15^th December 2000

Dear Parents, Friends and Oldboys

From a very wet Cruckton with the rain again running down the windows I have pleasure in sending the end of term letter. The odds on a white Christmas for this year must be almost as long as the chance of a dry Christmas Day. I have been considering utilising all the water we have by asking Alan Jones to build a moat around the school; this would enhance our present water features, which include the pond, a swamp and paddy field, offer Mr Croucher a further dimension to his gardening skills and certainly offer another alternative to Messrs McBride and Randell in PE lessons.

My usual comments regarding the end of this term as hectic have been put into a sharp perspective this year as we have probably sustained the most hectic term in the school history. We have a lot of new boys join us over the past term and now have fifty-five on the school register. The boys are beginning to settle down as are the new staff and we are getting to know each other and build up our partnership with parents and carers. I do apologise if this area of our support has not been up to the usual standards but I assure you it will improve from the beginning of the new term. The new boys have some very nice aspects to their personalities and I am sure they will all enhance the school as they begin to improve their skills and share them with us. We as a staff have risen to the challenge and can now consolidate and take life at a more leisurely pace and pay more attention to the fundamentals of our school.

The final week went well and I apologise if the boys are tired but they have had a wonderful last week. The Carol service in Hanwood church was a huge success. Mrs Dixon arranged the evening and was very proud of the boys as they really did themselves proud. Where next year I cannot say but we shall certainly need even more room to get parents, guests and school all together. Christmas shopping on Monday was lovely with the town not too crowded because only one bridge was open due to the floods. The Christmas Lunch was arranged such that lunches were provided in the games room, Ivy House and the staffroom. This avoided overcrowding but everyone managed to congregate for the speeches and presentations and a lovely day was enjoyed all round. Miss Davies and her staff put on a wonderful meal and worked very hard to ensure the meal was a success. Mr Rayner was our guest and was presented with leaving presents from both the staff and boys. He has decided to retire through ill health after fifteen years at Cruckton in PE, Science and Geography departments. I know this news will come of a shock to many of you oldboys reading this today but if you would like to contact Mr Rayner or send him an email or card please direct them to me at school and I will ensure they are

delivered. We finally closed the term with the tea and party, a happy and fitting end to the term.

James Tymon and Liam Bennett have left us this term, both to join local schools. Mr Gilchrist will be leaving the ICT department at the end of term to take up a position back with the RAF. He will be sadly missed, as he has been the prime mover in establishing Information Technology so

successfully within the school and broadening its use across the curriculum. Miss Johnson is leaving to complete her gap year with a trip to Heihe in the northern province of Heilongjiang, China where she will be working in a foreign language school teaching English. Hopefully returning to us before going away again to Lancaster University to study Psychology. Perhaps following graduation she may even return to us again to become resident Psychologist at Cruckton!! Mrs Kendall Hartshorn and Miss Nicci Kynaston are now full time in the Offices to support Mrs Parker. I am sure you will soon learn their voices and hopefully get to know each other wherever necessary. Mr Barry Thomas will also be joining the teaching staff next term and there will be further appointments in teaching, care and domestic departments to fill both vacancies and new positions. We wish all the departures and arrivals a happy and successful future.

The new senior block came into use after half term and has been named Ivy House after Mrs Ivy Price who sadly passed away, at the age of ninety-one, the week the block was officially opened. We feel this a very fitting memorial and epitaph to a lady who had spent a great deal of her life helping others. Mrs Kynaston, Miss Paul, Mr Hanmer and Mr Clark have staffed the block this half term and have done a magnificent job in setting up the routines and standards, which the boys in residence have really appreciated. New staffing arrangements will be in place next term and Mrs Tuffin will be taking up a new position of Housekeeper to support the other staff and boys. When fully functioning the block will add the final touches to the independence of many young men in their final months before they leave Cruckton.

The extension dining room and staff room now has a roof and the internal finishings and décor being planned by Mr Keith Northridge and Miss Davies are coming on apace. I dare not predict the opening date but with fair weather and a good wind it should be ready by Easter. Mr Brown, Mr Croucher, Mr Clark and Mr Butterworth are moving to new quarters along Elizabeth House garden wall. This move will then clear the stable block for a full staged refurbishment to take place to increase and improve our present educational facilities.

Mr Patrick Tomlinson and his staff now have four boys in residence at Belvidere house in Shrewsbury. They attend school on a daily basis. This and Elizabeth house are open throughout the school holiday as the new 52 week dimension becomes fully operative. Young Options our parent company are also preparing a new unit at Roxby House in Lincolnshire. This will be for autistic young adults and will be run by Miss Manar Matusiak. I am sure there will be more news on this venture and from Manar in future letters.

Staff training has continued under the guidance of Mr McBride with First Aid, Basic Food Hygiene and P.R.I.C.E. The latter was provided by Mr Brian Nicholson whose expert tutelage gave us a really professional and appropriate course, long overdue, but thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. We shall be sending three staff to train as trainers in February and now have to arrange our own fitness and training sessions on a regular basis to keep fit and up to date!!

