The Flagpole

Tuesday 21 June 2022  - 6.00pm to 8.00pm

Year 8 pupils and their parents are invited to compete in our inaugural Science Family Challenge. 

Each team will carry out a range of hands-on science practical work, competing against other pairs to win the coveted Science Family Challenge trophy.

We can only accommodate one parent per pupil and a maximum of 36 teams due to limited space, staffing and equipment, so sign up as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.

Between challenges, Science teachers will carry out fun and exciting demonstrations and presentations. Our goal for the event is to share our enthusiasm for science and to give parents the opportunity to experience a taste of science education at Princethorpe College. 

If you have any questions, please get in touch via email at danlee@princethorpe.co.uk

Please sign-up via the link here.  

Dan Lee
Head of Physics and STEAM co-ordinator

Thursday 23 June 6.00pm to 8.30pm and Sunday 26 June 2.00pm to 4.30pm

A celebration of our pupils' GCSE and A-level Art, Photography, Design and Textiles work will take place in the Sports Hall on Thursday 23 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and on Sunday 26 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm.

A range of design and technology projects, from resistant materials to textiles, will be showcased alongside the stunning art and photography work the College is renowned for.

Comments, Paul Hubball, Head of Art, "This is a great opportunity to share our pupils' fantastic creativity with a wider audience and to welcome more art and design lovers to Princethorpe."

On Thursday evening admission is free, on the Sunday admission will be £2 per car including entry to the College's Summer Fête and Motoring Festival. Light refreshments will be served in the Quad.

All are welcome.

Sunday 26 June 2022 - 2.00pm to 4.30pm

As the College gallops into Trinity Term the PTA focus our attentions on the highlight of summer – the PTA Summer Fête and Annual Motoring Festival.

There will be the usual array of stalls including our school supported charity stalls; countless fun games and activities. We'll be firing up the BBQ and for those of you who find days like this thirsty work we'll be providing an array of drinks in the refreshment tent.

We are always seeking new supporters for this event so if you could help us out for an hour at the Fair or at future events, please do contact us at pta@princethorpe.co.uk or via Twitter @PrincethorpePTA.

We are once again running the popular ‘Pre-loved Uniform Stall’ and if you have any uniform which is no longer required this can be given in at the Student Hub. School blazers, ties, skirts, jumpers, PE kits and PE bags are always welcomed, with proceeds of this stall going directly back to the PTA and the pupils of the College.

Should you have any ideas or queries regarding the Fête or the PTA, please contact us at the above email address.

Many thanks

Princethorpe PTA

On Wednesday 29 June at 7.30pm in the Chapel Tim Campain, will play a wide variety of pieces from various genres. 

The renowned Princethorpe Binns’ organ of 1901 was built by James J Binns, Bramley Organ Works, Leeds. It was restored by Hugh Page in 1984.

From our archives we have a fascinating insight into the numerous letters that were written between Peter Paul Pugin and Sister Procurator of the Priory regarding the organ and the delay in placing the organ. An extract from one of the letters:

March 30th 1901 

...."it is all nonsense Binns saying the organ would be finished long ago if he had has a design for case. I sent him the design for case with full working drawings which he never acknowledged. He could have worked on it at once. The console is quite a separate affair. When I see Binns I will give him a bit of my mind. I was not at all extravagant in the design for the case and a tracing of it is now enclosed which you will kindly return after M Prioress has seen it. I will send on details of console as soon as I can!"

Please click here to reserve your place

Tickets - £5.00 including refreshments. All Foundation pupils free of charge.

The main image shows the original position of the organ console - it was moved to the gallery in approximately 1908 to make way for a statue of St Peter. This statue was taken by the nuns to Fernham when they left St Mary's Priory 1965. 

Sunday 3 July 2022

The annual Inter-Schools' Dressage Competition, which incorporates the Inter-House Dressage Competition, will take place at Princethorpe on Sunday 3 July 2022.

The Area 5 Dressage Competition, organised by Stoneleigh Riding Club, will take place at Princethorpe on the same day.

This competition is a qualifier for the NSEA Championships.

A link to more information on the Princethorpe College website can be found by clicking here.

A link to the National Schools’ Equestrian Association (NSEA) website can be found by clicking here.

Spectators are most welcome.

Saturday 3 September 2022 - 10.45am to 5.30pm

We are gearing up for the 11th annual Old Princethorpians vs College Sports Day (and 13th John Shinkwin Trophy Match) on Saturday 3 September. 

We are planning to repeat our previous format with a relaxing day that mixes sporting matches with music, a BBQ and a bar.

As before points will be accumulated throughout the day, with the Alex Wallis Memorial Shield being awarded to the victors at the end of the day.

Format of day:

10.45am to 12.00pm Football OPs vs Staff

12.00pm to 1.00pm Hockey Princethorpe College 1st XI Girls vs OPs XI (x 2)

1.15pm to 2.15pm Hockey Princethorpe College 1st XI Boys vs OPs XI (x 2)

1.30pm to 2.30pm Netball Princethorpe College 1st VII Girls vs OPs VII (x 2)

2.30pm to 3.45pm Rugby - John Shinkwin Trophy - Princethorpe College 1st XV Boys vs OPs XV (leavers of 2022 and 2021)

3.45pm - After Match Awards

We are keen to get as many OPs from across the generations participating. Upper Sixth leavers of 2022 and other OPs interested in playing in any of the sports should please complete the short online form here by Friday 26 August.

Team sheets for College players will be on SOCS towards the end of the holidays.

Wednesday 14 September - 7.00pm

We enjoyed a lively discussion at our May meeting about Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout. As a great fan of Strout’s writing, I was interested to see that the rambling nature of the first person narrative and the preoccupation of the novel with much of the minutiae of life were a little off-putting to some. Others did not warm sufficiently to the character of Lucy Barton but at the very least the book generated some engaging discussion.

Our next meeting will not be until next term on Wednesday 14 September at 7.00pm, when we will be meeting in the library as usual. We are hoping to welcome some new members then. As we will have plenty of time before then, we have opted for a few books for this occasion, including Learning to Swim by Clare Chambers and Foster by Claire Keegan, as these are both authors we have enjoyed in the past. We have also opted for The Whale Rider by Witi Ihumaera. All these are short reads and there’s a bit of choice here for those who don’t have much time for reading.

I hope you’ll be able to join us in the new academic year. We are a warm and welcoming group of readers who are always ready to try something new. We look forward to hearing of fresh recommendations from others after their summer reading.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English

For those families looking at entry to the College in September 2023 for their child, there are still several opportunities to visit the College before the registration deadline on Friday 30 September. 

Year 6 Taster Days

Parents of prospective pupils who have yet to attend a Taster Day can register their interest in their child attending one of our Year 6 Taster Days in September, by clicking here.

Open Morning
Thursday 22 September 10.30am to 12.30pm

The College's Open Morning gives prospective families a chance to visit the school on a normal working day, with Year 8 and 9 pupils acting as tour guides. Light refreshments will be available.

All are welcome please book your place by clicking here.

Entrance Examinations Day for September 2023 entry will take place on Saturday 5 November 2022 from 9.30am to 3.30pm. The deadline for registrations, scholarship and bursary applications is Friday 30 September 2022.

If you have any questions please contact the Admissions Team on 01926 643201/262 or 297 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.