The Flagpole

Having ended the Half Term in gale force winds we were, I am sure, all looking forward to a good Half Term break and a continued receding of Covid cases and measures. Despite the ongoing tensions, not many would have anticipated the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This has, of course, dominated much of our thoughts recently and it is an anxious time for us all. We started the week with a whole school assembly when I discussed some of the details of what is happening and we prayed for the people of Ukraine, for all those caught up in conflict and for the world leaders to do all they can to resolve this terrible situation. We have shared some useful resources with our staff and tutors have had discussions with tutees this week – whilst we do not want to overly dwell on the conflict (and there are so many other positive things going on at school) we do also need to allow pupils the time and space to discuss and share their feelings.  

I thought it may be useful to share some ideas with parents about: 

How to talk to your children about the Ukraine/Russia conflict

The start of work to create a brand-new state-of-the-art Science Centre at Princethorpe College was officially marked with a turf cutting ceremony.

The new building situated on the College campus to the north of The Limes building, will house ten laboratories, serving Biology, Chemistry and Physics teaching at the school. It will ultimately transform the College’s entire campus allowing other areas to be redeveloped and departments clustered within the main school building.

The turf cutting took place on Tuesday 1 March with the Headmaster, Ed Hester, and incoming Heads of School, Pratheesh Prabakaran and Freya Mills, donning hard hats and hi-vis jackets to perform the official ground-breaking ceremony. They were joined by Trendgrey Construction Ltd MD Nick Henderson, Foundation Assistant Head, Alex Darkes, Chair of the Old Princethorpians Association, Peter Rollason and long-standing VSOP, Mary Wheildon.

The new £8 million Science Centre is due for completion in mid-2023, ready for opening at the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year. Trendgrey Construction moved onto site just over a week ago and have already established a large self-contained compound and the access road for the construction traffic at the back of the tennis courts in preparation for the real work commencing.

Comments Ed Hester, Headmaster, "The start of the construction work marks a key milestone for the College. This new building will provide cutting edge, state-of-the-art Science facilities and help inspire future generations of Princethorpe scientists, engineers, researchers, chemists, doctors and more. In a demanding world, where scientific progress is essential, we need to provide the very best facilities for teaching and learning to stimulate the intellect, ambition and creativity of our pupils. This tremendous new building will enable us to do just that."

Adds Alex Darkes, Foundation Assistant Head and Project Manager, "After years of planning this is a very exciting day for us all here at Princethorpe. It won’t be long before we start to see some big changes on site as Princethorpe’s vision for the future starts to become a reality."

Staff and pupils have had a great time celebrating World Book Day on Thursday 3 March. One of the English department and Library's highlights of the year, it is always a great opportunity to share the joy of books.

At Tutor Time the whole school community took part in a ‘Drop Everything And Read Challenge’ including Mr Hester, Headmaster, whose book of choice was Bob Mortimer’s autobiography And Away. In their form rooms pupils pulled out their favourites and settled down to read.

At Lunch there was the Big Book Swap outside the Refectory where pupils could choose from a selection of donated books to take away to read.

Across the day Year 7 and 8 pupils received a free book, Boy Missing by Sophie McKenzie or The Last Word by Ben Bailey Smith, their special World Book Day gifts were given out during their English lessons. This week pupils have also been enjoying a Tutor Time World Book Day quiz.

Of course, the book fun doesn’t stop there, as the College has a regular pupils’ book club that meets weekly to swap stories and share news of their favourite authors alongside a custard cream or two. Then there is the Library’s Book of the Month, this March it is The Crossing by Manjeet Mann, providing a regular insight into different authors for readers across the school community. Parents can even get in on the act by coming along to, Head of English, Mr Kerrigan’s Parents Reading Group that meets monthly in library. They are currently enjoying The Architect’s Apprentice by Elif Shafak.

We had a busy day but everyone enjoyed World Book Day.

Following a rigorous selection process Princethorpe College is delighted to announce the new Heads of School. Our congratulations go to Freya Mills and Pratheesh Prabakaran who will take on these senior roles after the Easter holidays.

