The Chronicle

Dear Parents

This is final Chronicle for 2018 and, although it is a brief one, I wanted to be able to wish you all the loveliest of Christmas times and update you on a few of the activities that have taken place this week.

On Monday we held our Advent Mass in school.  It was a really special Mass and the pupils sang beautifully.  Thank you very much to Mrs Jackson Mayne and Mrs Simmonds for their involvement in this service and to Fr Kevin for celebrating Holy Mass.

Yesterday all the children were treated to a pantomime provided by our wonderful PTA.  I managed to watch the start of Sleeping Beauty and I know from the faces of the children, that it was a very enjoyable experience.  After an excitable break time the children then returned to attend a special assembly where we presented awards to children for various reasons including kindness, manners, smart appearance and school spirit.  This will be repeated again at the end of the Lent and Trinity term providing an opportunity for every child to receive an award.

I understand that the grand total donated to Save the Children is £444.00 so well done to everyone who took part in the Christmas Jumper Day. The collection for Shelter will continue and should you wish to donate the cost of a cup of coffee or a meal for a homeless person, please leave your donation with the office.

Although school finished for children yesterday, our holiday club will be open for the rest of this week and then again on 3 and 4 January.  There are still places available on Friday this week and in the New Year so if you need to sign up, please speak to a member of staff this week.

We say goodbye to Lucy Todman today.  Lucy has been with us since September and has been a wonderful member of the Crackley teaching team.  I know that Lucy has made quite an impact on so many of the children and will be sorely missed.  I hope you will join me in wishing her the very best in the next stage of her career.  This leads me on to welcoming Tanya Hill, our new Assistant Head, in January.  Tanya is eager to start here and looks forward to meeting as many of you as possible in the New Year.

Thank you all very much for your support over the term.  Thank you very much to the wonderful Crackley Hall staff who have given so much in so many ways and to our caring and wise Trustees, led by Mrs Liz Griffin.

On behalf of the whole staff, thank you all very much for your cards, gifts and kind wishes.  It is very much appreciated.  hope that you all have a peaceful and blessed Christmas celebrating with your families and a very happy New Year.

God bless,

Robert Duigan

Cyber-crime – please be vigilant

Parents are asked to be vigilant when reading emails relating to the payment of school fees and any other items to the Foundation.

We continue to receive reports regarding spam emails being sent to parents of independent schools asking them to pay future fees to a ‘new’ school bank account.

Please be advised there has been no change to the bank details of either Princethorpe College, Crackley Hall or Crescent and there is no intention to make any changes in the foreseeable future. Any electronic notification that appears to be from any of the Foundation schools changing these details may be fraudulent.

Our bank details are available on the Parent Bills, the Online Payment Portal and for Princethorpe in the Princethorpe College Information Booklet 2018 – 2019, and only those details should be used.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my colleagues in the Bursary if you are have any doubts about the correct details or indeed if anything appears suspicious.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Wednesday 19 - Friday 21 December 2018 and Thursday 3 - Friday 4 January 2019

The Crackley Hall Holiday Club will again be taking place during the Christmas holiday.

Wednesday 19 December until Friday 21 December is now fully booked

However there are still places available on Thursday 3 January and Friday 4 January.

There will be exciting crafts, games and activities taking place at school between the hours of 8.00am and 6.00pm.

Please be aware that places are limited, and are allocated on a first come first served basis.

Please follow the link to book a place https://princethorpecollege.parentseveningsystem.co.uk/

We have a number of trips, events and activities coming up over the next few weeks. Please see the relevant letters below:  

J5 LAMDA Information Letter

J5 LAMDA Consent Form

J6 LAMDA Information Letter

J6 LAMDA Consent Form

Headmaster Mr Duigan was excited to announce during today's whole school assembly that...drum roll please...Annamaria Kordas of J6L was the winner of the 'Design a Christmas Card' competition. We are told that her design was selected by the judging panel as it encapsulated both the spirit of Christmas and our school ethos in a pleasing design with a subtle colour palette.

Well done Annamaria, your Art teachers in senior school will no doubt be thrilled to have such a talented student.

On Tuesday Mr Duigan revealed the recipients of the first ever Crackley Hall Pupil Awards. A wide ranging list of categories brought forward nominations from class teachers, teaching assistants and support staff alike, as they all sought to recognise the achievements of those individual children who had strived and reached their full potential.

Well done one and all, we are so proud of you and can't wait to see you build on this obvious success.

Huge thanks to Crackley’s PTA for organising an extra special festive treat for the children on the last day of the Michaelmas term.   

Bringing the magic of theatre into school this year was Outside the Box.  They performed the classic fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, telling the story of Princess Aurora, who is cursed by evil and falls asleep for 100 years after touching the spindle of an enchanted spinning wheel.

Of course in the pantomime love conquers all and the princess is woken by a kiss.  The traditional story was told with much slapstick comedy, silly songs and a liberal sprinkling of fairy dust.

It was a hilarious show much enjoyed by all.  A super end to a busy term.

On Friday 14 December, Christmas jumpers of all colours and shapes  were proudly displayed on the school 'body' in the now annual occassion of Christmas Jumper day all in aid of Save the Children. This eclectic fashion mix was made sweeter still by the single pound coins that were simultaneously collected across our campus.

Drum roll please...we've raised over £444.00 for Save the Children! What a fantastic achievement - well done one and all and thank you once again to Mrs George (J1G Class Teacher) for organising such an excellent event.

Lent Term Calendar

Thursday 24 January - 10.00am to 3.00pm

Crackley Hall is opening its doors to prospective and current parents and children for an Open Day on Thursday 24 January from 10.00am to 3.00pm.

This is an opportunity to look around the school and to meet staff and pupils on a normal working day. All are welcome, no need to book.

If you can't make the Open Day but would like to look around the school, please call our Admissions Secretary, Mrs Jenny Vaughan on 01926 514444 and come on a day to suit you, we welcome visitors on most days.

For more information visit www.crackleyhall.co.uk

Please click on 'View Gallery' to scroll through a few photos from this week's events.

Today, Headmaster Mr Robert Duigan led the school in the lighting of the fourth candle of our Advent wreath. Advent comes from the Latin word 'adventus' meaning 'Coming.' Advent also begins the church year starting four Sundays before Christmas.

Traditions vary from church to church, but usually one week, either week three or four in Advent, is set aside as more celebratory than others. Rose is the colour of this week rather than purple, which is why a rose candle is used. In our churches we will celebrate this week on the fourth Sunday of Advent, when we remember Mary, the mother of Jesus to whom is attributed that great song of joy, the Magnificat.

Thank you to Father Kevin and Junior 4 and 5 for a wonderful and spiritual Advent Mass to focus our thoughts as we prepare for the joy of Christmas. The Choral Group sang beautifully and helped all the pupils think about the ways that we can prepare for Christmas through prayer and showing love towards others.

During this Mass we thought about the kind of welcome Jesus had then, and the kind of welcome that we give to Him in our hearts and our minds and in our everyday lives. 

Please see the attached letters for more information on the Lent Term extra-curricular clubs: 

Bayleaf Cookery Club

Irish Dancing

Karate

Mad Science

Chess

Rugbytots

Cricket

Tennis

Yoga

Ballet

Guitar

Mini Brass

Thanks One And All...

The PTA would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and to thank everyone for all their support this year

Have A 'Winter Ball' This February Courtesy of the PTA

Following the success of last year's Winter Ball, the PTA are organising another event at The Woodside in Kenilworth on 9 February 2019.

We would love to get at least one table together for each year group as it will be a fantastic opportunity for old friends to get together and also to get to know newer members of the school community.  You can either put together your own table of 6-10 people or we can add you to a table with other parents from your child's year.

The Winter Ball will be a black tie event with a welcome drink, 3 course meal and tea, coffee and truffles.  There will be live entertainment and a disco and we will have the function room with dance floor, plus sole use of the bar area.

Tickets are priced at £45 per person and if you pay before the end of term, you will be entered into a draw to win a free night's accommodation at The Woodside on the night of the Ball.  If you wish to book your own accommodation, this can be done directly with The Woodside on 01926 852217.

Payment for tickets can be made directly into the PTA account (details below) or card payments can be made before or after school on Monday (a member of the PTA will be in the school foyer).  Alternatively, you can speak to Julie Hutton (Emily in J5's Mum) on 07958 282235.  Please let Julie know if you have paid online so we can arrange to get your tickets to you.

PTA bank account:

Sort Code: 30-94-93

Account Number: 02023477

Ref: Surname/Ball

We hope you will be able to join us for what promises to be a really enjoyable evening.

Lost Property

Mikey Bell (J3V) has lost his named winter coat

Parents please can you check all uniform and sports kits over the Christmas break – if any of it is not yours, please let the School Office know, and return it to us as soon as possible.

Also please ensure that all school uniform and sports kits are named.