The Chronicle

Dear Parents

It has been another busy and exciting week at school which started with the Forensic Science Day on Monday, organised by Mrs Roberts and our wonderful PTA team.   All of the children had the opportunity to become a forensic scientist for the day investigating the puzzling crime scene in the Hall which the children found very exciting.    I have heard some fascinating stories from the day and hopefully this will be a regular event in the school calendar.

Whilst Mr Cottrill hosted our celebration assembly this morning, I am also grateful to Mr Ferris for leading a two-minute silence as part of our Remembrance Service which gave pupils and staff time to think about the sacrifices that soldiers and civilians all over the world have made for others.   Nursery have also been involved in the preparations for Remembrance Sunday by making beautiful poppies.

I have been given the difficult task of judging the entries for the Christmas Card competition.  After deliberating over some fabulous entries I have managed to decide on a winner and all will be revealed in due course.

All that remains for me to say is have a good weekend with your families and to those children taking, or about to take entrance examinations for the next stage in their education; try your best and believe in yourself because each and every one of you are truly magnificent.

God Bless

Robert Duigan

This year the theme for the Christmas Tree Decoration competition at St Nicholas Church will be ‘One World’; a theme that ties in with our Multicultural Week planned in February. Students are therefore invited to design and make a 2D or 3D decoration. Each class will be given a country in their PSHCE lesson next week and will be set as a homework to make a decoration which will represent that country. This will be given as a homework next Friday 17 November.

All designs should have a flame motif and have a loop attached to it so that it can be hung easily on the Crackley Hall Christmas tree. All decorations should be handed in to their class teacher by Friday 24 November.

Traditionally, the Christmas Tree is decorated by all the RE Book of the Week Winners this term, it will be on display at St Nicholas Church during the switch on of lights on Dec 1 and over the whole weekend. It is lovely to get this opportunity to be involved in our local community.

Please can we remind all parents that any items containing nuts or made from nuts (eg Nutella spread) should not be bought in to school in snacks or packed lunches.  We have a number of children with severe nut allergies in school which can be triggered by the prescence of nuts. 

We have been advised by Mrs McCourt that there will be Irish Dancing examinations in Coventry on 9 December.  If your child would like to take part please email Mrs McCourt on roisin.mccourt@freeradio.co.uk 

Parents of children in Reception, J1, J2, J3 & J4 should have received, via their child's bag, a letter, consent form and information from the Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust regarding their flu vaccination program. Please return the letter to the school office by 20 November indicating whether you wish to take advantage of this service.

The weather is on the turn and this quick reminder is to let you know that you can purchase your school winter wear essentials from either the Uniform Shop at Princethorpe College or from the Office at Crackley Hall. Items are priced as follows:

Fleece Gloves – Age 2-4, 5-7, 7-9, 9-12          £4.00

Fleece Hat – Small / Standard                        £5.00

Fleece Scarf – One Size                                 £7.00

Crackley Hall's Office Team can accept cash or cheque, whilst the Uniform Shop at Princethorpe can also accept card payments. Alternatively, you might choose to add your purchase to your bill and have the items delivered to Crackley Hall for you to collect.

If you need to email Princethorpe your uniform orders, please ensure you use this link or type the following email address into your browser nicolabrowne@princethorpe.co.uk. Parents are advised that this is a new email address. Consequently any messages that have been sent to a previous email address which require a response should be resent.  

For those who'd like a full Christmas dinner within school on Wednesday 13 December, then the time to act is now. Happily, those children who normally have a hot dinner on a Wednesday can rest easy, as your lunch is booked and taken care of.

It's our Wednesday packed lunch munchers who'd like to tuck into turkey and all the trimmings who need to get their order in! To do so, please print off the attached slip and returning it to school before the 6 December.

It's time to dig out the festive knitwear for children and staff at Crackley Hall and Little Crackers Nursery! We will be supporting Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day on Friday 15 December. You can wear any Christmas jumper, shop bought or homemade, the brighter the better! All you need to do is don your jumper and give your teacher £1 for the privilege on the day. Remember, everyone who takes part helps us to solve some very serious problems, so that every child possible has a brighter future. Further details can be found using this link.

All children have been sent home with the letters below to choose their meals for the Lent Term.  Please return these by Monday 27 November.

Lunch Menu Choices for Lent Term Letter

Week 1 Menu

Week 2 Menu

Week 3 Menu

While the Junior 3s took their LAMDA examinations this week, we are now looking to prepare out Junior 4, 5 and 6 children for theirs next term.

