The Flagpole

Princethorpe’s Bursary Fund has received a significant boost with a donation of over £100,000 recently pledged to support a new Princethorpe pupil for the duration of their seven-year career at the school.

The transformational bursary has been awarded to a pupil who has joined the College in Year 7 this September, the donation will also cover their school uniform costs and any extras such as books, trips and bus transport.

The generous donors, who wish to remain anonymous, are a current family with two children at the College.

The College committed to expanding its bursary provision during its Golden Jubilee Year and aims to provide fully-funded bursaries for at least ten pupils by its Diamond Jubilee in 2026. At present around 8% of Princethorpe pupils benefit from some form of bursary.

This latest donation brings the total support committed for bursaries to over £200,000, with significant single gifts and pledges and regular giving all playing an important part in funding this life-changing scheme.

Comments Ed Hester, “It is particularly pleasing that this donation comes from a current family who can see the positive effect that Princethorpe is already having on their own children and the transformational experience it could be for others who are less fortunate.”

He continued, “We are most thankful to the donors for their amazing generosity. The deserving pupil we have chosen to receive the bursary has the potential and passion to benefit fully from a Princethorpe education and we will be delighted to update the donor family on the pupil’s progress over the years ahead.”

If you are interested in further information about making a donation to us, please contact Steve Kowal at stevekowal@princethorpe.co.uk or the Development Team at makingadifference@princethorpe.co.uk or call 01926 634265.

Designed to stretch and challenge, the prestigious Cambridge Chemistry Challenge takes students significantly beyond the syllabus and encourages them to think about Science in the way they would at university. 

Back in the summer, seven Princethorpe Sixth Form students, Jessie Crawford, Mathura Elamurugan, Conor Fernández, Robyn Field, Tobias Lambe, Jack Reeve and Harry West, took on this year’s Challenge. The seven chemists had prepared themselves for the competition taking part in the weekly Cambridge Chemistry Challenge co-curricular club to develop their critical problem-solving skills, think creatively, and get a chance to test their knowledge in new, real-world situations. 

All seven now Upper Sixth students were awarded certificates. Tobias Lambe received a Silver certificate putting him in the top 29% of all participants. Conor Fernández was awarded a Copper certificate.

The chemists faced tough national competition engaging with challenging chemistry problems and the College congratulates them on the determination and great resilience they demonstrated.

Princethorpe’s Sixth Form students put their culinary skills under the spotlight in the College’s latest inter-house competition, Ready Steady Cook.

What was once prime time television, Ready Steady Cook, is always a popular inter-house competition. Held this year on Thursday 16 September, teams of Sixth Formers enthusiastically took part in what proved to be a hotly contested challenge, preparing that student staple, an omelette, in the Food Technology suite.

The students were presented with a set of ingredients and challenged to produce an omelette in just 20 minutes. What’s more they had to cook, clean and tidy their workstation before presenting their dish. The plates of food were judged on four criteria - taste, texture, appearance and creativity.

The kitchen was a hive of activity with knives chopping, spoons stirring and pans sizzling as the House teams went to work. Onlookers encouraged from the side as the judges, Ed Hester, Lisa Reay and Amanda McKenzie surveyed the proceedings.

The finished plates of food were lined up along the table and, under the watchful eyes of the competitors and their supporters, the judges carefully taste-tested the dishes.

House Activities Co-ordinator, Jessica Newborough heaped praised upon the students who so quickly and slickly delivered a mouth-watering, plate of food.

The results were close with just a few points separating all the Houses. This year first place went to Fisher, closely followed by Austin and Benet in joint second place and then More.

Huge thanks to all of the competitors for their enthusiastic efforts, to our judges who clearly enjoyed the bonanza of free food and to the House teams for organising and supporting the event.

With a new Science Building in the planning, everyone has the opportunity to leave their mark on Princethorpe College for generations to come.

At a projected cost of over £8 million, the College is committed to raising a portion of the funds needed through Fundraising. With an overall fundraising target of £1.5 million, realising this goal is a significant factor in determining the timescale and ability to complete the project, which we hope will open its doors to pupils in 2023.

There are many ways for individuals to support, from a major donation or corporate naming rights to smaller one-off donation for names on an Brick, Element or Paver. Our aim is for the Princethorpe community to join together to make the vision for Science a reality.

We do hope you will be interested in supporting this important project and leaving your mark on Princethorpe’s future.

For more information please visit the school website here or contact the Development office at makingadifference@princethorpe.co.uk.

Congratulations to all the Princethorpe Upper Sixth students who have completed their Duke of Edinburgh's Award Qualifying Expeditions over the last few weeks. An amazing achievement by them all.

Unaccompanied and self-sufficient, they have trekked and camped their way across the stunning but challenging terrain of the Snowdonia National Park, working together in teams to achieve their expedition objectives.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Awards are recognised as the world’s leading youth achievement awards. They provide young people with the opportunity to get involved, explore new interests, discover talents and make new friends.

Will Bower, Head of Outdoor Education, commented, “Since Covid struck 62 of our Sixth Formers have completed their Gold DofE Qualifying Expeditions. It’s fantastic illustration of the determination of our young people to get out there and complete something challenging and meaningful. Well done to them all!”

All those who complete their Gold Award are rewarded with an invitation to visit St James Palace, in London, for an official presentation and a proper celebration of their super achievement.

It’s been two weeks since the start of the school year and Year 7 have been settling in well. They are now navigating their way around school, coping with their timetable, the new subjects and new teachers and of course happily taking their lunch in the school refectory.

We know the transition can be daunting but also that it doesn’t take long for new pupils to start to feel at home.

