Anniversaries are an important part of everyday life to help us remember key events from the past – births, weddings and deaths amongst our families and friends for example.

Today is the fifth anniversary of one of the most surreal experiences of my life - closing all our schools and telling the pupils that we didn’t know when we would be able to see them again as a result of the government response to the global pandemic.  

I particularly remember three occasions at Princethorpe College where I became rather emotional – telling the Year 11s there were no GCSE exams, telling the Upper Sixth the A-levels were cancelled, and talking to the staff after school on the final Friday about how we would continue to support the pupils, their families and each other in the lockdown which was upon us.

As I look around the schools now with happy and flourishing children who are enjoying being with their friends, COVID and the dreaded lockdown which ensued seem like a distant memory. However, if you look around our campuses there are still a few relics from the past – outdoor sinks, the marks where tape was stuck to the floor tiles to aid good “flow” and I still have a bespoke 2m “stick” in my room which we used to ensure the desks conformed to the social distancing regulations at the time. Of course, the impact on the physical health and social development and wellbeing of many is still being unravelled.

However, my most vivid memories are of the creativity and sheer determination of our community to ensure that the education of our pupils would continue alongside the critical pastoral and wellbeing support. We had teachers giving live TEAMS lessons with their babies on their knees, virtual sports and games lessons, a Foundation orchestral concert with pupils from all schools taking part. We even had Ben Stokes, the England Cricket Captain, as a special guest, at our Sports Awards Ceremony.

Our resilience, patience and resolve were, at times, sorely tested, but I am immensely proud of how we pulled together as a community and supported each other.

Five years later, government policy again presents a major challenge, as it targets independent schools and their families. Again, I am extremely proud of our response as a community; staff are working exceptionally hard to ensure our educational standards remain first-class and the support from our parents has been magnificent in so many ways, not least by supporting the Annual Fund.  

We are in a really strong position for the future with retention and recruitment of pupils – the life-blood of any school – at an optimum.

Thank you so much for all you have done and continue to do as parents to support your children and their education.

Very best wishes 

Ed Hester
Foundation Principal 

Dear Parents and Friends of the School

If you are thinking there is no way Mr Thackway can write his newsletter today without mentioning the weather, then you are absolutely right. This really feels like spring this time, but I have no doubt made the error of not looking at the weekend forecast. Probably best not to.  

You have to grab these moments when you can, which is why I drove up the M-something to Ingestre Hall on Thursday to see the Year 4 residential trip in action. The children were having an absolutely wonderful time in the sunshine, in what is a stunning setting.  

It is a bygone age that could sustain a manor house of that scale for a single family, along with horse stables the size of our school buildings, your own personal full-scale church, and a little village nearby with all of the workers you need to run the estate. These old families were put out of business by the inheritance taxes of the 1920s, but it is great to see their old homes being put to such philanthropic new uses, and the three days our children spent there will live in their memories for a lifetime. Many thanks to the staff who accompanied this trip for all of the additional hours and care that they have put in to making this trip such a success. 

Another big memory-maker was also on Thursday in the Year 2 Litter Muncher performance. I must admit to feeling very guilty that I wasn't there to watch it and say thank you at the end, but I have watched the video back and it is great to see the children performing with such confidence and joy. It gave a really sound message as well around waste management, that we as a world need to take much more seriously than we currently are. 

We also had an interesting visit from the NSPCC, who came and delivered assemblies and workshops to children across the school on the important theme of speaking out and staying safe. Mr Webb does an amazing job here in proactively promoting children's welfare and safeguarding and I know the children found the sessions interesting, and it builds in them a knowledge that could one day be crucial to their safety. 

There is plenty to look forward to in the remaining two weeks of the term and I note in particular further parent consultation evenings next week as well as a Year 2 History workshop and the next steps for preparing for the Year 3 residential trip. 

Looking slightly further ahead, we are currently making plans for this year's Barnaby Bear football tournament which is open to children from Years 3 to 6. The date for this is Saturday 7 June and I would really appreciate you spending a couple of minutes completing the form (see article in this week's Courier) to let us know if your child will be able to attend and play. 

