The Chronicle

Dear Parents

I hope that this week’s edition of the Chronicle finds you well and looking forward to the week ahead.  It has been a glorious, bright clear day today and, with any luck, it will continue into the weekend.

We started this week on a very positive note with our Under 10 Netball team putting in an outstanding performance at the ISA netball tournament.  Well done to everyone who attended and my thanks are also extended to Mrs Roberts and Mrs Duigan for accompanying the children and coaching and cheering them on.   The full report is featured later in this communication and I understand that the girls brought in their medals from this competition and proudly wore them during assembly this morning.

On Tuesday Mrs Olden and Mrs Hill accompanied some of our musicians to Crescent School when they took part in an Orchestra Day.  This culminated in a performance to parents at the end of the day.  This has become a regular reciprocal event in the calendar and a wonderful opportunity for the Foundation Junior Schools to perform together.

Our U9A, B and C football teams enjoyed very good results against Warwick Junior yesterday.  The A team narrowly lost 3-4, the B team won convincingly 8-1 and the C, equally so, by beating Warwick 9-0.  Well done to all the boys and their coaches.

We will be opening our doors to visitors tomorrow during Open Morning and I look forward to seeing many of our pupils helping tomorrow morning.  I appreciate that your family arrangements for the weekend may have been adjusted to allow students to take part and I thank you very much for your co-operation.

Stars of the Week were awarded to Olivia, Francesca, Thomas, Henry, Arthur, William, Hannah, Kate, Alex, Max, Scarlett, Lucas and Teddy and Kate was presented with the RE Book of the Week award.  Well done to all the recipients of awards.  Thank you to Mr Cottrill for hosting assembly today whilst I attended a Headteacher’s meeting and training day.

Rehearsals are going well for all the dances which will be performed on 19 March after the St Joseph’s Day Mass.  Please reserve your seats by responding to the communication that was sent earlier today; it promises to be a wonderful performance involving the whole school.  For those of you who are not able to attend or would like a lasting memento of the show, a video will be available at a later date.  Further details will be published in The Chronicle.

As you will be aware, a letter has been sent to all parents of School and Nursery children regarding CoVid19, the procedures that are in place and our current action plans.  We will continue to carefully monitor the situation and follow the advice from Public Health England.  Further updates will also be communicated on our website.

With best wishes for a relaxing weekend.

God bless

Mr Duigan 

Please can parents provide a photocopy of their child's valid passport to the school office as soon as possible.

If your child's passport will have less than 6 months left to run in May 2020, under new regulations you must apply for a new one.

Thank you 

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

FOR RETIRED AND HOUSEBOUND PARISHIONERS ONLY

Crackley Hall School’s Mini Vinnies would like to invite you to their

‘Afternoon Tea and Entertainment’ on Tuesday 24 March between 1.30 and 3.00pm

(To be seated by 1.15pm)

If you are interested please contact the school office.

On Tuesday 3 March, Crackley Hall's orchestra travelled to fellow Foundation junior school, Crescent School, for an orchestral workshop. It was a great opportunity for the young virtuosos to play together, as 16 members of Crackley Hall’s Orchestra joined 16 Crescent instrumentalists for a day designed to develop and stretch their music and performance skills.

Pupils from both schools worked under the guidance of Directors of Music, Julie Barnes and Susan Olden, to prepare and rehearse a mixture of pieces ready for an afternoon performance for parents.

The children enjoyed a busy morning and afternoon of rehearsals, they relished making music together, especially in such a big group. They worked hard to prepare three challenging pieces, including the instantly recognisable I Am Sailing by Rod Stewart, two complicated movements, Woody’s Round Up and When She Loves Me, from Toy Story 2 and the catchy big band number In The Mood by Glen Miller. All of the pieces tested the players’ technical and music-reading ability to the limit.

The afternoon concert was super, a sensational symphony of sound. As well as featuring the full 32-piece orchestra playing their now near perfect pieces, it included four solo performances, two from each school. Thomas Zanyi played The Hunter’s Choice on cello, Jasper Nicholls played Mr Creek on alto saxophone, Holly Delaney-Waugh played Somewhere Over The Rainbow on violin and Henry Corbin played Theme and Allegro Brillante from Grand Fantasia.

