The Flagpole

With the beginning of term now fast approaching I write to give you a few updates and key information in advance of the pupils’ full return to school next week. As I write we are at the end of the third day of four days staff training which have been carefully planned to ensure we are as fully prepared as possible for the term and year ahead.

With my letter of 16 August we sent out both the Michaelmas Calendar and Princethorpe Information Booklet for Parents and Pupils. If you haven’t yet been through these please do so together as a family over the weekend as part of your preparation for the new term.

Start of Term arrangements

Pupil Timetables

These will be uploaded by the end of this week and be available to pupils and parents via My School Portal over the weekend. Please do check them before Monday.

Monday 6 September, the first day of term

Pupils will spend the first two periods with their tutor groups, individual photographs will be taken for those in Years 7, 10, 11 and Lower Sixth, plus any new pupils to other years and new joiners will also have their fingerprint information taken for the biometric cashless catering system. In addition, there will be a whole school assembly.

We will also be conducting the last internal Lateral Flow Tests for those pupils who have not had both in-school LFTs. Pupils who missed their first in-school LFT last week will receive their first test and be tested a second time later in the week.

Pupils will generally be in lessons from Period 3 (Period 4 for the Lower Sixth) and will need to be fully prepared and equipped for these.

Throughout the year, pupils will need to arrive in full school games kit on the day they have their Games afternoon, however on the first day of term Year 10 will need to arrive in full school uniform as they will be having photographs taken, and bring their games kit with them for the afternoon.

Co-curricular Activities

The full programme of activities is in the calendar and will also be published on My School Portal and The Flagpole; please have a look out for a number of exciting new clubs and activities launching this term. The curricular programme will be running from the first day of term.

COVID-related measures

Many thanks to parents for your support with the voluntary pre-term lateral flow testing programme. This is a key plank of the government’s strategy to minimise the spread of Covid as children across the country return to school. So far, in school, we have only had two positive tests, although we also have a small number of pupils who have tested positive outside school and who are, of course, currently isolating. We will of course be monitoring the number of positive cases and the situation closely on a daily basis and will consult with Public Health England should the need arise.

Details of the measures we have in place are also in my last letter, which can be read here.

A summary of the key messages are:

* Do not send children into school if they are unwell in any way
* The wearing of face masks is mandatory on school buses
* Generally, the wearing of face masks will not be mandatory around the campus, but some pupils and staff may feel more comfortable wearing them, which is fine
*We have put in a number of measures to reduce the likelihood of “enclosed and crowded spaces”. However, we still ask that all pupils bring a face mask to school in case the situation arises where it is necessary to wear one
*We will continue to promote good hygiene and handwashing regimes for all
*We will maximise air flow and ventilation in all indoor spaces and have enhanced cleaning regimes across the campus
*We ask that pupils maintain their voluntary twice-weekly lateral flow testing regimes on a Sunday and Wednesday at home and submit the results via the Test Register email link.
*We will continue to track and trace in school and will notify parents if your child has come into close contact with a positive case and will recommend that they have a PCR test as soon as possible

If you have any concerns about the testing regime at school or the measures we are taking please do contact us at post@princethorpe.co.uk

Picking Up Pupils During the Day or From Prep

For the time being we are keeping the arrangements that if a pupil needs to leave the school during the day, for a dental appointment for example, then they go via the pupil hub. Parents should remain in their car on arrival at school and text their son/daughter who will then be released. The same system holds for picking up from Prep after school.

If a parent needs to come into school to see a member of staff, please do book an appointment in advance.

Finally, many congratulations again to all pupils taking their GCSEs and A-levels this year. They all worked exceptionally hard and achieved tremendous results that are well deserved which they can be proud of and will set them up well for all their various next steps.

With best wishes to all families for the term ahead,

Yours sincerely

Ed Hester
Headmaster