The Courier

Dear Parents

The highlights of the week gone by have to be the two nativity plays performed by our younger children. Both were performed to packed audiences and I think everyone went away with a warm, fuzzy feeling to put them in the Christmas spirit. It is wonderful to see young children with the confidence to perform in front of an audience of adults. I’m not sure how well I would do, if I had to sing the solo in a play with 100 people watching me. Actually, I do know how I’d do, and the children would certainly put me to shame.

Well, I don't worry, I won't be doing anything like that at the Carol Service at 6.30pm on Monday but for those of you who haven’t yet been along to a festive event, this will be your opportunity to get in the swing of things. We will be holding the service at the Temple Speech Rooms in Rugby as part of our 70th anniversary celebrations and everyone is warmly invited to come along. You will have seen the article in the Courier over the last couple of weeks giving you the full details and we look forward to an evening of prayer, reflection and celebration as we head towards the end of term.  An ISAMs message has also been sent out to you separately today.

Your children will come home today with their school reports for the term, with the exception of Year 5 who will receive theirs at the February break.  I spend a considerable amount of time reading these reports before they go out and they give me an invaluable insight into how the children are progressing and what they can do to take them to the next stage. I would encourage you to read them carefully and to share the positive feedback and constructive advice they contain with your children. Many thanks as well to all the teachers here who have put so much thought and care into writing them over the last few weeks.

This will be the last Courier of the term. We intend to send out a mini-version in the week before we return with a quick welcome message and important information that you will need to know for the start of term. I hope to see many of you personally either at the gate in the morning or at the carol service on Monday but in any case I wish you a wonderful Christmas with your families and thank you all for all of the support you have shown towards me and the rest of the staff here during the term.

Have a really great break when the time comes.

Joe Thackway

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 consider 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.

Hotshots will be running on Monday and Senior Drama Club is running on Tuesday as a replacement session for 22 November.  All other clubs have finished for the term.

Please note there is no swimming for Classes I & II on Tuesday.

Weekly Calendar 17 December

Crescent School

I am pleased to share with you some more successes for Class VI. All the children who have applied to an independent school have been offered a place.

Places have been offered to four children for King Henry VIII, one for Bablake, two for Warwick, one for Kingsley and one for Arnold Lodge. The children have worked hard to acquire these places and for some it is now the time for making decisions. What a lovely position to be in.

This gives Class VI a 100% pass rate, something to be very proud of.

Ms Lowe
Class VI Form Teacher

Families and friends counted their blessings last Monday 10 December when Pathfinders Nursery and Crescent Reception children performed the charming nativity, Christmas Counts.

On the first Christmas night in Bethlehem, a group of census-takers are carrying out Caesar’s urgent decree that everyone in his empire should be counted. They diligently go about counting the people of Bethlehem, the sheep and the shepherds, the wise men and their camels and even the host of angels.  When they reach the stable and meet Mary, Joseph and a very special baby they realise that Jesus being born shows just how much God cares and how Christmas counts for everyone.

Ably supported by Year 6 narrators, Lily Emery and Sam Stevens, the simple story was told beautifully with each child carefully enunciating their individual lines clearly. Together our youngest children sang delightfully crowd-pleasing tunes such as Counting For Caesar, How Many People Are In This Inn, Counting Sheep, One, Two, Three Camels and Christmas Counts For Everyone.

A lot of hard work had gone into the rehearsals, learning the songs, memorising lines, sourcing costumes, scenery and planning the production and what a marvellous masterpiece it was.

Reception Teacher, Mrs Claire Pullen commented, "The nativity went very, very well indeed. We are so proud of all our children, they were all amazing!”

Crescent School’s Key Stage 1 Nativity took place on Thursday 13 December and parents and grandparents were treated to a thoroughly entertaining performance.  The production took place in a jam-packed school hall and told the story of the Inn-spectors visit to Bethlehem.

Sent out to make sure all accommodation is in tip-top condition for the all-important census, the Inn-spectors are horrified to discover that at one of the inns visitors are staying in a stable, and that worse still, a baby has been born amongst the hay and the animals!  They declare that this simply will not do!

However, as Mary and Joseph tell their story, the Inn-spectors realise that this is no ordinary baby and their worries slowly start to fade away.  It doesn’t take long for the Inn-spectors to be convinced that the stable is fit for a King!

The joyful production featured plenty of super song and dance routines sung enthusiastically by the children, including catchy numbers such as Ooh, Ooh, Singing The Blues, When You're A Star and Fit For A King!

It was a smashing nativity performed with energy and enthusiasm and plenty of wit.   Well done to all the children involved, your confident performance really deserved the audience's rapturous applause.  Huge thanks also to all of the staff who have worked so hard to pull the performance together.

Harriett Gray and Izzy Slaytor, from Class V, produced lovely accounts of their trip to see The Worst Witch.

Dear Northampton Theatre Company

We really enjoyed the performance of The Worst Witch.  I thought it was amazing.  I loved it so much, it was outstanding.  The effects were so good, as was the signing.  Every member of the company was fabulous, it felt like I was a witch at the academy.  I also really liked the interactive bits.

The music was very nice and the lights were amazing.  The cats were really cool, but for me, the best bits were the flying broomsticks. I would rate this performance 5 stars.

From Harriett Gray

Dear Diary

Today I went to the Royal Theatre in Northampton to watch the fabulous The Worst Witch, which is also a book (imagine a witch cackling and laughing).

Despite the 40 minute drive, the show was incredible.  It was a play within a play, the background and props moved and it was so cool.

There was a point where the mean girl, after being turned back from a slug, may have forgotten to take her eye headband off.  It may have been accidental, which was very silly, but I don't know.  What do you think?

Rated 4 and 1/2 stars. Recommended for all ages. Very well planned and unfolded.

By Izzy Slaytor

We are pleased to announce that the long awaited Crescent School tracksuit for Classes III - VI will be available to view in the Library on Tuesday 8 January and the Monday 14 January from 3.45pm - 4.45pm. 

As with the current tracksuit it is an optional item of uniform but we think that you will agree having a water resistant extra layer is a definite positive at this time of year. 

If you currently have the existing tracksuit this will run alongside the new one so please do not feel that you need to replace it.

The tracksuits bottoms start at £22.00, jackets at £35.00 and for convenience they are sized by age.  You will be able to take them away from the fitting sessions or alternatively please send your order to nicolabrowne@princethorpe.co.uk for delivery to school at the beginning of Lent Term.  

We look forward to seeing you in the School Library and you will be able to take the tracksuits home with you then.

Thank you to all who contributed to this year's Poppy Appeal.  With your help we raised £224.22.

Crescent School

Thank you to all who contributed to this year's Harvest Festival appeal for Rugby foodbank.  Crescent School donated 298kg of food.

What an amazing amount!

Crescent School

Many thanks to everyone for their positive response to my note about responsible parking in last week’s Courier. You may have noticed the appearance of traffic cones on the corner of Dalkeith Avenue that demarcate one of the particular trouble spots, for which we have the local community police to thank.

These cones will not stay in place indefinitely so please use their current positions as a guide to your future parking.  I know that local residents have been advised to report any obstructive parking to the police who of course have the authority to issue penalty charge notices.  

Tomorrow, Saturday 15 December, members of the school Choir will be the guest choir at the NSPCC Christmas Concert at Coventry Cathedral, hosted by Coventry Cathedral Chorus.

The Choir will be singing four songs and the concert will also feature the Jaguar Land Rover Brass Band and the Cathedral Boy Choristers. The concert starts at 2.30pm and tickets are still available on the door. 

It would be lovely to see you there.

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

Monday 21 January - 10.00am to 3.00pm

The Crescent School, is opening its doors to prospective and current parents and children for an Open Day on Monday 21 January from 10.00am to 3.00pm.

This is an opportunity to meet the Crescent's headmaster, Joe Thackway, see its new facilities, look around the school and to meet staff and pupils on a normal working day. All are welcome, no need to book.

If you can't make the Open Day but would like to visit the school, please call our Registrar, Mrs Helen Morley on 01788 521595 and come on a day to suit you, we welcome visitors on most days.

For more information visit www.crescentschool.co.uk

This week Alyssa Barnett and Tumi Oredope are Junior da Vinci students in RE and Olivia McLoughlin is a Junior da Vinci in English, they will now be proud wearers of the Junior da Vinci badge.

Congratulations!

The house that receives the most Junior da Vincis will receive 30 House Points, the one in 2nd place will receive 20 and the one in 3rd place will receive 10.

The results for the most Junior da Vincis this term are:

• St David who have achieved 216
• St Andrew achieved 196 
• St George received 169.

Congratulations to all, I wonder how it will change next term?

This term has been a fantastic term for reading.  We have three more millionaires, well done to:

• Alyssa Barnett
• Harry Barnwell 
• James Wright

We may get a few multi-millionaires this year at the pace some of these children are reading.

The house that has read the most words will receive 30 House Points, the one in 2nd place will receive 20 and the one in 3rd place will receive 10.

The results for the most words read this term are:

• St David who read over 11 million words this term
• St George have read over 8 million 
• St Andrew have read over 6 million words

Congratulations! 

This will start again next term, so  there is a fair chance for another House to win.  Keep enjoying your reading over the holidays.

• Oliver Wright

Children and staff enjoyed a sumptuous Christmas lunch today.  Tantalising smells wafted out of the kitchen all morning.  Children had enthusiastically entered into the festive spirit wearing some cracking Christmas jumpers and clearly enjoyed their festive food as much singing and excitement could be heard coming from the hall. 

Many thanks and Merry Christmas to our wonderful dinner ladies who laid on such a lovely lunch for us all today.

Crescent School

Reception children enjoyed lunchtime Library Club this week with their Class VI buddies.  As you can see from the photos they enjoyed sitting down and listening to all the stories.

Crescent School

Class I have now finished designing, making and testing their wonderful vehicles in DT.  You can see their wonderful work in the photo.

As part of their learning about Advent as the count down to Christmas, Class I and II have been building their understanding of the origins of Christingles in the Christian faith. 

We discussed the importance and relevance of the four key elements: the orange, the candle, the red ribbon and the four sticks/sweets then the children had lots of fun making their own.

We ended with a small service where the children thought about ways that they too could bring light to other people's lives.

On Wednesday 12 December Class I and II children went to watch Peter Pan at the theatre.  Everyone loved it.  On the coach we were all singing a lot.

The pantomime was amazing with Peter Pan flying about everywhere and Tinkerbell on roller skates!  The loud singing was beautiful and it was really funny when one man was trying to sing and the other kept putting on funky music.  It was also super when they got the presents out – especially the water spray!

The acting was absolutely brilliant and we would give the whole show a 5 star rating.

Class III have been busy this half term learning about the design process in preparation for the creation of their amazing Christmas hats! 

The children loved investigating and designing before constructing, modifying and then evaluating the whole project. 

Junior da Vincis were given for the complete project and they enjoyed parading around the classes to show off their hard work.

Class III have made some beautiful picture frames for their friends and family. They have used many different art and design technology skills to make them in our lessons over the last four weeks. 

Through our PSHE lessons this half term Class VI have been recognising how everybody is a bit different and this is something we should celebrate. To demonstrate this the class devised some Freeze Frames to show how differences can cause conflict, but sometimes we need to work together and this should be celebrated.

Ms Lowe
Senior Teacher

It has been a very successful term for sport with more 'B', 'C' and even 'D' fixtures. The children across the board are becoming more proficient when competing against larger independent schools. The U9 'A' girls hockey team have been outstanding and the U11 girls hockey teams have shown great improvement. The U11 'A' boys football team have reached the county finals and the U9 'A' boys football team only lost one.

Fixtures for next term are on the Crescent sports site: www.crescentschoolsports.co.uk. Please can you add these to your calendar and let the sports staff know of any unavailability as soon as possible on sport@crescentschool.co.uk.

We want to put out as many teams as possible but unavailability has made this challenging at times this term. We do expect the children to be available unless there is a very good reason why not.

The counting has taken place and we have raised £1,830 profit from the Christmas Bazaar. This is an amazing amount of money and far in excess of last years £1,200 profit. 

A massive thank you to everyone for coming along to join us and to all my wonderful parents, grandparents and teachers who make these events all possible. A lot of hard work goes into these events and it wouldn't be possible without everyones hard work and dedication.

We will be discussing what we shall be utilising this money for at the next FoC meeting.

Monday 14 January 2019 - 3.45pm to 4.45pm

Please come and join us to discuss the events for the term.

Friday 8 Febraury 2019 - 5.00pm to 6.30pm

We will be holding our second movie night of the school year and will be showing Hotel Transylvania 3. The movie will start at 5pm and finish at 6.30pm. It will cost £5 per child (£3 per Reception child as they need to be accompanied by a parent) and this includes the movie and a snack.

Friday 15 Market Day - 3.45pm to 4.45pm

Please come along and purchase cakes and sweets from Class III. All money raised will go towards crafts, games and toys for their class.

Friday 28 June 2019

The FoC will be holding a Parents' Cocktails and Canapes party on Friday 28 June.

Please put this date in your diaries now.

Please see below for useful school contact information:

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

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

Reception Round Up