Competition for the positions of Heads of School was fierce, and Freya and Pratheesh were appointed after taking part in a series of tasks and presentations and an interview with Headmaster, Ed Hester, and Head of Sixth Form, Ben Collie.

The positions of Heads of School are the most senior student roles in the College, they are the leaders of our pupil community and provide an important link between pupils and staff.

Reacting to the news of their appointment Freya said, “I am delighted to have been chosen for the role of Head of School. I feel honoured to have the opportunity to represent the student body and I am excited by the prospect of the work we can do.”

Pratheesh added, “It is a privilege to be selected as Head of School. I am really looking forward to working alongside Freya with the wider Prefect Body. Both of us are excited to use our roles to implement positive change.”

The full Prefect team will be announced shortly, and the Prefect Inauguration will take place on the last day of term, Tuesday 5 April. The Prefects will begin their new roles after the Easter break.

Our Sixth Formers play an ambassadorial role within the school and at high profile public events such as Open Days and Entrance Exams, led by the Prefect team they act as role models for the wider school community.

The Oxford University Computing Challenge is an invitational event for those who finish in the top 10% of the UK Bebras Challenge. Both challenges test skills such as logical thinking, pattern identification and decomposition as well as computer programming. The challenge encourages pupils to develop their skills one stage further and consists of a range of tasks and programming challenges to solve.

Year 8 pupil, Daniel Ovens Gibbs competed in the Intermediate section this year against just over 6,650 pupils who had qualified for this year’s competition. Daniel finished in the top 3%, achieving a Distinction grade for his submission. A simply super result, especially considering that Daniel was up against pupils in Year 8 and Year 9.

Head of Computer Science, Adam Depledge said, “This is a fantastic achievement by Daniel. Computational thinking is an incredibly useful and powerful skill and Daniel has shown he has mastered it to a level well beyond his years. Daniel’s score was well over twice the average, and that was against the most talented pupils studying Computer Science. It’s great to see his abilities recognised in such a prestigious competition and we look forward to seeing what he can accomplish in the future.”

Year 8 were out planting trees on Wednesday 2 March as part of their Outdoor Education lessons as they work towards the John Muir Discovery Award. In the morning 8TY were busy digging holes for new beech trees down on the front drive. They measured and marked where the trees were to be planted, then lifted the turf, dug the holes and carefully manoeuvred the 4-year-old trees into position. In the afternoon 8TX carried on the wet and muddy work.

Outdoor Education and the John Muir Discovery Award are new additions to the Year 8 timetable this year. The conservation award is a recognised scheme that encourages awareness and responsibility for the natural environment and over the course of the year pupils have been participating in different activities, enjoying discovering and exploring Princethorpe’s green landscape.

Over 220 pupils, parents, invited guests and staff gathered together on Thursday 17 February for the College’s annual Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Celebration Evening.

2020-21 had been a challenging year for Outdoor Education, what with the pandemic restrictions and two years of expeditions to complete. Working within the DofE temporary expedition flexibilities, by the end of the year 363 pupils, some 40% of the school population, had completed their qualifying expeditions, an incredible achievement. Completing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a big undertaking, with the Gold Award taking at least 450 hours of commitment. Across the school, Princethorpe’s pupils had shown initiative, personal discipline, and good humour in order to get to the finish line.

Will Bower, Head of Outdoor Education, began the evening by summarising the last year, speaking about the positive impact exposure to the outdoors has on us all. He spoke about the College’s commitment to Outdoor Education and the variety of activities pupils take part in, from orienteering and climbing to the programme of walks and new initiatives such as the John Muir Award, as well as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards scheme. He talked about the legacy of the Duke of Edinburgh and how he hoped that the Duke would have been pleased with pupils tenacity over the last challenging year.

Then the College was delighted to welcome special guest, Alan Stapleton from 10:10 Ventures, an experienced outdoor instructor to help celebrate pupils’ achievements. In a passionate speech Alan spoke of the value of outdoor education, what it has taught him and the impact it has had on his life.