Individual staff training has involved ten staff taking part in the WMAS Autism course run in conjunction with Shropshire LEA. Mrs Dixon has been on a Performance Coaching course at South Nottingham College and she has gained distinctions in City & Guilds advanced course in ‘Photographing People’ and ‘Exhibition Printing’. Miss Davies, Mr Marshall and Miss Emily Miller have all passed the first year of their OU course, ‘Understanding Health and Social Care’.

We are embarking on a Health for Schools initiative from next term. Mrs Large and Miss Atkinson will be working with all other staff including HQ I understand!! To achieve the Gold Star award in three years we have to successfully complete nine modules. Next term we shall beginning with modules in: Healthy Eating, PE & Sport and Health and Safety. Healthy eating is a topical debate and the physical condition of several of our boys does cause us concern so semi-skimmed and salads will be the order of the day from January. Also on the health front the dental hygienist visited last week and we have completed the Meningitis vaccinations throughout the school. Everyone was given a ‘flu jab in line with Shropshire Health authority policy and we have a full programme of opticians checks in early January. Visiting professionals have offered; grievance counselling, personal therapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, sex education and of course Mr Walters the school educational psychologist who will now be visiting two evenings each week to provide the service we need.

The GCSE candidates who pleased us so much with their efforts during May and June have produced some excellent results. Year 11 all passed, gaining the predicted grades and all able to take up the courses and jobs of their choice. The Year 10 experiment by Mrs Meyer and Mrs Martin was a complete success justifying their faith in the ability of the five boys entered. They gained exceptional results and now have a very solid platform of experience to use next summer.

The Christmas Bazaar was again a huge success and the school seemed to be full of people from beginning to end. I received some lovely compliments from visitors and this was very welcome. To raise nearly £1700 pounds on top of this through donations and the continued generosity of our friends and guests was a real bonus. The boys and staff managed to spend the money on Christmas presents and the festivities of the final week but all were well spent and appreciated.

Full Social Services, Fire and Environmental Health Inspections have taken place during the term both in school and at Belvidere, the reports will be available next term. There are some matters to be addressed and we shall be giving them our full attention in January to ensure the requirements are carefully met in all areas.

John Crozier Shropshire specialist Careers officer has visited several times during the term and has interviewed all of the leavers and year 11 boys individually. He will be contacting their local careers officers and the boys should be making contact themselves to make an appointment to discuss plans for next year.

We had our special lunch day in October with the French connection. Miss Jones and her ladies provided a traditional French meal with the full trimmings and I understand there were even French waitresses in the staffroom!! Mrs Rayner opened her Café at break time, which was well supported by staff and manned by class 9.

Charity appeals have continued with our chosen Shrewsbury Hospital Lineac Appeal. This is to raise funds for the building to house the new. We hosted a Hog Roast at school which was well attended and several other functions are planned.

We have three Army cadets in the Shrewsbury detachment: Goronwy Jones, Matt Mertens and Adam Cooke. Matt was commended by his Officer for raising £111 at the Poppy Day appeal, to do this he stood for most of a very wet Sunday with another cadet asking passers by for a donation – a tremendous effort. Adam was also commended for achieving 100% in a County cadet force shooting competition and gaining his One Star award.

School education trips this term went to the Princess Royal Hospital intensive care open day with Mr McBride and Miss Paul. Mrs Doyle took the juniors to the local farm and Mrs Senior took several Geography field trips into Shrewsbury. Social activity trips out have gone to Barmouth rock climbing; Nottingham for the Warhammer convention; Telford ice skating; Telford ski slope and World of Snow; Night Club, Golf range and of course the many activities that are provided each week by the houseparents as part of the boys social programme.

House Champions this year were Hill followed by Clive and Darwin. In the house matches this term the Soccer was a tie in both junior and senior competitions, the Basketball Senior competition was won by Darwin then Hill and Clive while the junior was won by Hill with a tie between Darwin and Clive while the Cruckton Factor Day ended with another win for Hill with Clive and Darwin in second and third places. The individual champions were: Matt Mertens in junior and Adam Cooke in Senior. All the competitions were highly contested events with a great deal of effort and no shortage of sportsmanship.

The Ju-Jitsu club continues to be popular and a committed group of boys attend every Thursady evening. A grading session was held for the orange tab group and all were upgraded to the full orange belt. That is Nick Pitt, Paul Hook, Henry Brittain, Chris Tedds, Thomas Hilton, Aaron Adamson, Steve Connolly, Matt Joyce and goronwy Jones. We then hosted and exhibition given by Hanshi Morris who is a highly revered 9^th dan. This was the highlight of the year and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who attended. Student of the month awards this term have gone to Chris Tedds, Thomas Hilton and Paul Hook.

On behalf of the staff and boys have a very happy Christmas a peaceful holiday and best wishes for the New Year. Remember the Spring term begins on Monday 8^th January 2001.

Yours sincerely

Paul Mayhew

Headmaster