

Please ensure that everything your child brings to school is clearly labelled.  This especially includes uniform and sports kit.  Excellent personalised labels may be purchased from easy2name.com or ablelabels.co.uk. We ask for support from parents to ensure that their children take full responsibility for looking after their property carefully.

We discourage pupils from bringing valuable items into school.

Lost property will be displayed outside The Gables on a Friday for collecting.  At the end of each half term, any unclaimed items will be donated to charity or the PTA.

Uniform - General

As previously communicated, from September the current boys and girls uniform will be replaced with two uniform options, simply named 'Uniform Option 1' and 'Uniform Option 2'. The two lists will contain the same uniform items as they currently do. Children and families will then choose which of the two options is right for them.

These changes will bring us in line with the other schools in the Foundation, as well as many other schools around the country who have adopted a similar approach.

One possible outcome of this change, is that girls may wear trousers rather than the skirt or pinafore.

With this in mind, please see below for some additional information.

Uniform Requirements 2024-2025

Uniform - Junior 5 and 6

Junior 5 and 6 pupils have the option of wearing the tartan skirt and white revere collar blouse in the first half of Michaelmas Term and in Trinity Term (Uniform Option 2). If wearing the skirt, it must be with the revere collar blouse and no tie, and black school socks. Junior 5 pupils can still opt to wear the Summer dress, with white school socks, in these terms if they choose to. If they choose Uniform Option 1, they wear black trousers or knee length black school shorts (NOT cargo style) with a standard white shirt and tie, and black school socks.

For the second half of Michaelmas and the Lent Term, pupils in Junior 5 can choose to wear the tartan skirt or black school trousers, with the standard white shirt with school tie, and black school socks or tights. Pupils in Junior 6 can wear the tartan skirt or black school trousers, with the standard white shirt with school tie, and black school socks or tights.

Hair

Hairstyles and colours must be suitable for school and natural in colour. All long hair must be tied back using suitable hair accessories in burgundy or black. Hair accessories can be purchased from the Uniform Shop and the School Office.

Make Up and Nail Varnish

Make up and nail varnish must not be worn.

Earrings and Jewellery

Earrings and jewellery must not be worn.

Foundation Uniform Shop

The Foundation Uniform Shop is open from 3:30pm to 4:30pm, Monday to Wednesday during term time, and by appointment only during the school holidays.

Please call directly on 01926 634272 to make an appointment or alternatively email uniform@princethorpe.co.uk

Online Uniform Ordering Form

Please see the new electronic uniform ordering system.

This link will be in the weekly Chronicle for your ease and convenience. 

New Uniform Order

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 - Marie Holt
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: 07543 164 779

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
X: @CrackleyHallSch  
facebook: @crackleyhallandlittlecrackersofficial
instagram:@crackleyhall_littlecrackers