'Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.' - St Francis of Assisi

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Headmaster's Message

Headmaster's Welcome

Dear Parents

 

I hope that Storm Lorenzo did not cause too much disruption to your week and I think that it has finally passed through so, hopefully, this weekend will be much calmer weather wise.  Let’s hope that we do manage to see a little of the sun!

This week has been a very busy one which started with the Junior 3V class, as part of their RE topic of Baptism, visiting St Francis Church with Mrs Jackson-Mayne.  Junior 3S will be visiting at another time later this term.  I am very grateful to Messers Stedeford and Cottrill for accompanying the U/10A football team to ISA Midlands Football Tournament on Monday and I am pleased to report that, after coming second in their group, they progressed to a respectable 6th place overall.  The rugby players also managed some very good results against The Croft and Grace Dieu, with most matches ending in our favour.  Mrs Vaughan was able to select and practise with the team for next week’s ISA Swimming Gala this Tuesday and I wish them the very best of luck for their event next week.

On Tuesday, we held our Open Day which was particularly successful despite the poor weather.  Junior 5 were very willing tour guides and enjoyed showing our guests around school.  The comments, as usual, were exceptionally complimentary and I am incredibly proud of all the children that helped on the day.  My thanks also are extended to Melanie Butler, Charlotte Hancock and Helen Stephenson from Princethorpe College and Jenny Vaughan for their assistance on the day.

Junior 3 enjoyed a Stone Age Day provided by Vix Powell from Leaf Outdoors.  It was the first time that a Stone Age Day has been held at Crackley Hall and I know that a good day was had by all who attended as they were able to have a hands-on experience in the workshops provided.  You will find more details of the event later in this week’s news.  My thanks to Mrs Clark and the parent volunteers who helped make the day such a success.  I’m delighted to see such good use being made of our forest school area on Kenilworth Common.

I would like to bring to your attention several forthcoming events which will be either taking place at school or within our community.  On Friday, 11 October the annual Headmaster’s Quiz will be held in school.  Tickets are still available and I would like to invite you to contact the PTA as soon as possible to secure your team’s place.  It promises to be a fun and sociable evening.  Individual entries are accepted as we will be able to assign you to a team.

The following day, the St Francis Church Autumn Fair will be held between 10.30am and 1.30pm and all proceeds will benefit Waverley Day Centre and Friends of the Holy Land.  Please do go along to support the local parish.

Our stars of the week were Xanthe, Harriet, Felix, Rory, Daiya, Arthur, William, Grace, Georgie, Harry, Dexter, Finlay, Lily, Henry and Jude.  Congratulations to you all!  Francesca was awarded gymnast of the week and Sara was the recipient of RE book of the week.  As you may be aware, Mathletics certificates are not presented in assembly any longer but we do celebrate the Mathlete of the Week and this week it has been presented to Olivia in J2H; well done Olivia on being the first to receive the accolade.

Thank you very much to all our parents who provided cakes for the MacMillan Coffee Morning last Friday, to everyone who supported the morning and to our PTA for organising everything.  The super total raised will go a long way to helping a most worthwhile cause.  I’d make an appeal to support the Harvest collection next week please.  The food collections will be distributed amongst needy Warwickshire families in the weeks to come.

The World Cup rugby tournament is gathering pace and starting to show a shape of what to expect.  It would be more difficult to predict without the powerful All Blacks’ dominance.  However, I do feel that England and Wales have an outside chance of going all the way.  I wish you all a happy and restful weekend with family and loved ones.

God bless

 

Mr Duigan 

 

Important Information

Tennis Club Cancelled - Thursday 10 October

Please be advised that Tennis Club will be cancelled on Thursday 10 October because we have Parents Evening taking place after school.

Mad Science Club Cancelled - Tuesday 8 October

Please be aware that Mad Science Club is cancelled on Tuesday 8 October because we have Parents Evening taking place after school.

News

Stars Of The Week

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

Nursery  Harriet and Xanthe
Reception C  Felix
Reception GR  Rory 
J1H  Daiya
J2H  Arthur
J2M  William
J3S  Grace
J3VZ  Georgie
J4JM  Harry  
J4W  Dexter
J5L  Finlay
J5R  Lily
J6H  Henry
J6V  Jude

Junior 3 Step Into The Stone Age

On Thursday 3 October, Junior 3 took time off from their modern-day studies and stepped back into the Stone Age when they took part in a sensational, cross -curricular, themed day.  The children spent all day out in the school's wood taking part in challenges and activities that immersed them in the lives of our long distant ancestors, the Stone Age hunter-gatherers. The experience supported the children’s understanding of how Stone Age people would have lived, teaching them the skills essential for what was then a very different type of life.

