The Flagpole

Wednesday 12 July 2023 - 6.00pm to 8.00pm

Following the excellent da Vinci lecture by Alex Jones on Plant Science, we thought the Open Evening event being carried out by the School of Life Sciences at Warwick University's Wellesbourne Campus may be of interest to some of our Princethorpe parents and students. The event is taking place on Wednesday 12 July 2023 between 6.00pm and 8.00pm.

Informal guided walks will provide the opportunity to:

• visit field trials and specialist outdoor research facilities.
• visit areas of interest for biodiversity (e.g. wildflower strips, tree sparrow boxes, hedge planting, bees, low maintenance areas)
• learn more about our globally significant seed bank and our innovative programmes with industry.
• explore opportunities for collaborations. 

Each guided walk is approximately an hour and a half, followed by refreshments.

To register your interest please click on the following link Open Evening 2023 Registration Form (warwick.ac.uk)  If you have any queries please email Sally.Mann@warwick.ac.uk.

Friday 1 September 2023 9.30am to 4.00pm

We are looking forward to welcoming all our new Year 7 intake to their Activity Day just prior to the start of the Michaelmas Term, on Friday 1 September, from 9.30am to 4.00pm.

This is an opportunity to meet up again with their new classmates and teachers and get to find their bearings ahead of the rest of the school returning on Monday 4 September. Further information about the arrangements for the day will be sent a little nearer the time. If you know your child will not be able to attend for any reason, please could you let us know at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Friday 1 September 8.40am – 3.30pm

We are holding a Lower Sixth Induction Day for all new Lower Sixth Formers (those from Princethorpe Year 11 and those joining us from other schools) on Friday 1 September, from 8.40am to 3.30pm.

This is a chance to ease into their Sixth Form journey, to meet their new subject teachers and explore the co-curricular programme. Further details will be sent out after the GCSE results in August.

If you have any queries about this, please do get in touch at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk

NB Students will not need to wear suits for their Induction Day.

Saturday 2 September 2023

We are gearing up for the 12th annual Old Princethorpians vs College Sports Day (and 14th John Shinkwin Trophy Match) on Saturday 2 September 2023. 

We are planning to repeat our previous format with a relaxing day that mixes sporting matches with music, a complimentary BBQ and ice cream van and a subsidised bar.

As before points will be accumulated throughout the day, with the Alex Wallis Memorial Shield being awarded to the victors at the end of the day.

Format of day:

• 10.15am to 11.30am Football OPs vs Staff
• 11.30am to 12.30pm Hockey Princethorpe College Mixed Team vs OPs XI
• 12.30pm to 1.30pm Netball Princethorpe College 1st VII Girls vs OPs VII
• 1.45pm to 3.15pm Rugby - John Shinkwin Trophy - Princethorpe College 1st XV Boys vs OPs XV (leavers of 2023 and 2022)
• 3.30pm - After Match Awards by the BBQ

Excitingly this will be the first time the new Netball Courts by the Science Centre will be used competitively and we hope to be able to allow visits into the Science Centre during the course of the day.

We are keen to get as many leavers of 2023 and OPs from across the generations participating. If you are interested in playing in any of the sports please complete the short online form here asap or by Tuesday 29 August at the latest. 

Wednesday 13 September 2023 - 7.00pm

It was an absolute pleasure to see so many people at the last Reading Group session this term, which was sadly the final one for me. I must extend my thanks to old friends and new for the little party we held, for the cards, the good wishes and for all the very special gifts of books. I will be reading every one of them in the holiday – a real treat to enjoy all these recommendations from others. I’ve even got a couple of much loved titles to share with my grandsons as I nurture their love of books. We barely found time to discuss The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde but I would thoroughly recommend this as a superbly inventive book fed by an anarchic imagination which gives us a scenario where people are able to enter the world of a novel and change its course. Very cleverly written, it almost defies description, but it was refreshing to read a comic novel written with such flair.

I want to thank all who have made running this Reading Group such a real pleasure for the last fifteen years or so. There is something special about a forum where parents and staff can meet as people and connect over something as simple as a mutual love of books. It is great that the Reading Group will continue and I’d like to thank Jess Newborough for offering to take it on. The first session of next year will be on Wednesday 13 September in the library at 7.00pm. The first book on the agenda will be Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, an Irish writer who is building up a great reputation for herself. This book takes us back to the troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1970s and is written with great sensitivity. It was recommended to me by Jess herself; I’ve dipped into it but will be reading it myself over the summer.

We’ll hope to recruit some new readers for next year and those who have enjoyed the Reading Group this year will be spreading the word. Please give it a go next year. There’s no commitment to attending every session, of course, but you’ll certainly be guaranteed a warm welcome from a wonderful body of parents and friends. 

Friday 15 September 7.00pm – 9.00pm

Parents of pupils new to the school in Sepember are invited to the Headmaster's Quiz and Curry PTA Social, which will take place in the College Dining Room on Friday 15 September. 

Year 7 Social

At the same time, there will also be a Year 7 Social organised by the Parent Teacher Association and school prefects in the Sixth Form Centre. This is a fun evening for our newest pupils, at which there will be a disco and a ‘chill out’ area.

Further information on how to book will be emailed out to new parents over the summer holiday.

Grove du Toit
Headmaster

Sunday 17 September 2023 - 2.00pm to 5.00pm

Princethorpe will be holding its annual Open Afternoon on Sunday 17 September from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. All are welcome to visit the College and for younger visitors, there will be many fun subject related activities organised by the departments.

The Headmaster will address visitors in the Chapel during the afternoon and refreshments will be available. 

To book your place please click here.

Year 6 Taster Days - Tuesday 12, Wednesday 20 and Tuesday 26 September

Our Year 6 Taster Days are aimed at Year 6 pupils who wish to join the College in September 2024 and who have not already attended a Year 5 Taster Day. 

Taster Days are available on:

• Tuesday 12 September 2023
• Wednesday 20 September 2023
• Tuesday 26 September 2023

Taster Days typically involve lessons, a question and answer session with some of our current pupils and a chance to talk to the Headmaster, Mr du Toit. They run from 9.30am to 3.00pm. Snacks and lunch are provided and there is no charge for the day.

To book your place click here.