The Courier

Dear Parents

Welcome to our third newsletter of the term. I spent some time this morning going round the classes enjoying lessons with the children. I got a strong sense that we are now fully in groove for the new term. This is the longest term of the school year and one where the foundations are laid for the year ahead. The children have now got to know their new teachers and classmates and are becoming familiar with a new timetable. There was a real sense of hard work and purpose around the classrooms that was very encouraging to see. I particularly enjoyed spending some time in the Reception class where we learnt a lovely little French song about a rowing boat. It did involve me having to do some rowing as well as acting out the boat capsizing at the end, which the children seemed to find particularly amusing.

Today some of the Year 6s had a chance to go and watch the men’s cycling Tour of Britain as it passed through Bilton. This was a great sight and gave the children a taste of some genuinely high quality international sport. I have always followed the Tour de France and I’ve often dreamt of going over and watching a stage if I ever got the chance. Going with the children this morning was the next best thing and has given me the inspiration to try and get over to France for a stage next year. Hopefully it will have inspired some of the children to have a go at cycling as well.

I note that next week on the calendar we have parents’ meetings introducing the online platforms we use in school that you can use to support the children’s learning at home. These are always well run and informative meetings that are particularly useful for parents new to the school or moving up a key stage. I hope to see many of you there.  

With some warm September sunshine forecast for the weekend I hope you are all able to spend some quality time with your families. It is important to pace yourself through this term, and that applies equally to teachers, staff, children and probably parents as well.

Please click on the link below to view the weekly calendar of clubs, events, fixtures and additional information for the week. 

Weekly Calendar  - 16 September 2019 

Please note the following club is not running this week:

• Outdoor Learning

All the co-curricular clubs can be viewed on SOCS Co-curricular and detail the dates the clubs are running.  

SOCS Co-Curricular

Crescent School

Hotshots taster sessions will be held on Monday afternoon during lesson time for Years 3-6.  Information will be brought home afterwards to enable you to sign your child/ren up.

Hotshots Club will then commence on Monday 23 September after school at 3.45pm.

It has been a fantastic first few weeks at Crescent School for our brand new Reception class.

They have been making friends, playing outside, sitting down for lunch together, getting changed for PE, hanging up their blazers on the right peg and of course – enjoying plenty of fabulous new lessons. Already the seven boys and ten girls in this class of bubbly, bright youngsters are becoming familiar with their daily routine and whilst it might be tiring at first, it is clearly so much fun.

Under the ever-present care of Mrs Pullen and Mrs Noyce, the girls and boys have settled in well and have happy smiles on their faces. What an exciting adventure they have ahead of them over the next few years.

This week they had yet one more momentous event – their first class photo – and don’t they all look adorable in their new uniform, and how well they all behaved as we mustered the class. They are a perfect addition to our wonderful school community.

And whilst our camera was out we thought why not take a photo of all of Crescent's classes, so here we all are at the start of the 2019-20 academic year.

Crescent School’s Class 6Y went out to welcome the OVO Energy Tour of Britain cyclists as they raced down Alwyn Road near the school today Friday 13 September, on Stage 7 of the event. It was super exciting for the children who were lined up along the road, with flags at the ready. Everyone cheered enthusiastically as the leaders and then the peloton flew past followed by their accompanying cars and police out-riders. The cyclists even dropped water bottles and snack bags close to the class that the teachers helped the children collect up afterwards. They are going to make wonderful souvenirs!

Class 6Y are writing up their own report - watch out for it in the Courier next week!

Dear Mrs Forth and all children at Crescent School

This update is a report to tell you what we did in Malawi with the fantastic amount of money you all worked so hard to raise and donated to us in June 2019.

We did in fact complete three projects with this money and these were:

• Orphan care food project for six months until Jan 2020
• Teachers class room furniture project in Jombo Junior school
• Girls dormitory solar lighting project

Attached are some pictures to show you what happened with these projects.

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.

This week’s promise is an excellent one to start the year with and is in the category of Good Friends:

‘We are kind to each other’ 

A copy of the newly published Crescent School Information Booklet 2019/20 will be coming home with your child tonight (one per family).  Please do read through it as it contains information regarding the school.

Uniform expectations for the different year groups can be found on pages 18-19.

Crescent School

Please let the School Office and/or your child's form teacher know if someone else will be collecting your child at the end of school. We cannot release pupils without this information.

Many thanks

Mr Webb
Designated Safeguarding Lead 

Year 6 will be bringing home with them today a request for information that Mrs Yates and I require for helping to prepare the children for their next steps and writing their references. Please complete with as much detail as possible with your child and return it to us by Tuesday 17 September, this will be set as Year 6 homework on Monday 16 September.

We are happy for it to be emailed to us if this is easier.  The more information we receive about what your child does in and out of school, the more it will inform the references.

Your help is much appreciated.

Year 6 Blue House pupils are all set to start Play Leader activities at lunch time next week with Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 following their training on Monday 9 September.

Leaders had to learn about the skills and attributes of good leaders, drawing upon their own knowledge of examples of good leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama.  They then analysed their own areas of strength and development as a leader so they were aware of what skills they need to work on.  We then went on to look at the 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.

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.  Pupils were very creative when it came to making games that are suitable and fun for the younger children, basing games around favourite television characters and Disney stars.   The leaders showed maturity and were focused throughout their training and I am positive they are going to have a great term running their activities with the youngest members of our school.  

Milk is given out to the children (who have signed up for milk) at lunchtime for all the classes except Reception, who have their milk in their classroom with Mrs Pullen and Mrs Noyce.

Several cartons are being left at the end of lunchtime not collected, please can you advise the school office if your child no longer wants milk.

Many thanks

Crescent School Office

Cyber-crime – please be vigilant

Parents are asked to be vigilant when reading emails relating to the payment of school fees and any other items to the Foundation.

We continue to receive reports regarding spam emails being sent to parents of independent schools asking them to pay future fees to a ‘new’ school bank account.

Please be advised there has been no change to the bank details of either Princethorpe College, Crackley Hall or Crescent and there is no intention to make any changes in the foreseeable future. Any electronic notification that appears to be from any of the Foundation schools changing these details may be fraudulent.

Our bank details are available on the Parent Bills, the Online Payment Portal and for Princethorpe in the Princethorpe College Information Booklet 2019 – 2020, and only those details should be used.

Parents are asked to be vigilant in respect of any communications purporting to be from the Foundation requesting money that does not match our normal procedures.

Please note:

• invoices are only available through the on-line parent fee portal;
• our bank account details will NOT change during the academic year 2019-20;
• if you receive an email purporting to amend our bank details, do not make any payment and please contact us by telephone immediately to clarify;
• we do not email details of unsolicited discounts for payment of funds.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my colleagues in the Bursary if you are have any doubts about the correct details or indeed if anything appears suspicious.

Please contact the Bursary if you have concerns about any communication you receive and in particular if you receive any request for payment of funds outside our normal routines.

Please note we do not accept payment in cash for the fee bill.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Friday 20 September 2019 - 3.45pm to 4.45pm

Please come along and support the FoC 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 stationary for privilege time for Year 6.

You can also purchase pre-loved uniform.

Monday 23 September 2019

Individual and siblings photographs will be taken in school on Monday 23 September.  Children may choose to wear either winter or summer uniform with blazers please.

Crescent School

Thursday 26 September 2019 - 10.30am to 12.30pm

The College is holding an Open Morning on Thursday 26 September from 10.30am to 12.30pm.  This is a chance to look around the school on a normal working day, prior to Entrance Examinations Day on Saturday 9 November 2019. Year 8 and Year 9 pupils will act as tour guides and show visitors around the school. 

Please do spread the word amongst friends and family, all are very welcome.

For further information please visit www.princethorpe.co.uk

Friday 27 September 2019 - 8.15am to 10.15am

For the first time the FoC will be supporting this wonderful charity. We will be holding a coffee morning straight after drop off, in the School Library until 10.15am. Everyone is welcome to come, please feel free to bring younger siblings along and join us for coffee and cake.

We will also be selling cakes to all the children at break time for 50p so please can you all get your baking hats on. We require smaller individual cakes that the children can purchase as well as bigger Victoria sponges, chocolate cakes that the parents and teachers can enjoy. 

Please could all cakes be left on the FoC table from Thursday 26 September.

Friday 27 September 2019 - 3.45pm to 4.45pm

For the first time the FoC we will be holding an AGM. We will be discussing our accounts, plans and elections of roles. These roles include Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer as well as two news roles of Deputy Chairperson and a Media/PR and communications role (managing the facebook page, starting a twitter page and communicating via The Courier).

We will be publishing further documentation in advance of this meeting.  This meeting is open to everyone, please do come along.

Monday 30 September 2019 - 4.00pm

All Year 6 parents are invited to an information session about the residential trip to Slapton Ley Centre. This will be an opportunity for you to find out what happens there, note the key dates and ask any questions. We will soon be asking for you to sign up for this trip, securing your child's place with a small deposit.

This will be held in the Class 6W form room at 4.00pm on Monday 30 September 2019. Your child(ren) is/are also welcome and there will be light refreshments served. It should last no more than 30 minutes.

An email with a link to sign up has been emailed to you.

Friday 4 October 2019 - 10.00am to 3.00pm

The Crescent School is opening its doors to prospective parents for an Open Day on Friday 4 October from 10.00am to 3.00pm.

This is an opportunity to look around the school and to meet staff and pupils on a normal working day. All are welcome, no need to book, so please do help us spread the word.

If you can't make the Open Day but would like to visit the school, please call our Registrar, Mrs Helen Morley, on 01788 523851 and come on a day to suit you, we welcome visitors on most days.

For more information visit www.crescentschool.co.uk

Friday 11 October 2019 - 3.45pm to 4.45pm

Please come along and support the FoC 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 stationary for privilege time for Year 5.

You can also purchase pre-loved uniform.

Friday 11 October 2019 - 7.30pm

Our annual Quiz night hosted by Ms Forth will take place in the school hall from 7.30pm. It only costs £5 per person to enter. Tables will be up to eight people with prizes to be won. Let's see who can take the cup from the amazing Year 1 team!

Your Year group representative will be responsible for getting teams together, so look out for an email/whatsapp from them, and for organising food for your table if you require it.

Please pay on the night, we can accept cash or card payments. 

Friday 13 December 2019 - 3.45pm to 4.45pm

Please come along and support the FoC 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 stationary for privilege time for Year 4.

You can also purchase pre-loved uniform.

Friday 15 November 2019 - 5.00pm to 6.30pm

The movie for this event is still TBC, as we are waiting to see when particular movies are going to be released, but it will be a U rated film - appropriate for all children. It will cost £5 per child (£3 per Reception child as they need to be accompanied by an adult) and includes the movie plus snacks and drinks.  

If you child would like to come along please put their name down on the sign up sheet on the FoC table. Children need to be dropped off at the front door at 5.00pm and be collected from the side entrance at 6.30pm. If you would like your child to go into after school prior to the movie starting and have tea please put their name down on the after school sheet in the week prior to this.

Friday 6 December 2019 - 3.45pm to 6.00pm

Our annual Christmas Bazaar will include games, crafts and a special visit from Father Christmas.

Reception and Year 1 will be able to attend from 3.20pm as it does get busy in the hall and surrounding classrooms, 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. 

More details on this will follow later in the term.

What a wonderful time the children had in our new co-curricular club this week.  Pre-Prep Mini Music is an extra addition to Crescent's co-curricular programme and will run every Tuesday morning before school.

Organsied by Mrs Fisher, the children atttending the club will have plenty of fun playing a variety of 'whacky' musical instruments.  They will enjoy exploring and creating a wide range of sounds!

Over the summer holidays Mrs Fisher has sourced lots of lovely new instruments to play and, as you can see from the photos this week, at the first session the children had a whole lot of fun!

A huge thank you to all the Year 6 helpers who came along to help with the club.

Crescent Schooll

Class 1E have been learning all about concentric shapes this week. They used water colours to add their choice of colours and worked very hard to paint within the lines.

Repeated practise of number formation supports both the shape and the direction of numbers and enables the children to correctly form their numbers automatically.  

Practise builds muscle memory in the hand but doesn’t need to be just writing on paper. We have been writing on each other’s backs with our fingers, making large numbers in the air, creating numbers out of playdough, making number shapes with our bodies and writing them in trays of salt which is lots of fun.

Class 2W started their Mini-Brass lessons this week.  The children were very excited to be learning an instrument and could not wait to take it home to show their parents what they had learnt.  

Crescent School

Class 5F have been researching life cycles of mammals and creating their own fact files on the favourite.

Classes 6Y and 6W have been researching, designing and making invertebrate houses and hotels. Here you can see them in the making stage.

Thank you to everyone who attended the FoC meeting on Monday, it was lovely to see so many new faces and to meet our new reception representatives Vicky Morley and Lisa Millward. I'll be publishing next week the list of Year group representatives for every year so look out for this. In the meantime all the events for this term can be found under the Events page or via the facebook link below:

Friend of Crescent Facebook Page

Dear Parents

Just a request please to name all items of school uniform. These do periodically become misplaced.  For safeguarding reasons it's not possible for parents to come into school to search for these but staff will always do their best to support children in finding them and we will be re-housing the lost property box to near the pupil entrance.

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

 Crescent Menu - 16 September 2019

Crescent School Office

Please see below for useful school contact information:

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

2019/20

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 this important health and safety matter.

Joe Thackway
Headmaster

We are excited to introduce to you our Crescent Courier Kids reporters. Dorritt, Charlotte, Eve, Tumi and Keshav are meeting every Tuesday morning to create a kids section of the Courier. They have many exciting ideas which they will be sharing in our first edition of Kids Courier in the last edition of this half-term. Watch this Space!