The Flagpole

Congratulations to Year 8 pupil, James Bostock, who has been selected for the ISFA (Independent Schools Football Association) U14 National Squad. It’s a huge achievement and we are very proud of him.

James was one of five Princethorpe pupils that took part in the recent ISFA U13 Regional Representative Festival in Shrewsbury over the Easter holidays.

His selection means that he qualifies for the ISFA training camp that will take place over the summer holidays and will compete in an academy tournament at Haileybury School in August.

James also plays for Cheltenham’s U13 Academy.

It’s an amazing opportunity for James, and we hope he has a fabulous time playing for the ISFA.

Designed to challenge and inspire, the UK Chemistry Olympiad is a national chemistry competition run by the Royal Society Of Chemistry. Hosted annually, it is aimed at students in the Sixth Form and offers a unique opportunity for chemistry students to develop their thinking and problem-solving skills and test their existing knowledge of chemistry in situations from the real-world.

The results of this year’s competition have been received and all the Upper Sixth students who took part in the 2024 Chemistry Olympiad were awarded certificates. Congratulations to Joseph Newborough, Rahul Samra, Amy Hogg, Carys Nicolle, Radley Evans, Lola Ashley and Guy Dawkins. A special mention to Joseph who received a Silver certificate. The students faced tough national competition and we congratulate them all on their excellent results.

More House celebrated after winning the most hotly contested competition in school, the House Cup. Their victory was announced by House Activities Leader, Meg O’Gorman, in the Prefect Inauguration ceremony on the last day of the Lent Term. The House Cup was presented to the outgoing More House Captains, Eloise Keil and Finn Osborn, as jubilant More pupils cheered across the school.

More had started their campaign well winning Sports Day, but the race was on when Fisher claimed victory on House Activities Day. Across the year, pupils participated enthusiastically enjoying all the events, including exciting new ones such as House O’Games and Pancake Tossing.

It was a steady and consistent performance that helped More pupils amass their huge total of points and finish first for the second year running. The final placings were: 1st More, 2nd Fisher, 3rd Austin and 4th Benet.

Huge thanks to all the House team, including the House Activities Co-ordinators (Mrs Galano, Miss Howell, Miss Callan and Mrs Wilford) and the House Captains for all they do to organise and run House events.

Huge congratulations to the 11 Sixth Form students who took on the Coventry Way 40-mile Challenge on Sunday 7 April. Alex Flegg, Chris Lock, Felix Batty, Finley Shields, Freddie Hadley, Hamish O'Brien, Harry Collins, Kaena Wasley, Natasha Thomas, Oliver Alford, and Sam Astle set off from Meriden at 5.30am and walked around Coventry following the circular footpath.

After the heavy rain this winter, walking conditions were treacherous, the uneven footing and inclines taking their toll, but the walkers resiliently continued to put one foot in front of the other, pressing on undeterred, buoyed by the unwavering support of their comrades. Finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the Princethorpe team emerged victorious, returning to Meriden with hearts full of pride and accomplishment, exhausted but elated.

The challenge was a test of endurance that pushed the young adventurers to their limits and beyond. We applaud the Princethorpe students for their perserverance, tenacity and their remarkable achievement.

Our walkers were raising money for Mary's Meals UK to support the College’s commitment to Makalanga Primary School.

Please do support them by donating here. Your donation will be much appreciated - not the least by the weary walkers.

Huge thanks to the College staff and parents who supported the walkers on their incredible undertaking.

52 Year 10 pupils visited the vast Austrian ski area of Salzburger Sportwelt during the Easter holidays where excellent conditions made for plenty of super skiing during their stay.

The party travelled by coach over to Austria and stayed at a friendly well-located hotel where the helpful local staff ensured everything ran smoothly. Accommodation was good and the hotel worked hard to feed our hungry après ski teenagers. One night, the group had a great evening out at a local pizza restaurant where everyone enjoyed the freshly cooked pizzas.

But it was the skiing that everyone was interested in. Beginners, intermediates and advanced, every group benefited from a dedicated ski instructor who coached and fine-tuned their skills and took them out into the resorts. There was a wide choice of runs, from greens up to blacks, so Princethorpe’s downhillers were spoilt for choice. During the week progress was excellent and the instructors were impressed with the fantastic progress made.

