Admissions Update

A very warm welcome to our Admissions Update e-newsletter, designed to give you an insight into the Crescent and a feel for the richness of school life here. You will also find lots of practical information that will help you through the admissions process.

The first thing that strikes visitors to our school is the special sense of purpose that there is here, combined with a genuinely caring and nurturing atmosphere. Every child here is unique and everyone has their place in our shared community. Our caring and dedicated teaching staff are determined to go the extra mile to help children achieve everything they are capable of. This philosophy applies inside the classroom, on the sports field and in all of our extra-curricular pursuits as well.

Please do come along to our Open Day on Friday 4 October to meet me, the staff and the children. We look forward to welcoming you to our wonderful school.

Joe Thackway

The Crescent School is considering splitting the Year 3 class into two smaller classes for the start of the academic year 2020-21 when they will enter Year 4.

The move echoes one made two years ago when the then Year 4 class was split into two smaller classes, a move that has proven very successful.

Comments Joe Thackway, “The two smaller classes will benefit from reduced class size and tailored input from our experienced class teachers and subject specialists at a key point in their journey towards the 11+ exams and independent school entrance exams. We have seen the educational benefits of this before and hope to be able to replicate it in 2020.”

Prospective parents who would be interested in a Year 4 place for their child in September 2020 are urged to contact Mrs Helen Morley, the Registrar, on 01788 523851 or email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk to register their interest.  A decision about the split will be made towards the end of 2019.

Over the summer break there were exciting improvements to the Crescent School site.

Over the holidays the IT suite was gutted and a new ceiling, lighting and flooring installed.  The room was redesigned and now has new furniture.  A new teaching space was created including an interactive teaching wall.

At the far end of the school, the Reception and Year 1 classrooms were also completely refurbished with new ceiling, new lights, new carpets and a fresh coat of paint.  The improvements provide an exciting and stimulating environment for our youngest learners.

A three-phase development of the main corridor, affectionately known as the 'green mile', commenced starting with the top section (from the Library down to the first set of Fire Doors).  Again a new ceiling was installed, with new lights, new flooring, built in display units and the walls repainted.

The work is all part of the Princethorpe Foundation’s long term estates development plan which includes significant investment in the Crescent School facilities.

Comments Joe Thackway, Headmaster, “It was all systems go all summer, with the work all completed in time for the pupils and staff return in September.”

Crescent School's Summer Concert took place on Tuesday 2 July.  It was well attended with the school hall packed with parents and family members eager to enjoy the end of term celebration of fine music and song.

As always the school orchestra opened the concert performing two pieces confidently.  Everyone enjoyed their uplifting rendition of ‘Chariots Of Fire’ and the popular ‘Match Of the Day’ theme.  The enthusiastic audience were then delighted by impressive group performances from Brass Group, Mini Brass, Wacky Music, Flute Group and the Year 5 Ensemble, interspersed with many wonderful individual instrumental solos.

The concert concluded with a rousing performance by the Choir.  Pupils sang four pieces starting with ‘We’re So Proud Of Our School’, followed by ‘Harmony Blues’,’ Why We Sing’ and finishing with ‘A Little Can Change Our World’.

It was another outstanding afternoon of music and song.  Our enormous thanks and congratulations go to all Crescent School's accomplished performers who took to the stage in front of their proud parents, and of course to all their teachers and Director of Music, Julie Barnes who have helped them achieve so much.

Year 6 brought the classic tale of the ugly duckling to life this week in their final end-of-year school production. 

Since it first hatched in 1993, Stiles & Drewe’s musical has charmed audiences with its heart-warming story, sparkling wit and memorable score.

It tells the story of Ugly, a cygnet who is mistaken as an ugly duckling. Teased by both his siblings and the barnyard animals, Ugly sets out on an adventure of self-discovery. On his journey, he meets a whole flock of colourful characters, including a sly tomcat and a company of military geese.

The children had worked incredibly hard with Drama teacher, Kim Thompson, to prepare this special performance and the talented cast rose admirably to the challenge.

Ms Thompson said, “Honk! is a popular, family-friendly show and was the ideal platform for our young actors to showcase their singing, acting and dancing talent. With its bouncing score and universal story, the play captured the hearts of all who saw it.”

Performed for the first time in the Clarkson Theatre over at Princethorpe College, the lighting and sound gave an extra special professional dimension to the performance.

