The Chronicle

Dear Parents

I trust that everyone is enjoying the good weather (finally) and looking forward to the long, hopefully warm, weekend ahead.  This week has, yet again, passed very quickly and the events this week have been successful and enjoyed by those taking part.

On Monday Mrs Wildey and Miss Kefalas accompanied children to the Nuneaton Drama Festival and I was delighted, although not surprised, to learn of their success.  All the children who participate in the performing arts at Crackley Hall and outside of school have my admiration.  Their talents are outstanding and every visitor to the school comments on the high standard of each performance; this is partly due to the continued guidance of staff including Mrs Olden, Mrs Wildey and Miss Kefalas and also to the talent and hard work of each pupil.

I was pleased to meet some of our Junior 6 parents after school on Monday at the French trip meeting.  This is a very exciting visit which both pupils and staff look forward to and the departure date will soon be upon us.

On Tuesday Junior 3 and 4 took part in the May procession to honour Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Mrs Jackson-Mayne ably led the service with children from both year groups assisting.  I would like to thank Mrs Simmonds who baked cakes for the occasion; Mrs Duigan laid them out in the shape of the rosary to remind everyone that May is a special month where we remember Mary and say the rosary.  Children returned to the hall later to reflect on these teachings and this special day by making a rosary bracelet from beads.   

Crackley Hall welcomed Sally Crewe, a Nutritionist from Holroyd Howe, to school on Tuesday.  Some of you may have met Sally when you arrived at school on Tuesday and she stayed for the day talking to children about the importance of a balanced diet.  I know that the assembly, discussions in lessons and lunchtime activities were very well received by the children.  The abundance of fruit and vegetables on offer was appreciated by most and the staff can certainly vouch for the beetroot cake and wholemeal shortbread which was available as an alternative treat. 

The PTA meeting took place on Wednesday evening and I would like to thank the hard working Crackley Hall PTA for the work that they do on the School’s behalf.  Their fund raising efforts, to which all families contribute, have enabled the school to benefit from many additional items that the children have been able to enjoy.  Most recently it has been outdoor play equipment and some very smart, warm, sports coats which I am sure will keep our sports teams warm and dry at fixtures.

Unfortunately, due to the poor weather at the start of the week some fixtures and clubs were cancelled at short notice.  I apologise if you were caused any convenience but sometimes these occasions are out of our control as other schools can dictate as to whether their facilities are available.  We will always endeavour to contact you as soon as possible and provide after school care if needed.

On Thursday, Junior 5 felt what it was like to attend Princethorpe for the day.  Mrs Geran, Mrs Roberts and Mr Kefalas accompanied the children on a full day of lessons at Princethorpe.  Whilst it may seem like a long time before they leave Crackley Hall, it is a valuable experience for the children so that they have a taste of what they might be part of in the future.  I hope those of you who attended found the information session useful but if you have further questions, please do not hesitate to speak to me.

Congratulations to all the recipients of awards at this morning’s assembly; it was a special pleasure being able to hand out so many Da Vinci certificates, along with the new badges.  The badges are super and my thanks are extended to everyone involved in facilitating this, especially Mrs Spillane and Mrs Pascoe-Williams.

Our performers at this morning’s assembly were excellent and I’d like to thank Scarlett, Hannah, Silvie and Hattie for sharing their outstanding musical talent with us and the drama groups for their brilliant performance of one of the pieces they presented at the Nuneaton Festival – congratulations to Henry, Emily, Martha, Jorja, Amisha, Cadie, Millie and Hannah.

A number of families are travelling to various sporting festivals and I hope that they have a super weekend away and travel safely.  I hope that you and your family enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend and maybe manage to even have your first barbecue of the year.

God bless,

Robert Duigan

Open Evening is running from 5.00pm - 7.30pm on Tuesday 8 May. 

For those parents collecting their children from aftercare on that day, please can you ensure you park on the lower playground.

Thinking caps on children, for Mrs Wildey and her dedicated Drama team are pleased to announce the launch of this year's 'Name the School Show Competition'.

