Welcome to The Courier, Crescent School's electronic newsletter.

It's been another busy week in school and there is now only one week to go until half term.

In this week's edition you can read about Mary Seacole, as part of Black History month, and important information regarding 11+ applications.

Please look out for photo proof cards and information for FoC Christmas Card designs coming home this week.

Don't forget that tonight is the virtual FoC Parents Quiz at 7.45pm.  Details can be found on  the FoC Events page.

The cover photo is the Tree of Thankfulness for Harvest 2020.  You can read all about it in the Harvest 2020 article.

Click here to email the Courier.

Preview

Headmaster's Message

Headmaster's Message

Dear Parents

It has been a mixed bag with the weather this week, but we have enjoyed another week of hard work and endeavour at school, both in the classrooms and out.

I particularly enjoyed spending an hour watching the Year 5s and 6s taking part in their football and hockey house competitions on Wednesday. The children enjoyed the extra edge of having a competitive element to enjoy. There was plenty of determination and will to win on display as well as the usual helping of Crescent fair play. It was great to watch. We are tentatively looking at options for putting on some inter-school fixtures in the near future if we can, so please watch this space as we explore what can be done.

Parents’ evenings have also got underway this week, with more planned before half term. The focus this time round is on settling into the new term and the return to school, with early indications of performance and target areas. These form a key part of the way we communicate with you on progress and achievement. I hope the Teams format has proved successful. They have at least had the benefit for many parents of doing away with the need for childcare on the evening!

Parents will receive a written report before the end of this term, with Year 5 getting theirs in February, as the entrance exams for secondary schools start to appear over the horizon. We are looking at adapting these written reports with a more focused and informative approach that I hope will have the dual benefit of providing accessible information for parents and a manageable workload for staff.

Have a great weekend.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

 

Weekly Information

Weekly Calendar

The weekly calendar can be viewed by clicking on the link below.  It details all the clubs, events, fixtures and additional information for the week. 

Weekly Calendar - 12 October 2020 

All the co-curricular clubs can be viewed on SOCS, where you can find details of all the dates the clubs are running.  

SOCS Co-Curricular

Crescent School

News

Black History Month - Mary Seacole

As part of Black History Month, we have been learning about the life of Mary Seacole in our assemblies this week. Mary was a remarkable woman in many ways. She was originally from Jamaica and from a young age made it her life’s ambition to help others. She set up a hostel for wounded soldiers in the Crimea during the war of the 1850s and became a national hero for her extraordinary efforts.

Throughout her life she had the additional challenge of facing racial prejudices, but she never let this stop her achieving her goals.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

Super TA

Mr Thackway undertook the role of Super TA this week listening to readers in Class 4M.  Senior members of staff have been working alongside classroom teachers this term, focusing on Maths and English in Years 4 and 5. 

Here is Mr Thackway with Chloe reading her Harry Potter book.

Crescent School

View Gallery

Harvest 2020

Here is a photo of Year 1 rehearsing their contribution for our Harvest Service 2020. Last week, in the Courier, I outlined the plans for the service as well as the opportunities for families to pledge their support to the Rugby Foodbank in alternative ways.

In the hall, Mrs Nelson has been busy creating our Tree of Thankfulness, and your children will come home today with a family leaf sticker. We encourage you to either pledge to add some food to an existing supermarket collection or to go online and donate via their Virgin Money site.  Once your family has committed to support this important cause, the children can bring their leaf back at any point from Monday 15 October and add it to our visual representation.

The link can be accessed at:

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=RugbyFoodbank&pageUrl=1

Next Friday, we shall update you all with how the tree is looking - hopefully, fully of generous family leaves which have been added!

As for the Harvest Service, we shall celebrate in school with the children watching it online on Thursday 15 October and the link will be sent for you all to enjoy at home. 

Rugby Foodbank and Rugby Youth for Christ have produced a video to explain the alternative provision of Harvest Festival and their gratitude for all our donations here...

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=634086867277616

Mrs Stapleton
Head of RE
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Winter Uniform To Be Worn After Half Term

After the half term break all children are expected to be in full winter uniform.  Parents can use their discretion as to whether blazers or the school coat are more appropriate for the weather at the time.

When it does get really cold we do need all the children to have their coats in school so we can make a decision on outdoor break times. As per my previous message in the Courier please send in school hoodies and tracksuit tops each day so the children can layer up, as we are keeping the school well ventilated to comply with our Covid19 risk assessment.

Click here to view the winter uniform requirements.

Thank you for your cooperation with these guidelines.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster  

 

 

 

Xmas4schools Christmas Cards

This year we are purchasing our fundraising cards from a new company that has a different system. Please look out for your child bringing home an order card that has the ordering details on one side and the actual space where the design must be on the other.

Please fill in details and keep the class name as RP, RE, 1S, 2W, 3S, 4M, 5F or 6W. Also, there is a price guide as to what products you will also be able to buy when the design is complete. 

The design guidelines are: 

  • Do not go too near the edge as the printer will cut it off- you must be 1cm away all around.
  • Do use felt tip, ink, pencil crayons, gel pens - brighter the better- pale does not show up.
  • Do use collage if you want - but well stuck down.
  • Do use glitter glue if you want.
  • Do not use sprinkle glitter- it falls off!
  • Do not use large areas of metallic finishes- it will not look shiny.
  • Do cover up as much of the white space as you can.
  • Do make any text big as the process will reduce the size of the design.

The design card with details, must be returned as soon as possible. The deadline is Friday 16 October 2020, the last day before half term. We cannot accept or send any late orders after this date.

FoC will receive a donation for every product ordered, so do get designing! Please note that this is not the Crescent School Christmas card competition, but items just for yourselves.

Please click on the photos in the gallery which provides information.

Season's Greetings!

Ms Forth
Deputy Head teacher
View Gallery

Miss Thompson And Baby Henry

Miss Thompson popped it school with baby Henry today.  Pupils were excited to see them and waved from a social distance.

We miss you Miss Thompson but glad you are loving being a Mummy.

Crescent School

Co-Curricular Clubs

The children have really enjoyed the range of co-curricular activities we have offered this term and the teachers enjoy working with the children on other areas of interest.

Next week you will be sent the link for the next half term's activities.  Clubs will remain at 30 minutes and will be held either before school, lunchtime or after school. We will continue to review this provision with the hope to bring in outside providers when it is safe to do so. 

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

Scholastic Book Fair

I am sorry to say that there will be no book fair this year due to the Covid19 restrictions.  We heavily rely on the fair to supplement our class libraries.

We would really appreciate your support with reading and books and would ask that you take the time to look at the scholastic digital book club. We receive 20p for every pound spent that we then use of purchase additional reading material for your children. There are some great deals and brilliant ideas for Christmas.

Please go to https://schools.scholastic.co.uk/the-crescent/digital-book-club to browse the latest books and order online. For every £1 you spend on this month’s Book Club, our school will earn 20p in Scholastic Rewards.

Please place your order online by Tuesday 1 December 2020 and your order will be delivered to school before the end of term.

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

Individual And Siblings Photographs Proofs

Photo proofs have been sent home with children today. This year due to Covid19 we are not allowed to handle money so please order all photographs online at www.pics4schools.com.  

All details can be found on the proof card with your unique security code. The deadline for orders to ensure free delivery to school is Friday 23 October 2020.

Please do contact Mr Lloyd if you have any queries, his details are on the proof card.

Crescent School

Events

11 + Grammar School Update - Year 6

The new date for this year's local authority 11+ exam has now been announced as the weekend of 7 and 8 November. We also now know that the Princethorpe College entrance exam will take place on Saturday 23 January 2021.

I have written today to Year 6 parents advising them that we are planning to provide two additional meetings to help parents with their decision making. There will be a general destination update by Teams on Monday 12 October at 6pm and parents also have the opportunity to attend individual consultations on Tuesday 13 October.

Parents can find full details of how to sign up and attend these meetings in their own individual email.

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head
 

Parent Consultation Evening For Years 3 - 5

Monday 12 October 6.30pm - 8.30pm

We all value the importance of these meetings to share with you how your child has settled into the new school year.

In order to keep everyone safe we will be running these via Teams meetings and the link will be sent on the morning of your appointment.

Thank you for your support on this matter.

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

 

 

Parent Consultation Evening For Pre-Prep

Tuesday 13 October 4.00pm - 6.00pm

We all value the importance of these meetings to share with you how your child has settled into the new school year.

In order to keep everyone safe we will be running these via Teams meetings and the link will be sent on the morning of your appointment.

Thank you for your support on this matter.

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

 

 

Harvest Service

Thursday 15 October 2020 

Due to current restrictions, it is not possible for parents to attend the Harvest Service.  

The children have been rehearsing short songs, dramas and poems in preparation for our first online Harvest Service which will be released for viewing on Thursday 15 October.

Crescent School 

Non-Uniform Day In Aid Of Hope 4

Friday 16 October 2020

On Friday 16 October, the children and staff are invited to join us for our first fundraising event in supporting the charity Hope 4. The School Council thought it would be appropriate for us to come wearing the colours of the Hope 4 logo to show our commitment to them.

So, come wearing all red, blue or yellow or maybe a combination of two or all three!  Please donate £1 for the opportunity to come in home clothes; this will be collected by your form teachers during registration. Please consider the weather when choosing your home clothes, especially footwear as the children like to run and play at break times.

The School Council representatives have been busy planning small games/challenges etc to play, in their privilege time, for an additional 50p per play. This will boost our fundraising for those less fortunate than ourselves. We are very grateful for your support this term.

Mrs Monteith and Mrs Stapleton
Class 4M and 1S Form Teachers

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Flu Vaccination Date

Thursday 10 December 2020 - 9.00am - 12.00pm

Flu vaccinations will take place in school, for all years, on Thursday 10 December 2020.  Further details will be released in due course.

Thank you.

Crescent School

 

Awards

Junior da Vinci Students

Harriet has achieved full Junior da Vinci status in English.

Theo is our first Junior da Vinci child this year in pre-prep and this is for Maths.

Well done to you both.

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

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Accelerated Reader Achievements

Zahra has reached 500,000 words, a brilliant achievement so early in the term.

Children in Years 3 and 4 are awarded badges for 500,000 and multiples of a million words. Years 5 and 6 will get badges for achieving multiples of a million words only.

Keep reading and quizzing!

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

Pre-Prep Reading Certificates

Pre-Prep reading certificates have, this week, been presented to:

  • Alex 
  • Charlotte
  • Kian
  • Sophia

Well done to you all.

Mr Webb
Head of Pre-Prep

 

Times Table Rockstars

Weekly battle 2- 8 October:

  • Boys scored 18,390 points
  • Girls scored 11,181 points

Boys are the winners again!

Most Valuable players contributing the most points to their teams are:

  1st 2nd 3rd
Boys Bryson - 4M Harry - 3F Faris - 5F
Girls Zahra - 4M Emily - 3Y Shayla - 3Y
 
Improve your levels rehearsing in the Garage at least three times a week, before you play your next 'Gig'. The computer will give you bespoke questions depending on your answers and speed.

Each class can have the speediest TT Rock Star and that gets you up the status board on the poster below. To get on this board you must tackle the single player game in the 'Studio', multi-player does not count for these. These also earn more coins than the multiplayer games too. 

Plenty of action so last week's most improved speedsters in each class are:

Class  Name  Title
2W Matthew Headliner
2W Lewis Wannabe
3Y James Rockstar
3Y Timi Breakthrough Artist
3Y Shiv  Unsigned Act
3Y Alex T Headliner
4M Alex Wannabe
4M Zahra Headliner
5F Katherine Rockstar
5F Faris Rockstar
5F Chloe Headliner
5F James Breakthrough Artist
6W Sahana Rockstar
 
I have also set up a 'Battle' from Friday 9-15 October, 'Girls Vs Boys' for the whole school. 

Battles add up any points at all as you play! I will let you know who wins in the next Courier.

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

Stay Calm and Keep Rocking!

Art Frizzmeister 
Deputy Head

Around The Classes

Reception Roundup

Please click on the link below to read all about what the Reception Classes have been learning this week.  Please scroll through the gallery of photos attached to this article.

Reception Round Up - 9 October 2020

Mrs Pullen and Mrs Emery
Reception Class Teachers
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Class 1S Maths

This week we have been concentrating on learning the value of teens numbers by partitioning. To help the children practise this, Year 1 have been getting to grips with how a calculator works, and by adding 10 to a single unit: checking to see if their teens numbers match!

This has been a good introduction to understanding number sentences too.

Mrs Stapleton
Class 1S Form Teacher
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Class 3Y Science

Class 3Y has been investigating how to make shadows. They have learnt that opaque, translucent and transparent objects make different types of shadows. They have experimented how to make their shadows bigger and smaller.

Mrs Byrne
Head of Science and DT
View Gallery

Class 4M French

Class 4M have made an excellent start to the year. This is the year when the children not only listen and speak in French but also learn to read and write in French.

Some children have made such an amazing start that they have been awarded a Junior da Vinci Practice sticker.

In their lesson this week, the children put their newly acquired skills to the test by putting together a jigsaw puzzle matching French and English sentences then writing their own sentences in French.

Well done Class 4M!

Madame Tatton
MFL Teacher
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Class 5F English - Embedding Self-Regulation

One of our whole school targets this year is to embed self-regulation. Class 5F showed they were aiming to meet this whole school target while writing up on the computers a newspaper report about a UFO sighting. Using technology, the children could continually, check and edit by themselves.

Mr Adkins and Mrs Webb were working with the children to answer any questions that arose. Some fantastic work was produced. 

Mrs Webb and Mr Adkins
Class 5F English Teacher and Head of Digital Learning
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Class 5F French Penpals

The letters from our penpals in Lomme, northern France, finally arrived today and the children were brimming with excitement, reading the letters from their new friends and discovering their faces on photos.

We cannot wait for our lesson next week when we can write our replies.

Madame Tatton
MFL Teacher

 

View Gallery

Co-Curricular Forest School

Today we played Squirrels - each (child) squirrel hid four acorns in the little woodlands and we then went on a walk, playing games and acting out woodland animals.  This was to distract our minds to see if we could remember where we hid our acorns, as squirrels are famous for being forgetful!

We returned to the forest and after a tense few minutes, all our squirrels were able to find some, if not all, of their acorns. Phew!

All our Crescent squirrels get to live through the winter.

Madame Tatton
MFL Teacher
View Gallery

Co-Curricular Story Club

In story club the children have had fun designing treasure maps, after reading 'Plunge into the Pirate Pool' we even tried out our pirate voices.

Ooh Aarr!

Mrs Olner
Teaching Assistant
View Gallery

School Promise

School Promise Rule Of The Week

Over the course of the school year we will, in turn, focus on one of the elements of the School Promise. We will talk about it in assembly and in form period. It would be great if you could discuss it with your children at home and support the messages we are emphasising in school.

This week we continue with the category of Good Citizens.

‘We try to keep safe and be responsible’

Mr Webb
Assistant Head

Digital Citizenship

Courier E-Safety Article - Alexa & Echo

Once the stuff solely of Science Fiction (look up George Orwell’s telescreens in 1984 if you really want to scare yourself!), Artificially Intelligent ‘smart speakers’ such as the Amazon Alexa and Echo are now a common sight in homes and are beginning to play a larger part in our lives. In most cases simply taking the place of a radio in the kitchen or bedroom, they can be incredible useful and fun tools for anything from quickly finding the answer to a question, setting a reminder, ordering dishwasher tablets or listening to your favourite songs.

They do however raise a number of E-Safety concerns, both for adults and children. The first of these is over the issue of privacy, the thought that Alexa could be listening in on not just your requests and commands, but all of your private conversations, recording this data and passing it straight on to commercial companies for targeted advertising and market research. There is also bigger issue for children over age-appropriate content, as if parental restrictions aren’t set up young children could for example very easily listen to songs with explicit lyrics.

In a different light there is new research suggesting that AI ‘smart speakers’ could be having a detrimental effect on the way in which children actually interact with technology. As well as over-reliance on a device that ‘can do everything for you at a simple command’, it also raised issues of trust with a speaker that seems friendly and almost human, that could lead younger users to oversharing personal and private information and believing everything they hear without question. Please have a look at the attached guide that goes into a little more detail about these concerns and has some handy tips for using them safely.

If you have any further questions or concerns, or would like advice on a different E-Safety issue, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Mr Adkins
Head of Digital Learning

FoC Events

FoC Active October

Thursday 1 - Saturday 31 October 2020

Hopefully you are underway with your Active October challenges but if not please don't worry here are the details again. We are going to challenge everyone in the Crescent family to get active this October. Each child will be able to set their own challenge according to their age, ability and time available e.g. I’m going to walk 5000 steps every day in October, or I'm going to cycle/scoot/walk around Draycote, and gain sponsorship from friends and family for this.

The money raised will then go towards:

  • The school charity for this term, which is the Hope 4 Project, a homeless charity in Rugby. They are planning to use this money on a project in their building likely to be updating the heating system.
  • Equipment for the Crescent school classes e.g. games, stationery and items chosen by the children to be used in privilege time.

We would love to see pictures of the children working on and completing their challenges so please send in your pictures and we can put these into the courier. 

Click here to download the sponsorship form.

We have also produced a video for all the children at school that was shown in assembly last week. Once again thank you to everyone who sent in videos and to Mr Adkins for pulling this together for us. 

Click here to watch the video

Zara Corbin
FoC Chair

Virtual Parents Quiz Night – Friday 9 October 2020

Anyone is welcome to join our parents quiz this evening. To join please use zoom and the details below to enable you to log on at 7.30pm for a 7.45pm start.

The quiz will be run using the app Kahoot so please download this in advance on another device. Ms Forth will give participants the log on code for Kahoot as the quiz begins.  

  • www.zoom.us
  • Personal Meeting ID: 381 754 8788
  • Password: focquiz

We are asking for a donation of £5 per household team which if possible please deposited into the FoC account in advance of the event.

The details are as follows:

  • Account name: Friends of Crescent
  • Sort code: 30-97-17 
  • Account number: 01174774

There are prizes up for grabs! Looking forward to seeing you there.

Zara Corbin
FoC Chair

Children's Virtual Bingo - Friday 13 November 2020

Friday 13 November 2020 at 6.00pm

We will be looking to hold virtual bingo for all pupils. Further details on this will be sent out in the next couple of weeks.

Zara Corbin
FoC Chair

FoC

FoC Fast Facts

Inez (Alex and Lucas' Mum) has kindly pulled together some information to inform parents what the FoC does and what the FoC has purchased from money raised. 

Please click on the photo to see the FoC Fast Facts!

Thank you Inez.

Zara Corbin
FoC Chair

FoC - Contact Information

Below are the details of the FoC Year Group Representatives. These reps will communicate with you on all our events via email, whatsapp or facebook. 

Year Group 1st Rep 2nd Rep
Reception RE Hannah Gowney-Hedges  
Reception RP Zainab Remi-Omosowon  
Year 1 Vicky Morley Lisa Millward
Year 2 Sanda Mocanu Fatima Masood
Year 3 Inez de Koning Karen Williams
Year 4 Emilie Crowfoot Claire Brosnan
Year 5 Semma King Anita Somerset
Year 6 Kal Mistry Amy Sarkies

 

Chairpnerson Zara Corbin chair@friendsofcrescent.co.uk
Treasurer  Nick Brosnan  treasurer@friendsofcrescent.co.uk
Secretary Amy Sarkies secretary@friendsofcrescent.co.uk
Staff Reps
Ms Forth and
Mrs Webb
 
FoC  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofcrescent/
Zara Corbin
FoC Chair

 

 

   

 

 

Housekeeping

Lunch Menu Week Commencing 12 October 2020

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

Lunch Menu - week commencing 12 October 2020 

As a last day of term treat on Friday and a favourite of the children, the All Day Breakfast is on the menu!

Crescent School Office

 

Safeguarding Issues - Pupils Arriving At School And Collection

Please ensure that you wait with your child(ren) at drop off until the school's opening at 8.15am.  It is only at this time that school becomes responsible for all children's safe care. Before this time it is a parental duty.

Please note, however, that all children can be brought to the front door at any time from 7.45am - 8.15am where they will be welcomed and looked after by our Early Bird staff as appropriate for their age. This does not need to be booked in advance.

Also please let the school office and/or your child's form teacher know if someone else will be collecting your child at the end of the day. We cannot release pupils without this information.

Many thanks

Mr Webb
Designated Safeguarding Lead 

Term Dates 2020-21

Please find below term dates for 2020/21:

Michaelmas Term
Term starts Tuesday 1 September 2020
Half Term Saturday 17 October to Sunday 1 November 2020
Term ends Tuesday 15 December 2020

Lent Term
Term starts Tuesday 5 January 2021
Half Term Saturday 13 February to Sunday 21 February 2021
Term ends Friday 26 March 2021

Trinity Term
Term starts Monday 19 April 2021
May Bank holiday - Monday 31 May 2021 (no school)
Half Term Saturday 29 May to Sunday 6 June 2021
Term ends Tuesday 6 July 2021

Useful School Contact Information

Please see below for useful school contact information:

Crescent School Office
01788 521595
admin@crescentschool.co.uk
Postal address: Crescent School, Bawnmore Road, Bilton, Rugby CV22 7QH
 
After School Club
01788 523850
 
Bills, Fees and Online Payment
01926 634273
georginamalin@princethorpe.co.uk
 
Registrar
01788 523851
admissions@crescentschool.co.uk
 
School Shop and Uniform
01926 634272
uniform@princethorpe.co.uk
 
Princethorpe College General Office
01926 634200
post@princethorpe.co.uk
 
Pathfinders Nursery
01788 813666
info@pathfindersnursery.co.uk
 
twitter:    @CrescentSchRug
facebook: @cres.school

Term Dates For 2021-22

Please find below the term dates for 2021-22:

Michaelmas Term
Term starts Monday 6 September 2021
Half Term Saturday 16 October to Sunday 31 October 2021
Term ends Tuesday 14 December 2021

Lent Term
Term starts Wednesday 5 January 2022
Half Term Saturday 19 February to Sunday 27 February 2022
Term ends Tuesday 5 April 2022

Trinity Term
Term starts Monday 25 April 2022
May Bank Holiday Monday 2 May 2022 (no school)
Half Term Saturday 28 May to Sunday 5 June 2022
Term ends Wednesday 6 July 2022

Uniform Shop Opening Hours

The School Shop will not open to parents at the end of the school day for the time being. If you need to contact the School shop please email in the first instance to uniform@princethorpe.co.uk.

When ordered items are ready for collection, they will be sent to Crescent School.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

 

 

 

 

Anti-Fraud

Cyber-crime – please be extra vigilant

Parents are asked to be vigilant when reading emails relating to the payment of school fees and any other items to the Foundation.

We continue to receive reports regarding spam emails.  The latest scam offers a large discount on fees for the coming academic year if paid immediately.

This is probably trying to take advantage of the fact that some independent schools have offered discounts for this term and that parents may therefore be more open to such a suggestion. You can always protect yourselves by only making payments to us in line with our normal, published methods.

As advised, there has been no change to the bank details of either Princethorpe College, Crackley Hall or Crescent and there is no intention to make any changes in the foreseeable future. Any electronic notification that appears to be from any of the Foundation schools changing these details may be fraudulent.  Our bank details are available on the Parent Bills, the Online Payment Portal and in the Information Booklet for each school, and only those details should be used.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my colleagues in the Bursary if you are have any doubts about the correct details or indeed if anything appears suspicious. 

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar



 

The Princethorpe Foundation Employment Opportunities

The Foundation has the following vacancies:

  • Princethorpe College - Cover Supervisor
  • 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.

COVID-19

Face Coverings On School Grounds

In line with other local schools and Warwickshire County Council’s message below, please wear face coverings on school grounds (if you are able) when dropping off and collecting children. 

Please remember there is plenty of space around school to socially distance.

Many thanks for you for your co-operation.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

Letter For Parents About COVID-19 Symptoms

Public Health England have produced a letter for schools to distribute to parents which explains when a person requires a coronavirus test and what the symptoms of coronavirus are. They have asked us to share and circulate this letter amongst parents at the school.

The intention of the letter is to help prevent children being taken out of school unnecessarily and answer some of the questions parents may have around testing.

You can view the letter here.

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Covid Symptoms Guidance And School Process

Children or adults with symptoms must not enter school. Parents must check for symptoms each day before bringing their child into school.

The main symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:

  • a high temperature – please, if you have not already done so, source a thermometer to check temperatures at home
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

Any children or adult who develops symptoms will need to leave the building as soon as possible and be tested for Covid-19.

Details on testing can be obtained at www gov uk/get-coronavirus-test or call the Test and Trace Helpdesk on 119.

Hand held thermometers will be used to check the temperature of any individual feeling unwell. Children who develop symptoms during the school day will be taken to the Meeting Room and their parents called to come and collect the child, as well as any siblings of the child.

Other members of the household should self-isolate for 14 days from when the symptomatic person first had symptoms, or until a negative test result is returned.

In the event of a positive test result the full protocols of test and trace will be followed www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works#

Children returning from restricted areas outside UK must self-isolate as advised by the government guidance before returning to school.

 

Test And Trace

Do not wait, if you have symptoms, get a test as soon as possible.  You need to get the test done in the first five days of having symptoms. Anyone with symptoms can be tested. 

For more information on testing please follow the link below, tests can also be booked by calling 119.  www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing-and-tracing/get-a-test-to-check-if-you-have-coronavirus/

If you or any member of your household is contacted by NHS Test and Trace and advised to self-isolate it is vital that you do so.  If any pupil has been advised to self-isolate or is off school due to illness, please inform the school via the attendance line in the usual way and arrangements can be made for work to be sent home.

If you have recently returned from another country please follow the rules for re-entering the UK and self-isolate if you have been advised to do so. For information see www.gov.uk/uk-border-control.