The Courier

Dear Parents

Welcome to this week’s newsletter.

This Wednesday, the whole school met on the playground for our annual Remembrance Service. The children read beautifully and Alyssa’s rendition of the Last Post was the best I can remember. It was poignant to note that this was the first time we had met together as a whole school since last March, which gave the occasion extra meaning for us all. I had started the week with an assembly considering the service and sacrifice of our NHS during the Covid crisis and asked the children to think about this as we reflected on the service and sacrifice of past generations.

The success of the service inspired thoughts about how we could repeat something similar on a Christmas theme. Thanks to Mrs Olner’s suggestion on this, we are looking at doing an advent celebration on the playground early in December where we can gather and light the lights on the Christmas tree with some carols and cookies. I am sure it is something staff and children will be able to enjoy together.

I have had to cancel a number of my own appointments this week because of the lockdown which has given me the chance to spend extra time working as a ‘Super TA’ elsewhere in the school. I have enjoyed time reading with Reception and Year 3 as well as working in Year 4. The plan is to keep this going over the next few weeks and it is great for me to spend more time with the children in their classrooms. Every cloud has a silver lining.

You will have received some books for home learning this week as part of our contingency planning for children who need to self-isolate. Don’t panic, this isn’t due to any insider knowledge but simple a precaution to make us as well prepared as we can be. We have also had lovely new branded exercise books in use this term and this is chance to put some older stock to good use.

This weekend is a special celebration for a number of families at Crescent as it marks the festival of Diwali. We lit divas in assembly this morning and told the story of Rama and Sita, ably narrated by two of our Year 6 girls. If you are celebrating this weekend, I hope you have a wonderful time in spite of all the current restrictions.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

At the end of this week we say goodbye to our Afterschool Manager, Mrs Diana Gregory. Diana has been with us for just over a year and brought a lovely fresh approach to the way we run this important part of our provision. I know she is well loved by the children who attend and they will miss her, I am quite sure. Mrs Gregory is looking forward to spending more time with her husband and family in their new house as they plan to relocate.

The recruitment of her successor has been ongoing over the last few weeks and I am now delighted to be able to announce that we have appointed Ms Beverley Hunte. Beverley is very well qualified for the post as she has the added advantage of being a fully qualified teacher with many years of experience. She impressed us all at her interview and during the last week where she has been working alongside the current team with a view to taking the reins from next Monday.

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 - 16 November 2020 

Please note the following:

• Class 1S Forest School - please can wellies be sent into school

• Classes 3Y and 4M Ball Skills - trainers are needed for ball skills

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

On Wednesday 11 November, Crescent School gathered outside on the playground. Headmaster, Joe Thackway, led a short service, reminding the children about the significance of the poppy and why we pause to remember. At 11am, Year 6, Alyssa played the Last Post on her cornet and the children and staff observed the two-minute silence.

A link to the service will be circulated to parents.

In school this week, Remembrance has featured in the children’s learning, both in written and creative activities. Class 3Y wrote acrostic poems and made poppies after learning about the importance of Remembrance Day, then they produced first-hand recounts of times during the Second World War. Class 1E made their own poppies which are all now mounted on the noticeboard in a super stunning display.

Crescent School will always remember.

Two talented young musicians from the Crescent School are celebrating after successfully auditioning for the National Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain.

Alyssa Barnett plays the cornet while Charlotte Corbin the trombone, both have been taking lessons at school since they were seven-years-old and are stalwarts of the school orchestra and brass group. Both also play for the local Bilton Silver Training Band.

The girls auditioned for the prestigious National Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain in October. With the restrictions of the pandemic, they had to pre-record their audition pieces but play their scales and take the sight-reading test on a Zoom call. It was a nerve-wracking experience so they were especially delighted when they received the exciting news last weekend that they had been selected.

Crescent School’s Director of Music, Julie Barnes, said “This is a huge achievement for Alyssa and Charlotte and we are delighted and very proud of them. Both girls have worked very hard in preparation for this and thoroughly deserve their places in the band.”

As part of National Children’s Brass Band, the girls will attend an intensive residential course in the summer holidays where they will get to play with the very best brass players in the country.

Hello

My name is Beverley Hunte and I am delighted to have been appointed as the Afterschool Manager at Crescent School.

My background is mostly an educational one having taught for over 25 years.  I have links and fond memories with the Princethorpe Foundation as one of my children attended the Crescent School nursery many years ago.  I have also taught Junior 5 and Junior 6 at Crackley Hall School.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Thackway, the staff here and in particular Mrs Gregory and the children for making me feel so welcome and I would like to wish Mrs Gregory good health and happiness as she starts a new path in her life.

I am looking forward to working with the children and my new colleagues - Miss Hanson and Miss V and meeting parents soon in person as they collect their children.

Mr Thackway has really enjoyed being a Super TA this week and we couldn't resist taking some photos of him enjoying reading with pupils in Reception and Class 3Y. Of course the children were all a little nervous reading to Mr Thackway but very proud to be able to show off their skill.

Crescent School

Year 4 pupil, Saira is a budding film star. Saira has been busy filming educational musical videos for an international publishing company. The videos will be used by schools around the world for their students who are learning English. They feature song and dance routines that are fun and catchy.

Saira’s passion for acting and drama began two years ago after she did her first LAMDA exam at Crescent School and was awarded a distinction. Two years later, and with four LAMDA exams under her belt, all distinctions, it is clear that Saira also has a lot of talent.

Alongside drama and acting, Saira loves to dance and she has been training since she was just 2-years-old. She dances in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and attends competitions performing duets and trios as well as taking part in musical theatre shows.

So, all those dancing and acting skills made her the perfect choice for the educational musical videos. And she fits her filming and training in alongside all her studies.

A huge well done Saira, it is great to see you working hard and trying your best!

We love sharing cards here at Crescent School but we are very aware of keeping everybody safe. Our plan is that we will welcome cards, but that these will need to be put in our special Christmas post-box which we will situate near the staff room.

This will be available from Monday 30 November and all cards must be in before Thursday 10 December to allow a good quarantine time.  The cards will then be sorted by the Year 6 children who will wear gloves on Monday 14 December, ready to be then given to each child. 

Things to remember:

• Please do not lick down envelopes

• Put the full name of the recipient on the envelope and their class

• All cards to be in before 10 December

Many thanks

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

Each class is planning to hold a Christmas Party in the last week of term.  Your child(ren)'s form tutor will let you know when and any other requirements for it in due course.

This will be a great opportunity for the children to socialise safely and enjoy some jolly festivities.

Thank you for your support with this.

The competition deadline has been extended to Wenesday 2 December 2020.  Sophia from Year 2 send in a copy of her wonderful entry - well done Sophia and good luck.  

From Panto Online:

We would like you to design a special ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ poster for Panto Online!  We are asking children aged 16 and under to design a poster for ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ with the winning entries receiving a special prize including their poster professionally printed, a live Zoom with Dame Trott and a feature in First News.

Use anything you like from colouring pencils, to paint, to glitter, your smart tablet and maybe even some 3D additions - with any characters you want to feature from Jack to the Giant and every bean in-between!

The entries will be entered in to three categories:

• 6 years and under
• 7 - 12 years
• 13 -16 years

You just need to take a picture of your final masterpiece and send it to us on social media (@PantoOnline) or at info@pantoonline.co.uk by Wednesday 2 December 2020.

All entries will be featured on Panto Online's Facebook gallery and the winners will be chosen by ex-Blue Peter presenters!

So what are you waiting for…? Get creative!  

Buy some books for Christmas for your friends and family using our Scholastic Book Club.

Don’t forget that our latest Scholastic Book Club is now online at https://schools.scholastic.co.uk/the-crescent/digital-book-club. There are hundreds of fantastic children’s books to choose from, and every £1 you spend on this month’s Book Club will earn 20p for our school in Scholastic Rewards.

Please place your order online by 1 December 2020. I may be able to get the books to school prior to the closing date if there is a total order of over £30. 

You may wish to look at the brochure for inspiration: 

Scholastic Book Club

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

Monday 9 November to Saturday 14 November 2020

As part of our commitment to make Maths exciting and high profile in our school, this November we are taking part in a competition for Maths Week England. It’s called Rock Out 2020 and it’s all done online via play.ttrockstars.com.

For every correct answer to a multiplication or division question, your child will earn their class a point. The Times Tables Rock Stars platform will calculate the class average (the number of correct answers per pupil in the class who play during the competition hours). Winning classes in the school and in the country as a whole will be the ones with the highest average.

All game modes (Gig, Garage, Studio, etc.) will count but only from games played between 7.30am and 7.30pm on Monday 9 - Saturday 14 November 2020.

In the spirit of the competition, please do not play on children's behalf but by all means encourage and support them to the extent that it does not cause high stress levels or impact on family plans. We suggest a limit of half an hour a day outside school hours – some will play more, some will play less.

Thank you for your support.

Stay Calm and Keep Rocking!

Monday 16 November - 6.30pm to 7.30pm

The Headmaster and the Admissions Team at Princethorpe College will be holding a Virtual Q&A session on Monday 16 November from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

This is a chance for parents to ask any last questions relating to the admissions process and Entrance Examinations Day on Saturday 23 January in an informal forum, before the registration deadline of Friday 4 December.

If you would like to attend this virtual event please click here to register. A link to the Teams event will be sent via email prior to the event.

To access our Revised 2021 Admissions and Entrance Examinations Booklet, and to download the Registration and Scholarship Forms please click here.

Crescent School will be hosting a Virtual Reception Open Evening and Live Q&A on Tuesday 17 November from 7.00pm to 8.00pm.

The evening is designed to give parents an insight into the Early Years at Crescent School and the firm foundation we give our children for their future learning.

During the online event there will be a presentation by our Headmaster, Joe Thackway and Assistant Head (Head of Pre-Prep), Alan Webb. The evening will also feature a short video focusing on life in Reception and prospective parents will have the opportunity to ask questions via a live chat facility. To register for the event please complete the form here.

For more information on admissions or the event please email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk or call 01788 523851 and speak to our Registrar, Helen Morley.

Friday 27 November 2020

Children will be decorating the school for Christmas on Friday 27 November 2020.  They are able to wear a festive accessory with their school uniform such as a Christmas hat, hair accessory or tinsel.

It is a day the children look forward to every year and you will be able to see see their work in the virtual 'open corridors' video which will be circulated to parents in December.

Crescent School

Monday 30 November 2020 - 9.30am to 5.15pm

Music Exams will be held on Monday 30 November 2020 between 9.30am and 5.15pm. Times will be sent out nearer the time.

Good luck to all the children. 

Mrs Barnes
Director of Music

Friday 4 December 2020

In the school calendar we had scheduled to have Open Corridors on Friday 4 December 2020, due to current restrictions, this will not be possible. We know how important it is for parents to be involved in their child's learning and the children love to share their work and their school so we are creating a virtual open corridor to enjoy from the comfort of your own home.

This link will be shared via an ISAMS message on Friday 4 December.

We are determined not to miss the joy of our Carol Service this year, which is usually held in the final days of term, so we have planned a virtual experience that will involve each class (this is an extra treat as it usually an upper school treat).

We will be sharing it with you on Monday 14 December so you can enjoy the experience as a family over the Christmas holidays.  More details will follow nearer the time.

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

Wednesday 16 December and Thursday 17 December 2020 (times to be confirmed)

As you are aware Grammar School scores are scheduled to be released mid-December.  However, School may have finished for the term by then.

Mr Thackway and I will be available at some point on the days of Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 December to talk to parents about the results that they have received.

We will make bookings times available nearer the time.

This week we would like to congratulate these children for becoming JdV students:

• Alyssa in Science
• James M in Maths 
• Jay in Maths
• Leela in English
• Matthew in Maths
• Katherine in Science
• Kai in Science
• Sophie M in English

Mrs Webb
Assistant Head

Congratulations to Alice for reading 500,000 words and to Alyssa for reading one million words.

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

• Amber
• Lewis
• Roisin C
• Tomisin

Well done to you all.

This week Playground Conduct Awards are:

• Good Friend for Max T for always being kind to his friends on the playground
• Good Citizen for Sam M for joining in wholeheartedly when playing with his friends, showing respect and kindness

Lunchtime Supervisors

Weekly battle 6 - 12 November:

• Boys scored 23,205 points
• Girls scored   7,357 points

Well done, Boys' Team, again!

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

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:

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!

Class 2W were investigating living, non-living and once lived objects in three different habitats around the school grounds in their science lesson this week. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves comparing leaves on the trees with leaves on the floor as well as natural and man-made objects amongst many other things. 

Year 3 had great fun practising the French names for the planets in our Solar system. As children learn better when they are moving and associating actions with words, Year 3 went outside to practise actions to aid memorisation.

They also used their listening skills to run to the correct planet cards as called out by Mrs Dowling, which as you can see form the photos was lots of fun!

Finally, they also played a game where a ball is passed around the class; as the ball passes from one child to another they name the next planet.

Just before half term, Class 3Y enjoyed an afternoon planning an escape to warmer destinations. We had already travelled virtually around the world on Expedia.com and this time we browsed through brochures in the 'old-fashioned' way.

Children had to say why they had made their choices and what the perfect holiday needed. Reasons mostly revolved around the size of the pool and food!

During a year where many trips have had to be cancelled, it was a lovely way to spend the afternoon.

We watched some first hand accounts of life during WW2 and then created our own acrostic poems. The children were thoughtful in their creations and all of them expressed their gratitude for the sacrifices made by those in conflict so that we can live in peace today.

Class 4M have been researching and designing their kites this week. They have made practice ones out of newspaper and tested them outside. It was a rather windy day and they certainly found out which designs work best!

Class 6W have been learning about masculine and feminine nouns and adjectives in Latin. They made a game where they had to match adjectives with animal names and played it in class. They had fun coming up with combinations such as 'naughty chicken', 'very small cow' and 'lazy frog'!

Over the weekend Chloe B, Ellie, Maisie, Poppy and Roisin B all took part in a virtual Remembrance weekend with their Brownie 1st division Cawston.

They made delicious lemonade scones; created a vortex out of a bottle and balloon; shared stories decorated remembrance stones and made dens to sleep in. The stones were placed at the memorial in Dunchurch.

On Sunday morning they gathered again to make a poppy and hold a two minutes silence.  Ellie was very proud to carry the flag.  

It was a lovely weekend for the Brownies to take part in.

There are lots of lovely photos in the photo gallery.

Crescent School

The weather was gorgeous today and the fallen leaves were dry and crisp, brimming with different colours. 1S Forest School Club used the leaves and other natural materials to make crowns.

For a two or three week period this year we will be focusing on one of the sayings in the new School Promise. We will talk about this in assembly and in form period.

This week we are back to the category of Good Friends and the idea of forgiveness and working things out. We all know that children don’t always get things right in their friendships and this can end up in upset and worry. Being able to say ‘sorry’ and ‘that’s okay’ can make all the difference.

Please support this message at home with your children.

‘We forgive each other and work things out together’

This week our Year 6 Podcasting club have started work on the brand new Crescent School podcast, which will be full of news, reviews, interviews, quizzes, music and so much more!

Watch this space!

Reception pupils travelled to the Jungle using the Jungle Run book by Tony Mitten as their stimulus.  Pupils re-created movements to represent each animal from the book, slithering like snakes, stomping like elephants and pouncing like the lions. They then linked these movements together to create a short sequence, developing co-ordination, balance and agility.  

Year 1 are using traditional tales to help build movement and dance, this week it was the turn of ‘the three little pigs’.  Pupils looked at using different travelling movements to represent each little pig and developed the use of moving on different pathways creating circles, zig zags and straight lines.  They created different balances to show each little pig's house, using different numbers of body parts for their balances to show how strong each pig's house was. 

For the last two weeks Year 2 have been creating movement and dance using The Gunpowder Plot and Fireworks as their stimuli.  This week they developed group dances to show a firework display with fireworks exploding in unison and canon.  Pupils showed great teamwork, leadership and creativity.

Pupils in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 have worked extremely hard in fitness lessons completing circuit training sessions to help improve their cardio-vascular fitness, muscular endurance and flexibility.

Older pupils have written their own personal goals, linked to sports that they play inside and outside of school, and selected specific exercises to help them achieve their goals. The effort and work rate from all students has been absolutely superb.

The Youth Sport Trust, a national children’s charity supporting young people’s wellbeing is starting a free online ‘After School Sport Club’ to keep children active in this our second lockdown.  The 30-minute club will take place at 5pm each weekday and will be led by a different Athlete Mentor each night.

The club is aimed at Primary school children and will have a different theme each day of the week 

• Adventure Monday
• Tuesday Play
• Wild Wednesday
• Thinking Thursday
• Fun Friday

Friday 4 December 2020 

Unfortunately this event has had to be cancelled.  We may be able to reschedule to later in the Term.

After five wonderful years for me as Chair of the FoC and for Amy Sarkies as Secretary, the time has come, with both our children nearly leaving the school, to resign our positions on the committee. We both feel that now would be a great time for a new team to come together to take the Friends of Crescent forward. 

To provide continuity Nick Brosnan will remain on the committee and will be looking for individuals to put themselves forward as either Chair, Secretary or in any other capacity to work alongside him.

So if you would like to get involved or would like further information please email Nick at treasurer@friendsofcrescent.co.uk by Friday 27 November 2020.

We have pulled together lists of what’s involved so even if you’re limited on time and can’t necessarily attend the meetings there will be ways to get involved. 

Both Amy and I will continue in our positions until Christmas and will be on hand to help work with the new team as they transition forward. 

So, please contact Nick if you feel you can help with this amazing committee.

Kind regards

More of the wonderful activities children have been doing for Active October have been sent in:

• Esme in Year 4 had a very 'Active October' by cycling through Sherwood Forest and trying out as many different activities as she could on her holiday to Centre Parcs during half-term. Esme raised £160 by cycling 10 miles through Sherwood Forest and having a go at tennis, table tennis, football pool, quad biking, kayaking, adventure golf, archery, off-road driving, Segwaying and she also reached level 4 on the Nintendo Switch Ring Fit Adventure on the one rainy day.

• Kian has now completed his Active October activities. When Kian's family spoke about it and the cause (they are familiar and have previously supported Hope4), he said that he wanted to take some meals for the homeless he had seen around Rugby town. So to tie in the active part - he cycled 5km all around town to take meals to homeless individuals.

• Brothers Max and Edward cycled round Draycote for their challenge. The furthest they’ve been before is about three times round Alwyn Road!

• For Aria's Active October challenge she did 10 minutes of Bhangra dancing every day in October and raised an amazing £295! 

Well done to all.

Crescent School

So far Active October has raised £1,518 in total! What a fantastic effort and we’ve got more sponsorship coming in daily!

Please could we request that all the sponsorship money is paid directly into the FoC account by the end of the month if possible. The bank details are as follows:

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

Crescent Lunch Menu

Children are able to have either of the main options.

Crescent School Office

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

Please find below term dates for 2020/21 and 2021/22:

Please see below for useful school contact information:

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

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.

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.

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.