The Flagpole

In spite of the unprecedented challenges that the last 16 months have presented, Princethorpe College is celebrating another year of excellent exam results.

Out of a cohort of 104 Sixth Form students who completed their A-levels, BTEC and Extended Project Qualification this year, at the top end 55% of all A-level grades were A* or A and overall 95% of grades were A* to C. Impressively, 39 high-flyers achieved three or more A* or A grades. Special mention must go to Sophie Cheshire, James Gallagher, Charlotte Lister, Lauren Mason, Grace McGrory, Prajeet Prabakaran, Alex Rejali, Carmel Spelman and Daisy Walker who all achieved straight A*s.

At GCSE Princethorpe pupils also performed well, from a cohort of 137 pupils over two thirds of all entries were graded 9, 8 or 7 and 56 Year 11 pupils received nine or more 9, 8 or 7 grades. There were many exceptional personal achievements, special congratulations go to Joshua Apaya, Keira Eaton, Amélie Friess, William Hawkins, Freya Mills, Eleanor Page, Oscar Page, Pratheesh Prabakaran and Madoc Williams, who all achieved eight or more grade 9s. Overall, over 99% of the grades achieved were levels 9 to 4.

Ed Hester, Headmaster, commented, "This year’s A-level and GCSE results have been arrived at in a very different way to normal. That said we are delighted that the results are a fair reflection of the hard work and achievements of these year groups. Pupils remained resilient throughout periods of lockdown, home learning and self-isolation. It has been an extremely demanding time and all credit goes to our pupils and staff for their commitment and hard work."

He continued, "We are proud of their academic achievements but all these pupils have many other fine qualities: kindness, respect and a strong sense of right and wrong, which will be tremendously important for them as they move on to the next phase of their lives. We congratulate them all on their well-deserved success."

With just nine weeks to go, the countdown to the College's Entrance Exams for admission in September 2022 has begun. This year the exams for Year 7 to 10 entry will take place on Saturday 6 November from 9.00am to 4.00pm.

Our friendly Admissions Team have been kept busy over the summer accepting registrations from prospective parents. The deadline for registration is Friday 1 October, to enable the processing of applications and seeking of references from junior schools.

There are still plenty of opportunities for prospective pupils and their parents to visit the College before the Entrance Exams, including our Open Afternoon on Sunday 19 September from 2.00pm to 5.00pm and Open Morning on Thursday 23 September from 10.30am to 12.30pm, both events will allow prospective families to look around the school and experience school life. 

Our Year 6 Taster Experiences are also a great way for your prospective pupils to really experience Princethorpe. Each session will involve a welcome introduction from Mr Hester, Headmaster and two taster lessons.

We have two sessions available on Saturday 25 September for those who are in Year 6 and have not had the chance to attend previous Taster Experiences.

All our events are by appointment only. To book your place click here

If you have any queries relating to admissions please feel free to email the Registrars at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk or call them on 01926 634201.

Princethorpe College is welcoming plenty of new faces this Michaelmas Term, as in addition to its new pupils the school also has a number of new staff members.

Pictured here on their Induction Day the new staff enjoyed an informative and busy start to their time at Princethorpe. Together they bring a wealth of new experience to the school and we extend a very warm welcome to them all.

Joining the College are:

Michael Spencer - Assistant Head (Director of Studies)

Steve Kowal - Development Director

Lewis Clarke - Teacher of PE and Boys' Games

Daniel Lumb - Teacher of Business Studies

Greg Lyttle - Teacher of Politics

Jack Parker - Teacher of English

Jess Proudlock - Teacher of English

Alef Rosenbaum - Teacher of Mathematics

Isobel Turner-Pryce - Teacher of Mathematics

Laura Wilford - Teacher of Business Studies

Sinead Birks - Graduate Sports Coach and Teaching Assistant

Luke Brotherton - Teaching Assistant

Jessica Scott - Teaching Assistant

Sam Wincott-Thomas - Teaching Assistant

Rob Heath - Health and Saefty Manager

James Munsey - IT Engineer

Paul Reay - IT Engineer

Also pictured are staff who started earlier this year:

Lizzie Caisey - Teacher of Psycology and Sociology

Sam Curtis - Teacher of Chemistry

Michelle Gawthorpe - Teacher of MFL

Angela Ritson - Learning Support Teacher

Jo Flowers - Marketing and Coomunications Executive 

Friday 3 September was an exciting day for the 130 Year 7 pupils who are joining Princethorpe College this academic year.

For this latest generation of Princethorpians, the Activity Day was all about meeting their new classmates, familiarising themselves with the layout of the school and getting a feel for the sorts of lessons they can expect. It was also a great opportunity to generally ask questions, allay any fears and ease the transition to secondary school.

Our incoming Year 7s arrived looking excited and a little bit nervous. During their action-packed day they participated in fun team building activities including a scavenger hunt, took part in Science or Technology lessons, a Year 7 Chorus rehearsal with Mr Hester and enjoyed an afternoon Games lesson.

During the day we saw plenty of smiling faces and it was clear that everyone was making new friends. It was a flying start to secondary school that will have helped them get ready for the beginning of the Michaelmas Term.

It’s been all systems go since the end of the Trinity Term for our Estates, Grounds and IT teams (not to mention the many external contractors too) who have all been busy working on campus-wide improvements.

Just some of the work that has been carried out this summer includes; stripping and redecorating various classrooms and corridors including a whole new fresh look for the Textiles and Library Corridor, creating a new Textiles Fashion Lab, refurbishing the Staff Room, creating a new Sixth Form Coffee Bar, painting the Limes corridors and the sports changing rooms, completing external building maintenance including painting and roof repairs and installing new entrance barriers.

On the IT front classroom interactive whiteboards have been installed or upgraded, staff laptops and desktops have been reimaged, a Foundation project moving files and resources on to Sharepoint completed and new printers and copiers installed.

Last but by no means least, ahead of the new sporting season, the Grounds team have also been busy preparing our wonderful playing fields.

A huge thank you to all of the support staff who have worked so hard on these projects for us.

A few snapshots of the work carried out over the summer are included in the gallery.

It’s all looking great, and we can’t wait to welcome our pupils back on Monday.

There was much excitement at Princethorpe College over the summer holidays as filming commenced for a new series – a spin off from the world of Father Brown, The Sister Boniface Mysteries.

BritBox first announced the commission of The Sister Boniface Mysteries in February 2020 as a brand-new period drama.

The official synopsis for the series reads:

“The Sister Boniface Mysteries is set in 1960s rural Warwickshire and follows the investigations of Sister Boniface, Bride of Christ, vintner, and Crime Scene Investigator. Police forensics is rudimentary by today’s standards. DNA is yet to be discovered. Blood testing can take days. The notion of trace evidence is in its infancy and the preservation of crime scenes is shockingly hit and miss. Fortunately the Great Slaughter Constabulary has a secret weapon in its fight against crime.

“Hidden deep in the countryside is St Vincent’s Convent, (aka Princethorpe College) a small community of wine making nuns where ensconced in a laboratory is Sister Boniface. An IQ of 156 and a PHD in forensic science, plus an addiction to popular detective fiction and a fully equipped crime laboratory make Boniface an invaluable aid to Police investigations. Mud, blood, stains, hairs and fibres. If there is evidence to be found Boniface will find it. Poisons, trace evidence, blood stains, etymology. She’s more up to speed on the latest forensic techniques than the Police.”

For those of us a little older it was wonderful seeing the College taken back in time but it was quite surreal to occasionally round the corner and find yourself confronted by a nun.

Once we hear more from the producers and know when the new series will air, we will be sure to share the details with you all.

In August, Princethorpe’s Upper Sixth leavers celebrated their examination results and their time at Princethorpe at a farewell Ball. The celebration was one last chance for them to gather together to reminisce over their time at the College, the friends they have made and the many adventures they have had along the way.

Results day had been a long time coming for this year group, who have faced unprecedented challenges throughout their time in Sixth Form. So it was wonderful to see them all smartly attired at the beautiful venue of Coombe Abbey in Coventry.

In black tie and ball gowns they enjoyed a sparkling reception, followed by a delicious dinner, much anticipated speeches and then dancing until dark. It was a joyous occasion with lots of laughter, shared memories and plans for the future.

Head of Sixth Form, Ben Collie said, “We wish all the Upper Sixth the very best as they move on from Princethorpe. We very much hope that they all keep in touch and come back to tell their teachers and future pupils all about their fascinating endeavours and achievements.”

Photos from the ball are now available on Princethorpe Connect here. To view the photos the new OPs will need to create an account (as an Upper Sixth leaver), then once they have logged in they can view the gallery and download any photos they wish to keep.

Princethorpe College welcomed pupils to Coombe Abbey in Coventry on Thursday 11 August to celebrate their GCSE results and the end of their time in Year 11. It was the perfect way to mark their achievements as they come to the end of their GCSE year.

In time honoured tradition the boys, handsome in black tie, and the girls, bedecked in beautiful gowns, arrived at the venue in their choice of transport to be greeted by members of staff. They were blessed with a beautiful summer’s evening and the backdrop of the atmospheric architecture and grounds of Coombe Abbey lent an extra special magic to the air.

Deputy Head Pastoral, Beth Sharpe, commented, "It was a wonderful event and the end of an era for this year group. We are immensely proud of them all, and it was a pleasure to welcome them to their prom and to share their delight and excitement at their results. The last 18 months has been difficult for all but even more so for Year 11 as they navigated their way through their GCSE studies. The prom is always an emotional occasion but the mood was full of optimism for the journey ahead and we are looking forward to welcoming most of them back to the Sixth Form this September."

Photos from the Prom are now available and a link to a gallery of the photos will shortly be emailed to parents.