In the meantime, I hope you have a great weekend, whatever the weather. 

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

Thank you to all the families and children involved in our Open Morning last Saturday. The parents who came around the school were very impressed with the pride our children have in our school, the levels they obtain, the skills they learn and the great variety of activities that they can partake in. 

Thank you for sharing your child with us on a Saturday morning.

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

It has been an exciting term for co-curricular, with so many choices on offer for your children. 

Co-curricular clubs end on Friday 28 March, with the exception of the clubs below:

Thursday 3 April 

• Lunchtime Mini Dodgeball for Year 2
• Afterschool Dodgeball - this is a make up session

After this date, if you require After School care please make sure you book this in advance through My School Portal so we can ensure correct staff ratios.

Clubs choices for next term will go live at 8pm tonight, Friday 21 March 2025.  Look out for the email from the School Office. 

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

Please see message below from Warwickshire County Council regarding Chris the school crossing patrol:

Chris, the School Crossing Patrol on Bawnmore Road, will not be on duty from Friday 21 March for a few weeks due to an operation.  Please take extra care crossing the road.

Crescent School

Our House Competition this term is 'What can you do with an egg?'  The instructions are:

Before you start decorating, hard boil the egg(s) and then allow them to cool down completely.  You may use a maximum of six eggs. 

Paint a base coat on each egg and leave it to dry.

You can decorate the eggs as people or animals or anything you like. The accompanying photos might give you some ideas. 

Don’t bring the eggs into school, just take a photo and bring us a copy of it.   There will be house points for all and prizes for the best entries.

Entries are due in on the Monday 24 March to either Mrs Day or Mrs Barnes.

Mrs Day
MFL Teacher

Weekly Calendar 

Wednesday - Green Team is not running this week.

Weekly Calendar 24 March 2025

After School

Provision can be booked through My School Portal selecting the sessions you require. If you require your child to have tea, please ensure bookings are made by 10.00am each day.  

MySchoolPortal

Crescent School

Please click below to view the lunch menu for next week. 

Lunch Menu - 24 March 2025

Crescent School

Please see below to view the music lesson timetable and the music exam timetable:

Music lessons - 24 March

Music Exam Timetable

Please note the following:

• The timetable changes every week. Lessons are rotated as we try to avoid children missing the same lesson each week, though sometimes this is unavoidable if there are trips, matches and events to work around. If a teacher teaches on more than one day, your child's lesson could be on any of those days. Lessons in bold type are in fixed slots and therefore do not rotate, though, again, on occasions we may have to swap them around to avoid clashes with events.
• The music staff will always try to reschedule lessons missed because of a school event, however lessons missed because of illness or not having an instrument in school cannot be made up.
• If you know your child is not going to be in school for their lesson for any reason, please do let me know as early as possible and I will try to work around it, though this cannot be guaranteed.
• Lessons before school and during lunchtime are prioritised to Year 5 pupils now and Year 6 lessons have moved to being during class time.
• Half a term's (ie five lessons) notice is required to stop having lessons, or payment of half a term's fees in lieu of notice.

Please send all enquiries about music lessons to me juliebarnes@crescentschool.co.uk rather than the individual music teachers.

Mrs Barnes
Director of Music

Please find below a link to view this term’s Crescent School calendar. We hope that you will find it a useful aide memoir when planning school events and activities into your busy schedules. There is plenty to look forward to, including lots of fixtures and the end of term Spring Concert.

Please note the following additions this term:

• Wednesday 26 March - ABRSM Exams will now take place on this date

CS Lent Term Calendar 2025

Crescent School

Thanks to the generosity of our community, we have currently raised over £325,000 for the Annual Fund. This will directly benefit our pupils, facilities, and bursary provision and we are incredibly grateful for the support shown.

One of the most inspiring aspects of this campaign has been the generosity and philanthropic spirit of our school communities. At Crescent School, the trend among donors has been to support both the school and its pupils, with most families who are donating choosing to split their contribution between Greatest Need and Capital Projects and supporting those in need through the Hardship Fund. At Crackley Hall and Princethorpe College, we are seeing more donations directed towards Greatest Need and Capital Projects, which allows the Heads to allocate funds where they are needed most, ensuring the greatest possible impact. This collective approach is making a real difference across all our schools, giving us the flexibility to respond to immediate priorities and enhance the experience of every pupil.

