The Flagpole

As we approach the end of term, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very happy Christmas and New Year.

It has been great to see our co-curricular programme getting back to full strength this term, with the recent production of Holes and the House Talent Show together with a full and very successful set of sports fixtures (not least the girls’ first XI Hockey Team who have now made it to the semi-finals of the National Cup) providing a testament to the dedication, resilience and perseverance of both pupils and staff.

Clearly the government’s recent announcement regarding “Plan B” and the presence of the Omicron variant are of concern and I am sure we are all hopeful that the situation will not worsen over the holidays.

Looking ahead to the arrangements for the start of the Lent Term we want to do our utmost to ensure a good, safe start for both pupils and staff, and in particular for those in Year 11 and Upper Sixth who have mock exams at the very start of term. We also need to factor in the Department for Education’s required pre-return lateral flow testing for all pupils.

In order to do this, we have decided that we will need to have a slightly staggered return to school for some Year Groups and want to alert you to this as soon as possible. We believe that this gives us the best possible chance of minimising positive cases in school and the ensuing disruption.

Arrangements for the start of term will therefore be as follows:

Saturday 1 January

· We ask that all Year 10, Year 11 and Upper Sixth students undertake a lateral flow test at home.

Sunday 2 January

· We ask that all pupils in Years 7 to 9 and Lower Sixth students undertake a lateral flow test at home.

Tuesday 4 January

· Staff INSET

· Lateral flow testing for Year 10, Year 11 and Upper Sixth in the Sports Hall. You will be emailed next week with specific Year Group appointment times.

Wednesday 5 January

· Lateral flow testing for Years 7, 8, 9 and Lower Sixth. You will be emailed with next week with specific Year Group appointment times.

· To accommodate the testing there will be no in school lessons or home learning on this day for the above years.

· Year 11 mocks start in the Sixth Form Centre

· Upper Sixth mocks start in classrooms

· Please note the buses will run for Year 11 and Upper Sixth pupils only as normal.

Thursday 6 January

· Year 11 mocks continue in the Sports Hall

· Upper Sixth mocks continue in Sixth Form Centre

· First day back for all other years, normal lessons

As previously, we need to stress the importance of the continued twice-weekly lateral flow testing over the holidays please, the need for good hand and respiratory hygiene and the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach. We would ask specifically that all pupils lateral flow test the day before they come into school for their lateral flow test to minimise the risk of COVID infection.

In January face masks will continue to be required to be worn by all staff and pupils (unless exempt and agreed with school*) when moving around the premises, outside of classrooms, such as in corridors and indoor communal areas. Pupils must also wear a face covering when using the school bus services to and from school.

*To see the circumstances where people are not able to wear face coverings for exceptions to this please click here, see page 8.

We hope these measures will enable us to keep all members of the school community safe as we begin the Lent Term. We will of course keep the situation under close review and update you as appropriate. Thank you for your ongoing support and co-operation.

As always, there will be a few tweaks to the timetable for next term which will effect some pupils so we advise them all to check their timetables carefully on MySchool Portal before the start of term.

If you have any queries on any of the above, please do get in touch with us via post@princethorpe.co.uk.

Best wishes once again for a very happy Christmas and New Year and, in the words of Tiny Tim, “God bless us every one!”.

E D Hester
Headmaster 

The Girls First XI Hockey team had another super win this week when they beat Blundells School. The game finished 2-2 at full time so, with the scores level, the match went to penalty flicks. In a thrilling but nail-biting shoot-out the girls slammed home the penalties to come out 3-1 on top and take the win.

The team now progresses through to the England Hockey Tier 2 Semi Finals. What an amazing achievement, and incredible team effort. Great job girls we are all delighted for you!

Following on from the Year 11: 360 Reviews and Parents' Evenings, we would like to remind Year 11 pupils and parents of the Sixth Form Scholarship process for September 2022 for internal candidates.

All of our Year 11s are able to apply for Sixth Form Scholarships - Academic, Art, Music, Organ, Drama and Sport. To do so they must complete a Sixth Form Scholarship Application Form and write a 'personal statement' outlining their achievements to date and why they feel they would make an excellent candidate for the scholarship (maximum 500 words).

Those pupils who currently have a scholarship, will normally retain their award for Sixth Form, but must also complete a Sixth Form Scholarship Application Form to re-apply for the scholarship.

The deadline for this application is Monday 31 January 2022. Applications should be marked for the attention of the Registrar, Mrs Vanessa Rooney.

Depending on the scholarship, prospective award holders may be interviewed and/or take part in a scholarship assessment in February or March.

Details of any awards will be confirmed when the Sixth Form Offer letters are sent out in writing during week commencing Monday 28 March 2022. Some awards may be dependent on final GCSE grades.

The criteria for each of the scholarships can be found on our website here and in the Sixth Form Admissions Information Booklet 2022. It is essential that pupils and parents look through these in detail before making an application. The Sixth Form Application Form for current Princethorpe Year 11 pupils can be found here.

We hope that this will be another motivational factor for our Year 11s as they focus on their studies and revision in the build up to the exam season.

Over the last couple of years, the Book Trust Bookbuzz scheme has been hugely beneficial in encouraging independent reading among pupils, so this year the College is participating once again. Earlier this term pupils chose a book from a list of exciting new titles and there was much excitement when their chosen books arrived. Rumour has it that apparently, some pupils have already finished reading theirs!

