The Flagpole

Princethorpe College is delighted and proud that its Head Girl and Upper Sixth Form student, Miriam Isaacs, has won the national finals of the Catenian Public Speaking Competition for Young People from Catholic schools.

The competition took place last weekend, Sunday 10 September, at the Manchester Conference Centre, and Miriam was one of 16 regional winners who travelled from all over the country to take part in this prestigious event.

Her win is an amazing achievement, standards were high and she was up against tough competition, but the judges stressed that it was a unanimous decision.  Miriam gave a four-minute presentation on the topic of ‘Should the law always be obeyed?’ – or as per Miriam’s speech, perhaps not always obeyed!

Chris Kerrigan, Head of English, who has been working with Miriam developing her public speaking skills, said, “I knew Miriam had acquitted herself well, but when you've heard the speech so often, it is difficult to gauge the impact on fresh listeners so we were delighted when they announced the result.  It was well received by the audience too as so many people came up to congratulate her afterwards.  All the competitors gave incredible performances so Miriam’s victory is something that we are really proud of.”

17-year-old Miriam, who is studying A-levels in History, French and English Literature and Language commented, “I felt very privileged to be able to take part in this competition at a national level and talking about the law and justice reminded me how lucky we are to be able to speak our mind in public. And of course, winning was the icing on the cake!”

Competitors were marked by the judges, Wendy Sutcliffe, Lord Alton of Liverpool and the Bishop of Salford, Reverend John Arnold, on a variety of criteria from content, delivery, elocution and appearance. Points were deducted for excessive use of notes and over or under running.

Ed Hester, Headmaster, said, “This is absolutely super news, the College has won the regional rounds before, but this is the first time we have had a national winner.  It is fantastic that Princethorpe students have the opportunity and confidence to take part in such a prestigious competition as public speaking is such a useful skill for later life.”

The Catenian Association is an international body of Catholic laymen who meet monthly in local units called Circles.  Their Public Speaking Competition is run annually and is open to all catholic schools.

Congratulations go to Princethorpe Sixth Former Oscar Kay who represented England at the 2017 School Games a few weeks ago!

It has been a busy summer for 17-year-old Oscar. A few days after the end of the Trinity Term, Oscar, alongside over 80 fellow Princethorpe pupils, headed to South Africa for the College's biennial sports tour.

If that wasn't enough, on his return in August, he was straight back into training at the England U17 Hockey Camp held at Bisham Abbey. Put through his paces with rigorous training and drills by three players from the GB Men’s Hockey team, Oscar landed himself a place on the England U17 squad who faced the GB Women’s team in a competitive training game. Pitted against several Olympic gold medallists, Oscar and his fellow U17 squad members were up against stiff opposition yet came out triumphant with a 2-1 win over the GB Women’s team.

Oscar’s performance at the England U17 training camp secured him a spot in one of the England Hockey squads competing at this year’s School Games, which were held at Loughborough University over four days from 31 August – 3 September.

The School Games sees each of the home nations come face-to-face across twelve team and individual sports ranging from Athletics to Hockey and Swimming to Wheelchair Basketball. There was some great talent on display and although his squad didn’t win, Oscar still had a fantastic time.

He comments, “School Games organised the event so we could experience what competing at Olympic level would be like. It was so realistic and the atmosphere was amazing.”

When asked for a top tip for anyone else who might like to follow in his footsteps, he added, “Stick to your sport. Make it your goal, focus on it and you’ll get there!”

What a summer of sport – congratulations Oscar!

If you’d like to know more about the 2017 School Games, please visit: http://schoolgamesfinals.org/

Every three years we take a photograph of the whole school and hang it in the corridor adjacent to the Chapel.  Recorded for posterity, the Princethorpe family, a moment in time and always remembered.

Of course the organisation of such a mass event requires military precision, exemplary behaviour and a prayer for fair weather. Thursday 7 September dawned bright and dry and the gathering of nearly 1000 souls, as pupils, teachers and support staff assembled, went smoothly.

Then right at the last moment the sun came out. Perfect, all smiles please – click, and we were done.  Another chapter in Princethorpe’s history.

The latest edition of the College's Admissions Update e-newsletter has been issued today, Friday 15 September. The issue is packed with news to give prospective parents and pupils a feel for College life, information on forthcoming events and helpful advice about the admissions process, particularly for those who are looking at entry in September 2018.

The newsletter reminds parents that this year our Entrance Exams for Years 7 to 10 admissions in September 2018 have moved to Saturday 11 November 2017 from 9.30am to 3.30pm. Early registration is advised.

This newsletter is issued twice a year to coincide with key admissions periods, the next edition will be published in spring 2018.

Click here to go to the Admissions Update newsletter.

If you have any queries relating to admissions please feel free to email the team at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

As the banner at the bottom of the drive proclaims the College's annual Open Afternoon will take place on Sunday 24 September from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. All are welcome to visit the College and younger visitors are encouraged to participate in the many fun subject related activities around the various departments.

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

Helpers Information

Over the past few years numbers attending Open Afternoon have grown considerably and we find that we need more and more Princethorpe pupils to help out in various departments - which they do brilliantly.

The various Heads of Departments will have approached pupils direct for their assistance within departments.

Helpers who have requested lunch before Open Afternoon need to be at College for 12.00 noon (there is no charge), otherwise they need to be in school please by 1.30pm, in school uniform, and go directly to the department they are helping.

In order to avoid traffic congestion, we would ask that parents drop off their children by the bus bays at the top of the drive. Children can be collected at 5.15pm from the Pupils' Entrance in the playground.

Many thanks for everyone's help with Open Afternoon.

Princethorpe College is delighted to announce that it is one of only six secondary schools that have made it through to the shortlist for the School Library Association’s 2017 Inspiration Award.

The Award is designed to reward innovation and creativity, it is given to the school library space that shows inspiration and resourcefulness in its library design and use, or through the creative use of specific products or promotions. The judges are less concerned with how big the school library space is, but rather with what it has achieved with the available resources and the challenges it faces.

Back in May the College welcomed the SLA Inspiration Award National Judges, Dawn Woods and Geoff Dubber (pictured here with students), to inspect and evaluate its Sixth Form Learning Resource Centre.

Celia Scott, College Librarian, comments, “Much consideration went into the design and layout of the Sixth Form Learning Resource Centre at Princethorpe. Our aim was to create a place where young people would want to learn, and have the environment and resources to support them. We believe our dedicated Sixth Form Learning Resource facility makes a difference to the learning lives of our students and are delighted that the judges do too.”

The winning school will be chosen on Monday 2 October in an awards ceremony in Covent Garden, London.  All of the shortlisted schools will have the chance to showcase their school library designs before the final decision is made.

For further information please visit the school website. 

Huge congratulations to Princethorpe College Sixth Former, Alex O’Driscoll, who scooped a silver medal in the Table Tennis at the World Dwarf Games in Canada this summer.

A keen sportsman, seventeen-year-old Alex, who has been playing Table Tennis since he was eight years old, competed in the Open Classification category playing against competitors from countries across the world.

Alex played in four rounds of matches to qualify for the quarter finals, won through to the semis but then lost.  He took the bronze medal in the play-offs but was moved up to silver after a disqualification

Alex trains regularly on Saturdays and Monday evening with the Lillington Free Church Club in Bishop’s Tachbrook.

Alex commented, “It was an amazing experience, eye opening and life changing.  I met so many people I will remain friends with. The stand out moment for me was when I took part in the opening ceremony and they played the national anthem, I felt so proud.” 

The Great Britain team had around 80 athletes competing in the games and achieved an amazing medal haul of 202 medals from 25 sporting events, placing Great Britain second only to the USA in the rankings. The 2017 games were the largest in the history of the world games and took place in Guelph, Ontario in Canada.

It’s back to club matches now for Alex and training for the National Games which will take place next May, but he has his sights set on the next World Games in four years’ time and who knows maybe even a Gold medal. 