The children will be choosing their first pieces to learn over the next few weeks.

Please read the LAMDA letter for your child’s year group and hand the reply slips back in before Friday 24 November. 

Many thanks for your support with LAMDA, it is a huge strength of the school and equips the children with invaluable life-long communication skills.

Junior 4 LAMDA Examinations

Junior 5 LAMDA Examinations

Junior 6 LAMDA Examinations

Please find below letters about the Christmas Nativities and costumes needed for them.

Christmas Nativity Letter - Reception

Christmas Nativity Costumes - Reception

Christmas Nativity Letter - Year 1 & 2

Christmas Nativity Costumes - Year 1 & 2

We have a number of trips coming up over the next few weeks. Please see the relevant letters below. This information is also available in the Trips and Important Dates section. 

J2 Great Fire of London Trip 30.01.18

One World Week: J3 trip to Singers Hill Synagogue 15.02.18

One World Week: J4 trip to Buddhist Peace Pagoda 13.02.18

One World Week: J5 trip to Birmingham Mosque 13.02.18

One World Week: J6 trip to Gurdwara Sahib 12.02.18

Nursery, Reception and Year 1 Trip to Warwick Arts Centre 01.12.17- Letter for Reception and Year 1

Nursery, Reception and Year 1 Trip to Warwick Arts Centre 01.12.17- Letter for Nursery

J4 Anglo Saxon History Day 08.03.18

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

Yr 5/6 Chamber Choir Choral Workshop 14.11.17

Please note the change of date, the workshop is to be held on 14.11.17

J6 Victorian Day 14.12.17

Please note the change of date for this visit, happily it will now have a Christmas theme.

J2 Great Fire of London Trip 30.01.18

J5 Alton Castle trip 14.03.18 - 16.03.18 and Equipment List and Medical Form

J6 Activity Fortnight:

J6 Activity Fortnight 13 - 24.11.18 Letter

J6 Activity Fortnight Timetable

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

Crackley pupils arrived at school on Monday 6 November to be greeted by a terrible sight.  Outlined on the floor was the shape of a body, scattered around were chocolate wrappers, there were strange and mysterious footprints and everywhere there was crime scene tape….. what was going on?   It didn’t take long for the children to work out - Crackley Hall was holding a spectacular Science day.

Organised by Junior 5 teacher, Julia Roberts, the forensic themed event was an opportunity for all the school to get involved with hands-on practical science.  The event was hosted by educational specialists, Mad Science, who already run extra-curricular science sessions at the school, and funded generously by the PTA.

The excited children gathered together in the hall for a whole school workshop where the Mad Science team demonstrated a range of explosive and sensational science experiments using gimmicks such as dry ice and fire.  Just as the workshop was concluding the presentation was rudely interrupted by a mad scientist who ran in and startled the gathered children with an announcement of a heinous crime – someone had dared to steal the Headmaster’s favourite chocolates.

Children returned to their classes tasked with solving the case. There they were visited by white-coated scientists who introduced them to different strands of forensic science, they looked at fingerprinting and forensic dentistry, explored the characteristics and properties of different materials and conducted an experiment where they extracted the DNA of a kiwi fruit.

Using the skills they had been taught the children gathered and analysed evidence from the crime scene and finally deduced that the chocolate criminal was none other than one of the Mad Science Team themselves.  With the culprit apprehended and dispatched, Headmaster, Mr Duigan was able to breathe a sigh of relief, content in the knowledge that none of the children had been involved in the crime.

Julia Roberts, commented "The whole day was thoroughly enjoyed by staff and children alike and provided a great hands on opportunity to see what science is all about. The explosive workshop and the ‘whodunit’ mystery brought the practical applications of science alive.  It was a fabulous day that supported the school’s science learning objectives in a fully participative and visual way.”

On Friday 3 November our formidable U11 boys’ rugby team headed off to Bedford Athletic RFC to compete in the ISA U11 National Rugby Tournament.  Competing against schools from all over the country and playing to new RFU guidance where the focus is on participation and equal play opportunities, the 12 teams taking part took to the field with enthusiasm and excellent spirit.

The first round matches were played in four pools and the Crackley boys took on Copthill, Finborough and Quinton House.  Good team play led to a series of enjoyable games on what was a beautiful, sunny day for rugby.   With pool games lasting only 12 minutes the boys had to be quick off the mark.

The team started well with a decisive 15-0 win against Copthill, however in their second match, despite some productive rugby, the boys failed to get a try and went down 10-0 to the eventual tournament winners Finborough.  The team refocused and played very well to win the final pool game against Quinton House 30-0.