It was clear the audience really enjoyed the show, their thunderous applause a testament to yet another super example of the school’s broad provision for the arts.

Headmaster, Joe Thackway said, "Huge congratulations to all the cast for learning their lines so well and delivering them with meaning, expression and great timing, what a multi-talented group of young people they all are."

Many thanks to all the staff and parents who helped with the production.

Crescent School celebrated after Year 6 pupil, Olivia, won a Gold Medal in the 80m sprint at the Independent School Association’s National Track and Field Athletics Championships.

The school was delighted to have two athletes qualify for the National Finals and on Wednesday 19 June, Year 6, Olivia and Year 5, George, travelled to Birmingham to take part in the flagship event at the Alexander Stadium.

In a very close race, Olivia just edged ahead on the line to win her sprint in a super time of 11.32 seconds.

Fellow competitor, George, competed in two events the Long Jump and the 600m.  George jumped a new personal best of 3.85m to finish just outside the medals in fourth place in the Long Jump, whilst in the 600m he finished in 6th place with a time of 1.57.58.

Head of Girls Games at Crescent School, Rachel McCollin, was delighted with the children’s performance saying, “We always tell the children to believe in themselves and push beyond their own boundaries, and they certainly did that.  It was such a fantastic day, a well-run event and the children were simply incredible. We are delighted for Olivia and George – a gold medal and a personal best, a super result.”

Back in May, after all the preparations, the plans, the discussions, the designs and the build team 'Crescent Cobra' plugged in the compressed air canisters and got down to some serious racing at this year’s Jaguar Primary School Challenge. 

The challenge requires teams to research, design, manufacture, test, promote and race the fastest car possible using standard chassis and engine housing nets with a car body made only from card. It is a technical brief but one that has proven to really engage potential future engineers.

As soon as they parked up at Princethorpe College, the team leapt into action setting up their pit display. Crescent’s team boards and table displays looked smart and professional. Bright colours and eye-catching graphics told the visual story of their journey so far.

After a welcome from Mr Scopes, Head of Design Technology at Princethorpe College, they were on to their first assessment, the Portfolio and Pit Stop Display, the team took time to carefully explain their displays to the judges.  Then it was on to the Engineering judging where the team were examined on their car design and manufacturing process before the all-important Verbal presentation where the judges were looking at technique, composition and knowledge of subject matter.

During the day, the team also had to complete an Additional Challenge, a Design Technology Challenge to manufacture a carry case for their racing car.  The focus of the exercise was once again to test the team’s ability to work together, delegate, design and manufacture. 

Then finally, it was time to get down to the serious business of racing. This was, after all, what the whole challenge has been about. Team Crescent Cobras carefully set up their car for a head-to-head down the racetrack and prepared themselves quietly and calmly for the competition. The cardboard Formula One cars flew down the track recording lightning-quick times. In a matter of seconds, it was all over.

Standards had been incredibly high and after a day’s worth of demonstration, presentations and racing the judges got down to their deliberations and analysing the scores.  When the results were announced, Crescent were delighted to find out that they had won the award for ‘Best Verbal Presentation’.

Mrs Byrne who helped guide the team was jubilant, “It was an amazing day. Our pupils worked so hard. This was the first time we have entered this competition and the children were brilliant.  I am very proud of them all.”

Last year Crescent Year 5 pupil Daniel read 55 books and over six million words over the academic year and topped the leader board in the school’s annual reading challenge.  His achievement was all the more remarkable when you see the sorts of books he was reading, with Shakespeare and Greek Classics all mixed in with the modern day mystery and adventure stories you would expect a boy to read.

Daniel was modest about his achievement saying, “I just like reading and I read whenever I can.”  He explained, “I especially like adventure stories, such as the Young Samurai series, I read one then I try something different and then I read another.”  Outside of school, Daniel reads most days but just like any other boy, he also plays sports such as hockey and cricket and even, when he gets the chance, enjoys sailing.

Senior Teacher, Sarah Lowe, who leads on literacy at the Crescent School, explains, “We have a very positive reading culture here at Crescent, it is cool for boys to read, some of our boys in Year 6 have the reading age of a 16-year-old.  There are so many good books out there for boys to read these days.”

The Crescent’s approach to literacy is supported by Renaissance’s Accelerated Reader system. Children take a quiz after reading each book that tests their understanding. Its approach promotes reading for pleasure whilst ensuring the children read appropriately challenging books.