The evening also offered a chance to thank all the staff and students whose commitment makes Outdoor Education here at Princethorpe such a success, including Simon Robertson, Assistant DofE Co-ordinator, and the DofE Ambassadors, Ciaran, Ben, Ishbel, Emily, Jack and Joe who have taken a leading role in promoting, guiding and mentoring DofE participants at Princethorpe. They have been fantastic in helping younger pupils to select their activities and complete their awards.

Across the evening, pupils were presented with their Bronze, Silver and Gold Award Certificates to mark the completion of their Awards.

Also in attendance on the night were Richard Lea from our expedition partners, Peak Pursuits, and David Arundal from DofE Central Office. We were delighted they were able to join us in celebrating pupils’ achievements.

Thanks also go to the wider school staff for their help and support of pupils taking the awards. Last year 48 teachers volunteered a combined 200 days on expeditions alone, not counting all the hours put in by the wider community of staff.

Head of Outdoor Education, Will Bower, commented, “The Awards celebration was a positive and fun evening and superb opportunity to get together to celebrate the achievements of our young people. I am staggered by the breadth of their endeavour to do their Awards and do them well! The DofE temporary changes allowed pupils to help out those close to them, and this was a brilliant response to the restrictions of the pandemic. Allowing new section ideas that could be completed at home, or online made an enormous difference, enabling so many to continue with their award. I hope pupils have enjoyed the challenge and that their experiences will serve as a steppingstone to future endeavours.”

There is still time for anyone who has not quite completed their award to get it finished. Pupils are encouraged to attend the Tuesday lunchtime eDofE drop-in clinics for help.

More than half of the Elements for Princethorpe’s new Science Centre have already been snapped up by generous benefactors, who will now see their name engraved on an element in the striking Periodic Table display situated upstairs on the first floor.

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

The Periodic Table Elements are proving to be a popular choice, but there are still plenty available. Why not choose one for your family? Or a Brick or a Paver to leave your mark on Princethorpe College for generations to come.

For more information, and to take advantage of this one-off opportunity, please visit the school website here or contact the Development office at makingadifference@princethorpe.co.uk. Donations can be paid over a period of months please contact the Development Office for more information.

Princethorpe College pupils and staff were invited to mark the beginning of Lent in a series of Ash Wednesday services, on Wednesday 2 March. Held virtually at Tutor Time and then in person in the Chapel at lunchtime, the services offered an opportunity for contemplation and reflection.

Father Alan Whelan, MSC, led the services, reminding us that Lent is a time for Christians to reflect, pray, fast and think about others, and that an overriding theme to Lent is the importance of forgiveness. He spoke about the period of Lent and how the 40 days is a time for Christians to reflect and put their faith into practice asking, ‘What are you going to do for this season of Lent?’

Friday 4 March 2022 - 6.30pm to 10.30pm 

The OPs annual Local Meet takes place tonight, Friday 4 March 2022. After a hiatus of two years we will be meeting once again upstairs at Inside The 22, on Lawrence Sheriff Street, Rugby, CV22 5EJ.

Now a live music venue, as well as bar, our guests will also be able to enjoy The SOS Rock Blues Band who hark from Leicester from 9.30pm.

All OPs, VSOPs, Old Crescentians and alumni of St Joseph's and Crackley Hall School are most welcome.

There will be the customary welcome drink or two and the OPs Committee will be laying on some delicious food, so do let us know if you would like to attend by registering at Princethorpe Connect, so we can cater for you.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Fr Teddy O'Brien MSC invites the Princethorpe Community to any or all of the Lenten and Easter services at either St Anne's, Wappenbury or the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels, Princethorpe College.

Sunday 6 March

10.30am Mass Princethorpe College
Children's Liturgy will resume in the Prayer Room during past of the Mass.

Thursday 14 April             

7.00pm  Mass of the Last Supper, Princethorpe College

Friday 15 April                 
3.00pm  Commemoration of the Passion of Christ, Princethorpe College

Saturday 16 April             
8.00pm Vigil Mass for Easter, St Anne's, Wappenbury
                                                            
Sunday 17 April               
8.30am  Easter Mass, St Anne's, Wappenbury
10.30am  Easter Mass, Princethorpe College

For an update on the weekly news in the parish bulletin please use the link here

Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 8.30am at St Anne's, Wappenbury and in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels, Princethorpe College at 10.30am.