Independent reading is crucial for pupils’ cross-curricular learning, emotional development, and academic outcomes; reading for pleasure is one of the key predictors of examination success. So, to engage the pupils with their new books, Language for Learning Leader, Mrs Parsons has been running a cross curricular task with Year 7. Pupils have been creating a poster about the characters in their book in their Spanish lessons.

All great fun and super learning for Year 7.

Today was the College's Feast Day, our annual celebration involving the whole of the College community, marking the day back in 1854 that the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart were founded. To celebrate, the whole school came together virtually this afternoon to mark the occasion, Father Alan Whelan MSC opened the proceedings reminding us all that Feast Days are about giving thanks, he explained that the day is an important day for all Roman Catholics, as it is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

During the ceremony, awards were presented to pupils from across the school including the House Progress and Achievement Prizes from the last academic year, the CREST Awards and the Biology Olympiad Awards. Congratulation to all the award winners.

The assembly also included a number of musical interludes, showcasing the performing arts and our thanks go to the String Orchestra, Hattie and Liv Sarkies, Henry Corbin, Amelia Hunt and the cast of Holes.

Feast Day is an important day in the Princethorpe calendar, one where we all take time to give thanks to our community’s founders and celebrate Princethorpe’s special ethos and spirit of family.

Last Friday 3 December, the Development team welcomed invited guests to Princethorpe for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the College. Organised as a thank you for those who support the work of the school, some 60 visitors and senior staff enjoyed a fascinating evening delving into dark corners and hidden places and discovering the history that has made the Princethorpe we all know and love today.

The College was especially delighted to welcome back as guest of honour, former Director of Sport, Gwilym Price OBE, who reflected on his long association with the school and celebrated its achievements and growth over the years. He spoke warmly of its success with so many children and said, “I am very excited with the latest developments and the proposals for the forthcoming new Science Centre and wish the school well for the future”. 

Our Foundation Archivist, Janette Ratcliffe, began with an introductory presentation to set the scene, she gave a brief potted history of the College from across its 190 years, from its early days as a priory through to its life now as a school.

Then came the tour, starting in the Sixth Form our guests were led down Lower Pugin past the ornate Benedictine room and on up to Maths, and what was the Girls dormitories. Then it was back to the ground floor and G4 for an explanation of an enclosed order and what life was like behind the door with the grille. Then on through the girls’ dining room (DT workshop) and kitchens (that still has a hot cupboard where the food was served) to where the school ended, and the priory began. The tour went into what was the nuns’ library (now a physics lab) before going down to front of house to see the visitors’ guest house. Then up to the Roundhouse, to talk about the burial vault and next door into music technology and what was once the mortuary chapel before visiting the nuns’ sitting room and then on finally to the Chapel.

After all that exploring, the evening finished with a buffet and drinks and plenty of convivial chat. Foundation Assistant Head, Alex Darkes, who is also known as Mr Princethorpe after so many years as a pupil and then teacher, commented, “Hidden Princethorpe was a unique opportunity to gain an insight to the history and inner workings of the College, we were delighted that our guests were all fascinated by the evening’s talks, tours and anecdotes. We are very grateful for their continued support of the Development Office.”

The event was so successful that the Development team are hoping to host a follow-on event in the summer. For more information on the work that they do, please email the team at makingadifference@princethorpe.co.uk.

Princethorpe College was delighted to welcome guest speaker, Mr Gary Knight, Senior Design Engineer on Bodywork Engineering at Jaguar Land Rover, and parent at Princethorpe College, into school on Friday 3 December.

Mr Knight visited the school to talk with Design Technology pupils from Year 10 through to the Sixth Form. He delivered a lively and engaging presentation to the Design Technology groups covering topics such as the design process, concept iterations, CAD and virtual model analysis.

Design Technology Teacher, Tom Walton, said, “Princethorpe’s pupils thoroughly enjoyed hearing from an expert in design engineering and finding out how the skills they learn in the classroom are put into practise in industry. Many thanks to Mr Knight for his inspirational presentation to our young designers and engineers.”

This year you can buy a Christmas present with a difference and help turn the Foundation’s vision for Science into reality. The new Science Centre has been a long time in the planning, but everyone has the opportunity to make a donation and leave their mark on Princethorpe College for generations to come.

At a projected cost of £8 million, the College is committed to raising a proportion of the funds needed for the project through fundraising. There are many ways for individuals to support the project, from smaller donations for names on a Brick, Periodic Element or Paver to more significant donations. Our aim is for the Princethorpe community to join together to make the vision for Science a reality, regardless of the size of your support.

This Christmas why not consider supporting this important project by making a donation and giving a present that lasts a lifetime.

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

Perhaps the most challenging Physics test available to Sixth Form students, set by the British Physics Olympiad, was tackled by some of Princethorpe's finest physicists with resounding success. Seven students sat the Year 13 Physics Olympiad Challenge, a series of tough problems that stretches the sixth formers with questions beyond the scope of the A-level course.

Special mention goes to Ben Scares, Caitlin Mason and Josh Rawlings, who all achieved the highest level of 'Merit' within the competition. Congratulations also to Louis Beck, Charlie Wollaston, Archie Hancock and Daniel Hatfield, who all achieved good scores.

Look out for the Senior and Intermediate Challenges next term for the Lower Sixth and Year 11 pupils.

Princethorpe College is celebrating after Year 9 pupil, André Onyekwe, and Year 8 pupil, Sam Grindal, had a successful outing at the Independent School Association’s National Swimming Championships.

André and Sam qualified to swim for the Midlands team at the Regional Finals in October and on Sunday 28 November they travelled down to the London Aquatics Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to take part.