Whilst the funds raised so far are a fantastic achievement, it’s important to recognise that the funds raised currently come from just over 10% of our families. I know from the many parents I have spoken to that there are a lot of families who have thought very carefully about what they are able to donate and will be committing soon, but I also know that there are some who haven’t yet considered this.  

My main message to you all is please act now so that we maximise the benefit to the whole community from the donations.

The Annual Fund is about supporting the future our schools in a tax efficient and collective manner - where the overall majority contribute a manageable amount – and this has the power to be transformative. The more families that take part, the more the benefits will be felt across all areas of school life, ensuring that we can continue to invest in bursaries and hardship support, enhance our facilities, and continue to develop the education we all value for our children.  

Show Your Support – Wear Your Pin Badge with Pride

To recognise the generosity of our donors, we have been sending out Annual Fund supporter pin badges. These badges are a simple but meaningful way to show that you are part of the growing community supporting the future of our schools.

We encourage all donors to wear their badges with pride - whether at school events, open days, or simply in daily life - as a visible reminder of the impact we can have when we come together as a community.

If you have made a donation but haven’t yet received your pin badge, please let us know and we will ensure one is sent to you.

A number of people have asked me if there a deadline for donations?

There is no hard deadline and we hope that donations keep coming in each and every year, but to help with our financial planning for the next academic year and beyond, we really want people to confirm to us their donations before the end of March if possible.

How Can You Help?

If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to give, I would strongly encourage you to consider making a donation today. As a parent myself with children in the Foundation, I understand that this is a big ask, but I also see first hand the difference that even a small, regular contribution can make - not just for my own children, but for all pupils across our schools. That’s why I personally support the Annual Fund with what I can each month. Every gift, no matter the size, adds up to something truly impactful, ensuring that all our pupils continue to benefit from the very best opportunities.

For UK taxpayers, donations can be made even more impactful through Gift Aid, allowing us to claim an additional 25% on your gift at no extra cost to you. For example:

• A £100 donation becomes £125
• A £1,000 donation costs actually costs £687.50 after tax relief (for an additional-rate taxpayer)

If you would like to join this growing list of supporters making a significant contribution to improving the experience of our pupils, you can donate easily via our Annual Fund Giving Page, or you can contact me at stevekowal@princethorpe.co.uk for more information or to set up a discussion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I have more than one child in the Foundation? 
Donations are not tied to the number of children you have in the Foundation. Most families donate ‘per family’ rather than per pupil and often split their donation across funds - for example, supporting both Princethorpe College Greatest Need and Capital Projects and Crackley Hall Greatest Need and Capital Projects or Princethorpe College Greatest Need and Capital Projects and Crescent School Greatest Need and Capital Projects.

Can I make a one-off donation or set up a regular gift? 
Yes! You can donate in any way that works best for you - monthly, termly, or as a one-off gift. Many families choose to spread their support over time to make giving easier.

Can I make a donation through my company? 
Yes! Corporate donations are tax-efficient, as they can be deducted from your company’s taxable profits for Corporation Tax purposes. However, Gift Aid cannot be claimed on corporate donations, only on personal gifts. Many families have already donated in this way.

Are you fundraising because the Foundation is in trouble? 
Absolutely not! And I can’t stress this enough. This appeal isn’t about keeping the Foundation afloat, the Foundation is in a healthy place - it’s about ensuring we can continue to invest in key areas while navigating increased financial pressures from Government policy.
While many independent schools raise significant non-fee income, our fundraising percentage remains low. By growing this, we reduce pressure on fee income and ensure our schools continue to thrive.

Are you expecting everyone to donate the same amount? 
No, we understand that every family’s financial situation is different. Families who have chosen to support the appeal are typically donating between £50 and £100 per month, but the most important factor is participation, not the amount given. Every contribution - regardless of size - adds up to something truly significant, and the more families who take part, the greater the collective impact on our pupils and schools.