Mrs Barnes, Director of Music at Crescent, commented, “It was another very successful day and the pupils enjoyed working and collaborating together. They achieved a very high standard of performance, and this was due in no small part to the preparation and practising that went on in the weeks beforehand”.

Mrs Olden, Director of Music at Crackley Hall, agreed commenting, "The children had a brilliant day, it was fantastic for them to play with different instruments and with so many other talented musicians."

It was a great to see the young musicians enjoying learning and working together!

Crackley Hall School in Kenilworth is planning to introduce a second Year 2 class from September 2020 after seeing an increase in the demand for places at the popular Kenilworth prep school. 

The school was rated ‘Excellent’ in all areas by the Independent Schools Inspectorate at their last inspection and the new Year 2 class will enable more children to benefit from the school’s specialist tailored approach, a wealth of opportunities and the chance to be stretched and challenged.

Comments Headmaster, Rob Duigan, “Crackley Hall has always been a popular choice for parents, particularly in recent years, and adding this extra capacity in Year 2 next year will afford more children the opportunity to benefit from a Crackley Hall education. The move is good news for both prospective and current pupils, who will enjoy smaller class sizes, and the school’s proven approach to individual nurturing that helps children into their first choice of secondary school, whether independent or local grammars. We’re confident that there will be plenty of interest, especially as more families move into the area.”

There is still time to register interest in the new Year 2 class for September 2020, and for places in some other years. The school is holding an open event on Saturday 7 March from 10.30am to 12.30pm.  Visitors will be able to look around the school, see the school’s facilities and to meet the Headmaster, Rob Duigan, pupils, staff and current parents. Parents who are interested should contact Jenny Vaughan, Admissions Secretary on 01926 514410 or by email to admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk. All are most welcome.

The latest edition of The Pinnacle has just been published. It showcases pupils' excellent work.

In the middle there is a pullout (The Minnacle) which focuses on the junior schools featuring both Crackley Hall School and the Crescent School.

You can view an electronic version of The Pinnacle here and The Minnacle here.

Why not enjoy a few minutes browsing through the inspirational work our children do.

J5 are warmly invited to a taste of senior school life at Princethorpe College on Thursday 30 April.  The taster day will begin at 9.30am when the children will be transported to the College by mini-bus from Crackley Hall. Pupils will experience a variety of classroom sessions, a tour of the school and a question and answers session with our current pupils. Break and lunch will be provided and there is no charge for this day.

At the end of the afternoon, you are invited to join us at 4.15pm for an informal Parents’ Information Session. Offering information on entry to the College for September 2021 and light refreshments will be served.  Ed Hester, the Headmaster along with other key members of staff will be available to talk to you about the College and to outline the admissions process. Children will also have the opportunity to trial the online CEM test, one of the exams that prospective pupils complete during the Entrance Examinations day, which will take place on Saturday 7 November 2020.

Please click here to access the online booking form for the J5 Taster Day. Please complete and submit the form by 5.00pm on Friday 20 March to secure a place for your child.

For those parents who are unable to attend the Parents’ Information Session, your child will be transported back to Crackley Hall for 3.30pm.

We hope you can join us and look forward to welcoming you to Princethorpe College.

With kind regards from the Admissions Team at Princethorpe College

Registrar, Mrs Vanessa Rooney, 01926 634201, vanessarooney@princethorpe.co.uk, Working hours: 08.30-17.00

Assistant Registrar, Miss Helen Morgan, 01926 634262, helenmorgan@princethorpe.co.uk, Working hours: 08.30-13.30

Admissions Administrator, Mrs Catherine Rogers, 01926 634262,  catherinerogers@princethorpe.co.uk, Working hours: 13.00-17.30

A letter has been sent home with your child, please find a copy below:

Letter

Just to confirm that the production will be held on Tuesday 17 March

Please find decade letters below:

Reception

J1

J2

J3

J4

J5

J6

Saturday 28 March 2020 - Arrive from 6.30pm - Walk from 9.00pm 
 
You can join over 500 fundraisers who have already signed up to support this amazing local charity in what Myton Hospice is describing as its biggest and best Glow fundraiser ever.  And all Foundation pupils, staff and families are eligible for a £5 discount, making the registration price just £15 for adults and £10 for children to participate.  
 