André swam in three events and came away with three Silver medals. In the Year 9 and 10 Boys 100m Freestyle he finished in second place in a time of 59.02 seconds, then in the Year 9 and 10 Medley Relay 4x50m he helped his team to second place in a team time of 2.04.78 and finally in the Year 9&10 Freestyle Relay 4x50m another strong swim helped the team again finish in second place in a team time of 1.50.88. Sam swam in the Year 8 Boys Freestyle Relay 4x50m team that finished in third place to bring home a Bronze medal after his team finished in 2.08.52. Together the boys’ medal winning performances helped the Midlands team finish in second place overall at the national event.

Foundation Director of Sport, Lee Cassell, was delighted and said, "Our swimmers have traditionally done well in the ISA Swimming Championships, and they have had another successful outing this year. Well done to everyone who competed in both the National Championships and in the qualifying regional competitions."

Princethorpe’s STEAM essay competition attracted plenty of entries and Mr Lee and the STEAM Ambassadors, Caitlin, Ben and Ciaran, were delighted with the response.

Pupils were asked to write a 500-word essay on a STEAM subject and another interdisciplinary topic of pupils’ choice, and the judges were really impressed by pupils well thought out and constructed analysis of their chosen linked subjects.

After careful consideration the prizes were awarded as follows:

Receiving a book token and Da Vinci Merits:

• Isaac Nelson, Year 7 - Isaac’s engaging essay explored a link between Maths and Art, by investigating the connection between the popular Simpsons cartoon and mathematical ideas subtly hidden in the episodes, such as the Googolplex cinema that appears in one of the cartoon’s episodes (a googol is 10¹⁰⁰).
  
  
• Tim Peyret, Year 10 - Tim’s excellent essay considered How Technology has impacted Biology explaining how the advancement of technology has contributed and led to advances in Biology.
  
  

A Da Vinci Merit was awarded to:

• Jorja Parris, Year 8 – for her interesting essay on Musical Fractions.
  
  

Special mention also goes to Ariana Gray, Megan Thandi and Delilah Teeton for their submissions of topical essays.

Congratulations and a very well done to all who took part.

The Christmas tree in the College Chapel has been lovingly decorated with twinkling lights and hand cut stars, each holding the name of a special someone.

All members of the college community were invited to write the names of those who have touched their lives with love and have a special place in their hearts on a star. Then each individual star has been carefully positioned on the tree. 

Comments, Mary Benham, Chaplaincy Co-ordinator, “The message of Christmas is one of love and the decorated Christmas tree in the Chapel symbolically represents that message. The many stars on the tree are a testament to the presence of love in the world – and the way in which, individually, all our lives have been enriched by love.”

Our thanks go to Year 7 pupils Elizabeth Burgess, Isabella Kay, Emily Knight (not pictured) Anabel Kowal and Alicia Maddams for their help with preparing and hanging the stars.

Princethorpe College pupils, parents and staff have responded generously to the seasonal challenge to show they care. The school community was asked to bring in items of non-perishable food and they did not disappoint, showing a sense of empathy, generosity and solidarity that at one stage led to the school’s prayer room overflowing with boxes and bags of donations. All their gifts have been passed on to the Leamington branch of the charity St Vincent de Paul Society, to be packed into hampers to be given to local families in need.

Mary Benham, Chaplaincy Coordinator added, “The level of enthusiasm and support shown for our Chaplaincy challenge was wonderful, affirming the school’s spirit of family ethos and showing that pupils embrace the communities they live in and are willing to help those who are less fortunate than themselves.” She continued, “It is easy to sometimes think that one person alone cannot make a big impact, but by bringing all of those individual small acts of kindness together we have been able to show how we care.”

Thank you to Year 7 pupils, Keira Arriordaz, Lola Esler, Jessie Murphy and Roxanna Waldron for their help with organising the donations, some of which you can see here.

Princethorpe’s popular PTA Christmas Fair took place on Sunday 28 November marking the start of the festive season.

Hundreds of visitors descended on a College resplendent in decorations, and to add to the excitement there was even a dusting of snow. There were plenty of stalls selling a range of artisan products and gifts and an array of seasonal activities for all ages to partake in. Father Christmas and his elves made their usual stop off at the Fair, delighting children of all ages. The crowds enjoyed musical entertainment with a range of traditional melodies to get everyone in the Christmas spirit and in the Sixth Form Dining Room, families gathered to enjoy warming hot drinks and delicious mince pies.

Our huge thanks go out to the many helpers, supporters and workers who worked all weekend to make the event such a success. It is one of the PTA’s main fundraising events and they are delighted to report that this year the fair and Christmas raffle have raised a superb £6,000.

At the end of January, the PTA will be holding a Burns Night Quiz and then planning for the Summer Fete on Sunday 26 June will begin in earnest. If you fancy getting involved, then do email the PTA at pta@princethorpe.co.uk.

A very successful Christmas wreath making evening certainly decked the doors with boughs of holly as 82 parents, staff and friends jumped at the chance to get arty and crafty on Wednesday 1 December. Places on the evening were snapped up like hot mince pies, and the participants armed with secateurs all enjoyed snipping and clipping away with twigs, foliage and prickly holly to produce some cracking Christmas door decorations.

Head of Academic PE, Louise Harrison, was delighted with the whole event saying, “It was a great, well supported evening. We raised over £500 on the night, that also included a ‘head and tails’ game to win a table decoration and hockey bag which was great fun. Thank you for supporting our sports tour fundraiser - here’s hoping we are able to go on a tour soon!” 