Junior 3 took part in activities that included fire-making, shelter building, wattle and daub, dough-making and cave painting.  Working in groups they took turns trying their hand at the essential skills every hunter-gatherer needed.  They struck flints to make sparks and lit their own fires. They gathered sticks and branches and built their own shelters.  They hammered in stakes and wove branches and then plastered on daub.  They ground wheat and mixed the resulting flour with water to make dough. And last but not least, they got hands on and creative with charcoal to make their own cave paintings.

It was a fantastic fun-filled day of learning for all, well organised by Forest School and Outdoor Workshop Leader, Vix Powell and Crackley Hall’s Forest School Practitioner, Verity Clark, both of whom came dressed in costumes that really added to the atmosphere of the day.  Junior 3 headed back to the classroom excited and inspired and with a much deeper understanding of the Stone Age.     

View Gallery

Henry's Tennis Trophy Success

Henry started playing Mini Tennis at Kenilworth Tennis Club in 2014.

He quickly found a talent for the game, joined the club in 2015, was then selected to represent the club in the mini tennis leagues and has continued to ever since.  

Henry plays both singles and doubles and got to the county finals in 2018. This success continued in his individual tournaments and Henry has steadily improved his rating and ranking over the past few years.  

His hard work and dedication has now led to being ranked in the top eight in the county and he has recently been selected to take part in the Warwickshire County Training Programme for U11 Boys.   

This year he was also crowned 10 and Under Boys Club Champion.  Head Coach, James Roe (who also at Crackley Hall on Thursdays), said, "Henry is a good team player, always tries his best and gives a 100% in every training session, even helping the coaches with the younger players on a Saturday morning, when he’s not competing".  

We are very proud of Henry for reaching his goal and inspiring his brother to do the same

Crackley Hall Welcomes Visitors On Open Day

Five times a year Crackley Hall throws its doors wide open to welcome prospective pupils and parents into school. It is their chance to see what is so very special about Crackley Hall and what makes it a place its pupils describe as the ‘next best place to home’.

The first Open Day of the school year took place this week and the school was pleased to welcome 12 families into school.  There was strong interest for Reception 2020 and for Little Crackers Nursery.

Pupils from Junior 5 took the visitors on a tour of the school, confidently answering questions whilst they showcased its fantastic facilities. It was wonderful but not unexpected to have some really lovely comments back from our visitors saying how impressed they were with our pupils manners and maturity.  Well done everyone on doing such a good job!

Crackley’s next Open Event takes place on Thursday 21 November from 7pm-8pm and is dedicated to those interested in joining the school in Nursery and Reception in September 2020.

 

Bookings Open For Half Term Holiday Club

Monday 21 October to Friday 1 November

Crackley Hall Half Term Holiday Club will be available from 8.00 am until 6.00 pm Monday 21 October to Friday 1 November, at a cost of £30.00 for a full day. Half days (8am-1pm and 1pm - 6pm) can be booked at £20.00 per session. Lunch is available at a cost of £3.10 per day.

Places are limited as we are bound to strict adult to child ratios. Should you wish to book a place at short notice, please contact the school office on 01926 514444 to check availability. Cancellations can only be made by the school office, therefore please discuss any changes with a member of staff.

Please book a place using the following link: Holiday Club Bookings

School Office

Crackley’s Coffee Cups Raise Money For Macmillan

Thank you so much to everyone who helped support the Macmillan Coffee Morning last Friday.

We hope that you enjoyed all the delicious cakes and pastries. Special thanks also go to Ian Sansum and Holroyd Howe Catering for the pastries.

The fantastic sum raised was £807.66, which will all go to Macmillan Cancer Research.

It’s not too late to donate if you haven’t already - just text our unique code YUM CJM7 to 70550 to donate £5*.

 

 

View Gallery

Calling All Super Heroes: Reception to Junior 6

Time to start thinking about your costumes!

As part of our Vocations Week, we will be focusing on Super Acts of Kindness. Pupils can come dressed as a well-known superhero or come as one they have made up.    ..............Super

Kind..... Super J  ...... Fantastic Fred ............... etc

Mathlete Of The Week

Mathlete of the week for J2H is Olivia.

Events

Events - Week Beginning Monday 7 October

 Tuesday 8   October  All day  ISA Swimming Gala   (J4,5,6)
   10.00am  Harvest Mass (led by the   Minnie Vinnies)
   10.30 -   11.30am  J3 Swimming
   4.00 - 7.00pm  Parents' Evening

 Wednesday 9   October

 10.00 -   10.30am  J4 Swimming
   10.00 -   11.30am  Stay 'n' Play - Zumbini
 Thursday 10   October  4.00 - 7.00pm  Parents' Evening
 Friday 11   October  8.40 - 9.30am  Celebration Assembly

 

Awards and Celebrations

A Photographic 'Walk-Through' The Week's Events

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

View Gallery

Spiritual

Whole School Harvest Mass

The next Whole School Mass, which will be on Tuesday 8 October at 9am, will celebrate the theme of the Harvest.

Pupils are asked to bring in donations of food - packets, tins, boxes - by Monday 7 October, so that we can support our local community, in Warwickshire, who need our help.

Thank you

Mrs Jackson-Mayne

Holy Communion 2020

Please email Mrs Jackson-Mayne if you would like to enrol your child to make their First Holy Communion next year. This applies to any children who are practising Catholics in Junior 3 upwards.

sjacksonmayne@crackleyhall.co.uk

Foreign Coin Collection

Minnie Vinnies are busy collecting spare foreign coins - there is a box at Reception for donations. 

RE Book Of The Week

RE Book of the Week has been awarded to Sara (J2H).

 

Sport

ISA U10 Football Competition

Crackley Hall travelled to Dixie Grammar School on Monday 30 September to take part in the ISA Sport U10 Midlands Football Competition.

The event started with the teams playing in groups of five in a round robin of games.  Crackley had tough matches against strong teams and were pleased with their first round results: 

Stafford Prep 4-1 win

Twycross House 2-1 win

Arnold Lodge 4-4 draw

Elmhurst 1-3 loss

Overall Crackley finished second in their group so in the afternoon play-off matches they faced the second placed teams. Their opposition were skilled and the matches were far closer affairs, the team were pleased to hold both opponents to a draw. 

The U10s finished the day in a well deserved fifth place overall. 

Playing for Crackley Hall were: Max Kiely (Captain), Finlay Williams (Vice-Captain), George Fry, Solon Nishiyama, Leonardo Pavli, Dexter Robinson and Freddie Young.

The team showed tenacity and resilience.

Well done everyone!

Junior 3’s Tag Rugby Triumph

Well done Junior 3 on your excellent victory in your Tag Rugby match against Grace Dieu on Thursday 3 Otober.

It was an excellent win after a great game.  The team was captained by Penny Tomas but everybody played brilliantly.

A huge well done to everyone!

View Gallery

Gymnast Of The Week

We are pleased to announce that Francesca (J5R) is our gymnast of the week. 

 

Little Crackers

Nursery News

Hooray for the Garden Room! The weather spoilt some of our outdoor time this week, but we made good use of the Garden Room instead, watching for wood pigeons, listening for the squirrels as they scurried around and spotting the spiders on the fence. 

Luckily, towards the end of the week we did explore the outdoor area, and many of us got the chance to use the new construction kit… a fantastic present from the PTA. We must say a big thank you to the PTA who donated the money for the special water resistant blocks, they are already extending the quality of our problem solving and construction experiences. 

Fingers crossed for a good weekend, and please don’t forget to bring in your fabulous photos from home, showing us the learning you do away from nursery – they look wonderful on our Wow! Wall.

Newsletter

PTA

Schools Out Non-Uniform Day

Friday 18 October

There will be a Schools Out Non-Uniform Day on Friday 18 October to celebrate the last day of term.

All monies raised will go directly back towards PTA funding.

Headmaster’s Quiz

Friday 11 October - 7.30pm

You are all cordially invited to join our popular quiz night hosted by our very special quiz master for the evening, Mr Duigan, this year on Friday 11 October 2019 at 7.30pm.

Teams of up to eight people are invited to battle it out against other year groups and our reigning champions from last year.

Tickets are on sale now and we are limited to a maximum of 12 teams only, so please don’t miss out

The tickets are priced at £7.50 each and include a shared cheeseboard. You are welcome to form your own teams or book individually and we will allocate you to a team of parents from your child’s year group. A licensed bar will be available on the evening to purchase refreshments and you are encouraged to bring any additional nibbles to enjoy. We regret that this event is for grown-ups only but there will be lots more family events to look forward to throughout the year.

We hope you can join us for what promises to be a fun and sociable evening. If you have any questions regarding the event email Melissa Fox mfox1401@gmail.com who will be happy to help.

To purchase your tickets please click here 

Crackley Winter Wonderland - Save The Date

Saturday 30  November 2019 - 1.00pm to 4.00pm

Is it too early to be thinking about Christmas yet? Some might say yes but please save the date as it will come round quickly!

Please email mfox1401@gmail.com if you might be able to help. Thank you for your support. 

Housekeeping

Job Vacancy

Please see below our current vacancy:

Foundation Data Manager

Full details and how to apply are available via the following link: http://www.princethorpe.co.uk/page/?title=Join+Us&pid=1185

Should you know anyone who might be interested in this post, please do share this information with them.

 

Lost Property

Lost

Eve and Beatrice (J3S) have both lost a named skort.

Lexi (J3Z) has lost her named school jumper. 

Isabella (J4JM) has lost her school jumper, gum shield and case, and water bottle (all named).

Willow ((J4JM) has lost her named skort and named school jumper. 

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

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