The Chronicle

Dear Parents

As I write this last letter to you for this school year, I have barely had a moment to really take in the wonder of last night’s production.  Each time I see a child in school today I remember their part on stage last night and it brings a smile to my face at the memory.  I hope that all of you managed to see one of the performances last night and enjoyed watching everyone on stage.  I know it was a long, warm evening but I am sure you will agree that each and every performer was a star.   Although I thanked all involved last night, I would like to reiterate my most sincere appreciation to Mrs Wildey, Mrs Olden, Miss Kefalas, Ms Holmes, Mrs Hardwick, the orchestra, the Estates Team, the Office Team, all the staff who helped look after the children, all the parents who helped and every other member of staff who were involved in the arrangements to make this event the success that it was.

Whilst the production was the biggest event of the week, we also enjoyed Leavers Mass which I was delighted that Father Kevin celebrated on Wednesday.  There was also our very first Little Crackers graduation ceremony held on Wednesday afternoon and you will be able to view the photographs later in this issue.  I look forward to welcoming some of the Nursery leavers to the Reception class in September where they will find a familiar welcome which I know will help them settle into school life.

Our assembly this morning involved many children including our stars of the week and merit certificate winners.  Congratulations to them all.  The musicians and singers were also excellent and really made the assembly special.  Our RE Books of the Year were awarded and I would like to also congratulate the recipients of these as well.

The final event of the week was Leavers Assembly which is always quite emotional but for good reasons.  It shows how much love and kindness surrounds the children here at Crackley Hall and this is a memory that I hope will remain with them for the rest of their lives.  Crackley Hall will always be a part of who they are and they will always be a part of Crackley Hall.  This year’s Junior 6 have a special place in my heart because they joined Crackley Hall at the same time that I became Headmaster here.  I wish you every success, Junior 6, in all that you do; be yourself, be kind and be confident in all that you do because you are amazing young people and I am very honoured to have been a part of your educational journey.

Your child has worked so hard over the year and has made super progress along the way.  In case you miss the note in the main body of this week’s Chronicle, I’d just like to confirm arrangements regarding their end of year report.  The report will be available on the parent portal by Wednesday next week.

The School will now be closed to students for the summer but holiday club will be open for the next two weeks and Little Crackers will be open for the duration of the summer.   Whilst the School Office will be open during the summer, if you need to visit School for any reason, please call ahead to ensure that staff will be available.  There will also be building works taking place during the next 6-8 weeks which will provide a new entrance area, ready for use in September.

Let’s hope that England play their best in the World Cup.  At least they have eventually won a penalty shootout!

Thank you, everyone, staff, parents, trustees and pupils for your help and support over a busy and successful year.  All that remains for me to say is have a wonderful summer break with your families.  Rest, reflect and learn from everything that happened during the last academic year and then use it going forward.

God bless,

Robert Duigan

This short message is to give you advanced notice that the Summer Production and Prize Giving DVDs will be on sale very, very soon. To ensure you get your copy please print out your order form using this link and bring it to the school front office with your payment. It goes without saying that we within the Chronicle can't wait to see it and by virtue of the DVD watch it again and again. 

Parents and Guardians are reminded that their child should return their locker key to the school office by Thursday of next week. Keys should be placed in a sealed envelope with the child's name, form and key number written on the front.

Please note that any keys that are not returned will need to be paid for in full. Thank you for your attention in this matter.

Parents and guardians are advised that After Care is available from the first week of the Michaelmas term. Further details and booking form are available using this link. Thank you.

Our summer holiday is very nearly here, which is reason enough to get excited. Even so, those in the know will be eagerly anticipating the arrival of the forthcoming Crackley Hall Summer holiday club which runs during the first two weeks of our break (Monday 9 July - Friday 20 July). Holiday club proves to be increasingly popular year on year, as the activities are many and varied. They range from arts, crafts, den building, sport and computing. We do have a limited number of spaces, so booking will close on Friday 6 July, if you would still like a place please call the school and we will be able to confirm if any places are still available.

If you would like to book your child(ren) for any full or part day, please use this link or type the following into your web browser:

https://princethorpecollege.parentseveningsystem.co.uk/

This will take you to the PES system, then scroll down to the Summer Holiday Club event. There will be options to book half days and lunch bookings are to be made separately.  If you require a full day, please ensure you select both options. Further details are available by reading the attached information letter.

Mr James has advised that there are numerous chess club fees outstanding for this term.   

Please can parents of pupils who have not paid already, complete the attached form with payment or payment advice and return the form to the school office as soon as possible.  Thank you for your help in this matter.

For those in the know, Nessy is a most wonderful spelling and reading programme used by our learning support team in the 'Rabbit Hole'.  Mrs Ellis who heads up the team is able to pass on a three month subscription package to parents for the above programme. We are reliably informed that the scheme is a fun way to revise and practise spelling, reading and maths skills through on-line games and activities. The cost is just £30 for a three month subscription. Further details can be found by clicking on this link.

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

Michaelmas Term 2018 - Lunches letter

Michaelmas Term 2018 Week 1 Menu

Michaelmas Term 2018 Week 2 Menu

Michaelmas Term 2018 Week 3 Menu

J2 (current J1) MAD Museum - 18.10.18

J3 (current J2) Compton Verney - 03.10.18

J3/4 (current J2/3) Nutcracker Ballet - 11.12.18

Junior 4 (current J3) Visit to Kingswood Activity Centre 08.10.18

J6 (current J5) Victorian History Day

Kenilworth Tennis & Squash Club are holding Summer Tennis Camps.  They are aimed at all abilities and children aged between four and sixteen years.  Further details can be found through the attached flyer.

Your child is invited to several sports camps which will take place at Princethorpe College this summer. These camps are run independently of the Foundation, although you will most likely recognise a familiar face leading some or all of the activities.

The details of the various camps are as follows:

The Football Camp will take place over two days on Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 July from 9:30am until 3:00pm. Boys and girls are welcome between the ages of 10-13 years. Further details are available through this attached flyer.

The Netball Camp will take place over the same two days on Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 July from 9:30am until 3:00pm.  Children betwen the ages of 8 -13 years are most welcome. Further details are available through this attached flyer.

The Hockey Camp will again take place over the same two days on July 30 and 31 for ages between 8 and 16 years. Further details are available through this attached flyer.

For information, summer reports will be ready on the Parent Portal next week on Wednesday 11 July. 

A letter will be sent home in the post explaining how to access the Parent Portal. Should you have any problems accessing the report, please phone the School Office on 01926 514444 or email receptionist@crackleyhall.co.uk.

Crackley Hall School Office 

Our Stars of the Week this week are:

Prize Giving at Crackley Hall is the culmination of the academic year, it is a chance to reflect, a chance to celebrate and a chance to give thanks. This year’s Prize Giving took place on Friday 29 June with the Lower School receiving their awards in the afternoon and Junior 5 and 6 in the evening.

Crackley was delighted to welcome a number of special guests to the celebrations including Father Kevin Hooper, Chair of Trustees, Mrs Liz Griffin, Trustees Mrs Mary O’Farrell and Bernard Warner and Senior Foundation Headmaster, Ed Hester.

Headmaster, Mr Duigan gave a thought provoking speech, he gave thanks to the many who give so much to the school in so many ways – PTA, teachers, support staff, parents and most of all the pupils who make Crackley Hall so much more than just a school. He challenged every boy and every girl to wake up every day and ask themselves what they can do differently and to then at the end of the day reflect and give thanks. He encouraged all the children to strive to do their best, to laugh loudly and a lot, to never settle for second best, to believe and have faith and to never let anyone shatter your dreams or break your spirit.

Crackley Hall’s outgoing Head Boy, Fynn Walker, and Head Girl, Dari Kotlarsky, spoke movingly about their special Crackley journey, and the memories and friends they will take with them as they move on to secondary school.

And then there were the awards, book awards for progress, effort, achievement and school spirit and kindness. Followed by cups and shields and trophies galore, all recognising the diligence, effort and excellence that abounds at Crackley Hall.

It was difficult to pick winners for this year’s Special Awards as there were many worthy potential recipients and it was with great pride that Mr Duigan awarded the following:

St Joseph’s School Spirit Award – Alice Minshull

Scholarship Award – Kaena Wasley

Sister Mary Patrick Trophy for Caring – Pippa Cowdry

PTA Crackley Hall Shield – Hattie Underill

As the ceremonies concluded, all Crackley pupils were encouraged to reflect on their achievements this year, as prize winner or not, all should be rightfully proud.

At the evening ceremony Mr Cottrill announced the new Head Boy, Joe McCullough, and Head Girl, Francesca Kelly, who proudly took to the stage to receive their badges of office from Mr Duigan.

Finally, both ceremonies closed with a stirring rendition of the Foundation Hymn Here I Am Lord. 

This year’s spectacular summer production took place on Thursday 4 July at Leamington’s Spa Centre.  It was another whistle-stop tour through three magical, much loved, musical classics; The Wizard Of Oz, The Little Mermaid and My Fair Lady.  The children took to the stage like professionals and performed their numbers with passion and pizzazz.

The show opened with the story of The Wizard of Oz; when a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are whisked away to a magical land, there they meet the munchkins and en-route to the Emerald City a Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion.  Full of plenty of familiar singalong songs, such as Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead and Follow The Yellow Brick Road, bright costumes and snappy dance routines, Reception, Junior 4 and our principals from Junior 6 delivered an opening act that was a real crowd pleaser.

The Little Mermaid came next, the story of Ariel and her fascination with life on land.  Ariel makes a dangerous deal with the sea witch Ursula to become human for three days but when plans go awry the king makes the ultimate sacrifice for his daughter.  Full of fabulous characters such as Sebastian, Flounder, Scuttle and Ursula in yet more stunning, brightly coloured costumes, the leads from Junior 6 together with Junior 1, 2 and 3 delighted the audience with feel-good favourites such as Under The Sea, Part Of Your World and Kiss The Girl.  

The finale My Fair Lady delighted the audience, a real roller coaster with all our favourites brought to life with Higgins, Pickering and of course Eliza sweeping across the stage to rapturous applause. The story told of the phonetics professor Henry Higgins that takes it upon himself to transform a Cockney working-class girl into someone who can pass for a cultured member of high society.  Junior 5 and 6 delivered their toe-tapping, heart-warming songs with style and the audience really enjoyed Wouldn’t It Be Lovely, A Little Bit Of Luck and of course I’m Getting Married In The Morning.  It was a fabulous finish.

All through the show the audience greeted each performance with applause and when the final number was complete the appreciative audience went wild, cheering and whistling. Mr Duigan looked on proudly, Mrs Wildey, Mrs Olden, Ms Kefalas and Mrs Goode with satisfied smiles for after all the endless, tireless rehearsing the show was a triumphant success.

Of course no show like this could happen without the help of many, many people. Our thanks go to all of the staff involved in whatever way, all the parents for providing costumes and props and most of all to the children for working so hard at their numbers.

Drum roll please...the winner is...Thomas Zanyi (J3V). Thomas triumphed against stiff competition from across the year groups. His inspired title choice of 'A Musical Journey of Wonders' was expertly complemented by his exceptional depiction of characters from the various production shows, blending them together in imaginative cover art for the summer production programme. Well done Thomas!

The latest issue of The Pinnacle, out in time for the end of term, showcases yet more of our pupils' excellent work from across the Foundation.

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

You can view an electronic version of The Pinnacle here and The Minnacle here. Apologies to Erin King from J6 whose fabulous artwork of flowers in a vase was wrongly attributed in the hard copy of this edition of The Pinnacle, the electronic version attached is correct.

We hope you will enjoy finding out more about some of the incredible work our children do. 

We are pretty certain that even a glass eye would have shed a tear of pride, joy and sadness at our parting during the J6 Leavers Assembly. Junior 6 delighted the assembled school by using the hit television show 'Goggle Box' to reprise their time and many memories of Crackley. The Gables was to switch from school hall to front room as it became the setting for Betty and Bob, otherwise known as J6 pupils Sid Weir and Hattie Underhill, to recall school days in the show's unique style.

Their stories were told by virtue of the different shows these two 'experts' were watching, including Britain's Got Talent and Dr Who. One thing for sure, all were greeted with laughter, smiles and giggles from pupils, who were also treated with rousing songs sung by Junior 6 students - Million Dreams anyone? As if your emotions might let you sing it now. A tearful Mrs Lammas brought her handkerchief away from her eyes to say, "What an amazing leavers assembly and a fantastic year group. Both Mrs Horan and I have really enjoyed teaching this talented cohort of students. Good luck to all of you!" Do remember Junior 6, the word 'good bye' means 'God be with you'; Crackley will welcome you to visit whenever you can.

