The Courier

Dear Parents

Welcome to this week’s newsletter.

We have enjoyed a calm and settled week of hard work here at school and there have been some lovely highlights along the way to recognise. Firstly, the parents’ consultation evenings on Monday and Tuesday this week went smoothly and it was good to have some positive feedback from parents regarding the new format. I know from experience that teachers feel very torn on these evenings, in the sense that they would happily talk for ever about the great things each child is achieving in school whilst at the same time having to try to keep to the appointment times. From a parent‘s point of view I know it can be frustrating if you need to wait but, in general, this week I think we got the balance right.

It was pleasing to welcome Kieran McCulloch over from Princethorpe College on Tuesday morning who gave us a thought-provoking assembly on the theme of ‘never giving up’. I know that Kieran is well liked by the children and his assemblies are always well received with plenty of laughter along the way.

Once more, we have enjoyed lots of sport this week with the ISA swimming gala on Tuesday, and girls’ hockey matches on Wednesday. We also had an excellent first AGM of the Friends of Crescent Association, which went well and I believe the new constitution well enable the Association to share its mission statement and vision with all parents. We genuinely appreciate everything the FOC does for the school, and of course tonight is one of the highlights of the year with the parents’ quiz. The Year 1 parents set a very high bar last year, it will be interesting to see if they can live with the pressure of having to maintain their record tonight!

I hope you all have a good weekend and we look forward to the final week of this half of Michaelmas term in excellent spirits.

This academic year is very likely to bring an ISI inspection to Crescent, most probably in the second half of the year. All independent schools are inspected by the ISI both for compliance across a wide range of regulatory requirements as well as for the educational quality of our provision. It is well recognised that ISI inspections are every bit as thorough as Ofsted ones, and arguably even more so in the area of curriculum delivery. As part of our preparations for this likely visit later in the year we are bringing in the services of an expert in the field, Serena Alexander, who will spend the day with us on Wednesday 6 November reviewing various aspects of the teaching and learning in school. Whilst we are always inspection ready here at Crescent, it is helpful to get the views of a visiting expert to help us continue to build on what we have.

There are a number of different elements to the inspection, including interviews with children and trawls through their books and Serena will be setting something similar up for her visit next month. It is possible that your child will be selected for one of these interviews and, if so, please be assured that they will be accompanied by a member of staff and that they are very much child-centred and child-friendly conversations about all aspects of school life.

Another part of the inspection will be a survey of parents’ feelings and attitudes towards the school.  As we have conducted parents’ surveys in the last two years, and are expecting another this year as part of the inspection, we are not planning to have an additional one this term.

If you do have any questions regarding either the review next month or the inspection itself please don’t hesitate to contact me or your form teacher.

Best wishes

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

Weekly Calendar - 14 October 2019

Please note the following clubs are not running this week:

• Tuesday - After School Boys Football 
• Tuesday - After School Pre-Prep Craft Club
• Friday - After School Orchestra
• Friday - Breakfast Yoga

There is no swimming for Years 1 and 2 on Tuesday.

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

On Monday 7 October Crescent took part in the inaugural Princethorpe College Year 5 Maths Challenge.  The event was run by Douglas Buchanan of DCBEAGLE Challenges, who specialises in organising exciting and innovative maths activities for primary school aged children.

Crescent took three teams of two to compete against 30 pairs of enthusiastic and very talented mathematicians from 15 local schools, the pupils took part in a series of puzzles against the clock.  In six eight-minute rounds the children tackled Tangram Triangles, Broken Calculators, Domino Jigsaws, Catch The Train, Card Order and Curly’s Cycling Circuits, before finishing with a bonus round of five final mathematics questions.

Ably supported and marked by a team of Princethorpe’s Year 10 pupils, the competition stretched and challenged the children with mathematical activities that required both reasoning skills and mathematical knowledge.

The event was huge fun for all who took part and everyone who participated received a certificate and a special Princethorpe cookie.

