Admissions Update

Thank you for reading our Spring Admissions Update which is designed to give you the latest information on the admissions process, as well as news and developments at Crackley Hall and Little Crackers. We also hope that the newsletter will convey a feel for the family atmosphere at Crackley and a taste of the many achievements of the children in our community, from academic to sporting and the arts.

We have continued to thrive following our last 'outstanding in all areas' inspection. The report was a real vote of confidence for everything we do at Crackley Hall and a recognition of the positive impact a Crackley education has on our pupils' lives. I would encourage you to visit the ISI website to read the full report.

Crackley Hall was very proud to be shortlisted for the Independent School of the Year - Prep School of the Year Award. A new award introduced to showcase excellence in student experience and to recognise the varied and imaginative way in which independent schools prepare young people for their future lives.

As a result Crackley continues to be very popular, we are adding a second Reception class for 2019 to meet demand and have a limited number of places available in other year groups.  We continue to maintain our small class sizes which allows us to give the attention needed for each child at this critical time in their development.

Crackley retains the small-school feel that makes it so special, but with a wealth of opportunities, often delivered by larger schools, that stretch and challenge all. It's a place where the children are individuals who are known to every member of staff. Our children are very happy and this matters so much to us.

We look forward to welcoming you to Crackley Hall and Little Crackers Nursery soon.

Robert Duigan

Princethorpe is putting Science at the forefront of its vision for the future with plans for a new state-of-the-art Science building. Planning was submitted last September for the two-storey, £8 million building, which will see Biology, Chemistry and Physics sited together in one dedicated location. It is hoped that construction will start on the project within the next three years.

This is the latest in a programme of capital investment in the infrastructure of the College, including recent projects such as the refurbishment of the Clarkson Theatre and the Roundhouse for the Performing Arts, the Limes Building for Modern Foreign Languages, English and ICT and restoration of the wooded lake area known as Switzerland for outdoor education.

At just over 1,600 sq metres, the building will provide contemporary, spacious and well-equipped accommodation for the three Sciences including ten new laboratories, preparation areas, staff bases and toilets.

Comments, Headmaster, Ed Hester, “In a demanding world, where scientific progress is essential across the spheres of discovery, development and innovation, we need to provide the very best facilities for teaching and learning to stimulate the intellect, ambition and creativity of our pupils. This tremendous new building will enable us to do just that.”

The main entrance of the new block will face the Lime Walk and the side of the building will abut the existing Limes Building at the top of the North Lawn. The two buildings will be connected on both floors creating free flow for pupils and staff between them. The area in front of the new building will be attractively landscaped with a central square feature.

The project will also enable the College to redevelop and cluster other departments, providing permanent homes for Economics, Business Studies, Geography and Classics and dedicated laboratory areas for Academic PE. Plans are also afoot to provide additional catering and seated dining facilities. This last major phase of the upgrading of the school’s accommodation will benefit all of the College’s 900 plus pupils.

The project has been designed in collaboration with Leamington-based AT Architects.

The Princethorpe Foundation was thrilled to be shortlisted in two categories in the Independent School of the Year Awards.  Crackley Hall School was shortlisted for the coveted Independent Prep School of the Year Award.  Whilst the Foundation’s senior school, Princethorpe College, was shortlisted for Independent School of the Year - Student Careers Programme Award.  They were both selected ahead of hundreds of independent schools from across the country who had entered the awards.

The Awards Scheme was in its inaugural year and has been introduced to celebrate the independent education sector, showcase excellence in student experience and recognise the varied and imaginative way in which independent schools prepare young people for their future lives.

Ed Hester, Foundation Headmaster commented, “We are delighted that the Awards committee have recognised our Foundation schools. Our dedicated staff are committed to providing the very best experience for our pupils, supporting them as they grow into confident, resilient young people. This is a testament to the hard work they do every day and we are very proud to have been shortlisted.”

On Saturday 24 November 12 Crackley Hall pupils from the school’s Drama Festival Club competed in the Coventry Festival of Speech and Drama at Bablake School. It proved a long, but very successful day.

During the morning session Key Stage 2 pupils took part in the Group Verse class. They performed The Old Wife And The Ghost against extremely competent groups from specialist arts school, Pattisson College. Their performance delighted the judges and was rewarded with a superb score of 92% (anything over 90% is classed as an outstanding performance). That result just pipped Pattison at the post, reversing the result from last year. The Key Stage 2 pupils were awarded the ‘Oscar Trophy’ as a reward for their first place.

Then brave six-year-old Jia Mehta impressed the judge in the Humorous Verse class with her solo rendition of My Mother Does My Homework, scoring a brilliant Highly Commended with 85%.

The evening session started with Elle Weir and Lily Bryson’s super duologue The Three Bears. Then, against stiff competition from other local schools, Kiran Dhillon and Jasper Nicholls took first place with another outstanding score of 90% for their humorous duologue, Excuses, Excuses. Finally, the Drama Group delighted the adjudicator with a fantastic performance of the hockey scene from Daisy Pulls it Off, scoring an absolutely amazing 95% to take the coveted ‘Blue Trophy’ for first place in the Small Dramatic Scene category against the accomplished Cobweb Theatre Company.

Drama teacher, Nicola Wildey, was ecstatic commenting, “I am so very proud of all the children who have worked so incredibly hard all term to learn their lines. They have been so dedicated attending numerous rehearsals during break and lunchtimes. Well done to them all, this is an absolutely outstanding result.”

Junior 5 pupil Isabella Ward, and former Little Crackers pupil, Bode Owen, were both recently recognised in the Independent Schools’ Association’s prestigious National Art Competition.

Isabella's 'Saxon Weaving', which she produced last year in Junior 4, and Bode's 'Masai People and Beads' both received Highly Commended in the Key Stage 2 Textile Art class and EYFS and Key Stage 1 3D Art class respectively.

The National competition followed on from the Regional Midlands competition which took place back in September where Crackley Hall School received the following results:

KS2 Textile Art Individual: 1st Place Isabella Ward - Saxon Weaving

EYFS & KS1 3D Art Individual: 1st Place Bode Owen - Masai People and Beads

KS2 3D Art Individual: 2nd Place India Ferguson - String Panda

EYFS & KS1 Textile Art Individual: Highly Commended Milana Lambeth - Heart Strings

All of the artists are to be congratulated on their success.

On Monday 21 January Junior 5 left modern day Britain behind and travelled back in time to the Tudor era. Children, staff and even parents came to school dressed in costume and enjoyed a memorable day exploring life in the 16th century.

They began in the court of King Henry VIII in the year of our Lord 1536. Despite rumours and intrigue surrounding his second wife, Anne Boleyn, the King’s household had plenty of tasks to attend to. Set out in Crackley’s great hall were typical Tudor professions and a range of crafts that included: Alchemists, Apothecaries, Barbers, Chandlers, Embroiders, Leatherworkers, Miniature Artists, Scholars (ink making and writing), Scent bag and Soap makers. The children all enjoyed taking part in the traditional Tudor activities, it was fantastic hands-on learning.

In the afternoon the children took on various roles at a mock royal banquet. Some were servants whilst others were entertainers, dancers and even singers. As they worked, more rumours swirled around the ill-fated Anne Boleyn. The background narrative really helped bring the Tudor era alive.

Sebastian from J5 commented, "Tudor Day was amazing. The man was very knowledgeable, he made history come to life." Amy, also from J5, added, "It was exciting. The stories of Tudor punishments made me feel glad I'm living now and not then."

Crackley’s Tudor Day was led by History Off The Page, a company who run historical workshops. The day was organised by teacher Sarah Lammas, who commented, “The children had an amazing time, immersed in history and surrounded by authentic replica artefacts. It was a day full of practical learning, storytelling and drama.“ Fellow Junior 5 teacher, Julia Roberts added, “History Off the Page were knowledgeable and enthusiastic. All of the children and adults thoroughly enjoyed the workshop, a huge thanks goes to all of the parents, who joined in the fun, dressed up and so ably assisted us.”

Crackley Hall is celebrating after its U11 Netball team qualified for the ISA National Netball Finals.

A combination of committed play, great passing and excellent teamwork saw them finish in 3rd place at the ISA Midlands’ Regional Tournament held on Tuesday 26 February at Malvern St James Girls’ School, Worcestershire.

With nine in Crackley’s pool, the team started a busy day with eight matches of eight minutes each.  The girls made a solid start with a 2-1 win against Twycross, they then drew 1-1 against Stafford Prep and Malvern St James, before St Edwards delivered the team their only first round defeat 1-2.  The girls stayed focused and committed and were rewarded with good wins against Mylnhurst 3-0, Akeley Wood 2-0, Castle Howard 4-0 and Arnold Lodge 7-0. They finished as runners up in the pool and qualified for the semi-finals. 

Their semi-final was a much closer and competitive game and the team were disappointed to lose 1-2 to Grantham Prep.  They faced Old Vicarage in the play-off and performed brilliantly to win 3-1, take the bronze medal and win a coveted place in the National Netball Finals.

A jubilant Head of Games, Mrs Kat Vaughan, commented, “The girls were great, they were feisty, didn’t lose concentration and really worked well as a team.  I am delighted to be taking them to the Nationals.”

Well done to you all.

Playing in the team were: Hannah Wildey (Captain), Maddie Lambeth, Isabella Osborne, Francesca Kelly, Annamaria Kordas, Amisha Modi, Caitlin Horan and Martha Harris.

In early February our Girls and Boys Under 10 and Under 12 Cross Country teams ventured north to Bedstone College, Shropshire to tackle the arduous ISA Midlands Cross Country course. 

Team Crackley were eager and enthusiastic and tackled the course's tricky twists, challenging hills and freezing water with courage and determination. Slippery conditions led to quite a lot of trips and falls, but between them Crackley’s 40 runners delivered a super set of results.

Six runners have qualified for the ISA Nationals, huge congratulations to Elle, Sidney, Maxwell, George, Hannah and Amisha.

In the team events the first four across the line count, so with such a lot of top placings Crackley also secured first place in both the U12 Girls and U10 Boys events.

U12 Girls: Hannah, Amisha, Caitlin and Isla

U10 Boys: Sidney, Maxwell, George and Olly

A special mention must go to Elle, Sid, George and Olly, who are all only in Year 3 and competed in the U10 age-group and beat them! Also, to Hannah, who has qualified for National Finals for the third year in a row.

The children then enjoyed cheering on the Princethorpe runners (many of whom were former Crackley Hall pupils!)

Commenting on the event, PE Teacher, Kat Vaughan, said, “As always, the children were exceptionally well behaved, a real credit to the school, and a pleasure to take to the competition. They were nervous but excited and ran courageously despite the conditions. Congratulations to them all on an excellent set of results.”

On Tuesday 12 February, 34 pupils from across the Princethorpe Foundation travelled to the National Space Centre in Leicester to take part in a simulated space mission called Rendezvous with a Comet. The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) based adventure took place in the Challenger Learning Centre, one of only two educational space mission simulators outside North America.

For the mission pupils took on the roles of navigation experts, medical officers, data officers, scientists and engineers; the Year 6 and 7 pupils worked as a team to plot a successful course to rendezvous with Comet Enke as it streaked across the solar system, and then launched a probe to collect scientific data.

The first task was to construct the space probe before then plotting the correct intercept course but what seemed at first to be a routine exploration was soon filled with exciting challenges and emergencies along the way. Giving concise instructions, documenting the research and analysing data enabled pupils to maintain the safety of their team in space and ultimately accomplish a successful mission. And how exciting it was to discover that they had chanced upon a much rarer comet than Comet Enke. The new comet was so rare that no living human being had ever before observed it, so pupils got to name it! Our cross-phase pupils voted on the name Comet CCP to ensure that Crackley, Crescent and Princethorpe were equal partners in this extra-terrestrial mission.

The teams got a heroes’ welcome home when they returned to Mission Control safely. Da Vinci Co-ordinator, Mrs Pascoe-Williams commented, “It was another excellent mission – I was impressed with how well the pupils from our three schools worked together. The atmosphere was fantastic and the enthusiasm boundless, all in all it was a great opportunity for cross-curricular learning. Well done everyone!”

Crackley Hall took a team of ten boys to the National Hockey Finals at the Lee Valley Stadium on Thursday 7 February. It was an early start leaving school at 6am, the boys were full of excitement and anticipation although a few delays in traffic meant they got there only just in time!

The morning pool games were for qualification into the cup or plate competitions in the afternoon. Crackley played steadily to achieve the following results:

Game 1 vs Abercorn – 1-0 win
Game 2 vs Rosemead – 0-0 draw
Game 3 vs Lingfield – 0-1 loss

This put them on equal points with Rosemead however, on goal difference, Rosemead were ahead, so Crackley turned their attention to the plate competition setting their sights firmly on winning that.

The team had good results in the plate first round:

Game 1 vs Lewes – 0-0 draw
Game 2 vs Avon House – 1-0 win
Game 3 vs Oakkfield Prep – 2-0 win

That put Crackley top of the table with 11 points. However, one of the other team's results had been entered incorrectly, so having thought they were in the final the boys then found out they were equal on points with Lewes. So, it went to the result of their game – a draw. Then onto goal difference, which was also equal, then goals for and Lewes had scored just one more than Crackley over the tournament, so Lewes went into the final and Crackley were in the play off for 3rd/4th place.

The boys were really disappointed, but showed real grit and picked themselves up, playing the best game of the tournament and beating Queen Ethelburga 3-0 to secure the bronze medal!

Commenting on the event, PE Teacher Kat Vaughan, said, “The boys were an absolute pleasure to take out for the day. They showed exceptional team spirit, working hard to support each other in celebration and disappointment."

Pupils and staff at Crackley Hall have welcomed a new member to the school’s leadership team. Mrs Tanya Hill, an experienced teacher and senior leader, has been appointed Assistant Head of Academic and Key Stage 2 for the Kenilworth independent junior school.

Mrs Hill has worked at a number of independent prep schools and has previously held the role of Deputy Head at both Warwick Prep School and Eversfield Prep School. Most recently she has been an Independent Schools Inspector. She brings a wealth of experience to her new role having played a significant part in the development and management of a wide range of schools.

As a member of the senior leadership team at Crackley Hall, she will work closely with the Headmaster, Rob Duigan, and colleagues to ensure that pupils achieve to the very best of their abilities.

Explaining her approach to learning, Tanya Hill comments, “Children deserve innovative and creative opportunities to learn across a broad curriculum. They need to enjoy their learning and have their successes celebrated. I am delighted that I have been given the opportunity to lead on Academic and Key Stage 2 at Crackley Hall. I look forward to working with all of the parents and staff, but my main aim will be to engage Crackley’s pupils with an enthusiasm for learning.”

Rob Duigan, Headmaster at Crackley Hall, comments, “We are delighted that Tanya has accepted the position of Assistant Head, Academic and Key Stage 2. When interviewing her for the role I was impressed with how her passion for the curriculum was balanced with her philosophy that achievement sits alongside shared values, an ethos which is echoed here at Crackley. She will be a key figure in the future of our teaching provision at Crackley Hall and the education of all our pupils. I wish her well in her new role.”

On Tuesday 5 March, Crescent School welcomed musicians from fellow Foundation junior school, Crackley Hall, for an orchestral workshop. It was another opportunity for the young virtuosos to work together following a successful Choral Workshop at Crackley Hall in the Michaelmas Term. The event saw 20 members of Crackley Hall’s Orchestra join 20 Crescent instrumentalists for a day designed to develop and stretch their music and performance skills.

Pupils from both schools worked together under the guidance of Directors of Music, Julie Barnes and Susan Olden, to prepare and rehearse a mixture of pieces ready for an afternoon performance for parents.

The children enjoyed a busy morning and afternoon of rehearsals, they relished making music together especially in such a big group. They worked hard to prepare two challenging pieces, including the moving 'I Dreamed A Dream' from the hit musical Les Miserables and the stirring ‘Great Movie Adventures’ by John Williams, both pieces testing the players’ technical and music-reading ability to the limit.

The afternoon concert was superb, a sensational symphony of sound. As well as featuring the full 40-piece orchestra playing their now near perfect pieces, it also included four solo performances, two from each school. Edward Hunter played ‘I’d Do Anything’ from Oliver on Trumpet, Fin Calder played ‘Reverie’ by Tchaikovsky on Tenor Horn, Andrea Zanyi played ‘Take Five’ by Paul Desmond on Flute and Matthew Thomas played ‘Prelude’ by Charpentier on Cornet.

