The Flagpole

Last week was noteworthy in terms of my time at Princethorpe as it marked 100 days since I joined the College. I felt a sense of balance of endings and beginnings on Thursday as we said goodbye to the Upper Sixth at their Thanksgiving Eucharist Service, while I very much feel like my Princethorpe journey is now well and truly underway. There were various events over the course of the last fortnight where I had the opportunity to meet more parents, with several asking if I have settled. I am not getting lost anymore, even though I have discovered new rooms in Upper Pugin this week, and I can genuinely say that I feel part of the Princethorpe family. However, Princethorpe is inspiring in terms of the opportunities it offers and I know it will take a few more terms before I fully appreciate the breadth of what it means to be settled. As we finish this academic year, it is good to reflect on the events of the year, acknowledging successes, while getting ready to take a well-deserved rest.

It is impossible to mention everything that happened as there were many highlights this term, but coming from a city, it was the outdoor events that have really stood out. The Two-Day Equestrian Event, which saw 200 riders taking on all manners of jumps and obstacles on their beautiful animals. showed the College in its very best light as it used all of the campus grounds. Standing on Switzerland, seeing our pupils expertly guiding their horses down the hill and through the water jump was something to behold. Staying with the outdoors, 161 pupils completed their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award qualifying expeditions, with 36 Old Princethorpians attending Buckingham Palace to receive their Gold Awards. A further 54 Year 8 pupils completed their John Muir award. I spent one night with the Bronze groups on their training exercise; it rained heavily and I have experienced warmer nights, but the commitment and enthusiasm of the pupils made it all worthwhile. It is an excellent qualification and under the guidance of Mr Bower, we do it very well.

The performing and creative arts also had a very impressive term. Our Spring Concert was a real celebration of diverse music and talents, with our Sixth Form Music Performance BTEC group deserving special mention for all their contributions. They have popped up at various events since then and we look forward to many more performances. Our Sports Hall was transformed into an art gallery with the Summer Art, Photography and Design Show. The talent on display was humbling and it is a real testament to the hard work of both the pupils and their teachers. I make no apologies for my stereotypical choice of the mini-BBQ project as a favourite. However, it would be unfair to choose any winners as the standard was so high and every pupil deserves acknowledgement. We are very excited by some of the internal building works being completed for September. This includes a new performing arts space that doubles the facilities on offer to our pupils. We are looking at various other ways to support our creative pupils and the future looks bright with changes we have made to our performing arts scholarships for entry in September 2024 and beyond.

On the sporting front, Princethorpe continues to excel. We had a wonderful visit from our “hockey family” in Holland earlier this term and we look forward to the return visit. Grace McCollin won gold in the hurdles at English Schools with André Onyekwe placing third in the high jump – Princethorpe was responsible for half of Warwickshire’s medals. This followed Sports Day which was once again a massive success (being in More House made the day a little more special). Add to this 130 pupils travelling to South Africa over the summer, two new Netball courts, the Piranhas Staff Cricket team, our U14 Boys Hockey team reaching the national finals, our Eventing team winning at ISA, and our U13 Girls’ Cricket team winning the Nottingham Festival, and it is clear we are doing our pupils more than justice in ensuring participation and excellence in equal measure.

“Ours is a Spirit of Family” and part of that family is reaching out to those who are less fortunate or who may need support and help. The Princethorpe community has once again stepped up to make a difference. The 24/7 walk was hard, but it felt very rewarding crossing the line in the end. Our pupils fundraising at the PTA Summer Fête and running House Charity Days are small acts that changes lives. We have raised almost £14,000 this year which is extraordinary. Thank you to every pupil and parent who contributed, and may we long continue to be generous in how we support others. Our committed PTA sets a very good example with their generous giving of time commitment. The Summer Fête and Motoring Festival had the perfect weather to showcase the various stalls and classic cars, while we also hosted a gin tasting evening and received their normal help with refreshments at key events. The support of the PTA is invaluable, and I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude for their support and always being there. Their donations to the College do make a difference and I look forward to next year and all the PTA related events.

Princethorpe College has experienced tremendous support in our fundraising efforts over the last year, particularly in the areas of bursaries and science. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we have been able to provide more financially assisted places, supporting over 50 pupils, and accelerate the development of our new Science Centre to name but two areas. We are deeply grateful for the incredible contributions that make a lasting impact on the lives of our pupils and the advancement of education at Princethorpe College. As we continue our journey of growth and transformation, I humbly encourage those who have not yet joined us in our mission to consider supporting Princethorpe College, as together we can shape an even brighter future for our pupils.

This term would not be complete without mentioning the House Activities Day which paid tribute to the one and only, David Attenborough. It was the last one organised by Ms Newborough as House Activities Co-ordinator and she didn’t disappoint. Water purifying, roller disco, task master, capture the flag, and water races were some of the activities featured and as usual, our pupils enjoyed every moment. The Innovation and Adventure Days were also a huge success and a fitting way to finish the end of term. Learning outside of the classroom is very much part of a Princethorpe experience and being challenged to step out of your comfort zone is where our pupils develop most. This is further supported by the various trips and visits that have taken place, which included the Battlefields in Belgium and France, Warwick Castle, several STEAM related trips, the Ski trip, and field trips in various subjects. We emphasise the opportunities on offer, and nothing can be more indicative of that than being able to broaden your horizons.

In September we are opening our new Science Centre and there is real excitement around school. We have a whole programme of events to showcase the new facility once it is ready. However, the most important impact will be on our pupils and their learning experience. This new building has created fantastic opportunities within the main school, and we are developing our plans on how to fully use the extra rooms that are now available. Overall, every pupil at Princethorpe will feel its impact and I am very excited about the changes this will bring.

Staff Changes

I am a firm believer that the best schools have the best teachers. Princethorpe is very lucky to have an incredible staff who are dedicated and who genuinely care about our pupils. My thanks go to every colleague who have contributed to making this year a success. Unfortunately, we have to say goodbye to some staff while welcoming new colleagues who will continue the good work.

I would like to start by thanking our non-teaching staff who are moving on from Princethorpe. Julie Shorten (Receptionist), Julie Satchwell (Student Support Manager), Katie Boon (Pastoral Secretary), Paul Reay (IT Engineer), Catherine Lewis (Archivist) and Loretta Curtis (Development Assistant) all leave us this summer. They have made such a difference as colleagues who ensure the wheels turn behind the scenes and they go with our very best wishes. We have also said goodbye to Vanessa Rooney, our Registrar, who is handing over the reins to Catherine Rogers after seven years in the post. We will miss Vanessa who has been integral to the excellent admissions experience of hundreds of prospective parents. However, Catherine is moving up from Assistant Registrar and we look forward to her leading this important part of the College.

Our Graduate Teaching Assistants are coming to the end of their year at Princethorpe and we wish Izzy and Georgia the very best with their new endeavours. They have been brilliant in getting stuck in and it is hard imagining next year without this dynamic duo. In Learning Support, we are saying farewell to Caroline Hardware and Anna Jelec who have helped countless pupils throughout their time at Princethorpe. We pride ourselves on looking after those students who require some extra help and thank them for all their efforts.

In the Sports department, Jen Law is leaving to take up the role of Assistant Director of Sport at St Edward’s School in Oxford, while Ross Holtom moves to Foxford Community School as BTEC Standards and Progress Lead. Adam Depledge moves to The National Maths and Science College as Head of Computer Science, Kate Parsons is off to Bablake as Head of MFL from September, and Miranda Porter bids us farewell to pursue ventures outside of the profession.

Sixth Form Assistant Head, Rod Isaacs has been a real stalwart in leading charity projects at Princethorpe. Many of our pupils and parents would have been touched by the work he does or broken by the very long walks for charity that he has organised. Either way, his leaving to join Ten Ten is a big loss to the College, and we wish him the very best.

Schools are known for “legends”, and none come more highly regarded than Chris Kerrigan. His impact on countless students in English is hard to measure and the messages of gratitude and admiration that have made their way back to Princethorpe once his retirement was announced is testament to how big a hole he will leave. We wish him all the best as he lays down his chalk for the final time.

1981 was well before most of the current Princethorpe community was born. This is the year Mike Taylor joined the Geography Department. I have never come across any other colleague who has served the same school for 42 years and I don’t think I will again. As Mr Taylor retires, we know it is deserved and we wish him nothing but rest, relaxation, and fond memories. He is one of the quickest pair of hands behind the wickets I have played with, and we hope to see him back occasionally for staff cricket.

To all our departing colleagues we want to say a huge thank you for their services and impact on our pupils. Even though you won’t be here in September, be assured your memories will linger.

I will write to you in September with an update on all new staff joining us – we have been able to recruit a very strong group of colleagues which is exciting and bodes well for the future.

September

I would like to highlight a few important notices and reminders for September:

• Individual pupil timetables will be available on My School Portal during the weekend before school starts in September. All pupils should report to their tutor rooms at 8.40am for Period 1 on the first day of school.
• Mr Compton has included an article in this Flagpole explaining our move to a fully electronic planner approach. Except for our new Year 7 pupils, no Princethorpe pupil will receive a paper planner in September.
• There is also a separate article in this Flagpole about Results Day arrangements for our Year 11 pupils and Upper Sixth students. Please do contact the school if you have any queries. We wish all our pupils the best of luck and trust you will receive the results your work and effort deserve.
• Can I request that all parents take some time to read through the Parent and Pupil Information Booklet which will be posted during the summer holidays, along with the latest edition of The Pinnacle and the school calendar for Michaelmas Term. It is important that you are aware of expectations and arrangements that may be different from this academic year.
• A reminder about the updated Uniform Expectations and Requirements that was sent out recently. As per my communication, we will enforce these expectations and guidelines from day one. Please do take some time and ensure all uniform fits as required, especially PE and Sports kit. Your support with this is really important.
• I have written to you about Vape pens in previous communications and I would like to request again that you spend time with your child to discuss the dangers of Vaping. As a school we will have additional measures in place from September and our zero-tolerance approach will not change. We do not know what the long-term effect of Vaping will be, therefore, from a safety point of view, we must protect our young people as it is addictive and your support with this is crucial.

On another serious note, can I please ask that you have a conversation with your child about staying safe over the holiday period. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and school in Ireland who tragically lost two pupils on a holiday abroad. As a school community we want everyone back safely as there would be nothing worse than losing one of our pupils.

Finally, may I take this opportunity to thank you for all your support during the year. A school would not exist without its parents, and we are very lucky at Princethorpe. Thank you for the kindness and understanding shown to me personally as I have found my feet. I cannot wait for September and will be in touch in due course with our direction of travel and main priorities.

Do have a wonderful summer break. Forget about school and make sure time is spent with family and friends. We all live very busy lives, so when the opportunity to relax presents itself, make sure to take it.

With my very best wishes

Grove du Toit
Headmaster