The event was so successful that the Sports department have already pencilled in tentative dates for next year so if you enjoyed the fun do keep your eyes on the Flagpole next autumn.

As the Michaelmas term draws to a close it is time once again to recognise and celebrate the many pupils who have risen to the challenge of the College’s ethos.

At lunchtime, last Monday 30 November, Assistant Head Co-curricular, Neil McCollin, congratulated pupils from across the College who had been nominated by members of staff for recognition for their achievements. All had tried their best; some had excelled or showed commitment to sport, performing arts, charity work or academic studies, whilst others had gone over and above for their House or Tutor group. All were an outstanding example for their peers.

Mr McCollin thanked each and every one of them, recognising the commitment and effort they put in and all that they do to enrich school life.

This term congratulations go to:

From Year 7: Isabella Card and Harry Turvey

From Year 8: Sam Grindal, Ben Jones, Euan Nelson, Ewan Pearce, Lucas Summers, Delilah Teeton and Bella Ward

From Year 9: Sean Birtley, Max Black, Adam Chambers, Amelia Chard, Jess Lane, Lucy Hardy, Joe Heritage, Abigail Mandava, André Onyekwe, Emmi Parmenter and Carla Shayler

From Year 10: Sammie Borland, Jayden Carr, Kobby Enyimayew, Ollie Farquharson, Theo Knight, Vincent McNevin, Rhys Milestone, Freddie Roberts, Ben Smith, Matty Thomas and Sam Verity

From Year 11: Bongneh Bibi, Jess Evans, Sophie Gray, Alexander Hammond, Tilly Houghton, Noah Kemp, Charlotte Lewington, Finn Osborn, Simran Sandhar, Alice Whittaker and Izzy Wright

From Lower Sixth: Corin Alford, Amber Cowie, Eve Farquharson, Ben Hardy, Molly Harper, Mia Johnson, Annabel Koster, Jess Mackenzie, Oscar Page, Eleanor Page, Toby Pearton, Evie Phillips, Grace Thomas, Lara Tripp-Smith and Amber Williams

From Upper Sixth: Harpreet Birdi, Greg Burford, Seb Dibb, Anneliesa Douglas, Mathura Elamurugan, Conor Fernández, Milly Hemmings, Tobias Lambe, Lucia McCosker-New, Molly Minshull, Max Passantino, Joshua Rawlings, Izzy Riley, Emilia Scimeca, Ethan Smith, Sophie Tudor and Remo Volpe

More information on pupils’ achievements can be found here.

Back in November pupils from Princethorpe College took part in the 2021 UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT) Senior Challenge, a prestigious national problem-solving competition that recognises the best young mathematicians in the country.

The Challenge involves answering multiple choice questions and is sat under normal school exam conditions. The papers are then sent away to be marked by UKMT and the best pupils in the country are awarded Bronze, Silver or Gold certificates. The competition is aimed at students in the Sixth Form and Princethorpe selected 28 able mathematicians from both Lower and Upper Sixth to participate in this year’s Challenge.

It is a demanding exercise designed to stretch and test pupils’ mathematical skills, so the College is delighted that this year, Princethorpe’s mathematicians achieved exceptional results. Congratulations to Upper Sixth Former, Ben Scares who was awarded a Gold certificate, and took the award for best performing student in school, and to Lower Sixth Former, William Hawkins, who was awarded a Silver certificate, and took the award for best performing student in the Lower Sixth. Ben performed so well that he has also qualified for the follow-on round, the Senior Kangaroo Challenge.

Silver certificates also go to: Joshua Rawlings, William Gibson-Sexton, Caitlin Mason, Edward Sharpe
Bronze certificates also go to: Tobias Lambe, Alex Hill, Pablo Scopes, Henry Walker, Mary Lomas, Anthony Convey, Jack Rochford, Ciaran Smith, Tom Spencer, Alexander Allison, Robyn Field

Well done all and many thanks to all the pupils who took part, we hope you enjoyed the challenge.

Theo Scoutas
Post 16 Mathematics Co-ordinator

On Monday 22 November the College hosted a Year 11 GCSE Revision Evening and was delighted to welcome educational researchers Martin Griffin and Steve Oakes, from VESPA Mindset, to work with parents and pupils.

Martin and Steve spoke about the characteristics of successful pupils and shared their wisdom on the different approaches and techniques that would support pupils in achieving good grades.

Both are well equipped to give expert advice in this area, having spent many years in teaching, and in leadership roles in schools. They have seen a lot of successful and not so successful pupils over the years, and their strategies are based on real pupil experience. Their presentation was full of excellent, practical and constructive advice.

Dr Liz Pyne, Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning, said, “We were delighted that Martin and Steve could join us once again to share their VESPA Mindset approach. We know from feedback we have received in previous years that their strategies work for pupils and parents. Their techniques are an important part of our study skills curriculum and staff will be following through on the revision evening to reinforce their advice and approach in the classroom and in exam preparation.”

Feedback from parents and pupils about the evening has been very positive with lots of comments on how useful it was.

Dr Pyne continued, “At Princethorpe we want our pupils to be the best they can be. We work hard to create a ‘can do’ environment and we know getting to grips with the VESPA mindset as they focus on their studies will make a difference to their final grades.”

Fr Teddy O'Brien MSC, the parish priest for St Anne's, Wappenbury and the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels, Princethorpe College warmly invites you to attend any or all of the services over the Christmas season.

