The Chronicle

Firstly, many thanks to all parents who completed the parental surveys for their school before Half Term. As Principal I was particularly delighted to see the response to the first question “My child is happy at school”. Almost all parents who completed the survey agreed or strongly agreed with this statement which is a testament to the care and hard work of the staff in our all schools. As a member of the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate, I see survey results for other schools across the country, but rarely have I seen anything even close to our positive responses elsewhere.

The information you have provided via the survey will be analysed by the Heads and their teams with me and will help us focus on where any further improvement can be made in our schools. You will receive further feedback over the coming weeks.

Of course, during Half Term, we had the Government’s first Budget and this was not such good news. We were obviously extremely disappointed that the Chancellor confirmed that VAT will be applied to private school fees from January 2025 and Business Rate Relief will be removed from the following April.

As you may be aware, the Budget also contained some unexpected taxes including a significant increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions which adds significant extra financial burden. Despite this the Foundation stands by its commitment to you to minimise the impact on families by reducing our fees from January 2025 as outlined last August.

Crackley Hall Fees 2024-2025

Reception

Additional cost to parents over 2024-2025 year - £412

Junior 1 and 2

Additional cost to parents over 2024-2025 year - £433

Junior 3 to 6

Additional cost to parents over 2024-2025 year - £458

The figures for the Lent and Trinity Terms represent a termly net fees reduction of 12.5%, so that VAT is applied to a lower figure than would otherwise be the case. The increase passed on to parents is 5%. Whilst we appreciate the increase will be challenging for those balancing family finances, we hope that the rise being substantially below the 20% VAT rate, along with the assurance that we will remain focused on minimising the scale of any subsequent year increases, gives clarity and reassurance.

As stated previously, our strategy is to ensure our fees are as affordable as possible for parents whilst ensuring that we deliver the highest quality education. I was heartened to see from the parental survey that the overwhelming majority of parents think we have handled the difficult cards dealt us by the government very well, but having read all your comments I am only too aware that for a number of families paying school fees is a real worry.

Our underlying objective as a Foundation is to maintain the quality and variety of the pupil experience - delivering excellent teaching and academic outcomes, providing outstanding pastoral care, maintaining a broad co-curricular programme, and upholding the ethos that is central to our Foundation. As a charity, we must balance charging fees which enable us to deliver to this objective whilst holding our fees to the minimum level possible to ensure that they are as affordable as possible for fee payers choosing our schools for their children’s education. We are very mindful that parents will be keen to know the fees for 2025-26 as soon as possible; we have already started our financial modelling for the next academic year and will communicate with you as soon as we are able to.

Our schools remain strong and by continuing to manage our finances prudently, seeking to maintain the number of pupils we support, focusing carefully on our expenditure and increasing alternative income streams we will continue to focus minimising any increases in future years.

If you have any queries or comments on the January fee increase and the matters outlined here, please submit them using the link here.

Thank you as always for your support for our schools and to those parents who contacted their MP or made a submission to the public consultation.

Ed Hester
Foundation Principal
 
FAQs

How have you approached the imposition of VAT?

Our strategy in planning for this imposition of VAT has followed the following key principles:

Many fee payers will not be able to meet a 20% increase in fees – so we must find a way of sharing the burden;

• We have found ways of reducing costs by forensically reviewing our budgets for 2024/25 and subsequent years, but without affecting the quality of education we provide;
• We may delay some new investment decisions for a period, without deferring our responsibilities to maintain our schools and estates;
• Being creative in how we can reduce base costs (for example we have invested in energy saving technologies over recent years to reduce energy usage and costs, we have driven a culture of minimising waste (energy, paper etc.) and have been driving efficiencies in terms of better use of IT and resources, moving to innovative digital solutions);
• We have been increasing income generation through commercial enterprise and fundraising and expect this to continue to grow;
• We will, of course, ensure that we claim back as much VAT as we are allowed, including from recent capital projects.

What are your main budget areas?

School budgets invest first and foremost in our dedicated and committed staff, both our teachers and support teams; that is not an area we can compromise on. Other expenditure involves all our support services as well as the maintenance of and new investment in our school buildings and estates. We do not therefore have large surpluses to offset against VAT charges but as a well-managed and carefully run Foundation we do hold limited reserves which can help us to manage unexpected circumstances.

What about the longer-term picture for fees?

