Weekly Newsletter

Dear Friends of Crescent,

 

Senior School Entrance Exam Success

 

Following on from last week’s good news about children being offered places at Rugby School I am delighted to be able to tell you that we also had a 100% success rate for Kingsley School in Leamington.  Congratulations to Georgie Colbourne, Hattie Hedderwick, Alison McLean and Bethany Rees who have all been offered places to start in September of this year.  Georgie has also been awarded a Music Exhibition.

 

At the time of going to press the results for Princethorpe and the Coventry Schools are still unknown.

 

I was pleased to present the following awards in assembly on Friday:-

 

Deportment Badges

 

St Davids’s                 St George’s               St Andrew’s

 

Alison McLean           Emily Cooper           Gabrielle Brown

Katie Channing           Darya Sutton            Flora Courtney

 

Honours Certificates

 

Class VI  Lucy Chappell – a positive attitude towards school; Freya Noyce – super effort in everything.

Class V    Jessica Butterworth – good improvement and effort; Flora Courtney – sustained high effort.

Class IV  William Costello – improved effort in most subjects; Emily Fowkes – enthusiasm in everything she does.

Class III   Daniel Brazier – improved writing and confidence; Isobel Johnson – being consistently hard-working and cheerful

Class II    Luke Daniel – improved attitude to work; Ellie Griffin-Smith – improved confidence.

Class I      Anna & Sofia Ivanova – settling so well into a new environment and being so positive about learning.

Rec.          Michael Channing & Alex Froggett - working very hard and making excellent progress.

 

Congratulations to them all.

 

Parent Questionnaire

 

The views of parents are very important to us and have a significant influence on school policy.  One way of obtaining those views is by asking parents to complete and return a questionnaire.  Such a questionnaire is included with this newsletter and I would be very grateful if parents could complete it and return it by Friday, 22nd February.

 

With best wishes for a refreshing half term break.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

R.H. Marshall

 

Weekly Times

 

Monday,18th February           

 

12.20 - 12.50   Recorders—Class IV

12.20 – 12.50  Junior Girls’ Games—Classes III

                         & IV

12.45 – 13.15  Brass Group

13.05 - 13.45   Ballet – Class I

13.05 - 13.45   Senior Games – Classes V & VI

13.05 – 13.45  Ballet – Reception

15.45 - 16.30   Choir

15.45 - 16.30   Pre-Prep Games – Classes I & II

 

Tuesday, 19th

 

                        Classes I to VI taking part in a

                        Technology Focus Day – ref.

                        Mr Stuttard

 

12.20               Spanish Club – Class IV

12.50 - 13.20   Times-Tables Challenge

15.45 - 16.30   Girls’ Games – Classes V & VI

15.45 - 16.30   Senior Boys’ Games—Classes V & VI

15.45 – 17.00  Cookery Club – Class IV

15.30 depart    Cross Country at Abbotts Farm – those involved already advised

15.45               Football and netball v Crackley Hall (H) ref. Mrs Gove and Mr Phillips

18.30 – 20.30  Classes Reception and V Parents’ Consultation Evening

 

Wednesday, 20th

 

12.20 - 13.00   Ballet – Class VI (a)

13.05 - 13.45   Reception Art Club

13.05 - 13.45   Ballet – Class V

15.45 - 16.45   Camera Club

           

Thursday, 21st

 

12.20 - 13.00   Ballet—Class III

12.45 – 13.15  Brass Group

13.05 - 13.45   Ballet—Class IV

15.45 - 17.00   Art Club

15.50 - 16.50   Tap & Modern Dance

16.00               Staff Meeting

 

Friday, 22nd

 

12.20 - 13.40   Library

12.20 - 13.00   Ballet—Class II

12.20 - 13.00   Junior Boys’ Games – Classes III & IV

12.20 - 12.50   String Group

13.00 – 13.40  Chess Club – Class VI

13.05 – 13.45  Ballet – Class VI (b)

13.15 - 13.45   Wind Group

15.45 - 16.45   Orchestra

18.00               Hall in use by Bilton Pantomummers

 

Cycle Training

 

At the most recent meeting of the FoC the idea of providing cycle training to the children was muted along with the possibility of providing a covered stand for bicycles at school.  It was agreed that I would publish details of the training courses that could be offered and that the Class Reps would speak with parents to ascertain if there is sufficient demand to run courses.  The Skills course could be fitted into a school day or after school slot but the Awareness course would have to run, I suspect, on three Saturday mornings.  The courses are subsidised and taught by Warwickshire County Council and details are printed below.

 

Cycle Skills Course

 

The Cycle Skills course is aimed at pupils aged 7 years and over in Y 4 and Y 5.  It consists of 2 hours of training, conducted off­road, and is designed to cover the following areas:-

·             bicycle safety check

·             bicycle control

·             personal safety - helmets - clothing

·             dangers - themselves - others

Pupils who complete the course receive a certificate and are encouraged to go on to take the Cycling Awareness Course when they are 10 or over and in

Y 5 upwards.  Cost £9.00 per pupil.

Cycle Awareness Course

 

This course consists of 6 hours of training in total.  It is designed to develop road sense, awareness of traffic dangers and to improve the trainees’ ability to ride safely.  It is conducted on the road and is aimed at pupils aged 10 years or over (or 9 if they are in the academic year in which they become 10 – Y 5 upwards) at the start of the course.  Pupils are tested during the final session and receive a certificate if they pass.  Cost is £20 per pupil.

 

Half Term Achievement and Effort Grades

The School is changing how we publish our half termly academic and effort grades; instead of a hand written card we will be sending out a computer generated letter.  It will contain all the information previously included on the cards, in addition the letters are checked by the form teachers before being sent out in the brown envelopes.  We are making this change in line with our current review of assessment and reporting procedures.  We are very interested in any feedback you'd care to give us on the format of these letters, please feel free to email:

jstuttard@crescentschool.co.uk or speak to me in person.


James Stuttard, Science & Technology Teacher

Cross Country Results.

 

Last Monday our top runners took part in the first of three Trial races.  The course was not long or particulaly muddy but it was tricky with a narrow gate to get through, some interesting jumps and some hard paths to be careful of.  I'm glad to say that all our runners came safely home and again some did exceptionally well.

 

Girls Results:

Millie Phillips  10th, Harriet Hedderwick  15th, Hiba Abu El Gasim  30th,Josie Brazier  33rd, Millie Byrne 39th

 

Boys Results:

Tomas Marshall 10th, Dominic Bolton 28th, Joe Phillips  24th

 

Well done everyone, next race Tuesday 19th February at Abbots farm Primary School 4pm start.

 

C. Gove. 

 

“Pirates of Penzance” July 2008

 

There will be a “read through” for our end of year production on Friday, 7th March 4 – 5.15 pm. for all interested parties.

 

Auditions for principal roles will take place after school the following Friday, 14th March until 5.45 pm.

 

Rehearsals will take place next term on Mondays, after school 3.45 – 5.30 pm (at the latest).

 

P. A. Ovens

 

Low Cost Software for Parents from Microsoft


If you are the parent of a child in full time education in the UK, you are entitled to purchase Microsoft software at educational prices - a significant discount to retail.  RM our software provider have launched a new service where parents of their customer schools can buy from a large list of educationally priced Microsoft software quickly and easily, with free Postage and Packaging!

For example you can buy the Student Edition of Office 2007 for £37.49, a substantial 89% saving over the RRP of £349.99.  Simply visit the website http://www.rm.com/thebasement/ and register.  When you register you are asked to identify your school, we are listed as 'The Crescent School' - under the T in the Alphabetical List. 

James Stuttard, Science & Technology Teacher

 

Nursery News

 

This week we have been celebrating Chinese New Year and Pancake Day.  The children have made dragons out of egg boxes and glitter.  We tried various flavours of pancakes on Tuesday.

 

Swimming lessons are available to all nursery children on Friday afternoons from 1.30 to 2.00 at the Ken Marriott Leisure Centre.  The cost is £11.00 per term.  Please contact Miss Mistry on 01788 523853 if you would like to join the weekly sessions.  Parents are asked to attend and stay with their child.

 

Our theme after half term is “People who help us”.  If you are a farmer, doctor, dentist, policeman, paramedic, midwife etc. and are willing to visit nursery to talk to the children, please let me know.

 

Holiday Club dates:  Wednesday, 19th March (12.00 – 5.45) and 3rd – 8th April.  Please collect booking forms from Nursery.

 

C. McGrellis

 

The Exhibition of Young Local Artists at Warwick School.

 

Last Saturday saw the opening ceremony of the Exhibition of Young Local Artists at Warwick School.  This annual event, in which this year a record number of 29 schools took part, is not a competition but a celebration of child art.

 

Such exhibitions provide a wonderful opportunity for those schools taking part to show some of their finest work.  Visitors to the Warwick School exhibition are invited to relax and mingle amongst the artists, their families and other teachers.  I attended to find our children's work beautifully displayed and felt very proud indeed to be associated with them and with the Crescent School.

 

I would like to thank Jack Fisher and Alex Fowkes for their extraordinary flower form, Julia Hope for her fabulous coilpot creature and the whole of Class 5 for their gorgeous felts. 

 

The exhibition continues until 15th February between 10am and 5.30am daily except Sundays.

 

S. K. Haynes

Art Teacher

 

Friends of Crescent News

 

Easter Activities

 

Apologies for mentioning the 'E' word already but we are looking ahead to planning an event for the children to enjoy to celebrate Easter.

 

On Friday 14th March, from end of school to 5.15pm we will be offering an arts and crafts session in the hall, for children of ALL ages(!) where we shall be decorating hats and baskets for Easter. Nursery aged children must be accompanied but other children can be picked up by 5.15pm (unless arrangements made with After School Club) although we would love some family members to come and join us.  We hope orchestra members will join us when they are finished.

 

We will be serving a drink and light snack to the children and tea/coffee for adults and the cost will be £2.00 per child – free for adults!

 

Please complete the form printed in the newsletter in order that we have some idea of numbers interested – so we can provide enough stuff!!  If you have arts and crafts materials you can spare then please do send them in marked 'For the FOC'.

 

Thank you

 

FOC Class V and VI Market Day – change of date

 

In view of the above event the market day booked for the same date will now be held a week earlier, alongside the Book Fair, on Friday 7th March from 3.30pm.

 

Class V and VI parents – we would welcome your donations please!