Friday 24 December 2021
Family Christmas Mass         
5.00pm      Princethorpe Chapel

First Mass of Christmastide   
9.00pm      Princethorpe Chapel

Saturday 25 December 2021
Mass of Christmas Morning   
9.30am      St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW

Sunday 26 December 2021
Boxing Day
8.30am      St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW
10.30am    St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW
 
Sunday 2 January 2022
8.30am     St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW
10.30am   St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW

Sunday 9 January 2022            
8.30am     St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW
10.30am    Princethorpe Chapel

Please note: Face coverings to be worn, hand sanitizing will be available and contact details (mobile numbers) will be taken for Track and Trace purposes. For any further information please visit the link to St Anne's website here

Thank you
 
 

Wednesday 12 January 7.00pm

We tried something very different this month with a non-fiction text called Move! by Caroline Williams. Whilst this book felt a bit of a chore to read at times, we were surprised at how much we had got out of it when it came to discussing it as a group. The message is clearly all about the benefits of movement for both physical and mental health. We all took away some fascinating facts and some appreciation of the vast number of different ways we can build valuable movement into our lives without relying on expensive gym membership which is not the answer anyway.

We are going back to fiction for our January read – a psychological thriller this time:  The Catch by T M Logan. This one comes recommended by Mrs Kerrigan! I can’t vouch for it myself, but she likes something with a strong storyline so we can expect a few twists and turns in the plot.

It was good to welcome some old faces back to the group this month and we hope to see both old and new joining us in the New Year. We’ll be meeting at 7.00pm in the library on Wednesday 12 January. I hope you can make it. We all need a few good book recommendations to carry us through the winter so come along to share your enthusiasms with us or simply to take away a few suggestions for your own reading. A warm and friendly welcome is guaranteed.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English

Tuesday 18 January 2022 - 10.00am to 3.00pm

This is an opportunity to look around Crackley Hall School and Little Crackers Nursery and to meet staff and pupils on a normal working day.

This will give prospective families an insight into the many aspects of school life at Crackley Hall and Little Crackers and the firm foundation we give children for their future learning.

The day will be split into three sessions. The visit will start with a talk from Mr Duigan, followed by a tour of the school. 

To book your place please click here

For more information please contact the Admissions Secretary, Mrs Jenny Vaughan on 01926 514410 or by email admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk

Tuesday 18 January 2022 - 7.00pm

It gives me great pleasure to inform parents and pupils that on Tuesday 18 January at 7.00pm in the Sports Hall we will be relaunching the Princethorpe College Elite Sports Programme. The Elite Sports Programme is aimed at pupils from Year 8 to Upper Sixth who are participating at a representative level or have the potential to participate at this level. The programme will have two different pathways for pupils to follow depending on the level that they are performing at.

Elite Sports Programme

To be eligible you must have played your sport at national or regional level or have the potential to do so. Other factors will be considered such as the individual’s attitude, willingness to learn and feedback from coaches, both within  and outside of  school. You must fully support Princethorpe College Sport by representing the school in both winter and summer sports.

Elite Performer Pathway

To be eligible you must have played sport at a county or equivalent level for your national governing body or have the potential to reach this level. Other factors will be considered such as the individual’s attitude, willingness to learn and feedback from coaches, both within and outside of school. You must fully support Princethorpe College Sport by representing the school in both winter and summer sports.

Pupils who have been identified as eligible for either of these two pathways and their parents will receive an invitation at the start of the Lent Term to attend the evening. If you think that we may not be aware of your child’s sporting achievements or successes outside of school sport, please send details to me via email at leecassell@princethorpe.co.uk by Wednesday 5 January 2022.

Lee Cassell
Foundation Director of Sport

Thursday 20 January 2022 - 10.00am to 3.00pm

This is an opportunity to hear from the Headmaster, Joe Thackway, look around the school and to meet staff and pupils on a normal working day. 

This will give prospective families an insight into life at the Crescent and the firm foundation we give children for their future learning.

The day will be by appointment only and will be split into three sessions. 

To book your place please click here

For more information please contact the Registrar, Mrs Helen Morley on 01788 523851 or by email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk.

Please note: 

We have had very high levels of interest in places for Reception and our Year 3 class for September 2022 entry at the Early Bird Application deadline stage. Many of these applications were from families with siblings already in the school. As a result, we have already allocated all of the available places in these year groups for September 2022. We are now operating waiting groups in these year groups for families who are still interested in a place, should a suitable one become available.

We are currently operating waiting groups in most other years apart from our current Reception and Year 1 classes (Year 1 and 2 for September 2022 entry) where we do have some places available as these year groups each have two classes.

We are already taking registrations for places in Reception and Year 3 starting September 2023.

To find out more please click here

Tuesday 25 January 2022 - 7.30pm

For our first Arts Society Lecture of 2022 Dr Nick Baker, former Archivist of Princethorpe College will give a presentation on ‘Should You Judge A Book By Its Cover? A fascinating look at book bindings through the centuries.

The lecture will cover:

Does it matter what a book looks like? We often take book bindings for granted, but they can tell us so much about the past. Generally speaking, books have only been sold ready-bound since the nineteenth century. Before then, loose sheets of printed or written text were bound to serve the taste, needs and the means of the patron or purchaser. Various materials, including leather, were employed to protect precious volumes, and they were frequently decorated with metalwork, paint and ink. Hot metal tools were sometimes used to stamp the covers with elaborate designs.

