The Flagpole

As we approach a very busy last two weeks of term we are looking forward to our College Feast Day celebrations next Thursday 8 December and our Carol Services which are a key part of our preparations for Christmas. 

During the past few weeks we have been gathering important information from members of our community to help us with our planning: 

1. Each pupil from Year 8 and above has undertaken a short survey on how they are getting on in each of their academic subjects (Year 7 will do this next term). The huge amount of information gathered will be fed back to staff over the next week and we will provide feedback on the headline figures to parents at the end of term. 
 
2. The pupils have also filled in a Digital Wellbeing survey this week. The results of this have been really interesting and next week I will be writing to you as to how we will be following up on the survey in school and how parents can further support their children at home with their on-line access and decision-making. 
 
3. We also have the Parental Questionnaire that was sent out via email on Friday 25 November. A huge thank you to all those parents who have already taken the time to respond. 

There is still time to complete the survey, here is the link, which we would ask you to complete by 9.00am on Tuesday 6 December please.  

In other news, I would like to say a huge thank you to Chris Kerrigan, our Head of English, who will be retiring at the end of the academic year. Chris has given sterling service at Princethorpe for over 20 years and many parents will have attended his popular Parents’ Book Club over this time. We will be recruiting for Chris’ successor early in the new year. 

Finally, a huge thanks to the PTA and all who supported and attended the Christmas Fair last Sunday. It was extremely well attended and there was a wonderful atmosphere around the College. I wish you and your families well in the run up to the Christmas period. 

With all best wishes, 

Many thanks.

Ed Hester
Headmaster

Pupils, staff and trustees have celebrated an important milestone in the construction of the new £8m state-of-the-art Science Centre at Princethorpe College. Headmaster, Ed Hester, donned a hi-vis jacket and hard hat and scaled the heights of the new building for the traditional topping out ceremony. Accompanied by the Heads of School, Freya Mills and Pratheesh Prabakaran, Year 7 representatives, Isaac Fowle and Chloe Sarkies, and invited guests, the topping out of the new £8 million Science Centre was celebrated on Wednesday 30 November.

The practice of ‘topping out’ a new building can be traced to the ancient Scandinavian religious practice of placing a tree on the top of a new building to appease the tree-dwelling spirits of their ancestors who had been displaced (though you will be pleased to know that no trees were removed in the construction of the Science Centre and we will be extensively landscaping the surrounding area and planting additional trees). The practice migrated to England with Scandinavian invaders.

Invited Princethorpe trustees and teachers as well as the Managing Director of contractor Trendgrey Construction Limited, Nick Henderson, were present at the ceremony joining in with the good humour of the occasion as the tree was decorated. An optional tour of the exciting new development followed the event revealing first-hand the ten new laboratories that will open for business at the start of the next academic year.

Nick Henderson described the progress of the development, “The project at Princethorpe College has been progressing extremely well and we’re delighted to be at a stage where the ‘topping out’ ceremony can take place. The new building will be state-of-the-art providing a wonderful teaching and learning environment for pupils at the College.”

Ed Hester, said, “We were delighted to celebrate this significant and traditional moment in the construction of our new Science Centre. We are looking forward to its opening next year. The building is looking incredible, and we are all excited by the learning opportunities it will present us.”

Another exceptional year of achievement, progress, creativity and contribution was celebrated at Princethorpe College’s annual Prize Giving Ceremony at the Butterworth Hall, at Warwick University’s Arts Centre on Friday 18 November.

Before the ceremony, the Old Princethorpians Committee hosted a special Drinks Reception for the returning Class of 2022 and their parents, providing a welcome opportunity for last year’s cohort to get together and catch up.

Chair of Trustees, Mrs Liz Griffin, opened the proceedings, warmly welcoming parents, friends of the College and Princethorpians old and new to the occasion and then Father Alan Whelan MSC then led the assembled community in an opening prayer.

In his formal address, the Headmaster, Ed Hester, gave thanks to all those who make Princethorpe the special place it is. His warm words paid tribute to all that is done by so many in support of the College, the kindness, the compassion and the values that underpin the success stories of so many of our pupils and not just those who received prizes on the evening. He reminded us of St. John Henry Newman’s words ‘To live is to change’, and reflected on the changes we all experience, before congratulating last year’s Year 11 and Upper Sixth on their resilience and tenacity over the course of the last three challenging years.

All evening the atmosphere was joyful and celebratory and there were superb musical interludes from the school String Orchestra, Concert Band and the Year 7 Choir, whose performance of Rainbow Connection was both enthusiastic and uplifting.

Then it was time for the presentation of the awards. Listening to the citations was truly inspiring and humbling. The talent in evidence, the grit and determination, the passion, enthusiasm and commitment were all applauded and honoured.

Finally, we came to the main award, the Princethorpe Shield, the oldest and most prestigious College award presented annually to the student who is seen to embody the spirit and ethos of the College in many facets of their school life. It was a very popular decision this year, with the audience cheering a delighted and surprised Greg Burford who was thrilled to receive the Shield.

Headmaster designate, Grove du Toit, then spoke echoing Mr Hester’s congratulations, before the current Heads of School, Freya Mills, and Head Boy, Pratheesh Prabakaran, gave an eloquent vote of thanks.

The evening came to a close with the singing of the College Hymn, Here I Am Lord.

The full list of Prize Winners can be found in the Prize Giving Programme here.

Emails with links to the photo galleries will be sent to the Class of 2022, GCSE certificate recipients and the Prize Winners.

