15th December 1999

Dear Parents, Friends and Oldboys

The first snow of winter has arrived but not enough for us to throw or build snowmen. Sadly it is over two years since we had a good fall and enjoyed a sledging and snowboarding season. We have made the most of a very wet autumn term and this cold spell makes a nice change. The boys have generally been in good form throughout the term with some excellent work produced in class as well as some quite spectacular activities and escapades at other times. It has seemed like being inside an all-action blockbuster some weeks, thankfully all the adventures have had a happy ending, as every good story should.

I hope the boys have arrived home safely and fit as they have had a very hectic last week. We escaped the annual 'November bug' this year but a lot of the staff have been suffering quite a debilitating virus over the past few days and I expect we shall all have a dose before the Millennium. The Carol Service was well attended and this being Mrs Dixon's first, it went very pleasantly according to the script. I have the video tape thanks to Mr Gilchrist, available for loan next term and Mr Davies' audio tape a snip at £2.00.

We have welcomed Mrs Muriel Rayner and Miss Sally Dodd to the teaching team and both have settled down very quickly and successfully into their own areas. Miss Dodd had added a new dimension to Creative Studies with her textile lessons, a lot of boys co-ordination will benefit from the work being produced. Mrs Rayner has also moved into new realms with her French teaching. 'Cafe Huit' was open one breaktime where James Fairbanks, Matthew Mertens, Goronwy Jones and Paul Hughes waited at table and served coffee, croissants and pain de chocolat, with a variety of French accents. Miss Sudlow has joined Mrs Parker in the front office, I am sure some of you have already spoken to her on the phone and Mr Cross is now officially out of retirement keeping the gym and workshop nice and clean. Mr Robin Dawson left the houseparent team before half term. We were so impressed with the quality of the applicants to replace him that we appointed two, Mrs Maggie Cronin and Mr Mark Barrett to bring both the care teams up to seven. Their induction has been both difficult and hectic as it coincided with one of the busiest times of the year. However, both have settled in on their teams and are already popular with the boys for their company and activities.

Sarah Barrett has been a regular visitor during the term and Libby grows bigger and prettier by the day. She is now taking more interest in the school and her surroundings and the boys are less afraid to hold her when they receive a big grin. However, everyone has to queue up for their cuddle as she is still much in demand. The school roll remains full at forty-two and we have been drawing up a waiting list for prospective pupils. The 'wait' may not be as long as originally envisaged as the DfEE and Shrewsbury and Atcham BC are considering plans at this moment. The Cruckton site offers a number of development opportunities and I hope to be able to give you further news next term. We are looking closely at improving our present residential provision for both the junior, secondary and vulnerable members of our community. Elizabeth house has proved so successful that we would like to copy this model and improve upon it if possible for a larger number of pupils.

The Christmas Bazaar was a very pleasant occasion with fewer visitors but a very pleasant atmosphere. We raised nearly £1300 in total, which has already been accounted for in presents, games, a Pantomime trip and of course party food. Thank you all for your generosity not only on the day and in gifts and donations both before and after the event. The quality of goods that we collect and try to sell has certainly improved over the past few years - despite the increase in popularity of car boot sales. This is mainly due to the faithful regulars and staff who donate so much each year.

We have successfully completed the Inspection season. Mrs Janet Oxley from Shropshire Registration and Inspection visited in November and I have just received the draft report. This is very pleasing and the only recommendation made is that I provide a regular independent visitor (there is a vacancy now we have lost our vicar). If anyone out there knows a person who might fulfil this role for the school please do get in touch. The Shropshire Fire Department has gone over not only the school and buildings but also Elizabeth House. We have some alterations and additions to make to fire doors and alarm systems but all will be dealt with at the beginning of next term by Mr Brown and Mr Clark. Finally Mr Fred Roberts the Shropshire Education Safety Officer visited on 14th October to walk the premises to identify any Health and Safety issues, thankfully he did not identify any serious problems. All of his recommendations have now been addressed and either the work completed or the training planned. He has also supplied me with the annual Risk Assessment forms which each department will action next term. Yes we are ready for the Millenium and have everything checked and signed to say this. We are so confident with our arrangements that we are having a Millennium party in school, where we shall probably have to cook on camping stoves by candlelight - no problem! I just hope the good guys in charge of the nuclear power stations have done their homework then we won't need the stoves or candles!

Miss Sue Davies, Mr Adey Marshall and Miss Emily Miller have all enrolled on the Open University, 'Understanding Health and Social Care' course for the next year. Mrs Parker has enrolled on a open learning course with Kent College in accounting and Mr Clem McBride who is in charge of staff training now will be arranging NVQ courses along with the full range of Health and Safety courses from next term.

Meningitis vaccinations have followed the HEAF tests and BCG vaccinations of last term. Mrs Brookes supervised the year 11 boys who all took the opportunity to be inoculated. Next year the NHS are targeting all children from 5 to 15 years for this jab and so all boys in school will then be covered. More news on this nearer the date. From the beginning of next term Mrs Maggie Cronin and Miss Muriel Atkinson will be taking responsibility for keeping the Health Plans and arranging the healthcare for all the boys. They will be arranging the dental, optical and any other medical treatment needed throughout the year. They are also the two people who will be ringing parents to inform of illness and accident and any treatment planned or given.

I hope you like this years School photo in your Christmas card. Stuart Hay the photographer has a very difficult job, not only do the boys move but also the sun invariably comes out in early morning brightness which causes light difficulties. He takes at least twelve photographs as we all sit smiling sweetly but the choice is usually reduced to one acceptable for printing. On this topic, we have had some suggestions about providing individual or group photographs of the boys during the year, if you have any comments please call.

The school bus has had new seats fitted and we have an estate car to replace the old Sherpa crew bus. The clock tower on the roof of the stable block is at present clad in scaffolding. A & M Builders are renovating the tower and clock face as I write in the most appalling weather conditions. This has meant that the use of the block for teaching purposes has been seriously curtailed during the second half of the term although it will be back in full use next term. The sports hall roof has also begun to leak due to the plastic surface peeling back from the underlying steel sheets. Mr Brown has taken the contractor over the roof and taken some excellent photographs with the digital camera, these have been sent to British Steel via email for their perusal!

The new sports field is a sea of mud at present, as we have had to renew our planning application. Hopefully it will be completed during the spring term to give the grass, shrubs and trees the best of the growing season to get established. Mr 'Capability' Croucher is really looking forward to having an extension to his domain and has plans to make this area look as lovely as the rest of the grounds.

Due to the repair and closure of the Stable block we have had to reduce instrument lessons. Mrs Dixon has started piano lessons on Tuesday evenings this term and thirteen boys are now learning. Several of these boys will start working towards Grade 1 (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) examinations after Christmas (if any of you know where there is a piano available at a reasonable price (or free!) please call as the boys are in need of more practice pianos. Miss Dodd will also be re-starting the flute group now that Mrs Lumley cannot continue.

End of term examinations have been completed with a variety of results but a minimum of disruption and on the whole pleasing responses from the boys. We hope for some good GCSE results this year from year 11 if they can keep their cool. Mrs Martin and Mrs Meyer have plans to enter some of the Year 10 boys a year early to give them a double bite at the cherry. This will entail some extra tuition in evening classes but should be well worth the effort.

We enjoyed an assembly given by Wendy and the Wastewatch Robot. It was aimed at Primary school children but even our year 11 boys took a full and active part without the slightest embarrassment. I hope the boys will bring home their recycling and waste watch promises and keep to them over the holiday.

John Crosier the Shropshire Careers Officer has visited to talk to the leavers. He has interviewed each boy and will now send his notes and an action plan to the local Careers Officer. A copy of these plans has also been given to each boy this week by Mrs Martin, it is their responsibility to show parents or any interested friend or relative to discuss the ideas outlined on the plan. The Year 11 boys will now be expected to contact their local officer to put these plans along with their parents/guardians into action locally. To support the careers programme we were visited by Impact Dramatic Productions in October. Three young actors gave us an hour, displaying quite cleverly, all the options available for school leavers. This production called 'Directions' was well presented and well received by the boys.

The Autumn work experience for Year 11 organised by Mrs Martin and Mrs Meyer took place in October. Jason Clabby started the week at Pet\rquote s Corner; Chris Crabtree spannered all week at Dave Mellor Cycles; Adam Dellicott was a Top Man; Robert Francom was classroom assistant to the junior class under Mrs Dixon's guidance; Justin Pritchard used his sporting and posing skills at Quarry Leisure Centre; Mark Knight helped at Booker's Cash n Carry; Shane Turner was a popular carer at Cliffdale Nursing Home; James Wallace assisted the groundsman at Shrewsbury Town FC during their losing spell and Ian Wigham worked at Bayley's Garden Centre. All but one of the 'young men' returned with glowing references from their employers and two received offers of employment.

A geography field study trip for the year 10 boys was to The Big Pit, Abergavenny while the Juniors visited Blist's Hill Museum as part of a Victorian project with Mrs Rayner, Mrs Meyer and Mr Southall. Miss Davies took a group of interested boys to witness her brother signing his latest book but could not sign up for any good deals. We held our first 'Glad Rags' day in October where everyone was allowed to wear the clothes of their choice for the day in return for a small payment to charity. In fact they were fined if they did not take part so charity was the winner all round. We hope to hold further charity events throughout the year and still have to decide on which charity to support.

On the sporting front we have had soccer matches against Shawbury under 12's and Llanymynech Juniors. Both were indoors due to the weather but hopefully we shall have return fixtures outside next term. We won the first match but got a soccer lesson from Llanymynech in the second. The House matches were again closely contested this term. The Quiz was won by Darwin with Hill and Clive close behind, which was also the case in the uni-hoc. Basketball was a tie between all three houses when junior and senior points were added. The Cruckton Factor was won by Hill by the smallest of margins from Darwin and Clive, this was a shame as the effort made by the boys was superb and it was a credit to them for their effort throughout the day. Chris Tedds was the Junior Champion and Justin Pritchard the Senior Champion, both for the second year running.

Activities continued to be as exciting as ever, Miss Davies and Mr Dawson took a group of boys onto the Llangollen canal. Chris Wright, Paul Hughes, Paul Freear, Chris Rowe, Nick Pitt, Goronwy Jones. There was a weekend trip to Blackpool and a Junior weekend in North Wales with Mr Southall, Miss Paul, Mrs Thomas Mr Bower and Mr Kevin Davies. A quiz and games evening with Wem Cricket Club. Miss Atkinson has arranged a Ju-Jitsu club to run in school each week and it is proving very popular \endash watch this space for the belt gradings next term! Ice Skating enthusiasts enjoyed a fortnightly trip to Telford with Mrs 'Torvill' Thomas and Mr 'Dean' Bower. Walsall lights were popular with Mr Marshall and Mrs Hodnett lighting up the way. The rest of the term the boys had to suffer: Liberty's (for senior boys), Ten-pin bowling, Laser Quest, computers, Games Workshop, House games, Torch tig, Woods, Gym games, Army Cadets, Telford town park, cooking, skateboarding, rock climbing and Warhammer.

Finally, on behalf of myself, the staff and boys I hope you all have a very happy and peaceful Christmas and a happy and prosperous Millennium. Next term begins on Wednesday 5th January 2000

Yours sincerely

Paul Mayhew

Headmaster