The Courier

Dear Parents

Two weeks into term and still no snow. Excellent. I know most children won’t agree but I would happily go through a winter with no icy roads, paths and playgrounds to worry about.

We had some unexpected icy showers just before school opened on Thursday and whilst waiting for the Estates team to come I quickly got out there with the grit (I couldn’t find the shovel) and made the paths safe again. It takes a bit longer for the ice to go from the playground on mornings like that so we keep the children indoors if there is a risk of accident.

I was delighted and quite proud to see so many of you here for Paul Hay’s Internet Safety talk on Tuesday evening. We had well over 70 people there.  I know those who came found the talks really helpful without being too alarmist and they were presented in a way that empathised with the difficulty of dealing with these issues as children mature and demand, quite rightly, their own space as well as our trust.

For me, as a father, I think the key message is to be there to support your children and not to sit in judgement if things go wrong. If they feel they can talk openly about issues or difficulties they might get into they are much more likely to share them with their parents before they get more serious. It is important not to exaggerate the risks but to have the knowledge and means to protect yourself at the same time. I felt Paul got the balance of the message over very well and the feedback from the children in the classes during the day reinforced that impression.

Paul asked me to let you have his contact details and is very happy for you to email with any questions you have or for you to visit the 'Links' on his webpage for more advice.

Useful links:

www.pclstraining.com/links

paul.hay@pclstraining.com

Paul’s four 'top tips' for staying safe online are attached.

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 - 210119 

Crescent School

Congratulations to Fin who, after a lengthy and rigorous selection process, has been chosen to represent Warwickshire in U13 hockey.  This is a tremendous achievement for someone of Fin's age.

As part of the County selection process, pupils are introduced to England Hockey’s ‘Player Pathway’. The programme provides Development and Academy Centres at progressive staged steps to help all junior hockey players realise their potential.

Fin will now attend Warwickshire Academy training and will be representing Warwickshire in his first county match this weekend.  Fin was thrilled to be awarded his Warwickshire County tie in assembly today.

Well done Fin.  We are all very proud of you.

Tuesday 15 January was Internet Safety Day at the Crescent School.  Pupils, staff and parents participated in informative workshops that explored the important topic in age appropriate ways.  The day was facilitated by internet safety expert Paul Hay from PCLS Training, who has worked with all of the Foundation’s schools, and it reinforced the school’s regular classroom learning.

Years 1 to 4 started the day with a special assembly that was then followed up with individual class visits.  Paul spoke to them about the basic rules for internet safety, tailored to the software and devices they might regularly use.   Reception had their own special storybook session.

Years 5 and 6 took part in an internet safety lesson.  Their session began by exploring how the children used the internet, games and apps and particularly how they used social media.  They discussed how social media works and participated in a class role-play to reinforce key learning points.  Paul also shared his five top tips for internet safety: Know your friends, never arrange to meet somebody in real life without taking an adult with you, ensure your user settings are kept private, never post pictures you wouldn’t want everybody to see and if you are worried tell a grown up you trust.

In the evening the school hosted a dedicated parents internet safety session that over 70 parents attended.

All in all it was an informative and successful Internet Safety Day.

Further internet safety information and links can be found at www.pclstraining.com/links or parents with specific questions are welcome to contact Paul directly on paul.hay@pclstraining.com

On Monday 14 January Mrs McCollin ran Play Leader training for Red House Year 6 pupils who this term take responsibility for Pastoral duties. As Play Leaders they will organise and lead lunchtime play sessions for the children in Reception and Pre-Prep.

In their Play Leader training the Year 6s learnt about the qualities of a good leader, the importance of clear and concise communication and how to lead the younger children through activities and games.

Drawing upon knowledge from their own sporting heroes, such as Virat Kholi, the captain of the Indian cricket team, they identified the skills and attributes of good leaders and analysed their own leadership strengths and development areas. 

Then they looked at different methods of communication, and the need to be clear and concise with their instructions, before heading outside for the physical aspects of the course, playing and leading.

The pupils had the opportunity to lead their peers through a variety of warm up games before planning and adapting their own games and activities to run.

Lucy and Olivia were the first to put their new skills to the test on Tuesday lunchtime taking Reception students on a Jungle Trek.

Mrs McCollin commented, “Red House Year 6s took part in the training attentively.  They will be super Play Leaders and I am positive they are going to have a great term running exciting activities for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.” 

This week saw the first School Council meeting of 2019 and we were joined by Mrs Causer as a representative of the FoC.  Mrs Causer was interested in our discussion about fundraising ideas for the Trinity term and our decision on our chosen charity will be announced soon.  She also gathered thoughts on what the children would like in terms of equipment, play apparatus etc that could be funded or subsidised by the FoC. They were very enthusiastic about climbing, swings and toys but we think the swimming pool and ice-rink may have to wait!

This is the last meeting of the current School Council as we will change representatives at half term. We thank all the council members for their commitment and involvement over the last few months and hope they now have a good understanding of what it takes to be a school councillor. 

Mrs Stapleton and Mrs Monteith

A number of new children have visited FROG (Fully Rely On God) Club this term which has been great to see. Not all have active faiths or go to church but they have shown an interest in learning more about what the Bible teaches us about Christian values and how to 'Live life to the Max!' (John 10:10). 

We learn through discussions, games, challenges and this week, through drama. From finding stories about Jesus in the book of Luke, to presenting the story to the rest of the group and discussing how this could be applied today, it was a very fulfilling time together!

Junior da Vincis have been awarded to Joseph and Josh for their Creativity and understanding of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness - well done!

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

• Fred for good listening and tidying skills this week
• Zebedee for always being willing to help others both in the lunch hall and in the playground

Well done to you.

Uniform order forms are available from the school office or contacting Mrs Browne (Foundation Shop Manager):

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

Wednesday 6 February 2019 - 4.00pm to 4.30pm

Parents are invited to join us for an information session where the Pre-Prep staff will guide you through how they teach children to read in school: explaining the different strategies, sharing good practice and suggesting some ideas to be used at home

This will be held in the Hall from 4.00pm for 30 minutes on Wednesday 6 February 2019. We can accommodate your children in After School but would appreciate it if this is used if you can find no alternatives as I am sure you can imagine this could have a strain our staffing.  This must be booked in advance to ensure correct staffing ratios.

Please confirm your attendance through the Evolve message sent out today.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Congratulations to the following pupils for achieving mastery, practice and creativity in their subjects:

• Freya, Sienna and Tumi have become Junior da Vinci students in RE 
• Stephanie has become a Junior da Vinci student in English

Well done to all.

Rohan is our latest pupil to have read 500,000 words, what a great achievement.

• Albert
• Emily  

Class VY had access to a real life NHS angel this week as they interviewed Mrs Noyce as part of their study project 'Step into the NHS'.

Mrs Noyce was formally a Senior Sister in a neonatal unit. She told them many wonderful stories of the babies she had supported and in three words described the NHS as family, miraculous and tired!

The children noted down all her interesting answers and hopefully they are inspired to take up one of the 350 different occupations within the NHS when they grow up.

Craft Club children have had lots of fun making and testing their catapults. Can you spot the ammunition flying through the air?

As part of our Computing learning objectives we have been considering the language computers use and how there is a need to follow a set of instructions in order for the right thing to happen!  To help us remember what algorithms are about, we followed the same instructions in making a paper aeroplane (with very different results!) and then tested them to see if our following of instructions worked.

Class II children continue to work hard to develop and improve their joined, cursive handwriting with the aim of becoming (some already are) automatic and fluent handwriters by the time they enter Class III.

This week we have looked at the main events in British history and seen where WW2 fits into this. Many of the children were surprised to learn just how relatively recent it was. 

Ollie was very excited to share some of his family's WW2 memorabilia with the class. They enjoyed trying on the original war helmet and looking at the gas masks and replica bombs.

There has been huge excitement in Class VF as we get to grips with our fabulous new state of the art interactive smart board!

Year 5 has focused on problem-solving skills in mathematics this week. They have combined addition, subtraction, decimals and measure skills to use the best mental strategies to find solutions. They must also record and present findings clearly. 

As part of our book study on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone in Class VI we are looking at the impact of sentence structure. To show how angry, cross and frustrated we are we used short sentences and wow words as we pretended to be characters from the book.

The boys wanted to build on their good start to the hockey season before Christmas with their first competition. This tournament would test to see where the boys are compared to some of the strongest school teams from The Midlands.

Bromsgrove was a tough test first up and the boys never really got going. Despite this, Josh kept the score down to 2-0 before George finished exceptionally well, lobbing the keeper to make it 2-1. The boys came back well and looked much more on their game in the next five matches.

Tense 1-0 wins against Bedford, Bilton Grange and Solihull, all through reverse stick goals from Fin, put Crescent in a position where, if they beat Foremarke, they would win the tournament. Foremarke were just a bit too strong. Josh was heroic again but could not stop the 1-0 loss.

Archie was the stand out player for Crescent in the tournament as, when he switched to defence, he kept it very tight.

This is the first time that Crescent have qualified for the county stage of this tournament. Previously we have qualified in the small school section.

The level was incredibly high and the Crescent boys stood up to the challenge. The games were tough but came away proud of their performance. They defended heroically, with Theo blocking one shot with his chest and one with his head! Mehul received rave reviews from teachers from other schools for his exceptional display in goal. Going forward, the boys passed with creativity and high tempo - a huge improvement on the start of the year. In the end it was physical strength that made the biggest difference between the sides and the Crescent boys will gain that in time.

The boys were presented with their certificates in Assembly this morning.

Year 5 and 6 Crescent girls enjoyed a great start to the cross country season wtih a fleet-footed run around Princethorpe College’s beautiful grounds.  The girls visited the College on Wednesday afternoon and after a swift warm up they tackled the varied course taking in the sports fields and surrounding countryside before coming home in some terrific times.  All the girls showed lots of grit and determination and they are now ready for the season ahead.

Monday 21 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.

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.

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

Lunch Menu 210119

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 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 to read all about what the Reception Class have been learning this week.

Reception Round Up