You guys have been set the challenge to arrive at a name for the show. On paper this sounds pretty easy, but there's a twist; the production name you come up with must encapsulate the evening's entertainment and showcase if possible the three featured shows. These are, The Wizard of Oz, The Little Mermaid and My Fair Lady.

Your selected name might be anything. We have previously had 'Magical Moments of Musicals', 'Be Our Guest' and 'Our 4ever Musical Favourites'. Any suggestions are welcome and one will be selected and used for the show itself and the show's programme.

Entries need to be in by Tuesday 8 May and given into the office on a named piece of paper. Our Drama Team will then consult with the Headmaster to reveal the winner in Celebration Assembly. Oh and just one thing; remember children this is a competition for just the title of the show - not the programme design.

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

J1 Trip to Coventry Transport Museum 08.05.18

J2 Trip to Kenilworth Castle 24.05.18 

Reception Trip to Twycross Zoo 11.06.18

Open Evening KS2 Helpers 08.05.18

Open Evening Chamber Choir Helpers 08.05.18

Whole School Art Exhibition 16.05.18

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

On Monday 30 April Mrs Wildey's Choral Speaking Group competed in the Nuneaton Festival of Speech and Drama at the Abbey Theatre, Nuneaton.

In the Choral Speaking Class Crackley held off Pattison College for the first time, to finish in joint third place with 86 points, just 3 points off the winning score of 89.

In the Drama Class Crackley performed even better to finish in second place.  The judges commented on how convincing the girls were at portraying the characters and how they gave authenticity to the period of time in which the scene was set.

Nicki Wildey, Junior 3 and Drama Teacher, commented, "I was immensely proud of the commitment, hard work and outstanding achievement of the all children involved."

On Thursday 3 May Junior 5 pupils had the chance to spend the day at Princethorpe College. The special Crackley Hall only taster day gave them an early opportunity to experience life at the Foundation’s senior school.  Pupils were involved in a number of different classroom lessons; depending on their group they enjoyed Geography, French, RS, English, Art or Science.  They also had a tour of the school, lunch in the Refectory and participated in other activities including a pupil panel (a great chance to ask those questions you wouldn’t ask a teacher!)

The taster day experience is all about letting the Junior 5 children enjoy a day at senior school, it is a chance to start to become familiar with the big school environment, to orientate themselves and to help make the prospective change a less daunting experience.

We caught up with the children towards the end of their day and it was clear they had all enjoyed themselves.   Isabella and Olivia said that, “Making Zentangle patterns in Art was fun.”  Many children were still sporting crowns from a dramatic English lesson on Macbeth held in the College Library and Joe and Xzavier added that, “Exploring the United Kingdom in Geography had been interesting too.” It was good to hear they had all had a great time.

Parents are reminded that Crackley Hall children are not automatically entered for Princethorpe’s Entrance Examinations.  Those wishing to apply for September 2019 entry must complete a registration form by Friday 5 October and that the Entrance Examinations will take place on Saturday 10 November.

Sally Crew from our school meal providers Holyroyd Howe called by to host a brief seminar on healthy eating this week. She outlined what constitutes a balanced and unbalanced meal and how our children might aim for a 'balanced plate', where treats were good if balanced with different foods.

The proof is in the eating as it were, so our equally expectant and hungry children amassed into the school dining room for a packed platter of fruit and vegetable treats prepared with the assistance of carrot cruncher and 'A' list celebrity Peter Rabbit. We at the Chronicle know that change is now firmly afoot, given the lunch hall's salad bar is never short of a crowd around it. Oh and there's just one thing to remember; we have it on good authority from Sally that you should try something between nine and thirteen times before you can say you definitely don't like it. Let's get crunching children! 

The Warwickshire Chess Team came away as 'check mates' earlier this term when they trounced every county but one to take the coveted second spot in the English Primary Schools' Chess Association's National Championships.

