The Courier

Dear Parents

Following the high number of COVID cases in recent weeks it has been lovely to get back to something approaching normality. We have had only two pupil and one staff absence this week which represents an enormous and rapid drop in numbers. As a result, we have been able to relax some of our control measures, with assemblies and meetings taking place again in person. Let us hope this can continue on through the rest of the school year.

We have focused this week in school on Children's Mental Health Week and what we can do as individuals and as a community to make sure our wellbeing is given the priority that it really deserves. This has fitted in very nicely with the whole school annual target of promoting a growth mindset and this week has been a great way to celebrate our progress so far and also to take us to the next stage.

I was delighted to attend the home sports fixtures on Tuesday, when the Under 9 and Under 8 teams hosted netball and rugby matches against Twycross School. Twycross made for very polite but competitive opposition and set our children a physical challenge that they all embraced. Along with the cross country and netball fixtures of recent weeks, it feels like sport is properly back on the agenda.

This highlight was only narrowly topped by my trip out to the Princethorpe College wildlife pond (Little Swiss) with the Year 6 children. They had been working hard in school with Mrs Johnson preparing for a design competition to make and sail boats. All of the designs worked, at least to some extent, and it was great to see the tremendous range of ideas and sheer ingenuity that they all brought to the event.

This is a long half term for the children, but we are nearly there with just a week to go. I hope you can all take a breather this weekend and the children will come back prepared and ready for one more week before a well-deserved half term break.

Best wishes

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

Below is the link for next week's school calendar.   

Weekly Calendar - 14 February 2022 

Please note the following:

• Reception Imagination and Story Club changes to Group 2
• Pre-Prep Multi Sports changes to Group 2
• Thursday - Senior Drama Club is cancelled due to LAMDA exams

Do check the calendar and SOCS for any updates.

MySchoolPortal

Crescent School

Today in school pupils have been off timetable and enjoying taking part in a carousel of activities for our ‘Growth Mindset’ day. Pupils have completed enrichment sessions to develop their skills in different ways, encouraging them to think, approach and participate creatively.

Hard work, effort, and persistence are important, but for real success it is also important to have a growth mindset. A mindset that thrives on challenge, that sees mistakes as a springboard to learn, a mindset that allows the child to thrive.

Alongside all the activities, we have also been lucky enough to have some professional life coaches and teamwork experts visiting this week who have delivered some dynamic and thought-provoking workshops. Many thanks to Mrs Gill, Mrs Mercer and Mr Stapleton.

The children have all had a great day nurturing their growth mindset, it’s been a fitting way to finish Children’s Mental Health Week.

In next week's Courier we will have a full article on our Growth Mindset Day but for now we hope you enjoy these photos from the day.  

Crescent School

Year 6 children made and wrote cards and letters for Mrs Lines to thank her for the new benches and tables for the quiet area at the front of the school’s Horton Centre.

What a lovely thought.

Crescent School

Many congratulations to Year 6 pupil Chloe Sarkies who won the U11 Brass class at the Loughborough Schools Foundation Music Competition last Sunday 6 February.

Organised by the Loughborough Schools Music faculty, the open competition was for aspiring young players from across the Midlands providing them with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate their musical skills in front of a professional specialist.

Competing against talented musicians, Chloe played 'The Acrobat' on her trombone and really impressed her judge, the renowned brass player, Morgan Griffiths. Mr Griffiths is an international euphonium player and Senior Lecturer at Leeds Conservatoire of Music and the winner of many European Championships and British Open titles. As feedback on Chloe’s performance, Mr Griffiths commented, ‘Some very good moments and I like the style’ and ‘Good confident entry.’

Chloe is another Crescent School pupil who first started learning the trombone in Year 2 in the school’s Mini Brass club and now plays for the school’s orchestra and brass group.

Director of Music, Julie Barnes, said, “We are all delighted for Chloe. She has worked hard in preparation for this competition, and we are very proud of her success.”