One ghostly Christmas Eve, the cold hearted Ebenezer Scrooge is visited at home by Marley's ghost, who wanders the Earth entwined by heavy chains and money boxes forged during a lifetime of greed and selfishness. Marley tells Scrooge that he has a single chance to avoid the same fate: he will be visited by three spirits and must listen or be cursed to carry much heavier chains of his own.

So begins the story of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, directed by Aileen Cefaliello and Vicky Roberts and performed with verve and passion by our wonderful cast of players. Over three nights this week, captivated audiences are being transported to a festive feast for all the family with Tiny Tim, Fezziwig and the Urchins.

There is theatrical magic at work here, heart-warming, and hopeful, that will melt even the coldest of hearts, and what better way is there to start the countdown to Christmas.

A big 'break a leg' to all the cast and behind the scenes team for the last two performances!

View gallery to get a sneak preview of the performance.

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 2023 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 23 January 2023. 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 20 March 2023. 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 2023. 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. The form can be filled in electronically and returned via email to admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

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.

Recent leaver, Grace Leigh’s stunning and atmospheric photograph Phantom Of The River has received a Highly Commended in the Key Stage 5 Photography class at the Independent Schools Association’s prestigious National Art Competition.

Her picture was one part of her triptych that was presented at the College’s Art Show in the summer. The photo is an original unedited work, and by all reports the water in the lake was exceptionally cold when the young artist staged her shot. Her work took first place in the Regional ISA Art competition back in October and Princethorpe College Head of Art, Paul Hubball, is delighted that it has now received recognition at the national event.

Paul comments, “Many congratulations to Grace, her piece was exceptional, a product of the many hours of work and it is marvellous to see her talent rewarded in this way.”

The recognition is also a testament to the depth and range of talent in Princethorpe's Art and Photography Department.

A huge well done to Grace!

Six Lower Sixth students are currently sitting in seventh place in the Wharton Global High School Investment Competition. The prestigious competition, run by The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania runs annually, attracting teams from around the world. Last year 1,300 teams took part from 64 countries.

Starting with a virtual client and $100,000 cash, students are tasked with working collaboratively to meet the client’s long-term investment goals. Using the Wharton Investment Simulator and working with a defined list of equities, over the course of ten weeks, the students seek to grow their portfolios. At the end of the competition the boys have to submit a final report where they explain their investment choices.

The leading Princethorpe team, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, have been following a cautious strategy and it has been paying dividends, now five weeks in, their portfolio is worth over $117,000. The boys have chosen to stay away from stocks likely to be impacted by the current global turmoil and built a balanced portfolio with a range of smaller investments. They have also looked to invest in stocks that are sitting at a low point in their cycle. In a bear market, their strategy seems to be working.

Jacob Comerford, Guy Dawkins, William Harrison, Adam Ledbrook, Adam Lewis and Oscar Low are taking part in the competition as part of their Sixth Form enrichment activities, every Friday afternoon, and they are learning finance skills that will last them a lifetime.

Year 9 pupil, Sophie Henry, has secured her place in the Springboard FutureChef Regional Final after winning the super-heat by just one point. In a hotly contested cook-off Sophie won over the judges with the flavour profile of her dessert.

The winners of the Princethorpe school round, Sophie Henry and Year 9, Finlay Ross, were tasked with preparing a two-course meal of French dishes in just one hour to serve to Mr Hester and Mr McCollin showcasing their food preparation and presentation skills.

Sophie prepared Coq au Vin with chicken and bacon served on mashed potatoes with parsley and olive oil. Her dessert was Tarte au Citron craquante. Finlay prepared Steak Lyonnaise with potatoes and green beans and Chocolate Gateaux with strawberries and whipped cream.

The super-heat took place on Wednesday 30 November. Sophie and Finlay worked quickly, demonstrating technical skills and their finished plates of food were tantalising and full of flavour. The contestant’s attention to detail was superb with plates polished, food presented artistically, and work surfaces scrubbed.

The FutureChef competition challenges young people aged 12 to 16 who are keen to learn more about cooking, to cook their way through a series of rounds, allowing them to gain experience, meet professionals and develop their skills, all whilst learning invaluable lessons and getting an insight into the culinary industry.

It was a hard decision to choose between them and the judges deliberated carefully as they tasted the dishes and argued the pros and cons of first one dish and then another.

Teacher of Food Technology, Jacqui Scott said, “I am extremely proud of both of our Princethorpe competitors who put a lot of time and effort into menu planning and practising. The food they produced was of the highest standard and was beautifully presented. Both meals could have been served at a restaurant table. They were calm and collected throughout a tense 60 minutes and it was a very difficult decision.”

A very well done to both competitors, you clearly have the makings of a master chef.

This year's winning College Christmas card design, chosen by Ed Hester, Headmaster, is by Lower Sixth Former, Alex Matheson. His super drawing features the iconic Princethorpe tower surrounded by nods to Christmas of holly and red berries, framing the tower beautifully. 

Head of Art, Paul Hubball, commented, "There was another strong field of entries this year, with plenty of original ideas brought to the table with lots of attention to detail. Alex's symbolic drawing of the tower, his use of colour and originality really helped his design stand out and made it the perfect choice for this year's College Christmas card."

Congratulations also go to the Highly Commended entries, whose designs feature as cameos on the reverse of the card: Year 7 pupils, Liana Fairlie and Mimi Legge, Year 10 pupil, Bea Taylor and Lower Sixth Former, Lara Cutri.

Scroll through the gallery to see the entries that were Highly Commended. 

