The Courier

Dear Parents

It has been lovely this week to hear from the children all about their exploits over the break and particularly about their favourite presents. One comment was particularly well put, as one of the Year 6 boys said to me “It was great to have all of our relatives over Christmas but it was nice to get the house back after they’d gone”. I suspect many of us can relate to that comment in some way.  It’s a wonderful family time of year but can get quite hectic.

My assembly theme for the week was setting yourself targets for the new year and we looked at a recent survey of the most common resolutions that children make. You might be pleased to learn that two of the most popular were to help parents out more around the house and to be nicer to parents. I told the children about mine, which included getting fit and planning interesting lessons, as well as remembering where I put my glasses.

The school looks quite bare without all of the decorations but the children have been hard at work already during the week and I have seen some great examples of this as they bring their work up to me for their da Vinci awards. We have our first open corridors event in two weeks time so there will be some busy children and teaching assistants at work between now and then.

A highlight for me this week was the visit of Dr Leech from the Warwickshire Air Ambulance. She gave us all a fascinating insight into the great work that they do, which is entirely reliant on charitable donations. Well done to the children and thank you for all that you did to make our appeal last term so successful.

On Tuesday of next week we have the rearranged Online Safety Day with Paul Hay. There will be workshops and activities for children throughout the school day with a twilight session for staff at 4.00pm.

In the evening Paul will be delivering to parents what promises to be an excellent and informative presentation on how to manage all aspects of children’s digital life, including gaming, social media and online safety. I genuinely hope many of you will be able to come along. As parents of young children this promises to be an invaluable evening.

So far we have over 90 parents signed up to come but please do come along on the night if you haven’t signed up yet.

Have a great weekend.

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 Citizens. 

'We respect everyone and we are tolerant'

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

Weekly Calendar - 140119 

Crescent School

On Tuesday 8 January pupils at Crescent School presented £730.87 to the Air Ambulance Service.

The children have been busy fundraising for the national Children’s Air Ambulance since the beginning of the school year.  They ran a ‘name the teddy’ competition, held a yellow Air Ambulance non-uniform day, a Christmas jumper day and organised collections both in school and at the school’s Carol Service.

The children were delighted to welcome Air Ambulance representative Dr Caroline Leech, one of the Air Ambulance doctors, into the school for a special assembly.

Caroline, who also works as an A&E doctor at the University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire, spoke to the children about the Air Ambulance Service and the work of the national Children’s Air Ambulance.   She then showed everyone three key medical skills, how to read a radial pulse, check pupil reactivity and how to use a pulse oximeter to check a person’s heart rate and blood oxygen levels. The pupils really enjoyed meeting Caroline and hearing about the essential work the Air Ambulance Service does.

On behalf of the School Council teacher, Sam Stapleton, revealed how much money all their fundraising efforts had raised, an impressive total of £730.87, which was then presented to the Air Ambulance Service.

Thanking the children Dr Caroline Leech said, “This money will help buy specialist medical equipment and support running costs.”

The following children received Certificates of Excellence from the Playground Supervisors in Assembly this morning:

• Sam for having good manners when receiving his lunch 
• Yash for using good manners in the dinner line

Well done to you.

This term we are looking forward to welcoming parents into school to join their child in an English lesson.  In the lesson parents will be able to join in activities and see if they can meet the lesson expectation.

There will be one lesson for each year group for Years 1-6 and the session will be held during week commencing Monday 11 February.  Only one parent can join their child to work together during the lesson.  

If you would like to attend, please reply via the Evolve message sent out on Friday 11 January. Due to space constraints numbers are restricted and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. If demand is high another session will be scheduled early next term.

We look forward to welcoming you in to share in the Crescent English experience.

A big thank you to parents, children and staff who kindly contributed to our Christmas reverse advent calendar for the food bank.

Ms Hanson and I took the donations to the Food Bank in Rugby on Wednesday 19 December, there were about 10 large boxes loaded with various foods.  In amongst the donations were some lovely treats as well as many of the items needed on a regular basis.

It is a privilege to be able to give to such a worthwhile cause, thank you again.

Rugby foodbank confirmed the weight of the donations as 118kg and expressed thanks for the generosity of Crescent pupils and families in helping to fight poverty in Rugby.

Having a good old clear out after the chaos of Christmas? Struggling to find space for all the gifts from The Big Man in Red? Why not let us give you a hand!

If you have unwanted or outgrown toys that you no longer have space for, our Happy Lunchtimes crew are always willing to take them off your hands and put them to good use!

The children have specifically requested dolls, cars, outdoor toys, character toys and dressing up outfits but to be honest we would welcome any donations of new or used toys and games that are in good condition.

Please feel free to leave them in the school office or put them on or around the FOC table.

A huge congratulations to Sienna who was named as Hotshots Basketball player of the term (September - December).

Well done Sienna!

Crescent School

Please would parents ensure that children do not come into school wearing jewellery.

Necklaces and bracelets can easily be broken or lost and are potentially hazardous for children taking part in physical activities or experiments. Earrings are not to be worn in school at anytime. 

Watches are not to be worn in Pre-Prep but can be worn in the upper school to aid learning.  

Thank you for you cooperation with this health and safety matter.

We have a small number of copies of Attain Magazine in the School Office.  If you would like one do pop in to collect a copy.

Crescent School

Monday 14 January - 3.45pm - 4.45pm

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 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 can send your order to nicolabrowne@princethorpe.co.uk and your order will then be delivered to Crescent School.  

We look forward to seeing you in the School Library.

Tuesday 15 January 2019 - 7.00pm to 8.30pm

We are looking forward to seeing you for our Parents Online Safety Workshop on Tuesday 15 January.

The school playground will be available for parking from 6.45pm.  Please enter the school hall via the Pathfinders entrance where refreshments will be served from 6.50pm for a prompt 7.00pm start.  We envisage the evening finishing around 8.30pm.

Kind regards

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

Monday 21 January - 10.00am to 3.00pm

The Crescent School, is opening its doors to prospective 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

At the very end of last term Tom was awarded his Junior da Vinci badge for his all round effort and attainment in geography, demonstrating creativity, mastery and practice in the subject.

Congratulations!

Some children have obviously been reading a lot over the holidays:

• Daniel is now a double millionaire 
• Caspar, Chloe and Izzy are millionaires

A brilliant achievement by them all.

At the end of every half term all the children who have achieved 85% or above in their Accelerated Reading quizzes are entered in to a prize draw. The winners at the end of last term all got to choose a prize from the box:

• Freya 
• Kai 
• Joshua
• Noah 
• Olivia 

Remember the more stars the children have acquired, the better their chances are to win.

Congratulations

• Chloe 
• Grace 
• Darius 

As part of their science unit on the five senses, Class I children explored different tastes by selecting ones they liked/disliked and differentiating between sweet and sour. 

Sometimes the best learning can only come after a little personal sacrifice Sam!

It has been great to be back in class; we have had a busy week identifying our new year's resolutions and what we want to experience and achieve this term.  The children have had the chance to choose how they wanted to present their learning of the Greek myth Icarus and Daedalus and are looking forward to creating the display for the next Open Corridor opportunity. 

Today we played a board game about emotions; each throw provided an opportunity to share a time when they felt, happy, cold, astonished etc. We learned a lot about each other and felt it was good to share with friends.

The children have been introduced to their new history topics in lessons this week. 

Class IV were very excited to begin work on World War II which will see them learning about life for children during the war years.

Classes V are studying the changing monarchy focusing on Henry VIII and Queen Victoria. They began by ordering the British monarchs from 1066 to the present day and were surprised by some of the facts they learnt.

Class VI's topic is local Victorians and we will considering life in Rugby during the Victorian era. We had a very interesting lesson looking at extracts from the 1851 and 1901 Census for Rugby. 

Following on from her assembly, Dr Caroline visited Classes V for a question and answer session. The children were fascinated to learn about many aspects of the day to day life of an Air Ambulance doctor.

We learnt that the helicopter flies at 160mph and can only fly in daylight hours. Chloe asked about the qualifications required to work on the Air Ambulance and a few children thought they may like to become paramedics or doctors in the future. Issy asked the question which had everyone gripped, 'What is the worst job you've been to?' fortunately everyone had strong enough stomachs to hear how Dr Caroline saved a driver's life by amputating his leg to free him from the cab of his lorry.

The children really enjoyed the session and a number of children described Dr Caroline as an inspiration!

We really appreciate Caroline giving her time to come and visit us, sharing the excellent work the Air Ambulance team does. 

Monday 14 January 2019 - 3.45pm to 4.45pm

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

Friday 8 February 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 February 2019 - 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.

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

Lunch Menu 140119

Crescent School Office

Please see below for useful school contact information:

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

2018/19

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

2019/20

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

Required to start in as soon as possible, an After School Assistant to work as part of a team to provide after school care for children, term time only from 3.30pm until 6.00pm each day. They will support the smooth running of After Care and undertake duties in supervising homework as required.

This is an excellent opportunity to join the fast growing Foundation that values its staff and offers a rewarding benefits package including discounted places for staff, a pension scheme, child care vouchers and a cycle to work scheme.

Application: To apply for this vacancy applicants must submit a Crackley Hall application form, together with a CV and covering letter detailing your personal qualities, experience and how you meet the person specification for the role. Applicants must ensure the application form is fully completed, including a detailed career history with specific dates. 

Closing date: Friday 18 January, at 9.00am, although candidates are advised to apply immediately. Interviews are likely to be held on Monday 21 January at Crackley Hall.

Further details and an application form are available from the College website www.crackleyhall.co.uk/employment-opportunities.

Required for September 2019 a dynamic, innovative and well-qualified graduate to lead Mathematics in this flourishing school.

Candidates should have strong leadership and management skills, be visionary in their approach, have a proven track record of success in the classroom and be effective team players. An enthusiasm to become involved with the co-curricular life of the school is essential.

Single accommodation may be available. Princethorpe has its own pay scale which is above national scales.

This is an excellent opportunity to join the fast growing Foundation that values its staff and offers a rewarding benefits package including discounted places for staff, a pension scheme, child care vouchers and a cycle to work scheme.

Application: To apply for this vacancy applicants must submit a Princethorpe College application form, together with a CV and covering letter detailing your personal qualities, experience and how you meet the person specification for the role. Applicants must ensure the application form is fully completed, including a detailed career history with specific dates.

Closing date: Monday 21 January at 9.00am and interviews are likely to be held on Thursday 24 January, at Princethorpe.

Further details and an application form are available from the College website www.princethorpe.co.uk/employment-opportunities.

Reporting to the Foundation Estates Manager, we are seeking to appoint an Electrician to maintain and service all electrical engineering plant and equipment on Princethorpe College, Crackley Hall and Crescent School sites. They will carry out technical duties in the college theatre and assist in the supervision of electrical contractors. A flexible and pro-active attitude to duties and additional working hours will be required.

The successful candidate should have an appreciation of the priorities of a school environment and have the ability to appropriately interact with pupils of all ages, especially when providing technical support in the Theatre.

This role is working 40 hours a week, on a 7 days’ contract. The working pattern will include evenings and occasional weekends on a flexible basis, according to the needs of the school, with core hours Monday to Friday. We will also welcome part time and job share applications for this post.

The salary for this role is £28,000 to £35,000 (full-time equivalent) – depending on experience.

This is an excellent opportunity to join the fast growing foundation that values their staff and offers a rewarding benefits package including discounted places for staff, a pension scheme, child care vouchers and a cycle to work scheme.

Application: To apply for this vacancy applicants must submit a Princethorpe College application form, together with a CV and covering letter detailing suitability for the role.  Applicants must ensure the application form is fully completed, including a detailed career history with specific dates.

Closing date: Monday 4 February 2019 at 9am, and interviews are likely to be held on Thursday 7 February 2019.

Further details are available from the School website www.princethorpe.co.uk/employment opportunities

Please click on the link below which provides information regarding areas of the curriculum where you may be able to help your child at home.

Class I - How to help your child at home

Mrs Emery
Class I Teacher

Please click on the link below which provides information regarding areas of the curriculum where you may be able to help your child at home.

Class II - How to help your child at home

Mr Webb
Class II Teacher

Please click on the link below which provides information regarding areas of the curriculum where you may be able to help your child at home.

Class III - How to help your child at home

Please click on the link below which provides information regarding areas of the curriculum where you may be able to help your child at home.

Class IV - How to help your child at home

Mrs Monteith 
Class IV

Please click on the link below which provides information regarding areas of the curriculum where you may be able to help your child at home.

Class V(F) & (Y) - How to help your child at home

Please click on the link below which provides information regarding areas of the curriculum where you may be able to help your child at home.

Class VI - How to help your child at home