The Flagpole

Another exceptional year of achievement, progress, creativity and contribution was celebrated at Princethorpe College’s annual Prize Giving Ceremony at the Butterworth Hall, at Warwick University’s Arts Centre on Friday 24 November.

Before the ceremony, the Old Princethorpians Committee hosted a special Drinks Reception for the returning Class of 2023 and their parents, providing a welcome opportunity for last year’s cohort to get together and catch up.

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

In his formal address, the Headmaster, Grove du Toit, gave thanks to all those who make Princethorpe the special place it is. He reflected on all that has happened this last year and encouraged us to celebrate and appreciate the journey of our pupils. He reminded pupils that they are, and always will be, a part of the Old Princethorpian family and encouraged them to stay in touch.

All evening the atmosphere was joyful and celebratory and there were superb musical interludes from the school String Orchestra, Concert Band and the Year 7 Chorus, whose performance of Shine and This Is Me were both enthusiastic and uplifting.

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

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

Foundation Principal, Ed Hester then spoke echoing Mr du Toit’s congratulations, before the current Heads of School, Natalya Elden and Izzy Wright, gave an eloquent vote of thanks.

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

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

Emails with links to the photo galleries will be sent to the Class of 2023, GCSE certificate recipients and the Prize Winners, however, you can access the photos below by clicking on the relevant links. 

Leavers of 2023
Click on the relevant links below to view the three galleries of photographs:

• The OPs Reception
• A-level Certificate Presentation
• Prizes Presentation

(NB you will need to login to view the galleries. Please note there are several pages of photos within the galleries to click through. If you are not currently a member of Princethorpe Connect, please click here to join.)

By engaging with Princethorpe Connect you can also enter our Christmas Hamper Prize Draw, which closes on Friday 15 December.

GCSE Certificates
The photographs of last year's Year 11s being presented with their GCSE certificates are available to view, please click here.

Year 7 - Upper Sixth Awards
To view photographs of our other prize winners please click here.

The photos are free to download for personal use, just click on the link, and it will take you directly to the album.

Following on from the Year 11 mocks, we would like to remind Year 11 pupils and parents of the Sixth Form Scholarship process for September 2024 for internal candidates.

All of our Year 11s are encouraged to apply for Sixth Form Scholarships - Academic, Art, Music, Organ, Drama and Sport. To do so they must complete a Sixth Form Scholarship Application Form and write a 'personal statement' outlining their achievements to date and why they feel they would make an excellent candidate for the scholarship (maximum 500 words).

Those pupils who currently have a scholarship, will normally retain their award for Sixth Form, but must also complete a Sixth Form Scholarship Application Form to re-apply for the scholarship.

The deadline for this application is Monday 22 January 2024. Applications should be marked for the attention of the Registrar, Mrs Catherine Rogers.

Depending on the scholarship, prospective award holders may be interviewed and/or take part in a scholarship assessment in February or March.

Details of any awards will be confirmed when the Sixth Form Offer letters are sent out in writing during week commencing Monday 18 March 2024. Some awards may be dependent on final GCSE grades.

The criteria for each of the scholarships can be found on our website here and in the Sixth Form Admissions Information Booklet 2024. It is essential that pupils and parents look through these in detail before making an application. The Sixth Form Application Form for current Princethorpe Year 11 pupils can be found here. The form can be filled in electronically and returned via email to admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Princethorpe is an 11 to 18 school, and the expectation is that pupils will continue with us through to Sixth Form, providing they meet the academic requirements and embrace the College’s ethos. Princethorpe Year 11s are not required to reapply for Sixth Form, however notice in writing is required to the Headmaster (copying in the Registrar at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk) by Wednesday 17 April 2024 should a pupil not be intending to return.

Princethorpe College is celebrating after pupils had a super successful outing at the Independent School Association’s National Swimming Championships. Together pupils brought home six Gold, two Silver and four Bronze medals, a fantastic haul.

A team of seven pupils had qualified to swim for the Midlands team and on Friday 1 December they travelled down to the London Aquatics Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to take part.

Year 8, Issey Cleary was on fine form winning three Gold medals, the first in the 50m Breaststroke in 35.59 seconds and then as part of the team in the 4x50m Medley and Freestyle Relays in team times of 2.15.59 and 2.01.50. Year 9, Charlotte Gower also swam superbly, claiming Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. She finished first in the 4x50m Medley Relay in a team time of 2.11.60 seconds, second in the 100m Freestyle in 1.03.14 and third in the 100m Backstroke in 1.09.49.

Year 10, Ewan Pearce had a great swim to take a Bronze medal in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay in a team time of 1.51.48 seconds while Year 11, André Onyekwe claimed a Silver medals in the 4x50m Medley Relay in a team time of 1.56.61, and two Bronze medals in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay in a team time of 1.47.00 and the 100m Freestyle in 0.55.95 seconds.

Year 12, Lottie Hunter swan brilliantly to take two Gold medals in the 4x50m Medley and Freestyle Relays in team times of 2.08.95 and 1.54.86 respectively.

Together all of the pupils helped the Midlands team finish in third 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."

Princethorpe pupils swimming for the Midlands team were Year 7s, Leo Warne and Sam McCormick, Year 8, Issey Cleary, Year 9, Charlotte Gower, Year 10, Ewan Pearce, Year 11 André Onyekwe and Year 12 Lottie Hunter.

Computer Science pupils from Year 9 through to the Sixth Form took part in the annual UK Bebras Computing Challenge at the beginning of November.

This well-respected challenge allows pupils to apply their computational thinking skills to solve a variety of logic problems against the clock.

Altogether, 104 Princethorpe pupils from across the age ranges were recognised with an award, with 30 pupils achieving a ‘Merit’ and a further 30 pupils achieving a ‘Distinction’.

11 pupils placed in the top 10% nationally, resulting in an invitation to compete in the prestigious Oxford University Computing Challenge in January. Congratulations to Year 9s Jasper Nicholls, Elwin Williams, William Long, Noah Cowlishaw, James Sinclair, Woody Osborn and Callum Chadwick, Year 11s Alex Lawrence, Zach Hawkins and Wilf Grindal and Upper Sixth Former Alex Flegg. Daniel Ovens Gibbs in Year 10 will also compete having prequalified based on exceptional performance in the OUCC in 2023.

Ed Musson, Head of Computer Science, was delighted and said, "Well done to all who took part! These are superb results. This year, Princethorpe College entered all pupils opting for Computer Science from Year 9 upward into the Bebras competition, leading to a significant rise in the number of pupils qualifying for the OUCC. We look forward to supporting pupils who will be taking on the OUCC in the new year!"

Today the College celebrated Feast Day, marking the date, 8 December 1854, when the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart was founded. At lunchtime the school came together in the Sports Hall to celebrate the anniversary. The assembly began with Father Alan Whelan MSC explaining the reasons why we observe Feast Day and reflecting on the history of the College.

That was followed by the presentation of awards to those pupils receiving House Progress and Achievement Prizes from the last academic year. Then it was time for what has become an important school tradition, the much-anticipated House Singing Competition. In turn the Houses rose to their feet to perform their pieces. First were More House who belted out Let It Go from Frozen, then Benet confidently performed How Far I’ll Go from Moana, up next were Austin who sang Love Is An Open Door also from Frozen and we finished with Fisher who delivered a lively rendition of We’re All In This Together from High School Musical.

The competition was judged by House Activities Leader, Meg O’Gorman, and the House Activities Co-ordinators, together with Father Alan. A huge well done to all the staff and pupils for wholeheartedly entering into the spirit of the day. The results were for Years 7 to 10: 1st Fisher, 2nd Benet, 3rd More and 4th Austin and for Years 11 to Upper Sixth: 1st Austin, 2nd More, 3rd Benet and 4th Fisher.

You can watch clips of the House singing here.

Over three evenings last week, the Drama department’s talented cast and crew delivered a imaginative, gripping and merciless interpretation of the acclaimed novel by Patrick Ness, A Monster Calls. Packed audiences joined Conor O'Malley on a journey of love, loss and hope as he comes to terms with the devastating fury of grief in the College’s Clarkson theatre.

It was another in a string of phenomenal productions by our brilliant Drama department who over the years have enthused pupils both in the classroom and far beyond. This year’s sell out production was just incredible, both powerful and unrelenting, moving many to tears with its heart-rending story.

It was a simply brilliant performance of a tragic tale. Our thanks go to all the cast and the behind the scenes team who worked so hard to pull this extraordinary production together.

Many congratulations to Year 10 pupils, Sophie Henry and Finlay Ross, who cooked up a storm in the Springboard Futurechef Warwickshire Final on Thursday 30 November at Caludon Castle School in Coventry.

Before the event, Sophie and Finlay had prepared thoroughly, putting a lot of time into menu planning and practising their dishes, the brief for which was that the meal should reflect something about themselves. On the day the talented pair produced beautifully presented plates of food of the highest standard. Sophie prepared Chicken Fricassee with Pommes Français while Finlay a Chicken Kyiv with fries and green beans.

After much deliberation by the judges, Sophie was awarded first place. She was presented with a certificate and has qualified for the next round, the Futurechef Regional Final which will take place in the new year at Birmingham University.

Teacher of Food Technology, Jacqui Scott, said, “I am extremely proud of both of Princethorpe’s young chefs, they did brilliantly and received really positive feedback from the judges. Many congratulations to Sophie whose dish was outstanding, I am delighted she has qualified for the Regional Final.”

A huge well done to Sophie, she clearly has the makings of a master chef.

On Monday 4 December, Sixth Form Politics students participated in an A-level Politics Conference where they had the opportunity to hear from, question and engage with an incredible range of senior political figures, including Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Jeremy Corbyn, David Davis, Jess Phillips and many others. 

The conference was held in the stunning Methodist Central Hall in Westminster and was attended by over 2,000 A-level students. The discussions were lively with all sides of the political spectrum represented and the debates and discussions were directly linked to what students have been studying, including political ideology, pillars of the constitution and the impact of referenda such as the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Princethorpe's Politics students thoroughly enjoyed the day and found it extremely useful for their studies. 

A full write up will be available in the next edition of the Pinnacle so please look out for that.

Sixth Form House teams gathered excitedly at lunchtime today, Friday 1 December, for the annual House Sixth Form Christmas Tree competition. House Activities Leader, Meg O’Gorman, turned up the Christmas songs as the crowds gathered and the anticipation built.

The four teams of students opened boxes, took off their jackets and rolled up their sleeves. In front of them lay the components of an artificial tree and decorations. As they quickly pieced together the jigsaw of branches, the trees began to take shape. Lights were unravelled and artistically draped, decorations hung and then with seconds to spare, and one final stretch, stars were positioned on the top.

Judging considered the originality, appearance, environmental friendliness and House qualities and the results were – in first place More followed by Austin, Fisher and Benet.

Well done to everyone, the countdown to Christmas has truly begun.

It has been a great term for Netball and Princethorpe College Head of Girls’ Games, Carly Walton, has a lot to smile about with 11 Princethorpe netballers scoring representative honours this season. She says, “Things are looking good, commitment is strong across the year groups, the practice courts are full after school and we have 11 girls who have been selected for development programmes. I am delighted that their dedication and hard work is being rewarded.”

Year 8s, Issey Cleary and Katherine Lee, Year 9s, Lola Esler, Faith Katanda and Darcey Wolsey, Year 10s, Amy Farquharson and Issy Thompson and Year 11s Frankie Kelly and Hannah Wildey have been selected into their age groups for the Warwickshire netball squads. Chosen from a pool of several hundred girls, from some twenty plus schools across the county, the Princethorpe contingent will join either the Development or Progression squads playing against other counties from across the country.

Three girls have also been selected for Seven Stars programmes. Frankie Kelly and Mia Webb for their Nova Performance Centre and, Year 10, Bella Ward for their Player Development Pathway Programme.

Netball is an exacting sport; demanding an instinctive feel for the ball, hawk like precision and the capacity to make lightning decisions. The sport is growing in popularity with more people playing than ever before.

All of these girls are dedicated to their sport, they work hard year in year out and they fully embody the College’s ‘do your best’ ethos. With such depth of talent across the year groups we are looking forward to hearing news about their impact on the game in College fixtures.

On Wednesday 6 December, Princethorpe College Sixth Formers hosted a special Senior Citizen's Christmas celebratory lunch. Their guests included residents from a number of local care homes including Overslade House, Greenways, Town Thorns Care Centre, Galanos House, Castel Froma, Homewood, James Hirons, Willowtree Nursing Home and elderly parishioners from St Anne's, Wappenbury.

The lunch is an annual community event and the visitors enjoyed turkey and all the trimmings, prepared by the College catering team and waited on by College Sixth Formers. Held in the Sixth Form Centre, delicious smells wafted across the atrium whilst all around there was chatter and laughter.

Our guests were entertained by pupils from local primary school Our Lady’s in Princethorpe who did a sterling job singing festive tunes and Christmas carols. Before they left, all of the visitors were presented with a personalised Christmas card with handwritten messages from the Sixth Form students.

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."

Our annual Christmas card competition has two winners this year with the Foundation Principal, Ed Hester and Headmaster, Grove du Toit both choosing designs from the many stunning entries submitted by pupils.

For the College, Mr du Toit selected, Year 7, Rosie Russell’s super drawing featuring the iconic Princethorpe tower, framed by Christmas holly and red berries. While for his Christmas card, Mr Hester chose Lower Sixth Former, Amaanya Bose’s striking lino print design of the Princethorpe tower and star of Bethlehem against the night sky.

Head of Art, Paul Hubball, commented, "We had a strong field of entries this year, with plenty of original ideas, bright colours and lots of attention to detail. Both designs are worthy winners and are great choices for this year's Christmas cards."

Congratulations also go to the Highly Commended entries, whose designs feature as cameos on the reverse of the cards: Year 8, Mabel Chapman, Year 11, Bea Taylor and Lower Sixth Former, Genevieve Slater-Tucker.

The Malawi Christmas Fundraising Wreath Making Evenings on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 December were a great success.

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

Supported by the Sixth Form team, and their Malawi trip helpers, the wreath makers enjoyed mulled wine and mince pies and also took part in a festive raffle. While the College's PTA kindly ran the bar. 

Head of Sixth Form, Ben Collie commented, “It was great to see everyone enjoying themselves. Thank you to all for your support of our fundraising for the long awaited trip to Malawi.”

Do you have aspirations to train to become a Modern Languages, Maths or Physics teacher? Or do you know someone who does?

We are working in collaboration with Oundle School on two National SCITT Teacher Training programmes and both their National Modern Languages SCITT and National Maths and Physics SCITT have places available for September 2024 and 2025.

Contact Clare Douglas (cdouglas@oundleschool.org.uk) for more details or follow the links to the programmes below.

https://www.nationalmodernlanguages.com

https://nmapscitt.org.uk

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

Copies of A Spirit of Family, the first fifty years of Princethorpe College, by Alex Darkes and Nick Baker are also available at the sale price of £10 plus postage and packing.

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

Finally, the 2024 College calendar featuring 12 superb images of the College and its grounds, and priced at just £6, is a perfect present and is sure to be a handy addition for any kitchen or office.

To ensure UK orders can arrive in time for Christmas, orders and payment will need to be received by 12 noon on Monday 18 December 2023 please.

Purchases can now be made easily via our online shop at https://connect.princethorpe.co.uk/shop or from the OPs/College stall in the Sixth Form Centre at the PTA Christmas Fair on Sunday 10 December.

Sunday 10 December 2023 - 2.00pm to 4.30pm

The PTA Christmas Fair will take place on Sunday 10 December 2023 - a fun, festive event for all ages including:

• Christmas shopping market – choose from a range of artisan crafts, jewellery and gifts
• Christmas craft room – make a Christmas table decoration
• Refreshments – mince pies and mulled wine, hot drinks and cake
• Bottle and chocolate tombolas
• Princethorpe student stalls
• Pre-loved school uniform stall
• Many other fun stalls 

Please note the PTA can now take card payments on their refreshments and pre-loved uniform stalls.

You can also participate in the Christmas Raffle with fantastic prizes to be won including: £250 cash, £150 cash, Fortnum and Mason Hamper - plus many more...

Many thanks for all of your bottle, chocolate and uniform donations.

Tuesday 12 December 2023 - 6.00pm to 7.30pm

The STEAM Ambassadors warmly invite you to join us for this year's Science Christmas Lecture on Tuesday 12 December.

The evening begins at 6.00pm, with a Science themed Christmas quiz in the Refectory with festive refreshments, music and some close-up Science magic.

The lecture will be held in the Clarkson Theatre from 6.30pm and will conclude at 7.30pm with an online quiz (bring your mobile phones!) to test how much you have learned.

Our theme is "A sustainable Christmas" and we look forward to seeing you on 12 December. Please book your free tickets via MySchoolPortal or by clicking the link here. 

Thursday 14 December 2023 - 4.00pm to 5.00pm

During the last week of each month, the English Department puts on an enrichment session after school to enhance the study of English and to enlighten students about the diverse range of careers that the study of English can lead to. In September we enjoyed a lecture on forensic linguistics and in October a streaming of the National Theatre’s production of Othello. In November, two very great friends of Princethorpe – former English teacher Jonathan Washington and former Deputy Head of Pastoral Margaret-Louise O’Keeffe – joined us to talk about the world of publishing. Lower Sixth English student, Joshua Mogg, recounts the evening:

"On the 29 November Princethorpe College was visited by two authors who gave us an informative tour on the path of writing and publishing books. The first to speak was Jonathan Washington, who has written a non-fiction book about the British army’s operational use of horsed cavalry in combat in World War II; no other book has ever dealt with this subject matter in quite this way before. Jonathan gave us a deep insight into the trials and tribulations of publishing and how lucky he was with his own publishing experience.

"Our second guest was the researcher of the book As We Were, called Margaret-Louise O’Keeffe. She helped put together a weekly chronicle of the global events from August 1914 to November 1918. Margaret-Louise took these 223 weeks into separate chapters and gives us an insight into the powerful testimonies of people during the First World War."

Our next English Enrichment session will be on Thursday 14 December, and will be a practical workshop on creative writing. It will be held in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre from 4.00pm-5.00pm. We hope to see you there!

We would very much like to support Jonathan Washington and Margaret-Louise O'Keeffe in their endeavours and to this end, encourage you to consider purchasing their books. Please follow the links below for more information:

Fighting Vichy from Horseback | Military History Book | Helion & Company

Fighting Vichy from Horseback with Jonathan Washington - YouTube

Margaret-Louise O'Keeffe books and biography | Waterstones

Tuesday 19 December 2023 - 7.00pm 

Places are strictly limited to 24 Year 10 pupils 

• Subject areas: Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology and Project Management 
• Target pupils: Those interested in pursuing a career in Science based subjects, healthcare, chemical industry or further research 
• Sign up: Pupils are to sign up via their Science teacher (message via Teams or email) 
• What will pupils learn: An introduction to the concept of pathogens, infection and the control of it – practical lab experience, with a potential for a site visit to the RBT lab and work experience 
• About RBT: RBT is a global developer, formulator and manufacturer of hygiene and infection control products. Their products are equally as effective as harsh chemicals but are biodegradable, alcohol-free and water based. Based locally, they work with distributors across the globe to distribute their products for a range of uses across human and animal health. For more information please click here.

Friday 23 February 2024 – 6.30pm to 10.00pm

Our popular Farmers' Networking Supper is returning to Princethorpe College next year on Friday 23 February 2024.

Offering past and present Foundation families who work in or are connected to the farming and agribusiness sector the chance to meet up, foster new connections, exchange ideas and build relationships.

Further details will be shared shortly but do please put the date in your diary.

For further information please contact, Steve Kowal, Development Director at stevekowal@princethorpe.co.uk.

Wednesday 13 December 2023 - 7.00pm to 8.30pm

Our last Parents' Book Club meet gave a resounding thumbs up to the novel Remarkably Bright Creatures by Katherine Rundel - a novel about unusual friendships, loss and hope. After a huge debate on the emotions an octopus may feel and whether a middle-aged woman could form such a deep attachment to the sea creature; we agreed that this was a book with heart. A bit of fun and escapism, highly recommended. 

As we head into the winter months we are now reading Tangerine by Christine Mangan. In this novel we meet two roommates: the emotionally fragile Alice Shipley and the seemingly confident and assured Lucy Mason, who become very close to one another during their time at Bennington College in Vermont - that is until tragedy strikes and the pair become alienated from each other. 

We look forward to our last meet of 2023 in the Library, on Wednesday 13 December. Do join us for a little literary discussion and debate. Never dull, always warm. We hope to see you joining us, if not this year, in the new year. 

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:

Monday 11 December 2023
7.00pm      Carol Service
                 St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW

Sunday 24 December 2023
5.00pm      Family Mass
9.00pm      First Mass of Christmas
                 Princethorpe Chapel

Monday 25 December 2023  
9.30am      Christmas Day Mass
                 St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW  
 
Sunday 31 December 2023
8.30am      Mass
10.30am    Mass 
                 St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW

Sunday 7 January 2024          
8.30am      Mass
10.30am    Mass
                 St Anne's, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW

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

Thank you
 
 

Thursday 25 January - 7.30pm onwards

Don’t miss this fabulous night out in support of our Malawi 2024 project.

Celebrate Burns Night with a traditional Burns three course meal whilst enjoying live music from Knitter’s Jig Ceilidh Band.

Individual tickets are priced at £40, two tickets for £70 or book a table of ten for the incredible price of £300.

Please click here to secure tickets.

Ben Collie
Head of Sixth Form

The Upper Sixth Subject Progress Evening will take place online on Thursday 14 December 2023 from 5.00pm to 8.30pm. Appointments are now available to book on SchoolCloud.

Tutor Reports for Year 7 will be published on Friday 15 December 2023, and will be available to view on My School Portal.  

Year 11 Mock Exam Reports will be published on Friday 15 December 2023 and will be available to view on My School Portal.

Thursday 11 January 2024

We warmly invite all parents of Year 9 pupils to join us at Princethorpe for our GCSE Options Evening on Thursday 11 January 2024. This event will be held in person in the main college building and will run from 6.00pm to 8.00pm. Further details will be emailed out in the next few weeks.

There will be a presentation to explain the options process, in the Clarkson theatre; this will run at 6.00pm and again at 7.00pm and will last approximately 25 minutes, with time for questions. We request that all parents attend one of these presentations.  

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

We know that for parents it is a challenge to know what children should be accessing online, how much time they should be spending on devices, and in particular how to go about keeping them safe and supporting their wellbeing. As such, we are pleased to announce that Princethorpe College is partnering with Schools Mobile, who have developed a system to add ready-made, age appropriate settings and filtering to your child's device. This can be added to each of your child's devices in just 90 seconds, making it easy for parents to be confident that their child is safe from harmful content and to manage their screen time easily. Our Wi-Fi connection in school is filtered and monitored, but Schools Mobile can provide this for your child's devices at all times, whether on home Wi-Fi, public Wi-Fi or on mobile data.

We will be running a three month free trial of Schools Mobile from January to March, which we would encourage all parents to use. Schools Mobile can be added to any device, including, iPhone/iPad, Android phones and tablets, Windows and Mac.

Following the free trial we will be working with Schools Mobile to provide the best price for parents to continue using the service. Prices will be confirmed once we have a clearer idea of the number of users, but this will be significantly less than competing software already offering this service, and with full support available both from Schools Mobile and the College.

You will be sent a licence code to sign-up for your free trial with more information, so please look out for this.

Kind regards

The Immunisation Team will be in school on Thursday 14 December 2023 to offer all pupils in Years 7 to 11 a nasal flu vaccine.

Appointment times have been emailed to pupils and parents this week. 

If your child is not having this vaccination, please could you contact pcmatrons@princethorpe.co.uk to let us know.Thank you.

Mrs Paula Greig
Senior Matron

As the Christmas festivities are now in full swing I wanted to remind you that our annual Christmas Jumper day is on the last day of term, Wednesday 20 December 2023.

I hope all pupils, students and staff will join in the fun and the spirit of Christmas.

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

For attention of Year 8 parents

The Immunisation Team will be back in school on Thursday 18 January 2024 to offer all pupils in Year 8 a Human Papilloma vaccination (HPV).

Further information and a link to the consent form will be emailed home shortly.

For all parents

From 1 September 2023, the HPV vaccine programme has changed and is now as follows:

• Current Year 8 pupils – Will be offered a vaccination in school
• All other years – If your child has already received at least one dose of the vaccine prior to September 2023, they will not require a second dose
• Missed HPV Vaccination – If your child has missed the HPV vaccine at school, please contact the Immunisation Team directly on the contact details below

South Warwickshire schools: Tel: 01926 353899 Email:SOUTHIMMS@covwarkpt.nhs.uk

Please contact pcmatrons@princethorpe.co.uk if you have any questions or queries.

Mrs Paula Greig
Senior Matron

As we eagerly tread the path towards the enchanting Christmas season, it's with immense gratitude and joy that we reflect on the recent endeavours that have illuminated our school community. The spirit of camaraderie and generosity has shone brightly during two wreath-making evenings and a heartwarming care home lunch, showcasing the incredible dedication of our Sixth Formers, the unwavering support of parents, and the hard work of our esteemed staff.

The wreath-making evenings, a fusion of creativity and festive spirit, were a tremendous success. It was heartening to witness our Sixth Formers and their parents come together, their hands weaving not just beautiful wreaths, but also forging bonds that will linger in our memories. The adorned wreaths, now gracing our homes, are a testament to the collaborative efforts that define our vibrant school community.

Equally commendable was the exceptional assistance provided by our Sixth Formers during the care home lunch. Their enthusiasm and commitment to spreading joy to the elderly residents were truly touching. The smiles exchanged and the warmth shared during this event are a reflection of the values instilled in our students and the positive impact they can make beyond the classroom.

So, as we embrace the spirit of Christmas, let us come together to not only applaud the academic achievements of our Sixth Formers but also to create moments of warmth, compassion, and festive joy within our school community. Your cooperation and active participation are vital in making this season truly special.

In this season of giving, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all Sixth Formers, parents, and staff for contributing to the success of these events. Together, we have created memories that will last a lifetime and have laid the foundation for a season filled with joy, compassion, and unity. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season!

UCAS and Careers - Reminder 

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 me by email 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 (ucas.com)
 
Students will receive comprehensive guidance this half term on all aspects of the UCAS application.  

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.   

Key Dates

Friday 8 December - Upper Sixth Mock Reports available on My School Portal

Thursday 14 December - Upper Sixth subject progress evening online

Friday 15 December - Upper Sixth Social - More details coming soon

Thursday 25 January - Burns Night for Malawi

Tuesday 2 July - Upper Sixth Leaver's Ball 

Ben Collie 
Head of Sixth Form 

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

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

The cut-off date for donations is Sunday 10 December to enable time for the preparation and distribution of the hampers.

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

We are pleased to announce that we have been given an exclusive offer from Northampton Saints, for our parents to purchase tickets at a discounted rate. In order to access these rates, please click the link here, verify your identity and enter the code ‘college’ at checkout. The rate applies to adult or junior seats in the bronze or green blocks. 

Neil McCollin
Assistant Head (Co-curricular)
 

Please don’t forget that Princethorpe College PTA is registered with easyfundraising. 

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 ptassociation@princethorpe.co.uk or visit MySchoolPortal.

Princethorpe PTA

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

Further course materials were distributed at the DofE Start Up Meetings. If you missed your assembly please attend DofE Clinic to collect your DofE folder (Tuesday 1.05pm in LG02).

Please could all new bronze, silver and gold participants complete the steps listed below by Wednesday 20 December.

1. Download the DofE app or find www.edofe.org
2. Login using the username and password sticker on your folder
3. Update your personal details
4. Set timescales (for example at bronze physical 6, volunteering 3 and skill 3 months)
5. Complete the programme planners for the physical, volunteering and skill sections. This includes selecting the activity, inputting start dates, setting a goal to achieve and recording your assessor details (please speak to your potential assessor to ask permission before you upload the details).
6. Submit your programme planners online to your DofE Leader for approval. Once approved you can start your award.                                                                     

An email will be sent to pupils and parents with further advice. Please could participants spend some time reading through this information with their parents. The relevant resources will also be uploaded onto MySchoolPortal.

Whilst the enrolment deadline for new starters has passed, there is still time to complete your award.

Please continue to prioritise signing off your volunteering, physical and skill sections. Guidance can be found on a DofE Completion email sent to pupils and parents, the advice documents are also available on MySchoolPortal.  Lunchtime drop-in clinic takes place every Tuesday 1.05pm in LG02.

The Certificate Presentation Evening takes place on Thursday 8 February 2024. Please prioritise signing off your sections before the Christmas break so they can be processed in time to receive an invite to the evening. Invitations will be distributed in the new year.

Please note that the school shop will be closed from 2.00pm on Wednesday 20 December 2023 and reopen at the beginning of the Lent term on Monday 8 January 2024.

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

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

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

Barbara Bromwich
Foundation Shop Manager

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

To report a pupil absence please do so 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.

Thursday 14 December 2023

A festive Christmas lunch will be available to purchase on Thursday 14 December, served in the Main Refectory and Sixth Form Dining Room.

Andrew Williams
General Manager - Holroyd Howe

Please see below our current vacancies: 

Princethorpe College/Foundation

• Teacher of Dance
• IT Engineer
• Casual Security Officer
• Casual Estates Assistant

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.