For the first time this summer a small group from Princethorpe College helped the charity HCPT take a group from Rushden, near Northampton, on a pilgrimage holiday to Hosanna House in Lourdes. HCPT is a charity that takes disabled and disadvantaged people on pilgrimage holidays to the Catholic shrine in the foothill of the Pyrenees, which is well known for welcoming the sick and handicapped. Lower Sixth pupils Sam Bromage-Eccles and Isabel Meade, along with recent school leaver Charlie Barnes, Rod Isaacs, Assistant Head of Sixth Form, and, teacher, Sarah Sellars joined the group of nearly 40 people from all Christian backgrounds and none. Some of the group had been to Lourdes more than half a dozen times before. Also forming part of the group were Joanne and Emma, accompanied by Carol and Charlie Bromley who help run the Granger’s Club for adults with learning difficulties in Willenhall where our Sixth Form students have volunteered on a Tuesday evening for many years.
 
The week-long visit was full of wonderful experiences – such as taking part in a beautiful candlelight rosary procession, Mass in the underground basilica that can seat 35,000 people, a trip to a local market, a coach ride over one of the high passes used in the Tour de France and an afternoon exploring a deep cavern. With half a dozen wheelchairs this proved quite tiring! Sadly, Lower Sixth Former, Esme Down was not able to join the group due to ill health, but the contemplative order of nuns we visited sent her back a rosary bracelet and gave us all a glimpse of the joy that can be present in those who dedicate their lives to God.
 
As one member of our group put it, "This was a really amazing and truly humbling experience. I will never forget it."
 
The College very much hopes that the links with HCPT can be strengthened and developed in future.
 
For more information on the work HCPT does please see http://www.hcpt.org.uk/

Over the summer of 2017 the College enjoyed a very successful 15 day sports tour to South Africa. Taking our largest squad ever, of some 88 pupils and 11 staff, and for the first time playing three sports, Rugby, Netball and Hockey, the tour travelled to Johannesburg and then on to Cape Town for a fortnight full of keenly contested matches and spectacular sight-seeing.

During the tour the Rugby, Netball and boys and girls’ Hockey teams participated in six full days of good spirited and competitive training and matches against school and club teams. Our South African hosts were so hospitable and the training and matches were great experiences for all, with valuable lessons learnt both on and off the field.

Away from the sports field, the tour offered participants the chance to broaden their horizons with sightseeing and educational experiences that included the history of South Africa with tours of Soweto and the Apartheid Museum and a visit to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated.  Pupils also had the opportunity to experience South Africa’s vibrant culture at Lesedi village and get up close and personal with the wildlife in game drives at Pilanesberg Game Reserve.  The tour party also enjoyed the spectacular scenery of Table Mountain in Cape Town and the most southern tip of Africa at Cape Point.

Peter Bucknall, Head of Rugby and leader of the tour, said, “South Africa is a truly stunning country, passionate and fiercely competitive in their sport. We have had an excellent trip and played some inspiring matches and I know that our Princethorpe pupils will have returned home with a truly wonderful set of memories.”

Our thanks go to all of the staff involved in putting together and running such an impressive trip.  We look forward to the experiences translating into positive results on the Rugby, Netball and Hockey pitches over the coming season.

For more information and photos please click here.

Are you a bit of an adrenaline junkie who fancies jumping off a cliff 15 metres into the sea?  Or do you like to make a difference supporting a charity or project that improves people’s lives?  Well that’s what some of our Sixth Form students have been doing this summer as they enjoyed some very different experiences participating in the next stage of their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award – the Residential.

The Gold Residential, an extra element of the Gold Award, develops students’ skills.  For starters they have to organise it themselves and then they are expected to undertake it with new people, it’s all about building confidence and independence.

Over 160 pupils and Sixth Formers signed up to undertake one of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards last year.  Working towards Bronze, Silver and Gold they participated in a kaleidoscope of vibrant experiences as they completed their skill, knowledge, physical and expedition sections. They met new people, made a difference, challenged themselves, gained new skills and confidence and generally had a lot of fun. 

Head of Outdoor Education, Will Bower said, “We have a hugely successful Duke of Edinburgh programme here at Princethorpe.  The 14 Gold students are making excellent progress.  I think we will definitely have a few visits to the palace next year. The initiative develops so many different skills essential for life.  I would really encourage all of our pupils to participate; you will get so much out of it.”    

To read more about some of this summer's residentials please click here.