The second round saw the teams playing against the similarly ranked squads from the other pools. This time Crackley was pitted against Rushmoor and won convincingly 20-0.  Their second match, however, proved to be a bruising final against a strong Littlegarth side that finished with a score line of 10-5.

Assistant Head Co-Curricular, James Ferris, commented, “The boys played superbly all day and were unlucky to come second best to a very physical Littlegarth side in the final. With more practise of re-aligning in attack, I am sure the boys will be more successful as the season continues.”

All the Crackley boys played outstandingly from the first to the last game but man of the match was awarded to Jamie Phillips for his dynamic running and turnovers.

As part of anti-bullying week, Mr Cottrill would like all the children and staff to wear odd socks next Wednesday. This is to help celebrate the national theme, which this year is 'All Different, All Equal'.

During the week, children will be having lessons exploring the theme of anti-bullying and will be learning strategies on how to deal with situations where they don’t feel safe.

We will be having a special anti-bullying assembly to celebrate our differences. 'Odd Socks Day' is designed to be fun! It’s an opportunity for children to express themselves and appreciate individuality and uniqueness!  

Our best wishes go out to all of the J6 pupils who have taken or are about to take school entrance examinations. We know that your teachers have prepared you well and that each of you has also worked really hard in preparation. 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.

The Princethorpe College Entrance Examination is this weekend, so we are pleased to announce that next week marks the arrival of the J6 post examination activities, a series of events that are richly deserved. So if you are in J6, do make sure you're up-to-date with everything that's planned. Parents of J6, please refer to your email, which lists any equipment needed.

Mars - 263 points

Jupiter- 262 points

Venus- 242 points

Saturn- 239 points

Wednesday 22 November - 7.00pm-8.00pm 

In a fortnight's time our Nursery and Reception staff are holding an Open Evening. 

Visitors will receive a presentation from Rob Duigan (Headmaster) and Susan Glen-Roots (Assistant Head - Early Years) and have the opportunity to meet and greet staff and explore the classrooms and Nursery space.

Everyone is welcome - please do spread the word.

Anyone who can't attend the Open Evening but would like to look around the school, should call our Admissions Secretary, Mrs Angela Barnard on 01926 514444 and come on a day to suit, we welcome visitors on most days.

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

Wednesday 22 November - 7.00pm-8.00pm 

In a fortnight's time our Nursery and Reception staff are holding an Open Evening. 

Visitors will receive a presentation from Rob Duigan (Headmaster) and Susan Glen-Roots (Assistant Head - Early Years) and have the opportunity to meet and greet staff and explore the classrooms and Nursery space.

Everyone is welcome - please do spread the word.

Anyone who can't attend the Open Evening but would like to look around the school, should call our Admissions Secretary, Mrs Angela Barnard on 01926 514444 and come on a day to suit, we welcome visitors on most days.

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

Please make time on the afternoons of Monday 27 November to Friday 1 December to browse and buy from the many hundreds of children's books that will be on sale at the Scholastic Book Fair. Don't worry if you can’t make it in person and your child is in Junior 2 - 6, as discounted gift vouchers will subsequently be available for all children to use. Please look out for posters around school and listen out for more information next week. Don’t forget that every book you buy can help us to earn free books and resources for our school.

Merryn Cleary (J2M) impressed Mrs Hill during discussion work on the Old Testament story, Jonah and the Whale. She was able to say why it can sometimes be difficult to say ’Yes’ to important requests. Merryn was able to write the story, demonstrating her understanding by writing the final line ‘although Jonah ran away from God to reflect on what he had done, God still forgave him.’

Today Mr. Ferris led a two minute silence as part of our Remembrance Service to give pupils and staff time to think about the sacrifices that soldiers and civilians all over the world have made for others.   

Monday’s assembly will be led by Junior 3V on the special theme of remembrance. Pupils have been busy exploring the theme of what we can learn from previous wars to help us to bring peace.

U9 ‘A’ Netball vs Bilton Grange 1 - 9 (loss)

Player of the Match - Lilly Carroll

U9 ‘B’ Netball vs Bilton Grange 3 - 0 (win)

Player of the Match - Nancy Volpe

U9 ‘C’ Netball vs Bilton Grange 0 - 3 (loss)

Player of the Match - Emily Currie

U9 'A' Rugby vs Warwick 11 - 5 (win)

Player of the Match - Harvey Hollier

U9 'B' Rugby vs Warwick 1 - 11 (loss)

Player of the Match - Harry Gallagher

U10 Rugby Festival at Bilton Grange

Crackley Hall vs The Croft  0 - 1 (loss)

Crackley Hall vs Akeley Wood 2 - 1 (win)

Crackley Hall vs Spratton Hall 1 - 2 (loss)

Crackley Hall vs Bilton Grange 1 - 4 (loss)

Crackley Hall vs Grace Dieu 5 - 0 (win)

Player of the Festival - Ben Moore

U11 'A' Netball vs Bablake - Cancelled

U11 'B' Netball vs Bablake - Cancelled

U11 'A' Netball vs St. Johns Priory 2 - 1 (win)

U11 'A' Tag Rugby vs St. Johns Priory 16 - 14 (win)

Player of the Match - Finlay Byrne

Match Report by Rocco George: The ground was soft, but that didn't stop our Benedek making some great tackles. The weather was cold and breezy, which made your hands feel numb, but this didn't affect our play. Player of the match is awarded to Finlay Byrne for his attacking running and tries scored.

U11 'A' Mixed Hockey vs Crescent 0 - 6 (loss)

Player of the Match - Sidney Weir

U11 'B' Mixed Hockey vs Crescent 0 - 2 (loss)

Player of the Match - Ashton Jones

 All clubs are due to run next week apart from the following:

J5/6 Hockey Club on Monday afternoon is cancelled as staff will be attending fixtures.

The Nursery was a whirl of glitter, leaves and paper on Wednesday morning, as Crackley's youngest tucked into a feast of all things crafty. Miss Gail swopped her usual role of Stay 'n' Play leader to become the purveyor of a most magnificent 'pop-up' craft activity centre for the day.

A bevy of crafty treats awaited their tiny eager fingers; glitter fans headed to several stations, where they could make and decorate ginger bread people, poppy's and popcorn, whilst paint was swirled around leaves collected from around our school. Parents, carers and grandparents all got stuck in, some following their charges around the different activities more than once!

Miss Gail has told the Chronicle that the event was a roaring success, with many acquaintances renewed on what was a lovely day for all involved. A special thanks to Mr. Ian for providing some scrummy shortbread from the school kitchen and to Miss Mary for her valuable assistance. Also, we are pleased to report that many red poppies were sold to honor the fallen this Sunday. It now remains to remind you of the next event on the 29 November, as a 'Paint 'n' Glaze' activity day is sure to be just as popular.   

What a lovely week in nursery. We have made some beautiful poppies in the creative area this week, in preparation for Remembrance Sunday this weekend, and finished off our beautiful firework paintings. These were a lot of fun, we used a bundle of straws dipped in paint to make the patterns on black paper, then added a sprinkle of glitter ‘just because!’ Miss Gail and Miss Mary welcomed our Stay and Play families to a morning of Autumn Crafts; decorating ginger biscuits, making poppies and printing with leaves.  Everyone had a lovely time! We have been making the most of our outside Mud Kitchen, and would like to say thank you to those of you who kindly donated bits and pieces to make it ‘even better!’  Have a great weekend.

For further details of the 'fun and goings-on' with Nursery please click on the attached link. 

We still need more recipes if we are to put together a Crackley Hall recipe book, so we have extended the deadline for submitting recipes to the end of this weekend - please log on using the details below and submit a recipe if you haven't already. The recipes that we do have are lovely and the children have really enjoyed doing them. It would be a shame if we can’t produce a book. It really only takes a few minutes so please do consider contributing. 

You can log onto a specially designed site and send us your recipe online. Just click onto this link and follow the onscreen instructions – it’s really quick and simple to use. Please use the following access code: f26994ed17

Crackley Christmas Fayre - Saturday 2 December, 1pm-4pm

Planning is underway for this pivotal event in the Crackley Hall calendar, so please save the date. Requests for help and more details will follow shortly, so watch this space. 

We are delighted to let you know that all the children have designed a Christmas card in school. This will mean you will soon be receiving a sample card of their work with instructions on how to order packs of their cards with your children's design on the front. We've found that these cards have previously become an integral part of a magical Christmas, so please don't buy any other cards until you have seen them!

The PTA would like to remind you that they have lots of very good quality secondhand uniform for sale every Friday morning between the hours of 8.00am and 8.40am in the school Dining Room.

Aaron Cooper (J4H) has lost his moulded gum shield.

Tom Hannig (J4H) has lost a named, brand new blazer size 32.

Thomas Martins (J4H) has lost his named PE tracksuit trousers.

Harry Gibson (J2H) has lost a named school coat which has been missing since Thursday last week.