Despite progress to contain costs and increase other income, you will appreciate it is impossible to offset the VAT charges without increasing total costs (including VAT) for fee payers and subsequent tax increases such as the NI hike, add more pressure on us all. But instead of a large one-off increase in January 2025 our intention is to phase any changes over the next three to four years. We have therefore agreed an increase (in total costs) in January 2025 of 5% on the basis that we will expect to have modest increases in the following two to three years.

In this way the Foundation shares the burden imposed by VAT with you and other fee payers.

Is there anything parents can do to further support the Foundation’s Schools?

This question was asked by a number of parents in the recent parental survey – thank you! Yes, there are two specific things parents can do:

1. Continue to help spread the word about our schools. As parents you have your own networks, and endorsements from parents are very powerful, particularly when talking to families who do not know the Foundation schools and may be considering their options.
2. 
   For those parents who are also donors, thank you, your donations are now even more valuable:

• For every £100 in fee income, we will now actually only receive £80 with 20% VAT applied;
• However, a £100 donation is not subject to VAT and as a charity we can benefit from Gift Aid. Under the Gift Aid scheme, for every £100 donated, we can claim an additional £25 from HMRC, making the total value of the donation £125. Additionally, donations may provide tax benefits for the donor.
• So donations are now 57% more tax efficient than paying school fees! This may be something we can utilize in the future to help keep the costs of sending your children to the Foundation schools as low as possible.
• If you are not a current donor but would like to find our more information, please do contact me directly.

Dear Parents

I sincerely hope that you were able to have some precious time with your families over the half-term break, although I know that many of you would still have been hard at work. With the clocks going back over the holidays I’ve noticed the nights drawing in but, thus far, we have been lucky with the weather not feeling too cold.    

Thank you to all our parents who completed the questionnaire we sent out near the end of last half term. This was a super opportunity to tell us how you feel about our school and this valuable feedback is crucial to us as we map out the path to ongoing improvement. We will study on the results and come together as a foundation to work through your comments, whilst also gratefully accepting the immense positivity and support form a truly amazing parent body and school community. 

I am conscious that the Assistant Head appointment came through quite suddenly at the end of last half term. We are delighted that Mrs Narelle Copland has accepted our offer to join us as a staff member and we also are mindful of the outstanding, ongoing contribution being given to the school by Mrs Sue Glen-Roots. For Junior 3G pupils and parents, in particular, I will very shortly be detailing the next steps, the handover and the arrangements being put in place for a seamsless and happy transition. I need to confirm details with both Mrs Copland and Mrs Glen-Roots. The arrangements being put in place will include you having the opportunity to meet Mrs Copland and, of course, the children being able to spend some time with her as well. 

We are thinking of our Junior 6 pupils who will sit their entrance examinations at Princethorpe and other schools on Saturday. Feeling nervous is normal but we have a lot of faith in all of you and wish you the very best. Well done for working so hard in preparation. 

On Monday our U11 Football Team took part in the ISA MIdlands 6-a-side competition. The team gave their all throughout the day, showing super teamwork and commitment, overcoming some rather tough opponents along the way, to reach the final. They played exceptionally well, beating Crescent School 2-0 in the final, thereby making us the Champions of the Midlands! Mr Stedeford also commented on how the team conducted and behaved on and off the pitch, making us very proud of this fantastic achievement!  Well done to the team and to Mr Stedeford and Mrs Carroll. 

Our U11 girls’ hockey team played extremely well at the National tournament in London, making it all they way to the final where they won the silver medals. This exceptional achievement is most noteworthy and I’d like to congratulate the whole team, Mrs Vaughan and Miss Farquharson on this fantastic achievement. 

On Tuesday, acclaimed author Jennifer Killick visited school. She delivered an assembly to our KS2 pupils about her books, where she gets her inspiration from, and what she enjoys reading. I learned she also illustrates her own books too. She also visited classes and spoke with our pupils to engage them with some ‘budding authors sharing tips’! Thank you very much to Jennifer Killick for paying us a visit and Ms Holmes for arranging this wonderful opportunity for the pupils. 

Patrick in Junior 5, continues his fundraising efforts. As you will remember he raised over £200 from highly regarded pumpkins and now he also can add the sum of £800 from selling a cow at an auction! The monies raised will to go to the same charity to support those with ovarian cancer. Wow Patrick!  This is over £1000 you have raised – you are a great ambassador for our ethos at Crackley Hall, in caring and thinking of others. We are very proud of you. 