What is a girdle book? What is russia leather? What is tree calf? We will consider these, and other weird and wonderful terms, in the course of the evening. Book bindings can tell us so much about past owners, printers and publishers, and provide insights into changing fashions and tastes. Above all, many book bindings are simply works of arts to be treasured and enjoyed.

The talk will take place at 7.30pm on Tuesday 25 January 2022 in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre followed by wine and light refreshments in the Atrium.

Tickets cost just £5 each, Princethorpe, Crackley Hall and Crescent School pupils are free of charge. To book your ticket please go to Princethorpe Connect. Tickets will also be available on the door.

Our Spring Arts Society Lecture is the third in the series on Italian poet, writer and philosopher, Dante, by former Deputy Head, Pastoral and Art Historian, Margaret-Louise O’Keeffe on Tuesday 29 March 2022 – please save the date.

Friday 28 January 2022

Our first 2022 PTA event will be celebrating the Scottish Burns Night. 

More information will be coming out shortly so please keep your diary free for what promises to be an enjoyable evening. 

We are always looking for volunteers so if you would like to help at this or any future event, please sign up here at the Ptasocial website or email us at pta@princethorpe.co.uk

You can also follow us on Twitter - @PincethorpePta, Instagram - @princethorpepta or Facebook - Princethorpe PTA

Upper Sixth Mock Exam Reports will be published to the parent portal on Friday 14 January 2022. Once published, you will receive an email notification advising that the reports are available to view on My School Portal.

There will be an opportunity for parents to discuss their child’s report at the forthcoming Upper Sixth online Parents’ Evening on Thursday 20 January 2022.

Year 11 Mock Exam Reports will be published to the parent portal on Friday 21 January. Once published, you will receive an email notification advising that the reports are available to view on My School Portal. The Year 11 online Parents’ Evenings will be on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 January.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head – Teaching and Learning

Following the success of the extension of Bring Youir Own Device (BYOD) to encompass Year 8 and above this academic year, we will be continuing with our plans for Year 7 to use devices in the classroom from January 2022.

From January, pupils in Year 7 will need to bring a device to school every day for use in lessons. Many Year 7 pupils bought devices through the school scheme this term, and many already have suitable devices for use in school. The school systems work on most operating systems, but if purchasing a new device we would recommend Windows10/11. If your child is in Year 7 and does not yet have a suitable device for use in school we would recommend the following specification:

Windows 10 or 11
Minimum 4GB RAM (8GB preferable)
Minimum 128GB SSD
Touchscreen preferable

Parents of pupils in Year 7 will be sent instructions next week via email on ensuring their child’s device is setup ready for use in school, to help with a smooth start in the Lent term.

If you have any questions about this please do get in touch.

Please find below details regarding homework expectations over Christmas. Whilst homework is of course vital, especially for those taking external exams this coming summer, Christmas is a very important family time and it follows a long and demanding term. All pupils should make sure to include at least three days of total rest and family time.

Years 7, 8 and 9

1.  No formal homework will be set for the holiday (although some pupils may have to complete homework set for the last week of the half term).
2.  Pupils will be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders. 

Year 10

1.  Homework may be set for all subjects.
2.  Pupils will be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders. 

Year 11

1.  Pupils should be revising for their mocks beginning Wednesday 5 January. This should include revision work as indicated by subject teachers and areas of revision that pupils have identified for themselves.  Pupils should aim for at least four hours’ productive work per day.
2.  Pupils will also be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders.  

Sixth Form - Lower Sixth

1.  Homework may be set for all subjects. Students should aim for at least four hours’ productive work per day.
2.  Students will be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders. 

Sixth Form - Upper Sixth

1.  Students should be revising for their mocks beginning Wednesday 5 January. This should include revision work as indicated by subject teachers and areas of revision that pupils have identified for themselves.  Students should aim for at least between four and six hours productive work per day.
2.  Students will also be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders.  
3.  Review of examination papers and completion of corrections as directed by subject teachers.

Wishing you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and a healthy and successful 2022.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head – Teaching and Learning

In advance of the mock exams in January, I would like to remind parents that the College subscribes to GCSEPod, an online content and revision provider to support GCSE revision. GCSEPod can support the effort, systems and practice elements of the VESPA model, providing tailored content to help your child revise.

As a subscriber, your child has access to GCSEPod’s library of over 6,000 ‘Pods,’ 3-5 minute videos designed to deliver knowledge in short bursts. GCSEPod makes learning and revision much more manageable: every Pod is mapped to an exam board, and contains all the right facts, quotes, keywords, dates and annotated diagrams that your child needs for GCSE success – all neatly organised into topics and exam playlists. Watch this short video for a quick introduction.

One of the best things about GCSEPod is that your child can download any Pod to their mobile device, and then they can watch them at any time, in any place, with or without internet. It’s like they’re carrying a whole set of textbooks in their pocket! Make sure they download the GCSEPod app from the App Store (Apple and Android are supported) to access this feature.

For more ways to support your child using GCSEPod, please visit www.gcsepod.com/parents where you’ll find lots more information and resources.

Your child can also access a helpful video on how to use GCSEPod to revise for exams on this link (pupils will need to be logged into their school account to access this video).

Your child has already been registered with GCSEPod through their school account. If you child has already activated their account they can login using the ‘Sign in with Office365’ button, using their Princethorpe email address and password.

If they haven’t used GCSEPod before they just need to activate their account by going to www.gcsepod.com and clicking “Login” in the top right-hand corner, then following the instructions below:

1)      Click “New here?  Get started.”