Well done Chloe, what a talented trombonist you are!

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

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

We believe it empowers the children and gives them the responsibility to strive to achieve their own set goals.

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

After half-term, we will return to quizzing only being available at school. Quizzing will continue to be made available to the children isolating due to Covid. 

At the start of the Easter holidays, a story about a boy evacuated during WW2 is being brought to life at Rugby Theatre.

Running from 8 - 16 April, Goodnight Mr Tom provides an opportunity to learn more about this key stage in our national history and also to support our local theatre.

Tickets are available from www.rugbytheatre.com.

Afterschool Club is busier than ever! With so many children joining us everyday, we would appreciate any donations of dressing up costumes, outside equipment (cricket bats, balls, skipping ropes), roleplay toys (plastic food, dolls and doll clothes, cars etc.) 

Please leave them in/on the box outside main reception.

Thank you

As part of the Big Garden Bird Watch, a Year 6 pupil is raising money for the RSPB by selling pin badges. 

If your child would like a pin badge please send in £1 with them next week to collect from the school office.

Click here for more information.

Crescent School

This is a great competition that many of you may be interested in, if you are interested in writing and illustrating:

https://www.readingzone.com/creative-projects/how-to-make-a-picture-book/

Monday 14 February 2022

As part of our studies on World War II, Year 3 and Year 4 will be taking part in a morning of activities linked to this on Monday 14 February.

To help get into the spirit of the day, we would like the children to come to school dressed as evacuees for the day. 

Thursday 17 February 2022

LAMDA exams take place on the above date for those children who have been registered.  

The timetable has been circulated to parents this week.

Friday 18 February 2022

We will be holding a non-uniform day on Friday 18 February with all proceeds going to this term's chosen charity, Bwengu Projects. 

Please send a £1 donation with your child to be given to their form teacher.

Thank you.

Mrs Monteith and Mrs Stapleton
Class 3Y and 4M Form Teachers

Monday 28 February to Friday 4 March - 8.15am to 8.40am

During the week commencing Monday 28 February parents are invited to come in to school from 8.15am to 8.40am to watch and support their child in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 while they quiz on their reading books.

The quiz platform is not available at home so it is a super opportunity for parents to share the experience.

Half-term is a great time for your child to finish reading a book and that will give you an extra excuse to see your child at work.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Wednesday 2 March 4.00pm - 6.30pm and Thursday 3 March 6.00pm - 8.00pm

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

The booking system is now live to book your Year 6 Parent Consultation Evening appointments. All details can be found in the email circulated this week.

Appointments with myself are for 10 minutes and 5 minutes with specialist teachers. It is important to keep to the appointment time to ensure the smooth running of the evenings. If a further meeting is required, this can be arranged with the teacher involved. 

We look forward to meeting with you.

It has been a bumper week for Junior da Vinci awards. Our amazing children have been working so hard and this definitely shows in the number of full Junior da Vinci students who have received their badges.

• Maisie becomes a double da Vinci student in English 
• Sachin also becomes a double da Vinci student in Mathematics
• Alice D, Amber, Esme F and Sophia E have all become Junior da Vinci students in English
• Kai, Stephanie, Joshua and Uma have become Junior da Vinci students in Mathematics
• Mya becomes a Junior da Vinci student in Geography.

Congratulations to you all on your amazing hard work.

Mrs Symons
Junior da Vinci Lead

Congratulations to Zahra for becoming a word millionaire.

This week's Accelerated Reader Superstars are:

Top Quizzers are:

• 3Y   Max T
• 4M  Darius
• 5F   Charlie
• 6W  Katherine

Word Wizards are:

• 3Y  MingYi
• 4M Harry
• 5F  Yash
• 6W Charlotte

Pre-Prep reading certificates have this week been awarded to:

• Alfie
• Daniel
• Isla
• Jonny
• Joshua
• Nimeeta
• Siara
• Tilly

Well done to you all.

