The Courier

Dear Parents

As always, it was great to see all of the children coming back into school with smiles on their faces after the half term break. If nothing else, it is good to change routines for a short time and recharge the batteries ready for a new spell of learning in the classrooms.

The week has gone calmly and smoothly here in school, with lots to engage the children and keeping teachers busy as well. Of course, today's world book day tends to ramp up the excitement levels somewhat, but it's always wonderful to see the children enjoying themselves and hopefully inspiring a love of reading at the same time. I will give you some brief highlights of the week gone by, although I'm sure you will be able to find out more detail in the rest of the Courier as you read on.

The Year 5 children enjoyed their trip over to Mary Arden’s Farm early in the week, although it was a chilly outing by the sounds of it. It was also lovely to see so many parents coming in to escort their children to the quizzing in the IT suite before school. One special highlight has to be the success that the girls enjoyed at the ISA Netball tournament at Malvern St James on Wednesday. In a tough competition with lots of competitive netballing schools, they managed to battle through to the semi-finals and secure a third-place finish. This means we have qualified for the national finals, which is an achievement in itself. I will be looking to clear the diary as much as I can to attend next Friday’s finals which just so happen to be hosted locally at Rugby School.

Over the week and for the next two weeks we have six evenings of parent consultations, and as always it is a great opportunity for me to meet and greet lots of you and also for you to hear key information about the progress of your children from their teachers. I hope you find the format of these meetings helpful and we have done as much as we can to provide a calm, settled environment for them to take place in by spreading them over more evenings. Along with report writing, this is a substantial commitment of teacher’s time and forms an integral part of the teaching and learning circle. As always, we are always looking to finesse and improve events such as these, and we will be doing the same once again after these meetings as we start to look ahead to next school year.

In my assemblies I often like to talk about exciting things happening outside of the school, and help the children try to look up from their own worlds see a bigger picture. There were two wonderful celestial events to discuss this week with the appearance of the aurora borealis in many parts of Britain right down as far as Kent, and the beautiful conjunction of Jupiter and Venus that was apparent in the sky during the later part of the week. I hope you got a chance to see them too.

With my best wishes for a calm and restful weekend.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

Please note there is no gymnastics on Tuesday due to the Orchestral Workshop. Parents have not been charged.

Crescent School

After the parent survey showing a positive response to co-curricular early this term, I thought this would be a good time to ask some key questions to aid future planning for 2023 and 2024. Thank you for your time.

Co-Curricular Questionnaire

Weekly Calendar

Please click on the link below to view next week's calendar:

There is no Gymnastics this week as previously advised.

Weekly Calendar - 6 March 2023 

Please click below to view the lunch menu for next school week, children are able to have either the Main or Vegetarian option. 

Lunch Menu - 6 March 2023

Crescent School

Below is a link to view the Lent Term Calendar.  Please note the following changes:

Click on the link below to view the Music Lesson timetable for week commencing 6 March 2023.

Music Lessons - 6 March 2023 

Lessons may not be able to be rearranged if children do not have their instruments in school.

Crescent's girls travelled to Crackley Hall today to take part in their girls’ football festival. The tournament involved 13 teams from 11 schools with nearly a hundred girls taking part who were all delighted to put on their boots and head out to the fields to show off their footballing prowess.

As well as playing 12 mini matches, the teams also had the chance to take part in two training sessions courtesy of local football team Kenilworth Wardens and Elite Skills Arena who were delighted to come along and coach the girls.

Princethorpe College pupils also supported the event with PE BTEC Sport and Academy players refereeing games and coaching the girls. 

It was super to see everyone getting fully involved and giving it their all. 

Today we held intermediate review meetings for this year’s 'Learning Mentor' scheme. The children met with staff to review the academic targets they had set for themselves at the beginning of the year. They have been regularly reviewing their progress against their targets in their classes, but this was a more formal opportunity to reflect on their progress, self-assess where they are now and for some to set new targets for the end of the year.

The 'Learning Mentor' initiative gives responsibility for their learning to the children from Year 1 up to Year 6. Staff do not tell pupils if they feel they have achieved their targets, instead they guide pupils through their books, feedback, comments and last reports.

Empowering the children to own their learning and encouraging them to take responsibility for striving to achieve their own set goals, is just one of a number of strategies we pursue here at Crescent to facilitate children’s progress.

The sessions were very positive and we look forward to the final reviews at the end of the school year.

It’s been ‘Quiz With Your Child Week’ here at Crescent and pupils have welcomed their parents into school to join them in quizzing on their reading books.