Crescent School’s best placed team Crescent 3, Alyssa and Isla came a fantastic 7th overall, Crescent 2 were 14th and Crescent 1 came 29th.

Mrs Forth commented, “It was a great opportunity for all to put their maths skills to the test.   Well done team Crescent, we are proud of how you represented our school.”

Competing for Crescent were Alyssa Barnett, Isla Barrack, Jack Moyney, Isaac Nelson, Jay Patil and Hattie Sarkies.

Warwickshire County Council have advised the following message re the Crossing Patrol on Monday 14 October:

Chris Simpkins, the school crossing patrol on Bawnmore Road, will not be on duty on Monday 14 October.  Chris will try to make it back for the afternoon shift but is not sure whether that will be possible. Therefore it is probably best if we say there won't be a patrol on duty all day. If he is able to get back it will be a bonus.

Warwickshire County Council

Due to Pre-Prep Parent Consultation apointments being held in their classrooms in the Pre-Prep department, After-School will be moved to Room 1 (Music Room) on Tuesday 15 October.

Please collect your children from the main school entrance where your child will be released by the After School staff.

Thank you for your understanding on this matter.

Over the course of the school year we will, in turn, focus on one of the elements of the School Promise. We will talk about it in assembly and in form period. It would be great if you could discuss it with your children at home and support the messages we are emphasising in school.

This week we continue with the category of Good Citizens.

‘We try to keep safe and be responsible’

Request from police:

As part of my role as fraud and cyber PROTECT coordinator for Warwickshire and West Mercia Police can I please bring to your attention, and ask for your assistance with, the promotion of the “Don’t Be Fooled” campaign, an initiative organised by UK Finance and Cifas, and supported by Warwickshire Police, which includes a co-ordinated national distribution of a letter to parents of school age children warning of the dangers of sharing or giving out their bank details and becoming a money mule.

More information can be found at www.moneymules.co.uk and your cooperation is much appreciated in reaching out and spreading awareness. 

Please feel free to contact me if you require further information.

Best Regards

Winter uniform is to be worn after the half term break.

The School shop, based at Princethorpe College, will be closed during the half term and will reopen on Monday 4 November.

An email was sent to parents on Tuesday 1 October with links for ordering winter uniform.  Any orders submitted before 4.00pm on Friday 11 October will be delivered to Crescent School before the end of term next Friday.

Our Harvest collection this year is for Rugby Foodbank. Please click here to see the list of suitable donations they require.

Non-perishable donations can be left from Thursday 3 October in crates by the FOC table at the pupil entrance. 

Thank you in advance, for your continued support for such a worthy cause. We look forward to handing over our gifts at our Harvest Service on Thursday 17 October at 9.15am where you are all welcome to join us.

Tuesday 15 October 2019 - 4.00pm to 6.00pm

Parent Consultation meetings for Reception to Year 2 will take place on Tuesday 15 October 2019.  The meetings will take place in the Pre-Prep Department.

This is an important meeting that provides you with an opportunity to discuss your child's academic progress.

Crescent School

Monday 14 October 2019 - 6.30pm to 8.30pm

Parent Consultation meetings for Years 3 - 5 take place on Monday 14 October 2019.  They will be held in the School Hall. This is an important evening that provides you with an opportunity to discuss your child's academic progress.

Crescent School

Wednesday 16 October 2018 - 8.15am to 10.00am and 3.00pm to 5.00pm

The 11+ scores are released on Tuesday 15 October, any Year 6 parents who wish to discuss their child's 11+ results and implications are welcome to see Mr Thackway and myself between 8.15am and 10.00am and 3.00pm and 5.00pm on Wednesday 16 October to discuss the results - please just drop in via the main school entrance. 

If you are unable to make the drop in session please do email me to arrange an alternative time.

Even if you do not feel that you wish to have a discussion, please inform us of the position and scores of your child. The local authority does not inform us and we need them for our records.