The Chronicle is delighted to report that one of Crackley's finest, young Eden Oshri from J3, transferred his winning ways from the school's chess club to the national stage, and in so doing helped secure silverware for the county. Well done Eden.

Members of our staff body will no doubt be overjoyed to see the recent arrival of eight all-weather padded jackets in school. Not just a regular outdoor coat these beauties look ready for a polar expedition and will help children receive their usual 'warm welcome' from staff on external duties.

It goes without saying that we are very, very grateful to the Crackley Hall PTA for providing such capable cold weather gear. Harriet Sharpe remarked on trying one for size 'that they were like wearing a sleeping bag you could walk in'.

If you go down to the lower playground you're in for a real surprise, for our Crackley children now have the latest in playground supplies courtesy of our ever industrious and generous PTA.  A smashing selection of outdoor games, ranging from giant Snakes and Ladders, Connect 4, Dominos and Jenga are all ready to go. For the more flexible, or those who aspire to be more bendy there's a limbo pole, skipping ropes and stilt kits. Such treats, and the outdoor chests they come in, don't come cheap, so it's no surprise the PTA rang the changes through nearly £500 of investment.

With such fun just a hop, skip and jump away, it's no surprise that our playtime leaders couldn't resist taking up the offer to try them out. Well done Miss Murray, we can't wait for you to lead the next Crackley skipathon.

1st: Jupiter (309 points)

2nd: Venus (245 points)

3rd: Mars (220 points)

4th: Saturn (204 points)

Tuesday 8 May 2018 – 5.00pm - 7.30pm

Crackley Hall School and Little Crackers Nursery are opening their doors for the final Open Event of the academic year on Tuesday 8 May 2018 from 5.00pm-7.30pm.

This is a great chance for the whole family to look around the school and nursery and to chat to staff and pupils throughout the evening. Junior 5 and 6 pupils will act as tour guides and there will be music and sport activities on display as well as giant outdoor games to play with. Mr Duigan will be giving short presentations at 6.00pm and 7.00pm.  Light refreshments are available and served by our friendly PTA team.

There is still time to register for Nursery and Reception for September 2018 admissions, limited places are available in other years. Our nursery is open 51 weeks a year and is carefully structured for two-year olds, three-year olds and pre-school.

We have an additional Year 4 class planned for September 2018 - visit us on the night to find out more.

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

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

Wednesday 16 May 2018 - 3.30pm to 6.30pm

A reminder to parents and grandparents of our up-coming Art Exhibition, which will be held in the main school hall on Wednesday 16 May from 3.30om to 6.30pm.

Featuring work inspired by art styles and techniques from around the world, the exhibition promises to be a true celebration of the creative talents of all our pupils.

There will also be the opportunity to buy the framed original and order prints of your child’s work. Please see the letter of invitation below for more details on how to pre-order.

PTA refreshments will be served at this event. We look forward to seeing you there.

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

RE Book of the Week is awarded to Jimmy Loftus in Year 4 for his written work, in the character of one of the Disciples. Jimmy was able to explore the impact of Jesus on their lives and the lives of others.

On Tuesday the sun shone for a short while on Junior 3 and 4 as they took part in Crackley Hall’s annual May procession to honour Mary, the Mother of God.

After a short presentation led by Mrs Jackson-Mayne, where she, Zach Rose, Teddy Cowdry and Amy Farquharson led a decade of the rosary, volunteers from both year groups led a decade of the rosary before the pupils processed outside following Amelia Hunt, Sam Beaman-Henderson, Francesca Voisey, Thomas Zanyi and Harry Turvey who led the way as Holy Communicants to the statue of Mary.

Pupils sang the Hail Mary prayer as Amelia Hunt put a crown of flowers on Mary’s head. Thanks to Mrs Simmonds who baked cakes for the occasion, Mrs Duigan who laid them out in the shape of the rosary to remind everyone that May is a special month where we remember Mary and say the rosary.

Afterwards it was back to the hall to reflect on these teachings and this special day by making a rosary bracelet from beads.   

Junior 3 are involved in a Passover meal with the Holy Communicants to help them make links between the Eucharist at Mass, the Last Supper and the Passover Meal. This will take place in their RE lesson on Tuesday.

We would be delighted to welcome you all to our next whole school mass on Thursday 10 May, this will be to celebrate the Feast of the Ascension and will take place in the Gables at 2pm.

We are pleased to announce that Marley Hardwick has been awarded Gymnast of the Week.

On Friday 23 March 2018, Crackley Hall sent two large enthusiastic squads over to Princethorpe College to participate in the ISA Midlands U11 Rugby Tournament.  Fifteen schools from across the Midlands were taking part including fellow Foundation junior school Crescent School, Burton Hathow Prep School, Heathfield Knoll School, Lucton School, Pitsford School, Tettenhall College, Mylnhurst Prep School, Akeley Wood School, Highclare School, Stafford Prep School, St Peter’s School, Old Vicarage School, Dixie Grammar and Castle House School.  Crackley Hall was one of only three of the schools to enter both a Contact and a Tag team.

In the Contact competition Crackley started well, playing confidently and scoring plenty of tries that ensured three wins out of four in the group stage. Crackley then faced Mylnhurst Prep in the play-off but sadly lost to a more powerful team 15-25 to finish fourth overall on the day.

Junior 6 Fynn Walker was epic in defence, with crunching tackles despite having been on crutches only a few days before!  Assistant Head, Charles Lamprecht, commented, “The rugby from all the schools was very entertaining, with some really hard-fought matches on display. Fynn has not been a regular in the A-team this year so for him to come in and perform the way he did was exceptional.” 

Joining their Contact sport peers at Princethorpe was Crackley Hall's Tag Rugby team, a mixed team of 15 girls and boys. In matches against some of the best in the region the Crackley team played exceptionally well, winning two out of three pool games convincingly, and just losing the third narrowly, so qualifying for the play-off for third place.

The Tag play off, again against Mylnhurst Prep, came straight after the last of Crackley’s pool games. The team started well, running freely and led for most of the match but towards the end of a fast and furious game they began to run out of steam.  Just as the last whistle was blown their opponents frustratingly scored a try to take the win and 3rd place. Crackley finished fourth overall.

Steve Vaughan, Teaching Assistant and Team Coach, summed up, "The Tag team were fantastic with plenty of strong evasive running and good all round team play.  It was really good to have girls and boys playing together and we were really unlucky not to come third."  Players of the match went to Seb Owen and Kaena Wasley for their tireless tagging and superb try scoring.

Well done to both teams!

The England Cricket Board have launched a new initiative to try and get more children into cricket at an early age called All Stars. 

Kenilworth's All Stars session is on a Sunday morning at the bright and early time of 9.30am-10.15am.  There is a free taster session at Kenilworth Cricket Club on Sunday 6 May 9.30am-10.15am and then the All Stars official 8 week cricket coaching course runs from Sunday 13 May. 

It is aimed at Reception to Year 3.  Sign up is online and the children receive a little kit pack once they are signed up.  Access to the All Stars website can be found by clicking here.

Kenilworth Tennis Club are running Half Term and Summer Holiday Tennis Camps.  For more information please see the attached flyer.

J3/4 Athletics Club is cancelled on Tuesday due to Open Evening taking place.

Please find detailed below forms for externally provided clubs:

Karate Club

Irish Dancing

Chess Club

Guitar Ensemble

Ballet Dancing

Complete Cricket

Bayleaf Cookery Club

RugbyTots

Flute Ensemble

P Buzz

This week we have been in, out, in, out and shaken it all about! The weather has been as varied as expected but also gave us lots to talk about. In music this week we listened to lovely music and made up actions to go with drippy rainy words! We made our fingers wriggle in tiny movements for ‘pitter patter’, we moved our whole bodies for ‘splish, splash’ and used our big loud voices for the stormy words like thunder and lightning! 

On Tuesday we had a visit from a lovely lady who talked to us all about healthy food, she was very impressed with our knowledge of fruit and vegetables and encouraged everyone to try something new. We will be thinking ‘healthy’ next week as we develop this idea into a whole week of exercise, eating well and talking about how our we can look after our bodies. 

Please look for the details of the Art Exhibition in the Chronicle, our Pre-school children and some of our 3yr olds are involved. Their work has been framed and will be on display on 16 May, for you to be able to purchase. Please remember the Bank Holiday on Monday, and we hope you all enjoy the long weekend.  See you next Tuesday!

Please make sure you read this week's newsletter as it's packed with all the information you'll need.

Saturday 12 May - 1.00pm - 4.30pm

Tickets can be purchased by clicking on this link. Please do look out for the flyer as this contains further information, but rest assured there will be the usual mix of stalls and activities. Entry can only be made with an advanced ticket, as the ticket includes BBQ food and a hog roast and the PTA need to know how many to cater for. Early bird tickets are on sale until noon on Tuesday 8 May at £5 per adult and £3 per child. After this the standard price for tickets available until Friday 11 May at 7pm is £7.50 per adult and £5 per child.

*New for this year* - we are also offering a hog roast along side the delicious BBQ food. When buying your tickets please select whether you want the hog roast option or 8oz burger or jumbo sausage. The hog roast numbers are limited so don’t delay in buying your tickets!

Back by popular demand at this year’s Family Fun Day, the annual Crackley’s Got Talent show is an opportunity for anyone in the school community to show off their wonderful entertaining talents. In previous years the bill has been as diverse as jugglers, rock guitarists, gymnasts, mermaids, comedians and magicians – and so we’re looking to create a rich smorgasbord of talent coming together to entertain the crowds at this year’s main summer term event.

Entry forms can be found via this link, so please fill out one of these for your act and hand it into school. Please note there will be lunchtime rehearsals organised during the week leading up to the event. Please get your entries in by Tuesday 8 May.

Friday 11 May 2018

There will be a non uniform day for all Crackley Hall pupils on Friday 11 May. In return, all children in Nursery, Reception, J1 and J2 are kindly asked to donate a box of chocolates or sweets and all children in J3, J4,J5 and J6 to donate a bottle. We are also requesting any unwanted books that you have for our second hand book stall, new unused gifts for a separate stall and any homecrafts for our ever popular homecrafts stall. All can be left in the boxes in the foyer from Tuesday 8 May. Many thanks for your continued support. 

We are recruiting two Administrator\Receptionists to work with the other School Office staff to provide the main contact point for all parents and visitors to Crackley Hall and to assist in the successful administration of the school.

The successful candidates will promote the smooth running and efficiency of the school, maintaining the ethos of a caring Christian school family with a Catholic base. They will be required to work closely with all other members of the office team to ensure continuity of service throughout the week.

Working hours:

Role 1: Part time, term time only plus INSET days, working between 9.00am and 5.30pm, Monday to Wednesday from September 2018, with some flexibility to work occasional school holiday dates.  Holiday is accrued on a full-time equivalent of 25 days and 8 days’ bank holiday, pro-rata for the role and is to be taken during school holidays.

Role 2: Part time, all year round, between 1.00pm and 6.00pm, Monday to Friday, ideally from June 2018.  Holiday is accrued on a full-time equivalent of 25 days and 8 days’ bank holiday, pro-rata for the role and is to be taken by agreement with the line manager.

Applications from candidates who wish to work term time only plus some school holiday cover will be considered

This is an excellent opportunity to join the fast growing Foundation that values its staff and offers a rewarding benefits package including discounted places for staff, a pension scheme, child care vouchers and a cycle to work scheme.

Application: To apply for this vacancy applicants must submit a Crackley Hall application form, together with a CV and covering letter detailing your personal qualities, experience and how you meet the person specification for the role. Applicants must ensure the application form is fully completed, including a detailed career history with specific dates.

