The Courier

Dear Parents

We arrive at the end of November already and the autumn term is flying by in front of our eyes. We have just enjoyed our traditional Christmas Art Day with plentiful glitter and tinsel going onto the displays around the school (with sincere apologies to the cleaning staff – their worst day of the year). The first of the seasonal theatre trips went out today as well and next week we have open corridors for parents, more theatre trips and the Christmas Bazaar. With only two weeks and two days left before we break up we will be there before you know it.

It was unfortunate earlier in the week that Paul Hay was unable to deliver his internet safety workshops due to a sudden bout of laryngitis but thank you to everyone for their messages of understanding. We are all made of flesh and blood and sometimes the spirit is willing but the body won’t quite cooperate. I know Paul was frustrated but it is simply one of those things you have to accept. We had been particularly excited about the evening as the response from parents had been so positive. We had 90 parents all signed up and ready to come and I just hope we can get up to a similar number for when Paul returns to try again on 15 January 2019.

The only positive of the cancellation was that it brought me a little more time in my office to get onto some outstanding tasks and I finish the week feeling a little better about my ‘to do’ list. Of course, at this time of year all of the staff here are busy writing, editing and peer checking their reports that will go out at the end of term. The feedback that you and your child get from these are invaluable and there is no doubt that well aimed and constructive advice can set smart targets and achieve really good outcomes for pupils. This is a theme I am looking at building on here in the near future as I am sure there is always more we can do to improve.

On Monday of this week we had many of our older children sitting their music exams. I know that a lot of preparation goes into these and they can be very nerve-racking for the children in the immediate build up. I am convinced it is ultimately a positive experience and one that brings a well-earned sense of achievement. Success in life does not normally come without hard work and commitment and the same is true of music. So well done to those who stood up (or sat down) and had a go and we will look forward to hearing all about your achievements in due course.

After my mention of my son’s football struggles last week his team went on to win last Sunday with Hugh getting the winning goal. I told him, it doesn’t happen very often no matter how long you play, so savour it when it does. This combined with a win for Villa in the local derby with Birmingham and by Sunday everything in the Thackway house was looking rosy. On the negative side, at some point we are going to have to make some progress with the Christmas shopping.

Have a great weekend everyone and try not to shop too much.

Joe Thackway

Parents will shortly be receiving an Evolve Consent Form for the Foundation’s new Use of Images Policy. We would be most grateful if you would complete and submit your response to this form by the deadline date of Friday 14 December.  A consent form is required for each child attending the school.

You can find the new Use of Images Policy attached to this article here.

The Foundation makes various uses of images of pupils during their time with us. Where these are necessary for administration and the safety of pupils, such as CCTV and for security ID, the Foundation does not require your consent.

Images are also used for marketing and promotional purposes, to celebrate the achievements of pupils, promote the work of the Foundation and the education it provides. The Foundation does require your consent for these purposes and we hope that parents will feel able to support the Foundation in using pupil images in this way.

Images generally will not have pupil names against them. Names will be used with images when, for instance, celebrating a specific pupil’s, team’s or group’s achievement.

Additional specific consent will be sought for instances when a single pupil is the main focus of a press release or on billboard or bus adverts.

You may withdraw consent at any time in the future by writing to the School Secretary at Crescent School.  Please be aware that it may not be possible to change printed publications, such as a Foundation magazine or prospectus, or third party publications (for example where we have placed an advert or provided an image to a newspaper).

Dear Parents

We have received complaints this week on the issue of parking around the school, both from parents and local residents. One particular concern relates to parking that is very close to a junction or is likely to make it very difficult for residents to access their property. The Highway Code states you should not park within 10 metres of a junction to allow drivers emerging from, or turning into, the junction a clear view of the road they are joining. It also allows them to see hazards such as pedestrians or cyclists at the junction. I realise that this will mean parking further from school for many but will make the roads near the school safer for everyone.

Whilst as a school we will do what we reasonably can to get these messages to staff and parents, I would remind you that we have no powers of enforcement. Our clear advice to all users of the school is that they should park legally and with due respect to our neighbours and other road users.

Thank you for your continued support of this message.

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. 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 move back to the category of Good Learners. The idea behind this week’s promise is resilience and perseverance. This is such a key element of being a good learner. The desire and determination to master new skills can take children such a long way in education.

‘‘We never give up and always try again"

Please click on the link below to view the weekly calendar.  This details all the co-curricular clubs running, fixtures and additional information.

Orchestra and Jewellery Club will not run this week due to the Christmas Bazaar.

Weekly Calendar 3 December

Crescent School

It was an especially colourful assembly this morning, as you can see from the photo. The children in St Andrew’s house were wearing something blue to mark their saint’s day and there were lots of Christmas accessories on display as the children looked forward to their special art day. You are all invited to come and see the outcome of all the hard work at our open corridor session next Tuesday.

Class VF are taking part in a Skype call to the USA with the Head of Minecraft Education next week.

They will ask questions about Minecraft, game making or programming in general. It is a great opportunity for the children to find out how the things that they learn in school apply to life outside the classroom.

You can read about it in next week's Courier.

A big thank you to all the families that attended the book fair.  It had a lovely vibe about it as the children excitedly shared the books that they wished their parents to purchase.

We made a fantastic £1,100 which will allow us a great choice of books to supplement our libraries.

All this would not be possible without the help of the Friends of Crescent helpers who set up and run the fair.

Thank you again for your support.

• Breakfast cereals
• Soup
• Pasta
• Rice
• Pasta sauce
• Tinned beans
• Tinned meat
• Tinned vegetables
• Tinned fruit
• Tea and Coffee
• Long life fruit juice
• Long life milk
• Biscuits
• Snacks

Old Crescentians enjoyed a lovely evening at The Merchants Inn last Friday 23 November when the inaugural OCs Pub Meet took place.  A mix of OCs from across the generations found their way to the atmospheric venue, close to the original site of the school, in the centre of historic Rugby.

It was great to see OC staff mixing with former parents and pupils, all getting on well with each other regardless of when they originally went to the school.  Headmaster, Joe Thackway and Foundation Headmaster, Ed Hester together with Foundation and Crescent staff Mel Butler, Eddie Tolcher, Helen Morley, Sally Dowling (née Meikle), Jo Byrne and Lynda Brazier were joined by Victoria Akbik, Rosalind Revill, Caroline Cook (Hilditch), Emma Wells (Whitbread), Millie Byrne, Hattie, William and Robert Hedderwick together with their mum, Ruth Hedderwick.

Victoria Akbik commented, “What a lovely occasion; wonderful to relax with fellow OCs over a drink and some food and enjoy our stories of the Crescent days. It’s amazing how people’s memories springboard your own reminiscences - some long forgotten! Sharing memories with today’s staff gives them a wonderful insight into the school’s 70 years of history. Comparing my experience with my children’s is fascinating! I hope that the OCs will bloom from these early days; it is great to be involved.”

In this the school’s 70th anniversary year we hope that all who came enjoyed the first OCs Pub Meet, we hope to make it a regular occurrence that will help former pupils and staff stay in touch.

The next event in the school’s anniversary celebrations will be the school carol service on Monday 17 December, which this year takes place, back on our old stomping grounds, at the Temple Speech Rooms at Rugby School.  All Old Crescentians welcome just come along and join us.

The Christmas post box will open on Monday 3 December and will be located by the pupil entrance door until Tuesday 18 December.

There will be Class VI Christmas helpers at the post box from 8.15am to 8.40am each morning who will stamp and post the cards. All we ask is a 1p donation per card towards our term's charity, the Air Ambulance.

Please can all children post their cards here so that lessons are not disturbed by the giving out of Christmas cards.  They will then will receive a lovely bundle from the Class VI Christmas elves on the final day of term.

Please can you ensure all School Uniform, PE kits, bags and accessories are clealy labelled with your child's name.  We have unifom in lost property, which hasn't been marked, that we are unable to return to the correct child.  

Thank you.

Crescent School 

Tuesday 4 December 2018 - 3.45pm - 4.15pm

All are welcome to come into school and see the wonderful work the children have produced on Christmas Art Day.

Crescent School

Monday 10 December 2018 9.30am

Parents, grandparents and friends are invited to our Nursery and Reception Nativity performance of Christmas Counts.

A lot of hard work has gone into the rehearsals so far, learning the songs, memorising lines, sorting out costumes, scenery and planning the production, and what a spectacle it is all going to be.

Crescent School 

Thursday 13 December 2018 9.35am

Parents, grandparents and friends are invited to watch Classes I & II's Nativity performance of The Inn-Spectors.

The children have been rehearsing hard, learning the songs, memorising lines, sorting out costumes and the production is going to be fantastic.

Crescent School

Friday 14 December 2018

Our Christmas Jumper Day this year will be on Friday 14 December. On that day, children should wear normal school uniform, but instead of their green pullover/cardigan, they can wear a Christmas jumper.

Please bring in £1 for our charity of the term, the Air Ambulance.

Mrs Monteith

All are welcome to a wonderful evening of carols, readings and the Christmas story to get you in the mood for the festive season.

To mark the school's 70th anniversary, our annual Carol Service will be held at Rugby Temple Speech Rooms, Barby Road, Rugby CV22 5DA  from 6.30pm – 7.45pm on Monday 17 December, and will feature all the extra-curricular music groups involving Classes III-VI.

All children in Classes III – VI are involved and required to attend. It would be lovely for all friends and family from the Crescent community to join us.  Parents and children from Reception, Classes I and II are very welcome to attend, however, please be mindful that the service may be a little late for some of our younger children.

Children who need to change into a costume should arrive no earlier than 6.00pm. Everyone else, including congregation, should be seated at 6.15pm for a prompt start. There will be instrumental and vocal solos taking place as people arrive.

All children to wear winter uniform including blazers and grey tights for girls. 

There will be a retiring collection in aid of the Air Ambulance our termly charity

Kind regards

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

Over the next couple of weeks our weekly spelling test will move to a Monday, this is because our Fridays are busy with exciting activities.

• Ava Sheppard
• Sam Bierton

The Reception Class had a lovely trip to the Theatre today to see Everywhere Bear.  They left School very excited and posed happily to have their picture taken before they set off.

Class II continued their 'Around our School' topic in Geography by trying to make sense of floor plans. We have considered an aerial view across an island or town but we developed this into the plan of our school. As we walked from one end of the school to the other we worked out where we were and labelled the rooms and areas accordingly. 

Mrs Stapleton

Class III have been exploring the story behind the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah this week, through story telling, drama and creating posters to show their understanding.

Happy Hanukkah!

Class I & II pupils enjoyed 'toe' yoga during their yoga lesson after school this week.  Much fun was had picking up the pom poms off the floor with their toes and putting them into their container.

Crescent School

Christmas Art Day is a special day at Crescent School; full of anticipation, glitter, paint, glitter, tissue paper and yet more glitter.  It has been so much fun.    

Here are just a few photos from some of the classes today.  Please click View Gallery to scroll through.

Year 5 have all been designing and making their own bags. They have been learning how to tread a needle, tie a knot, pin fabric and sew a variety of different stitches. 

Crescent School hosted  the ESFA Inter Schools Area Tournament at Princethorpe last Saturday. The boys started the tournament in the best possible way. Straight from kick off, the boys applied a patient build up with two touch football. The ensuing shot hit the post but the follow up was finished by George. A fantastic team goal.

Crescent continued to dominate in the first half and George grabbed a second after he was put through by Eddie. Cawston came out strongly in the second half and halved the deficit. George completed his hat-trick to make the game safe.

In the second match against Provost Williams, Crescent learned from their previous encounter and did not overcommit or over-play in their own half. Mehul kept Provost out as they pressed for a goal. Then, Theo broke away down the left and slotted home to give Crescent an early lead. Provost missed a penalty and struggled to get back into it. Eventually, they broke the floodgates and there was a period of 3 consecutive goals.

Towards the end, Crescent found their feet again. Eddie hit the post from a tight angle having rounded the keeper. Despite the loss, a good performance. Well done to Advay, Matthew and Keshav who have performed well in the B team and looked confident and capable in the A team.

These results mean that Crescent qualify for the County Finals.

Well done boys!

We now have an email address for the Sports Department.  Please direct any sport related messages to sport@crescentschool.co.uk.

Many thanks

On Thursday 22 November the U11 girl’s hockey team headed off to Lee Valley Stadium and the famous blue astro turf that is the home of England Hockey.  After an early start, and scraping the first ice of the year off the cars and minibus, they arrived excited and eager to get on to the stadium pitch.

16 schools from all around the country were competing, so the girls knew that they had a tough schedule ahead. Split into four pools of four teams they played a round robin tournament within the pool. The pool matches took place in the morning and the girls played fantastically well not conceding a single goal.  Unfortunately they were sadly unable to score one either, despite several good efforts going wide.  After lunch, and a brief encounter with an old friend, Ollie Buncombe of WheelPower, and the opportunity to hold the Paralympic Torches, they headed off to the outside pitches to play in the Plate competition. 

The first game was against Rosemead Prep School, they started well and followed advice meeting the ball well, pushing out wide to make some great attacking play into their attacking D but unfortunately they were not able to score and sadly conceded a goal on a fast break when Crescent’s defence where caught tracking the ball with no midfield players back in place to cover. 1-0 loss.

The second game against Abercorn School saw Crescent score their first goals of the tournament.  There was some great passing through the midfield by Mia and Bexie, as well as use of defence by Lucy and Phoebe, allowing the girls to switch the ball and play it down the other side, where Olivia was positioned fantastically, in space, leaving her with a clear run in to the D where she was took a confident shot a goal to put Crescent in the lead.  The second goal came from another lovely passage of passing and a good use of width by Mia who was able to run the ball into the D and safely hit it in to the back of the goal.  2-0 Win

Next was Oakfield Prep School and although we managed to maintain possession for most of the game the girls were unable to convert any of attacking play into goals. 0-0 Draw

The win against Abercorn School had put the team into the 3/4th play-off.  Crescent faced Lewes Old Grammar again, who had gained their place in the match after penalty shuffles and sudden death.  Unfortunately the wait to see who we were playing, dropping temperatures and fatigue from previous matches put the team on the back seat to a pumped up Lewes Grammar School and despite some fantastic passing and lovely play the girls went down 1-0. 

The girls take away some fantastic memories after a wonderful day playing at such a prestigious venue.  As always their behaviour, manners and conduct were second to none and they were a credit to both their school and their parents!

A great performance by all of the girls, representing the school well and upholding the Crescent values making us extremely proud.

Mrs McCollin and Mrs Dowling

Team – Captain Rebecca Monteith, Cara Ridd, Mia Webb, Olivia Monk, Lucy Hardy, Amelie Frere, Phoebe Causer and Amy Robinson.

Friday 7 December 2018 - 3.45pm to 6.00pm

This year our annual Christmas Bazaar will include:

• a raffle
• tombola
• teddy stall
• numerous games (all for 50p to allow your child to fill up their card with 10 stamps from which they can then choose 3 prizes from the prizes stall)
• craft activities of crazy sand
• Christmas decorations and decorate your own Christmas decorations
• plus the usual refreshment stall
• candy floss
• face painting
• nail painting
• a visit from Father Christmas.

If you would like your child to visit Father Christmas please fill in the form sent home with your child last week (or download below). We will then allocate a time (this will be on a first come first served basis) and will publish the time slots to you in advance of the Christmas Bazaar. 

Santa Visit Reception and Class I

Santa Visit Classes II - VI

We also require the following donations:

Raffle stall

• wine
• chocolates
• board games
• new DVD's
• craft kits
• gift sets

For the Tombola Stall, small children's items:

• pens
• games
• mini lego sets
• toys
• crafts items
• sweets etc

Please leave your items on the FoC table.

Early next week we will be publishing a layout of where all the games, stalls and crafts for the Bazaar will be positioned. We are looking forward to seeing Reception and Class 1 pupils from 3.20pm and the rest of the Classes from 3.45pm. 

Thank you so much for your support we really appreciate it. 

The School's Christmas Bazaar this year is on Friday 7 December. This is always a very popular whole school event and you are of course all warmly invited to come along and join in the fun.

It does get busy in the hall and surrounding classrooms, so this year we would like to give the younger children the opportunity to come and have a go on the games and stalls before the rest of the school arrive. If you would like to take advantage of this, please arrive at the normal dismissing door to collect your child from 3.20pm on that day and you will be able to go up to the hall for half an hour or so before the rest of the older children come in.

Of course, if you are unable to get here for that time please do not worry, your children will be looked after by their usual teachers and staff. Any children who have not been collected early will be brought to the door at the normal time for collection.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

Friday 14 December 2018 - 3.45pm to 4.45pm

Please come along and support us by buying cakes and sweets, all priced at 50p each. All the money raised at these market day events goes towards buying toys, crafts and stationery for privilege time for the Class.

Unfortunately we have had to make the decision to move the Parents Christmas party due to other events that are taking place on that evening.

We have decided to move this to June and rename it a "Crescent Cocktails and Canapes party" to celebrate the end of the school year. We will be publishing the date for this soon so we are able to get it into your diary now. 

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

Lunch Menu - 3 December

Crescent School Office

Please see below for useful school contact information:

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

• Winter hats
• Scarfs
• Gloves
• Ties
• Swimming hats
• Sports socks
• Hair bands
• Hair scrunchies
• Hair clips
• Sun hats

Music group badges can also be purchased but not added to your account.

• Choir
• Orchestra
• Strings
• Brass

Please do pop in if you need any of the above items.

Crescent School Office

Please find below term dates for this academic year and next:

2018/19

Michaelmas Term
Term starts Monday 03 September 2018
Half Term Saturday 20 October to Sunday 04 November 2018
Term ends Tuesday 18 December 2018

Lent Term
Term starts Monday 7 January 2019
Half Term Saturday 16 February to Sunday 24 February 2019
Term ends Wednesday 10 April 2019

Trinity Term
Term starts Monday 29 April 2019
Half Term Saturday 25 May to Sunday 2 June 2019
Term ends Wednesday 3 July 2019

2019/20

Please see attachments below for information regarding school holiday clubs that are running over the Christmas holidays. 

The clubs are provided by external providers and not the Crescent School.

Music Mania

Netball Camp

Dear Parents

I would like to make a couple of polite reminders to all parents to help us with the safe running of the school.

Early Arrivals
Please ensure that children who arrive early to school remain accompanied by their parents or guardians until the door opens at 8.15am.  If you need to drop your child off before this time, please take advantage of the Early Birds service.

Winter Coats
With the weather turning colder and wetter, can I please encourage you all to send your child to school wearing the Crescent School coat.  It is helpful when making decisions on wet (or cold) play for the staff here to know the children all have the warm winter layer to protect them.

Dogs on Site
In line with many, if not all, primary aged schools, dogs are not allowed on the main school site.  If you come to school with a dog please keep it on a lead and avoid coming onto the main site beyond the drop off gate (the one next to the parents’ noticeboard).

With thanks for your understanding and support on these important health and safety matters.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

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

Reception Round Up - 301118