Crescent’s approach to reading and literacy is supported by Renaissance’s Accelerated Reader system. Assistant Head, Sarah Webb, explains, “Children in Years 3 to 6 take a quiz after reading each book that tests their understanding. The approach promotes reading for pleasure whilst ensuring the children read appropriately challenging books. It totals up the books and words read, and we find the competitive element has a positive impact on children’s motivation to read.”

Pupils can quiz daily on the computers before school. We like to get parents involved too and hope you have enjoyed the opportunity to share in your children’s learning experience.

Studies show that reading for pleasure makes a big difference to children’s educational performance. Crescent’s structured approach to reading facilitates children’s progress and as they move through the school, reading abilities develop well beyond national age expectations.

So far this year eight children have already read more than a million words and impressively, Year 5, Alex T has read two million words and, Year 6, Poppy has now read more than three million words – and that is what we call reading for pleasure!

It was St David’s Day on Wednesday and here at the Crescent School pupils in St David’s House wore yellow in honour of the patron saint of Wales. We had yellow socks, yellow shirts, yellow hair ribbons and even yellow bow ties. Mrs Tucker and Mrs Robinson even got in on the act wearing wonderful Welsh daffodil hats!

We wished all those celebrating a very ‘Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus’, Happy St David’s Day!

On Tuesday 28 February, Year 5 visited Mary Arden’s Farm in Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. In their English lessons, Year 5 are studying Shakespeare and a trip to Mary Arden’s Farm provided an amazing, atmospheric setting against which to bring his glorious texts alive.

In a workshop, pupils explored the major themes of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a fun and interactive way, with the session culminating in a performance using the original text, interspersed with actions and music. It was wonderful for the children to be immersed in the social and historical context of the play and the writer.

There was even an extra treat, as during the day pupils also had time to visit some of the many animals that live on the farm.

The day was a fantastic experience for all, that really helped to bring Shakespeare’s language to life and the children came away enthused and excited and having learned lots of new facts about both the Tudor times and William Shakespeare!

The latest issue of The Minnacle has just been published, showcasing our pupils' excellent work. The Minnacle celebrates our pupils at their best and the Spring 2023 edition includes plenty of examples of their outstanding efforts. From amazing Paul Klee inspired Art in Year 1, through super story telling from Year 3, brilliant biography grammar in Year 4 to perfect puppetry in Year 6 and much, much more.

The next copy of The Pinnacle is available now too, with equally impressive work by pupils at the Foundation's senior school, Princethorpe College. It's wonderful to see and celebrate their talents!

Printed copies have been sent home with pupils for you to enjoy, or you can read a copy of The Minnacle and The Pinnacle on our school website here.

All children will have received a golden ticket, this is from Hunts bookshop which is situated on the High Street in Rugby. Please take this ticket along to receive £1 off a book of your choice.

Keep reading.

Monday 6 March - 4.00pm to 6.30pm

Wednesday 15 March - 5.30pm to 8.00pm

We all value the importance of these meetings to share and discuss your child's academic progress.  

We look forward to meeting with you.

Crescent School is hosting its annual Orchestra Workshop in conjunction with Crackley Hall on Tuesday 7 March. There will be a concert for parents of those playing at 4pm on that day.

Refreshments will be served in the Library from 3.45 pm. Unfortunately, we cannot open the playground for parking as there is an extra-curricular sport club using it, so please park considerately in the roads nearby. The concert will be finished by 4.30pm, at which point you will be able to take your child home.

Parents of children in Orchestra can book tickets here:

Orchestral Performance 

Wednesday 8 March - 5.30pm to 8.00pm

Monday 13 March - 4.00pm to 6.30pm

We all value the importance of these meetings to share and discuss your child's academic progress.  

We look forward to meeting with you.

Thursday 9, Friday 10 and Monday 13 March 2023

LAMDA exams will be held on the above dates for those children who have registered.  

I will advise children of their date and time in due course. All exams will take place during the school day.

Saturday 11 March 2023 - 10.00am to 12.00pm

We are opening our doors to prospective families for a Spring Open Morning on Saturday 11 March 2023 from 10.00am to 12.00pm. Please do share news of the Open Morning with family and friends.

It is a perfect opportunity to come and have a look around the school, meet key members of staff and find out why the school has been awarded excellent in all areas by the ISI in their recent inspection. 

Families are invited to book on to one of two sessions, 10.00am and 11.00am. After a short welcome presentation by Mr Thackway, Headmaster, visitors will be guided around the school where they will be able to watch sporting displays and listen to instrumental performances; there will also be the opportunity to visit classrooms and children can participate in activities.

To book a place please click here.