Mrs Barnes, Director of Music at Crescent, commented, “It was a very successful day and the pupils enjoyed working and collaborating together. They achieved a very high standard of performance, and this was due in no small part to the preparation and practising that went on in the weeks beforehand”.

Mrs Olden, Director of Music at Crackley Hall, agreed commenting, "I thought it was a brilliant day for all the children. They learned so much challenging music in such a short space of time, it was simply great for them to play with so many other talented musicians."

Another successful Foundation day with the young musicians leading the way enjoying learning and working together!

Work is well underway on an exciting, new Foundation website which is due to launch this spring.

The new site has been carefully designed as five websites in one to perfectly showcase the Foundation and its four schools - Princethorpe College, Crescent School, Crackley Hall School and Little Crackers Nursery.

Melanie Butler, Assistant Head – Marketing, Admissions and Communications, comments, “This has been a major project, which we hope will be well received by the Foundation community and prospective families. It will look better, work faster and be easier to use than our current sites. We can’t wait to share it with everybody!”

The Foundation Marketing Team have developed the site in partnership with website company, e4education.

Keep an eye on the Foundation social media platforms for previews of the site and news of the launch date.

Open Morning

Saturday 9 March 2019 - 10.30am to 12.30pm

Crackley Hall School and Little Crackers Nursery are holding an Open Morning on Saturday 9 March from 10.30am to 12.30pm.  This is an opportunity for parents and children to visit the school and nursery at the weekend.  Visitors will have a chance to tour the school, see the facilities and meet pupils and staff including the Headmaster, Rob Duigan. There will be performances and activities showcasing the school.

Open Evening

Tuesday 14 May 2019 - 5.00pm to 7.30pm

Another chance to look around the school and nursery and meet staff and pupils.

All are welcome to both events and there is no need to book. Light refreshments will be available.

If you can't make the Open Morning or Open Evening but would like to look around, please call our Admissions Secretary, Mrs Jenny Vaughan on 01926 514410 or email admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk and come on a day to suit you, we welcome visitors on most days.

For more information please see the school website. 

Sunday 24 March 2019 - 2.00pm - 5.00pm

The Foundation's Senior School, Princethorpe College is holding a Spring Open Afternoon on Sunday 24 March from 2.00pm - 5.00pm.  

All are welcome to visit the College and for our younger visitors there will be many fun subject related activities organised by the departments.  The Headmaster will address visitors during the afternoon and refreshments will be available. 

Wednesday 5 June 2019 - 6.30pm - 8.30pm 

The College's Summer Open Evening will take place on Wednesday 5 June from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

This is an informal opportunity to look around the school and to meet members of staff and pupils. There will be activities in each department for children to participate in, and the Headmaster will also address visitors in the Chapel during the evening and light refreshments will be available.

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

For further information on admissions to the school please call the Registrars on 01926 634201 or 01926 634262 or email the team at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk. 

The senior school entrance examinations for Princethorpe College, for entry in September 2020, will take place this year on Saturday 9 November 2019 from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

We've got a fun-packed programme of visiting activities lined up for our Stay 'n' Players over Spring and Summer.  All are welcome!

Wednesday 3 April 2019 10.00am - 11.30am

Join us for our Stay n' Play special Easter Crafts and Activities event on Wednesday 3 April from 10.00am to 11.30am.

Just £2 per family including refreshments.

Please do feel free to come and join the fun.

Wenesday 8 May 2019 10.00am - 11.30am

Dandy Development is visiting Stay 'n' Play on Wednesday 8 May from 10.00am to 11.30am.

At £2 per family including refreshments.

Please do come and join in the fun.

Wednesday 19 June 10.00am - 11.30am

Join us for our final Stay 'n' Play event of the year our always popular Teddy Bears Picnic on Wednesday 19 June from 10.00am to 11.30am.

The Old Princethorpians calendar of events is well underway for 2018-19. Our next events are the Former Parents' Afternoon Tea on Saturday 6 April and the OPs vs Kenilworth Babas Rugby Match on Easter Saturday 20 April. 

Our London meet takes place in early summer at the Bull Dog Bar, The Clarence, Whitehall on Friday 17 May.

The OPs' Summer Supper, a favourite event in the calendar, will take place on Friday 28 June 2019, this time celebrating the leavers of 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2009, although leavers of other years are also most welcome.

All OPs, past parents, staff and Friends of the College are welcome to participate in any or all of the events. Old Crescentians and Past Pupils of St Joseph's, Abbotsford and Crackely Hall would be very welcome too. Click here to download the calendar or visit the Old Princethorpians section at www.princethorpe.co.uk for more information on Old Princethorpians.

To view the latest edition of the OP e-newsletter please click here.

Saturday 11 May 1.00pm - 4.30pm

You are welcome to join us for our annual PTA Family Fun Day, Crackley Hall's school summer fair.  All the classes take responsibility for a stall and it is always lovely to see the children helping out.  You name it – we have it - coconut shy, photo booth, human fruit machine, tombola, cake stalls, face painting, inflatables, ice cream, candy floss, football challenge - all the essential elements of a British summer fair spread out across the school grounds.

Another great opportunity to visit the school.

Saturday 8 June 2019

Both Crackley Hall School and Princethorpe College will be out in force at the Kenilworth Show on Saturday 8 June 2019.