Will donations lead to lower fee rises in the future? 
While donations don’t directly impact fee levels, they help strengthen the Foundation’s financial position, allowing us to better manage rising costs. By supporting the Annual Fund, donations enable us to invest in essential areas while maintaining financial stability. While we can’t promise donations will directly lower fees, they do ease financial pressures, which helps us plan more sustainably in the long term.

Do you think most families will donate? 
Yes we believe that the majority will. Before launching this appeal, we spoke individually to 40 families, all of whom were very supportive. So far, around 100 families have donated, and the impact is already visible in our planning for next year. However, we need more families to contribute if we are to maximise the impact across all schools.

What if not enough people donate? 
We remain committed to providing the best education possible for our pupils, regardless of the appeal’s outcome. However, the more families who contribute, the greater the long-term benefits for everyone. Every donation helps. We are committed to transparency and will keep families updated on our progress. Your support - whatever the amount - plays a critical role in shaping the future of our schools.

Where is the money going?
All donations to the Annual Fund are directed to key areas that will have a direct and immediate impact on our pupils. Families can choose where to allocate their support to:

• Bursaries and Hardship – Providing financial assistance to families in need, helping pupils access or remain at our schools.
• Greatest Need and Capital Projects – Specific to each school, these funds give Heads the flexibility to invest in priority projects that enhance teaching, learning, and pupil experience.

Here are just a few examples of how donations could be used to support each school:

• Crackley Hall – Restoration of the Orangery, upgrading the minibus fleet, improving changing and refreshment facilities on the sports field, and resurfacing and remarking the Netball court.
• Crescent School – Enhancing classroom facilities, purchasing new science equipment, developing the outdoor play area and Forest School, dry robes, and renovating changing rooms.
• Princethorpe College – Supporting a tree planting initiative, restoring historic stonework and tiled floors, resurfacing the Astro pitch, and upgrading classroom and communal furniture.

These are just some of the many ways your support can make a tangible difference—both now and for the future of our schools.

Thank You – Let’s Build This Together

Your generosity is already making a real difference, and with more families involved, we can secure the future strength of the Foundation.

Thank you for your continued support.

Steve Kowal 
Director of Development 

There was nothing rubbish about Year 2’s Lent Term Production on Thursday when our incredible pupils delivered a brilliant performance of The Litter Muncher.

A lot of hard work had gone into the rehearsals, learning the songs, memorising lines, sorting out costumes, producing the scenery and planning the production.

The Litter Muncher told the story of Lazy Daisy Village, that  is overrun with rubbish, but with a little help from the Mayor the villagers soon work out that if everyone works together they can help the Litter Muncher return it to the happy, beautiful place it use to be.

The children’s lively performance delivered a positive and important ecological message. Their energy was infectious and their enthusiasm, confidence and enjoyment in performing to their parents was magnificent to see.

It was a fabulous production that showcased the talents, confidence and stage presence of Crescent School's young pupils. We hope you all enjoyed the show!
 

Introducing the Capulets, one of the two warring families in Romeo and Juliet. Meet the powerful Lord Capulet, the uncaring Lady Capulet and the headstrong Juliet, also known as Matthew, Maya and Sophia. The Capulets' view of love is based on money, status and power. They do not believe in love matches!

Watch the trailer here: Meet The Capulets

This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week, where neurological differences are recognised and respected as all other human variations.

Neurodiversity is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of thinking and learning styles. Dependent on how our brains are wired, we think, communicate , move and process information in different ways. 

Neurodiversity is about recognising those who think differently.  Approximately 15-20% of the population has a neurological difference, each individual’s unique strengths and challenges enable everyone of us to benefit from a community of different thinkers!

If you'd like to learn more please visit: https://www.neurodiversityweek.com/

Please do contact me if you have any questions or would like to talk to school about your child's neurodiversity.

Mrs Yates
SENDCo

21 March is an important date for all of us, as it is the day of the spring equinox. It is also a special occasion in the calendar for many Persian families who celebrate the spring festival called Nowruz.