We celebrated a whole school mass on Thursday on the theme of all saints, where we ask for the intercession of the saints and reflect on the Christian calling to follow in their footsteps. A huge thank you to our readers and singers, Father Kevin, Mrs Olden and Mrs Forino as they continue to enhance and support our spiritual journey throughout our school. 

I really enjoyed watching both of the delightful performances this morning in our Celebration Assembly, Sherry on the violin and the P–Buzz Brass Band doing their showpiece number. They were all exceptionally good and certainly had a lot of fun making some lovely music. 

Congratulations to this week’s Stars of the Week: Nursery – Anneliese; Rec – Sohan and Arjan; J1 – Alexander and James; J2 – Harper and Clement; J3 – Delilah and Arjan; J4 – Charlie and Poppy; J5 – Aaryan and Thomas; J6 – Malachi and Rory. As always, well done to all our stars of the week! Congratulations to our Da Vinci certificate winners and to Venus house on their success this week. 

I would like to wish everyone a happy and restful weekend. Many will be watching some interesting sport – I do hope that you enjoy it. 

God bless, 
Rob Duigan 

"In every crisis, doubt or confusion, take the higher path - the path of compassion, courage, understanding and love." - Amrit Ray

Each year, the Catholic Independent Schools Conference challenges pupils across the UK to create their annual Christmas cards. This is done in the form of a competition which KS1 and KS2 are encouraged to enter.

This year, the theme for the card is ‘Hope Renewed’ and will need a religious flavour!

Work submitted should be A4, portrait or landscape and 2D – it could also be a photograph.

As always, Mr Duigan will be making a selection for our school Christmas card from those images submitted. We are also making this a House competition, with 5 house points for entering, 10 for the runners-up and 20 for the card chosen by Mr Duigan.

The closing date is Tuesday 12 November.

Please give any work to Ms Holmes. Work should be labelled on the reverse with pupil’s name and class, plus their HOUSE!

Get creative everyone! We can’t wait to see what you come up with! 

Odd Socks Day marks the start of Anti-Bullying Week every year and this year Odd Socks Day 2024 will take place on Tuesday 12 November.

The campaign says:

From playgrounds to parliament, our homes to our phones, this Anti-Bullying Week let's 'Choose Respect' and bring an end to bullying which negatively impacts millions of young lives.

This year, we’ll empower children and young people to not resort to bullying, even when we disagree and remind adults to lead by example, online and offline.

Imagine a world where respect and kindness thrives — it’s not just a dream, it's in the choices we make. Join us this Anti-Bullying Week and commit to 'Choose Respect'. 

Please could children wear odd socks on Tuesday 12 November as here at Crackley Hall we 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 take part in Anti-Bullying Week in a fun and positive way.

Everyone who is attending Young Voices has already received the details to log onto the Young Voices Music Room, please can the children focus on the following songs this week: 

• Let’s Dance – Look at the dance moves please.
• Hairspray

Songs already covered are:

• Try Everything
• Little Blue
• Birdhouse in Your Soul
• Oceania
• Marley Magic

Have fun, listening and learning!

Susan Olden
Director of Music 

We are delighted to once again be supporting Operation Christmas Child and their shoebox appeal. This year is even more exciting as some pupils from Crackley Hall will be taking all our donated shoeboxes to the distribution centre in Coventry and seeing the next step on the donation journey. Please see the webpage below for instructions on packaging the boxes and content suggestions.

May we please have all boxes in school by Wednesday 27 November at the latest.

Thank you. 

How to Pack a Shoebox 

This year the nativities are taking place as follows:

Nursery

Thursday 12 December - 9.30am to 10.30am

Reception and Junior 1 Nativity

Thursday 12 December at 2:00pm

Junior 2 Nativity

Friday 13 December at 2:00pm

Please see attached the following information letters:

Nativity Information Letter

Reception and Junior 1 Costume Letter

Junior 2 Costume Letter

Please see detailed below events for the next week of the Michaelmas Term. 

Our very 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 to be ready. 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.

Crackley Hall welcomed the frighteningly good children’s author, Jennifer Killick, creator of the Dread Wood, Crater Lake and Alex Sparrow series, to school on Tuesday 5 November, to work with pupils in Juniors 4, 5 and 6.

Jennifer first led an assembly where she talked about the incredible power of stories and shared her favourite books. She read a excerpt from her popular comedy horror series Crater Lake, shared her book inspirations and then horrified us all with a fearsome challenge of animal fact or fiction. She even shared news of her exciting new series Serial Chiller, the first book from which will be published next year.

After break, Jennifer ran three writing workshops for the children where they focused on the importance of imagination and planning. Using her series Crater Lake, she encouraged pupils to generate their own ideas for a school trip that goes horribly wrong. She took them through a four-step process, building and developing their story lines and adding in creative details to bring their writing alive. Jennifer clearly ignited the imagination of all the children.

While she was with us, Jennifer also signed copies of her books for her many fans amongst our pupils.

It was wonderful to welcome Jennifer to school, pupils were excited to meet her and really enjoyed working with her. No doubt there will now be plenty of imaginative and inventive stories written, inspired by her visit!

Crackley Hall’s U11s have qualified for the ISA Football Nationals after a super performance at this week’s regional qualifying event. 

The team travelled to Kidderminster on Monday 4 November for the ISA Midlands Tournament. Crackley faced fierce competition with a large field of schools taking part in the event. Their first-round pool included 11 teams with the U11s consequently playing 10 group matches. After one win and one loss, the team became a ruthless winning machine, playing some genuinely brilliant football, that blew the other teams off the pitch. After game two, they won all their remaining eight group games and qualified for the semi-finals as group winners.

In a tough semi-final, they raced into a 3-0 lead, before conceding two late goals and having to fight to stay in the competition. Despite intense pressure, they held on to win the game and earn themselves a place in the final.

There they faced up against Foundation rivals, Crescent. That was another close match, involving two excellent teams. Eventually Crackley’s desire to win earned them a 2-0 victory, making them Champions of the Midlands! As a result, they also qualified for the ISA National Finals, which has the added bonus of being played at England’s national football training centre, St George’s Park.  

It was a truly memorable day and an excellent team performance!

Playing for Crackley Hall were: Scarlett, Leo, Charlie T, Othniel, Theo, Archie, Ryan, Harrison

Crackley Hall took a team of eight girls to the ISA National Hockey Tournament at the Lee Valley Stadium on Tuesday 5 November. It was an early start with the team leaving school at 5.50am and a long but in the end successful day. Taking part were 24 teams from across the country and the tournament provided Crackley’s girls with the opportunity to really develop their ball skills and game play.

The morning pool games were for qualification into the afternoon play-off competitions. Crackley played steadily losing the first game 0-2 to Lingfield Prep but then holding Wycliffe College and Finborough School to 0-0 draws. That put the team into the Trophy competition.

The team had good results in the Plate first round. First beating Thorpe Hall 1-0, then holding Ibstock Place to a 0-0 draw before securing their place in the Trophy final with a win against Alleyn Court 1-0.

The girls then faced Western Green in the final and it was a closely contested match, with both teams having chances and with Crackley having a greater percentage of possession. However, Crackley didn’t manage to convert their opportunities and the opposition scored with just a couple of minutes to go. The girls were awarded the Silver medal in the Plate.

Head of Extended Day, Kat Vaughan, said “The girls were absolutely outstanding on the day. Their behaviour was exceptional and they were a pleasure to spend time with and coach. The development of the team over the seven matches was marked, with confidence, skill, game awareness and determination developing game on game.”

A really huge well done to them all.

Playing for Crackley Hall were Evie (GK), Scarlett (C), Eleanor, Milly, Lexi-Jean (VC), Mahnoor, Grace and Jessie.

Little Crackers Nursery has rolled out Famly, a nursery digital app, to our parents, to allow them to be more involved with their children’s nursery day. The move from Evidence Me to Famly enables us to collaborate more closely, with nursery staff sharing photos, observations and insights in real time to enhance and enrich the children’s education.

The app is super easy to use, both for staff sharing images and messages and for parents accessing their own child’s profile. Parents have been emailed instructions on how to activate their Famly account. Please note we will not be using the Famly app for billing. Nursery parents should speak to a member of the team during drop-off or pick-up if they have any questions or any issues logging in.

The whole school celebrated Mass with Fr Kevin on Thursday for the Feast of All Saints' Day last Friday 1 November. Led by Junior 4, with the help of the Chamber Choir, pupils were encouraged to reflect on the Saints who committed their lives to others. Father Kevin dedicated the Mass to the school and the events leading up to Advent. We thought about those people we know about, who live their lives faithfully, and those we are not aware of, whose work is known only to God. Father Kevin spoke about all of us having the potential to be a Saint and how each of us can be called to do God's will through our care and kindness towards others.

Friday 29 November - 5.30pm

Choral Group will be singing at the Kenilworth High Street Christmas Lights Switch On, on Friday 29 November at 5:30pm.

This is wonderful event to start the festive season and you are welcome to come and support Choral Group.

For those children in Choral Group who have signed up to sing at the Christmas Lights switch on, there is an extra rehearsal on Friday 29 November at 8.00am.

It isn’t compulsory but it would be greatly appreciated if your child could attend.

Our Stars of the Week this week are: 

Congratulations to them all!

We love to celebrate our pupils' talents so every week, in Celebration Assembly, we hear of the children's 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!

It has been a busy and productive first week back after half-term for Junior 6. The creative writing session with visiting author Jennifer Killick was fascinating. Jennifer was particularly impressed with the vivid imaginations, original ideas and gripping stories produced by this group of children. Perhaps one of them will be the next Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton or Michael Morpurgo! In Science lessons, the children learnt about the heart. They measured their resting pulse rate before and after performing lots of squats. As well as plenty of hard work in all subjects in the classroom, the children somehow still had energy and determination for the sports pitches. They gave excellent performances in hockey and football, both at the ISA events and on our home ground. Keep up the fantastic work Junior 6!

In Junior 5S we are working on 3D pieces linked to Aztec Art. The pupils have used a variety of thicknesses of string to create a design for an Aztec Mask which we will cover in a thick layer of aluminium foil. Once dried, the foil will be painted in acrylic in the natural colours of the Aztec peoples from Mexico around the mid-16th century. Ms Holmes was looking for menacing faces and powerful images to signify the bloodthirsty culture of the Aztecs. They should be ready for display in a week or two!

Junior 4 have been inspired this week by their visit from Jennifer Killick. After an amazing assembly from Jennifer about her inspiration from nature for the scary creatures in her books, we set about creating our own. We all tried to mix up creatures in ways that would be different and scary if you came across them. We thought about where the creature would live, what it would eat and how it would hunt before coming up with a truly terrifying name to match these mixed-up monsters. Jennifer visited each of the classes and had a look at some of these monsters, which was fabulous for us all.

We were so pleased to hear all about everyone’s adventures during the half-term break and our Junior 3 team were keen to welcome the children back to school. Our new book for this half-term is Lila and the Secret of the Rain. The story is set in Kenya and follows Lila’s quest to save the village from drought. It is beautifully told through David Conway’s elegant prose and Jude Daly’s colour-drenched illustrations, which perfectly evoke both the parched landscape and vibrant village life. We are looking forward to discovering more about Kenya as the weeks unfold and our Geography lessons will allow ample opportunity for this. Our new Science topic has also begun with a new focus on forces. This week we had the opportunity to discover the forces of push and pull by creating freeze frames of different scenarios.

Junior 2 have had an incredibly exciting start back to school this week as, upon their return, a letter from a dragon keeper was waiting for them. It turned out that some dragon eggs had been hidden in the school grounds to keep them safe from prowling dragon hunters. Junior 2 could not turn down the plea for help and happily set out to find the eggs and bring them back to class to keep safe while we await further instructions from the dragon keeper. Of course, this prompted a flurry of questions about how to keep dragon eggs and when it might hatch and how on earth we will look after a baby dragon? Luckily, we have been reading a wonderful story called Tell Me a Dragon which had given us lots of ides about different dragons and what we might be in for! We will keep you posted.

Junior 1 have been transported back in time to the 19th century, immersing themselves to the daily chores. Children experienced using a scrubber and metal bucket to wash clothes. These essential tools were needed to loosen dirt and we discussed how different it is today where we can simply load a washing machine and the job is done for us. The children certainly appreciate how much easier life is today.

In RE we are learning all about celebrations. The various celebrations mentioned are when we join with families, in a church and at school. Children were very keen to discuss Christmas and how they will celebrate this wonderful day.

