The Flagpole

At the start of a new academic year - may I begin by welcoming all pupils and parents of the Princethorpe community back. I hope your holidays were restful, filled with family time and memory making moments. At school, we have been busy getting ready and we are very much looking forward to Monday when we see all pupils and staff return.

There have been several exciting things happening during July and August, even though school was closed. A very successful South Africa Sports Tour returned safely, and the feedback again shows how big an impact this co-curricular highlight has on our pupils. They came back with excellent sport results and a wider awareness of the world having experienced a vastly different country and culture compared to what they normally see. Mr Cassell and Mr McCollin deserve special mention for all their organisation, as well as all the staff who gave their time to accompany the trip – thank you. The wheels are already in motion to plan for the next tour.

A-level and GCSE results were published in August and Princethorpe is extremely proud of our pupils. At A-level we achieved a 71% A* - B rate, while 45% of all GCSE grades were 7 - 9. We had a 100% pass rate in both cohorts. These headlines show we are academically strong and that our pupils do really well. For example, just under 90% of all A-level candidates were accepted into their first-choice university. However, numbers do not tell the individual stories of success. The well-rounded young people who leave us are so much more than their grades and that is our biggest achievement. They are kind, compassionate, independent, and they have a strong moral compass. There will be an opportunity at Prize Giving in November to celebrate them and we look forward to hearing how they are getting on with their endeavours.

Our Estates Team have been working away, ensuring the College is ready for the start of term. Our new Science Centre is amazing, and I invite you all to come and have a look when there is an opportunity later this term. There is a real feeling of “wow” when you first walk in and the impact this will have on the experience of our pupils is genuinely exciting. This has opened space in the main building where we have created new teaching rooms, a Textiles room, a Design Technology room, and a Performing Arts space. We have also uncovered the missing station of the cross that was hidden behind a blackboard for many years. As soon as it is restored, we will share some pictures. Add in two new Netball courts and a new staff room, and I hope you understand why we are raring to go. Pupils will be returning to a campus of the highest standard.

In my last letter, I said goodbye to colleagues who were moving on from Princethorpe. It is now my pleasure to welcome a number of new teachers and support staff joining the College. They have been in for several induction days, and we are looking forward to the expertise and enthusiasm they will bring. They are strong classroom practitioners and excellent in their subject areas.

Joining the College teaching staff are:

Steve Carter – Teacher of Computer Science

Joanna Evans – Teacher of English

Heather Foulerton – Teacher of Spanish

Adelaide Fretwell – Head of History and Politics

Thomas Gleghorn – Head of Academic PE

Victoria Howell – Teacher of Girls’ Games and PE

Kate Ingram – Teacher of Spanish

Kati Nelson – Teacher in charge of Textiles

Catherine Morrish – Teacher of Textiles

Lydia Petrucci – Teacher of English

Marianne Tallis – Teacher of RS

Carly Walton – Head of Girls’ Games

Joining as trainee teachers are:

Ewan Lawson – Trainee Teacher in PE

Lucy Roberts – Trainee Teacher in Mathematics

Dawid Stasiak – Trainee Teacher in Physics

Joining the College support staff are:

Milton Bartholomew – IT Engineer

Aimee Brookes – Graduate Teaching Assistant

Naomi Chard – Learning Support Assistant

Lilli Draper – Graduate Teaching Assistant

Rebecca Gonon – Learning Support Assistant

Emma Harcourt – Student Support Officer

Natalie Hardy – Sports Graduate Teaching Assistant

Daniel Hogg – IT Engineer (Casual)

Marie Holt – Assistant Registrar

Sam Ingles – Groundsman

Katie Strange – Receptionist

We are placing a real emphasis on Teaching and Learning this year. We have spent a large part of INSET looking at our approach to what happens in the classroom, and it is something we want to build on. In no way does this imply Teaching and Learning is a weakness at Princethorpe – on the contrary, our last ISI (Independent School Inspectorate) inspection in October highlighted it as outstanding. However, this is an area we want to shine a spotlight on, so don’t be surprised if your child comes home discussing what has happened in their lessons. Please ask them about their classroom experiences. As part of this focus, we need your support. To ensure the most productive learning environment, we need the “easy wins” to be spot on. Your child will notice clear and consistent enforcement of standards and expectations to ensure their learning is as good as it can be. I have asked staff to keep expectations high and this may lead to more sanctions until our pupils have found their feet and the rhythm of the new school year. We will reward in equal measure to embed good habits. Please remind your child about the importance of things they have control over when it comes to their learning experience – punctuality, equipment, behaviour for learning, and homework. All of these should never be a concern and will allow my colleagues to focus all their attention on their classroom craft. We will highlight this message to all pupils, reinforcement of this at home would be appreciated.

I would also like to remind you about the uniform guidelines and expectations that were circulated last term. As per my previous letter, incorrect unform will be addressed from day one, and again, your support in getting this right is very important. Do not hesitate to follow the guidelines, even if your child claims all his or her friends are not. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact your child’s tutor.

The first half-term is extremely busy, and I encourage you to read The Flagpole and the Termly Calendar at your leisure to make sure you start on the front foot. Some of the upcoming highlights include the Old Princethorpians versus College Sports Day taking place tomorrow, Open Afternoon, the Year 7 Whitmore Lakes Trip, the Science Centre Official Opening, our Sixth Form Open Evening, and the normal busy programme of sports fixtures. There is never a quiet moment at Princethorpe and I am certain this term will not disappoint.

Finally, I would like to state again the importance of communication between home and school. It is essential that we know when we can do better and how to best support your child. The message I gave to staff was one of talking to each other, not about one another. This must apply to the relationship between you and us also. Sharing frustrations on a WhatsApp group will not see them resolved and over time a little thing might become a real issue. We pride ourselves on the good relationships we have with parents and at the heart of that is honest, open, two-way communication.

I look forward to meeting more parents on the touchlines and at other events – do come and say hello please. May this term be successful, and the start to a good year.

With my very best wishes

Grove du Toit
Headmaster