Cruckton Hall
School
Cruckton ·
22nd March 2002
Dear Parents, Friends and Old boys
After a very short extremely damp Spring term we seem to be enjoying some fine weather of late without a bitter wind or persistent rain. Mr Croucher’s had his mower out and the gardens are fast awakening and the Rooks are beginning to nest! We have had a lovely term, with the boys generally in a pleasant mood and keen to produce good work. The examination entries are in and coursework well underway. The annual educational reviews held so far this year have all been very positive with the staff and boys very proud of the achievements made, I hope the rest are as good.
Mr Martin Ryan, Mr Simon Bailey, Mr Simon Davies, Mr Chris Taylor have joined the houseparent team this term with a varied and exciting range of skills and interests to offer the boys. Mr Martin Newall has settled into his role as teacher of Modern Languages and PSE/citizenship. Mrs Nancy Moreton has reorganised the surgery and settled in as if she has been with us for a year and not less than a term. Miss Jo Lee has joined us this half term, initially to take charge of houseparent training and NVQ’s and secondly to develop professional counselling as an extra dimension to our present support and care for the boys.
Anthony Munk from Bristol and Thomas Williams from Worcester have joined us this term; both have settled in well showing their skills Anthony has a great sense of humour and is showing talent as a guitarist while Thomas is a quiet but deep thinking young man who is a first class Chess player and an avid reader.
Now we have closed for Easter the long awaited wedding is finally due. We have all wished Mr David Senior and his bride to be Miss Sally Dodd our best wishes for the big day and for their future together. Neal Clews made them a beautiful shelf and drawer unit in woodwork, which he presented to them on behalf of the boys.
The Mexican day this week was a huge success beginning with
a slide show given by Mrs Aveston invited by Mrs Rayner to give the boys a taste of
The Social Services Inspection report became available on.23rd November 2001. We gained a pleasing report from the inspector Ms Lorraine Briggs who spent two days with us. The report is available from the front office if anyone would like a copy. The Fire Inspector Steve Ostridge visited on 15th November. Several new recommendations were made and a few alterations and additions to our residential provision. I can happily report to you that all of the recommendations made have now been completed with instructions followed to the letter to ensure the children are as safe as possible. Thanks to Mr Brown, Mr Clark and Mr King for their efforts.
Suzanne Floyd the Optician has visited this half term to test the boys due for their eye check and the dentist is due after Easter to check out everyone’s ivory. A new and hopefully failsafe protocol for parents and carers has been agreed with the Dental Clinic. Mrs Moreton should have notified you of this and if you have any queries please telephone.
Mrs Rayner arranged for the Cappa Project to hold a drama workshop as part of a drug awareness topic for Year 11. The boys devised their own sketch, wrote the script and presented their own play, with everyone involved in some way or other. This took a lot of courage and initiative but the message was well portrayed to the audience, boys from years 8 and 9. Mrs Rayner has also held a Parker Pen handwriting competition. The winners were Richard Lees, Thomas Williams and Haydn Clarke.
The sports field behind the gym has been mowed and sprayed ready for drainage and seeding. Hopefully we shall be able to use the pitch and surrounds by August. It will certainly be ready for next winter season. Mr Croucher is busily searching for the new machinery he needs. Sadly the old faithful yellow dumper truck will be retiring as soon as the new tractor arrives. I think we should keep it as a monument in honour of all the old boys who have sat and/or ridden on her!
Most of the teachers managed a day at the NEC Education Show
to keep up to date with educational resources.
Thankfully they did not spend too much money. Eight teachers: Mrs Meyer, Mr Senior, Mrs
Doyle, Mr Campion, Mr Randell,
Mr McEntee and Mr Newall are taking the Shropshire
Education Authority post graduate Autism course run by
Grade 1 boys have had two trips out with staff. They went to see Aladdin in Pontesbury with Mrs Meyer and this week Mrs Doyle, Mrs Rayner and Miss Philpott took: Tony Roberts, Thomas Williams, Jamie Fletcher, Nathan Williams, Anthony Biggs, Michael Walker, Matthew Lester, Stephen Connolly and Paul Hook to visit Cadbury World.
Mrs Dixon continues with her large group of pianists, eight boys took the ABRSM Prep test last week and a further ten will be entered in June. The examiner was very complimentary on our boys effort with Thomas Crowe, Haydn Clarke, Henry Brittain, Paul Hughes, Gareth Smallman, Lloyd Davies, Goronwy Jones and Matthew Bodey all gaining creditable passes. Matthew S took his Grade 2 and will get his result in April.
Flute lessons have expanded to three lunchtimes and one evening a week. Fourteen boys are now learning from juniors to Year 11’s. Miss Dodd hopes to announce some examinees in the near future.
Mr Clarke and Mr Butterworth have their guitar group with
Steve Connolly, Gareth Smallman, Martin Bates,
Anthony Munk and lately Goronwy
Jones all with a lot of enthusiasm and no little skill. Sadly, for my ears, a ‘Group’ has been
formed, calling themselves the “Bikeshed Boys” and
comprise: Martin Bates on Aaron Waters, Russell Hearn and Gareth Smallman They are at present preparing the old bike shed as
a practise room and if they can prove their prowess might even torture
entertain some of the visitors at the Summer Open Day.
We have entertained
Belvidere House have changed their petrol Ford Galaxy for a younger Diesel model and we have purchased a second Galaxy for Elizabeth House and The Barn to share. I suspect these vehicles will soon learn the route to the weekend markets and car boot sales!
Darren Griffiths has continued to turn out for Hanwood in their Saturday XI and has also been selected for
There have also been a multitude of activities in the dark evenings and weekends: roller-blading, woods and den building, Waterworld, swimming, cooking, cinema, stables, computers, shopping, library, walking, ten-pin bowling, bike riding, Warhammer, Gaming Exhibitions, Games Workshop and torch tig.
Enclosed with this letter you should receive a diary of the remainder of the educational year with the dates of the summer Open Day –put this in your diary NOW!.
On behalf of the staff and boys a reminder that Summer Fete will be held on Saturday 31st June. I wish you all a Happy Easter and a very peaceful holiday. Remember the Summer term begins on Monday 15th April 2002.
Yours sincerely
Headmaster
PS. You may have heard of the staff ten pin bowling challenge which was held this afternoon. After several weeks of lobbying for team members and some serious insults being traded the six teams laced up their shoes and the action began. To cut a very long story short the truth has to be printed as it will certainly get distorted by the time the boys return next term.