A great day out for all the family, there is so much to see and do: Paul Hannam Quad Bike Display Team, The Sheep Show, Heavy Horses, The Grand Parade of Livestock, The Countryside Arena, Farm Machinery and much much more, even the Crackley Hall School Choir!  

There will also be over 100 trade stands from arts and crafts, jewellery, homewares, through to artisan breads and pies in the indoor trade marquee (where you can also find us!), with clothing stalls, garden furniture, plants and local club stands outside.

Visitors to the show can come and find out about our upcoming open events, admissions for September 2020 and beyond, and we would love to say hello to any former St Joseph School pupils and Old Princethorpians!

Tickets are just £12.50 but under 16s go free! For more information about the event and to buy tickets, please visit: https://www.kenilworthshow.co.uk/

We hope to see you there.

Sunday 23 June - 2.00pm to 4.30pm

The Summer Art, Photography and Design Show  

A celebration of our pupils GCSE and A-level Art, Photography and Design work will take place in the College's Sixth Form Centre.  A range of design technology projects, from resistant materials to textiles, will be showcased alongside the stunning art and photography work the College is renowned for. Comments, Paul Hubball, Head of Art, "This is a great opportunity to share our students' fantastic creativity with a wider audience and to welcome more art and design lovers to Princethorpe."

The Princethorpe PTA Summer Fete 

The event is held in the Orchard with lots of entertainment for both children and adults. There will be many and varied attractions including a ‘real-ale’ tent, a Dog Show with plenty of summer fete stalls, activities and competitions.

Please keep an eye on the PTA section of the Princethorpe website for updates and for more details of what’s on offer. 

24th Annual Motoring Festival

The 24th Annual Motoring Festival is open to anyone keen to bring any sort of classic, vintage, veteran or interesting vehicle along for the afternoon. There will be rally plaques for all pre-booked vehicles and awards for self-judged competitions.

The Festival is preceded by an informal morning road run of about 30 miles through the Warwickshire countryside. Vehicles taking part in the run need to arrive at Princethorpe for 11.00am. There is no charge for classic vehicles entering the festival or taking part in the road run.

Barbecued food is available for a nominal charge on return to Princethorpe at lunchtime, or feel free to bring a picnic.

On-line registration for the 2019 event is now open, click here for more information.

Crackley Hall will be adding an extra Reception class for pupils starting in September 2019 after seeing an increase in demand for places. The new Reception class will enable more children to benefit from our specialist tailored approach, a wealth of opportunities and the chance to be stretched and challenged.

Applications for places in Reception in 2019 started early, with high levels of interest from parents with children at the school’s own nursery, Little Crackers, and other local nurseries.

Comments Headmaster, Rob Duigan, “We normally limit places in Reception to no more than 20 children each year, but this year with registrations well over that number we have decided to offer a second Reception class.”

Parents who are interested in Reception or other Year Groups are encouraged to come along to the next Open Morning, on Saturday 9 March from 10.30am – 12.30pm, to meet the Headmaster, the staff and the children and to see what the school and its nursery has to offer.  Parents who are interested should contact Jenny Vaughan, Admissions Secretary on 01926 514410 or by email to admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk.

Crackley Hall was rated excellent in every area in its last ISI inspection and was shortlisted for Independent Prep School of the Year 2018.

Most of our pupils enter at Nursery and progress through to Reception. Some pupils also join us at Reception and pupils are welcome at any age dependent on a place being available. Places in other years may be limited and, in years where there is no place available, we operate waiting groups.

We encourage prospective parents and pupils to visit us both formally and informally to get a true flavour of the school. We hold various Open Events throughout the year, including a specific Nursery and Reception Open Evening in November, which prospective parents and pupils are most welcome to attend. A meeting with Mr Robert Duigan, the Headmaster, is also a key part of the admissions process.

Our Admissions Secretary, Mrs Jenny Vaughan will be pleased to talk you through the admissions process and current availability, please contact her on 01926 514410/514444 or email her at admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk. To request a prospectus pack please click here.

To download our current Crackley Information Booklet click here.

Reception 2019
Applicants interested in a place in Reception for September 2019 should register as soon as possible. You will be invited to bring your child in for a taster session once we have received your completed Registration Form and accompanying fee of £50 (non-returnable). For further information see 'What To Expect From A Taster For Reception' in this newsletter. Subject to availability and a satisfactory taster session, an offer letter will be sent out with a Confirmation of Acceptance Form, which we ask you to complete and return to us together with a deposit of £300 by the acceptance deadline of Monday 29 April 2019.

Current Reception to Junior 6
Applications for places in the current Reception to Junior 6 will be treated on an individual basis as places are limited.  Please contact Jenny Vaughan, our Admissions Secretary, to discuss these on an individual basis.

Should a potential place be available you will be invited in to meet with Mr Duigan, the Headmaster, then if appropriate you should complete a Registration Form and return it with the accompanying fee of £50 (non-returnable), after which time your child will be invited in for a taster day.

During the taster day children in Reception and Junior 1 will be assessed informally. Children in Junior 2 to 6 will be given assessments in Mathematics and English.

Once a taster day is arranged, we will contact you to advise that we plan to seek a reference from your child’s current school. Following the taster day, confirmation of a place being offered would be made in writing subject to a satisfactory reference being received. To secure your place return your completed Confirmation of Acceptance Form with a deposit of £300 within 14 days of the date of the offer being made.

The final deadline for applications and completed registration forms for entry in September 2019 is Friday 24 May 2019. All incoming pupils need to have completed the admissions process by Friday 14 June to enable the applicant to attend our Induction Morning at the end of that month. (Although a place at Crackley Hall may become available after this date, and applications will be processed, we cannot guarantee availability of places.)

Induction
New pupils are given the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the school, staff and fellow pupils when they are invited to our Induction Morning in the Trinity Term, normally at the end of June. 

Bursaries
Bursaries are available for pupils wishing to join Crackley Hall although these are normally awarded to children from Junior 3 and above. Application forms are available from the Foundation Bursar’s office and from our website. Completed applications should be forwarded to the Foundation Bursar with supporting documentary evidence.

Note: Deposits are refunded after the end of the final term which the pupil spends at the school.

For more information and to download a registration form please click here.

We ask all prospective pupils for Crackley Hall to join us for a taster day which they will spend with their current year group participating in lessons and activities. 

A taster day can be arranged with Mrs Jenny Vaughan, our Admissions Secretary, or another member of the office staff at Crackley Hall.  We are flexible about when we can offer taster days and will look to find a mutually convenient date.  Where possible, we will choose a day when the timetable includes a child’s favourite subjects so that they get the most out of the day and we can see them at their best.

If parents have not already met with Mr Duigan, the Headmaster, we will ask them to do this prior to arranging a taster day.  This is an important step in our admissions process as it gives us an opportunity to find out more about individual children so that we can pass on information to the form tutor should they go on to join us for a taster.

Taster days typically run from 9.00am to 3.00pm for applicants for Years 1 to 6.  For those children who will be entering Reception the following academic year, we arrange taster sessions of two hours in our nursery so that we can see them with their peer group – see 'What to expect on a taster for future Reception Applicants'.

Children in Years 2 and above will be asked to take a paper in maths and another in English, although we take care that this is done in a low-key manner so that they do not feel that they are sitting an exam. In Reception to Year 1, the teacher will ask children to produce some written or number work so that we can gauge their levels.

In offering a place, we take the child’s performance on these papers into consideration, however we look at the results together with feedback from the class teacher regarding the child’s behaviour, involvement in class and willingness to learn. 

Occasionally we may ask a child to join us for a second taster in order to gain additional feedback from the class teacher if we felt that the first day did not give us sufficient information. 

Children participating in a taster day should wear their current school uniform and may bring either a packed lunch or choose a hot lunch from the menu on arrival. In the current Reception class and above children should also bring a water bottle and a snack for break time. They may also require a games kit including trainers for outside use and football boots.

We ask that you let us have a completed registration form and accompanying £50.00 registration fee ahead of a planned taster. Please include any medical and dietary information of which we should be aware and any information regarding specific learning needs. 

Mr Duigan, the Headmaster, will provide feedback as soon as possible following a taster day.  We may wait to receive references from the child’s current school or nursery setting before deciding on the offer of a place.

We ask all external applicants for the following year’s Reception to join us for a taster as it helps to give us some information to pass on to the Reception team for September and to flag up any areas where we may need to provide additional support.

The taster takes place in our Little Crackers Nursery as we feel that it is best for the child to be with his or her peer group.  Taster sessions are much shorter than for other year groups and are typically in the morning for no more than two hours.  As soon as a child is settled, parents may leave for the duration of the session although, should they prefer to stay near, they are very welcome to remain in the foyer outside the nursery. 

During a taster applicants join in with a normal session at Little Crackers which will be play-led and may include listening to stories and playing outside in our external nursery area.

The areas that the staff will look at are:

• How do they respond to instructions?
• How do they communicate with peers/adults?
• Are there any concerns for joining Reception the following year?
• Can a child toilet independently?

Following the taster, we will contact you to provide feedback.

The Crackley Hall community is enriched by the inclusion of children from many different countries and we are happy to assist parents relocating from overseas with their applications. The Crackley family currently includes children who have joined us from the USA, China, Brazil, Spain, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Korea.

If parents are visiting the UK we ask them to meet with Mr Duigan, the Headmaster.  Where a taster day is not possible and where children are English-speaking and in Year 2 or above, we can arrange for assessment papers in English and Maths to be sent to the child’s current school for them to administer and send back to us for marking.

Where children do not speak English as a first language or are too young to take assessment papers, we ask for school reports and a reference from the current school prior to offering a place.

We work closely at Crackley with a trusted partner who is experienced in English Language teaching and who can tailor a programme to meet the individual needs of children joining us.  This normally focuses on an initial intensive period of English Language support, tailing off as the child becomes more proficient and settles into life at Crackley Hall.

Our Admissions Secretary, Jenny Vaughan will always be happy to answer any questions regarding applications from overseas and to ensure that the admissions process runs as smoothly as possible.

You can email Jenny at jennyvaughan@crackleyhall.co.uk or telephone her direct line on 01926 514444.

The Foundation's senior school Princethorpe College is now accepting registrations for September 2020 entry.

The Entrance Exams for 2020 will take place on Saturday 9 November 2019.  There are plenty of opportunities for prospective pupils and their parents to visit the College before then, including Open Afternoon on Sunday 24 March from 2.00pm to 5.00pm, the summer Open Evening on Wednesday 5 June from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and taster days for Year 5 children in May and June.

If you have any questions about the College's admissions process please contact the Registrar, Vanessa Rooney, on 01926 634201 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

We understand that prospective parents may have many questions that they would like to ask ahead of applying for a place for their child at Crackley Hall.  We have included those most frequently asked, but should you have a query that isn’t covered here, please call Jenny Vaughan (pictured), our Admissions Secretary, on 01926 514410.

Q: Will my child need to take an entrance exam for Crackley Hall?

A: Whilst we do not have a formal entrance examination for Crackley, we wish to ensure that every child will fit into school life and engage with our stimulating and varied range of activities and our ethos.  We ask prospective parents to meet with Mr Duigan, the Headmaster, and for children to join us on a taster day which can be arranged for a mutually convenient date. During the course of a taster day, we ask children in years 2 and above to take papers in English and Maths although we will look at the taster day as a whole when offering a place. For more information see the section in this update about What to expect on a taster day.

Q: Are there set joining points within the school year?

A: No, where places exist, we take children throughout the school year according to the preference of parents.

Q: What is the average class size at Crackley Hall?

A: The average class size is 18 pupils.  Where class sizes exceed this we provide additional teaching support to ensure the same high standards and level of personal attention for each child. Our teacher to pupil ratio is 1:11 and our adult to child ratio is 1:8.

Q: Do you have to be Catholic to join Crackley Hall?

A: No. We welcome children from all faiths and cultural backgrounds.  The Catholic ethos of the Princethorpe Foundation underpins the school and is central to its character as a caring and friendly environment where children are encouraged to be the best that they can be.  The Crackley community includes Catholic children whose families wish their children to be educated within a Catholic setting but also other Christian denominations and children of other faiths or no faith.

Q: What makes Crackley Hall special?

A:  We talk a lot about the ethos of the Princethorpe Foundation and it is not just talk; it really is the basis of all that we do at Crackley Hall and parents often comment on the friendly atmosphere when they visit.  We encourage the children to be kind to each other and to show respect for their peers and teachers, which in turn creates an environment where they are free to try their best and to develop their talents. The school has grown in recent years, but the family feel where each child is known as an individual remains.  This combines with the highest standards of teaching and tuition from specialist teachers in Music, Drama, French, Sports, RE, and Mandarin. 

Q: My child is a high achiever; how will Crackley benefit him/her? 

A: Children who demonstrate a high standard academically will be supported to further develop their abilities. A structured Able, Gifted and Talented programme operates through the school, ensuring that we meet the needs of children not just academically but also in other areas such as sports and performing arts. Sometimes parents worry that because their child is quiet or falls in the middle ground, they will be overlooked – this is not the case at Crackley as we strive to develop the potential of all children and to develop their talents.

Last year, with the support of our senior school, Princethorpe College, we introduced the Junior da Vinci Programme to stretch children and to engender the idea that any child can be a gifted or talented student if they work hard. The programme encourages children to develop a growth mind-set and to take an active part in their own learning.

Q: My child may need additional support – what can Crackley Hall offer?

A: Our learning support team, which includes a Speech and Language therapist, works with children providing extra help at whatever level they need from 1:1 support to inclusion in small groups to hone their skills in specific areas, such as communication and language, numeracy and co-ordination.  

We are quick to recognise children who may need extra support and we try to “catch” them before they begin to struggle. This means that class teachers refer children to our Learning Support Co-ordinator as soon as they are concerned. In this way we try not to miss anyone and to keep all children’s self-esteem high. We welcome input from parents and are very happy to discuss any concerns they may have.

When a child needs support that is additional to, or different from that provided for other children of their age, then we follow the Special Needs Code of Practice fully. This includes the process of applying for an Education, Health and Care Plan where required, so that parents are fully involved and children get the support they need.

Support for a child may entail 1:1 teaching for which there is a termly charge. Children who require this teaching will receive a structured, cumulative, multi-sensory learning programme tailored to their individual needs.

Should your child need any additional learning support, please indicate this on the registration form.  He/she will then spend some time with our SENCo during the taster day.

Q: What extra-curricular clubs do you offer?

A: We offer over 47 different lunch-time and after school clubs that cater for all interests – see the section on clubs, sport and music within this update. 

Q: I am a working parent – do you offer wrap around care and holiday provision?

A:  We offer free ‘early bird’ supervision from 7.45am and paid-for after-care until 6pm.  We run a holiday club subject to demand, usually both weeks of the autumn half-term, a week at Easter and the first two weeks of the summer holiday.

Q: If I have two or more children joining, will I get a discount?

A: Yes, families with more than one child at either Princethorpe College or Crackley Hall School receive a discount of 5% for a second or third child or 10% for a fourth or subsequent child. The discount does not apply to Little Crackers although children in our Nursery may qualify for Nursery Education Funding.

Q: Do you accept childcare vouchers?

A: Yes, we take vouchers from most of the major schemes, which may be used against after-school care or holiday club.

Q: Do you operate a bus service to Crackley?

We do not currently operate a bus service, however should you accept a place we are happy to pass your details on to current parents in your post-code so that you can explore lift-share opportunities.

Q: When do I need to apply for a place in September?

A: The sooner, the better.  For applicants for Reception please contact our Admissions Secretary, Jenny Vaughan, as soon as possible.  For other year groups all children need to be registered by Friday 24 May 2019 in order for their application to be progressed for our Induction Morning in June. Our prospectus pack includes a registration form and once you return it to us with the registration fee, we can start the admissions process.

Q: If I apply, when will I hear about a place?

A: Once you have completed and returned a registration form, we will contact you and, if you have already met with Mr Duigan, arrange a taster day.  Following a taster day, we aim to provide feedback promptly and, once we have had time to source a reference from your child’s current school, we will advise whether we will offer a place.  For applications made in advance for September entry, all applicants will be held on a waiting list until a taster can be arranged in the spring or summer term in the year of entry.  

For Reception applicants, offer letters are sent out at the start of December for children attending Little Crackers Nursery whilst, for those children joining us from other nurseries, the offer date is Friday 2 March 2018.

Q: Will joining Crackley Hall give my child priority for joining Princethorpe?

