News

Headmaster Shares Princethorpe's Vision For the Future

Yesterday evening, Thursday 14 March, Headmaster, Ed Hester, shared the College's vision for the future for the next five to ten years with a 150-strong audience drawn from across the Princethorpe Foundation family. 

Attendees included current parents from Princethorpe, Crackley Hall and the Crescent, along with parents of children who will be joining us in September, and past pupils, friends of the College, staff and trustees.

In his presentation Mr Hester gave feedback on the recent pupil and parent Questionnaires, highlighting responses to key questions including levels of happiness and progress amongst the pupils, satisfaction with the leadership and organisation of the school and parents likelihood to recommend the College to friends and family. 

Overall the questionnaires painted a very positive picture with the average satisfaction level across 50 questions being a very high 87%, and the pastoral care related questions over 95% satisfaction.

Mr Hester, said,"Whilst we are really pleased with the overall results, we will use all the feedback and the individual comments to help us further develop and improve the school."

Mr Hester commented on areas that had improved significantly since the last parental questionnaire in 2017, such as e-safety education, the school's policy on mobile phones and support and advice available for parents, and the measures that had been taken to improve these areas.

He outlined curriculum changes and the latest public examinations results and added-value measures, in which Princethorpe scores well above average for pupil's progress from GCSE to A-level.

One area that scored most highly in the questionnaire was the College's co-curricular provision, which was deemed very good or good by 94% of the respondents, recognising the wealth and breadth of opportunities provided to pupils, from clubs to trips and DofE to house competitions.

He touched on five areas that the parent questionnaire highlighted as needing further attention, food, Sixth Form girl's uniform, parents' evenings, transport and communications and outlined the next steps for each of the areas, including a Parental Focus Group to look at catering, a review of the Sixth Form Dress Code and the imminent launch of both a new website and parent portal for the Foundation.

Mr Hester then took the audience on a visual look back over the last ten years in terms of campus developments at the College, including ongoing maintenance, improvements to the drive, the Roundhouse, Switzerland, the Chapel, the Clarkson Theatre, the Limes, the Quad and other academic departments, before talking through the College and Foundation finances, mergers with Abbostford and the Crescent School and the growth to the school's current optimum pupil numbers, to put the next major project, the new Science Centre, into context.

Using visuals of floor plans of the current buildings he outlined the beneficial impact on the whole school of the new Science building, which will enable the relocation of departments such as Art, Geography and Economics and Business and the provision of much increased seated dining facilities for the school, improvements for extended day and additional Sixth Form private study areas.

Ed Hester, added, "Not only will our plans give us cutting-edge Science facilities, but it will revolutionise our pupils' dining experience and hugely impact the Art, Economics and Business and Geography departments too."

Moving on to parking and transport he indicated that extra parking, improved access to the College were all being looked at and that improvements to the bus service and incentives such as sibling discount to encourage more pupils onto the buses were under discussion.

He then handed over to Alex Darkes, Assistant Head - Development and Rachel Hadley-Leonard, Development Director to talk through the Vision for Science in more detail.

Alex Darkes outlined the scale of the project which will offer cutting edge, state-of-the-art Science facilities and help inspire future generations of Princethorpe scientists, engineers, researchers, chemists, marine biologists and doctors. He then invited the audience to take a look round the new building courtesy of an exciting two-minute digital walk-through video, before handing over to Rachel Hadley-Leonard to outline how the whole Princethorpe community can get involved to make the building a reality through a menu of giving and fundraising ideas, from naming the Science Centre to commemorative stones and placing a lego brick in a model of the new building. She invited the audience to register their interest in supporting this important project and leaving their mark on Princethorpe’s future.

Mr Hester rounded off the evening by explaining that the College is committed to this new build through careful management of fee income, bank borrowing and fundraising, with the latter being a significant factor in determining the timescale of the build, which it is hoped will open its doors to pupils in September 2022.

All members of the Foundation will receive a copy of the Capital Campaign - A Vision for Science brochure in the post.

For a copy of the presentation click here.

To take a walk through the new Science Building click here.

To download the Capital Campaign - A Vision for Science Brochure click here.

A video of the evening is available here.

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New 'Meal Deals' In The Refectory

Due to popular demand, the catering team have introduced 'Meal Deals' this week on a trial basis. These include a sandwich option and hot snack option, and both at a cost of £3.00. Please click on each to see more details. 

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the selection of food we have on offer here at Princethorpe College, especially if related to any allergies or specific food requirements, please feel free to email maureenkennedy@princethorpe.co.uk as we aim to cater for all needs.

Maureen Kennedy
Catering Manager

Oli Thomas Celebrates England Hockey Call Up

Princethorpe College Year 11, Oli Thomas, made his England Hockey debut when he played for the winning U16 team in a match against Ireland at the Lilleshall Hall National Sports Centre on Thursday 21 February.

As well as playing for the College, Oli also plays club hockey at Hampton-In-Arden and is on the England Hockey player pathway. He trains with the England Squad and supplements that with training at the South Midlands Regional Performance Centre.

Back in the summer last year, Oli played in the Mercia Lynx team in the England Hockey Futures Cup, a high intensity tournament that is an important part of the England National Age Groups selection process, and he was delighted to subsequently be selected for the National U16 Boys’ Squad.

Oli said, “The Futures Cup tournament was incredible, three challenging matches plus training sessions and workshops all in four days.  We even had the chance to meet players from the GB team.  It was fantastic to win but then even better to find out that I had made it into the England squad.”

Since then Oli has attended monthly national training camps before making his successful debut in the amazing 3-2 win against Ireland.  He is looking forward to possible matches against Germany, Scotland and Holland, and to travelling to Belgium to play with the squad.  At the end of the season he hopes to play in the Home Nations Tournament.

Proud Princethorpe Hockey coach, Paul Whitehead, was delighted to be invited to watch Oli play at Lilleshall.  He commented, “Oli’s speed and precision are what makes him special, we are delighted to support him in his hockey ambitions and of course to have him play in the College’s 1st XI.”

Unfazed by the demands of GCSE studies, Oli believes that organisation and focus are the key to his success.  Adding, “It can be tough juggling my studies alongside hockey but if you are determined and work hard you can achieve anything.”

College 1st VII Girls Crowned National ISA Netball Champions

A sensational weekend of netball saw the College 1st VII Girls crowned champions at the prestigious Independent School Association’s National Netball Tournament, the U14 Girls placed second to take the silver medal and the U16 Girls finished fifth to take the Bowl.

The championships took place on Saturday 9 March at the excellent facilities of Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate in York.  The day dawned wet and miserable making the courts slippy and treacherous, but Princethorpe’s girls were tenacious against the tough competition, the best young netball players from independent schools across the country.

The U18 Girls were undefeated in their initial round robin, winning convincingly against teams that included Leighton Park, Queen Ethelburga's, Stafford Grammar, Buckswood and Bedstone.  Their play offs proved thrilling, nail-biting affairs with the girls playing with commitment and composure and their vigilance and adaptability ensuring they claimed two excellent victories, a 6-11 win against Queen Ethelburga's and a 5-10 win versus Leighton Park.  Undefeated all day they finished top of the leader board and were crowned as champions overall.

PE Teacher, Hannah Carminati was delighted, commenting, “There were some very closely fought games particularly with Queen Ethelburga’s, but the girls only got better as the day went on and when they had to replay Leighton and Queen Ethelburga’s, in the play-offs, they just stormed ahead!”

The U14 Girls had just as good a day.  They won all their first round matches against Leighton Park, Queen Ethelburga’s and Ballard.  Their semi-final was against Claire’s Court, it was a close match but their hard work was rewarded with a 6-3 win.  Their final was against Alderley Edge, the girls battled through the first half but in the end their opponents proved just too dominant and they went down 4-6.  Their second place finish earned them the silver medal.

The U16s also played well. Tough conditions hindered shots at goal, but the squad pulled together and secured some good phases of play against strong teams and towards the latter stages of the competition, they pulled out some good results.  After the round robin they faced King Alfred’s in the play offs where a good win secured fifth place and the bowl.

Miss Carminati continued, “A super huge well done to all the squad.  It was a lovely weekend away and a very successful day with medals all round for the girls.  What a fantastic achievement.”