On the first Sunday of each month Mass is offered for the deceased members of our families. Please join us if you can.

Fr Teddy looks forward to meeting you all.

Wednesday 9 March - 7.00pm

We enjoyed a great discussion last month about The Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin. All members seemed to have got something out of this book. Set in a hospital, it explores the unusual friendship between a 17-year-old and an 83-year-old. Both are dying but the novel is quite uplifting and there is a light humour which brightens the tone. The backstory of each character is revealed in such a way that we share both their triumphs and tragedies.

We will be meeting again at 7.00pm in the library on Wednesday 9 March. On this occasion we plan to discuss The Architect’s Apprentice by Elif Shafak. This comes well reviewed and is certainly visually appealing, although we all know not to judge a book by its cover! It has been great to welcome newcomers recently and you’ll get a warm welcome if you can join us, whether or not you have read this particular book.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English

Tuesday 5 April 2022

Parents of pupils elected to serve on the Prefect Body, for the term of office which commences at the start of the Trinity term 2022, will receive an invitation from the Headmaster inviting them to attend the Prefect Inauguration Ceremony.

The ceremony takes place on Tuesday 5 April  at 1.45pm, in the Sports Hall, as part of our final assembly of the term and is preceded by a buffet lunch at 12.45pm in the Sixth Form Centre.

Replies will be due in by Monday 28 March 2022.

Saturday 19 March 2022 - 10.00am to 12.00pm

The Crescent School, Princethorpe's prep school in Rugby, is opening its doors to prospective and current parents and children for a Spring Open Morning on Saturday 19 March 2022 from 10.00am to 12.00pm. 

This is a perfect opportunity to come and have a look around the school, meet key members of staff and to find out why the school has been judged excellent in all areas by the ISI in their recent inspection. 

Families are invited to book on to one of two sessions, 10.00am and 11.00am. After a short welcome presentation by Mr Thackway, Headmaster, you will be guided around the school where you will be able to watch sporting displays and listen to instrumental performances; there will also be the opportunity to visit classrooms and children can participate in an activity trail. 

To book your place please click here.

In terms of availability, Reception and Year 3 for 2022 entry are now full, with a waiting group available. We are also operating waiting groups in most other years apart from our current Reception and Year 1 classes (Year 1 and 2 for September 2022 entry). We are now taking registrations for Reception and Year 3 entry in 2023 and beyond. 

For more information about availability or about the Open Morning please call Registrar, Mrs Helen Morley on 01788 523851 or email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk.

Alternatively please visit our website www.crescentschool.co.uk for more information.

Saturday 19 March 2022 - 10.00am to 1.00pm

We are looking forward to welcoming former pupils, parents and staff back to Crackley Hall School for the Crackley Hall and St Joseph's Convent School's postponed 75th Anniversary celebrations.

On Saturday 19 March (St Joseph's Day) we will be holding an Open House event at Crackley Hall School and all past pupils, parents and former members of staff of the school and of St Joseph's Convent School are invited to join us.

Plans for the event include a Mass from 11.00am to 12 noon, an archive display, music and drama performances by current Crackley pupils and the chance for past pupils, parents and staff to chat and reminisce. Light refreshments will be served.

We have already had high levels of interest in the event and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone back.

To register your interest in attending the celebrations please click here.

Friday 18 March 2022 - 6.30-7.30pm

Please join in this special event in the College Chapel reflecting on Jesus’ way of the cross through mime, music and readings with Years 7 to Upper Sixth involved. All staff, pupils and parents welcome. Tickets (free of charge) are now available to pupils, staff and friends of the school by emailing Rod Isaacs at rodisaacs@princethorpe.co.uk

We are inviting donations for Aid to the Church in Need who are currently supporting the people of Ukraine through these difficult times and for Friends of the Holy Land which funds health and education projects for Christians in Israel/Palestine. 

Refreshments will be available afterwards in the Sixth Form Centre.

Tuesday 22 March 2022 - 6.30pm to 7.30pm

What can we expect from new cars in 2030? Electric motors will replace diesel and petrol engines. Cars will increasingly drive themselves for parts or all of the journey. When the driver is in control of the vehicle, the steering wheel and brake pedal will no longer be mechanically connected to the wheels – instead commands will be sent over a data-bus just like the driving simulator for a games console. Owning a car will be increasingly like owning a smart phone: with new car companies emerging and monthly subscriptions increasingly replacing car ownership. Comfort and features may become more important than raw performance, with electric suspension and noise cancellation making you feel more like you are sitting in a business-class lounge than a hassled commuter.

Sustainability and zero emissions will become the number one goal. Whilst cars will primarily be powered by batteries, goods vehicles and larger transport systems will increasingly rely on green hydrogen as their fuel source. With petrol and diesel fumes eliminated, the focus will be on eliminating brake dust and tyre dust pollution from the local environment, and reducing noise pollution.

Behind these revolutionary new trends, there are tens of thousands of engineers working hard to deliver safe, reliable and minimum-carbon solutions. This passionate team includes software, cybersecurity, magnetic, mechanical, electronics and design experts. If you have a love of science, design, and delivering creative solutions for the green economy, this may be a career for you.

Dr Connel Williams has spent 25 years working in the automotive and aerospace industries, developing smart actuators for cars, trucks, planes and helicopters. Before that he spent 5 years in academia, studying for a PhD in micromechanical engineering, designing micromotors and energy harvesters. He is now in charge of servodrive technology development globally for ZF, the third largest automotive supplier in the world.

He joins us on Tuesday 22 March 2022 from 6.30pm - 7.30pm for a STEAM talk on Engineering Cars of the Future. Sign up here to join us for what will be a fascinating insight into the future.

Dante created a remarkable body of work, including love poetry, linguistic and political treatises, and the monumental theological and philosophical Commedia, which is also a beautiful love story.

He wrote in Latin and Italian, advocating the vernacular as a fitting subject for serious subjects, and his writings had a profound influence on the course of Italian literature.

The talk will take place at 7.30pm on Tuesday 29 March 2022 in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre followed by wine and light refreshments in The Atrium.

Tickets may also be purchased at the door but advance notice helps catering, please. Princethorpe, Crackley Hall and Crescent School pupils free of charge.

To reserve a place for the Dante 3 presentation please use this link

We look forward to an excellent and informative evening - see you soon

Wednesday 8 June 2022 - 6.30pm to 8.30pm

The College's Summer Open Evening will take place on Wednesday 8 June from 6.30pm - 8.30pm. This is an informal opportunity for prospective families to look around the college and to meet members of staff and pupils.

There will be activities in each department for children to participate in, and there will be two opportunities to hear from Ed Hester, Headmaster, at 6.45pm or 7.30pm. Light refreshments will also be available.

To book your place please click here.

Year 5 Taster Days are also available in April, May and June. To be the first to hear about how you can book on, please register your interest here. 

For more information about the admissions process and entry to the College, please do not hesitate to contact the Admissions Team on 01926 634201/262/297 or by email at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

For March we have chosen a book from the Carnegie longlist. This title was also the winner in the Costa Book Awards for 2021:

The Crossing by Manjeet Mann, ISBN 9780241411445

An amazing novel, told by narrative poem using both voices, this is about two teenagers from opposite sides of the world who share a connection through very odd circumstances. The Crossing is a story of hope, grief, and the very real tragedies of the refugee crisis.

Natalie's world is falling apart. She's just lost her mum and swimming is her only refuge. Her brother reacts to grief by rebelling and joins a far-right anti-refugee protest and action group. He marches the streets of Dover full of hate and anger.

Sammy has fled his home and family in Eritrea for the chance of a new life in Europe, running from forced conscription into the army in his home country. Every step he takes on his journey is a step into an unknown and unwelcoming future. A twist of fate brings Natalie and Sammy together and gives them both hope. But is hope enough?

Both characters have huge issues to face. Sammy’s are obviously more dangerous and overwhelming, though Natalie’s are equally as difficult in other ways. Both alternately express their fears, dilemmas and friendships and there are surprising parallels in both of their stories. This is a book you really can’t put down, because you have to know what happens to Sammy and Natalie and if they ever get to meet!

As the plot carries you along, the story involves you in the plight of refugees and the horrific ways in which they are exploited. Natalie’s decision to swim the channel to raise funds for the refugee charities creates conflict within her own home and she needs all the support she can get.

Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 March 2022 - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

The Year 11 Parents’ Evening will take place on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 March 2022 from 6.00pm to 8.30pm. As you will be aware, the pandemic forced schools into conducting Parents’ Evenings online and this has proved to be a successful approach which we are continuing. However, after half-term, we will be trialling an alternative platform for these events, delivered by SchoolCloud. This is widely used by many schools and should make the booking and appointment process simpler. We will send out detailed information in advance of events and will gladly listen to your feedback on the new system.

Meetings will still be booked online and further details will follow on how to book the appointments.

It is hoped that all parents will be successful in gaining an appointment, however if this is not possible teachers may contact you via email to update you about your child’s progress.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Exams January 2022

Results for the January Maths exams have been published and distributed to pupils, together with information about how to request copies of exam scripts or submit an enquiry about a result. For more information about results enquiries, pupils should see their subject teacher or me; my office is Room S38 on the Upper Pugin corridor.

Results for the January BTEC exams will be published and distributed on Wednesday 23 March 2022.

Exams Summer 2022

Individual exam timetables can now be viewed on My School Portal by both parents and pupils under the heading Exam Timetable; room allocations will appear nearer the time.

Please note: For the IGCSE Spanish and French Exam, both the Listening exam and the Reading and Writing exam are timetabled to start at the same time on the same day. This is not a clash; the Listening exam will take place at the time shown and the Reading and Writing exam will follow immediately after.

An exam clash occurs when two examinations for different subjects are scheduled to start at the same time. If the total duration of the two examinations is 180 minutes or less, the exams will take place one immediately after the other. If the total duration exceeds 180 minutes one exam will be moved to the other session that day and pupils will be supervised in-between exams.

In some cases, a pupil may have three exams timetabled in a day. Again, the duration of the exams will determine the options open to the candidate, I will discuss these on an individual basis.

I will be contacting pupils next week (week commencing Monday 7 March) with details of any exams that need to be rescheduled.

Shellagh Dodds
Examination and Assessment Manager

We have reviewed the use of airpods/earphones in school to support the wellbeing of the pupils. It is very important that pupils are alert around the school and aware of any hazards or instructions. Pupils will be informed of this guidance on Monday 7 March during their tutor period. Therefore from Tuesday 8 March, pupils will not be allowed to wear airpods/earphones during the school day or walking around the school (this includes walking between lessons and follows the same rule as mobile phones). Pupils will be issued with an LLC (device misuse) if airpods/earphones are seen. Pupils can only use airpods/earphones when directed by their teacher for educational purposes during lessons. Guidance for the Sixth Form will be that they are permitted to use airpods/earphones in the Sixth Form Centre only and follows their use of mobile phones in Lower and Upper Sixth.

I would be grateful if you could inform your youngster of this new guidance. Thank you for your support in advance.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

The Immunisation Service will be in school on Monday 14 March 2022 to offer Year 9 pupils a Diptheria/Tetanus/Polio and Meningitis ACWY vaccination.

If you have consented for your child to receive the vaccination please let them know.

Further information regarding appointment times will be published in the Pupil Briefing. 

The Immunisation Service has requested that pupils attending for vaccination please wear a face covering.

Many thanks.

As Christians begin their Lenten journey of prayer, fast and abstinence for forty days marked by the wearing of ashes on their forehead on Ash Wednesday, they are reminded of the time when Jesus went into the desert to prepare for his mission. As students prepare for exams over the coming weeks we pray that the Spirit of knowledge will be with them. That their time spent in preparation will be rewarded and their anxieties calmed in the loving embrace of their family and friends.

A prayer and blessing for the season of Lent:

For each day of Lent may we receive You grace to overcome our weaknesses Response: Be our rock of refuge, O Lord of life. 