A:  Crackley children do not automatically gain entry to Princethorpe and in the November of Year 6 take the Princethorpe examination paper.  However, they are well prepared for the examination and have a high success rate as a result.

Music and Drama

Music is an integral part of life at Crackley Hall and at Little Crackers Nursery where children benefit from a music and movement class each week.

Mrs Olden is our specialist music teacher and every class has one hour of music a week.  In Junior 1, every child learns to play the recorder and to read music and to play with others. 

In addition, children are encouraged to take part in private lessons with our experienced peripatetic teachers. 

We have a thriving choral group, chamber choir and orchestra and there are many opportunities to sing and play at school and at external events such as Young Voices in which the school has participated for many years.

Drama is also a core part of life at Crackley Hall where children develop their skills in choral speaking, improvisation, public speaking and performance.  From the annual LAMDA Communication and Drama Exams to local drama festivals and in-house performances, there are many opportunities for children to develop their confidence and poise through drama. Some of our children have taken part in professional productions at the RSC and in the West End.

Our end of year music and drama production is unmissable and gives the children the opportunity to participate in a show of professional quality in a real theatre.

Sports

Our success in competitive sports is testament to the importance of physical education and the promotion of an active lifestyle at Crackley Hall. 

Whether children want to take part in an individual pursuit such as athletics or swimming or a team game such as netball or rugby, they will be encouraged by our enthusiastic and committed staff led by Mrs Vaughan, Head of Sport, to find an activity in which they can develop their skills and confidence. 

Our curriculum and programme of clubs take in a wide range of activities including dance and gymnastics.  We are lucky to have spacious playing fields with plans to further develop our facilities.  We also use the sports facilities at Princethorpe College and The University of Warwick.

Clubs

Our extra-curricular programme is extremely popular at Crackley Hall and we encourage children to find something that they will enjoy. From sports to singing to creative arts, with more than 35 different clubs, there is something for every taste.

Our current clubs include rugby, netball, climbing, chamber choir, cookery, yoga and midfulness, lego, chess, ballet, karate, Irish dancing, Mad Science, football, silk painting and orchestra and homework club. Some of these clubs are run by teachers and are free of charge whilst some are from external providers.

Uniform is compulsory for Crackley Hall pupils and helps to create a sense of shared identity, community spirit and a pride in oneself and in the College.

Uniform can be purchased from the School Shop located at Princethorpe College.

The Uniform Shop is open from 3.30pm to 4.30pm Monday to Friday during term time. Additionally during the summer holidays the shop is open on selected dates on an appointment only basis.

To make an appointment please call Miss Nicola Browne on 01926 634272 or email nicolabrowne@princethorpe.co.uk.

Click here to download a copy of the uniform list.

For those who like to plan ahead the Foundation Term Dates for 2019-2020 are:

Michaelmas Term 2019

Monday 2 September to Wednesday 18 December

Half Term

Saturday 19 October to Sunday 3 November

Lent Term 2020 

Monday 6 January to Friday 27 March

Half Term

Saturday 15 February to Sunday 23 February

Trinity Term 2020

Monday 20 April to Wednesday 1 July 

Half Term

Saturday 23 May to Sunday 31 May 

We take children from age two through to pre-school as space allows. The nursery day currently runs from 7.45am to 6.00pm, 51 weeks a year, to cater for the needs of working parents.

Places are available on a term-time only basis or all year round.  Flexible morning and afternoon sessions are available and government nursery and employer childcare vouchers are accepted.

We have dedicated nursery staff for the Terrific Twos and Thrilling Threes and Fabulous Fours Rooms. Each room has its own Room Leader and staff dedicated to that room so they and the children get to know each other well.

A minimum of two sessions a week is recommended for two-year olds and four sessions for over three-year olds.

It is a good idea to register your child well in advance as places get booked up early.

Arrange a visit and register for your preferred sessions

If you are interested in your child attending Little Crackers we would recommend that you contact Mrs Jenny Vaughan, our Admissions Secretary, who will make an appointment for you and your child to meet with Mrs Clare Bird, the Nursery Manager and discuss availability.

Or alternatively come to one of our regular Open Events or join us at our Stay ‘n’ Play toddler group, which takes place on Wednesdays in term-time from 10.00am to 11.30am, to get a feel for the Nursery and chat with the staff informally.

To secure a place, simply complete a Registration Form with your required sessions and preferred start date and return this with the accompanying fee of £50 to the Admissions Secretary. You will then receive confirmation in writing that we can offer a nursery place with an acceptance form for you to sign. If the sessions you require are not available your fee will be returned.

Prior to starting, you and your child can attend a number of short settling in sessions, typically two or three, where you will meet your child’s key worker. A start date, from which point sessions are billable, will be agreed with Nursery staff at the settling-in sessions. 

Come and meet some of our nursery team at Stay 'n’ Play, our regular toddler group, that runs on Wednesdays in term-time from 10.00am to 11.30am at Crackley Hall.  The group alternates between our new hall and the nursery itself and is the perfect way to familiarise yourself and your child with Little Crackers.

Stay 'n' Play regularly organises visitng music, art and activity events. Coming up shortly is a special Easter Crafts session on Wednesday 3 April from 10.00am to 11.30am.  Please do feel free to come and join the fun.

We currently have availability for three and four-year-olds on both a term-time only basis and all year round. Availability in the twos is limited to mostly afternoons only until September.

For further details on the sessions available, please call our Nursery Manager, Mrs Clare Bird, on 01926 514456 or email cbird@crackleyhall.co.uk