2)      Select “Student”

3)      Enter their name, date of birth and the school name.

4)      Create a username, password, and a password hint to help them remember the password.

Once the account is activated they can login using the ‘Sign in with Office365’ button, using their Princethorpe email address and password.

If you have any questions regarding GCSEPod please don’t hesitate to contact me at andycompton@princethorpe.co.uk

Andy Compton
Assistant Head - Director of Digital Strategy

Now we are in to the second half term, it is important to recognise the stresses and demands on our Lower Sixth students. You should have noticed the level of study has increased somewhat but be aware that this level of load can cause difficulties and anxieties. Here are some tips to support your youngster.

Encourage your youngster to ask for help when they need it – seeking out a teacher before stress starts to build up is essential. This could be as simple as finding the teacher before class, chatting to their tutor or sharing worries with friends.

Stay organised – consider how your youngster is scheduling their time and ensure that they are setting aside time for each subject throughout the week. Encourage them to start assignments early, set deadlines and make the most of study periods in the school day.

Mix up your study routine – talk to your youngster about staying focused and positive during their study time. It is important that they use a variety of study techniques from using flashcards or mind maps, writing summaries and watching online tutorials to getting a friend or family member to quiz them, completing practice tests under exam conditions and working through questions from the text book.

Take time to research your post-school options – get your youngster thinking about their future aspirations. Taking time to research and make plans for post-school life can provide a nice break from studies, while also helping them to stay motivated by reminding them of the bigger picture. This may include researching institutions and courses of interest, organising things for a gap year and putting together course applications.

Stay calm and keep things in perspective – Sixth Form studies are rewarding but also demanding. Your youngster’s mental health is a vital component to success. Take time to encourage them to be involved in other activities and have a balanced life style.

For more suggestions, please click on this link.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

The Christmas break will soon be here, and it may be time to think about catching up on some reading. Relax, read and recharge over the break. Click here for a link to a collection of twelve recommended titles that will inspire, entertain and enthral as they appeal to pupils and adults of all ages.

Mostly published within the last few months, they are an opportunity to sample new authors, stories and genres. Happy Reading!

Celia Scott
Librarian

Flu Vaccinations For Years 7-11

The Immunisation Team will be in school on Monday 17 January 2022 to offer all pupils in Years 7 to 11 a nasal flu vaccine. An email has been sent to all parents/guardians with pupils in these year groups.

The link to the electronic consent form and further information is here. Please note that the link expires on Wednesday 15 December.

Pupils who are receiving the vaccine will be informed of their time to attend nearer the time.

Covid-19 Vaccinations

Any pupils between the ages of 12 and 15 who missed the Covid Vaccination Clinic in school and would like to receive a Covid vaccination may now book an appointment at one of the NHS vaccination centres using the link here.

Pupils between the ages of 16 and 18 may also book an appointment via the above link. At this time there are no plans to hold a catch up clinic for Covid vaccinations in school. Please note that national guidance has now been updated to state that children under the age of 18 now need to wait 12 weeks after their most recent positive Covid-19 test result, as opposed to the four weeks indicated previously.

Many thanks for all of your support and kind words and very best wishes for a very Happy Christmas from the Princethorpe College Medical Centre.

Paula Greig
Senior Matron

Engineers help to change the world and solve many of the challenges facing humanity. These engineering courses explore which engineering careers are available, and give a glimpse of life as an engineer, with hands-on projects and insights from industry experts and academics.

The Smallpeice Trust are offering a mixture of residential, in-person and online courses. Courses are tailored to different age groups, and either give an overview of the broader areas within engineering or look in more detail at specific disciplines. The first ten courses are now live and available to book here. 

Work experience is now back on the post GCSE agenda, and, as things open up after COVID, we hope that all our Year 11 students will be able to find a placement in Summer 2022.

I would also suggest looking at the website Springpod which offers a virtual work experience programme which has been highly recommended by our Careers Advisor.

Many thanks to those who already have managed to help their son/daughter obtain a placement; in the meantime please could you let me know if you have managed to arrange something by emailing miketaylor@princethorpe.co.uk

Mike Taylor
Work Experience Co-ordinator

Please don’t forget that Princethorpe College PTA is registered with easyfundraising. So, although we’ve been unable to get together and hold fundraising events in person for a while, we can continue to raise free funds, at no extra cost to you.

When you shop via the easyfundraising website or app, with over 4,100 of your favourite retailers, including John Lewis & Partners, eBay, Amazon and many more, you will raise FREE donations for the school.  

If you’re not already registered, please visit our easyfundraising page here:

This will really make a difference to our school! Thank you for your support.

Our friendly PTA here at Princethorpe College are keen to welcome new members. 

By joining our PTA community, you are not committing to volunteer, but just to joining our community and if you do wish to volunteer you will receive emails when we require help to run our events.

For more information about the PTA and how to join please email pta@princethorpe.co.uk

Princethorpe PTA

Please continue to prioritise signing off your volunteering, physical and skill sections. The majority have already completed their award in full. Guidance can be found on a DofE Completion email sent to you and your parents, the advice documents below are also available on MySchoolPortal.

For help, please refer to this eDofE Completion Guide and the Electronic Assessor Report Guide. You may also find it useful to refer to the Temporary Changes Summary or Gold Temporary Changes Summary documents.

The DofE drop in clinic continues next term on Tuesday lunch 1 LF01 and 2 LG02. The Certificate Presentation Evening takes place on Thursday 17 February 2022.