Kian in Year 5 and his sister Arielle in Year 2 bought in some important symbols of their Nowruz celebrations to share with us in assembly, as well as telling us all about the history and significance of the festival.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

Thursday 27 March 2025 - 6.00pm to 8.00pm

We are looking forward to meeting with parents from Years 3 and 4 on the above date. This is your opportunity to meet with your Child's Form Tutor and Specialist Teachers to find out their academic progress. Parking will be available on the Playground.

Please enter via the main school entrance.

Mr Thackway
Headmaster

Monday 24 March 2025 - 4.00pm - 6.00pm

We are looking forward to meeting with parents from Pre-Prep on the above date. This is your opportunity to meet with your Child's Form Tutor and Specialist Teachers to discuss their academic progress. Parking will be available on the Playground.

Please enter via the main school entrance.

Mr Thackway
Headmaster

Wednesday 26 March 2025

Music Exams will be held on Wednesday 26 March 2025. The timetable will be circulated in due course.

Mrs Barnes
Director of Music

Wednesday 26 March 2025 - 4.00pm

All Year 3 parents are invited to a final drop-in session at 4.00pm on Wednesday 26 March 2025, regarding the residential trip to Whitemoor Lakes. 

No new information will be given out, but it is a great opportunity to ask any questions.

This will be held in the Class 3SS form room (enter by doors at bottom of sports field).

Mrs Stapleton
Year 3 Trip Leader

Thursday 27 March 2025

Please bring your 50ps and change next Thursday as 4W and 4C  will be holding their annual fundraising day of games and competitions to raise money for 'Bwengu Projects Malawi'. 

This year, the children have nominated six months of adult education to be paid for, as well as the walls and drains to be fixed at an Early Learning Centre. 

Please support this worthy cause next Thursday and you could win a prize!

Ms Forth
Deputy Head 

Monday 31 March 2025 - 2.15pm to 3.30pm

We will be presenting our annual Spring Concert on Monday 31 March. Children involved are those in Choir, Orchestra, both Flute Groups, Brass Group, Wacky Music, and a few soloists.  

Please enter via the front entrance from 2.00pm where refreshments will be served prior to the concert.  

We will start promptly at 2.15pm and finish by 3.30pm so the 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! 

Due to the wonderful number of children we have taking part, unfortunately we are only able to offer one ticket per family. Booking closes on Sunday 30 March.

Spring Concert

Mrs Barnes
Director of Music

Team Super Sports are back at Princethorpe College during the Easter Holidays with an action-packed three weeks for children aged 5 to 16 years. From Monday 7 April to Friday 25 April (excluding bank holidays), the Holiday Camps will run from 8.00am to 5.00pm.

Children aged 7 to 16 can choose from a variety of sports to create their own personalised sports camp! For our younger campers (ages 5 to 7), along with sport we’ve got arts, crafts, and dance activities to keep them engaged and having a blast!

Why Team Super Sports? They’re experts in sport and multi-activity holiday camps, providing top-level coaching for all abilities.

Click here to visit the Team Super Sports website to secure your child’s spot.

Camps are priced at £38 per day. 

Sibling discounts and flexible booking options available!

The Tale of Peter Rabbit​
Wednesday 9 April - 2.30pm and 4.00pm and Thursday 10 April - 2.30pm and  4.00pm

As part of the Foundation's drive to increase non-fee income, our Commercial Enterprise Team are delighted to be hosting LOL Theatre Company's lovingly adapted production of The Tale of Peter Rabbit in The Clarkson Theatre in the run up to Easter.

When young Peter Rabbit disobeys his mother and enters the forbidden garden belonging to Mr McGreggor, he indulges himself with lettuce, green beans and radishes, however he soon starts to feel sick and goes in search of some parsley to soothe his stomach ache. Who does he encounter when he ventures further into the vegetable patch? None other than Mr McGreggor himself! After a frantic chase, he loses his clothes and his sense of direction. Will Peter Rabbit escape Mr McGreggor's clutches and return home unharmed? More importantly, will he learn his lesson and listen to his mother's warnings next time? Let's hope so!

This 45-minute family friendly production is based on the classic short story by Beatrix Potter and teaches about the importance of listening to warnings, doing the right thing and facing the consequences of your actions. Recommended for ages 4 and above.

This enchanting theatre show brings Beatrix Potter’s beloved characters to life!

Tickets

• Adult ticket - £10
• Child ticket - £5
• Under 4s go FREE

Click here to book your seats.

Saturday 7 June 2025 - 10.00am to 12.00pm

We are all looking forward to this year's Barnaby Bear Football Tournament. 

This was a new event last year, and one that we hope will become a school tradition. It is a chance to remember Barnaby in a fun way each year. 

This year's tournament is planned for Saturday 7 June and will run from 10.00am until 12.00 noon. It is open to all children in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 and everyone is welcome. 

I know this is a busy time of year for sporting events so, to help us with our preparations, please let us know whether your child will be able to come along and play.

There will be two mini-tournaments, one for the U9s and one for the U11s, with trophies on offer for the winning teams and a sporty version of Barnaby Bear to be won by the overall winners. The children will take part in house teams, there may be more than one team per house.

Please complete the form below if your child is able to take part in the tournament. 

If any parents would like to be involved in the morning, either refereeing, serving refreshments or coaching one of the teams, please let us know in the form below.

Barnaby Bear Football Tournament

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

Congratulations to the following children who have received their JDV badge this week:

6W

PE and Games:

• Aryaan
• Akaal
• Matthew
• Maxi
• Roisin
• Samuel
• Zac

5F

PE and Games:

• Tomisin

3LS

• Zachary - Art

1Q

• Eve - English
• Sanvika - Science

Keep up the good work.

Ms Forth
Deputy Head

Congratulations to Lilah who is a double millionaire this week.

Keep up the excellent reading.

Mrs Nelson
Teaching Assistant

This week's 100K Word Superstar is Thato from 3SS.

Well done.

Mrs Nelson
Teaching Assistant

Word Wizards

The pupils achieving the highest word count from successfully quizzing this week, are:

• 3LS Siara
• 3SS Locan
• 4C & 4W - away on residential
• 5F Aria
• 6W Edward M

Top Quizzers 

The pupils who have quizzed on the most books successfully or made a noticeable improvement in quizzing scores this week are:

• 3LS Iris
• 3SS Charlotte
• 4C & 4W - away on residential
• 5F Harry
• 6W Patrick

Mrs Nelson
Teaching Assistant

Battle Results - 12 - 19 March 2025 between Y1-6 (average score per class member):

• 1st 5F 198
• 2nd 3SS 124
• 3rd 1Q 105

Most valuable players in the whole competition:

• 1st Alfie 5F
• 2nd Sanvika 1Q
• 3rd Isabel 3SS

Well done, 5F! 🏆

Most improved speedsters in the studio are:

2E

• Arielle - Gigger!

New battle between all classes 19 - 26 March 2025.

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

Art Frizzmeister 
Deputy Head

A really important part of life in Pre-Prep is building a love of reading. We are developing the children's phonics skills, reading fluency, expression, style and comprehension. Each week we select two readers from each class who have stood out to us as demonstrating one or more of these skills or who have made really great progress over the previous few weeks. It's a lovely way for the children to know that we recognise and celebrate their success.

This week's reading superstars are:

• Reception - Carter and Felicity
• Year 1 - Clementine and Eve
• Year 2 - Arielle-Persia and Emily

Mrs Emery
Head of KS1 and Class 2E Form Teacher

Congratulations to this week's Artist of the Week in Upper School:

• Ayrah 3LS - Lovely, blended colour
• Oscar 3LS - Expressive portrait
• Reegan 3LS - Carefully observed colour portrait
• Sarima 3LS - Beautiful mix of colours
• Sophie L 3LS - Excellent Van Gogh portrait
• Zachary 3LS - Lovely brush technique
• Everly 5F - Beautifully detailed fabric illustration
• Taran 5F - Bold and colourful fabric illustration
• Thomas 5F - Carefully planned illustration and excellent detail
• Amber 5F - Super understanding of one point perspective and carefully presented

Mrs Thackway
Head of Art

Congratulations to this week's Artists of the Week in Pre-Prep.

• Ruby 2E - Lovely figure sketches
• Gene 2E - Carefully observed figure drawings
• Evie 2E - Lovely observational drawing of different children
• Eddie 1Q - An excellent detailed self-portrait
• Sanvika 1Q - Beautifully observed self-portrait

Mrs Thackway
Head of Art

This week, children throughout the school have taken part in NSPCC Stay Safe Speak Out  assemblies. This has centred on them recognising situations in which they may feel unsafe and on developing the strategies for understanding this is not okay and that by talking to trusted adults outcomes can improve. The assemblies were followed with workshops to support the children in recognising how they can speak out and stay safe.

3LS have been busy in their Maths lessons this week ordering 3-digit numbers from smallest to largest and then trying to slot in Mrs Nelson’s ‘mystery number’.

With this knowledge secure they moved on to subtracting two 3-digit numbers using the ‘Frog Method’ where we count on from the smallest number.

‘We love Maths, it's such fun’ was my favourite comment of the week!

Mrs Nelson
Year 3 Teaching Assistant

Following the exciting and explosive assembly by the Princethorpe STEAM team last week, we loved the workshop run by the students who helped us design and make miniature rockets. We had to make decisions on how to attach the wings, how long the body should be and how much blu-tac would be needed to help the rocket catapult across the classroom. The children enjoyed testing out their rockets as you can see!

Mrs Stapleton
Year 3 Teacher

Class 4W and 4C have been looking at Picasso’s Cubist portrait paintings and creating their own expressive portraits. The children have been exploring how colour, line and pattern can help emphasise emotion.

Mrs Thackway
Year 4 Art Teacher 

Eve is from Malawi and is very familiar with the Bwengu area that Year 4 study in Geography this term.

She was able to bring their learning to life with artefacts and stories. She brought currency, models of houses, games, instruments and bowls as well as baskets to practice carrying on your head. The children were able to ask questions and were of course particularly interested in schools as that is what they have been looking at.

What a super opportunity for the pupils, thank you, Eve!

Ms Forth
Deputy Head

In Years 5 and 6 we find that we have a variety of needs with our spellings, so we have a range of spelling groups and words to meet pupils' individual needs. When we have learnt our spellings and had our test, we have opportunity to immerse ourselves in a book. It is always great to see them all so involved.

Mrs Webb
Year 5 English Teacher

As part of their 'Forces' topic, the children in 5F have been learning about pulleys.  They explored how and why pulleys help you to lift heavy objects more easily and whether having more pulleys means that less 'effort' is needed.

Mrs Johnson
Year 5 Science Teacher

Class 6W learnt so much on their visit to the King Richard III Centre in Leicester.

They had to use their knowledge of historical sources and decide whether the King was evil or just portrayed that way, many changed their view through the morning. It was great to learn about how the body was discovered, we saw the grave site, went to his tomb at the cathedral (just over the road) and even learnt some archaeological skills.

Mrs Webb
Year 6 Teacher

In PSHE we are exploring Healthy Me. As well as looking at the effects of drugs and alcohol we look at healthy eating. I set 6W a two-week challenge of only fruit or vegetables for break, this challenge was met by most of the class. Hopefully it is something they may continue after this week!

Mrs Webb
Year 6 Teacher

The Princethorpe Foundation has switched all its vehicles to biofuels. Everything that runs on a diesel engine is now using a renewable hydrotreated vegetable oil fuel (HVO). The  change applies to the whole Foundation vehicle fleet which includes the minibuses across all our schools, as well as the vehicles used by the Estates and Grounds teams between the sites. Furthermore, the greener fuel will also run our utility buggy, tractors, ride-on mowers and the generator floodlights used to illuminate playing fields in the winter.

The biofuel, a ‘green diesel’, is expected to cut the fleet’s carbon emissions by up to 90% and supports the Foundation’s drive to become sustainable and its commitment to become carbon neutral, whilst making sure that our environment is safe, fit-for-purpose and healthy.

The HVO fuel is manufactured from 100% renewable and sustainable waste vegetable fats and oils, it is a drop-in fuel so has not required any modifications to the vehicle engines.

Foundation Director of Facilities, Rob Heath, comments, “The move to biofuel will reduce vehicle emissions from our fleet and is one of a number of impactful steps we are taking to become carbon neutral.”

The Year 6's have been working hard this term to prove that they are not just passive users of the internet and technology around them, but active digital producers, using their skills to make the internet a better, happier place for everyone. They demonstrated this superbly by researching, planning, creating and publishing their very own unique and highly bespoke websites on a topic of their choice. 

Please click here to view their websites, or check out the display coming soon to find their scannable QR codes!

Mr Adkins
Head of Digital Learning

Crescent School's U9 Netball team travelled to Stafford Prep on Tuesday 18 March for the ISA Midlands Tournament.  The girls were all absolute super stars giving 100% effort and commitment to every game. They played fantastically, building in confidence, skill and teamwork as the day went on. All the girls made excellent progress playing amazing netball and the team was unbeaten all day. 

Their results were super:

Adcote School - 7-2 Win 

Tettenhall College - 4-0 Win 

Mylnhurst School - 4-0 Win 

Highclare School - 2-1 Win 

Ranby House School - 3-0 Win

Crackley Hall School - 1-1 Draw 

They finished as overall winners and are this year's ISA U9 Regional Midlands Champions.  

Mrs McCollin commented, “The girls showed great team spirit and lots of determination and grit and were an absolute pleasure to be with all day.”

Well done girls we are incredibly proud of you all!

Crescent had four pupils run in the last week's County Cross Country Championships, held at the Pingles Leisure Centre in Nuneaton.  

• Joshua came an amazing 3rd place in the Year 3 boys race.
• Amber came 11th in the Year 5 girls race.
• Kian came 13th and Thomas 19th in the Year 5 boys race.

Unfortunately, due to Leicester City commitment's Roisin was not able to attend the event. 

Joshua and Amber have been invited to represent Warwickshire Schools in the National Primary Schools Cross Country Finals at Stoneleigh on Saturday.  

Siblings Roisin and Finn will also be running in the event as individuals, we wish them all the best of luck for their race this weekend. 

Thank you to Mrs Morley for sending in the results and photo and Mrs Jardine for the photo of Joshua.

Mrs McCollin
Head of PE and Games

U11 Cross Country Team travelled to Twycross House for their Annual Cross Country Event on Monday 17 March.  The recent warm and dry weather resulted in the course not being quite as muddy and boggy through the farmers field as it has been in recent years.  

Some fantastic running from all students involved: 

U11 Boys:

• 1st Twycross A
• 2nd Crescent
• 3rd Lichfield
• 4th Repton Prep
• 5th Dixie
• 6th DHS
• 7th Notts High
• 8th Twycross B

U11 Girls

• 1st Repton Prep
• 2nd Twycross A
• 3rd Dixie
• 4th DHS
• 5th Crescent
• 6th Lichfield
• 7th Twycross B
• 8th Notts High

Well done.

Mrs McCollin
Head of PE and Games

Friday 28 March 2025 - 3.30pm to 4.45pm

Please come along and support the FoC by buying cakes and sweets, all priced at £1 each. All the money raised at these market day events goes towards privilege time for Reception Class.

Friends of Crescent

We regularly recruit for a variety of roles, please do share news of the vacancies with interested friends and family. Current vacancies include:

Princethorpe College 

• Teacher of Physics
• Teacher of English
• Attendance and Pupil Support Officer

Crackley Hall School

• Estates Operative

 Crescent School

• After School Manager

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.

Please see below for useful school contact information:

Uniform can be ordered here:

Uniform Order Form

Please note the following items are stocked in the School Office and can be added to your account. Do pop in to collect any items.

• Winter hats
• Scarves
• Gloves
• Ties
• Swimming hats
• Sports socks
• Hair bands
• Hair scrunchies
• Hair clips
• Sun hats
• Music group badges - Choir, Orchestra, String and Brass 

School Uniform Shop 
Tel: 01926 634272
Email: uniform@princethorpe.co.uk

Click here to view the term dates for 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Crescent School