Sarah, continued, “Pupils from Year 3 onwards take part in the reading challenge and can quiz daily on the computers before school. We find the boys respond really well to the competitive nature of the challenge.  It motivates them.  We like to get parents involved too and hold a week every term when Parents can come in and quiz with their children.  Daniel was our top reader last year and the first to ever reach six million words.”

Year 5 studied Michael Morpurgo’s novel Kensuke’s Kingdom and to mark the end of the topic they welcomed Mrs Knott (a parent) into school to talk about all things Japanese.  

Having lived in Japan for many years, she was able to give the children a fascinating insight into a culture that has remarkable similarities to our own.

The classes began by learning how to greet a teacher ‘Ohayō gozaimasu sensei’ and then explored just how many Japanese words they already knew – Sushi, Samurai and Pokémon to name but a few.

They found out that Japan is in Asia, is of a similar land mass to the United Kingdom, but has a greater population.  They learnt about the culture and how Japanese people have an animistic approach, which leads them to respect and show gratitude for everything.  Mrs Knott even taught the children how to bow properly and then how to count in Japanese.

In a break out session the children worked in small groups using abacuses to solve number problems, playing bean games with chopsticks and even looking at different sorts of Japanese food.

Deputy Head, Bryony Forth, commented, "It was all incredibly engaging and had the children and  teachers captivated.   Huge thanks to Mrs Knott for coming into school and running such an interesting and informative lesson."

Crescent’s U9 Netball team were the Independent Schools Association (ISA) Midlands Champions for the second year running.

The girls travelled to Stafford Preparatory School on Wednesday 3 April to play in the ISA Regional Netball Final.  Playing in the tournament were teams from schools across the region including Akeley Wood Junior School, Crackley Hall School, Mylnhurst Prep School, Salterford House School, Stafford Prep School and Twycross House School.

Over the course of the day, each school played six games in a round robin format.  Crescent’s girls played superbly, they were focused and accurate, showing lovely footwork, strong passing and accurate shooting skills. They won all their matches and conceded only five goals across the six games.  They finished the tournament in first place to take ISA Midlands title for the second year running.

Head of Girls’ Games, Rachel McCollin, was delighted, she commented, “What a great way to end the netball season and truly deserved as the girls have shown fantastic commitment and dedication.  I am incredibly proud of them.”

All 71 Crescent pupils who took the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) examinations in March passed.  68 pupils achieved a distinction and five pupils were judged as perfect receiving a phenomenal 100 score.

Children from Year 3 to Year 6 study for the examinations in their Drama lessons as part of the curriculum.  Years 3 and 4 take the Introductory level, Stages 1 and 2 respectively while Years 5 and 6 take the Communications - Speaking Verse and Prose, Entry and Grade 1 examinations. 

The children have to prepare poems to perform. They are judged on interpretation, technique and knowledge. They have to consider their diction, expression and movement and have to be able to discuss their choices of poems with their examiner.

Mrs Thompson, Drama teacher explained, “What’s brilliant about the LAMDA exams is that they equip the children with communication skills which will serve them throughout life.  They not only promote an appreciation of literature and poetry, but also help unlock their imagination and creative-thinking.”

The results were a reflection of their hard work both in and out of school – clearly all that rehearsing paid off.

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 for the two-storey, £8 million building, which will see Biology, Chemistry and Physics sited together in one dedicated location, has now been approved and construction will start on the project within the next two to 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 Pinnacle showcases excellent and extraordinary work.  

The latest edition showcases ability and flair across many subjects and year groups, including an award winning poet and a number of Princethorpe's budding sports stars.  It also includes some superb examples of Modern Foreign Languages work and there is also coverage of the wonderful GCSE and A-level Art and Photography, which appeared in our Summer Art, Photography and Design Show.

A double-sized Minnacle is included too, with equally impressive work by Crackley Hall pupils from Nursery to Junior 6 and Crescent pupils from Reception to Class VI. It's wonderful to showcase their talents too!!

Click here if you would like to download a copy of The Pinnacle and here if you would like to see The Minnacle.

Thursday 26 September 2019 - 10.30am - 12.30pm

Princethorpe College, the Foundation's senior school, is holding an Open Morning on Thursday 26 September from 10.30am to 12.30pm. This is a normal school working day and an excellent opportunity for Year 6 children and their parents to visit the College prior to Entrance Examinations Day on Saturday 9 November.  Pupil tour guides will be available to show visitors around the school. 

Please do spread the word amongst friends and family, as 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.

Friday 4 October 2019 - 10.00am to 3.00pm

The Crescent School, the Foundation's junior school for 4 to 11 year olds in Bilton, Rugby, is opening its doors for an Open Day on Friday 4 October from 10.00am - 3.00pm.

This is an opportunity to look around the school on a normal working day, to meet the school's Headmaster, Joe Thackway and see the improvements that have been made to the facilities over the summer. All are welcome, no need to book.

The Crescent is also holding a Reception Open Evening on Tuesday 19 November between 7.00pm and 8.00pm, which will give parents an insight into the Early Years at Crescent and the firm foundation the school gives children for their future learning. Pathfinders, the on-site partner nursery, which has been rated ‘outstanding’ by OFSTED, will also be open on the evening should parents wish to visit.

If you can't make the open events but would like to visit the school, please call the 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 http://www.crescentschool.co.uk/

Entrance Examinations for Year 7 to 10 entry to Princethorpe College in September 2020 will take place on Saturday 9 November 2019 from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

For more information on Entrance Examinations click here.

Those wishing to register for Entrance Examinations should do so by Friday 4 October to facilitate the gathering of references from primary schools.

Registrations forms are available in our prospectus packs or you can download a registration form here.

Sunday 1 December 2018 2.00pm-4.30pm

The Princethorpe College annual Christmas Fayre takes place on Sunday 1 December 2.00pm – 4.30pm.  It is a great opportunity to come and experience the magic of Princethorpe as well as stocking up on the perfect gift for that special someone.

Organised by the College's fantastic Parent Teacher Association the Fayre offers Christmas carols, mulled wine and a dazzling array of Christmas craft stalls.  Whether visiting Santa, touring the tower or simply stocking up on that all important reindeer food, the Fayre has something for all of the family.

All are most welcome!

We have great pleasure in unveiling the OPs' events calendar for the forthcoming academic year that offers plenty of opportunities for OPs, current and former parents, staff and friends of the College and the Foundation schools to catch up.

Our ever popular Pub meets return with a spring meet in Rugby at Inside the 22 on Friday 6 March and an early summer gathering in London at Le Petit Salon Prive in Covent Garden on Friday 15 May.

The OPs' Summer Supper, a favourite event in the calendar, will take place on Friday 26 June 2020, this time celebrating the leavers of 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010, although leavers of other years are also most welcome.

All alumni, former staff and parents fo Princethorpe College, St Joseph's School, Crackley Hall and Crescent School are welcome to participate in any or all of the events. Click here to download the calendar or visit the Old Princethorpians section at www.princethorpe.co.uk for more information on Old Princethorpians.

We’re accepting registrations for places in Reception and Year 3 for 2020 now. We are also registering interest for Year 4 in 2020, should we decide to split the class. Limited places are also available for admission in other years. Contact us to find out more.

Parents who are interested are urged to contact the Registrar, Mrs Helen Morley, on 01788 523851 or by email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk.

Applications for places in the current Reception up are treated on an individual basis as places are limited. Once full we operate waiting groups.

Most of our pupils enter at Reception and at Year 3, though pupils are welcome at any age, dependent on a place being available.

Places in other years are limited and in years where there is no place available we operate waiting groups. A meeting with Joe Thackway, the Headmaster, is a key part of the admissions process. 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 Reception Open Evening in November, which prospective parents and pupils are most welcome to attend.

Our Registrar, Mrs Helen Morley, will be pleased to talk you through the admissions process and current availability, contact her on 01788 523851 or email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk.

To request a prospectus please click here.

For a copy of our Registration Form click here. To download our current Crescent Information Booklet click here. 

Reception 2020 

Early Bird applicants

Siblings of Crescent pupils, those attending Pathfinders Nursery, and any external candidates with a strong interest in a place in Reception, are able to apply early and take advantage of a priority application process. The deadline for taking advantage of this priority arrangement is Monday 25 November 2019. Please return your completed Registration Form with the accompanying fee of £50 (non-returnable) by this date. Your child will be visited in their nursery setting by one of the Early Years Team, and subject to availability and a satisfactory visit offer letters will be sent out first class on Monday 16 December 2019 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 6 January 2020.