For more information about availability or about the Open Morning please call Registrar, Mrs Helen Morley on 01788 523851 or email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk.

Alternatively please visit our website www.crescentschool.co.uk for more information.

Tuesday 14 March 2023 10.30am to 12.30pm

The College's Open Morning will give prospective families a chance to visit the school on a normal working day, with Year 8 and 9 pupils acting as tour guides. The Leadership and Admissions Teams will be available to answer any questions visitors might have. Light refreshments will be available.

All are welcome, please book your place by clicking here.

Entrance Examinations Day for September 2024 entry will take place on Saturday 11 November 2023 from 9.30am to 3.30pm. The deadline for registrations, scholarship and bursary applications is Friday 29 September 2023.

If you have any questions please contact the Admissions Team on 01926 643201/297 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Monday 20 March 2023 - 2.45pm to 3.30pm

We will be presenting our annual Spring Concert on Monday 20 March. It will feature Upper School children only, including all of Classes 3S and 4C, most of the extra-curricular music groups and some soloists, and will start at 2.45pm.

Please enter via the front entrance from 2.30pm where refreshments will be served prior to the service.  

We will start promptly at 2.45pm and finish by 3.30pm so children can be collected at normal dismissal time. The concert will be filmed for those who are unable to attend.

We look forward to you hearing the results of this term’s music hard work and effort! 

Wednesday 22 March 2023 - 9.15am

We are super proud of how the children are progressing in our rehearsals for Animal Rumble Grumble. We are encouraging them to now push to learn all of their words so that we can be script free from early next week - please support this at home as they continue to practise.  All costumes need to be in school on Monday as previously requested.

Tickets can be booked via the link below - three available per family. Refreshments will be served from 8.45am on the day of the performance.

Year 2 Production Tickets

The dress rehearsal will be filmed and the link shared to parents after the production.

With thanks for your support as always.

Friday 24 March 2023

Our Easter Service will be held in the School Hall on Friday 24 March, including a telling of the Easter story by the Choir and Class 5F. We do hope you will join us for the most important festival in the Christian year.

Please enter via the front entrance from 2.30pm where refreshments will be served prior to the service. We will start promptly at 2.45pm and finish by 3.30pm so children can be collected at normal dismissal time.

Two tickets per family will be available for parents of children in Choir and Class 5F. Please book here:

Easter Service

There will be a retiring collection in aid of Bwengu Projects Malawi.

As the Princethorpe Admissions Cycle for 2024 entry begins, the whole of Year 5 are warmly invited to a taste of senior school life at Princethorpe College on Tuesday 25 April 2023. The dedicated taster day will begin at 9.30am with the children transported to the College by minibus from Crescent School. Pupils will experience a variety of classroom sessions, a tour of the school and a question and answers session with current pupils. Break and lunch will be provided and there is no charge for the day.

At the end of the afternoon, parents are invited to a Parents’ Information Session. The session will commence at 4.30pm, finish at approximately 5.15pm and light refreshments will be served. Grove du Toit, Princethorpe’s new Headmaster, along with other key members of staff, will be on hand to talk to you about the College, its ethos and vision 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 11 November 2023 from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

Please click here to access the online booking form for the Year 5 Taster Day. Please complete and submit the form by 5.00pm on Monday 6 March to secure a place for your child.

If you have any further queries please feel free to contact the College’s friendly Admissions Team on 01926 634201/297 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Congratulations to the following children who have achieved full Junior Da Vinci student status this week.

• Mya in 6W achieves hers in Science & DT
• Zac in 4C and Isabel in 1Q achieve theirs in English
• Maxi in 4C achieves his in Art 
• Oliver in 2W achieves his in Mathematics

Well done to you all.

Mrs Symons
JdV Lead

This week's reading champions are:

• 500k Words – Esme (3S) and Toni (4C)
• Triple Millionaire – Poppy (6W)

Well done both.

Top Quizzing class with 83 books successfully quizzed on is... 3S

Class Word Wizards, a closely run contest this month, but having read over 2 million words our winners are... 5F

Mrs Nelson
Teaching Assistant

This week's Accelerated Reader Superstars are:

Top Quizzers are:

• 3S  Aria
• 4C  Sophie
• 5F  Grace
• 6W Zahra

Word Wizards are:

• 3S  Isabella
• 4C  Nora
• 5F  Alex G
• 6W Poppy

Mrs Nelson
Teaching Assistant

It is always an exciting time for the children when they gain their pen licence, enabling them to make the move from writing in pencil to pen.

For this rite of passage, the children have to show that they can write neatly and consistently in cursive, joined handwriting in all of their work, not just handwriting tasks.

Ava has shown pride in the presentation of all of her learning tasks and has been awarded a Pen Licence and her first handwriting pen.

Well done!

Well done to this week's Scientists and Artists of the Week:

Scientists

• Hattie and Darius from 5F for desigining their own gears for their cog mechanisms.

Artists

• Katie (2W)
• Amber (3S)
• Kiran (3S)
• Thomas (3S)
• Alex T (5F)
• Grace (5F)
• Leela (5F)
• Grace M (6W)
• Tegan (6W)

Well done all.

Crescent School

Garage and Gigs are the most important games to show your progress.

Pupils who have reached landmark % on automatic training mode in the Garage and Gigs and therefore are awarded JDVs for Maths Practice:

• Feranmi 2W completed 24% of the course.
• Felicity 2W completed 24% of the course.
• Sophia 4C completed 100% of the course
• Emily 5F completed 100% of the course
• Grace 5F completed 100% of the course

Last week most improved speedsters in the studio are:

• Hannah- Wannabe!

2W

• Oliver - Garage Rocker!
• Felicity - Wannabe!
• Finn - Breakthrough!

3S

• Mithun - Gigger!

5F

• Emily - Rock Star!

6W

• Olivia - Unsigned Act!

PrePrep Battle between 1Q, 1S, 2E, 2W - 2-9 March 2023. 

TT Rock stars will block 2x, 5x, 10x and 11x on jamming if you are efficient at them, so you cannot pick easy ones just to score more points in the completion! 

Please note only the children should play on their account or it influences the level appropriate to them.

This week 3S have been authors. They started by thinking about the title and cover of their books, what type of information they may find and what draws someone to their book to choose it to read. They worked hard on these.

Year 4 have begun an exciting new English unit this week on narrative poetry. They have started to flex their creative muscles by writing sentences including descriptive phrases, as they work towards writing their own poems over the coming weeks. Some of the children have been researching examples of narrative poems to share with their classmates, with a view to analysing their features.

Here are some examples of 4C’s excellent expressive portraits. They thought carefully about the colours and mark making they should use to emphasise the emotion.

We set the question, 'How tall is 5F?' This involved the children measuring each other's height, recording it and accurately calculating the total. Pupils used their skills of written tower addition to find the answer. Some chose to add up all 24 heights at once, others split them into groups first, which was more efficient. The answer is 3442cm or 34.42m tall!

Class 5F have been practising various measuring skills using different scales recently. We have used the weighing scales to measure the weight of pouring items such as rice. We have realised that you must understand what a scale can measure and what each interval is worth before you can use it.

The Year 6 Geography class took over the science lab just before half term to investigate how meanders form as part of their rivers study. The children set out their reports in the format of a field investigation, and observed how the path of the water changed over the surface of the plastic sheets, depending on the rate of the flow. They were able to create some magnificent meanders and even some oxbow loops and lakes, showing the passage of hundreds of years of history in the real world in a matter of seconds in our lab.

In assembly on Tuesday we talked about the school promise that says, ‘we are calm and sensible’. It is not always as easy as it sounds to make sensible decisions and we talked about different situations children might find themselves in when they would have to decide what the best thing to do is.

The children read out the following short scenarios, whilst other children in the audience gave their advice and thoughts:

• What would you do if you were lost in a shop?
• What would you do if you found something that looked like sweets in a cupboard at home?
• If you see a dog in the park should you go and stroke it?
• Should you talk to someone in the street you don't know?
• If you found somebody's purse on the pavement, what would you do?
• The pond in the park is frozen with ice. Should you go and play on it?
• On a summer’s day, the local river looks good for swimming in. Should you go in?

It made for an interesting discussion in the assembly, and it might be something you want to follow up with your children at home.

We celebrated World Book Day at Crescent today! What an amazing selection of outfits.  Keep up the reading.

Crescent School

On Tuesday after school the children taking part in Bayleaf co-curricular cookery club made apricot buttermilk cake. They worked so carefully following the instructions to bring their masterpieces together. They took their cakes home and we bet they tasted good!

Just look at the smiles on our brilliant bakers, well done everyone!

It is wonderful to have the children participating in clubs, developing their interests and learning new skills all while having some fun. 

Good luck to Roisin, Henry and Kian who qualified for the Mixed U9 ISA National Cross Country on Saturday which is taking place at Worksop College.

The Foundation has the following vacancies:

Princethorpe College

• Teacher of PE and Girls' Games (maternity cover)
• AV and Theatre Technician

Full details and information on how to apply are available on the Foundation website here:

www.princethorpe.co.uk/join-us

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