The Flagpole

A reminder that we are eager to get as much information as we can regards how our pupils get to and from school as part of our sustainability planning.

Many thanks to those parents who have already filled in the survey, if you have not yet done so please could you complete it by Friday 7 July. The link is here.

With best wishes for a relaxing summer holiday.

Ed Hester
Foundation Principal

Last week was noteworthy in terms of my time at Princethorpe as it marked 100 days since I joined the College. I felt a sense of balance of endings and beginnings on Thursday as we said goodbye to the Upper Sixth at their Thanksgiving Eucharist Service, while I very much feel like my Princethorpe journey is now well and truly underway. There were various events over the course of the last fortnight where I had the opportunity to meet more parents, with several asking if I have settled. I am not getting lost anymore, even though I have discovered new rooms in Upper Pugin this week, and I can genuinely say that I feel part of the Princethorpe family. However, Princethorpe is inspiring in terms of the opportunities it offers and I know it will take a few more terms before I fully appreciate the breadth of what it means to be settled. As we finish this academic year, it is good to reflect on the events of the year, acknowledging successes, while getting ready to take a well-deserved rest.

It is impossible to mention everything that happened as there were many highlights this term, but coming from a city, it was the outdoor events that have really stood out. The Two-Day Equestrian Event, which saw 200 riders taking on all manners of jumps and obstacles on their beautiful animals. showed the College in its very best light as it used all of the campus grounds. Standing on Switzerland, seeing our pupils expertly guiding their horses down the hill and through the water jump was something to behold. Staying with the outdoors, 161 pupils completed their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award qualifying expeditions, with 36 Old Princethorpians attending Buckingham Palace to receive their Gold Awards. A further 54 Year 8 pupils completed their John Muir award. I spent one night with the Bronze groups on their training exercise; it rained heavily and I have experienced warmer nights, but the commitment and enthusiasm of the pupils made it all worthwhile. It is an excellent qualification and under the guidance of Mr Bower, we do it very well.

The performing and creative arts also had a very impressive term. Our Spring Concert was a real celebration of diverse music and talents, with our Sixth Form Music Performance BTEC group deserving special mention for all their contributions. They have popped up at various events since then and we look forward to many more performances. Our Sports Hall was transformed into an art gallery with the Summer Art, Photography and Design Show. The talent on display was humbling and it is a real testament to the hard work of both the pupils and their teachers. I make no apologies for my stereotypical choice of the mini-BBQ project as a favourite. However, it would be unfair to choose any winners as the standard was so high and every pupil deserves acknowledgement. We are very excited by some of the internal building works being completed for September. This includes a new performing arts space that doubles the facilities on offer to our pupils. We are looking at various other ways to support our creative pupils and the future looks bright with changes we have made to our performing arts scholarships for entry in September 2024 and beyond.

On the sporting front, Princethorpe continues to excel. We had a wonderful visit from our “hockey family” in Holland earlier this term and we look forward to the return visit. Grace McCollin won gold in the hurdles at English Schools with André Onyekwe placing third in the high jump – Princethorpe was responsible for half of Warwickshire’s medals. This followed Sports Day which was once again a massive success (being in More House made the day a little more special). Add to this 130 pupils travelling to South Africa over the summer, two new Netball courts, the Piranhas Staff Cricket team, our U14 Boys Hockey team reaching the national finals, our Eventing team winning at ISA, and our U13 Girls’ Cricket team winning the Nottingham Festival, and it is clear we are doing our pupils more than justice in ensuring participation and excellence in equal measure.

“Ours is a Spirit of Family” and part of that family is reaching out to those who are less fortunate or who may need support and help. The Princethorpe community has once again stepped up to make a difference. The 24/7 walk was hard, but it felt very rewarding crossing the line in the end. Our pupils fundraising at the PTA Summer Fête and running House Charity Days are small acts that changes lives. We have raised almost £14,000 this year which is extraordinary. Thank you to every pupil and parent who contributed, and may we long continue to be generous in how we support others. Our committed PTA sets a very good example with their generous giving of time commitment. The Summer Fête and Motoring Festival had the perfect weather to showcase the various stalls and classic cars, while we also hosted a gin tasting evening and received their normal help with refreshments at key events. The support of the PTA is invaluable, and I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude for their support and always being there. Their donations to the College do make a difference and I look forward to next year and all the PTA related events.

Princethorpe College has experienced tremendous support in our fundraising efforts over the last year, particularly in the areas of bursaries and science. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we have been able to provide more financially assisted places, supporting over 50 pupils, and accelerate the development of our new Science Centre to name but two areas. We are deeply grateful for the incredible contributions that make a lasting impact on the lives of our pupils and the advancement of education at Princethorpe College. As we continue our journey of growth and transformation, I humbly encourage those who have not yet joined us in our mission to consider supporting Princethorpe College, as together we can shape an even brighter future for our pupils.

This term would not be complete without mentioning the House Activities Day which paid tribute to the one and only, David Attenborough. It was the last one organised by Ms Newborough as House Activities Co-ordinator and she didn’t disappoint. Water purifying, roller disco, task master, capture the flag, and water races were some of the activities featured and as usual, our pupils enjoyed every moment. The Innovation and Adventure Days were also a huge success and a fitting way to finish the end of term. Learning outside of the classroom is very much part of a Princethorpe experience and being challenged to step out of your comfort zone is where our pupils develop most. This is further supported by the various trips and visits that have taken place, which included the Battlefields in Belgium and France, Warwick Castle, several STEAM related trips, the Ski trip, and field trips in various subjects. We emphasise the opportunities on offer, and nothing can be more indicative of that than being able to broaden your horizons.

In September we are opening our new Science Centre and there is real excitement around school. We have a whole programme of events to showcase the new facility once it is ready. However, the most important impact will be on our pupils and their learning experience. This new building has created fantastic opportunities within the main school, and we are developing our plans on how to fully use the extra rooms that are now available. Overall, every pupil at Princethorpe will feel its impact and I am very excited about the changes this will bring.

Staff Changes

I am a firm believer that the best schools have the best teachers. Princethorpe is very lucky to have an incredible staff who are dedicated and who genuinely care about our pupils. My thanks go to every colleague who have contributed to making this year a success. Unfortunately, we have to say goodbye to some staff while welcoming new colleagues who will continue the good work.

I would like to start by thanking our non-teaching staff who are moving on from Princethorpe. Julie Shorten (Receptionist), Julie Satchwell (Student Support Manager), Katie Boon (Pastoral Secretary), Paul Reay (IT Engineer), Catherine Lewis (Archivist) and Loretta Curtis (Development Assistant) all leave us this summer. They have made such a difference as colleagues who ensure the wheels turn behind the scenes and they go with our very best wishes. We have also said goodbye to Vanessa Rooney, our Registrar, who is handing over the reins to Catherine Rogers after seven years in the post. We will miss Vanessa who has been integral to the excellent admissions experience of hundreds of prospective parents. However, Catherine is moving up from Assistant Registrar and we look forward to her leading this important part of the College.

Our Graduate Teaching Assistants are coming to the end of their year at Princethorpe and we wish Izzy and Georgia the very best with their new endeavours. They have been brilliant in getting stuck in and it is hard imagining next year without this dynamic duo. In Learning Support, we are saying farewell to Caroline Hardware and Anna Jelec who have helped countless pupils throughout their time at Princethorpe. We pride ourselves on looking after those students who require some extra help and thank them for all their efforts.

In the Sports department, Jen Law is leaving to take up the role of Assistant Director of Sport at St Edward’s School in Oxford, while Ross Holtom moves to Foxford Community School as BTEC Standards and Progress Lead. Adam Depledge moves to The National Maths and Science College as Head of Computer Science, Kate Parsons is off to Bablake as Head of MFL from September, and Miranda Porter bids us farewell to pursue ventures outside of the profession.

Sixth Form Assistant Head, Rod Isaacs has been a real stalwart in leading charity projects at Princethorpe. Many of our pupils and parents would have been touched by the work he does or broken by the very long walks for charity that he has organised. Either way, his leaving to join Ten Ten is a big loss to the College, and we wish him the very best.

Schools are known for “legends”, and none come more highly regarded than Chris Kerrigan. His impact on countless students in English is hard to measure and the messages of gratitude and admiration that have made their way back to Princethorpe once his retirement was announced is testament to how big a hole he will leave. We wish him all the best as he lays down his chalk for the final time.

1981 was well before most of the current Princethorpe community was born. This is the year Mike Taylor joined the Geography Department. I have never come across any other colleague who has served the same school for 42 years and I don’t think I will again. As Mr Taylor retires, we know it is deserved and we wish him nothing but rest, relaxation, and fond memories. He is one of the quickest pair of hands behind the wickets I have played with, and we hope to see him back occasionally for staff cricket.

To all our departing colleagues we want to say a huge thank you for their services and impact on our pupils. Even though you won’t be here in September, be assured your memories will linger.

I will write to you in September with an update on all new staff joining us – we have been able to recruit a very strong group of colleagues which is exciting and bodes well for the future.

September

I would like to highlight a few important notices and reminders for September:

• Individual pupil timetables will be available on My School Portal during the weekend before school starts in September. All pupils should report to their tutor rooms at 8.40am for Period 1 on the first day of school.
• Mr Compton has included an article in this Flagpole explaining our move to a fully electronic planner approach. Except for our new Year 7 pupils, no Princethorpe pupil will receive a paper planner in September.
• There is also a separate article in this Flagpole about Results Day arrangements for our Year 11 pupils and Upper Sixth students. Please do contact the school if you have any queries. We wish all our pupils the best of luck and trust you will receive the results your work and effort deserve.
• Can I request that all parents take some time to read through the Parent and Pupil Information Booklet which will be posted during the summer holidays, along with the latest edition of The Pinnacle and the school calendar for Michaelmas Term. It is important that you are aware of expectations and arrangements that may be different from this academic year.
• A reminder about the updated Uniform Expectations and Requirements that was sent out recently. As per my communication, we will enforce these expectations and guidelines from day one. Please do take some time and ensure all uniform fits as required, especially PE and Sports kit. Your support with this is really important.
• I have written to you about Vape pens in previous communications and I would like to request again that you spend time with your child to discuss the dangers of Vaping. As a school we will have additional measures in place from September and our zero-tolerance approach will not change. We do not know what the long-term effect of Vaping will be, therefore, from a safety point of view, we must protect our young people as it is addictive and your support with this is crucial.

On another serious note, can I please ask that you have a conversation with your child about staying safe over the holiday period. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and school in Ireland who tragically lost two pupils on a holiday abroad. As a school community we want everyone back safely as there would be nothing worse than losing one of our pupils.

Finally, may I take this opportunity to thank you for all your support during the year. A school would not exist without its parents, and we are very lucky at Princethorpe. Thank you for the kindness and understanding shown to me personally as I have found my feet. I cannot wait for September and will be in touch in due course with our direction of travel and main priorities.

Do have a wonderful summer break. Forget about school and make sure time is spent with family and friends. We all live very busy lives, so when the opportunity to relax presents itself, make sure to take it.

With my very best wishes

Grove du Toit
Headmaster

As we come to the end of the academic year we are also rapidly heading towards the completion of the College’s fabulous new Science Centre. By the time pupils return to school in September, the building will be fully open and ready for lessons to commence.

Work continues apace inside and outside the building. In the ten new laboratories the finishing touches are being put in place. The final fixtures and fittings, handrails, balustrades and washrooms are all just about done. The loose furniture including racks of new pupil lockers are all about to go in. The commissioning of the mechanical and electrical systems has started, and the lift is in. Last week the Science department went for a tour and were utterly delighted with their fantastic new facilities.

Outside, the scaffolding is down, and landscaping continues. The site fencing has begun to be removed, allowing us all to see the new building clearly. The new courts are now all stoned up and tarmacking will start next week. External landscaping will continue until well into August.

Plans are also underway for the official opening of the new building to celebrate its addition to the College's superb facilities. It is all very exciting for us here at Princethorpe.

Year 8 explored the Battlefields of World War One last weekend on a trip to Belgium in support of their history studies. They had plenty to reflect on across the four days as the size of the cemeteries brought home the scale of the conflict.

On their first full day the groups visited key sites including the German Langemark cemetery where they took in the atmosphere of how differently German soldiers are commemorated. They moved on to the Allied cemeteries, including the Essex Farm Cemetery and Dressing Station and the Tyne Cot Cemetery as well as taking time to explore the Memorial Museum at Passchendaele and the Hill 62 Sanctuary Wood Museum. It was a day to reflect on the impact of war and an opportunity to remember all those who laid down their lives.

On the Sunday, Year 8 started at the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, seeing the frontline where battle commenced. They also visited the Ulster Tower and Lochnagar Crater as well as the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial and the Canadian National Vimy Memorial. Pupils were incredibly respectful at all the memorials we visited.

Monday was spent at the Bellewaerde Aqua Park enjoying some down time, but the day finished with the group attending the moving Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate. The College was immensely proud of Robert and Lola who laid a wreath on behalf of us all at the evening’s service. Members of the public commented on how wonderful and respectful College pupils were throughout.

Tuesday started with one last visit to the informative Flanders Field Museum before a quick stop at Leonidas Chocolate Shop and then it was on to the ferry for the return home.

A huge well done to Year 8. It was a thought provoking and informative trip for them all.  

Huge congratulations to Year 11 Ben Smith, Year 10, André Onyekwe, Year 10, Olivia Monk, Year 9, Grace McCollin and Year 9, Penelope Jones who competed for the Warwickshire Schools Team at the English Schools Athletics Championships in Birmingham over the weekend.

It is such a fantastic achievement for these pupils just to have been selected to compete at this national event, but to have five athletes reaching the standard is super exciting for us all here at Princethorpe College. We are proud to have had so many pupils selected from the College for the Warwickshire team.

Our young athletes competed in the Inter Boys 1500m Steeplechase, Inter Boys High Jump, Inter Girls 100m, Junior Girls 75m Hurdles and in a new event the Junior Girls Mixed Relay. Grace ran an outstanding race to claim the Gold medal in the 75m Hurdles while André soared over the bar to take Bronze in the High Jump.

We are hugely impressed with their commitment and dedication to their sports and are incredibly proud of them all. These young people really are up there with the top athletes in the country for their events and we are looking forward to seeing them achieve more athletics success next year.

The Warwickshire team had one of their most successful championships for many years and it was fantastic to see Princethorpe College pupils playing their part in the team’s success.

Many congratulations to them all.

As has become traditional at the end of June, it was a pleasure to once again host the OPs Summer Supper Reunion at the College on Friday 23 June.

Representatives from the classes of 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003 and 2013 returned for their respective 50th, 40th, 30th, 20th and 10th anniversaries of leaving, along with a smattering of OPs from other years and former and current staff.

The evening started with an optional tour of school at 6.00pm ably led by Alex Darkes and Eddie Tolcher. The large group meandered excitedly around the campus, visiting areas such as the Chapel, the Library, the cloister corridors, Roundhouse, the newer Limes Building and Sixth Form Centre before venturing out to see the site of the new Science Centre which is nearing completion just off the Lime Walk.

After a glass or two of Pimms in the Quad, the group was warmly welcomed by Foundation Principal, Ed Hester and invited to take their seats in the Refectory. Fr Alan Whelan, MSC, said Grace and the refectory became a hubbub of chatter and laughter as sat in their year groups or decades the gathered OPs happily caught up and reminisced over a delicious three course meal. They also enjoyed a rolling powerpoint prepared by archivist, Catherine Lewis, which featured images of many of the attendees from year books, prize giving programmes and the College’s magazine, The Tower.

After dinner, Ed Hester, thanked the College’s wonderful catering team and spoke to the assembled gathering about developments at the College, including the new Science Centre, the arrival of new Headmaster, Grove du Toit, and how the Development Office is making a Princethorpe education more accessible for a wider range of pupils, through its Bursary Programme.

Ed then invited Peter Rollason, Chairman of the OPs Association to address the gathering. Peter detailed the work of the Association and the annual programme of activity including OP Friendly Faces, networking, social events and the termly e-newsletter. He urged the OPs to spread the word, get involved and encourage other to join Princethorpe Connect, the College’s online alumni network. Finally, as Ed introduced them, Peter presented gifts on behalf of the Association to one longstanding member of staff, counsellor, Heather Tocher, and six members of staff who are leaving or retiring after serving at the College from between six and 42 years respectively, Anna Jelec, from the SEND Department, Vanessa Rooney, Registrar, Julie Satchwell, Student Hub Manager, Loretta Curtis, Development Assistant and former Registrar, Chris Kerrigan Head of English and last but by no means least, Mike Taylor, Head of Geography.

As the supper came to a happy close, guests mingled over coffee, teachers enjoyed hearing of their pupils’ achievements and plans were made for keeping in touch and more informal reunions in the future.

Thanks go to our wonderful catering team, the OPs Committee and all who contributed to the success of the event.

To see more pics from the evening visit Princethorpe Connect.

We will shortly begin planning for the 2024 Supper Reunion, which will be aimed at all those with a leaving year with a 4 and will take place appropriately on Friday 28 June 2024.

On Wednesday 28 June the College welcomed pupils who will be joining the school this coming September, most will be joining in Year 7 but some are joining higher years.

The Induction Day was a chance for them to meet their peers, familiarise themselves with the layout of the school, get a feel for the sorts of lessons they can expect and generally to answer questions, allay fears and ease the transition to their new school.

Our prospective Year 7s arrived looking excited and a little bit nervous in readiness for an action-packed day. Head of Transition, Susan Harris greeted them warmly and soon had them organised into groups before their friendly Sixth Form helpers led them off for an their exciting day.

During the day the new pupils met their Tutor Groups, got to grips with the lunch queue and the dining room, and in the afternoon after all the sample lessons, they met their Heads of House and enjoyed some fun team building activities. There was lots of excellent advice on offer from staff and current pupils and of course no induction day would be complete without that special treat, a legendary Princethorpe cookie!

We saw plenty of smiling faces and it is clear that everyone enjoyed making new friends. We look forward to welcoming the Year 7s back again just before the start of the autumn term for the Year 7 Activity Day on Friday 1 September.

Our annual fundraising sponsored walk took place last Sunday 2 July. 45 pupils and staff, including Headmaster, Grove du Toit, laced up their walking boots and took on the superhuman challenge of walking 24 miles in seven hours.

We had Lower Sixth students walking for Mary’s Meals, raising funds to support the College’s commitment to feed pupils at Makalanga Primary School in Malawi. Then there were Year 11 pupils walking for Bwengu Projects as part of their commitment to fundraise for the Malawi 2024 expedition.

Starting at the Queen’s Head Pub in Meriden the walkers followed the official Coventry Way route for 17 miles to Ryton before finishing with an eight-mile loop back to Princethorpe College. Thankfully the weather remained clement on the day, so the walking conditions were perfect.

First over the line were Head of Boys’ Games, Joe Jackson and Lower Sixth students, Guy Dawkins and Will Harrison who completed the trek in 7 hours and 49 minutes. They were followed home by a procession of weary but jubilant walkers. Every single Year 12 student completed the distance with the last over the line at 9 hours and 36 minutes. Together the walkers totted up a huge total of 948 miles.

Organiser of the event and Assistant Head of Sixth Form, Mr Rod Isaacs, commented, “There was a wonderful spirit of camaraderie along the route. Everyone was helping each other and keeping focused on the aim to raise as much money as possible for impoverished children around the world.”

Thank you so much to all who walked and to everyone who has supported the walkers, it was a truly herculean effort.

There is still time to donate to both projects, just follow the links below:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/princethorpe-marysmeals2023

https://www.justgiving.com/page/princethorpe-malawi-bwengu

Princethorpe pupils ventured off around our wonderful earth in a series of themed activities for this year’s House Activities Day. The biggest event of the House year, it is always a real favourite with pupils who go all out to win the house points up for grabs.

After an introductory briefing from House Activities Leader Jess Newborough, pupils set of in their form groups to work on a series of activities and challenges around the school. Whether taking on the Yetis in the Himalayan Glacier Challenge on the Close, recreating Our Colourful Planet in Art, creating water purifying systems out on the North Lawn, following in the footsteps of dinosaurs around the Mile Walk, enjoying an Under The Sea roller disco in the Sports Hall, working as a pack in The Hunt on the Astro, setting up a small holding in the Good Life, reliving the magic of David Attenborough iconic nature films or taking on Mr Cowlishaw and Mr Spencer’s Taskmaster challenges, it really was a non-stop day full of fantastic fun.

After all the activities had been completed, the school came together for a finale. Mrs Newborough thanked everyone for their participation.

A huge well done to everyone for taking part and an absolutely massive thank you to those who made the day possible especially House Activities Leader, Jess Newborough, the House Activities Co-ordinators, Ellie Callan, Hannah Carminati, Berenice Galano and Meg O’Gorman and our stalwart Sixth Form House Captains who all worked so hard to make House Activities Day so much fun.

Issue 33 of the Pinnacle has just been published, showcasing yet more of our pupils' excellent work. First published back in 2010, across the years the Pinnacle has always celebrated our pupils at their best. This bumper edition includes plenty more examples of their outstanding efforts, from Year 7 History projects and Year 9 clay Gargoyles to Athletics and Cricket success and plenty of certificates and awards in the Science Olympiads.

It's an extra special issue too, as creator and long standing editor Helen Pascoe-Williams is moving on to a new role in September as Head of English, making this her last edition.

As always, a double-sided Minnacle is included too, with equally impressive work by Crackley Hall pupils from Nursery to Junior 6 and Crescent pupils from Reception to Year 6.

Printed copies will be shared with pupils and parents, or you can read a copy of the Pinnacle on our school website here.

29 girls from Year 8 to Year 12 visited the British Motor Museum on Tuesday 27 June to take part in a special Girls in STEM careers workshop.

They enjoyed an exclusive keynote presentation and Q&A with Jenny Eyes, Digital Product Chief at Jaguar Land Rover. Pupils also had a Women In Motoring guided tour that included how women were instrumental in the development of the first combustion engine powered car. Then the girls became 'Engineering Apprentices' removing and replacing a wheel of a remote-control car in a race against time before racing their cars around a track. Armourers from MoD Kineton set a challenge to build a crane with pulley system to lift ammunition. There was also the F1 Pit Stop Challenge which brought out the competitive spirit as pupils were split into teams to complete a tyre change relay to simulate F1 pit stops.

The day culminated with the opportunity to meet Eliza Seville, Formula Woman 2022 winner and mechanic and test pilot at Roborace, and Chloe Grant from Laser Tools GB4 Racing Team, to discover what it takes to be a successful woman in motorsport.

Head of Physics, Dan Lee, commented, “The girls were an absolute credit to the school - they asked thoughtful questions, engaged in all of the activities and had a really positive experience.”

What an inspirational opportunity – we hope you enjoyed yourselves girls!

For Year 11, Tuesday 27 June was an important day. With their public examinations finally out of the way, the pupils and their families were invited back to the College to celebrate the end of their GSCE year in a final Year 11 Thanksgiving Service.

Led by Father Alan Whelan, the service was held in the College Chapel. A number of staff, including Heads of House and members of the Senior Leadership Team, gave emotional readings that reflected the aspirations the College holds for their future. Pupils performed celebratory music and the mood was one of optimism for the journey ahead. A plea for continuing kindness and generosity of spirit underpinned all the messages in the speeches.

Mrs Beth Sharpe, Deputy Head Pastoral, thanked all the parents for their support of the College and read a moving extract from a Denis Waitley poem called Roots and Wings. Grove du Toit, Headmaster, continued the thanks to the parents before inviting them to join with staff for refreshments after the service.

As friends, families and pupils trickled out of the Chapel towards the Sixth Form Lawn to catch up, dish out hugs and enjoy a fine spread for lunch, there was a buzz of excitement ahead of the evening’s all-important prom!

It was wonderful day of celebration and we wish all Year 11s a relaxing summer break before they move on to the next step of their life journey.

Congratulations to all the Princethorpe pupils who have completed their Duke of Edinburgh's Award Qualifying Expeditions this half term.

Unaccompanied and self-sufficient, pupils have trekked and camped their way across Snowdonia (17 Gold), the Peak District (49 Silver) and the Cotswolds (95 Bronze), working together in teams to achieve their expedition objectives.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Awards are recognised as the world’s leading youth achievement award. They provide young people with the opportunity to get involved, explore new interests, discover talents and make new friends and they are a big part of life here at Princethorpe.

Will Bower, Head of Outdoor Education, said, “I am very proud that so many of Princethorpe’s pupils embrace the challenge of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. They take the opportunity to develop skills and try new experiences, pushing themselves both mentally and physically to live up to the College’s ethos and be the best they can be and all with such commitment and enthusiasm.”

He continued, “We will be holding a celebration evening next year when pupils who have completed their Award will be presented with their certificates. The Gold Award participants will also receive an invitation to visit a royal palace, in London, for their official presentation.”

Well done to everyone who has taken part this year and make sure you all sign off the volunteering, physical and skills sections so we can celebrate your achievements next year.

Mrs Gawthorpe’s Year 7 Spanish class have been learning about fiestas in their Spanish lessons and this morning they enjoyed the chance to re-enact three of the most famous fiesta festivals.

Pupils played Dodgeball with red foam balls to represent La Tomatina, the most well-known of all the festivals, that involves thousands of participants tomato throwing. They then played, Duck-Duck-Goose to represent the running of the bulls in Pamplona (one person was the 'bull' and they took turns to chase another around a circle of pupils). Finally, pupils took turns to hurdle (jump blankets on the ground with dolls on them) to represent a real festival where men jump over mattresses on the ground with babies on them, the famous baby jumping festival is called El Colacho.

Year 7 enjoyed participating enthusiastically, getting into the fiesta holiday spirit. It was a lot of fun and a great way to discover Spanish culture and bring their traditions to life.

29 pupils from Year 7 visited the National Space Centre in Leicester on Tuesday 20 June to recognise their effort and achievement in Science this year.

Their visit began with a live Science Show It Is Rocket Science that looked at propulsion in space, with a good dose of Newton’s Laws of Motion, explosions and fire thrown in too. Pupils then toured the galleries, completing a discovery trail on the solar system, comets and mathematics. Before taking part in a workshop titled Our Earth Under Threat where they worked together in teams to assess the threat of an approaching asteroid. They used the Torino Scale, data for the probability of impact and for kinetic energy, to decide what action to take.

After a lunch break, Year 7 pupils enjoyed the planetarium show Astronaut Education. It was a rollercoaster ride that began inside the bloodstream of an astronaut in a rocket on the launchpad as the countdown to take off commenced. The experience simulated the physiological response of the body to extreme stress and environmental conditions, such as g-force. It then showed a panoramic look at space from the perspective of an astronaut in a low Earth orbit, followed by insights into a series of gruelling training tasks to conquer in order to qualify to take part in a mission into space.

It was a fantastic day and staff were impressed with Year 7's excellent engagement in all the activities. A great trip enjoyed by them all.

Many thanks to Peter Kay from DCA Design International Ltd who joined us on Friday 23 June to talk to our Lower Sixth Product Design students.

Peter began by sharing his incredible product design career journey before giving the students an overview of the history of DCA International and some of the iconic projects they have worked on.

He then moved on to talk about the process of product design, using the double diamond model, and talked the students through the product design stages using the example of a toothbrush. He shared how the design team work together to develop new and innovative products.

Many thanks to Peter for his time today and for providing a fascinating insight into the world of product design.

On Wednesday 21 June, eight students took part in the Lower Sixth Inter Schools Physics and Engineering Competition at the National Mathematics and Science College. In an invitational event, they joined pupils from Rugby School and the National College, and worked in mixed teams to complete three different activities designed to stretch them.

Their first task was an estimation challenge, the second involved complex problems to solve, then the final round was a physics ‘Pub Quiz’ that tested their knowledge of all things related to the subject. It included rounds such as 'Name the famous physicist picture?', to 'Which famous physicist won the Nobel Prize for what?' and 'Name the experiment?'.

Four Princethorpe Sixth Formers, Archy Walker, Louis Harper, Alex Flegg and Jack Grindal, were all in winning teams and were awarded medals for their achievement.

Well done to all who took part in what was a tough but hopefully engaging and enjoyable ‘physics’ experience.

On Wednesday June 21, Princethorpe College’s Yoto Carnegie Medal Shadowing Group gathered at lunchtime in the Library to celebrate the announcement of this year’s winner of the award.

College pupils were among thousands across the country who had enjoyed reading and discussing the shortlist of seven novels. An activity which broadens reading choices, challenges preconceptions and sharpens debating skills.

The winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal 2023 was the novel The Blue Book Of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros. Telling the story of isolated survivors of a nuclear war and told through interwoven diary extracts of both mother and son, it’s a poignant story of coming to terms with a complicated past. It is also our College Library Book of the Month!

This year the Shadowers’ Choice Award, the most popular book amongst the Shadowers nationally, was voted as I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys. A complex story about the tensions and dangers of Romania in the 1980s.

Princethorpe's pupils have had enjoyed taking part in the Shadowing this year and look forward to doing it all again when next year’s short list is announced.

The library stocks the full list of this year’s Yoto Carnegie shortlist and pupils are encouraged to pop along and have a browse.

Princethorpe is celebrating after bringing home a haul of 12 medals from the Independent Schools Association’s (ISA) National Track and Field Athletics Championships that was held on Monday 19 June at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. Princethorpe took a team of 18 athletes from Years 7 to 11; the pupils had all qualified for the Nationals at the Regional Championships earlier in the season. It was an excellent opportunity for them to compete against high calibre opposition at a pre-eminent event.

Princethorpe’s medal haul included six Gold medals. Olivia Monk stormed down the track to win both the Year 10/11 100m and 200m Sprints in explosive times of 12.65 and 26.21 seconds respectively. Then Grace McCollin won the Year 8/9 75m Hurdles finishing in a super time of 11.47 seconds and took another Gold in the Year 8/9 200m Sprint running 25.71 seconds. Issey Cleary won Gold in the Year 7 Girls Long Jump, jumping a fantastic 4.46 metres, and Grace McCollin and Penelope Jones helped the Midlands Year 8/9 Girls' Relay team finish first in the 4x100m Relay competition, earning themselves gold medals in a stunning team time of 50.57 seconds.

Claiming a Silver medal were Penelope Jones who ran the Year 8/9 100m Sprint in 13.27 second, Ben Smith who finished second in the 1500m in a time of 4.24.56 minutes and Issey Cleary and Lillibee Harris who helped the Midlands Year 7 Girls’ Relay team run the 4x100m course finish second and take a Silver medal in a team time of 56.99 seconds.

Dami Ajagunna earned herself a Bronze medal after throwing 19.58 metres in the Year 7 Javelin while Lauren Tebbatt took Bronze in the Years 8/9 Javelin throwing 24.90 metres and Martina Grace claimed a Bronze in the Years 10/11 1500m running the distance in 5.26.87 minutes. A number of pupils only just missed out on medals after finishing in fourth place.

Foundation Director of Sport, Lee Cassell, was delighted commenting, “A huge well done to all of our athletes for an excellent performance. They responded so well to the top-class competition they faced and we had a number of new personal bests. Their tenacity, determination, good humour and genuine camaraderie made for a fantastic experience for the whole team, congratulations to them all.”

Competing for Princethorpe were: Year 7s Issy Cleary, Lillibee Harris, Charlie Leech, Henry Sims, Olly Moore, James Bostock, Dami Ajagunna and George Knott, Year 9s Lily Hunter, Lauren Tebbatt, Penelope Jones, Grace McCollin and Josh Harris, Year 10s Olivia Monk, Martina Grace, Lim Self and Emily Evans and Year 11 Ben Smith.

This year’s Summer Art, Photography, Design and Textiles Show opened on Thursday 22 June with a special evening reception for the artists and their families, friends and guests. The displays remained on show until Sunday 25 June allowing visitors to the College’s Summer Fête and Motoring Festival to enjoy the superb standard of work this year’s GCSE and A-level pupils have produced.

Those who know the College will be familiar with its formidable reputation for quality Art and Design and this year’s show was no exception. On display was work from pupils exploring a diverse range of mediums and themes. In the Sports Hall fascinating portraiture sat alongside superb studies, imaginative illustrations and phenomenal photography. Intermixed were intricately stitched dresses and jackets, showcasing this year’s Textiles pieces. Recycling or repurposing was a theme running through many Resistant Materials’ final products.  

Visitors were audibly impressed with what they saw, stopping to stare in wonder, exclaiming over the ingenuity and talent and enjoying the fine collection of work. There were some lovely comments received, including; "A fantastic range of pieces, some superb talents, well worth a visit!", "Vibrant celebration of Princethorpe's talent, well done!" and "Such great talent, lovely to see such a range of creativity."

Our congratulations go to all our GCSE and A-level pupils for producing such a worthy display. Thanks go to the Art and Photography Department and the Design and Technology Department for all their support and inspiration to pupils this and every year and for putting together such an outstanding display.

The College’s exhibition was once again one of many venues across Coventry and Warwickshire taking part in Warwickshire Open Studios 2023.

The College’s annual Summer Fête and Motoring Festival is always a delightful afternoon. So much hard work goes into organising the event and the College is hugely grateful to our dedicated PTA who do such an excellent job every year.

Sunday 25 June was no exception. The Orchard was transformed thanks to plenty of enthusiasm, gazebos and bunting and the British weather delivered, allowing organisers and visitors to relax and enjoy themselves and their ice creams.

At the bottom of the Orchard there was line upon line of classic and unusual cars on show.  Polished to perfection by loving owners, proud to show off their prized vehicles, Hillman Imps sat alongside Morris Minors, Maseratis and TVRs and visitors wandered appreciatively in between, stopping to ask questions and admire their favourites.

An array of stalls offered all sorts of entertainment, goods and services, including homemade food, arts and crafts, gifts, fundraising activities, tombolas and so much more.  

What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon and best of all, on the day, nearly £3,750 was raised which will benefit the learning of every pupil in the school. Huge thanks to all the organisers and visitors, see you again next year for more fun!

Wednesday 12 July 2023 - 6.00pm to 8.00pm

Following the excellent da Vinci lecture by Alex Jones on Plant Science, we thought the Open Evening event being carried out by the School of Life Sciences at Warwick University's Wellesbourne Campus may be of interest to some of our Princethorpe parents and students. The event is taking place on Wednesday 12 July 2023 between 6.00pm and 8.00pm.