In lessons, Year 7 have been getting to grips with lighting a Bunsen burner in Science, finding out about Jules Chevalier and climbing the Tower in RS, learning the difference between pitch and rhythm in Music and enjoying playing hockey and rugby in Games.

Well done to them all.

It was lovely to see so many familiar faces at the OPs vs College Sports Day on Saturday 4 September - this popular annual fixture traditionally kicks off the College’s sporting calendar for the year ahead.

The staff and leavers of 2021 football team started with a great victory over the older OPs. Honours were split in the hockey with the College winning the girls’ match and the OPs coming out on top in the boys’ match. The OPs showed their experience in the netball with a high scoring performance beating the college.

In the OPs v College 1st XV (John Shinkwin Trophy match) the teams, OPs (leavers of 2020 and 2021) and the College played the newly formed version of Ready for Rugby, with the OPs having a fast start and ultimate victory with the College always chasing the game.

The results of the matches were as follows:

• Football – Staff/College 3 v OPs 1
• Netball – College 16 v OPs 31
• Boys’ Hockey – College 1 v OPs 5
• Girls’ Hockey – College 3 v OPs 1
• Rugby – College 10 v OPs 16

At the After Match Awards, the OPs proudly raised both the Alex Wallis Memorial Shield and the John Shinkwin Cup.

Lee Cassell, Foundation Director of Sport, commented, “It was great to see this day take place after a hiatus due to the pandemic. Once again it showed the true spirt of the Princethorpe community and gave staff, pupils, OPs and parents the opportunity to watch five entertaining matches over the course of the day.

A huge well done to all those who played and made the day so special. I look forward to seeing them all again next year on Saturday 3 September 2022 for the next OPs vs College Sports Day.”

Thanks to all the players, supporters, organisers and caterers for making the day such a lovely relaxed affair.

Princethorpe College was delighted to take part in the 2021 Heritage Open Days festival on Sunday 12 September. The festival, organised by the National Trust, runs annually celebrating England’s local history by giving access to thousands of places usually closed to the public. The College has taken part in the festival for many years and this year’s event was one of the most successful yet.

On the day, the College welcomed 139 visitors through the doors, all safely socially distanced, hand sanitised and masked of course. From near and far, including local neighbours as well as parents of old and new pupils, new staff and those interested in local history, all were made welcome and enjoyed a fascinating tour that took in Pugin’s magnificent Chapel, the Cloisters, Nuns’ Cells, Library (formerly a church) and the unique Roundhouse.

The College was particularly delighted to welcome back former archivist Rev. Nick Baker who joined our current archivist Janette Ratcliffe and Assistant Head (Development) Alex Darkes as the tour leaders sharing wonderful insights into the history of the magnificent building and the amazing people that made it the place it is today.

A huge thank you to all who kindly organised and supported this super community event.

And for those who weren’t able to visit on the day there is still the option of the virtual tour which can be found here: roundme.com/tour/726654/view/2288475/.

The latest edition of the College's Admissions Update e-newsletter has just been published.

Packed full of information and advice it provides prospective parents and pupils with an insight into College life, information on forthcoming events and helpful guidance on the admissions process, particularly for those who are looking at entry in September 2022.

Its publication coincides with the College’s Open Afternoon that takes place this Sunday 19 September. The Open Afternoon is now fully booked but there are other opportunities available to visit the school.

You can read the admissions newsletter here admissions.princethorpe.co.uk. 

Or for further information on admissions to the school please call the Registrars on 01926 634201/262/297 or email the team at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

The admissions newsletter is published twice a year to coincide with key admissions periods and the next edition will be available in spring 2022.

Foundation Junior School, Crackley Hall School has received its first ever review by the prestigious Good Schools Guide. The Guide, which selects schools to be included on merit alone, is famous for its unbiased and candid reviews of state and private schools, and is trusted by families worldwide. Crackley Hall is now one of just 1,300 schools currently reviewed by the Guide, out of over 30,000 schools in the UK.

An editor from the Guide visited the school in June, interviewed the Headmaster, Rob Duigan, toured the site with pupils, observed lessons and spoke to teachers and parents.

The 2,500-word review, which now appears on the Good Schools Guide’s website and will be included in the next hard copy edition, includes a pen portrait of the Headmaster, plus insights into teaching and learning, sport and the performing arts, co-curricular activities, pastoral care and leavers’ destinations.

Commenting on the school’s approach to teaching and learning, the Guide says:

"Pupils and parents praise their ‘lovely’ teachers for ‘listening’, ‘really fun lessons’, and ‘taking every opportunity to find what they are good at and encouraging them’'.

“Parents say teachers manage work levels so that at any one time, ‘there may be three different levels taught in the same classroom, giving individual attention, focusing on each end of the spectrum’ without, as one noted, ‘losing sight of the middle of the road’. Children who need stretching are given extension work within classroom, in small tutor groups and access a regional gifted and talented programme.”

The very comprehensive review concludes with a Last Word, which sums up the Guide’s findings:

In his address to pupils the headmaster tells them, ‘You are valued, try your best at all times, stay involved, be kind to others and the world. Smile!’ That pretty much sums what we saw at Crackley Hall.

To read the full review click here.

Comments Rob Duigan, Headmaster, “It was a pleasure to welcome the Good Schools Guide to Crackley Hall. They spent a typically busy day with us and we feel they have captured the warmth and energy of our whole school community. We are delighted that they have recognised the all-round excellence of our first-class school, and especially our collective enthusiasm for all aspects of learning and the individual care and attention each and every one of our pupils receives.”

He continued, “As Covid restrictions ease, we are looking forward to welcoming prospective families to the school, so they can find out for themselves what a Crackley education could do for their child.”

Crackley Hall is hosting open events in October and November for September 2022 entry, to find out more visit www.crackleyhall.co.uk/visit-crackley or email admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk.