The Flagpole

As we come towards the end of another very busy term, I would like to thank you all for your support. With the significant number of children and staff affected by sickness, combined with the sharp cold spell, I think we are very ready for our Christmas break.

The run up to Christmas is always special in a school and this year we have enjoyed our excellent PTA Christmas Fair, the College Feast Day with House Singing Competition, the wonderful adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Christmas Lunch, Christmas Quiz, Christmas Jumpers, Christmas Service and our rousing final community Carol Singing in the Sports Hall – always a great way to end the term.

Lime Walk News
On a sad note over the Christmas holidays, following inspections by independent tree specialists and Rugby Borough Council, we will be starting a removal of some of the Lime trees along the Lime Walk.

The trees, which date back to the early days of St Mary’s Priory, are aged around 150 years and have reached the end of their natural lifespan and there are signs of disease developing. The removal of some of these unhealthy trees will unfortunately compromise the remaining trees, which will ultimately lead to the phased removal of all the trees along the avenue over a period of time. 

We know that this news will be upsetting to the Princethorpe community as the Limes are a much loved and integral part of the Princethorpe skyline. However, a planned programme of replanting will begin elsewhere on the campus to commemorate the trees and the part they have played in the school’s rich history. Plans for landscaping and improving the area for school use will be shared as soon as they become available.

Parental Survey
An enormous thank you to all parents who completed our recent survey – I know you invested a significant amount of time in this and it is hugely appreciated. I have included the overall satisfaction ratings for the main sections in the appendix to this letter, which can be viewed here; these were calculated by looking at each statement and looking at the % who “agreed” or “strongly agreed” with each statement, or rated a particular area as “good” or “very good”.

Whilst we would aim for 100%, we feel these scores are very positive generally – the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate (ISI) use 80% as a benchmark figure and the majority of ours were above 90%.

Notwithstanding this, I and the Senior Leadership Team have read through each and every comment. We have put them into categories and will be drawing up action plans as appropriate next term and will bear these comments in mind in our communications with you and as areas to further develop. One of the drawbacks of course to making the survey anonymous is that we can’t feedback to you individually on the specific points raised.

There are a few specific areas I would like to comment on:

Parents’ Evenings – whilst a number of parents feel strongly that they would like to move these back to face-to-face, when we polled parents last term, a clear majority (72%), preferred to keep them on-line.

Uniform – again whilst some parents feel very strongly that there should be some major changes, only 7% of parents wanted a major review of uniform. In the Sixth Form, whilst some felt there should be a specific uniform (8%) – the vast majority wanted to keep the ‘dress code’ approach, which we do review on an annual basis.

Food – one of our lowest ratings was the “quality of food” with a 72% satisfaction rate. Reading the feedback, a lot of parents commented on the fact that whilst there are good healthy options, their children were choosing less healthy options too regularly, which the on-line payment system highlights. This is something we will think carefully about, discuss with Holroyd Howe and create a parent focus group to help us look at.

Reporting – the statement “I feel well informed about my child's performance and progress” had an 85% satisfaction rate, but there were a number of comments on this. We are currently reviewing the school’s reporting policy and again, next term will be asking parents to join a focus group so we can pick your brains as to the sorts of things you would like to see.

Parental Involvement – there was a very good number of parents who would like to offer their help, which is really encouraging. Thank you! Of course, the survey was undertaken anonymously so sadly we don’t know who you are, we will therefore follow this up with a specific parental involvement questionnaire in the New Year.

Pupil Survey
As you may know within the last few weeks, we also conducted a major pupil survey whereby each pupil gave feedback on all of their subjects. I have fed back to the pupils in an assembly, but again we were very happy with the feedback. Some key overall results were:

• 88% of pupils agreed/strongly agreed “lessons are enjoyable”
• 93% of pupils agreed/strongly agreed “I feel well supported by my teacher”
• 88% of pupils agreed/strongly agreed “I have a good relationship my teacher”

On the ICT front there were only 8% pupils who disagreed that “using my device helps my learning” which was very encouraging as we move towards having all pupils with laptops after Christmas.

Of course, we have been able to drill down into the data to look at individual subjects, classes, and teaching groups and compare boys, girls and the different year groups responses. This allows us to focus our efforts where extra help or support is required. Again, all the pupils' comments will be read by the senior team and heads of department – with over five and a half thousand responses this is an enormously important aspect of us listening to and hearing the “student voice”.

Digital Wellbeing Survey
Enormous thanks for the overwhelmingly positive response to my letter last week on this hugely important area. There will be more information regarding further support for parents in the New Year.