Olivia Swinson (J5R) and Chenchen Pan (J6L) scooped the winner's first place and prestigious silverware at the recent Leamington Music Festival in June. Olivia teamed up with her former classmates at Dassett Croft Primary School to play several pieces as a group string section made of violins. Chenchen on the other hand swapped her cello strings for the piano and walked away with 1st place in the piano duet. Well done both, you are an inspiration to us all.  

Rosie and George Moreton, Year 4 and Year 2 respectively, swept all competitors to the verges as they triumphed at the Ledbury Pony Club competition. Rosie, riding in the veterans category on her 33-year-old horse Blaze, took honours and the Reserve Champion rosette of the whole event. Not to be outdone, Rosie's brother George secured first place in the triathlon, where his fast feet and steady eye in the running and bean bag toss allied to his skillful handling of his pony Munchkin in the riding section secured the winner's top step. Well done team Moreton, Mr. Duigan is no doubt forming a plan of how Crackley might once again make an assault on the upcoming Foundation equestrian events.

1st: Saturn 207 points

2nd: Venus 150 points

3rd: Jupiter 129 points

4th: Mars 127 points

The Michealmas 2018 pocket calendar will be sent to you over the school summer holidays.

For information please find a pdf of the calendar attached here.

Thursday 27 September from 10.30am to 12.30pm

Princethorpe College is holding an Open Morning on Thursday 27 September from 10.30am to 12.30pm. This is a chance to look around the school on a normal working day, prior to Entrance Examinations Day on Saturday 10 November 2018.  Year 8 and 9 pupils will act as tour guides and light refreshments will be available.

Those wishing to register for Entrance Examinations should do so by the deadline of Friday 5 October to facilitate the gathering of references from junior schools. Registration forms are available from the Registrar, Mrs Vanessa Rooney on 01926 634201 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Entrance Examinations for Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 will take place on Saturday 10 November 2018 from 9.30am to 3.30pm. More information is available on our website, click here.

Tuesday 2 October - 10.00am to 3.00pm

Please do spread the word that Crackley Hall and Little Crackers Nursery are opening their doors for an Open Day on Tuesday 2 October 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.

We will have places available in Junior 1, 2 and 4 in September and will be recruiting for places in Reception 2019.  Please speak to our Admission Secretary, Mrs Jenny Vaughan for availiability in other years.

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 514410 or email admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk and come on a day to suit you, we welcome visitors on most days.

For more information visit http://www.crackleyhall.co.uk/

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

Our theme for the Leavers Mass this week was endings and new beginnings led beautifully by Father Kevin and Junior 6. Father Kevin invited us all to reflect as we say goodbye to friends and think of memories that have been created and celebrate those treasured times. We thank God for the opportunities we have been blessed with.

Change can be challenging. Change is exciting but sometimes we might feel anxious. With support from our friends and family, and spiritual guidance, we can embrace the change and meet each challenge head on. The Gospel reading from St John reminded us of Jesus’ words, ‘Love each other as I have loved you’. The Chamber Choir echoed these thoughts in the Communion Hymn 'Bread of Life'. Ending school with this powerful collective worship brings us all closer together and reaffirms how lucky we are to be amongst the Crackley community and share in God’s love.

This week Mrs Jackson-Mayne asked all the teachers of RE across the school to nominate those students who had fully engaged with the subject and made a 'Valuable Contribution To the Year In RE.'

The following students have been awarded their certificate of merit by their teachers of RE and should be rightly proud.

Junior 6: Silvie Brocklebank, Benedek Kordas and Isaac Fountaine

Junior 5 Anna Maria Kordas, Amisha Modi

Junior 4  Lucas and Martha Summers

Junior 3  Isabel Reddish

Junior 2 Alex Ainsworth and Lily Bryson,Yiyanhg Pan

Junior 1 Oliver Stringer, Mollie Lucas and Julia Kozhan 

Reception Ellie Davies

U11 'A' Cricket v Croft 29/ All out - 132/0 (loss)

Player of the Match - Sam Verity

U11 'B' Cricket v Croft 124 - 83 (loss)

Player of the Match - Rocco George

This week's Gymnasts of the Week recognises the talent across the year group for the term. The recipients are:

Leo Warne, Oliver Moore, Elsie Roots, Penny Thomas, Marley Hardwick and David Lamprecht.

This year we decided that it would be appropriate, and rather nice, to celebrate our pre-school group ‘moving on’. Many of them will be popping next door to Reception at Crackley Hall, whilst some are moving further afield to schools in the local area. The ‘Graduation Ceremony’ took place on Wednesday afternoon, with the younger nursery children, the nursery staff, Mrs Glen-Roots (Assistant Head) and Mr. Duigan joining with the pre-school parents to watch.  The children made their own invitations for their parents and have been practising hard over the last couple of weeks for their musical performance, which was made all the more polished with the piano playing skills and encouragement from Mrs Olden.

It was a wonderful occasion, with plenty of opportunities to make new memories and remember good times. The children sang their hearts out; the first action ‘wiggle’ song made everyone smile, although participation was slightly less enthusiastic than expected!! The second ‘mirror’ song showed off their talents and made hearts melt, and the last song, ‘Good luck, goodbye’ made us all wipe away a tear. However, tea and cake, with a chance for a chat brought all the smiles back. We will all be sorry to see this group move on, but we wave goodbye with a smile, and plenty of good wishes for exciting times in Reception. 

Have a lovely Summer everyone!

We can hardly believe it is the end of the term already!  For many of you it is holiday time, and we hope you have a fabulous time, home or away. For those of you who are staying with us over the summer… BE PREPARED! There are lots of exciting activities planned, with maybe an afternoon tea thrown in for good measure! And… sad times… we have to say fond farewells to our Miss Maxine, and to our pre-school children who are ready now for Reception.  For those of you coming back, we look forward to seeing you again in September, ready to share your summer adventures with us. Dates are in the attached newsletter. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the kind thoughts, messages and gifts we have received, and to wish you all a super Summer!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Please make sure you read this week's Newsletter as it's packed with all the information you'll need.   

The PTA have signed up for a loyalty scheme with Naturally Kids, a new shoe shop in Leamington. It’s a great scheme that benefits both the PTA and parents. Please see the attached leaflet for further details and keep an eye out for loyalty cards appearing in your child’s book bag.

Once again it's been a fun packed and busy school year. The PTA has organised many events and activities throughout the school year with the aim of bringing the community together and raising extra funds for the children.

We are very pleased to be able to announce that we have raised over £15,000 this year, which is an amazing amount and we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed in any way.

Here are some of the things we have been able to buy or fund this year with some of the money:

• Microphones
• Hockey Nets
• Cameras
• Walkie Talkies
• Mad Science Workshop
• Playground equipment
• Bollywood Dance workshop
• Picnic blankets
• Netball bibs
• Winter Sports Coats
• Garden trough and planting
• £500 assigned for books for the library 
• Easter eggs
• Contribution to the J6 leavers' party
• Pantomime performance for all pupils
• Charity contributions
• Gazebo
• PTA Christmas Disco
• Ginger Bread House for Christmas Fayre

We hope you all have a lovely and relaxing summer, but for those of you who like to look ahead here are the dates for some activities we have planned for next school year:

• Sunday 16 September 2018 - Welcome Back Barn Dance
• Wednesday 19 September 2018, 7.30pm - PTA AGM followed by an Ordinary Meeting
• Friday 28 September 2018 - Macmillan Coffee Morning
• Saturday 1 December 2018 - PTA Christmas Fayre
• Saturday 9 February 2019 - PTA Winter Ball 
• Friday 22 March 2019 - Headmaster's Quiz
• Saturday 11 May 2019 - Family Fun Day

We would also like to say a massive thank you to all the PTA volunteers who have given up their time this year and especially to those who have reached the end of their time at Crackley. We wish them all the very best and thank them for all their help over the years. It does mean that we will be looking for new members next year so if you would like to know anything or wish to get more involved then please get in touch via this link - and do come along to our first meeting in September if you can.

Many thanks,

Crackley Hall PTA

Lost

Arun Bilkhu (J4H) has lost his school cap.

Jared Warrener (J5V) has lost his school blazer.

Martha Harris (J5R) has lost her school blazer.