Princethorpe is hosting this major fundraising event for the charity Myton Hospice on Saturday 28 March 2020 and we are asking our wonderful Foundation Community to get involved.  Glow For Myton - Around The World In 5km is a night walk that will wind its way through the beautiful grounds of the College campus, taking in the sights and sounds of some of the world’s best celebrations along the way. 
 
The walk will start and finish in the Orchard where there will be entertainment and food available. Following a Zumba warm up, the walkers will head off around the College grounds. There will be plenty of volunteer marshals to cheer them on and along the way will be exciting zones showcasing festivals and cultural celebrations from around the world including Oktoberfest, Chinese New Year, Full Moon Party and the Holi Colour Festival. The event isn’t timed, instead it is all about enjoying the experience and the sights and sounds laid on for the event. 
 
Comments Rebecca Richards, Myton’s Assistant Events Manager, “We are hoping to raise £60,000 from this event and are really looking forward to holding it at Princethorpe.” 
 
The event is sure to be great fun for a good cause so we are really hoping lots of families and friends of the Foundation will get involved. 

Enter the discount copde princethorpe to receive a £5 reduction on the standard registration price.
 
Glow For Myton - Around The World In 5km is open to all, and pupils, parents, staff, OPs, friends and neighbours are all encouraged to sign up for the event on the charity’s website here. 
 
Children of all ages are welcome but under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. 

 Mathletes of the week for J1H is Charlie and Joseph

 Mathletes of the Week for J3V is Jia and Isabella

 Mathlete of the week for Mrs Lammas group is Thomas

 Mathlete of the week for J2H is Adreena 

 Well done to all!

Saturday 7 March 2020 - 10.30am to 12.30pm

Crackley Hall and Little Crackers, will be opening its doors tomorrow for a Spring Open Morning from 10.30am to 12.30pm. 

This is a great chance to look around the school and nursery at the weekend and to chat to staff and pupils. Junior 5 and 6 pupils will act as tour guides and there will be music and sport activities on display. Light refreshments will be available.

Registrations are now being taken for Nursery and Reception. Limited places are available in other Year groups. The nursery is open 51 weeks a year and is carefully structured for two-year olds, three-year olds and pre-school.

All are welcome to look round the school, and to meet staff and pupils. No need to book.

Please email Mrs Jenny Vaughan, Admissions Secretary at admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk or call her on 01926 514410 for more information on the Open Morning and admissions process.

For more information visit www.crackleyhall.co.uk.

Tuesday 17 March 2020 -10.30am to 12.30pm

The College's Spring Open Morning will take place on Tuesday 17 March, giving prospective families a chance to visit the school on a normal working day, with Year 7 and 8 pupils acting as tour guides. Light refreshments will be available.

All are welcome and there is no need to book. For further information, please contact our Registrar, Mrs Vanessa Rooney on 01926 634201 or at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.  

Our next Open Event after the March Open Morning will be our Summer Open Evening on Wednesday 3 June 2020 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

Please do spread the word amongst family and friends.

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

RE Book of the Week has been awarded to Kate (J3V).

As we prepare for Easter, during Lent, we are asked to reflect on ways that we can actively support our neighbours, locally and globally.

Pupils will be bringing home Father Hudson’s collection boxes, by filling up the collection boxes with loose change, we will help those less fortunate than us. Please could these be returned to school by Monday 16 March.

Father Hudson was a remarkable man and an exceptional priest who was well ahead of his time in respecting the dignity of children, desiring to give them the best start in life that was possible in their circumstances.

Many people familiar with Father Hudson’s will be aware of the network of homes, especially in Coleshill, that he developed with the support of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, its parishes and schools, and the sisters of the Selly Park Convent over a period of 30 years. Father Hudson’s provides Family Support in 36 schools in the Archdiocese. Through intensive and tailored mentoring of over 400 children and their families every year, they improve the outcomes for children living in adversity.

On Monday 2 March, Francesca, Anabel, Rosa, Scarlett, Niamh, Alyx, Isabel, Jasmine, Maria, Mrs Roberts and Mrs Duigan headed to Stafford Grammar School for the Under 10s ISA Netball Tournament.