Staff News
At the end of term, we say thank you and goodbye to Madeline Hughes who has taken a maternity cover in the English department for Jess Proudlock, who is now returning. Many thanks too to Miranda Kihlstrom, one of our amazing estates team who work so hard to ensure the school can look after all our pupils safely. We also say goodbye and thank you to Karen O’Connor, our Assistant Librarian – Karen has quietly been a real stalwart helping and support children and staff in this key area of the school for the past nine years.

In other staff news, following changes within the Learning Support team earlier this term, we look forward to welcoming Natasha Warwood as our new Head of Learning Support and SENCo at the start of the Lent term.

Natasha joins us with a wealth of experience from Bilton School in Rugby, where she has worked for 23 years as a Teacher of PE and SENCo.  

As we all know, it has been a demanding term in many ways and we all need to try to take advantage of the holiday to find time to rest, recuperate and re-charge our batteries. Particularly for those involved in the summer public examinations, next term will fly by; our pupils have had much support and guidance regarding how to structure their revision and studies at this time and I know parents of Year 11 and Upper Sixth will be keen to ensure there is a good balance of work, rest, play and quality family time over the Christmas holiday period.

And finally….
I’m not sure how many letters I have written as Head of Princethorpe… but this is definitely my last one as I move to take up my new position as Foundation Principal. Many thanks for the messages of goodwill that have been sent in and gifts – that is very kind. One of my key initial tasks, alongside steering us through the ongoing choppy waters, will be to develop and start delivering a strategic vision and plan that takes the Princethorpe Foundation forward over the next ten years or so and I will be sharing this with all parents in due course.

I have spent some considerable time with Grove du Toit this term to ensure he will be able to settle into his new role as Head of Princethorpe College as quickly as possible. He really is first-class, and I am really excited to be handing over to him, twinged with a little sadness of course as I have been very fortunate to have loved my time here as Head.

Very best wishes to all our families for Christmas and the New Year and a final thank you on a personal note for the support that you have given and continue to give to the College.

Ed Hester
Headmaster

Plans for the College Careers Fair on Saturday 18 March 2023 are shaping up nicely. Some 16 universities have already confirmed their attendance with nine hosting talks on subject areas such as How to choose a university and Applying for competitive university courses.

The Careers team are also in the process of firming up speakers on a wide range of career fields and sectors, from teaching and technology to advertising, the armed forces, veterinary science and medical careers.

The Fair is open to Year 10 to Sixth Form pupils and their parents. It will provide a ‘one stop careers shop’ with a wide range of speakers and organisations on hand to offer advice and guidance on careers, universities, apprenticeships and internships.

This year the event will take place in person from 9.30am to 1.00pm and, as before, will include a keynote speaker and career path workshops with presentations and Q and A sessions from parents and Old Princethorpians. Attendees will be able to attend up to three workshops plus the exhibition depending on their personal interests.

Comments, Jacqui Quinney, Head of Careers, “This is a really key event for our senior pupils. It will provide important information and advice to help them develop their career choices. Please do make a note of the date now, so as to not miss out on this very valuable opportunity.”

Registrations for the event will open in mid February.

If you would be willing to speak on a career area or work for an organisation that would like to have a stand in the exhibition part of the Fair, please contact amandamckenzie@princethorpe.co.uk

Princethorpe College is celebrating after pupils had a super successful outing at the Independent School Association’s National Swimming Championships. Together pupils brought home 12 Gold medals, 8 Silver medals and 5 Bronze medals, an incredible haul!

A team of nine swimmers had qualified to swim for the Midlands team at the Regional Finals in October and on Saturday 3 December they travelled down to the London Aquatics Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to take part.

Year 7, Issey Cleary was on fine form taking a Gold medal in the Year 7 50m Breaststroke in 39.36 seconds and a Silver in the Year 7 50m Butterfly in 37.21. Stephanie Bolton did nearly as well earning herself two Silver medals after finishing in second place in the Year 7 50m Backstroke in 35.81 and in the 50m Freestyle in 31.35. Both girls then swam for the Midlands team in the 4x50m Medley Relay helping the team finish in first place for a Gold medal in a team time of 2.24.94 minutes and then the 4x50m Freestyle Relay where they also took the Gold in a team time of 2.10.29.

Year 8 Charlotte Gower brought home a Silver and a Bronze medal after finishing in second place in the Year 8 50m Backstroke in 35.42 seconds and in third place in the Year 8 50m Freestyle in 30.53. Year 8, Tara Rodgers also won herself a Silver medal in the Year 8 50m Butterfly in 33.36 seconds. Together the girls swam for the Midlands team in the Year 8 4x50m Medley Relay finishing third for another bronze medal each in a team time of 2.24.94 minutes. Charlotte then swam in the Year 8 4x50m Freestyle Relay helping her team finish in 2.07.79 and earning herself another Bronze medal.

Year 10, André Onyekwe swam superbly in four events and came away with three Gold medals and one Silver. In the Year 9&10 100m Freestyle he finished in first place in a time of 56.67 seconds, while in the Year 9&10 100m Backstroke he took the Gold in 1.06.62 minutes. Then in the Year 9&10 4x50m Freestyle Relay he helped his team to first place in a team time of 1.47.49 and finally in the Year 9&10 4x50m Medley Relay another strong swim helped the team finish second in a team time of 2.06.34. Year 10, Harrison Guest joined André in the Medley Relay, swimming the Breaststroke leg and earning himself a Silver medal too, to add to his Bronze medal from the Year 9&10 100m Breaststroke where he finished third in 1.24.50.

In the senior races, Year 11, Lottie Hunter claimed a Gold medal in the Year 11-13 100m Freestyle finishing the course in 1.02.57 minutes and then took a second Gold when she helped the Midlands team finish first in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay in a team time of 1.57.96 minutes. Year 12, Connor Silvester earned himself a Silver medal in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay in a team time of 1.45.24.

Together pupils’ medal winning performances helped the Midlands team finish in second place overall at the national event.

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

The College's Feast Day took place on Thursday 8 December. This annual celebration involving the whole of the College community, marks the day back in 1854 that the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart were founded and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

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

As part of the celebrations, the school came together at lunchtime to hand out awards to pupils receiving House Prizes. Pupils had been nominated by their Head of House as a reward for the progress they had shown during the academic year or for the excellent and sustained high standard of achievement displayed throughout the year. You can find details of the award winners here. A super huge well done to everyone involved.

Scroll through the gallery to see photos of the award winners.

Families 'mulled' over the quiz with a glass of hot spiced wine and a mince pie at the start of the evening, whilst our Year 11 and Lower Sixth students carried out close-up demonstrations that included the naughty or nice indicator and the magic fairy dust repelling elves. 

The lecture itself tried to answer some of the following questions "Why is Santa always dressed in red?", "How many hours of running does Santa need to burn off the mince pie calories?", "How long would it take Santa’s body to process the alcohol in the 200 million glasses of sherry he drinks on Christmas Eve?", and "How is fog formed?" 

Demonstrations included multi-coloured flame jars to show the colours of the rainbow, turning sherry into water (Science is magic), making artificial fog with dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) and making ice cream with liquid nitrogen (which was of course sampled by all of the students in the audience). 

The evening concluded with an online quiz which was closely contended and tested our guests on some of the content of the lecture. 

We would like to thank parents and pupils for attending on such a cold and dark winter evening, and all of the staff and pupil helpers who made it possible. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Princethorpe College Science Department! 

On Friday 9 December, Princethorpe College said farewell to much loved peripatetic teacher, Mrs Chris Carpenter. Chris started working for St Joseph’s (now Crackley Hall) in 1998 before joining Princethorpe College in 2001 as a teacher of Drama and English, she returned for a second stint at Princethorpe as a LAMDA peripatetic teacher in 2014.

Her pupils have thrived and with her encouragement have successfully progressed through the LAMDA syllabus, some right to the very top level, a number achieving Gold Medals at Grade 8. Keen for all her pupils to achieve their full potential Chris has always structured her teaching to bring out the best in every piece of work under study. She actively supported school performance events and has helped LAMDA become an integral part of the performing arts offering here at Princethorpe College.

Diligent to the end, a delighted Chris, who had hoped to scuttle away with little fuss, was surprised with flowers as she was teaching her very last lesson. Headmaster, Ed Hester said, “We would like to thank Chris for all her hard work and dedication to Princethorpe’s pupils. She has been instrumental in the success of LAMDA at the College and we will miss her. We wish her a happy, healthy and well-deserved retirement.”

The latest edition of the College’s magazine, The Tower Review, has just been published.

It tells the story of the school year, term by term, reflecting on the whole host of activities, achievements and successes that pupils from Year 7 through to Upper Sixth took part in. It includes highlights such as Prize Giving and the College production as well as reviews of sporting events and House competitions.

2021/22 was an amazing year filled full of wonderful and memorable moments to reflect on. We hope that our annual souvenir review will be treasured by pupils and parents alike.

The magazine will be mailed to parents with the Lent Term 2023 calendar and the Leavers of 2022 will be sent a hard copy in the post. An electronic copy can be found here and also on the school website.

If you would like to receive an additional copy please email marketing@princethorpe.co.uk with your name and address.

On Tuesday 13 December Princethorpe College Sixth Formers welcomed over 50 guests, for a special Senior Citizen's Christmas Celebratory Lunch. They included residents from a number of local care homes, Greenways, Town Thorns, Galanos House, Cubbington Mill Care and elderly parishoners from St Anne's, Wappenbury.

The lunch is an annual community event, although this was the first one after a two year break due to the pandemic, where the guests are served turkey and all the trimmings, prepared by the College catering team and waited on by College Sixth Formers. It was held in the Sixth Form atrium and delicious smells wafted across the room whilst all around there was chatter and laughter. 

Sixth Formers, Sam Allen, Marcus Critchley, Dom Evetts and William Gibson-Sexton were on hand to assist with the arrival of the guests whilst Lara Cutri, Noah Kemp, Dina Parmenter, Chloe O'Carroll-Bailey, Toby West, Isy Williams and Erika Zanyi did a sterling job entertaining all with festive tunes, accompanied by Head of Music, Gil Cowlishaw. Ruby Harris and Head of School, Freya Mills led the assembled guests in the now traditional joyful singing along of much loved Christmas carols, including Ding Dong Merrily On High, We Wish You A Merry Christmas and Hark The Herald Angels Sing. Ed Hester, Headmaster, who had popped in to welcome the senior citizens, happily joined in the communal singing and even played the sleigh bells in time to the music. 

Before they left all of the visitors were presented with a personalised Christmas card produced by pupils from the College and from local primary school, Our Lady's in Princethorpe, who also gave us a wonderful performance of some songs from their Nativity. 

Head of Sixth Form, Ben Collie commented, "It was wonderful to see old and young chatting and making memories together. They really embodied the true spirit of Christmas. A huge thank you to our Sixth Formers and staff for organising such a lovely festive event." 

Scroll through the gallery to have a look at some of the images from the afternoon. 

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

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

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

Our thanks go to Year 7 pupils, Hattie Godfrey and Lottie Corbin (pictured), who, alongside their peers, have helped with preparing and hanging the candles.

Princethorpe College pupils, parents and staff have once again responded generously to the seasonal Food Bank appeal. The school community was asked to bring in items of non-perishable food and they did not disappoint, showing a sense of empathy, generosity and solidarity. All the donations have been passed on to the St Vincent de Paul Society, to be packed into hampers to be given to local families in need.

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

Thank you to Year 7 pupils, Katherine Lee and Ro Somerset (pictured) and their peers for their help with organising the donations, some of which you can see in the photo.

This year's House Singing Competition did not disappoint, with spirited renditions of some all-time favourites in the Sports Hall on Feast Day. Austin gave a rousing performance of I Want It That Way, Fisher harmonised with Uptown Girl, More entertained us with I’m A Believer and Benet belted out Reach For The Stars.

The Lower School, Years 7-10, went first with the Upper School, Years 11 and Sixth Form, in the second round. There was much rivalry but there can be only one winner…and this year for the Lower School Benet stole the show while for the older years it was More who brought the house down.

A super huge well done to everyone involved and many thanks to this year's judges, Mr Heath and Mrs Young, from the Foundation's Estates team.

You can watch clips from the winning songs on the College's social media here.

On Wednesday 7 December, a group of Religious Studies A-Level students visited Oxford University to take part in an A-Level conference. They heard from Oxford academics who discussed questions such as the existence of God and the problem of evil, both of which feature in their A-Level syllabus. It was a great opportunity to help them secure their knowledge of these important topics before their upcoming exams, and also served to give them a taste of university-style lectures. OP, Issy Wardman, an RS A-Level student from the Princethorpe Class of 2021 who is now studying at Oxford Brookes, joined the group for lunch; her responses to their many questions covered advice on all manner of topics, from revision strategies to university applications! It was a really useful day for them all.

Commiserations to the 1st XI Football team who despite being a goal up at half time, thanks to Toby Nicoll assisted by Luc Sen-Gupta, and a great penalty save by Finn Osborn, eventually went down 1-3 to Hampton School in the Boodles ISFA National Cup on Wednesday 7 December. An intense game saw Princethorpe never give up until the final whistle blew.

Well played to all, it was a fantastic achievement to reach the last 16, the furthest the College has ever progressed in the competition, and the very best of luck to Hampton in the next round.  

Princethorpe’s Senior Girls Cross Country team travelled north to The Grammar School at Leeds on Saturday 3 December to compete in the ESAA National Finals of the Schools' Cross Country Cup.

Year 12s, Grace Darcy, Jess Evans, Emma Sarkies and Natasha Thomas and Year 11s, Kate Pomerleau and Ava Farren had run in a local round at Princethorpe, and then a regional final in Bromsgrove to qualify for the event. They were competing against runners from schools across the country, from as far afield as Cumbria and Northumberland to Kent and Dorset, as they set off around the 3.15km course. It was a great opportunity for the girls to compete against some of the UK’s very best.

Ava Farren was first across the line for Princethorpe finishing 54th closely followed by Grace Darcy 56th and Jess Evans 58th, and the rest of the team then safely made their way across the finish line.

Teacher of PE and Games, Will Bower, was pleased with their performance saying, “Well done to the Senior Girls Cross Country team on an excellent run. It was fantastic to see the College represented at the ESAA Cross-Country National Final. The girls finished 18th out of the whole country which is an amazing achievement.”

Congratulations girls you should be #princethorpeandproud

We are offering members of the Princethorpe community one last chance to leave their mark on the College's new Science Centre. 

This incredible development, due to be ready for teaching in September 2023, will facilitate not only state of the art science education at Princethorpe but also the opportunity to redevelop the existing site for complete cross-curricular enhancement.

Our Periodic Table display will feature 15 x 15cms tiles each showing the name of the element, the chemical symbol, the atomic number as well your chosen inscription (15 characters including spaces).

This last chance to contribute is available by donating £250 for any of the remaining elements:

These elements are available on a first come, first served basis.

We also have one Upper Tier element remaining, Cu Copper 29, for a donation of £500.

The closing date for donations will be Friday 6 January 2023. Don’t miss out on this final opportunity to ensure your chosen name or message is recorded in perpetuity in the future of the Princethorpe Foundation.

To participate, visit the link where you can donate online: click here There is the opportunity to make a one-off payment of £250 or 10 regular payments of £25.

So many of our parents, staff and friends have done much already to support the Foundation and we are incredibly appreciative of this.

AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon that lets customers enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices, and convenient shopping features as on amazon.co.uk. The difference is that when you shop through the smile.amazon.co.uk web address, AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of the net purchase price (excluding VAT, returns and shipping fees) of eligible purchases to the charitable organisation selected by the customer.

So whenever you make an eligible purchase from Amazon via AmazonSmile, the charitable organisation benefits at no additional cost to you.

The Princethorpe Foundation is a charity and within the Foundation, the Development Office work to enable the provision of more bursaries to deserving pupils, to update our facilities and buildings, and to meet our strategic development plans. You can find out more about the work of the Development Office on our school website here. 

The Development Office is asking the Princethorpe community to consider choosing The Princethorpe Foundation as their nominated charity on AmazonSmile. 

How do I shop at AmazonSmile?

To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.co.uk from the web browser on your computer or mobile device.

Can I use my existing amazon.co.uk account on smile.amazon.co.uk?

Yes, you use the same account on amazon.co.uk and smile.amazon.co.uk. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same. Simply visit smile.amazon.co.uk and log in to your usual Amazon account.

Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible for charitable donations?

Millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations to charities by Amazon. You will see eligible products marked 'Eligible for smile.amazon.co.uk' on their product detail pages. Recurring Subscribe-and-Save purchases and subscription renewals are not currently eligible.

How do I select to support the Princethorpe Foundation when shopping on AmazonSmile?

On your first visit to smile.amazon.co.uk you need to select a charitable organisation to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping, simply search for and select 'The Princethorpe Foundation'. Amazon will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.co.uk will result in a donation to support Development Office projects.

How will you use the donations you receive?

All donations received via smile.amazon.co.uk will go towards our Annual Fund. Each year, this fund supports the purchase of necessary academic and extracurricular equipment, ensures educational, enrichment and entertainment opportunities for students, and helps maintain the School’s academic and sporting facilities. Your Annual Fund contributions are at the heart of all that we do, and all that we give to our pupils.

The 2023 College calendar featuring 12 superb images of the College and its grounds is a perfect present and complete with term and key dates, 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.

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)

If you wish you can use the link here to let us know you would like to celebrate either of the two Masses on Christmas Eve with us.

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
 
 

Friday 20 January - 7.15pm - 9.15pm

We are delighted to invite parents of pupils in Year 9 and 10 to the Headmaster’s Year 9 and 10 Parents’ Quiz and Chinese night, which will take place in the Refectory on Friday 20 January from 7.15pm to 9.15pm. Tickets for the Parents’ Quiz are available on a first come, first served basis, including the Chinese supper, and are £10 per head. Payment for tickets will be charged to the Trinity Term school fees.

The PTA will be running a pay bar and our new Headmaster, Mr du Toit's quiz will hopefully not be too testing! 

It should be a very enjoyable evening for all and enable you to meet and socialise with fellow parents, as well as some staff and members of the PTA.  

If you would like to reserve your place, and to enable us to plan our catering, please click here to complete and submit a brief form by Friday 13 January.

We very much hope you are able to attend and we look forward to seeing you on Friday 20 January.

Wednesday 25 January - 7.00pm

Our December book was Landlines by Raynor Winn, the third of a series of books in which she charts her extensive walking projects with her husband Moth whose Parkinson’s related illness benefits hugely but unaccountably from these expeditions. This one begins with the challenges of the Cape Wrath Trail through remote areas of Scotland, after which the couple tackle the challenges of the Pennine Way. The writing is vivid and engaging with plenty of human interest stories along the way. The writer explores the benefits to both mental and physical health of walking and evokes the impact of the natural world upon wellbeing whilst not shirking from the physical discomforts and logistic challenges of long expeditions. We all found the book uplifting in different ways.

We will be meeting again on Wednesday 25 January in the library at 7.00pm. On this occasion we will be discussing The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje and, as a bit of a lighter read, The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. Please join us whether or not you have read these particular books. We are a friendly and unpretentious group of readers, always open to new suggestions, so it is always good to welcome newcomers.

The Year 11 Subject Progress Evening will take place online on Thursday 26 January 2023 from 5.00pm to 8.30pm. Details of how to book appointments will be issued after the Christmas holiday.

Year 11 Mock Exam Reports will be published on Friday 20 January 2023 and will be available to view on My School Portal.

The Upper Sixth Subject Progress Evening will take place in person on Wednesday 18 January 2023 from 6.00pm to 8.30pm. Details of how to book appointments will be issued after the Christmas holiday.

There are a few adjustments to our timetable that will take effect from January. My School Portal will update over the weekend. Pupils should check their timetable before term begins.

As we return from Christmas, Upper Sixth and Year 11 students will be sitting mock examinations. We wish them all well in their preparation for these and would like to remind all other pupils to be considerate in keeping quiet while moving around site near examination venues. Year 11 pupils should ensure that they have sufficient revision resources with them to use in the sessions when they do not have mock examinations, making sure that their laptops are fully charged.

Upper Sixth Mock Exam Reports will be published on Friday 13 January 2023 and will be available to view on My School Portal.

A few weeks ago, Dr Alex Jones joined us from Warwick University to address a full audience in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre to speak about her work as a plant scientist. It was a thoroughly engaging talk and very well received by all. If you were not able to attend and would like the chance to watch the recording, please follow the link here.

Helen Pascoe-Williams
da Vinci Co-ordinator

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

Years 7, 8 and 9

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

Year 10

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

Year 11

1.  Pupils should be revising for their mocks beginning Wednesday 4 January. This should include revision work as indicated by subject teachers and areas of revision that pupils have identified for themselves. Pupils should aim for at least four hours’ productive work per day.
2.  Pupils will also be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders.  

Sixth Form - Lower Sixth

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

Sixth Form - Upper Sixth

1.  Students should be revising for their mocks beginning Wednesday 4 January. This should include revision work as indicated by subject teachers and areas of revision that pupils have identified for themselves. Students should aim for at least between four and six hours productive work per day.
2.  Students will also be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders.  
3.  Review of examination papers and completion of corrections as directed by subject teachers.

Wishing you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and a healthy and successful 2023.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head – Teaching and Learning

A reminder that Year 7 pupils will begin to use devices in the classroom from January 2023.

From January, pupils in Year 7 will need to bring a device to school every day for use in lessons. The majority of Year 7 pupils bought devices through the school scheme this term for use in school. These devices will automatically be ready for use in school, with all relevant apps and policies in place.

If your child is in Year 7 and does not yet have a suitable device for use in school we would recommend the following specification:

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

Parents of pupils in Year 7 who have not purchased through the device scheme have been sent instructions to ensure their child’s device is setup ready for use in school, to help with a smooth start in the Lent term.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1)      Click “New here?  Get started.”

2)      Select “Student”

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

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

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

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

Andy Compton
Assistant Head - Director of Digital Strategy

I am delighted to be writing to offer you the opportunity to purchase a Class of 2023 Yearbook and Hoody for your child. 
 
We are working with Fizz, the UK's premier supplier Yearbooks and Hoodies, and are eagerly anticipating what are sure to be wonderful keepsakes to celebrate their time at Princethorpe.  
 
The Hoodies will have a large ‘23’ print on the back, containing the names of all pupils in the year group, and will also feature an embroidered school logo on the front. Pupils can pick from a range of different colours in the Hoody style as chosen by the Year 11 pupils themselves. Pupils will also have the opportunity to personalise their Hoody with a name/nickname should they wish, at a small additional cost. 
 
Our Yearbooks will feature messages from staff, portraits, photographs and comments from pupils which are sure to bring back many happy memories for years to come, and is the perfect way of capturing all of those priceless moments from the school years that have flown by so quickly. 
 
All Year 11 pupils have the opportunity to purchase a Yearbook, Hoody, or indeed both (in previous years, the vast majority of pupils ordered both). It is essential that these orders are placed in plenty of time so that they do not miss out as there will only be one order. Orders must be placed by Monday 9 January 2023.  
 
To place an order, please visit https://shop.fizz-group.co.uk/

Our School Unique ID is: P024672YR11 
 
You must place an order before 9 January 2023. I cannot stress this deadline enough, as we do not want anyone to be disappointed. Princethorpe will not be able to order any spare Yearbooks or Hoodies, so please do not miss out.  
 
All orders will be delivered direct to school for pupils to collect. Hoodies will be handed out prior to the Easter holidays and the Yearbooks will be given out on Tuesday 27 June 2023 at the Year 11 Headmaster’s Thanksgiving Service and Buffet Lunch. 
 
Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral 

We will be celebrating Year Group Eucharist for Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 in the Lent Term 2023.

• Wednesday 25 January - Year 10 - 9.40am-10.30am
• Wednesday 1 February - Year 9 - 9.40am-10.30am
• Thursday 9 February - Year 8 - 9.40am-10.30am
• Thursday 16 February - Year 7 - 9.40am-10.30am

Family members are invited to join the relevant groups in the College Chapel and to stay afterwards for light refreshments.

Please use the main exterior Chapel entrance. Car parking will be clearly indicated.

If you would like to attend please click on the relevant year group above to confirm your attendance.

If have any queries please email Mrs Mary Benham, Chaplaincy Co-ordinator at marybenham@princethorpe.co.uk

On Thursday 5 January the Immunisation Team will be in school to offer the flu vaccination to pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9

If you have consented for your child to receive this, they have been sent an email with an appointment time. Vaccinations will take place in the Sports Hall.

Any queries please let us know via our email address pcmatrons@princethorpe.co.uk.

On behalf of the medical centre team we wish you all a very Happy Christmas

Mrs Paula Greig
Senior Matron 

As the new year begins and Christmas trees are taken down and we return to our familiar schedules we pray that our minds may be focused on: our broken planet; refugees and the homeless; those who have to use food banks and those who have no one to pray for them.  God of love, God peace, God of hope and joy be with us throughout the year ahead. 

Amen

Tuesday 27 June 2023

As a reminder to our year 11 pupils and parents the Headmaster’s Thanksgiving Service and Buffet Lunch will be held on Tuesday 27 June 2023 in school.

The Year 11 Prom will also be held on Tuesday 27 June 2023 at Coombe Abbey in Coventry.

Please save the date.

Further information to follow.

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

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:

SEND queries - send@princethorpe.co.uk

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.

It is important that all pupils wear the correct uniform to school, which should fit the pupil properly too.  Information regarding the College's correct uniform can be found in pupils' homework diaries and in the Information Booklet for Parents. In particular, please can you check your child has the correct footwear - Air Force 1 trainers are not permitted in school. 

Please could you ensure that your child comes to school wearing the correct uniform and games kit when they return next term. Thank you for your continued support with this matter.

On behalf of the Pastoral Team we wish you all a very Happy Christmas. 

Mrs Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

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

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

Karen O'Connor
Librarian

Confirmation preparation sessions for the Lent term are:

Tuesday 16 January or Friday 20 January
Tuesday 24 January or Friday 3 February
Tuesday 7 February or Friday 10 February
Tuesday 14 February or Friday 17 February
Thursday 2 March (everyone) 

Confirmation will be celebrated by Canon Paul Fitzpatrick, Episcopal Vicar for Coventry and Oxfordshire, in the College Chapel on Friday 3 March 2023 at 7.00pm.

Please can I take this opportunity to ask parents, over the holidays, to remind themselves of the school term dates which can be found here.

Parents are strongly discouraged from taking family holidays during term-time. Where prior approval is sought, the Head may consider holiday absence. Parents are requested to apply in writing for permission to remove children from school for holidays at least one month in advance of any potential trip to the Head.

Beth Sharpe  
Deputy Head - Pastoral

Thank you to all the Sixth Form students who helped at our Christmas lunch for local care home residents. Everyone had a fabulous time and they spoke very highly of the hospitality and entertainment provided by our students. We've also had our Christmas assembly and it was a real pleasure to issue so many awards for hard work, kindness and effort. 

Student Leadership for 2023/24 has been launched

Deadline for applications is Monday 3 January 2023

Upper Sixth Mock Examinations

Here is a link to the presentation about the importance of the Mock Examinations and the A-Level timeline.

A reminder that Upper Sixth will not have study leave in January, but they will have  study leave in February.

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

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

Thursday 29 June - Upper Sixth Thanksgiviing Eucharist and Buffet Supper

Wednesday 5 July - Upper Sixth Leavers' Ball 

Wishing you all a very happy and relaxing Christmas, and a peaceful and healthy 2023.

Best wishes

Ben Collie 
Head of Sixth Form 

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 continuing with the process of organising the return visit of our Dutch hosts from October 2022. We are looking forward to reciprocating the fantastic experience which our pupils received during our 4 night experience with the players from Hopbel Hockey club. The return dates are from Saturday 29 April through to Wednesday 3 May.

The girls and boys (mainly girls) are a variety of ages, between 12 and 15. This may be of interest if your child would like to attend the Holland visit in October 2023, however this invitation is open to all families. In order to host, we are looking for families who can offer to host a pair (or more) of Dutch visitors and willing to entertain and involve them in your family life for the 4 nights. We will organise an itinerary of fixtures, activities during the school day and a BBQ for our guests with their host families on the final evening. We will let you know who the other host families are so that you can organize other events together if you wish. We will supply bus tickets for the Dutch visitors should these be required but they will need to be picked up after fixtures each day from College.

Due to requisite safeguarding checks, all adults (members of the family over 18 years old) within the household must hold an enhanced DBS certificate, to be sent for by the Princethorpe Foundation, even if they currently have a DBS certificate from another employer. If you are subscribed to the DBS Update Service, please do let us know. To allow plenty of time for the DBS certificates to be received before the tour, please do book an appointment with our Recruitment Co-ordinator at recruitment@princethorpe.co.uk, to take place after Monday 30 January, as the DBS check has to be done within the three months prior to the visit. It will only take 15 minutes per person to apply for the DBS certificates, and one person from the household can bring the documentation on behalf of everyone in the household. The recruitment team are available Monday to Friday from 8.00am until 5.00pm. If you have any questions, please do contact Claire Wildsmith or Suz Jeffery on 01926 634269.  Please see the attached document entitled ‘Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks’ for the ID documentation required.

Many thanks for your continued support of Princethorpe Sport and we hope that you can continue this by hosting some Dutch guests in April. 

The South Africa Tour Fundraising Wreath Making Evenings on Wednesday 30 November and Thursday 1 December were a great success. It was wonderful to see so many of you enjoying yourselves creating your wreaths, and all while helping to fundraise for next year's Senior Sports Tour.

We asked for photos of the wreaths and don’t they just look amazing hung upon their doors!

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

Details of the co-curricular clubs for next term will be posted to families over the Christmas break as part of the Lent Term Calendar. I also have pleasure in attaching an electronic copy here.

Neil McCollin
Assistant Head - Co-Curricular

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 in January, 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 as we will be sending out invitations in the new year.  We would like to celebrate all of your achievements on the scheme!

Will Bower
Head of Outdoor Education - DofE Manager

Online eDofE accounts have been created and you have been sent an email with the login details. 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 as soon as possible.  If you haven’t already, all should be aiming to start their volunteering, physical and skills sections in January.

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

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

The Malawi 2024 Expedition is a first for Princethorpe and an incredible opportunity.

The cost of the Malawi trip will be £3,290 and is built around the three pillars of School Partnership, Global Citizenship and Experience which are explained in more detail in the presentation linked below. The trip is scheduled to run from 5-20 July 2024 and 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 chance to experience the exuberant worship of a typical Sunday morning service
• Three 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 College 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 (but note the updated deadline for deposit payment) 

• 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: 

The Lent Term Calender will be posted out over the Christmas break. Please find an electronic copy here.

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

Should there be bad weather overnight, we talk to the bus companies a little before 6.00am and they brief us about their ability to operate our services. The Headmaster then makes a decision to move to on-line learning for a period of time.

Information will be available via the channels detailed below:

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

The Estates team will take appropriate action to keep the campus as safe as possible. This may result in areas being closed or restricted and normal operations being adapted. We kindly request your support in adhering to any restrictions and taking extreme care whilst on site.

In the case of flooding, then www.environment-agency.gov.uk is also useful. If you look under Flood and then use the river search word Leam, that will give you a good idea of the conditions around Princethorpe and the surrounding villages.

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

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

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

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

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

Please see below our current vacancies: 

Princethorpe College

• Head of English
• Head of History
• Teacher of Mathematics (Maternity Cover)
• Head Librarian
• Sports Coaches (Cricket, Football, Netball, Hockey)

Crackley Hall

•  Teaching Assistant - KS1

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.

Cyber-crime – please be extra vigilant

Parents are asked to be vigilant when reading emails relating to the payment of school fees and any other items to the Foundation. You can protect yourselves by only making payments to us in line with our normal, published methods. Any email offering a large discount on fees for the coming academic year if paid immediately is fraudulent.

There has been no change to the bank details of Princethorpe College, Crackley Hall or Crescent Schools and there is no intention to make any changes in the foreseeable future. Any electronic notification that appears to be from any of the Foundation schools changing these details may be fraudulent. Our bank details are available on the Parent Bills, the Online Payment Portal and in the Information Booklet for each school, and only those details should be used.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my colleagues in the Bursary if you are have any doubts about the correct details or indeed if anything appears suspicious.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Please find below the updated Term Dates for 2022-23 and 2023-24

2022-23 (two page document) -  new Bank Holiday for the King's Coronation

2023 -2024 (two page document) - revised Prize Giving date