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Outdoor Education Celebrates Pupils’ Achievements

Over 240 pupils, parents, invited guests and staff gathered together on Thursday 7 March at an inaugural event to celebrate the success and commitment of Princethorpe pupils to Outdoor Education.  2017-18 was another exciting year, it included new forays into orienteering, memorable rock climbing, cycling and Camps International trips and a bumper crop of completed Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Over the year, 142 pupils fully completed their Duke of Edinburgh Awards, with 173 undertaking qualifying expeditions.  It is no mean feat to complete an award; along the way, pupils will have had unique experiences, shown initiative, committed hours, improved their fitness and volunteered to help others. 

The College was delighted to welcome adventurer, Squash Falconer, as guest speaker at the presentation evening, Richard Lea from our expedition partners Peaks and Rachael Hewison from DofE Central Office.  They were all pleased to join us to help celebrate pupils’ achievements.  The evening also offered a chance to thank all the staff whose commitment make Outdoor Education here at Princethorpe such a success, including Val McFadden, Duke of Edinburgh Award Verifier, Jan Ryalls, Bronze Award Co-ordinator and Julia Lindsay, Silver Award Co-ordinator. 

Will Bower, Head of Outdoor Education, began by summarising the year before certificates were awarded to pupils who had taken part in the rock climbing and cycling challenges and who had achieved their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards. 

Then in an inspirational speech, Squash spoke about her expeditions and adventures including her trips to Mont Blanc and Mount Everest.  She spoke about the determination required, the challenges faced and what keeps you going. She left the audience with the clear message that the Duke of Edinburgh Award has real value in helping to develop young people and that remarkable things are possible with determination and resilience.

After Squash had finished speaking the Silver and Gold Awards were presented, before the evening came to a close with a question and answer session and an opportunity to take photos.

All in all it was a wonderful evening and a fitting way to mark the achievement of pupils in Outdoor Education.

There is still time for those who have not signed off their awards to complete them.

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Peter Higgins Inspires Sixth Form To Walk For Mary's Meals

On Friday 8 March the College welcomed Peter Higgins from the board of trustees of Mary’s Meals into school to talk to the Sixth Form about the work of the charity and to express his gratitude for the fundraising the College undertakes.  His talk was timely inspiration for the Sixth Form, many of whom were just about to undertake a marathon marching challenge, attempting to walk 24 miles in just seven hours.

The 24/7 challenge took place on Sunday 10 March. 50 students and 12 staff from Princethorpe College trudged a grand total of 1,476 miles to raise money for the charity Mary’s Meals.  This was the eleventh consecutive year Sixth Formers and staff had rallied together, laced up their walking boots and headed out.

Their route took them around Coventry starting from Ryton and finishing at Meriden, it took in varying terrain, making conditions uncomfortable underfoot especially in the inclement wet weather.

Five walkers were first across the line, Ben Haden, Joseph Hurworth, Sion Murphy, Thomas Parker and Oscar Phillips completed the course in just 6 hours and 52 minutes.

They were followed home by a procession of jubilant finishers with the final walker completing the challenge at just after 6.00pm.

Organiser of the event and Assistant Head of Sixth Form, Mr Rod Isaacs, who also completed the 24-mile walk, commented, “As always there was a wonderful spirit of camaraderie along the route. Everyone was helping each other and keeping focused on the aim to raise as much money as possible for impoverished children around the world.”

However, the fundraising doesn’t stop there because on Sunday 7 April a 25 strong team of walkers will attempt the Coventry Way Challenge, a 40-mile circular walk.

Through the College’s fundraising, 636 children at Makalanga Primary School, in Malawi, are already receiving a daily meal in school for the first time.

There is still plenty of time to support our Sixth Form walkers who are aiming to beat last year’s total and raise over £10,000.

If you would like to donate, please visit:

www.marysmeals.org.uk/princethorpe-4-makalanga

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OPs Leamington Pub Meet Draws Best Crowd Ever

The Old Princethorpian's Pub Meet at the Royal Pug in Leamington on Friday 1 March, was the association's most popular pub meet yet, with some 40 OPs in attendance, including current and former members of staff.