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

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

• Tegan 5F over 24%
• Alex T 4M completed 100%

Results for last week's class battle - well done 3Y:

• 1st place - Class 3Y with  4,690 points
• 2nd place - Class 4M with 4,318 points
• 3rd place - Class 5F with  3,615 points

Most valuable players in the whole competition:

• 1st Herbie 3Y
• 2nd Bryson 5F
• 3rd Erin 5F

Last week most improved speedsters are:

• 3Y- Aryaan - Support Act!
• 3Y Barnaby- Gigger!
• 3Y Sophia - Support Act!
• 3Y Lewis -Rock Star!
• 3Y Roisin - Garage Rocker!
• 3Y Maya- Support Act!
• 3Y Akaal Wannabe!
• 5F Tegan - Rockstar!
• 6W Eva - Rockstar!

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

Stay Calm and Rock On!!

Following our inspirational assembly from Mrs Gill, each year group had the opportunity to watch the online assembly from the charity Place2be. In previous years, we have supported this charity as we recognise the importance of their advice and the services they provide into schools when promoting positive mental health in schools.

Some of our children were keen to complete their own support balloon to highlight the people around us who are with us through life's challenges.

Please see next week's Courier for a review and reflection on today's Growth Mindset Day where we promote positive thinking and see how we all approach activities outside of our comfort zone! If you would like to watch the assembly as a family, or complete the task together please use the following links. 

Primary School Assembly from Place2be

Support Balloon Activity

Please click on the link below to read all about what the Reception classes have been learning this week. 

Reception Round Up - 11 Feb 2022

Class 2W children have been investigating rounding.  They know that they need to select the multiple of 10 higher and lower than the target number before counting on or back to say which it is closer to.  Next week we will be solving rounding problems.

We like to think in different ways in philosophy club. This week the children were given a paperclip and I left them to think about its purpose but also its other uses. Some of the ideas were a phone holder, a hairclip, a pendant, a key, a book mark and an instrument. It was great to see the children thinking creativiely.

Class 4M have started their new topic this week: List Poetry. We began by analysing some great examples by Gervase Phinn and Robert Hull, and particularly focusing on the use of simile and imagery.

Then it was the children's turn. They worked in groups to create a title, and they came up with some very creative ideas: 'What you find in Dumbledore's Office', 'Things you find in a Teacher's Drawer', and 'Things that Lurk Under the Floorboards' were a few examples.

Then they each wrote two lines and worked on their language to make them as good as they could be. Finally, they placed the lines in order, and ....voila! They had created a group list poem! Some pictures are attached.

Well done, 4M!

This week, Class 6W took a walk through Bilton to spot features of Victorian houses which we have been learning about in History lesson. The children noticed features such as sash windows, stained glass and Welsh slated roofs. 

In Maths Year 6 have come to the end of their topic on geometry. So to put all their expert knowledge and skills to good use, Ms Forth challenged the class today to create perfect polygons. There was plenty of accurate and careful measuring and drawing with protractors and rulers and lots of beautifully accurate angles and edges. We clearly have some budding engineers - well done Year 6!

On Wednesday, Class 6W travelled to the small lake at Princethorpe College to test the boats they had designed and created in DT over the past few weeks. There was great excitement as most of the boats travelled across the lake. There was only one which made a spectacular nose-dive but was later retrieved with its motor still in operation!

The pupils (in groups) had made very unique designs which were powered in different ways, including wind turbines, motors and solar panels. Two of the boats, the 'CRC' and 'Ebony Dragon' were selected to be entered into ISA STEAM Competition 2022.

I was extremely pleased with the skills, creativity and resilience shown throughout this DT project by Class 6W. 

Year 5 were very pleased to welcome members of the Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service recently to school for a Junior Fire Safety talk.