Will Bower 
Head of Outdoor Education – DofE Manager 

Online eDofE accounts have been created and you have been sent an email with the login details. For those who signed up late to the scheme; DofE folders have been distributed via form tutors.

Please could all new bronze, silver and gold participants complete the steps listed below by Tuesday 14 December.

• Download the DofE app or find www.edofe.org
• Login using the username and password sticker on your folder
• Update your personal details
• Set timescales (for example at bronze physical 6, volunteering 3 and skill 3 months)
• Complete programme planners for the physical, volunteering and skill sections. Please make sure you speak to your potential assessor to ask permission before you upload the details
• Submit your ‘programme planners’ online to your DofE Leader for approval. Once approved you can start your award.

Good luck in logging your hours for the volunteering, physical and skills sections. I will contact all participants and parents directly in the New Year regarding the expedition section.

Will Bower 
Head of Outdoor Education – DofE Manager 

The History Department Year 8 trip to Ypres and the Somme will take place between Friday 1 July and Tuesday 5 July 2022. It is an exciting opportunity to visit the battlefields of WW1, discover how the war was fought and won, and what life was like in the trenches. It is a great introduction to the scheme of work followed in Year 9 which focuses on conflict of the twentieth century and its impact on the people of Europe. Please click here for more information.

Please email peterbucknall@princethorpe.co.uk to register your interest or for more information.

Peter Bucknall 
Head of History

Co-curricular trips and educational visits have always been a major part of life at Princethorpe. These experiences for pupils enrich their lives, enhance their learning and develop their understanding and appreciation of the world around. Over the past 18 months, opportunities for these have been sadly lacking but it has been great for us to be able to successfully run the Year 7 residential to Whitemoor Lakes and the Lower Sixth residential as year group bubble trips this term. Supporting the curriculum, we have had Maths Challenge to Warwick University, Geography field trips for Year 11 and Upper Sixth, as well at the Fashion and Design Technology trip to London.

We know that there will be concerns this winter about more spikes in COVID cases; however, it is important to look forward and plan for the summer and beyond making the best, informed judgements at the time. We have, as always, been hugely gratefully to parents for their support in this aspect of Princethorpe so wanted to update you with the provisional major trips and visits plans as they currently stand (this does not include academic department day trips or Duke of Edinburgh). Please see here for the planned school trips in the coming years.

Please also ensure that you read the information about individual trips with care when they are released, in particular in relation to consent, cancellation and insurance.

Neil McCollin
Assistant Head - Co-Curricular

Please see below our current vacancies: 

Princethorpe Foundation

• Foundation Director of Estates 

Princethorpe College

• Head of Boys' Games 
• Teacher of Spanish (Maternity Cover) 
• Administrator (Estates)
• HR Administrator
• Bursary Assistant
• Caretaker - Afernoons\Evenings
• Cleaner - Saturdays
• Examinations Invigilator 
• Lead Examinations Invigilator 

Crackley Hall

• Caretaker - Full Time 
• Early Years Assistant 

Full details and how to apply are available via the following link: Join Us

Should you know anyone who might be interested in this post, please do share this information with them.

With the cold weather setting in, just a reminder that school jumpers are available from the School Shop. The school jumper for girls' is red in Years 7 and 8 and green for Years 9 to 11. The boys' school jumper is black. Sixth Form students wear a plain dark coloured jumper.

Written permission from home is needed to add items to the school fee account. Cash, cheque or card payments are of course welcome.

Barbara Bromwich
Foundation Shop Manager

Please note that the school shop will be closed from 2.00pm on Tuesday 14 December 2021 and reopen at the beginning of the Lent term on Wednesday 5 January 2022.

Shop opening hours during term time are Monday to Friday during the following times:

• For pupils - break and lunch time
• Pupils and parents - Mondays and Wednesdays, after school until 4.30pm

Remember you can email orders for uniform to uniform@princethorpe.co.uk or call direct on 01926 634272.

If your child would like to purchase any uniform, please give written permission or contact the school shop. Items can be paid for in cash, by cheque or added to the school bill.

Barbara Bromwich
Foundation Shop Manager

Please find below the Term Dates for 2021-22 and 2022-23

2021-22 (two page document)

2022-23 (two page document) 

As it is the time of year when there is the threat of snow, it might be helpful for everyone to be familiar with the arrangements should there be significant snowfall. Where possible and if it’s safe to do so, we always remain open, even if we have to end the school day earlier than usual.

Should there be bad weather overnight, we talk to the bus companies a little before 6.00am and they brief us about their ability to operate our services. The Headmaster then makes a decision about whether the school will open.

Information will be available via the channels detailed below:

• The home page of the website www.princethorpe.co.uk will normally be updated shortly after 6.00am.
• We will also post on the College Twitter page @PrincethorpeCol and Facebook Page www.facebook.com/PrincethorpeCollege shortly after 6.00am.
• If there is likely to be disruption we will send text messages to parents’ mobiles and the mobiles of pupils who use the buses, usually by 6.30am. Please note that we are not able to receive text replies on this service. 

If you want to look online at reliable weather forecasting, then www.weather.co.uk and www.metcheck.com are both sites which we use. In the case of flooding, then www.environment-agency.gov.uk is also useful. If you look under Flood and then use the river search word Leam, that will give you a good idea of the conditions around Princethorpe and the surrounding villages.

Should we have to close in the course of the day we will send text messages to let you know the  arrangements.  

In such circumstances we will publish regular updates on the website.

Where possible, we will make sure that our main number 01926 634200 is staffed or carries a recorded message.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar