The Flagpole

As the General Election campaigns gather pace, I want to update you on the actions we have been taking to put our views across to local parliamentary candidates on Labour’s plans to introduce VAT on school fees, and the scenario planning and modelling we are undertaking to mitigate the impact on fee payers should the policy be implemented. 
 
As you will be aware, Labour have included their intention to add VAT to independent schools’ fees in their election manifesto. Much is made of how they plan to spend the money they claim will be raised; however, they give no detail as to the timings and exactly what VAT will be applied to. Of course, this lack of clarity adds to the difficulty of our scenario planning. However, the Trustees, Senior Leadership Teams and I are entirely focused and committed to doing everything we can to support you and your children in the coming months and years.  
 
There is now a small window to potentially influence the debate, sow seeds of doubt and affect the timing and scale of any implementation. By working together, we hope we can encourage a pulling back by the policy makers from the most destructive scenarios. This is something that the Independent Schools Council is doing at a national level, and that we and other independent schools are doing at a regional and local level. As Parliamentary Political Candidates (PPCs) have now been confirmed for all constituencies, we have been in contact with the three main party PPCs for all the constituencies where our families live, emphasising the effect of such a policy on our Foundation schools. 
 
We now ask you to add your voice to ours, by contacting the candidates in your own constituency to put your view across about the policy. It is important that this is not seen as a ‘round robin’ type communication, but personal and authentic to you and your family’s circumstances. It is recommended that you include your address or postcode to any communication so they know you are a local voter, which will prioritise a response.  
 
You may want to include some of the following:

- the reasons why you chose independent education and why the school is important to you and your family; 

- the sacrifices you have made to afford this education; 

- the special reasons you chose the school, the education matching your faith/values because of special educational needs or pastoral concerns, or to develop your child’s particular talent in sports, music, arts, or drama; 

- your worries about what will happen to local state schools if the tax comes in; 

- requesting a follow-up and that your concerns be passed to the party’s education team can be an appropriate way to conclude any correspondence. 
 
To help you get your own message across, we have drawn up a list of the local constituencies and contact details for the Parliamentary Political Candidates for the three main parties. This can be found on My School Portal by clicking here and logging in. We notice that the changes to constituency boundaries will have affected a large proportion of our families, so if you would like to check you can use the tool here. 
 
Thank you for your continued support for all our Foundation schools. As soon as we get further information post the election, we will give you further updates. In the meantime, I send you and your families best wishes for the summer – the weather does seem to be on an upward trajectory at last! 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
E D Hester

We are delighted to announce that Rebecca Iley has been appointed to the new role of Head of Business Services for The Princethorpe Foundation.

A qualified management accountant and teacher, Rebecca joins us from Activate Learning FE College Group in Banbury, where she has worked for the past ten years, most recently as Director of Business Engagement and Employability. She has also held positions within Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance for ten years.

She impressed the interview panel with the combination of her education and commercial experience and her ability to juggle an extensive work portfolio, alongside her busy family life and volunteering commitments, including being Director of Banbury Chambers of Commerce and Chair of Governors of a local Catholic primary school.

Rebecca is no stranger to the Foundation as her three children attend Princethorpe College in Years 7, 10 and Lower Sixth.

She will take on her new role in October, enabling a handover with Foundation Bursar, Eddie Tolcher, who is retiring in December, although he will continue to support the work of the Foundation.

Ed Hester, Foundation Principal, comments, “We were looking for someone with exceptional personal qualities and abilities, with a wide range of skills, who was aligned with our ethos, and we have found just that in Rebecca.

She came top of a very strong field of shortlisted candidates and the interview panel was unanimous in support of her. We are absolutely delighted that she has agreed to join us, and I am sure she will make a real impact in this new role, which will be instrumental in helping us deliver our strategic plan for the Foundation.”

Comments Rebecca, “I am thrilled to have been offered the role of Head of Business Services. To have the opportunity to be part of an educational Foundation that I truly believe in is both exciting and a great privilege and I look forward to working closely with Ed and the team.”

Princethorpe is celebrating after bringing home a bumper haul of 18 medals from the Independent Schools Association’s (ISA) National Track and Field Athletics Championships. The event was held on Monday 17 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 Gold medals in eight events. Grace McCollin stormed down the track to win both the Year 10/11 100m and 80m Hurdles in explosive times of 12.35 and 11.94 seconds respectively. Georgie Sowter took Gold for her fantastic throw of 26.58m in the Year 8/9 Javelin while Marisa Lumani claimed Gold in the Year 8/9 Shot with a super throw of 9.07m. Emily Divers won Gold in the Year 7 100m Sprint running the course in 13.74 seconds while Sophie Crawford took Gold after throwing 26.50m in the Year 7 Javelin.

Grace McCollin, Penelope Jones and Lauren Tebbatt helped the Midlands Year 10/11 Girls' Relay team finish first in the 4x100m Relay competition, earning themselves Gold medals. While Emily Divers and Ellie Gane were part of the winning Year 7 4x100m Relay team that also claimed Gold.   

Penelope Jones claimed a Silver medal in the Year 10/11 200m Sprint finishing in a super time of 26.82 seconds as did Sophie Crawford after throwing 7.83m in the Year 7 Shot.  

Penelope Jones earned herself a Bronze medal in the Year 10/11 Long Jump, jumping a fantastic 4.57m. Then, Lauren Tebbatt threw 24.96m in the Year 10/11 Javelin to win Bronze, while Louis Reynolds claimed a Bronze in the Year 8/9 80m Hurdles, running 12.56 seconds. Ava Sheppard threw 15.56m in the Year 7 Discus to earn herself a Bronze medal while Rufus Jones threw 26.18m in the Year 7 Javelin for Bronze.  

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. Their tenacity, determination, good humour and camaraderie made for a fantastic experience for the whole team, we are proud of them all.”

Competing for Princethorpe were, Year 7s Ava Sheppard, Ellie Gane, Emily Divers, Rufus Jones and Sophie Crawford; Year 8 Marisa Lumani; Year 9s Georgie Sowter, Jo Sheeran, Lizzie Nichols, Louis Reynolds and Max Kiely; and Year 10s Lily Hunter, Lauren Tebbatt, Penelope Jones, Grace McCollin, Conor Horan, Mark Message and Mia Brander.

For Year 11, Wednesday 19 June was an important day. With their public examinations finally finished, pupils and their families gathered in the College Chapel to celebrate the end of their GSCE year with a Year 11 Thanksgiving Service.

Led by Father Alan Whelan, supported by staff, including Heads of House and members of the Senior Leadership Team, the Thanksgiving Service included emotional readings that reflected the aspirations the College holds for Year 11's 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.

It was wonderful evening of celebration and we wish all our Year 11s a relaxing summer break before they turn their attentions to the next step of their life journey.

29 pupils from Year 7 visited the National Space Centre in Leicester on Tuesday 18 June to recognise their effort and achievement in Science.

Supported by Lower Sixth STEAM Ambassadors Jack and Niamh, their day began with a Tetrastar Workshop that involved pupils working together in teams on a mission to Mars. Taking on the roles of engineers, drone pilots or medics, they carried out a series of experiments before returning safely to Earth.

Pupils then had time to explore the museum galleries, viewing a huge variety of spacecraft, a real piece of the Moon and taking the opportunity to try out the interactive exhibits covering cosmology, space exploration and the universe.

After lunch and a compulsory visit to the gift shop, the day concluded with the Planetarium Show ‘Astronaut Education’, where pupils discovered what it takes to be an astronaut and the dangers of space travel.

Pupils really enjoyed their visit. Sophie Crawford said “I really enjoyed the planetarium as I learned a lot about the intense training that astronauts go through. I also loved the workshop as we got to do tasks that real astronauts would have to perform.” Sam McCormick added, “I enjoyed the workshop at the start of the day because it had many fun elements like the simulators.” While Neil Kiteley said, “The National Space Centre was a great trip I really enjoyed it and want to go again.”

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

Princethorpe College held a mock election on Monday 17 June, as the UK prepares for the upcoming general election. The event gave pupils a unique opportunity to learn about the democratic process in Modern Britain and pupils entered fully into the spirit of election, with voting conducted with gravity and decorum.

We didn’t have pupils getting truly into the campaigning spirit and running as candidates, instead Tutors Groups spent time in their life skills lessons finding out about the established political parties’ values and beliefs. On Monday, they took turns to line up and vote for their party of choice, everyone having the chance to register before putting their X on their voting slip and posting it into the ballot box.

Teacher in charge of Politics, Greg Lyttle, took on the role of Returning Officer. He was supported by, Challenge Curriculum Co-ordinator, Julia Lindsay and the Lower Sixth Form Politics students in the mammoth task of counting all the votes.

Our mock election highlighted the importance of the individual vote in the process of democracy and gave pupils a taste of the drama and excitement of an election day.

Greg Lyttle explains, “Democracy is an important British value and we wanted to educate College pupils on how people participate in the democratic process in the UK. The mock election gave pupils an informed introduction to the process of democracy.”

And 95 of our Sixth Formers will have the chance to take part in this important democratic process for real in just a few weeks.

Pupils from across the College were invited to the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre on Friday 21 June, by Assistant Head - Co-Curricular, Neil McCollin, to recognise their contributions, commitments and achievements.

All of the pupils had risen to the challenge of the College’s ethos; they had done their best in different ways, both in and outside of school. Some had been nominated for academic achievement; others invited along for their contributions to sport or drama; some for charity or community work and others for their commitment to school.

Mr du Toit congratulated every one of them and thanked them for the many ways that they enrich College life.

They are pictured here along wth the staff who nominated them after enjoying a celebratory buffet lunch. A huge well done to them all.

More information is available here.

In the second of two Foundation workshops, our Lower Sixth historians visited Crescent School on Tuesday 11 June for a discussion on all things Tudor. The Sixth Formers ran a session focused on the portraiture of Elizabeth I and the power of imagery during the Tudor period. Year 5 were fascinated by their insights and had lots of their own ideas to contribute to the discussions. It was a wonderfully engaging way to deepen their understanding of this key historical period.

Their teacher, Mrs Symons said, “The workshop was fantastic. The Sixth Formers were so well prepared and engaged our children beautifully. They should be so proud of themselves. They really were great ambassadors for Princethorpe.”

It was such great learning for them all. 

Pupils from Princethorpe College put in outstanding performances at the Warwickshire Schools Athletics Championships helping the Eastern Area take both the Junior and Inter events. College athletes claimed five first place finishes, seven seconds and six thirds across all the events.

In total, 18 College athletes took part in the competition that was held in Leamington, on Saturday 8 June.

For the Inter Boys, André Onyekwe took 1st place in the High Jump while for the Inter Girls, Grace McCollin claimed 1st place in the 80m Hurdles. Olivia Monk earned herself two 2nd place finishes in the 100m and 200m and Penelope Jones took a further two 2nds in the 80m Hurdles and the Long Jump.

For the Junior Boys Louis Reynolds was 1st in the 80m Hurdles and 3rd in the Javelin, while Isaac Nelson was 2nd in the Javelin. Will Smith claimed 3rd in the 1500m, Max Kiely 3rd in the Triple Jump and Will Harvey 3rd in the Shot.

For the Junior Girls, Marisa Lumani placed 1st in the Shot and the Discus and 2nd in the Hammer. Dami Ajagunna was 2nd in the High Jump and Georgie Sowter 3rd in the Javelin and the Discus.

It was a fantastic effort from them all.

An amazing 11 pupils were then selected to represent Warwickshire in the Mason Trophy Inter-County competition on Saturday 15 June, by far the most from any Warwickshire school. There, they displayed real determination and commitment, using their incredible talent to compete strongly against quality opposition in some appalling weather conditions. Together they helped Warwickshire become Champion County for the second year on the run.

Congratulations to them all:

• Louis Reynolds – 80m Hurdles
• Isaac Nelson - Javelin
• Dami Ajagunna - High Jump
• Marisa Lumani – Shot and Hammer
• Georgie Sowter - Discus
• André Onyekwe – High Jump
• Oliva Monk – 100m and 200m
• Lily Hunter – 1500m
• Grace McCollin – 80m Hurdles
• Penelope Jones – 80m Hurdles and Long Jump
• Lauren Tebbatt – Javelin

Princethorpe has a familiar face joining its Admissions Team. OP Georgia Newborough has returned to the College to take on the role of Assistant Registrar. She will be working alongside Catherine Rogers, our Registrar, assisting families who are interested in entry to the College for September 2025 and beyond.

Georgia knows Princethorpe well, having attended the school as a pupil from 2012 to 2019. She went on to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the University of York before spending a year back at Princethorpe working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Her knowledge and experience of the school, from both sides of the fence, positions her ideally to advise prospective families with children looking to join the school.

She starts her Admissions journey welcoming and supporting pupils new to Princethorpe when they visit us next week for their Induction Day. She will then be working alongside Catherine as the Admissions team prepares for the new school year and their next big Open Event, which takes place on Sunday 15 September 2024 from 2.00pm to 5.00pm.

You can get in touch with Admissions by email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk or call 01926 634201/297 and they will be happy to help you.

What a finale we had to this year’s Forensic Science Club. Over the course of the Trinity Term, our Year 8 crime scene investigator trainees have been busy learning all about different forensic science techniques, from fingerprinting and blood splatter analysis to footprint evidence and soil samples, as well as how to process a crime scene and handwriting analysis.

After a body was found in the cellars, the pupils were called upon to investigate, reviewing witness statements, examining the crime scene and collecting and analysing evidence. Year 8 donned their protective clothing and set off to search the school for evidence. There was plenty to find, as the careless criminals had left many, many clues! It was a deadly mystery, but they were more than up for the challenge.

Science Teacher, Sam Curtis, was impressed by them all, commenting, “All Princethorpe’s trainee forensic scientists passed their assessment with flying colours, piecing together the evidence to solve the mystery and recover the stolen diamonds. They certainly weren’t fooled by all the double crossing going on.”

Well done to all the super-sleuthing scientists who took part!

Nine Lower Sixth Physicists visited the National Mathematics and Science College to compete in this year's West Midlands Physics Olympics. Working in thirteen teams, made up from pupils of three schools, they competed in three rounds of challenging problems.

Round 1 was estimation and included questions like 'How much energy is needed to heat water for a bath?', 'How many balls of string would be needed to form a hoop around the entire Earth?' and 'What is the power of the Sun?'. Round 2 consisted of seven extended problems requiring strong mathematical ability, logic and perseverance with questions such as 'Calculate the resultant force on a satellite's solar sail' or 'Calculate the maximum velocity of a cyclist freewheeling down a hill'. Round 3 was a pop quiz with sections that included identifying Physics Noble prize winners, name the famous physicist picture round and codebreaking to find the physics equation.

The pupils enjoyed the experience and were certainly pushed out of their comfort zones, through working in teams with pupils from other schools, tackling difficult problems that pushed them beyond the constraints of the standard A level curriculum and demonstrating resilience.

It was an excellent effort by them all.

The English Department hosted a Scholastic Book Fair from Thursday 6 to Tuesday 11 June. The books arrived in their special display cases and caused much excitement for all. Their brightly coloured jackets and bold titles catching the imagination of all who visited Mrs Moon's classroom. On offer were a range of books for Years 7 to 9, with a mix of fiction and non fiction.

As always, the book fair was very popular, as there really is nothing like the sight, feel and smell of a new book. Thank you to everybody who supported the fair, we hope you enjoy your new books.

Huge congratulations to our valiant Lower Sixth walkers who took on the challenge of walking 24 miles in 7 hours on Sunday 9 June. 

As always, our Lower Sixth were walking in aid of Mary’s Meals raising money to feed the children of Makalanga Primary School in Malawi. Remember just £19 feeds one child for a whole year and you can still support their fundraising here.

Oscar Reynolds, Seb Bainbridge, Lachlan Greig, Xander MacRae and Calan Byrne were first home, completing the distance in 7 hours and 32 minutes.

We had a few tender feet in school the following day after a really superhuman effort from them all.

Well done to the 26 walkers, we are incredibly proud of you all.

Princethorpe's Language Ambassadors visited, Foundation Prep School, Crescent School on Monday 10 June to host an interactive MFL workshop. Mrs Keenan and Ms Galano had organised for the Year 10 pupils, supported by Lower Sixth prefects, to visit the school to inspire and engage pupils in their learning. Working in four groups the Year 10s delivered French and Spanish activities on the topics of dates, sports, food and the weather.

Year 5 were excited to work with the Year 10s and really enjoyed the structured, interactive sessions that built on and practised the vocabulary they have been learning in their specialist MFL lessons with Mrs Day. There were plenty of smiles all round as the youngsters enthusiastically engaged with Princethorpe's pupils, answering their questions and playing matching games.

It was a fantastic learning experience for them all. 

Congratulations to all the Year 10 pupils who have completed their Duke of Edinburgh’s Silver Qualifying Expeditions. An amazing achievement by them all.

Unaccompanied and self-sufficient they spent three days trekking and camping in the Peak District working together in teams to achieve their expedition objectives.

Bronze Award and Gold Award participants have their Qualifying Expeditions upcoming, with the Year 9 Bronze groups walking through the Cotswolds this weekend and the Lower Sixth Gold students completing their expeditions in the Lake District next weekend.

Make sure you follow @PC_Outdoors on X and the College Facebook to see regular updates on the walkers' progress.

Wednesday 26 June 2024 - 9.00am to 4.45pm
(Presentation to Parents and Information Fair from 3.30pm to 4.30pm)

The Induction Day for new pupils starting at the College in September 2024 will take place on Wednesday 26 June 2024. The day will consist of two separate events. The new Year 7 pupils should arrive at school in their current school uniform for 9.00am, but no earlier than 8.45am and can be dropped off by the Sports Hall where they will be met by the Registrars. Those pupils who will be entering Years 8 to 10 should come to Reception for 8.20am and will follow their own schedule for the day.

Incoming Year 7 will spend the day getting to know Mrs Susan Harris, Head of Transition and Induction, their Head of House, meet their new Vertical Tutor Group and their teaching group. Refreshments at break and lunch will be provided.

Parents should return to the Sports Hall at 3.15pm for a prompt start at 3.30pm for their own talks and an Information Fair. Parking will be in the Orchard. There will be an introductory address by the Headmaster, Mr du Toit, and senior staff, after which parents will have the opportunity to visit the Information Fair.

The Fair comprises the following;

• Bus services
• Music lessons
• Medical matters
• Catering
• Parent Teacher Association
• Uniform - book your appointment for the shop
• Team Super Sports Holiday Camps

Following the Fair you will be rejoined by your son or daughter for refreshments outside when there will be a further opportunity to chat with Mrs Harris, the Heads of House and other members of staff.  The day will finish around 4.45pm.

Year 7 Preparation Day - Monday 2 September 2024 - 9.30am to 4.00pm

The incoming Year 7 children will get a further opportunity to get to know the College and each other a little better on their Preparation Day on Monday 2 September, just before term begins on Tuesday 3 September.

Wednesday 26 June - 7.00pm to 8.30pm

Last meeting we decided to read Frances Quinn's That Bonesetter Woman, a novel set in the 1700s where our protagonist has to fight the patriarchy to follow her ambition in becoming a bone setter. Loosely based on a true story, it was fascinating to read how setting bones was managed in this period. Durie, the bonesetter, certainly captured our hearts as we followed a determined young woman who bravely faced everything life threw at her. Recommend by all in the group. 

Next book up this month is A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh. Set on the border of England and Wales, mystery and deception unravels as the contestants in a reality TV show try to work out who is lying and what happens when we lie to ourselves. 

In addition to these books, my personal recommend is Queen Macbeth by Val McDermid who takes on this formidable character in a reimagining of Shakespeare’s archetypal scheming wife. An outstanding read in my view. 

We will meet for the last time this academic year on Wednesday 26 June in the Library. Please do join us for some good-natured discussion.

Contact me at jessicanewborough@princethorpe.co.uk if you need anymore information. 

Thursday 27 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and Sunday 30 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm

A celebration of our pupils' GCSE and A-level Art, Photography and Design work will take place in the Sixth Form Centre on Thursday 27 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and on Sunday 30 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm.

A range of design and technology projects, from resistant materials to textiles, will be showcased alongside the stunning art and photography work the College is renowned for.

Comments, Paul Hubball, Head of Art, "This is a great opportunity to share our pupils' fantastic creativity with a wider audience and to welcome more art and design lovers to Princethorpe."

Adds Head of Design and Technology, Paul Scopes, "We look forward to welcoming all the exam pupils and their families from across Design, Art and Photography to enjoy the fruit of their labours."

All are welcome. On Thursday evening admission is free, on the Sunday admission will be £2 per car including entry to the College's Summer Fête and Motoring Festival. 

Light refreshments will be available on the Thursday. If you are planning to attend on that evening, it would be helpful for catering purposes if you could complete the form here.

The event is part of Warwickshire Open Studios' Summer Art Weeks.

Sunday 30 June 2024 - 2.00pm to 4.30pm

Our Summer Fête is fast approaching and we are planning lots of fun activities and entertainment for all ages, plus our ever-popular shopping village with a fabulous array of stalls.

This year, there will be the traditional selection of school supported charity stalls, and external stalls selling a range of high-quality crafts, cakes and jewellery and we will also be welcoming “Alpaca Pals”, an opportunity to get up close and personal with these gorgeous animals. We'll be firing up the BBQ, and for those of you who find days like this thirsty work we'll be providing a tempting selection of drinks in the refreshment tent, including Gin, Prosecco, Pimms, Beer and soft drinks. The Motoring Festival will be celebrating its 27th year and there will be the traditional stunning display of vehicles for visitors to admire.

As in previous years, the Princethorpe Summer Art, Photography and Design Show will be open to all our visitors in the Sixth Form Centre – please do go and have a look – the talent of our GCSE and A-level pupils is always amazing.

Raffle

One of the highlights of this event is the Princethorpe Raffle, featuring fantastic prizes generously donated by local businesses and stall holders, all presented by Mr du Toit on the day. In a new approach this year, raffle books are colour-coded with school house colours, incentivising sales with house points. Each pupil will have already received two books distributed by form tutors, with additional tickets available from the Pupil Hub. All sold ticket stubs and cash should be returned to the Pupil Hub, where house points will be calculated and awarded accordingly. Tickets, as always, will be available to purchase on the day.

Your continued support is greatly appreciated.

Fancy hosting a stall?

Do you or someone you know have a unique product to sell, a fun game to run, or an engaging activity to share? Whether you are a student, staff member, parent or guardian, or maybe you know someone who may be interested, then we are excited to invite you to participate in our upcoming Summer Fête! This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your creativity, talents, and entrepreneurial spirit by hosting a stall. Your involvement will not only contribute to the success of the event but also provide a great way to connect with the community and support our school. If you're interested, please contact stalls@princethorpe.co.uk for more details on how to secure your spot. Let's make this Summer Fête unforgettable together!

Your help is needed!

Our popular Bottle Tombola, Water to Wine and Preloved Uniform stalls rely on your generous donations so please dig deep (or peer into the back of the cupboard) and send your donations into the Pupil Hub by the morning of Friday 28 June. Please ensure all preloved uniform is clean and has plenty of wear left. Thank you.

Volunteers

We rely heavily on the PTA volunteers to run this event and we are always on the lookout for more helpers, so if you can assist in any way on the day, even for half an hour, we would really like to hear from you!  Please email us at ptassociation@princethorpe.co.uk to register your interest. 

We do hope that you are able to come along to support this fun, family event and share in the special atmosphere at Princethorpe.

Many thanks

Jules Mold
PTA Chair                                                          

Monday 15 July to Friday 23 August, 8.00am to 5.00pm

We are thrilled to team up with Team Super Sports to offer an action-packed summer experience for children aged 5 to 16 years. From Monday 15 July to Friday 23 August, our Holiday Camps will run from 8.00am to 5.00pm.

Children aged 7 to 16 can choose from a variety of sports, including rugby, cricket, football, gymnastics, netball, hockey, and tennis to create their own personalised sports camp! For our younger campers (ages 5 to 7), along with sport we’ve got arts, crafts, and dance activities to keep them engaged and having a blast!

Why Team Super Sports? They’re experts in sport and multi-activity holiday camps, providing top-level coaching for all abilities.

Click here to visit the Team Super Sports website to secure your child’s spot.

Camps are priced at £37 per day or £150 per week. Sibling discounts and flexible booking options available!

Sunday 15 September 2024 - 2.00pm to 5.00pm

Princethorpe will be holding its annual Open Afternoon on Sunday 15 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 17, Thursday 19 and Wednesday 25 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 17 September 2024
• Thursday 19 September 2024
• Wednesday 25 September 2024

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.

Progress Reports for Year 7 will be published today, Friday 21 June, and will be available to view on My School Portal.

Michael Spencer
Deputy Head - Academic

Full reports for Year 8 will be published today, Friday 21 June and will be available to view on My School Portal.

Tutor Reports for Year 9 will be published today, Friday 21 June 2024, and will be available to view on My School Portal.  

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated in the College Chapel in the Lent Term 2025. We are waiting for the Bishop to confirm the date.

Confirmation preparation will begin in October 2024. The preparation takes place over the lunch break. There will be four sessions in the Michaelmas Term and four in the Lent Term. Each 20-minute session will be offered twice during the week to avoid clashes with other activities.

If you would like further information, please email marybenham@princethorpe.co.uk.

The end of another academic year is upon us. Maybe for some, it could not come quick enough as they look forward to eight weeks away from their studies and time to be with their family and friends. For others, this time is a period of transition, moving away from and moving to. Away from Princethorpe after so many years in the Foundation and moving to university or the world of work. Or moving up a Year group on their journey of education. Farewells are a time of mixed emotions, a looking back but the excitement of a new adventure about to begin. To all our students we remember in our prayers as we encourage them to say:

Amen.

I hope this message finds you well and refreshed after the half-term holiday. As we return to our regular schedules, I'd like to share some updates and commendations regarding our students' recent activities and upcoming milestones.

Lower Sixth Exams

Firstly, a hearty congratulations to our Lower Sixth students who have successfully completed their exams. The completion of these assessments marks a significant step in their academic journey. We hope that the feedback they have received is proving useful in identifying strengths and areas for improvement. This period of reflection and learning is crucial as they prepare for the challenges ahead.

Upper Sixth Exams

For our Upper Sixth students, the end of their exam period is now in sight. My thoughts are particularly with those taking their final exams in Further Maths on Monday.

Extra-Curricular Achievements

Beyond the classroom, our students continue to shine. I would like to extend a special congratulations to those who participated in the 24/7 charity walk last Sunday. Their commitment to supporting this worthy cause is truly inspiring and reflects the compassionate spirit of our school community. We have now hit 81% of our target for Mary's Meals but are still continuing with our fundraising.

Additionally, a round of applause for the students who completed their first aid course over the weekend. Acquiring such essential life skills not only benefits them personally but also enhances the safety and well-being of those around them. 

Looking Ahead

As we move forward, let's maintain the momentum and continue to support our students in all their endeavours. Whether it's academic pursuits, extra-curricular activities, or personal development, every step they take is a stride towards their future success.

Thank you for your ongoing support and involvement in your child's education. Your encouragement and engagement are invaluable as we navigate these important phases in their academic careers.

Lower Sixth BBQ - Monday 24 June 2024, 5.00pm to 7.00pm

All Lower Sixth students, parents and families are invited to join the Sixth Form team for a summer BBQ where there will be food, drinks, a tombola, fun and games, and entertainment from our talented students! Tickets are now on sale and all monies raised will be going to the housing and homelessness charity Shelter, which has been chosen by our students.