Other entertainment included a game of mini golf and a visit to the beautiful Austrian city of Salzburg.

This year's ski trip was not without its challenges but the snow and the skiing was amazing. Our Year 10 pupils behaved impeccably and everyone had a spectacular time. The 2024 Ski Trip certainly provided a memorable end to a busy Lent Term.

Did you know?

We are constantly seeking ways to make a meaningful impact - not just within the walls of our classrooms but beyond. It is with great pride that we share an often-overlooked aspect of our institution: our status as a registered charity (1087124). This designation is not just a bureaucratic label; it is a gateway to extensive philanthropic opportunities that cater to the diverse interests and passions of our community.

The Princethorpe Foundation and our schools are uniquely positioned to act as a conduit for charitable efforts across a spectrum of causes. Whether it's advancing educational opportunities, preserving cultural heritage, promoting religious understanding, or supporting environmental stewardship, the possibilities are as vast as the imagination and goodwill of our community members.

A Platform for Diverse Philanthropic Activities

Every contribution we receive can be directed towards initiatives that resonate deeply with donors’ values. This model of giving ensures that our community can support a broad array of projects, making philanthropy highly personal and immediately impactful. Here are just a few ways that donations are helping:

• Access to Education: Our bursaries are directly impacting the lives of young people and their families, who excel academically, but could otherwise not afford a Princethorpe Education.
• Cultural Preservation: Support to maintain and celebrate our historic priory buildings.
• Sports and the Arts: Activities that nurture pupils' physical and creative growth and the facilities they use.
• Agricultural Education: Initiatives that promote farming practices and enhance pupils' understanding of agriculture’s critical role in our ecosystem and economy. 

These examples only scratch the surface of what we can achieve together. Our charitable framework allows us to funnel support where it is most needed or most desired, turning the generous contributions of today into the lasting benefits of tomorrow.

Engage, Contribute, and Impact

We invite every member of our community to engage with us in this journey of philanthropy. Think about what causes you are passionate about. How can your contributions, big or small, play a role in advancing these causes? We are here to facilitate this process, to make sure that your giving is as rewarding as it is effective.

If you have ideas, projects, or specific causes you would like to support, please reach out. We are eager to discuss how we can work together to harness the power of our community for the greater good. Your involvement is crucial to our success and vital in shaping the philanthropic landscape of our community.

Through your support, we can continue to expand the boundaries of what we can achieve as a collective. Let’s continue to inspire change and make a significant impact on the world around us. Together, we can build a legacy of community, care, and change that will resonate for generations to come.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our collective future. Let us harness our efforts to not only educate but to enrich our world in myriad ways.

For more information or to make a donation, please contact Steve Kowal, our Development Director at makingadifference@princethorpe.co.uk

Together, we can do so much. Let's make it possible.

We welcomed Dr Mathias Foo, from Warwick University to school on Wednesday 17 April for the latest in our series of STEAM lectures.

Dr Foo, who is an expert in Control Engineering, gave an insight into his own education and academic pathway to his current position as Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Warwick. He then explained all the different types of engineering before defining Control Engineering, a relatively new branch of engineering that deals with automation and feedback loops. Dr Foo used simple examples, such as an automatic toaster with a sensor that will produce perfect toast every time, to demonstrate what Control Engineering is, before talking through a variety of other applications such as autonomous vehicles and the Hyperloop project, which intends to realise high speed capsule transport that could take passengers from London to Edinburgh in 50 minutes.

Dr Foo gave insights into a few of the projects that he has worked on, the first to automate irrigation in Australia which successfully removed the need for human input and reduced water usage by 30%, and a more recent project where the flowering of plants was optimised by controlling the light conditions. He concluded by discussing the future of Control Engineering and the exciting development of Artificial Intelligence that could have significant benefits to the industry.

It was another fascinating lecture, and the College was delighted to present Dr Foo with a Princethorpe College STEAM pin badge in recognition of the outreach he and his team have provided to the College over the past two years, including work experience opportunities and talks for both pupils and parents.

The Easter holidays saw the successful start of this year’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition season with Princethorpe’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Group A participants completing their practice expeditions. Bronze Group B have their first taste of self-sufficient walking this weekend. Always a key part of the Award, the expeditions provide an unforgettable experience that develops team and leadership skills and builds independence and confidence.

From Monday 25 to Thursday 28 March, 33 Gold students braved extremely wet conditions in the Lake District spending three days of walking and camping. In five teams they walked circular routes  that included Borrowdale and Buttermere and finished in Keswick. Along the way, they enjoyed the stunning views of fells such as Ard Crags, Knott Rigg, Rannerdale Knotts, Haystacks and Catbells.

Then at the end of the Easter holidays, from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 April, 37 Silver pupils travelled to the White Peak, where six teams completed two days of walking and two nights of camping. They trekked following routes through beautiful Dovedale, the Manifold Way and along the Tissington Trail to Ilam Hall near Ashbourne and they all successfully completed their practice expedition.

To cap off this mammoth DofE effort, the same weekend the first of the group of 50 Bronze Award pupils also completed their practice expeditions in the local Princethorpe countryside, undertaking two days of walking and one night of camping, walking down to Long Itchington and back. Let’s hope they enjoyed their first expeditions, carrying all their own food and tents and getting to grips with the challenge of cooking your tea on a trangia!

Will Bower, Head of Outdoor Education, said, “Pupils worked hard showing good navigation and camp-craft skills and, despite the sometimes challenging weather, we had plenty of happy, tired faces at the end.”

All the pupils now need to start planning for their qualifying expeditions that take place later in the term; Gold in Snowdonia, Silver in the Dark Peak and Bronze in the Cotswolds.

And the very best of luck to the 56 Bronze Group B pupils on their practice expeditions.

Princethorpe College was delighted to welcome OP and current parent Guy Minshull back to school on Wednesday 17 April, as the latest in our series of inspirational speakers for our Sixth Form students. Guy attended the College from 1980 to 1985 and now farms locally. His first teacher at Princethorpe was Alex Darkes who was also on hand to hear Guy speak.

Guy has just completed the challenge of a lifetime, one of the toughest endurance events in the world. Pitting himself against the might of the Atlantic Ocean in the Atlantic Dash, a 3,200-mile rowing race from Lanzarote to Antigua. He spoke to students about his 52-day journey and the life lessons he has taken away.

Guy committed to the challenge to support his long-time friend Rod but with no nautical experience even the journey to the row was hard. After all their preparations, the Brightsides team (Guy, Rod, Anna and Pez) set off on Wednesday 3 January and rowed two hours on two hours off for 24-hours a day. Along the way they endured wild weather, encountered wildlife, including flying fish, dolphins and even a pesky marlin, were blessed with vivid sunrises and sunsets galore and stunning night skies. They also suffered from painful blisters and callouses as they all turned into toughened rowing machines. They finally reached Antigua on Sunday 25 February, cheered in by delighted family and friends.

Before their challenge the team of four rowers had agreed to four simple rules, don’t be late for a shift, give it everything, have fun and to come home as friends and Guy concluded his talk with the message that with the right team pulling together anything is possible. His final advice to his audience was that it is always good to get out of your comfort zone and that no matter how tough things are it is worth keeping going.

Huge thanks to Guy for sharing his experiences with us and congratulations to all the Brightsides team on their superhuman effort, and for together raising over £150,000 for two charities, Meningitis Now and Get A-Head.

Princethorpe College’s Winter Sports Awards were celebrated during the last week of the Lent Term. It was an opportunity to recognise the achievements of the College’s young sportsmen and sportswomen at all levels and across all sports.

Foundation Director of Sport, Lee Cassell, Head of Girls' Games, Carly Walton, and Head of Boys’ Games, Joe Jackson, announced the teams of the season. Recognising their success across the year, the Girls Sports Team Of The Year was awarded to the Girls 1st XI Hockey Team while the Boys Sports Team Of The Year went to the U15 Rugby Team.

The individual awards were presented to:

• Junior Sports Girl Of The Year – Faith Katanda
• Junior Sports Boy Of The Year – Louis Reynolds
• Senior Sports Girl Of The Year – Frankie Kelly
• Senior Sports Boy Of The Year – Alastair Forinton
• Sixth Form Sports Girls Of The Year – Sophie Gray
• Sixth Form Sports Boy Of The Year – Joel Nicoll

Mr Cassell commented, “Congratulations to all the award winners, it has been another very successful season for the College with plenty to celebrate across the school. Huge thanks to all the pupils for their commitment and effort and to the coaching staff and parents for their dedication to school sport.”