The firefighters led an hour’s informative and fun fire safety session that explored the different fire hazards within the home, looking at the ways the children could ensure both they, and their families, remained safe in the event of a fire.

Then last week, the Fire and Rescue Service returned to visit Year 1. In an interactive session, the children considered how the firefighters uniform keeps them safe, then learned the difference between safe and unsafe fires and finally the Stop, Drop and Roll technique that you should use if your clothes catch fire.

So much discussion and learning took place that will hopefully keep the children fire safe for life. Many thanks to Warwickshire Fire and Rescue for all they do to keep us all safe!

The children were very busy in Forest School this morning, working hard under the sunshine. We placed some left over bird seed balls around the site, at different heights, for all of the visiting animals to enjoy. I then told the children about the mouse I had rescued earlier that day and released in Forest School. Some of the children decided that they wanted to make a mouse house, or mansion, for the mouse to live in whilst he is there. They worked together to make a fabulous mouse house, which was also part bug hotel. Any bugs the children found in the site were safely relocated to the newly opened bug hotel.

Whilst this was being built, other children were making clay faces and creatures on the trees and fence posts. We had people, cats and a man to guard the area and keep the animals safe whilst we were away. One child asked a great question;

‘Why don’t trees have belly buttons like humans?’.

She then decided to make a belly button for the tree so that it didn’t feel left out. The left over bits of clay were used to make a bowl and plates for the mouse to eat his food from.

We also made a great muddy puddle using the left over water and some of the children had a great time splashing and rolling around in the mud. We even had some children make a wormy mud pie!

One of the children had a lovely relaxing time self-reflecting at end of the session. It’s been lovely to watch the children’s confidence, resilience, and imagination grow over the weeks. Until next time.

Craft club has been exploring Chinese New Year and chose to make dragons and lanterns. They have done a fabulous job.

In After School the children have enjoyed playing on the playground making the most of the lengthening days and this week's lovely sun!

They have played football, loved running around, and played in the play zone. They used the new benches just next to the Horton Centre as work tables to make bird feeders for the Great Schools' Bird Watch.

There was a lot of laughter and fun!

For a two or three week period this year we will be focusing on one of the sayings in the School Promise. We will talk about this in assembly and in form period. It would be great if you could discuss this with your children at home and support the messages we are emphasising in school.

This week we are looking at the idea of being a calm and sensible pupil. The school council chose this one in the category of Good Learners as all children know that they learn best when they are focused in class and there is a determined, hardworking atmosphere.

‘We are calm and sensible’

When we think of essential life skills for our children, typing isn’t necessarily something that is at the front of our minds…but that really shouldn’t be the case, as learning to touch type is one of the most valuable skills that a child can learn. It not only helps them with their school work, which will become vital when moving up to Secondary school, but can also set them up with an advantage in later life when it comes to exploring job opportunities. Many jobs now require quick typing skills, but with advances in technology that’s set to become even more important. It is great for reluctant writers, and good for improving spelling and concentration There are also physical and health considerations, as learning to touch type correctly at a young age can help improve posture, reduce time spent at the keyboard, and reduce the risks of RSI.

On top of this, Primary age is actually the best time to learn basic typing skills, and can be made incredibly fun! There are a whole host of programs, schemes and packages out there to help children learn to type, both free and paid for, but at Crescent we use a fantastic website called www.typing.com that really does do it all! The brilliant thing about typing.com is that as well as a host of fun games to practice speed and accuracy, it also has a real focus on getting the basics right, such as finger position and posture, through really easy to follow videos.

All pupils already have their own log-ins that they can use, will be familiar with the site, and it can be accessed anywhere through a web browser, so using it to enhance those skills at home is very straightforward!

Just click on https://www.typing.com then click ‘student login’ in the top right corner.

Please do encourage your children to have a go at home! Like when learning most things, little and often is the best way to go, and you would amazed at just how quickly speed and accuracy with increase.