On-time applicants

Applicants interested in a place in Reception following similar timescales to the state application process, need to register by the deadline of Monday 3 February 2020; once we have received your completed Registration Form and accompanying fee of £50 (non-returnable) your child will be visited in their nursery setting by one of the Early Years Team. Subject to availability and a satisfactory visit, offer letters to applicants will be sent out first class on Friday 6 March 2020 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 27 April 2020.

Current Reception to Year 6

Applications for places in the current Reception to Year 6 will be treated on an individual basis as places are limited. In years where there is no place available we operate waiting groups. Please contact Helen Morley, our Registrar, to discuss these on an individual basis.

Should the possibility of a potential place become available you will be invited in to meet with Mr Thackway, 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 will be assessed both formally and informally. Children in Year 3-6 take a short online assessment to help us gauge their current levels of understanding. Younger children may have a reading age assessment and of course will produce written language and number work as part of their day in school.

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 2020 is Friday 22 May 2020. All incoming pupils need to have completed the admissions process by Friday 12 June 2020 to enable your child to attend our Induction Morning. (Although a place at Crescent School may become available after this date, and applications will be processed, we cannot guarantee availability of places.)

Note: Deposits are refunded after the end of the final term which the pupil spends at the school provided that the correct amount of notice has been given and the final account is settled in full.

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.

We ask all prospective pupils for Crescent School 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 Helen Morley, our Registrar, or another member of the office staff. 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 Thackway, 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 8.40am to 3.45pm for applicants for Years 1 to 6.  For those children who will be entering Reception the following academic year, the arrangements are different, one of our Early Years Team will go out to visit them in their nursery setting.

Children in Years 3 and above will be asked to take a short online test in verbal reasoning and non verbal reasoning with a little Maths included, 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 offering a place, we take the child’s performance in these tests 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. 

Children participating in a taster day should wear their current school uniform.  A school lunch will be provided for them. 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 you to let us have a completed registration form and accompanying £50.00 registration fee before the taster day. Please include any medical and dietary information of which we should be aware and any information regarding specific learning needs. 

Mr Thackway, 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.

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

The Entrance Exams for 2020 take place on Saturday 9 November 2019. The deadline for registrations is Friday 4 October 2019. There are still opportunities for prospective pupils and their parents to visit the College, including an Open Morning on Thursday 26 September from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

For more information click here to see the latest Princethorpe Admissions Update newsletter.

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.

Our onsite partner Nursery provision is delivered by Pathfinders Day Nursery, formerly known as Nature Trails at Crescent, and judged 'outstanding' by Ofsted at their recent inspection.

The Pathfinders children enjoy many shared activities with the school and the Reception class.

It is our hope that many of the children in the Nursery will follow through into our Reception class in the September after their 4th birthday. As such, the Nursery staff are conscious of the need to prepare the children for school and the children are made to feel an integral part of the school from the day they join.

For further information about Pathfinders visit their website here or call Rachel Ward, Nursery Manager on 01788 813666.

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 Crescent School.  We have included those most frequently asked, but should you have a query that isn’t covered here, please call Helen Morley, our Registrar, pictured here, on 01788 523851 or contact her by email at admissions@crescentschool.co.uk and she will be happy to help.

Q: Will my child need to take an entrance exam for Crescent School?

A: Whilst we do not have a formal entrance examination for Crescent School, 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 Thackway, the Headmaster, and for children* to join us on a taster day which can be arranged on a mutually convenient date.

During the taster day children will be assessed both formally and informally. Children in Year 3-6 take a short online assessment to help us gauge their current levels of understanding. Younger children may have a reading age assessment and of course will produce written language and number work as part of their day in school.

*Pre-school children do not have a taster day but are visited in their nursery setting by one of our Early Years Team, prior to an offer of a place being made. 

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 Crescent School?

A: The maximum class size in Pre-Prep is 20 children, whilst in Year 3 and above the class size continues to be smaller than the national average, at no more than 24 children. Every form throughout the school also benefits from their own teaching assistant.

Q: What makes Crescent School 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 Crescent School 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, languages, sports and art. 

Q: My child is a high achiever; how will Crescent School 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.  At Crescent School this is not the case as we strive to develop the potential of all children and to develop their many talents.

Q: My child may need additional support – what can Crescent School offer?

A: Our learning support team works with children to provide extra help at whatever level they need. This ranges 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 and all children are screened. 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 30 different lunch-time and after school clubs that cater for all interests.  See the section on extra-curricular clubs, sport and music within this update. 

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

A:  During term time we offer ‘early bird’ supervision from 7.45am and after-care until 5.45pm for which we make an additional charge per session.

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

A: Yes, families with more than one child at Foundation Schools receive a discount of 5% for a second or third child or 10% for a fourth or subsequent child. 

Q: Do you accept childcare vouchers?

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

Q: Do you operate a bus service to Crescent School?

We do not currently operate a bus service, however should you accept a place we are happy, with your permission, 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 siblings of Crescent pupils, those attending Pathfinders Nursery, our on-site partner nursery, and any external candidates with a strong interest in a place in Reception, parents are able to apply early and take advantage of a priority early bird application process. The deadline for taking advantage of this priority arrangement is Monday 25 November 2019. Otherwise the deadline for applications for Reception 2020 entry is Monday 3 February 2020. 

For all other year groups the application process is handled individually but they need to be registered by Friday 22 May 2020 in order for their application to be progressed in time 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 Thackway, 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.  

Q: Will joining Crescent School give my child priority for joining the Foundation's senior school Princethorpe College?

A:  Being part of one of the Foundation's primary schools gives children a real head start in the admissions process. Crescent's pupils are thoroughly prepared for the entrance examination and have enjoyed a 100% success rate for entry in recent years.

Q: How successful is the Crescent at getting its pupils into the local grammar schools?

A: Crescent pupils who take the 11+ examinations for entry into the local grammar schools have historically always done very well. Over the last three years at least 50% of those taking the 11+ have been offered grammar school places. 

Our success in competitive sports is testament to the importance of physical education and the promotion of an active lifestyle at Crescent School.  At Crescent, we pride ourselves on giving the children a lifelong love of physical activity and a large proportion of our children partake in physical activities after school.  In fact every child in Year 3 and above has played for the school in a Sports team.

Two dedicated Games Afternoons are timetabled on a Wednesday and Thursday for Years 5/6 and Years 3/4 respectively. These allow teachers more time to develop skills and facilitate competitive fixtures across a range of sports with other local schools.

Whether children want to take part in an individual pursuit such as athletics or swimming or a team game such as netball or football, they will be encouraged by our enthusiastic and committed team of sports staff, led by Matt Phillips, Head of Sport, and our Head of Girls Games, Rachel McCollin, 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.  We are lucky to have our own playing fields and we also make use of excellent local facilities such as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Track in Rugby, and the sports facilities at the Foundation’s senior school Princethorpe College.

Fixtures and competitions are arranged in boys’ football, girls’ football, netball, boys’ hockey, girls’ hockey, rugby, swimming, basketball, boys’ cricket, girls’ cricket, tennis, rounders, athletics and cross-country.  We take part in ISA and IAPS competitions to help to extend our more able children and have B and sometimes C team fixtures to allow participation from the pupils.

Bursaries are available for pupils wishing to join Crescent School, these are normally awarded to children from Year 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. 

Applications for bursaries are normally reviewed by external consultants.

Our extra-curricular programme is extremely popular.  We encourage all our children to find something that they will enjoy. From sports to singing to creative arts, and with more than 30 different clubs, there is something for everyone. 

Our current clubs include Football, Netball, Hockey, Rugby, Gymnastics, Fencing, Cricket, Outdoor Learning, Ball Skills, Yoga, Games, Drama, Choir, Flute, Brass, Orchestra, Science, Cookery, Programming, Lego, First Aid, Movie, Construction, Board Games, Times Tables, Craft, Sewing, Art, DT, FROG Club (Fully Rely On God), Online Magazine Club, Library, Jewellery Club, Story Club and Philosophy.  Some of these clubs are run by teachers and are free of charge whilst some are delivered by external providers and incur a cost.

Uniform is compulsory for Crescent School pupils and helps to create a sense of shared identity, community spirit and a pride in oneself. 

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 Nicola Browne on 01926 634272 or email uniform@princethorpe.co.uk. 

A uniform list is available in the Crescent Information Booklet please click here.

For those who like to plan ahead the Foundation Term Dates for 2020-2021 are:

Michaelmas Term 2020

Tuesday 1 September to Tuesday 15 December

Half Term

Saturday 17 October to Sunday 1 November

Lent Term 2021 

Tuesday 5 January to Friday 26 March

Half Term

Saturday 13 February to Sunday 21 February

Trinity Term 2021

Monday 19 April to Tuesday 6 July 

Half Term

Saturday 29 May to Sunday 6 June