The Reception children have come back rested and ready to embrace the challenge of this new half-term. They have impressed us this week with their writing about Bonfire Night; many sounding out words and simple sentences to match pictures independently. It is fantastic to see such confidence so early on in the year. The children have also been learning about Remembrance Day in preparation for next week and have created their own beautiful painted poppy pictures, as they enjoyed exploring different techniques to create different painting effects.

Ms McAloon led the school's Mission Assembly and welcomed the pupils back after half-term. She talked about the two recent Feast Days of All Saints' Day on 1 November and the Feast of All Souls on 2 November. The saints were ordinary people with families, dreams, and doubts, but they kept trying to allow God's love to shape their lives. Their stories show that holiness is possible for anyone, and that God's light can shine through anyone who shares His love. Examples of some saints shared with the children included St Joseph, St Pio, St Martin, St Francis and St Clare. Pupils were asked to think about how we can say 'yes' to God's plan within our own lives, and to also think about being courageous and encouraging, giving hope to people and caring for everyone, just like the Saints.

As we come into the Christmas period, we take time to reflect on God’s goodness to us and the blessings we have. We would like Junior 5 to join us in supporting our local Foodbank during the run up to Christmas. 

Please see below for suggested donations and kindly bring into school by Thursday 5 December:

• Tinned Vegetables
• Instant Mash
• Tinned Rice Pudding
• Chocolate
• Biscuits
• Crisps
• Small Bottles of Squash
• Ketchup/Mayonnaise
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Shower Gel
• Washing Up Liquid
   

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

Weekly Mission

Week Beginning Monday 11 November 2024

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

Please can we remind all parents that whilst sports fixture information, once published, usually remains the same, parents should check www.crackleyhallsport.co.uk or SOCS on the day of the fixture for the most up to date information.

Challenge Activities - Junior Da Vinci

November is a month of remembrance.

This year we have decided to move away from termly and half termly JDV challenges and are using a monthly theme to suggest activities to challenge and interest pupils.

Each month different activities will be suggested. Pupils do not have to complete all, or any of these activities. They are available to all pupils in all years, so pupils can choose to investigate something that they are interested in.  

Bring any examples of activities that have been completed to Mrs Cowlishaw to share with the whole school.

November - Remembrance

During Remembrance people stop to remember those who have served and sacrificed, from armed forces and emergency services to civilians, whilst hoping for a peaceful future.

Every November we give pause and thanks to the men and women who have bravely served our country. It is a time for silent reflection and sombre tributes. 

Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day, commemorates the end of World War One where an agreement to stop fighting was reached on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month in 1918. The truce is called the Armistice.

Remembrance Day now remembers all those who have died in wars and is marked by a two-minute silence at 11:00am every 11th November.

Here are some activities to try:

Religious Education

The month of November offers a time within the liturgical (Church) calendar to remember those who have died.

It runs from All Saints’ Day to Advent Sunday and incorporates All Souls’ and the Festival of Christ the King. It also includes Remembrance Sunday and Remembrance Day, when those who died serving in the two World Wars and subsequent conflicts are honoured and remembered.

It is a solemn time of reflection and can be deeply moving, especially for those grieving the loss of loved ones. The music from the Cathedral choirs offers comfort. Listen to some of these pieces – why do you think they are used at this time? Can you think of some other music that you would use?

Season of Remembrance | Cathedral Music Trust

Prayers of remembrance – write a prayer to celebrate those who have died on active service for their country. How will we remember them in our prayers?

Traditions for Remembrance Day

This is an opportunity for people to learn from history and to think about the importance of peace.

Several traditions have come from Remembrance Day including reading poetry, poppies and even jelly babies. Find out more about these traditions. Why are they symbolic?

Art

We wear poppies in November as a mark of respect.

Poppies grew on the battlefields after the First World War and soon became the symbol of remembrance for all wars. The flowers are also featured in the famous war poem, In Flanders Fields

The poppy has been a flower that artists have drawn, painted and sculpted over many decades.

Create your own poppy artwork in a style of your choice.

Pointillism: Georges Seurat was one of the most famous pointillist artists.
Pop Art: Andy Warhol was a famous pop art artist.
Mixed Media: Use a combination of styles, tools and materials to create your masterpiece.

krokotak | Poppies art

Georgia O'Keeffe was an American artist who painted nature in a way that showed how it made her feel. She famously used images of poppies in lots of her paintings; use her style to recreate her painting, Red Poppy (1927)

Who is Georgia O'Keeffe? | Tate Kids

Chalk Pastel Poppies Inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe - Projects with Kids

Geography

Remembrance and the month of November has different celebrations and traditions around the world. One of these is the Day of the Dead (Dia de lo Muertos) in Mexico.

What can you find out about the Day of the Dead? How is it celebrated?

Can you find out about different countries traditions for this month?

Design your own Day of the Dead mask – https://youtu.be/VlV73NpUDeE to help celebrate.

Recommended reads – have a look at some of these books to expand you reading horizons.

The Poppy Story – an illustrated paperback aimed at children 4-7 years old, it tells the story of the poppy and remembrance.

Ava's Poppy – recommended for 3+ years, the Marcus Pfister book features a short story and illustrations on the lifecycle of a flower and a prompt for discussions about the symbol of poppies.

Flo of the Somme – This book pays tribute to the bravery of all animals who risked their lives during World War 1. Written by Hilary Robinson and illustrated by Martin Impey, it follows the adventure of Mercy Dog Flo, who is trying to reach the injured on the battlefields with her first aid kit. It is aimed at children 4-11 years.

One Boy's War – suitable for 9-11 years, the book by Lynn Huggins-Cooper, is told from the view of a 16-year-old boy who goes to fight in World War 1.

I hope you enjoy these activities – please let me know how you get on, and bring in some examples of things you have found out!

Mrs Cowlishaw

This week in Nursery, we’ve been exploring the themes of Autumn and Fireworks. The dinosaurs we made had great fun stomping through the leaves, creating a delightful sound! We also made firework patterns in coloured rice using sticks, swirling them round and round, up and down. During singing time, we brought out the instruments to accompany our nursery rhymes. We explored rhythm by playing our instruments loudly, quietly, high and low. It was so much fun!

Badger and Hedgehogs have also explored the exciting sounds of Bonfire Night. The children have whooshed and crackled, banged and whizzed their way through firework maths and sparkly phonics. The children made glittering press-print paintings of fireworks exploding in the night sky, which we have displayed on the board in our role play area. They also worked in groups to create a ‘fizzing firework song’ using topical sound signatures. We recorded their firework sound songs and played them back, which they really enjoyed.

During this second half term, the children’s confidence has noticeably grown as they navigate the Forest School site. We introduced them to a new area through the undergrowth, expanding their range of access and adding an extra layer of excitement. Forest School consistently provides numerous natural opportunities to reinforce and embed mathematical positional vocabulary.

This term, children have the opportunity to take home a non-fiction information book filled with fascinating facts, as an alternative to last term’s two fictional selections. Please remember to return the reading folders at least once a week so your child can choose a new book and ensure titles don’t remain out of circulation for too long. When your child transitions to Reception class, they will need to exchange their home readers two or three times a week, so we are keen to encourage this habit and help instill a love of books from an early age

Thursday 12 December - 9.30am to 10.00am

We are excited to welcome you to celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus, with all our Little Crackers children. We kindly ask the Nursery children to wear a festive Christmas jumper from home for the event, so no additional costumes are needed.

More details to follow shortly, so for now please save the date in your diaries. 

Want to join our PTA? Come along for the AGM on Wednesday 20 November 2024 at The Almanack Kenilworth at 7.00pm.

We hope you will be able to join us and find out what the PTA does for the school and how you could help us by supporting events such as the Christmas Fair and Summer Fair.

There will be an opportunity to meet other parents, including those who are new to the PTA, and existing members. In this meeting members of the committee will be voted on for the year so if you wish to join it, this is your opportunity!

We have a number of parents who are involved in the PTA to differing degrees. As well as welcoming those parents who may wish to join us on the committee - we also very much welcome parents who may be able to spare an hour supporting the fairs. It really is an excellent way to get involved with school life and you can offer as little or as much of your time as you feel is possible.

Our main aim is to provide the 'extras' for the school which are very much appreciated by pupils and staff alike; we organise and support events such as the Welcome back event, Author visits, Quiddish Day, Colour Run, School Disco, Pantomime, Easter Egg Hunt, Commemorative events. We also endeavour to provide playground and playground equipment, sporting equipment, Library books and so on.

If you are interested and would like to discuss what is involved in being on the PTA please feel free contact the Committee at hello@pta.crackleyhall.co.uk

Saturday 30 November - 1.00pm to 4.00pm

Join us for a heart warming afternoon filled with laughter, festive delights and a celebration of our school community. Get ready to enjoy a wonderful time with your family at our Christmas Fair! From Santa’s Grotto to face painting, we’ve got it all covered.

The Fair is only three weeks away and there are few things for your diaries we would be very grateful for your assistance with:

Friday 29 November will be a non uniform day. In exchange for non-uniform please send your child with either chocolate or a bottle (depending on year group) for our very popular chocolate and bottle tombola.

Soft Toys: We are happy to rehome teddies and other cuddly friends for our teddy tombola. Please place these in a bag and leave in the reception foyer for PTA collection.

Finally, if there are any bakers out there, we would very much welcome any home made (nut free) cakes/cookies/mince pies. Your home-made goods will be gladly received on Friday 29 November non-uniform day prior to the fair.

Parent Stall volunteering - we are delighted to say that we have a fabulous band of merry parent helpers running the class stalls and the children are very excited in anticipation of our Christmas event built around them. Thank you so much for your support to make it a lovely afternoon for everyone,

Your PTA

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

Little Crackers Nursery; Nursery Manager - Emma Birch
01926 514 456

After Care
Collection contact no; 07732 036 625
Email: aftercare@crackleyhall.co.uk

Office Manager/Headmaster’s Personal Assistant – Marie Holt
01926 514 444
Email: receptionist@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

If you believe you are not receiving some or all emails from the school, then there are a number of steps you can take, as follows:

• Ensure the school has your correct email address. If you change your email address, please ensure the school is promptly updated.
• Check your spam/junk email. Email providers scan email as it arrives and if it meets criteria as spam/junk then it will go into that folder automatically. Emails can be marked as spam/junk if emails from a certain address are not interacted with on a regular basis. So if, for instance, you generally don't open the Chronicle email, then it may begin to be moved to your spam/junk folder in future.
• How to check your spam/junk will differ dependant on the email provider and app, but in general there will be a folder called spam or junk. If you open this you can see all email marked as spam/junk. If there are any emails which should have been delivered to your inbox, you can either mark these as 'not spam' or move them to your inbox. This process should mean future emails from that address go straight to your inbox.
• If you can’t find the weekly Chronicle Newsletter in the junk folder, please create a contact. The contact email for the Newsletter is chronicle@crackleyhall.co.uk
• Finally you can create a filter rule to keep an email from being sent to the junk folder.                                               

After taking these steps, if you are still unable to find the email in the spam/junk folder, please email the school to let us know so we can investigate further.

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

You will notice that instead of a hard copy calendar, this year we have a new digital calendar. It includes an interactive contents pages and handy live links to emails, websites and phone numbers. All can be easily downloaded onto your device of choice and the calendar is designed to be mobile friendly for ease of reference.

All the schoool's publications can also be found on My School Portal under School Information and will be updated during the year as necessary.

This move to a ‘digital first’ approach for our publications, is part of the Foundation’s drive to be more sustainable, reducing paper use, printing and postage costs and providing a more user-friendly experience.

Michaelmas Calendar Card

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.

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

End of the day collection times and locations after Games Lessons (if not taking part in sports clubs) during the Michaelmas Term are as follows:

If you wish your child to have music tuition at school, then please complete the attached form and return it back to the school office. 

Reception are able to undertake Violin lessons only. Pupils in Junior 1 can access the full range of lessons available.

Expression of Interest Form

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.

Individual Health and Medical Information

Further to the email that was sent out regarding your child's health notes on ISAMS, please do remember to check this for accuracy and update the School Office accordingly.

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 Care Plan

Aftercare needs to be booked through My School Portal. You are 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.

Should you need to Cancel Aftercare, please see the following Instructions:

Please note that you cannot cancel Aftercare if it is within 24 hours of the booking time!

Bookings (Clubs and Activities)

• Drop Down Menu – Upcoming Bookings
• Which will show this
• (CH After Care Michaelmas Term)– next date – Time etc.
• View Booking Details  
• Confirm cancellation of booking
• Cancellation type - Please Select from the dropdown menu 
• 1) All sessions which can be cancelled 
• 2) Only cancel sessions between specific dates
• 3) Cancel specific sessions only
• Select the date you want to cancel
• Confirm

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.

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

The Princethorpe Foundation

• Trustee 

For further information please refer to the link below 

 www.princethorpe.co.uk/join-us