The Courier

Dear Parents 

This week has felt rather like a throwback to wetter and cooler times. We’ve had to restart the central heating in school and a few of us have been rummaging in drawers for the thermal underwear (not me, obviously). The all-important issue of course is whether we can get Sports Day on next Monday and, for now, the forecast is fine, which is good, but the fields at Princethorpe are saturated although ground staff there are confident this can improve sufficiently by Monday. We will continue to assess things today and over the weekend but as this is our last chance to run the full event we will not make a decision until first thing on Monday to give it every chance of going ahead. If we do have to cancel, we will communicate with an email at around 7.30am and signs around the school as you enter and drop off. Children should come to school prepared for their sports events with a water bottle and their bags for afternoon lessons.

I was delighted to come back to school today, after a safeguarding training course yesterday, to see pictures of some of our Year 5 children enjoying the spectacle of the Women’s Cycle Tour of Britain passing through Bilton on Thursday. It looks like the rain held off and it may just give one or two children the inspiration to get into cycling themselves. We will keep an eye out for the details of the men’s event that is due to come through Rugby in September. It’s been great to see the new FoC bike shelter in full use this term as well, this has been a most welcome addition to our facilities.

I have just heard that the photographers have decided to postpone today’s whole school photo due to the poor weather. We will try and find an alternative date before the end of term and give you as much notice as we possibly can. Many thanks to all of you for making such an effort to have them all here in their correct uniform, blazer and all.

Have a great weekend everyone. I only hope it dries off enough for me to mow my lawn at home which is starting to look like a hay meadow.

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.

From now until the end of term we will be looking at a very important idea from the Good Citizens section of the Promise:

"We keep our school tidy and take pride in our clothes and our uniform."

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

Please click on the link below to view the weekly calendar.  The calendar details all the co-curricular clubs for Trinity term:

Weekly Calendar - 170619 

Please note there is no Junior Drama Club this week as per the original dates in the letter.

Any Changes to clubs are also reflected on SOCS Co-Curricular and this will be displayed in your child's calendar.

SOCS Co-Curricular

Crescent School

The Women’s Cycle Tour of Britain passed through Bilton on Thursday 13 June 2019 and Class VF had the wonderful opportunity to go and watch this major sporting event on our own doorstep. 

Flags were made before the children left and the Emergency Service made it extra fun for the children with 'flossing' Police Officers and sounding the Blues and Twos!

The Men's Tour will be going through on 13 September and we hope to take another Class to watch.

Crescent School

On Tuesday 11 June, Year 5 pupils enjoyed an early opportunity to experience life at the Foundation’s senior school when they attended a ‘Taster Day’ at Princethorpe College.  Pupils took part in a number of different classroom lessons; depending on their group, they enjoyed Art, Science, History, English and Psychology or Business Studies.  They also had a tour of the school buildings, lunch in the Refectory and participated in other activities including a pupil panel (a great chance to ask those questions you wouldn’t ask a teacher!)

The Taster Day experience is all about letting the Year 5 children enjoy a day at secondary school, a first chance to become familiar with the bigger school environment, helping to make the forthcoming change a less daunting experience.

Parents are reminded that Crescent School children are not automatically entered for Princethorpe’s Entrance Examinations.  Those wishing to apply for September 2020 entry must complete a registration form by Friday 4 October at the latest and the Entrance Examinations will take place on Saturday 9 November.

I received a complaint this week from a local resident regarding inconsiderate parking by Crescent parents on the streets around the school, particularly in the junctions of Dalkeith Avenue, Magnet Lane and St Mark’s Avenue. People understandably have heightened sensitivities around parking near their properties and, as well as adhering to the guidance of the Highway Code, it should be a question of applying the golden rule of ‘do as you would be done by’.

I know that the vast majority of you do exactly that but in the rush to work or to pick up, please bear this in mind and park safely and considerately around the school.

Next week we are trialling the use of trays for serving our school lunches. This will enable the children to collect their meal and their pudding on one visit to the serving counter. In theory, this will mean we can improve the speed and efficiency of the service. We will not let this take away from the emphasis we place on good manners and family style service. Children will not go on to their puddings until the others at their table have finished and they are given permission by the member of staff on duty.

This is very much a trial at this stage to see what benefits it will bring before we decide whether or not to bring it in for next term.

We were delighted to receive this report from Tony and Sue Melia.

Sam and Rob's trip was very successful and they have ventured extremely far up country this time way into the north of Malawi.  They have returned with a few more projects for schools that we will be looking at for projects in 2019/20.

Just a quick update on the projects that Crescent school funded this year.  We hope it is OK, but we have managed to stretch Crescent school's donation to cover four projects these are:

• Orphan care food project (this will be distributed next month to the feeding stations)
• Mkombezi Girls dormitory solar lights project (this now installed pictures attached)
• Mkombezi Girls dormitory 30 mattress project (now purchased pictures attached)
• Jombo School 10 teachers classroom furniture project (will arrive once school renovated)

Once again our thanks for all you do and Crescent School's support over the years that helped so many children.

As many of you may have seen there is a new aspect to the Active Learn Online Platform. As a school we are having a trial period with Bug Club, this is a reading initiative which we are exploring for Pre-Prep next year.

Please free free to use it. If we decide to invest in the initiative you will all receive information to help you as a family get the most out of Bug Club.

It has been a great year for reading and the children are still enjoying books.

Please can all school reading books for Classes III - VI be back in school by Wednesday 3 July.  Over the summer we like to do an audit, checking that we have a good range across the year groups.  Please check under beds, on shelves and in bags and send them into your form tutor.

Thank you for all your continued support with reading out of school, keep it up over the summer, it can be a good time to visit your local library and bookshops.

Monday 17 June 2019 - 10.00am - 1.00pm

We are all very much looking forward to the rescheduled Sports Day for Years 1-6 on Monday 17 June. This is being held within the school day so normal drop off and collection times from school apply.

Please note that all pupils are to wear PE kit to School, blazers are not required but a tracksuit top or hoodie are to be worn. Please ensure that your child(ren) comes to school with the following:

• suncream, applied before school
• a school sunhat (these can be purchased from the school office)
• a refillable drinks bottle of water (snacks will be provided)

Sports days are always very much anticipated by the children and really enjoyable for all involved. Spectators play a huge part in this and we hope to see many of you cheering on the children.

Monday 24 June 2019 2.00pm - 3.30pm

Crescent Reception and Pathfinders Nursery Pre-School, welcome you to their afternoon of athleticism on the School Field.

Please confirm attendance via the link in the message that was sent out.

Crescent School

Thursday 27 June from 3.00pm

Our ‘Open Book’ afternoon is on Thursday 27 June for Years 1-6.  This is a chance for you to share all of your child’s books with them at their desk and see what they have enjoyed this year in the classrooms. The front door will be open at 3.00pm and you will be told which classroom your child will be in at that time of the day. Due to space we can only accommodate one adult per child.

Please note this is not a Parent Teacher consultation, but a lovely opportunity for you and your child to share their work.

You will be able to take many, but not all of the books home afterwards. If you have more than one child, split the time between the classrooms, taking the first child with you to the next! 

I do hope you can join us, please let us know by Tuesday 25 June via the message that was sent out.

Thursday 27 June 2019 - 7.00pm - 8.15pm

As we come to the end of the academic year you will have noted in the calendar that this year’s Welcome Evening is planned for Thursday 27 June. All parents of children who are attending the school next year are invited to this important information sharing evening.

I will start things off with a talk in the main hall about our plans for next year outlining some key areas for development in the year ahead.  Parents will then have the chance to meet their child’s form teacher and see the room where they will be based.

The school playground will be open for parking from 6.45pm, please enter the school hall via the Pathfinders entrance.

Please confirm attendance via the link in the message that was sent out.

I look forward to seeing you on the evening.

Another good week for Junior da Vinci students, congratulations go to the the following children.

• Zahra for English
• Emme for Art and Design
• Daniel for English
• Izzy for English ( this is Izzy's 2nd in English)
• Kai in Maths

Well done to you all.

This week Tumi has read one million words, a super achievement.

This week Daniel hit the six million word mark, that is the most I have ever known anyone read. Daniel truly loves his books and reads a wide range too. I can also really see the impact on his writing as he has a fabulous way with words. Well done Daniel.

Congratulations!

• Nora
• Sam B

Well done to Emily and Shaylan who received Playground Supervisors awards in Assembly this morning.

The Playground Supervisors

Congratulations to Katherine and Stephanie who have achieved their Gold Challenge Certificate for Times Tables.

The times table challenge is a drop in session in the Library with myself on a Wednesday morning for Classes II - VI.

Congratulations to our Pre-Primary Ballet Dancers for passing their exams with distinctions.

Super work Alice, Emily, Maisie, Roisin and Sofie!

Crescent School

Our new topic in RE is caring for others. We looked at the bible story of the Good Samaritan and then learned about a real life Good Samaritan, Mother Teresa. Some great discussion took place about what qualities you need to care for others.

The children all made four links on a paper chain writing these qualities on then we linked them all together to create a class size paper chain. We celebrated how we are all linked together through caring and kindness.  

Year 2 children were animated and engaged by an adventure quest story which they pair read in advance of planning and writing their own quest stories this week.

Class III have begun sewing their slippers this week.  After designing them and cutting out all the component parts, this week saw the children choosing cotton, threading needles and knotting knots.

I and all the children would like to say a huge thank you to the regular team of parent helpers who come in each week, we couldn't do it without you!

It's rubbish in Year 4! We have been categorising rubbish thrown away in classrooms and deciding if it all needed to be thrown away.

Categories with the most items in were paper and plastics. Class IV school councillors will be asking for a compost bin to be installed in the playground to reduce organic waste in the regular bins too.

Classes VF and VY have been designing and making their moving toys in DT lessons this week.

The children have been drawing, painting, printing images off the computer, cutting and sticking a variety of materials to decorate them.

They have all been sawing and sanding down the dowel, moving on to fit in their chosen shaped cams which determine how their toys move.

Cara has received her second full Junior da Vinci award this week, what a superb achievement.

This portrait of Tony Stark took her nine hours to complete and looks absolutely stunning.

Well done Cara.

Crescent School was delighted to finish in fourth place overall at the Regional Qualifier for the Independent School Association’s National Track and Field Athletics competition.

Taking place on Thursday 6 June, a team of 26 athletes from Years 4 to 6 travelled to Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium to compete against 31 schools from across the Midlands.

Many of the children put in fantastic performances and were proud to achieve personal bests and two Crescent School pupils finished in first place and qualified for the National Championships.

Head of Girls’ Games, Rachel McCollin praised the outstanding attitude adopted by the Crescent team.

“It was an absolutely fabulous day,” commented Mrs McCollin, “I am very pleased with our results, there were many excellent individual performances that together added up to a fantastic fourth place finish overall.  Five out of our six teams reached the finals of the 4 x 100m relay.  The children well and truly rose to the challenge of our ‘little school big ambitions’ motto!”

Winning their events and qualifying for the Nationals were:

Olivia                  1st     Year 6 80m Sprint

George B             1st     Year 5 Long Jump

Other commendable results included:

Olivia                  2nd     Year 6 High Jump

George B             2nd     Year 5 600m

Amy                    2nd     Year 4 Throw

Fin                      4th      Year 6 High Jump

Cara                    4th      Year 6 Throw

Amelie                 4th      Year 5 70m Sprint

Sam S                 4th      Year 5 High Jump

Kyle                     5th      Year 6 Long Jump

Kyle                     5th      Year 6 150m Sprint

Amelie                 6th      Year 5 Long Jump

Eve                      6th      Year 4 Long Jump

Eve                      7th      Year 4 600m

Eddie                    8th      Year 6 Throw

The ISA National Track and Field Championships take place later this month on Wednesday 19 June, also at the Alexander Stadium.  Crescent School is very proud that Olivia Monk and George Bell have been selected to represent the Midlands, Olivia will run in the 80m sprint and George will compete in the Long Jump and also in the 600m.  We wish George and Olivia all the best in the National Finals. 

The FoC will  be recording the dress rehearsal of Honk on Tuesday 18 June at Princethorpe College. If you would like to purchase a copy of this recording please fill out the online form in the link below. The DVDs will be sent out before the end of term.

Honk DVD

The Summer Fête is this year is on Friday 21 June. 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.

In line with the Christmas Bazzar, 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 to the sports field 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 21 June 2019 - 3.20pm to 5.00pm

This year’s summer Fete, weather permitting, we have donkey rides, inflatables, games for the children to play (all for 50p to allow your child to fill up their card with 10 stamps from which they can then chose 3 prizes from the prizes stall), refreshments, face and nail painting, tombola stall, candy floss, teddy stall and of course the raffle.

Your raffle tickets will be coming home with your children this weekend so please search their bags for these. Please return all raffle ticket money and the ticket stubs by Wednesday 19 June to the green FoC box. 

We also require donations for our raffle stall and teddies for our Adopt a Teddy stall. For the raffle donations of wine, chocolates, board games, new DVD's, craft kits would be fantastic. 

Please leave your items on the FoC table. Thank you so much for your support, we really appreciate it. 

Please donate any suitable children's prizes for our Summer Fete, including toys, accessories, sweeties or games. All contributions gratefully received.

A collection box will be placed at the pupil entrance from the beginning of next week.

Thank you

Friday 28 June 2019

This will be held from 8.00pm at the Distillery bar in Rugby in a private room upstairs. We have our own bar and music system.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased from your FoC representative or clicking on the link below. The tickets will cost £15 and this will include canapés and a drink on arrival.

Parents' Night Tickets

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

Crescent Menu - 17 June 2019 

Crescent School Office

Please see below for useful school contact information:

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

2018/19

Trinity Term
Term ends Wednesday 3 July 2019

2019/20

Please find a link below to the current vacancies available across the Foundation:

• After School Manager (Crescent School)
• Marketing and Communications Co-Ordinator
• Traffic Coordinator

Full details of the roles and how to apply are available via the following link https://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 - 140619