Closing date: Friday 24 May 2018, at 3.00pm, although candidates are advised to apply immediately. Interviews are likely to be held week commencing 4 June at Crackley Hall School.

Further details and an application form are available from the College website www.crackleyhall.co.uk/employment-opportunities

(Part-time job share, 15 hours per week)

Ideally starting in July 2018, we are seeking to appoint a Recruitment Co-ordinator to job share with our existing Recruitment Co-ordinator for two days a week all year round, to provide a confidential, accurate and comprehensive HR Administrative support for the Foundation.

The post holder will be the point of contact for HR related queries, in liaison with key staff, ensuring all processes in recruitment are adhered to and provide support to the Head’s PA\Office Manager where appropriate. Interested candidates should ideally have experience in a similar position and will have excellent communication skills, good organisational skills, excellent customer service skills and the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines. Strong IT skills, particularly in Microsoft Office, are essential.

The post holder with also play a key part in assisting with answering general incoming telephone calls, covering Reception staff and undertaking some general administrative duties.

This is a part time, all year round post for 15 hours per week, likely to be working Thursday and Friday 8.30am – 5.00pm (with an hour for lunch). Benefits include a pro rata holiday allowance of 25 days per annum plus bank holidays, which may be taken at any time of the year (subject to the normal request\authorisation process), with the exception of some peak periods such as the end of August\beginning of September.

This is an excellent opportunity to join the fast growing Foundation that values its staff and offers a rewarding benefits package including discounted places for staff, a pension scheme, child care vouchers and a cycle to work scheme.

Application: To apply for this vacancy applicants must submit a Princethorpe College application form, together with a CV and covering letter detailing your personal qualities, experience and how you meet the person specification for the role. Applicants must ensure the application form is fully completed, including a detailed career history with specific dates.

Closing date: Monday 14 May 2018, at 9.00am. Interviews are likely to be held on Thursday 24 May 2018.

Further details and an application form are available from the College website www.princethorpe.co.uk/employment-opportunities

Job Vacancy - Teaching Assistant – Crescent School

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and highly motivated Teaching Assistant to join our Key Stage 2 team, working for approximately 16 hours a week.

Working closely with the classroom teacher or line manager, you will provide support and assist teachers in the development and education of the children in our school.  Our Teaching Assistants are a key part of the classroom team, who can have an enormous positive impact on the teaching and learning in the school.  You will be a part of the planning as well as delivery of the lessons and will be expected to contribute to the ongoing assessment of pupil progress. Alongside these key tasks, you will also be required to undertake a range of teaching and non-teaching tasks related to classroom activities and provide basic supervision and care skills.

This post might appeal to candidate who is considering or preparing for a career in teaching, as well as those with a long standing professional interest in education.

This is an excellent opportunity to join the fast growing Foundation that values its staff and offers a rewarding benefits package including discounted places for staff, a pension scheme, child care vouchers and a cycle to work scheme.

Application: To apply for this vacancy applicants must submit a Princethorpe College application form, together with a CV and covering letter detailing your personal qualities, experience and how you meet the person specification for the role. Applicants must ensure the application form is fully completed, including a detailed career history with specific dates.

Closing date: Monday 14 May 2018 at 12.00 noon although candidates are advised to apply immediately.  Interviews will be held the week commencing 21 May 2018.

Further details and an application form are available from the school website www.crescentschool.co.uk

Mrs Clark is on the look out for a few items for Forest School:

She is looking for pots, pans and utensils (spoons as well as funnels and measuring jugs etc) that you no longer need for use in the forest school mud kitchen.

She would also like tarpaulins and string/ropes. If anyone has any army surplus kit she would be most grateful.

And finally if anyone has any reusable plastic cups/camping mugs that children can have hot chocolate in, please could you send them in.

Lost

Georgina Pollock in J5 has lost her named school coat.

Harry Turvey in J3 is still missing his named coat (size 9-10) – could pupils please check at home.

Jimmy Loftus in J4H has lost his school shoes – lost after PE yesterday.