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, on Monday 28 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: Stephanie Bolton, Issey Cleary, Lillibee Harris and Stephanie Perkins

From Year 8: George Fry, Charlotte Gower, Faith Katanda, William Long, Amy Robinson and Tara Rodgers

From Year 9: Henry Fox, Ariana Gray, Alexa Holland, Euan Nelson, Rosie Moreton, Noah Nix, Jorja Parris, Mia Petrucci, Sam Beaman-Henderson and Lily Carroll

From Year 10: Martina Grace, Harrison Guest, André Onyekwe and Emmanuel Simon

From Year 11: Jayden Carr, Isaac Fountaine, Louise Gambling, Charlotte Gledhill, Chloe Henderson, Lottie Hunter, David Ikuomola, Hamish O'Brien, Zack Oldfield, Lampros Papadogiannakis, Mia Samra, Oscar Tebbatt, Jemima Teeton and Tom Windley

From Lower Sixth: Will Antrobus, Mary-Ellen Boyle, Kiran Clark, Alex Flegg, Sophie Gray, Noah Kemp, Joseph Newborough, Connor Silvester, Zara Simpson and Alice Whittaker

From Upper Sixth:  Erin Arriordaz, Joe Glover, Harry Hewitt, Keira MacRae, Dylan Morgan Smith, Eleanor Page, Oscar Page, Evie Phillips, Pratheesh Prabakaran, Evan Ridd, Wilf Sansum, Edward Sharpe, Jack Tripp-Smith and Samuel Tubb

More information on pupils’ achievements can be found here.

The South Africa Tour Fundraising Wreath Making Evenings on Wednesday 30 November and Thursday 1 December were once again a great success.

The Sixth Form Centre was a hive of festive activity as parents, led by Vicky Bridgewater, grappled with evergreen foliage and wire, baubles, pine cones and ribbons to create wreaths that any high-class florist would be proud of.

Supported by Lee Cassell, Foundation Director of Sport and Neil McCollin, Assistant Head – Co-curricular and their band of South Africa tourist helpers, the wreath makers enjoyed mulled wine and mince pies and also took part in a festive raffle.

Lee Cassell commented, “It has been great to see so many parents support our fundraising at the Christmas Wreath Making events, our next event is the eagerly awaited South Africa Ball on Saturday 28 January.”

We are very proud of our U14 Hockey Girls, who won both the County and Zonal rounds to make it to the T2 Regional Final on Wednesday 23 November only to fall short after giving it everything, just narrowing missing out on a place in the National Finals to Ratcliffe College on penalty shuffles. A huge well done to them all. 

Two soldiers from the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) outreach team of the British Army visited Princethorpe College on Wednesday 30 November to deliver a talk and a series of workshops to a group of 28 Year 9 pupils.

The curriculum aligned session started with a talk highlighting the deficit of STEM skilled professionals in the UK and explained how the STEM skills developed at school and in further education are essential to a wide range of careers, including roles within the Army. The two interactive workshops gave pupils a chance to test their critical thinking, teamwork, perseverance, and leadership skills to overcome real-world challenges.

In the first workshop, ‘Operation: Disaster Relief’, the scene was set with a video of the 2005 earthquake that devastated Kathmandu, Nepal. Pupils’ task was to provide much needed humanitarian aid in the aftermath of the natural disaster and required the teams to build a Lego Mindstorms robot (with no instructions) from scratch, programme it and use it to locate people trapped beneath the rubble caused by the earthquake.

The second workshop, ‘Operation: Who’s the Hacker?’ challenged pupils to solve a puzzle using mathematical skill and logic. The teams had to plot co-ordinates of mobile phone masts on a map, use the range of each mast to determine who used their phones where and when, decipher codes to read encrypted messages, eliminate suspects and use evidence to deduce who the hacker was.

Year 9 engaged brilliantly with the activities, showing their competitive sides whilst being creative and working outside of their comfort zones. It was an excellent session, well done to all the pupils who took part.

Our U13A Girls Hockey team are celebrating after earning themselves a bronze medal at the ISA National tournament.

The team travelled to the Lee Valley National Hockey Stadium in the Olympic Park on Wednesday 23 November where they faced 20 schools from across the country. The tournament started with a pool round where the girls put on a confident display winning their four group games comfortably without letting a single goal across their line.

Before the playoffs started the girls took part in an amazing inspirational coaching session with hockey Olympian Chloe Rogers, who won a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics.

Then it was on to the Cup semi-final where the girls faced Langley Prep in a closely contested game where they were unlucky not to score, the girls were disappointed to lose 0-1. Determined, they moved on to the bronze medal match where they faced Ipswich High School. They held their nerve, took advantage of every opportunity presented, to win the game 3-2, and claim third place overall and the bronze medal.

Congratulations to them all.

Nine pupils ran for Warwickshire at the Inter County Schools Cross Country Championship at Himley Hall in Dudley on Saturday 19 November. Competing were the best cross-country runners from eight counties across England, ranging from Surrey to Staffordshire. On an undulating and testing Himley Hall course, in warm autumn sunshine, Princethorpe’s athletes ran with their usual tenacity and determination helping Warwickshire to their very first inter county win.

For the Inter Boys, Ben Smith claimed the best finish coming home first for Warwickshire, crossing the line in 9th place, Felix Batty was not far behind finishing second for the county in 18th place, then Jesse Esler was sixth finishing 31st. For the Inter Girls, Evie Marston had a good run to finish second for Warwickshire in 12th place with Kate Pomerleau ninth in 43rd place.  Lily Hunter ran well to finish fourth for Warwickshire in 19th place in the Junior Girls race with William Smith tenth for Warwickshire in 50th place and Charlie Atkins twelfth in 72nd place in the Junior Boys race. Charlie Leech finished seventh for Warwickshire in 42nd place in the Minor Boys race.

All the runners contributed vital points to the overall totals helping Warwickshire take the Inter Counties title for the very first time.

The Year 11s Freshers’ Fair took place on Tuesday 22 November and offered another opportunity for Year 11 to consider their A-level subject choices and explore life in the College’s popular Sixth Form.

Set out in the Sixth Form Centre Atrium were a host of subject stalls with displays, models and informative handouts, all manned by enthusiastic Sixth Form Subject Ambassadors. Pupils had the chance to wander freely, to visit the different stalls for the subjects they are considering studying and to ask any questions they might have. 

The Freshers’ Fair was part of the Year 11 PHSE Immersion Day that provided wider support for pupils in what is always a challenging year. The Year 11s were given the chance to visit the Sixth Form to get a feel for some of the wider Sixth Form facilities and to find out what life was like after Year 11. They also took part in essential Revision Skills sessions and participated in a question and answer session on the Sixth Form.

Orchestrated by Head of Sixth Form, Ben Collie, the Freshers' Fair will have helped facilitate Year 11s decision making process.

Commented Ben Collie, “Some Year 11s already know what subjects they want to study at A-level but others are less sure. The Freshers’ Fair was an opportunity for pupils to speak with students already studying the subjects, as well as a chance for them all to come into the Sixth Form Centre to help them understand their choices.”

Keen linguists from Year 9 organised themselves into teams and from Monday 7 to Friday 11 November competed in the GCHQ National Language Competition 2022. They gave up their evenings, breaks and lunchtimes to complete as many online language themed code-breaking challenges as possible. Over 2,000 teams participated nationwide, and the competition was fierce with pupils putting really their language skills to the test. We had some excellent results and the MFL department was really impressed by the teamwork and dedication shown by our Princethorpe pupils. Many congratulations to all who took part.

Princethorpe’s pupils achieved the following results:

And now it's your turn! For extra house points/merits/da Vinci merits can you and your family solve either challenge? Submit your answers to your MFL teacher before Friday 16 December. 

French Challenge

Spanish Challenge

Princethorpe’s popular PTA Christmas Fair took place on Sunday 27 November marking the start of the festive season.

Hundreds of visitors descended on a College resplendent in decorations. 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 £5,226.62.

It won't be long before planning for the Summer Fete on Sunday 25 June begins in earnest. If you fancy getting involved, then do email the PTA at pta@princethorpe.co.uk.

If you are on the hunt for presents, we have a wonderful range of Old Princethorpian merchandise available from ties to cufflinks, pin badges to scarves and, not to mention, some very snazzy socks that would make a perfect Christmas gift.

Copies of A Spirit of Family, the first fifty years of Princethorpe College, by Alex Darkes and Nick Baker are also available.

Then we have prints and greetings cards available featuring the Soaring Red Brick Tower image and prints also of St Joseph's School.

Finally, the 2023 College calendar featuring 12 superb images of the College and its grounds is a perfect present and is sure to be a handy addition for any kitchen or office.

To ensure UK orders can arrive in time for Christmas, orders and payment will need to be received by 12 noon on Monday 19 December 2022 please.

Purchases can now be made easily via our online shop at https://connect.princethorpe.co.uk/shop or from the College shop.

Wednesday 7 December 2022 - 7.00pm

Readers at our last meeting had clearly enjoyed The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave. Although set in Strasbourg in 1518, the novel clearly addresses many twenty first century themes, exploring the role of women, female sexuality, fertility and so on. On another front, the book embodies some excellent research on bees and bee keeping.

We were a little less enamoured of Delicacy by Katy Wix. This memoir is very funny in parts but also contains some serious reflections on death and loss. A little self-indulgent at times, perhaps, but an honest exploration of grief and its impact on our lives. 

Our next meeting will be at 7.00pm, in the library, on Wednesday 7 December. We have opted for some non-fiction again and will be discussing Landlines, the latest book by Raynor Winn, focused on walking in Scotland. Many have found her previous books inspiring. Although this one is still in hardback, it is available from some supermarkets at a reasonable price. We are always happy to welcome new faces so do join us if you can make it, whether or not you have read this particular book.

Thursday 8 December 2022 - 7.00pm - College Chapel

The Music Department extends a warm invitation to all parents and friends to join us in a Christmas celebration of music and poetry.

This will be an informal evening offering pupils the opportunity to perform a range of out-of-the-ordinary Christmas pieces. Pupils from the various music ensembles, LAMDA lessons, as well as individual music recitals will be taking part in the evening. Please feel free to enter into the spirit of the occasion by wearing a Christmas jumper or similarly festive outfit. There will be an award for the finest example of Christmas knitwear!

This promises to be an enjoyable and memorable introduction to the festive period. If you would like to join us then please note that due to our restrictions on numbers this will be a ticket-only event. To apply for tickets please click here and complete your details. Please note that due to the number of seats available in the Chapel there is a limit of four seats per family. If you think you may need any more, please contact me directly at gilcowlishaw@princethorpe.co.uk

We hope that you will partake in a little festive mulled wine and mince pies following the performance in the Sixth Form Centre. Please note that tickets are free of charge, but there will be a retiring collection in aid of Save The Children's Christmas Jumper Day Appeal.

With thanks for your continuing support.

Gil Cowlishaw
Director of Music

Thursday 15 December - 7.00pm 

Tuesday 13 December - 5.30pm to 7.00pm

The inaugural Princethorpe College Science Christmas Lecture will be held on Tuesday 13 December from 5.30pm to 7.00pm in the Clarkson Theatre.

This year's theme is The Science of Christmas and promises to be a fun evening of entertainment brimming with live demonstrations, a dash of fire and perhaps a seasonal explosion or two. Festive refreshments will be provided.

Book your seats now via the link below:

Princethorpe College Science Christmas Lecture

Fr Teddy O'Brien MSC, the Parish Priest for St Anne's Catholic Church, 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 at the churches indicated below:

Sunday 18 December 2022
8.30am      both Masses celebrated at
                 St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW
10.30am 

Saturday 24 December 2022
Family Christmas Mass         
5.00pm      Princethorpe Chapel

First Mass of Christmastide   
9.00pm      Princethorpe Chapel
(Please note there will be no Midnight Mass)

Sunday 25 December 2022
Mass of Christmas Morning   
9.00am      both Masses celebrated at
                 St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW
10.30am   
 
Sunday 1 January 2023
8.30am     both Masses celebrated at
                St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW
10.30am   

Sunday 8 January 2023           
8.30am     St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW
10.30am    Princethorpe Chapel

For any further information or to read the Parish newsletter please visit the link to St Anne's website here

Thank you
 
 

Thursday 19 January - 9.00am to 5.00pm

For those of you who have children in Year 11 who are not currently studying at Princethorpe or who have friends with Year 11 children, our upcoming Sixth Form Taster Day for external candidates may be of interest. 

The Sixth Form Taster Day is an opportunity for a small group of prospective Sixth Formers to visit the College for a selection of A-level and BTEC subject taster lessons, a Q&A session with current Sixth Formers and Year 11, lunch, a tour of school and a chance to meet the Headmaster and Head of Sixth Form.

The day will run from 9.00am to 4.15pm, when parents are invited back to join an informal Sixth Form information session which will finish around 5.00pm.

The Sixth Form at Princethorpe offers great choice, quality teaching in small classes, a vast array of sporting, co-curricular, leadership and service opportunities coupled with excellent pastoral care and careers guidance, tailored to the needs of today’s young adults. Our staff give outstanding individual support to all students and this remains an essential feature of Sixth Form life.

This event is for external candidates who are interested in attending Princethorpe College Sixth Form. Places are limited. To register your interest in attending our upcoming Sixth Form Taster Day at Princethorpe College, please click here.

The deadline for external candidates to register for the Sixth Form for September 2023 entry and to apply for scholarships or bursaries is Monday 23 January.

For more information on Sixth Form admissions please contact the Registrars on 01926 634201 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

As we approach the first set of mocks, I wanted to update you on a number of issues relating to examinations in the summer of 2023 that have been addressed by government publications this week.  

Most importantly, I want to emphasise that nothing has been published which we had not anticipated, and so our plans for this academic year are unchanged; we believe that our planned ‘journeys’ for Year 11 and Upper Sixth students will help them to be very well-prepared for the challenges of summer examinations. 
 
Return to normality 
 
Ofqual has reiterated that examination arrangements will “largely return to pre-pandemic arrangements next summer”. This means that subjects can be assessed on the full breadth of content and will not have the advanced information that was given last summer. In line with this, Ofqual has confirmed that “GCSE, AS and A-levels will return to pre-pandemic grading in 2023, as planned.” 
 
Formulae and equation sheets 
 
The one exception to the above is that “students will be provided with support materials in the form of formulae and revised equations sheets, in the exams for 2023 only, for GCSE Mathematics, Physics and Combined Science.” We have not yet seen the exact format of these materials but will share them with pupils as soon as we are able to do so. 
 
Arrangements for cancelled examinations 
 
Finally, Ofqual have considered what could happen in the highly unlikely event that examinations are cancelled. The primary message throughout this document is that “the government believes that it is very unlikely that exams will not go ahead as planned in 2023” and so specific guidance on how to determine grades will only be published if needed.  
 
Schools have been encouraged to follow their own assessment arrangements as normal, though we have also been advised to inform students of any assessments that could be used as part of determining a final grade, were this to occur. In this situation we would be likely to use any Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) and mock examinations as part of our evidence base. 
 
At Princethorpe, we run mock examinations as a formative exercise; they are designed to help students to improve by identifying strengths and weaknesses and giving them an experience of what real examinations will be like. As such, we would anticipate that many grades awarded in the first set mocks in particular are lower than those achieved by students in the summer in many cases and would expect this to be factored into any decision making were we to use the data they provide for any other purpose. 
 
I hope that this update is both useful and reassuring to you and your son or daughter. We look forward to discussing their progress with you following January’s mock examinations as we continue to work together to help them achieve as highly as possible in the summer. 
 
Please do not hesitate to be in touch if you have any queries or concerns on these matters. 
 
Best wishes, 

The timetable for next summer’s exam season has now been finalised and can be found here. A-levels and Level 3 qualifications are shown in black font, GCSEs in blue font and Latin Level 1 exams in red font.

Exam entries will be sent to the exam board in the new year and individual pupil timetables will be available on My School Portal by February half term. Any exam clashes will be resolved after this time.

Exam contingency sessions have been scheduled for:

Other exam related documents attached:

1.The JCQ booklet: Instructions for Candidates; exam candidates must familiarise themselves with this. A hard copy will be distributed nearer the time.

2. The list of exam specifications for A-levels and Level 3 qualifications

3. The list of exam specifications for GCSEs

Our newly elected Lower Sixth STEAM ambassadors, Emma Sarkies and Joseph Newborough, invite pupils to participate in a STEAM competition.

The new Science Centre, which is currently being built, has space for graphics on several of the wall panels and the College wants the panels feature pupils' favourite scientists. It's an amazing opportunity for pupils to have an input into how the new Science Centre will look, and by getting involved pupils have also the chance to win some fantastic prizes!

Pupils are asked to choose six famous scientists who they think represent a range of different backgrounds and whose scientific achievements they believe to be exceptional. They should then write a brief paragraph about each of the scientists, explaining why they have selected them.

Competition details:

• Maximum length one side of A4
• Entries will be judged on the diversity and achievements of the scientists chosen, plus the persuasiveness of the justifications given
• Deadline for entry is Friday 9 December
• Submissions can be emailed or sent via TEAMS to Mr Lee danlee@princethorpe.co.uk
• The winner will receive a £50 Amazon voucher, all other outstanding entries will be awarded Da Vinci merits

Good luck!

In celebration of the new citizenship lessons that pupils have been completing during tutor time, the Politics department are running a competition for pupils to promote engagement with key political issues.

We are asking pupils to design and create a placard on a political issue that is important to them. Pupils should summarise the main arguments in favour, or against the issue of their choice. There are multiple prizes to be won, including prizes for the most interesting and creative placard, as well as the placard with the strongest arguments made, to be judged by our members of the Politics department. The deadline is Friday 16 December, and we look forward to receiving your entries!

Progress Reports for Year 10 will be published today, Friday 2 December 2022, and will be available to view on My School Portal.  

Tuesday 6 December 2022

We warmly invite all parents of Year 9 pupils to join us at Princethorpe for our GCSE Options Evening on Tuesday 6 December. This event will be held in person in the main college building and will run from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

There will be a presentation to explain the options process, in the Clarkson theatre; this will run at 6.30pm and again at 7.30pm and will last approximately 25 minutes, with time for questions. We request that all parents attend one of these presentations.  Please book onto one of these talks using the following links.

● 6.30pm Presentation

● 7.30pm Presentation

Optional subjects will be based in nearby classrooms and will deliver short presentations and answer questions throughout the evening. Parents and pupils are advised to visit as many departments as possible in order to explore the available options. Staff representing the compulsory core subjects will also be available to answer any questions you may have and will be based in the Sixth Form Centre, where refreshments will be available.

Can we please remind parents that as a rule, property should not be left at school overnight or at weekends. The school is in constant use by outside teams, clubs and organisations so we cannot control access to belongings if they have been left at school at these times.  

All items found will be stored safely at the Student Hub. They can then be collected at break or lunch time.

Parents can email lostproperty@princethorpe.co.uk about any items that have been lost. We will then email a response back as quickly as we can.

Please note that if a lost item does not have a name label then it is almost impossible to return it to its owner. Any lost property which is named or initialled enables us to notify pupils via a TEAMS message so it can then be reunited with them. Can you please reiterate the importance of pupils checking TEAMS for their messages.

We have a terrific number of drinks bottles in lost property at the Student Hub. Please ask you child to look if they have lost one.

We do want to ensure that pupils take responsibility for their belongings, in particular their valuables, and not to leave items around the school. For this reason we do discourage pupils from bringing valuable items into school at all.   

Thank you for your continued support.

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

Pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 will be offered a nasal flu vaccination in school on Thursday 5 January 2023.

Parents should have received a link to the consent form by email earlier this week together with further information relating to this procedure. 

Please note that the link to this consent form closes on Wednesday 11 December.

Paula Greig  
Senior Matron

It is nearly Christmas and, as I said in my last assembly to the Sixth Form, they have all worked incredibly well this term. I would like to thank all the Prefects who helped at Prize Giving, it was such a warm and celebratory occasion.

Our Year 11 pupils joined us for the annual Freshers' Fair in the Sixth Form Centre last Tuesday where they visited stalls set up by our Sixth Form subject leaders as part of the Year 11 Immersion Day. I would like to personally thank all our superb Sixth Form students for so ably answering questions, so passionately talking about their subjects, and generally assisting our enthusiastic GCSE pupils with their difficult A-level options decisions.

In the week following the Freshers' Fair, Mrs Quinney (our Head of Careers) and myself have been interviewing each and every one of our Year 11 pupils. We asked them about their dreams and visions for the future, and it has been inspiring to hear from this motivated and talented year group.

Sixth Form Learn Life Skills

The Sixth Form CoRE programme has been introducing students to a range of life skills in recent weeks via a carousel of activities.

All students have or will be taking part in two practical sessions to introduce them to First Aid skills such as helping someone who is choking, dealing with burns, knowing how to help a person with anaphylaxis and administering CPR in an emergency. The excellent interactive resources have been developed by the Resuscitation Council have been used in both sessions. You can access them here.

With help from members of the Personal Finance Society delivering lessons via Teams, Upper Sixth have learnt about mortgages and loans (including Student Loans) and Lower Sixth are now being introduced to some key guidance on understanding credit and debt. Lower Sixth students are also being given an essential 'Know before you Go' driving session which gives practical guidance and information. Sam Hemus, an advanced driving instructor, who has worked both with Warwickshire Council and the police is delivering these sessions. 

Upper Sixth Mock Examinations

Here is a link to the presentation at our Sixth Form assembly today when the Upper Sixth were reminded of the importance of the Mock Examinations and their A-level timeline.

Parking

The Upper Sixth parking permit holders have been exceptional recently, they have been driving slowly, with care and patience. As a reward for their exemplary behaviour, they are being treated to a legendary Princethorpe Cookie on Wednesday at break time

Lower Sixth will be allowed to apply for a permit when the Upper Sixth have left in the summer.

Wednesday Games - Reminder

Please remember to email me at bencollie@princethorpe.co.uk by 9.00am on Wednesday mornings if for any reason your child is unable to do games. If your child becomes ill during the day they must see Matron before the end of lunch

UCAS and Careers

Any questions about UCAS or careers related advice please contact Mrs Quinney directly by email at jacquiquinney@princethorpe.co.uk.

Key Dates

Tuesday 13 December - Care Home Christmas Lunch in the Sixth Form Centre

Wednesday 11 to Wednesday 18 January - Business and Sports BTEC examinations

Wednesday 4 to Friday 6 January - Upper Sixth Mock Examinations

Friday 13 January - Upper Sixth Mock reports available on My School Portal

Wednesday 18 January - Upper Sixth Subject Progress Evening

Tuesday 7 February - Interview Skills Day

Saturday 18 March - Careers Fair

Upper Sixth Social on Friday 9 December - Reminder

The next Upper Sixth Social will take place next Friday 9 December in the Sixth Form Atrium, with a Winter Wonderland theme. Times are 7.30pm to 10.00pm and the dress code is glamorous. Food and entertainment are all included in the £20 cost of the ticket.

Best wishes

Ben Collie  
Head of Sixth Form  
 

At Princethorpe College we know that Work Experience is an important part of any young person’s journey, and it has long been a part of our Careers Programme. The difficulties in obtaining placements since the Covid pandemic, have led us to make a few changes in both our guidance to young people and their parents, and also in how we administer the system.

Please take a look at my letter here as a reminder of our current approach. In particular we are encouraging students in Sixth Form to complete work experience if they haven’t already done so, as this can help enormously with university and careers planning over the next couple of years. 

Please do not hesitate to email me if you have any queries. 

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers and Work Experience Coordinator

It’s that time of year again when the swarthy looking Mo-states Team man-up and donate their upper lips to charity with the aim of having a bit of fun whilst trying to raise funds to promote the awareness of men’s health issues. Five current and former team members have all been united in their efforts to grow the best moustache. They’ve told us it's been great fun seeing staff and pupils enjoying them develop their new ‘Magnum PI’, ‘Mexican Prison Guard’ and even ‘Chuckle Brother’ looks. So far over £300 has already been pledged to support their thirty days of facial growth but there is still time to dig deep and support these fine Mo-wannabes.

To follow their fundraising, click on the link here.  

Last year the Society of St Vincent de Paul made up and distributed Christmas parcels and hampers to needy families as well as to individuals. This year, the project is being extended the aim being to do the same as last year but covering a wider area. However, they can only do this with your support.

They are appealing for donations of non-perishable food items such as tinned, packeted, and dried food, bottled and tinned soft drinks, chocolates, snacks, biscuits and Christmas items such as mince pies, puddings, selection boxes and Christmas crackers. Games and jigsaws are also welcome.

The cut-off date for donations is Monday 5 December to enable time for the preparation and distribution of the hampers. Donations may be dropped off at the Student Hub or handed in during tutor time. 

Thank you to those who have already donated. Please can everyone bring something to enable Christmas to be enjoyed by all.

Thank you to everyone who pre-ordered the new Princethorpe Pro Active Jacket from the email sent out on 21 November 2022.

If you missed the opportunity to order the new jacket and would like to do so now, please complete this form.  You will be able to collect your order from the School Shop towards the end of  January 2023. You will receive an email when your item is ready to collect.

Barbara Bromwich
School Shop Manager

We are looking for a major tour match shirt sponsor for the main playing shirt which all the South Africa Senior Sports Tour tourists will wear. The sponsor’s logo will feature on the front of the playing shirt. The cost to the main tour sponsor would be £2,000.

We are also looking for a sponsor for each team’s playing shirt (boys’ rugby, boys’ football, girls’ netball, boys’ hockey and the girls’ hockey) which will go on the playing shirts. The cost of this sponsorship would be £1,000 for each team.

In addition, the following opportunities for sponsorship are available:

• to sponsor the South Africa Tour hoodie for all members of the tour – approx. £1000
• to sponsor the South Africa Tour jackets for all tour members – approx. £1000
• to sponsor the sleeve of the South Africa Tour polo shirt for all tour members – approx. £750

We hope that this gives people the variety to sponsor an aspect which suits them. Sponsorship provides a great opportunity to promote your company during the tour and afterwards when the kits will be worn during weekly fixtures. 

Thank you for your consideration. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at leecassell@princethorpe.co.uk to discuss the opportunities in more detail.

Lee Cassell 
Foundation Director of Sport 

We have been able to arrange a package which will allow us to raise some funds for the upcoming school trip to South Africa in July 2023.

A hospitality package is available for us to go and watch Coventry RFC at the Butts Park Arena in their league match against London Scottish, with the hospitality in the Formation Media Marquee.

We have 40 seats available for the match on 4 March 2023 at £78 per person (inc VAT) which includes a £18 donation to the 2023 Tour Fund.

The price includes:

• Matchday Ticket
• Three Course meal
• Welcome drink on arrival
• Access to private cash bar for pre-match, half time and post match socialising
• The option to watch the match from the XL Motors stand or from the Marquee
• A visit from a player, subject to availability and Covid rules
• Free e-programme

We did a similar event for the previous school tour in 2019 which was a great event enjoyed by all who went. 

To book your seats please could you email post@princethorpe.co.uk with the following details:

• Name of parent
• Contact email address
• Whether your son or daughter is due to be on the 2023 trip
• Number of seats you would be interested in taking up

Neil McCollin
Assistant Head - Co-Curricular

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

Online eDofE accounts have been created and you have been sent an email with the login details. Please sign in as soon as possible. The DofE will then send a participant handbook directly to your home address.

The enrolment packs have been distributed at the DofE Start-Up Meetings and the next steps explained. Please could all new bronze, silver and gold participants complete the steps listed below by Friday 16 December.

1. Download the DofE app or find www.edofe.org

2. Login using the username and password sticker on your folder (or the email sent directly to the address you put on your enrolment form).

3. Update your personal details.

4. Set timescales (for example at bronze physical 6, volunteering 3 and skill 3 months).

5. Complete programme planners for the physical, volunteering and skill sections. This includes;

- selecting the activity  
- inputting start dates
- setting a goal to achieve
- recording your assessor details (please 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.

6. Get used to the app/website by experimenting with other features, for example: manage evidence, contact your leader and DofE card.

Additional guidance will be emailed directly home, please could participants spend some time reading through this information with their parents. Further resources will be added to My School Portal next week.

Will Bower
Head of Outdoor Education - DofE Manager

Whilst the enrolment deadline has now passed for moving up to the next level, there is still time to complete your award from last year in full. Please continue to prioritise signing off your volunteering, physical and skill sections. Guidance can be found on a DofE Completion email sent to you and your parents, the advice documents are also available on MySchoolPortal.

Lunchtime drop-in clinics continue this week, lunch 1 – LG01 and lunch 2, in LG02. The Certificate Presentation Evening takes place on Thursday 16 February 2023. Please do prioritise signing off your sections before the Christmas break so they can be processed in time for an invite to the evening. We would like to celebrate all of your achievements on the scheme.

Will Bower
Head of Outdoor Education - DofE Manager

The History department Year 8 trip to Ypres and the Somme will take place between 30 June and 4 July 2023. 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

The Malawi 2024 Expedition will depart in early July 2024 and will last for 15 days.  We anticipate a small group of three sixth-form staff and 30 pupils, with those currently in Year 10, 11 and Lower Sixth invited to take part. The cost of the Malawi trip will be £3,290 and is built around three pillars of School Partnership, Global Citizenship and Experience which are explained in more detail in the presentation linked below. The trip will include;         

• Evening flight with Ethiopian airlines from London Heathrow to Addis Ababa and from there to Blantyre in Malawi    
• Accommodation at seven different lodges in different parts of the country   
• A visit to the charity STEKA which works with street children   
• A morning sharing in the exuberant worship of a typical Sunday morning service.  
• Four days of classroom, sport and collaborative activities at two different schools with whom we have existing links. Mary’s Meals staff will spend half a day with us at each school. We may also visit the Mary’s Meals HQ in Blantyre 
• Twenty-four hours on Mount Mulanje, the largest mountain in the country, including hiking and sleeping in a mountain hut overnight. The group will be assisted by porters and guides
  Two days at Ecolodgy Centre learning about environmental projects linked to sustainability, agriculture and business enterprise
• Afternoon safari and bush supper followed by two days R&R on Lake Malawi
• Two days at Bhubesi Pride Foundation with hands on experience of their work which centers on sport and education 
• Return flight from Lilongwe to Heathrow via Addis Ababa 
• The cost includes all accommodation and food, transport for the duration of the trip, all activities, insurance and travel to and from Heathrow airport, as well as tips and contingency money. Vaccination costs, personal insurance and money for souvenirs or personal items are not included

Pupils who take part in the trip will be expected to have a strong commitment to our Princethorpe ethos, especially the ideals of kindness, hospitality and openness to others, plus a sense of humour. In addition, high expectations of pupils are expected in terms of a consistent work ethic and good behaviour in school from the moment that they sign up for the expedition. We expect and encourage all pupils to contribute towards the cost of the trip in whatever way they can.  In addition, we will decide on some charitable fundraising towards one or more projects at the two schools we will visit during our trip – for example classroom refurbishment or construction of girl’s toilet blocks. We look forward to collaborating with parents, pupils and local businesses in achieving this aim. 

 Please click to view the following linked documents: 

• Malawi 2024 Presentation
• Pre-Residential Trip School Behaviour Contract and Code of Conduct 
• Payment schedule and cancellation agreement
• A video about a previous Orbis Expedition can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yikGo43bg0

To secure a place on the trip: 

Please arrange for payment of the initial deposit of £200 by 12 December 2022, referencing Trip No: 2288. The bank details are: Princethorpe College HSBC - 40-18-17. Acc No: 82689111   
Please also complete the form here to register that your son or daughter would like to take part in this trip and to agree to the first payment of £700 being added to the Lent Term bill.   Further information will be shared with you via Evolve in due course.

Yours sincerely

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. 

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 click 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 note that the school shop will be closed from 2.00pm on Friday 16 December 2022 and reopen at the beginning of the Lent term on Wednesday 4 January 2023.

The school shop is open for pupils during both break and lunch time and after school for pupils and parents on Mondays and Wednesdays 3.30pm - 4.30pm, term time only. 

When ordered items are ready for collection, the pupil with be emailed and informed that they can collect from the shop during the opening times.

If you need to contact the school shop, please email in the first instance to uniform@princethorpe.co.uk.

Barbara Bromwich
Foundation Shop Manager

We would like to remind parents of some useful contact details.

To report a pupil absence please email attendance@princethorpe.co.uk or telephone the Attendance Line on 01926 634260.

For other enquiries please use the email addresses below:

Bus related queries - princethorpe@vectare.co.uk

School Shop - uniform@princethorpe.co.uk

Medical Centre - pcmatrons@princethorpe.co.uk

School fees -  accounts@princethorpe.co.uk

General enquiries - post@princethorpe.co.uk

Lost property - lostproperty@princethorpe.co.uk

Wisepay catering - cashless@princethorpe.co.uk

Email addresses for members of teaching staff can be found on My School Portal.

Please see below our current vacancies: 

Princethorpe College

• Teacher of Mathmatics (Maternity Cover)
• Examination Officer
• Library Assistant
• Examination Invigilator
• Sports Coaches (Cricket, Football, Netball, Hockey)

Little Crackers

• Nursery Practitioner

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.