Informal guided walks will provide the opportunity to:

• visit field trials and specialist outdoor research facilities.
• visit areas of interest for biodiversity (e.g. wildflower strips, tree sparrow boxes, hedge planting, bees, low maintenance areas)
• learn more about our globally significant seed bank and our innovative programmes with industry.
• explore opportunities for collaborations. 

Each guided walk is approximately an hour and a half, followed by refreshments.

To register your interest please click on the following link Open Evening 2023 Registration Form (warwick.ac.uk)  If you have any queries please email Sally.Mann@warwick.ac.uk.

Friday 1 September 2023 9.30am to 4.00pm

We are looking forward to welcoming all our new Year 7 intake to their Activity Day just prior to the start of the Michaelmas Term, on Friday 1 September, from 9.30am to 4.00pm.

This is an opportunity to meet up again with their new classmates and teachers and get to find their bearings ahead of the rest of the school returning on Monday 4 September. Further information about the arrangements for the day will be sent a little nearer the time. If you know your child will not be able to attend for any reason, please could you let us know at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Friday 1 September 8.40am – 3.30pm

We are holding a Lower Sixth Induction Day for all new Lower Sixth Formers (those from Princethorpe Year 11 and those joining us from other schools) on Friday 1 September, from 8.40am to 3.30pm.

This is a chance to ease into their Sixth Form journey, to meet their new subject teachers and explore the co-curricular programme. Further details will be sent out after the GCSE results in August.

If you have any queries about this, please do get in touch at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk

NB Students will not need to wear suits for their Induction Day.

Saturday 2 September 2023

We are gearing up for the 12th annual Old Princethorpians vs College Sports Day (and 14th John Shinkwin Trophy Match) on Saturday 2 September 2023. 

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

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

Format of day:

• 10.15am to 11.30am Football OPs vs Staff
• 11.30am to 12.30pm Hockey Princethorpe College Mixed Team vs OPs XI
• 12.30pm to 1.30pm Netball Princethorpe College 1st VII Girls vs OPs VII
• 1.45pm to 3.15pm Rugby - John Shinkwin Trophy - Princethorpe College 1st XV Boys vs OPs XV (leavers of 2023 and 2022)
• 3.30pm - After Match Awards by the BBQ

Excitingly this will be the first time the new Netball Courts by the Science Centre will be used competitively and we hope to be able to allow visits into the Science Centre during the course of the day.

We are keen to get as many leavers of 2023 and OPs from across the generations participating. If you are interested in playing in any of the sports please complete the short online form here asap or by Tuesday 29 August at the latest. 

Wednesday 13 September 2023 - 7.00pm

It was an absolute pleasure to see so many people at the last Reading Group session this term, which was sadly the final one for me. I must extend my thanks to old friends and new for the little party we held, for the cards, the good wishes and for all the very special gifts of books. I will be reading every one of them in the holiday – a real treat to enjoy all these recommendations from others. I’ve even got a couple of much loved titles to share with my grandsons as I nurture their love of books. We barely found time to discuss The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde but I would thoroughly recommend this as a superbly inventive book fed by an anarchic imagination which gives us a scenario where people are able to enter the world of a novel and change its course. Very cleverly written, it almost defies description, but it was refreshing to read a comic novel written with such flair.

I want to thank all who have made running this Reading Group such a real pleasure for the last fifteen years or so. There is something special about a forum where parents and staff can meet as people and connect over something as simple as a mutual love of books. It is great that the Reading Group will continue and I’d like to thank Jess Newborough for offering to take it on. The first session of next year will be on Wednesday 13 September in the library at 7.00pm. The first book on the agenda will be Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, an Irish writer who is building up a great reputation for herself. This book takes us back to the troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1970s and is written with great sensitivity. It was recommended to me by Jess herself; I’ve dipped into it but will be reading it myself over the summer.

We’ll hope to recruit some new readers for next year and those who have enjoyed the Reading Group this year will be spreading the word. Please give it a go next year. There’s no commitment to attending every session, of course, but you’ll certainly be guaranteed a warm welcome from a wonderful body of parents and friends. 

Friday 15 September 7.00pm – 9.00pm

Parents of pupils new to the school in Sepember are invited to the Headmaster's Quiz and Curry PTA Social, which will take place in the College Dining Room on Friday 15 September. 

Year 7 Social

At the same time, there will also be a Year 7 Social organised by the Parent Teacher Association and school prefects in the Sixth Form Centre. This is a fun evening for our newest pupils, at which there will be a disco and a ‘chill out’ area.

Further information on how to book will be emailed out to new parents over the summer holiday.

Grove du Toit
Headmaster

Sunday 17 September 2023 - 2.00pm to 5.00pm

Princethorpe will be holding its annual Open Afternoon on Sunday 17 September from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. All are welcome to visit the College and for younger visitors, there will be many fun subject related activities organised by the departments.

The Headmaster will address visitors in the Chapel during the afternoon and refreshments will be available. 

To book your place please click here.

Year 6 Taster Days - Tuesday 12, Wednesday 20 and Tuesday 26 September

Our Year 6 Taster Days are aimed at Year 6 pupils who wish to join the College in September 2024 and who have not already attended a Year 5 Taster Day. 

Taster Days are available on:

• Tuesday 12 September 2023
• Wednesday 20 September 2023
• Tuesday 26 September 2023

Taster Days typically involve lessons, a question and answer session with some of our current pupils and a chance to talk to the Headmaster, Mr du Toit. They run from 9.30am to 3.00pm. Snacks and lunch are provided and there is no charge for the day.

To book your place click here.

The college has now had individual student devices across all Year Groups for two years and, as a result, the way pupils use their device for organisation and productivity has developed significantly. In order to continue this development, as well as further developing the 21st century skills of the pupils, we will no longer be providing the paper-based pupil planner as standard next academic year. Instead, we will be developing our learning management suite to incorporate the functions of the planner in a digital format.

This will include the following:

• Pupil Timetables will be automatically added to their calendar in Outlook and Teams. These will automatically update on any changes to the timetable.
• All teachers will set all homework tasks as assignments on Teams, allowing pupils to see all homework tasks and deadlines in one place.
• Teachers will set assignments to automatically be added to pupil calendars, so pupils can see deadlines in their electronic calendar.
• Homework timetables, which show each class/year what homework should be done each evening, will be created as electronic calendars pupils can subscribe to, so then can also see this in their electronic calendars.
• Key reference materials will be made available on the pupil SharePoint portal.

Pupils will of course be trained on how to access and use their electronic calendar effectively and efficiently, how to ensure they can see all upcoming homework assignments and how to access key reference materials easily. Their calendar will be available through Outlook and Teams through any device, allowing them to access this information both on their laptop and also on a mobile phone.

Our new Year 7 pupils will not be using a device in school for the first half-term, and so we will of course provide them with a printed timetable and slimmed-down version of the paper planner for the first half-term, before they begin using devices after October half-term.

We will also ensure a small number of generic paper diaries are available in September, for use by any pupils who are struggling to adapt to this change and would benefit from this.

We feel this is a positive step, both in terms of developing our pupils’ digital organisation skills and from a sustainability perspective, with a significant decrease in the amount of paper used by not providing paper planners. We will ensure we put the systems and training in place to make this a successful change.

We are delighted to announce that we have a new device available through the Digital Device Scheme, aimed at pupils who will be in Years 10 and above in the 2023-24 academic year. This scheme offers a Lenovo Yoga 13w 2-in-1 laptop with a full assurance package for either 24, 36 or 48 months.

This device is perfect for pupils studying GCSEs, A-levels and BTECs and has the following specifications:

• Multi-functional 13.3" anti-reflection 2-in-1 touch display
• The strong and silent AMD Ryzen 5 processor provides efficient multitasking performance for optimal use in the classroom
• Up to 10 hours of battery life with Rapid Charging to 80% in one hour
• 8GB of working memory, 256GB of SSD storage
• Comes with Integrated Pen and Easy4u Sleeve

To purchase or rent the device for your son or daughter, simply click on the link below, enter the school code PRIN23, select the relevant options, and complete the details and online payment. Below is link to Easy4U with full details of what the scheme offers, including details on the assurance package.

Easy4U Online Portal

School Code: PRIN23

For those pupils in receipt of bursaries, there is support available to help meet the cost of the scheme. If your child accesses a bursary and you would like to take advantage of this support, please email feessupport@princethorpe.co.uk for more information. Please ensure you email Fees Support before purchasing through the portal. We will then get back to you regarding how to order.

Please note that devices ordered between now and the end of August will be delivered directly to your home address, and devices ordered after this will be delivered to the school and distributed to pupils. We have also been made aware by the supplier that there is a limited stock of this exact advice, and if stock runs out the web shop will close. We will then offer the next generation of this device, due to be released in the summer, but cannot yet confirm exact pricing.

We continue to be very excited by the ongoing enhancement of the learning experience for our pupils through this scheme and the use of digital devices in the classroom.

One great way to relax, whether at home, or anywhere else on holiday, is by reading, and we hope you have already got some great books lined up and are possibly already in the middle of one. However, you might feel like something different to what you usually read, or not know where to start when it comes to choosing a book. The books on the book list attached here have been picked from a selection of new releases. There should be something to please everyone, whether you prefer fiction or non-fiction. We hope that you will choose a few of these to try over the summer holiday. We are looking forward to talking about what you have been reading when you arrive back in September.

Happy holiday reading.

• Full name of third party
• Full address
• Relationship to student

Please click here for the summer holiday homework expectations.

Thank you 

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

'We’re all going on our summer holidays’, so goes the song.

And how true it is for both students and staff. Exams over, sports day events won or lost, Innovation and Adventure Day challenges undertaken and enjoyed by all. Lazy days away from the classroom lie ahead as we reflect on the academic year just passed. Lots of learning and hard work, new subjects or more challenging topics, new teachers, fun and laughter with new friends and of long standing, insights into ourselves and on reflection words or actions best not repeated and a lesson learned. Happy times, twinged with sad times, life goes on but we are all changed in our own individual ways by the events and people we encountered over the past three terms. 

So Gracious God we pray:

We give thanks for the love of family and friends.

We give thanks for the talents and gifts received and shared.

We give thanks for the kind words spoken to us.

We give thanks for our health.

We give thanks for teachers and students moving on to a new phase in their lives.

We give thanks for the summer holidays to be filled with adventure and relaxation.

We give thanks for success in exams.

We give thanks for the burdens lifted and the hurts healed.

We give thanks for your guiding presence in our lives.

Amen.

As we start our summer holidays, children will be looking forward to having more free time. For many, this will be time spent online. Some parents may worry about what their children are doing online.

I would like to share with you the attached information document on keeping children safe online over the summer holidays. It is a great timely reminder of the key Safety Net messages and how to set parental controls, supporting your commitment to promoting online safety within our school community.

Please see the website link here for information. 

I wish you all a lovely Summer and thank you for your ongoing support.

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

As we come to the end of the last week of the academic year, I can honestly say that there have been so many events, so much money raised and so many activities completed that the students must feel ready for their summer holiday. It was such a joy to welcome the walkers in from the 24/7 challenge, some of them singing as they crossed finish line. This week we have enjoyed the UCAS Day and Lower Sixth BBQ in the evening and we look forward to the Upper Sixth Leavers' Ball this evening. I wish each and every one of you a very restful and relaxing summer holiday.

Thursday 17 August 2023 – A-level results

School will be open at 8.00am. Results will be published to My School Portal at 9.00am.

Results cannot be given out over the phone. If a student is unable to collect their results in person and wishes to nominate a third party, the Examinations Officer must be informed before the end of July. The student must email examinations@princethorpe.co.uk from their school email address.

Information to be included is:

• Full name of third party
• Full address
• Relationship to student

In order to collect the results, photographic ID must be provided.

Key Dates 

Wednesday 5 July - Upper Sixth Leavers' Ball 7.00pm-11.30pm, Warwick House

Thursday 17 August - Upper Sixth A-level results 

Best wishes

Ben Collie 
Head of Sixth Form 

Having completed their end of year exams, the Lower Sixth are now starting to think about next year as they enjoy some sunshine in their free time. There is a lot of information coming through to the Lower Sixth about Universities, Apprenticeships and future careers so please do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions at all.

UCAS and Careers

This can be an overwhelming and confusing time for Sixth Form students (and their parents) when faced with the huge choice of university courses and apprenticeships available. The Careers and Sixth Form teams are available to help and advise students on all aspects of these decisions but we are also here for parents too. Below is some information that may help but please do get in touch if you any specific queries that are not answered.

Feel free to contact our Head of Careers at jacquiquinney@princethorpe.co.uk.

University applications

All applications to university are made through UCAS.com which produces a very comprehensive Parents Guide. 

Parent guide to UCAS

Students will receive comprehensive guidance this half term on all aspects of the UCAS application.

Deadlines

Applications to Oxford, Cambridge, Medicine, Dentistry or Vetinary Science/Medicine need to be checked and approved by the school so the application should be submitted by the student on or before Monday 9 October 2023 in time for the deadline on 16 October 2023.

All other applications are encouraged to be completed by the end of November to ensure that the process doesn’t interfere with exam preparation.

Predicted grades

Predicted grades are a very important part of the application and play a significant role in a university’s decision whether to make a student an offer. We take a very positive view of the student’s likely performance when deciding predicted grades and, at the same time, try to ensure that these are a realistic prediction of the student’s attainment at the end of the course.

Predicted grades will be available for students to view via Unifrog the week beginning 26 June 2023 and will be based on a combination of the May exams, classwork and teacher judgment. There is a further opportunity for students to sit assessments in September with the final predicted grades being issued on 15 September 2023. We suggest that any enquiries regarding predicted grades should be made to me directly at bencollie@princethorpe.co.uk, rather than the subject teachers.

Apprenticeships

Students interested in applying for apprenticeships can find lots of information both on Unifrog and also UCAS.com. Applications are made directly to the employer and many larger schemes open for applications from November onwards. However, many smaller employers will continue to recruit throughout the year. Due to the competitive nature of many degree apprenticeship schemes, students may want to consider applying to university too, as a back-up.  

Gap Years

Many students decide to take a gap year, either to gain new experiences or simply to gather their thoughts before deciding on their next step. Whilst many will apply to university whilst still at school and simply defer the place, many others might want to apply during their gap year or, indeed, might decide to reapply after a change of mind! We are more than happy to support these students and they just need to get in touch after the summer exam results are released, to organise support.

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers 

Maybe you were lucky enough to get away over the May half term break and now there are a few foreign coins or notes lurking in a pocket or a handbag?

Why not round them up and put them to good use? All donations would be gratefully received and all money raised will be split between UK projects of the SVP (St Vincent de Paul Society), including support for the homeless, elderly, handicapped and those coming out of prison and an overseas SVP project helping to fund secondary school education children - especially girls - in India. Click here to discover what the SVP organisation is about and how your donation can help.

The money can be current or out of date, British or foreign; anything is welcome.

Click here and watch the video to see how cash4coins works. This is what you can donate:

• All foreign coins and banknotes
• Current UK coins and banknotes
• Any old British and Irish money
• Even obsolete currency

Please send in money in a strong envelope labelled ‘Rod Isaacs - Cash4Coins’. This can be handed in to form tutors to pass on.  We raised nearly £170 last year. 

Many thanks

Rod Isaacs
Assistant Head of Sixth Form

Coventry Netball is running netball camps during the summer at the University of Warwick.  

Click here for further information and to book places.

Next academic year your child will be taking part in an extensive sports programme which will include sports which require the pupils to wear a gumshield.  

To support this, we have invited OPRO to come into school to fit and create custom made mouthguards. They will be visiting on Thursday 7 September from 12.30pm – 2.30pm. On that day, the OPRO dental team will take impressions of all pupils who want to be fitted and the finished mouthguards will then be delivered to your home address or school approximately 7 working days later. 

OPRO mouth guards start at £40.99 and they offer a number of benefits with their service: 

• buy one mouthguard and get a second mouthguard for half price; 
• your child will receive a complimentary Snap-Fit mouthguard at the dental visit so they have something to use whilst they wait for their Custom mouthguard to be delivered; 
• each mouthguard comes with a dental warranty which covers up to £22,500; 
• Your child’s name and the school name will be included on the mouthguard and case; 
• OPRO store all of the models in case a replacement is required; 
• All mouthguards carry the CE mark; 
• Our exclusive school design mouthguards are priced at £45.99 and can be found at the following link: SchoolClub - OPRO (oproschools.com)

If you have any questions about the products or OPRO’s service please contact their customer care team directly on 01442 430690 or email info@oprogroup.com. 

Once all the bookings have been confirmed, we will inform you or the time slot that your child will be having their fitting. 

It is not compulsory for the pupils to have a custom made mouth guard to participate in sport. You are welcome to purchase one from other avenues such as from your own dentist, the school shop or any sports shop. This facility with OPRO is just to make the process easier for families at the College.  

If you have any questions about Princethorpe sport for next year, please feel free to get in contact via email at leecassell@princethorpe.co.uk.  

Lee Cassell
Foundation Director of Sport

Please don’t forget that Princethorpe College PTA is registered with easyfundraising. So, even when we are not hosting fundraising events in school, we can still 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.

Thursday 14 September 2023
Sixth Form Centre Dining Room - 7.00pm

The PTA extend a warm welcome to all, and hope you will be able to join us for cheese and wine at the PTA AGM on Thursday 14 September at 7.00pm.

The AGM will give new and current parents an opportunity to find out what the PTA does for the school, and how you could help us by supporting activities such as Open Days and the Christmas Fair and Summer Fête.

There will be an opportunity to meet other parents, those who are new to the PTA and existing members. We have a number of parents who are involved in the PTA to differing degrees. As well as welcoming those parents who may wish to join us on the committee – we also very much welcome parents who may be able to spare an hour supporting the fairs or welcoming visitors to the school on Open Days. It really is an excellent way to get involved with school life, and you can offer as little or as much of your time as you feel is possible.

Our main aim is to provide the ‘extras’ for the school which are very much appreciated by pupils and staff alike; we support events such as school Trips, House Activities Day, Proms; extra-curricular clubs eg. Planet Princethorpe, Vex IQ, Archery, as well as equipment for Sports, Music and Library departments.

If you are interested and would like to discuss what is involved in being on the PTA please feel free contact the Committee at pta@princethorpe.co.uk. 

We hope you will be able to join us on the night and very much look forward to meeting you.

Princethorpe PTA

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 PTAssociation@Princethorpe.co.uk

Princethorpe PTA

Well done to all who completed their qualifying expedition over the last month.  Your expedition assessors are adding your reports onto eDofE. We will approve this section for you.

Please now focus on signing off your volunteering, physical and skills sections. For Gold participants, prioritise booking your residential. Guidance can be found on MySchoolPortal here. For further help, DofE clinic resumes in September on Tuesdays, 1.10pm in LG02.

If you still have any expedition kit borrowed from school please could this be returned by Friday 7 July. Label the items with your name so we are able to sign them back in.

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.

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

For any pupils leaving the College who have purchased a device through the Digital Device Scheme, IT Services will need to remove the device from our management systems.

This process means that the device is unlinked from any Princethorpe accounts and can be used as a purely personal device or linked to another school’s management system, which will require the pupil to bring the device to IT Services; please contact IT services to arrange a suitable time. It will only take a few minutes to unlink the device, which also needs to be re-setup as a personal device in order to be used again.

This only applies to devices purchased through the Digital Device Scheme. It is not required for privately purchased devices.

The Bus Booking website is now open for new return and one way pass bookings for the 2023-24 academic year.

Those families wishing to book an annual bus pass will need to do so on the system by first setting up an account. Passes should be booked by mid July and are invoiced on a termly basis, starting with the Michaelmas Term fees. 

Those families wishing to book ad hoc individual tickets must also set up an account, ad hoc bookings will open from Tuesday 1 August and are paid for at the time of booking via a credit card or debit card.

Visit https://princethorpe.vectare.co.uk/ to start the process.

Users will be emailed with a digital pass to add to their child’s mobile phone wallet just before term begins.

Should you have any queries please contact the team at princethorpe@vectare.co.uk.

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

To report a pupil absence please use the online absence form available on My School Portal

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 find below the updated Term Dates for  2023-24 and 2024-25.

2023 -2024 (two page document) - revised Open Morning and Christmas Fair dates

2024-2025 (two page document)

Parents may recall paying a deposit when their son or daughter first started at the College. We will write to the parents of pupils in the Upper Sixth regarding instructions for the return of deposits this term and return them in the summer holidays.

We will write to parents of Year 11 pupils who do not return to the Sixth Form in early September. Deposits will be returned at the end of September/beginning of October.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Please see below our current vacancy: 

Princethorpe College

• Science Technician

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.