The sun shone (making Mrs Roberts and Mrs Duigan very happy). We warmed up with enthusiasm, and were hopeful to win some matches.

We were so pleased to win our first match 2-1. Then we won the second 4-0. Our luck continued, as we won the third, convincingly, 5-0, and then also the fourth!

We were hoping to win our last match, so that we could go through to the semi-finals!

Amazingly, we also won this this 6-0. We were all elated! We then faced Crescent School in the semi-final, and we were all extremely nervous. We fought hard again, and we won 4-1! This put us into the final against Twycross school. Two of their players were so tall, that we wondered what they ate for school dinners!

We fought hard, but they played well, and they beat us. They were worthy winners, and we were so excited to come second overall

The Under 10s Netball Coach, Mrs Roberts sais, ”The secret to the girl’s success was: great team work, attentive listening, acting upon advice and super determination! It was a memorable day, and all of the girls represented their school magnificently. Mrs Duigan and I are very proud of them all!”

Good luck to the girls going to the ISA Under 9s Tournament next week.

Please be advised that Tennis Club will unfortunately not be running on Thursday 19 March as the Decades Dance Performances will be taking place on that day and not finishing until 3.30pm.  We believe that the children will be very tired and there will be parents still in the hall at that time.

As this will now make two cancelled sessions (with Parents Evening last week and Decades Dance Day on 19 March), we will make an adjustment to the payment schedule for the Trinity Term Tennis Club accordingly.

There will be 3 taster sessions on the 9 March, 16 March and 23 March for pupils in J5 and J6.

The sessions will run from 3.45pm to 4.45pm each Monday.

For further information on the Move It Shake It Taster please email moveitshakeitdanceit@gmail.com or at https://jasminehanlon9.wixsite.com/mysite

Please see also the attached Flyer 

Children at Little Crackers Nursery were delighted to meet children's author John Carter when he visited the school on Tuesday 3 March. John visited the nursery to talk about his books, The Grandad Stories, a series of lovely rhyming picture books that are particularly suitable for young children. The nursery children were all fascinated to find out that the stories were inspired by John’s very own relationship with his own grandchildren.

The Grandad Stories are all beautifully illustrated and John brought along some of the original paintings used for the illustrations in his books to show the children how the drawings help the stories come alive. So far John has written three Grandad stories, Grandad’s Wheelbarrow, Grandad’s Fish-pond and Grandad’s Red Van but he promised there were more to come.

It was fantastic to have John visit the nursery to talk to the children. His new stories are delightful and really engaged the imagination of the nursery children.

Nursery Teacher, Lisa O’Carroll-Bailey, said, “John’s stories were magical, you could see the children hanging on to his every word; you could have heard a pin drop. It was just wonderful to have him visit!”

More information on John’s books can be found on his website at https://thegrandadstories.co.uk.

It is wonderful to see the sun today and the nursery children have certainly made the most of the beginnings of Spring!

This week we have had a book focus for World Book Week and enjoyed meeting the children’s author John Carter (www.thegrandadstories.co.uk) on Tuesday. He came to read us his ‘Grandad Stories’ and talked about the process of writing the books and his friend who illustrates them. It was great to meet the ‘real’ grandad and the children have enjoyed remembering favourite parts of the books throughout the week. We still have copies in Nursery if anyone wants to buy them.

We look forward to seeing visitors and friends at the Crackley Hall and Little Crackers Nursery Open Day this Saturday, don’t forget to pop in and say hello between 10.30 and 12.30.  

Newsletter

The PTA Ordinary Meeting will take place on Wednesday 11 March at 7.30pm in the Science Room.

All welcome to attend - many hands make light work.

Please find a link below to the current vacancies available across the Foundation:

• Teacher - Key Stage 2 - Crackley Hall
• Part time Learning Support - Crackley Hall
• Teacher of Computer Science
• Teacher of Physics
• Gardener
• Apprentice Groundsman

Full details of the roles and how to apply are available via the following link  https://www.princethorpe.co.uk/employment-opportunities

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

Lost

Alfred (J4W) has lost his water bottle

Leyton (Rec) has lost his water bottle

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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.