For each step that we might take Response: Be our guide, O Lord of life

For each load that we might bear Response: Be our strength, O Lord of life

For each mountain we might face Response: Be our power, O Lord of life

For each river that might impede Response: Be our safety, O Lord of life

For each place where we might rest Response: Be our peace, O Lord of life

For each sunrise and sunset Response: Be our joy, O Lord of life

We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen

Amen

The most recent Parent Toolkit webinar, entitled Managing Sleep took place on Wednesday 2 March. Mr Hester and Mrs Greig provided some excellent ideas, resources and guidance on helping children and young people to manage their sleep, and the benefits this can have. The recording of the webinar can be found on the Parent Toolkit section of My School Portal.

The next webinar, Online Safety, takes place on Tuesday 15 March 2022 at 6.30pm. The link to the webinar is here and the programme of all future webinars and links to access them, can be found on My School Portal here.

Please send any suggestions for future webinar topics that we have not already planned to cover to Mrs Beth Sharpe at BethSharpe@Princethorpe.co.uk

Andy Compton
Assistant Head - Director of Digital Strategy

The College is supporting the Ukraine Emergency Collection.

We are asking for donations to be in the following three specific categories that are already in very short supply: 

1.    Foodstuffs:  Dried foodstuff e.g. Cup a Soups, tinned food. 

2.    Toiletries:  Toothpaste and toothbrush, bodywash, wet wipes, tissues, shower gel, nappies, sanitary products 

3.    Clothing:  Balaclavas, thermal vests/pants, socks, tights, snoods, fingerless mittens and gloves.

How to donate

If you are able to donate, please send in any of the above items, bagged up, with your children in the morning or bring them at the 4.00pm collection by car. This should be done on Tuesday 8 March and Wednesday 9 March only, with the items being taken to the Sports Hall.

Many thanks.

Congratulations to the U13A Netball team who came second at the U13 Warwickshire County Netball Tournament on Wednesday 2 March.

The girls recorded great wins against Kings High, Bilton Grange B, Kinglsey and secured a hard fought draw against Stratford Girls Grammar School. A huge well done to them all.

As the Trinity term is fast approaching we start moving our thoughts to summer sports and the cricket season. The cricket kit is not compulsory for all, however, for those who will be representing the College in the Boys' A and B teams and those who would like to wear the kit we offer a cricket shirt, trousers and sleeveless slipover. 

As a general guide we normally run an A and B Boys' team for U12 through to U15’s who are required to wear the school cricket kit and the Girls' cricket teams are required to wear their school PE polo and skort.

All orders must be placed before the end of the school day on Monday 7 March 2022 using the order form here, you will be notified by email when they are available to collect from the School Shop.

We have one of each size available to try on in the School Shop in size 11-12, XS, S, M and L. The white PE polo is also a good size guide.

If you need any help with your order please contact Tamsin Frost on 01926 634272.

Barbara Bromwich
Foundation Shop Manager

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

Tuesday 22 March 2022

Princethorpe College are delighted to offer Year 10 the opportunity to attend the GCSE Science Live! event at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham. This event offers the pupils the chance to see and hear five of Britain’s top scientists, all working at the cutting edge of their specialisms, who were carefully chosen for their ability to communicate with GCSE pupils in a direct and exciting way. The presenters are Prof. Robert Winston, Prof. Andrea Sella, Prof. Jim Al-Khalili, Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Prof. Alice Roberts. The day will be fast-moving, exciting, thought-provoking and will give pupils the chance to raise issues with the scientists. 

In addition to the speaking scientists, pupils will also get the opportunity to: 

- strengthen GCSE results with top tips on examination success from an experienced science examiner.  

- see that science really does offer solutions for many of the world’s great problems. 

Each pupil will receive a well-produced booklet with details about each scientist, the lectures and some general articles about studying Science and working as scientists – as well as a number of pieces from an experienced chief examiner on success with Science GCSE. 

Pupils are required to wear full school uniform and to bring a packed lunch.

Information letters and consent requests have been emailed out through Evolve. 

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. 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 year. 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 would like 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's Award). 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

Rob Heath, Director of Estates, and his team welcome Emma Wells to the Estates Department to ensure all aspects of administration continue to run smoothly. 

A French graduate, Emma has worked within HR departments in legal, retail and educational head offices for ten years before settling in an educational environment. Emma has invigilated at Princethorpe since 2018 and has provided administrative support to various departments during Michaelmas Term 2021.