Thursday 17 October 2019 - 9.15am

On Thursday 17 October we will be holding our Harvest Celebration Service in the school hall, starting at 9.15am. This is our first shared service of the year and it would be lovely to see lots of parents there, although of course we know this is not possible for everyone with your busy work schedules.

Before the service the staff and children will be busy getting things ready in the hall and I would ask parents to please wait in the Library where there will be tea, coffee and some light refreshments served. 

A link has been sent out to via My School Portal to confirm your attendance.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Friday 18 October 2019

The charity which School Council have chosen for this term is Shine-a-Light. This is a fabulous charity which supports families across Coventry and Warwickshire who have a child who has been diagnosed with cancer. It aims to offer support in the form of counselling and advice, as well as opportunities for the children to have treats, and all the staff are volunteers.

Next Friday for our non-uniform day, the theme is 'Wear something bright for Shine-a-Light'. We would like everyone to dress in casual clothes but include something bright or neon in their outfit. You can dress in an entire bright outfit, or just one item.

The children will be asked to bring in £1 to give to form tutors, and there will be 2 games happening on the door in the morning, 50p each a go.

We hope that this will be a really successful day and that it will bring valuable attention to this excellent charity. So get digging out your neon!

Thank you for your support.

Mrs Monteith and Mrs Stapleton

The children in years 3 and 4 are rewarded for reading of 500,000 words in a Year.

Children in Years 3-6 can also earn star badges for reading one, two or three million words, however it doesn't always stop there as a few children read more than that. I wonder who will be our top reader this year?

Drew has achieved 500,000 words already this term, congratulations to him.

Well done to Albert, James and Rory who received Playground Conduct Awards, chosen by the Lunchtime Supervisors, in assembly this morning. 

Lunchtime Supervisors

Well done to Evelyn and Isabella who received Playleader of the Week certificates in Assembly this morning. These awards are chosen by the Year 6 Play Leaders.

Crescent School Ballet Dancers were presented with their Rosettes in Assembly this morning to celebrate their exams taken last year.

Well done all.

Crescent School

Please return the blue Flu vaccination consent form, which have  been sent home tonight, by next Friday, 18 October 2019. 

Forms need to be returned even if you do not consent to the vaccination for your child.

The flu vaccinations will take place in school, for all years, on Wednesday 13 November.

The link below provides further information:

Flu Vaccinations

Thank you.

Crescent School

We had another lovely visit to the Office this week,  Lilah showed Evelyn how to find Mr Thackway's office so she could collect a Junior da Vinci for creativity for her artwork named 'Iris'.

Crescent School

Class 1E have worked with partners this week in English to sequence the story of ‘Not a Stick’. They then practised retelling the story before performing it in front of the class. The children were a little nervous before their first presentation but we talked about using nerves positively and the feelings of pride when you have finished. The children did an amazing job and were all, quite rightly, proud of themselves and their classmates.

A link will be sent to parents of Class 1E of the performances to watch.

Year 2 children have extended their scientific enquiry this week.  They predicted which ball would bounce best, they tested and measured before reaching their conclusions.  We also love it when unplanned learning about shadows happens too!

Class 2W pupils decided to make the use of five minutes before the end of lunch for a spot of reading in the Library. After a quick selection of books they all had a quiet read.

Crescent School

This week, 4M have been learning more about fractions. They each contributed a line of fractions to a fraction wall, which enabled them to see equivalent fractions. What is the same as one half? Is anything the same as two-thirds? Which is bigger, three-eighths or two-sixths?

They asked each other questions and they all found answers, and we are now ready for the next stage which is placing fractions on a number line and simplifying them. 

It has been lovely to see the variety of Ancient Egyptian homework projects coming into school over the last couple of weeks. 

A reminder that all of 5F need to have their project in school on Tuesday 14 October so that we can share them as a class.

I am starting to give out the holiday read for Year 5 as they finish their present reading book. Each child will be given a copy of Goth Girl and The Ghost of a Mouse to read over half term. You can read this with them, listen to it on audio and of course get them to read it to you. This does need to be finished by the end of half-term so we can can do some work from it when we return. The children will quiz on it in class.

Thank you for your support on this, reading books together and developing a love of reading is very important.

To celebrate the Rugby World Cup, Crescent took part in a local Tag Rugby tournament. Wasps got involved in the organisation as did MP Mark Pawsey. This meant that not only did our children have an exciting tournament to play in but they got to meet two Wasps Rugby players and the Argentinian Ambassador. Mark Pawsey made an appearance as well as The Mayor.

Each school represented a country and we were given Ireland. The children made flags (thanks to Josh G and Sam S for this) and learned the chorus of ‘Ireland’s Call.’ Unfortunately, they did not get a chance to sing it in the opening ceremony. However, in the break, the New Zealand team performed The Haka and the French started singing, ‘Allez Le Bleus’ so we started singing ‘Ireland’s Call.’ It was quite a spine tingling moment.

In the matches, the Crescent children won two matches and drew one in the pool. Their defensive work was superb and they showed great handling and running going forward. In the semi-final, Ireland just lost out to France 3-2 but we won the third/fourth playoff to finish 3rd.

Crescent made the journey to Walsall Baths on Tuesday 8 October to compete in the Independent Schools’ Association’s Midlands Junior Swimming Gala. Success at the Regional event would qualify pupils for the ISA National Championships due to take place later this year in London at the Olympic Aquatics Centre.

The children swam 25m in the pool and the races included both individual events and team relays. Crescent's pupils showed great confidence, teamwork and skill at the gala. A number had swum before and showed their progress through their much improved finishing positions and personal best times. For others this was their very first experience of competitive galas, but as always Crescent School's pupils encouraged each other, from the start through to the finish of every single race.

It quickly became clear that Crescent were one of the dominant schools which was a first for this competition. In the end, we finished 3rd overall on points out of the 24 schools taking part with the Year 6 Girls finishing 2nd (last year as Year 5s, they were 6th and the school finished 7th).

Sienna and Stephanie made it through to the National Finals in Breaststroke and Freestyle respectively. Other notable performances included: Eve 3rd in Backstroke and Josh 3rd in Breaststroke (despite them not being club swimmers!), Marco came 3rd in Butterfly and the Year 6 Boys Medley Relay team were 2nd (George B, Josh, Marco and Ewan).

Well done to all of Crescent's swimmers for their excellent effort.

Friday 15 November 2019 - 5.00pm to 6.30pm

The movie for this event is going to be the newly released Toy Story 4, this is a U film and is therefore 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.

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 stationery for privilege time for Year 4.

You can also purchase pre-loved uniform.

On Monday 7 October the FoC held its first AGM meeting - thank you to everyone who attended. In this meeting we agreed the ethos of our committee, elected new officers and adopted our constitution. For everyone who was unable to attend this meeting next week I will circulate a copy of our constitution together with a copy of our FoC descriptors document which details what the FoC is about, our ethos, events, the role of our members as well as how we spend the money we raise.

I hope everyone finds this useful as we continue to formalise our committee. 

Below are the details of the FoC Year Group Representatives. These reps will communicate with you on all our events via email, whatsapp or facebook. 

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

Crescent Menu - 14 October 2019 

Crescent School Office

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

• Foundation Data Manager
• Learning Support Asssitant

Full details of the roles and how to apply are available via the following link https://www.princethorpe.co.uk/employment-opportunities

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 - Choir, Orchestra, String, Brass and Wind

Please do pop in if you need any of the above items.

Crescent School Office

Please see below for useful school contact information:

The After School Club would appreciate any unwanted cardboard tubes, from the inside of kitchen rolls (not toilet rolls).  Please leave any on the table by the pupil entrance or hand into the school office.