Parents feel free to have a go too as it’s free, you will just need to create your own account!

Happy typing!

Crescent welcomed Twycross House for U9 fixtures on Tuesday 8 February with the U9 Girls playing their first netball fixture of the season in a game of two halves. 

A mixture of nerves and excitement meant adrenaline was racing causing an unsettled start to our game, however after our first quarter we soon got into our rhythm moving and passing the ball the well.

Fantastic defence from Sofie, Alice and Hattie in the second half of the game meant Twycross were unable to add to their score. Great movement in centre court from Shayla, Maggie, Grace and Leela, moving forwards to meet the ball in space enabled Crescent to move the ball in to our attacking circle to Maisie and Roisin. Some great shooting attempts but unfortunately, we were not able to make any count. Final score 5-0 loss.

• Player of the Game – Sofie
• Most determined player – Alice

The Year 4s played their first ever Tag Rugby match on Tuesday, combining their A and B teams against a far more experienced Twycross team, and what a thriller it turned out to be! The entire game was completely end to end, neither side being able to take more than a 1 point lead throughout.

Brilliant tagging in defence and supporting play in attack saw the score at 5-5 at the half-time break. The second half continued much the same, both side passing and running with the ball superbly.

The game finished at 9-8 to Twycross, Crescent just missing out the chance to equalise in the dying seconds. The whole team played superbly throughout, excellent tries scored by Edward G-H, Maxi, Shiv, Timi and Sam B, the player of match going to Albert for his fantastic defensive work and enormous tackle count.

18 February 2022 - 3.45pm - 4.45pm

Please come along and support the FoC by buying cakes and sweets, all priced at 50p each. 

Friends of Crescent

Below are the details of the FoC Year Group Representatives and group links. 

Please click below to view the lunch menu: 

Lunch Menu - 14 February 2022 

Olive Catering Services Limited

Please see below for useful school contact information:

Please find below term dates for 2021/22 and 2022/23:

The following items are stocked in the School Office and can be added to your account:

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

Please do contact admin@crescentschool.co.uk in if you need any of the above items.

Crescent School Office

The Foundation has the following vacancies:

• Head - Princethorpe College
• Finance Assistant - Princethorpe College
• Gardener\Groundsman Gardener/Groundsman - Princethorpe College

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.

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. You can protect yourselves by only making payments to us in line with our normal, published methods. Any email offering a large discount on fees for the coming academic year if paid immediately is fraudulent.

There has been no change to the bank details of 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

We received a lovely email from Bryson's Mum about his Dancing Competition success:

"My son Bryson is in Year 5 and is a dancer. He took his latest dance exams last November and has received his results. In Cheerleading he received a pass, (in this discipline you either get a pass or a fail), in his silver freestyle exam he passed with a commended and in his streetdance exam he passed with highly commended.

He wanted me to share these results with you as he is very proud of them. He had to remember 6 different routines in all. 2 for cheerleading, 2 for freestyle and 2 for streetdance. I have attached a photograph of Bryson with his awards"

Well done Bryson.

Crescent School

Albert's Mum sent in this lovely article:

"Albert has taken up the sport of fishing following a successful first fishing trip in Scotland during the summer holidays. He got the bug catching a sea trout which he said was delicious on the bbq!

With the warmer evenings Albert has been found fishing the canal at Braunston - dashing straight there in his school uniform to catch the light - and caught a Silver Bream this week"

Great fishing Albert!

Crescent School

One of our measures for controlling the coronavirus spread is keeping classrooms and corridors well ventilated with windows open where possible.  As a result, the children might well find the school colder than they are used to, particularly in winter. For that reason, we would encourage all children to have additional layers available in school. 

School fleeces, hoodies and tracksuit tops are ideal for the job whilst also looking smart.  

I hope the table below will help to clarify for parents expectations for children’s work if they need to self-isolate due to a positive COVID test or due to having COVID symptoms.