An Old Crescentian and a current Princethorpe parent, Emma is delighted to be working within the Foundation in this new role. In her spare time Emma loves playing badminton, reading and travelling.

The Administration Team welcomes Suz Jeffery, who is working alongside Claire Wildsmith, as our new HR Administrator.

Suz worked for nine years at a primary school before arriving at Princethorpe. Her role in the school office entailed everything from booking school trips to managing HR and Payroll.

In her spare time Suz enjoys spending time with her family, gardening and trying new recipes – both cooking and eating!

Over the next few months we will be working with our transport consultants, Vectare, to conduct a full review of the College bus services in readiness for the 2022-23 academic year.

The aim of the review is to optimise the services we provide for families and where possible improve routes and journey times.

Vectare will be analysing a variety of factors including demographic information, current usage and bus journey statistics and their representatives will travel on the services after Easter.

As part of the review we will be consulting with current bus users and non-bus users, as well as incoming families for September 2022. A link to the survey will be sent to parents next week and we would ask for all replies by Friday 18 March 2022.

Once the review is completed Vectare will present their findings to the College and work on revised routes and timetables to be completed and published by early June.

We would encourage all parents, whether bus users or non-bus users to participate in the survey.

Many thanks

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

We have received complaints and concerns from parents, neighbours and the general public about lengthy queues on the drive backing down onto the Leamington Road. This seems to be a particular problem in the afternoon and more specifically on a Friday.

To help improve the situation we would ask that parents do not arrive at the College to pick up their children before 3.30pm. The playground gates are kept closed until this time for the safety and safeguarding of children and queuing traffic on the drive impedes normal traffic on site including visitors with appointments at the school. In emergencies and exceptional circumstances, the gates may need to open early or remain closed beyond 3.30pm to enable us to respond effectively to the situation.

The queues on the road cause a significant problem for local traffic and on occasions vehicles have been known to overtake dangerously in both directions simultaneously.

The College has worked for many years with the local authority and parish council regarding safety on this stretch of road and paid for the addition of double white lines a few years ago.

We want to do our utmost to avoid any accidents or indeed a situation where we are faced with sanctions being imposed on traffic near the College or the police becoming involved.

As an alternative to collecting your child you may wish to consider using the school bus service after school, individual tickets as well as pass bookings can be made using the Bus Services website here. There is currently good availability on all buses for the evening journeys. You need to create an account on the website before making your booking.

We will be monitoring the situation closely and would appreciate your co-operation in this most important matter.

In emergencies and for exceptional circumstances, the gates may open early or remain closed beyond 3:30pm to enable us to respond effectively to the situation.

Rob Heath
Director of Estates

Parents wishing to access their on-line billing account should visit https://parent.princethorpe.co.uk/api/homepage/.

At the top of your screen you will see a menu that allows you to see your invoices and your statement.

To view your invoices please click “School Fee Invoices”. This will provide you with a list of all invoices raised for all your children within the Foundation. To open an individual invoice, select the pdf icon from the download column and click to open. A box will appear on your screen, please click the box to view your invoice.

To view your statement please hover your curser over “School Fee Invoices”. A drop-down box will appear “Statement of Account”. Please click on this. This screen will enable you to see the date, account code and current balance. A list of the transactions made during any given month will appear (any brought forward balance from previous terms will appear under this section). To change the month you wish to view please click on the “v” to the right hand side of the box containing month and year.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

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

2021-22 (two page document)

2022-23 (two page document) 

Please note that half a term's notice is required if a pupil no longer needs to use the bus service provided by the school. 

This is particularly relevant for pupils in Year 11 and Upper Sixth who have exams in the Trinity term and for members of Upper Sixth who pass their driving test. For example, we need to be advised in writing before the start of the Trinity Term if the bus service is not required after half term in May. Parents wishing to give notice should write to Barbara Bromwich in the Bursary or email buses@princethorpe.co.uk.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Please see below our current vacancies: 

• Health and Safety Manager - Princethorpe Foundation
• Nursery Manager - Little Crackers

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

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