There was a lovely friendly atmosphere as OPs from across the decades socialised and caught up with each other's news over drinks and a delicious buffet. The leavers of 2014 who were out in force and the prize for the OP coming the furthest to attend went to a leaver from 1980, Adrian Starbuck,who travelled all the way up from Dover with his wife Charlotte for the event.

Our next OPs events are the Former Parents' Afternoon Tea on Saturday 6 April and the OPs vs Kenilworth Babas Rugby Match on Easter Saturday 20 April, please spread the word and if interested message OPs or email oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk.

Ash Wednesday Services Remind Us We Have The Power To Make A Difference

Princethorpe College pupils and staff were invited to mark the beginning of Lent in a series of Ash Wednesday services, on Wednesday 6 March.  Held in the Chapel during Tutor Time and then at lunchtime, the services offered an opportunity for contemplation and reflection.

Father Alan Whelan, MSC led the services, with the message that each one of us has the power to make a change for the better, and that change, that one small act can have a positive ripple effect.

Junior Chaplaincy Prefects, Chloe O’Carroll-Bailey and Zoe Shayler read to the assembly about the work of CAFOD (The Catholic Agency For Overseas Development), one of the charities the College is supporting this year. They told the story of a family in Bangladesh who were unable to catch sufficient fish for food.

In response to the story, and to Father Alan’s message, everyone wrote on a paper fish the one small action that they would take to make a difference during Lent.

Sixth Formers, Leah Dunkley, Hannah Owens, Lara Vohrah and Louise Way helped to distribute the ashes and put the symbolic fish on the net that was attached to the cross.

OP Murray Wells Inspires Future Engineers With Tales Of The Bloodhound Supersonic Car

Princethorpe College was delighted to welcome back Old Princethorpian Murray Wells into school on Thursday 28 February to talk to Lower Sixth students and Design Technology pupils about the Bloodhound SSC (Supersonic Car) Project and its plan to set a new world Land Speed Record.

Murray left Princethorpe in 2014 and went on to study Aerospace Engineering at the University of Hertfordshire.  He had always wanted to be an engineer, his choice of career reinforced by a video he saw explaining just how the Bloodhound was powered.  So he jumped at the chance to work on a placement with the project, amongst the UK’s best engineers, on what can only be described as a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Murray explained that the Bloodhound SSC project has two objectives.  To set a new Land Speed Record at or above 1000mph but also to address the shortage of engineers, by inspiring a whole new generation of enthusiasts.  He recounted the history of the Land Speed Record and of British involvement in it.  From the early days of the 20th century; through Malcolm Campbell’s records in the twenties and thirties; how Richard Noble had won the title back from the Americans in 1983 when he reached 633 miles in Thrust 2; before ex-RAF pilot Andy Green finally set the current record of 763 miles per hour in the Thrust SSC in 1997. 

He talked about the Bloodhound SSC project and the design challenges it faces.  How it took two years to design a new body shape, the search for the right engine, the challenges of developing fuel pumps, air brakes and even wheels.  He explained that the car will weigh six tonnes, be three metres tall and larger than a bus and that the plan is to drive at 1000 miles per hour over 12 miles of desert.

Murray even explained about the work done to prepare the race site in Hakskeen Pan in the Mier area of the Northern Cape, South Africa and the positive impact the project has had on the local community.

Assistant Head of Sixth, Rod Isaacs and Head of Design Technology, Paul Scopes both agreed that Murray’s talk was fascinating, saying, “The Bloodhound SSC is one of the most exciting engineering projects in the world, there really is nothing like UK engineering, it was incredible to hear about the project and its achievements so far.”

Our huge thanks go to Murray for taking the time to come into school to talk about the project and his involvement with it.

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Spring Admissions Newsletter Just Published

The latest edition of the College's Admissions Update e-newsletter has just been published. This issue is packed with news to give prospective parents and pupils a feel for College life, information on forthcoming open days and events and helpful advice about the admissions process, particularly for those who are looking at entry in September 2020.

The newsletter is issued twice a year to coincide with key admissions periods, the next edition will be published in Autumn 2019, just prior to our Entrance Exams on Saturday 9 November 2019.

Click here to go to the Admissions Update newsletter.

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