Please take note of the following key dates and add them to your calendars to ensure your child's participation and enjoyment in these enriching activities. Further details regarding each event will be communicated closer to the respective dates.

If you have any questions or require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Key Dates

Monday 24 June - Activities Week and Lower Sixth Parent and Student Summer BBQ

Tuesday 25 June - Upper Sixth Eucharist and Lower Sixth UCAS Day at Birmingham NEC

Friday 28 June - Lower Sixth Alton Towers Trip

Sunday 30 June - PTA Summer Fête and 27th Annual Motoring Festival

Monday 1 July - Lower Sixth Make A Difference (MAD) Day

Tuesday 2 July - Upper Sixth Leavers' Ball and Lower Sixth UCAS Information Day

Ben Collie 
Head of Sixth Form 

Our Sports GTA, Nat Hardy, is offering tennis coaching. For more information please see the flyer here.

Sports staff, Miss Carminati and Mrs Kelsall, are also offering Summer Netball Camps for 7 to 13-year-olds on Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 July and Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 August, the price is £35 per day and there is a 10% sibling discount. To reserve your child's place email enquiries@multimanialimited.co.uk.

Next term your child will be taking part in rugby and hockey and following national governing body and school guidelines, it is compulsory that your child wears a mouthguard during these sports. 

Therefore, in the interest of your child’s safety, we have invited OPRO, who specialise in the provision of custom made mouthguards, to visit the school on Thursday 5 September from 12.30pm to 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 back to your home address approximately seven working days later. 

Prices start from £41.99 and our exclusive school design mouthguards are priced at £46.99. Please click here to view. 

OPRO offer a number of benefits with their service:

• Buy one mouthguard and get a second mouthguard for half the 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

If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity and have your child fitted, please place an order with OPRO on their website www.opro.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 of the time slot for your child's fitting.

Pupils do not need a custom made mouth guard to participate in sport. They can use mouthguards that can be purchased from the school shop or any sports shop. 

Many thanks 

Lee Cassell 
Director of Sport 

Are you interested in joining the PTA Committee?

Comprising a dedicated group of volunteer parents and guardians of Princethorpe students, the committee orchestrates and assists in various school events, including the immensely popular Summer Fête and Christmas Fair, aimed at raising funds for projects within the school that enrich the student experience and foster a sense of community.

If you are interested in offering your support or wish to become more actively involved in event planning by joining the committee and attending meetings, please don't hesitate to email us at ptassociation@princethorpe.co.uk.

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.

Did you know you can support the Princethorpe PTA online?

Follow, like, and share our social media posts to help us reach a wider audience. The more people who are aware of our fundraising events, the greater impact we can make for the school community! Please see below the links to our social media pages:

Facebook: PTA Princethorpe

Instagram: @princethorpepta

X (Twitter): @PrincethorpePta

Thank you. 

Princethorpe PTA

This is the first ever whole school da Vinci Competition. The theme for this year has been 'resilience' and the summer da Vinci competition is reflecting this theme.

Pupil's task over the summer holidays is to come up with an independent and innovative project with the title: Bounce. We are looking for a creative and innovative response submitted in any format.

Entries should be handed to Mrs Lindsay in the first week back after the Summer Holiday in S3. 

Any working model must be portable and no bigger than a regular shoe box.

A merit will be awarded to every entry. Creative da Vinci merits will be awarded to those that show high levels of creativity. Mastery da Vinci Merits can be awarded for those that show high levels of skill. A full da Vinci can be awarded for those showing both creative and skilful elements. A £10 Amazon Voucher will be awarded to the best overall response. 

I am pleased to say that we will be resurfacing the roadway between the main gates and the playground in the first week of the summer break. This road surface has deteriorated rapidly over a very wet winter and resurfacing has been prioritised as it is the main access route into the college. We recognise that the current surface is now very uneven and thank everyone for their forbearance and care when driving through this area. I am confident that the new surface will be a huge improvement.

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.

Please see below our current vacancies:

Princethorpe College

• Sports Coach - Hockey
• Sports Coach - Rugby
• Minibus Driver

Full details and how to apply are available via the following link: Join Us

Should you know anyone who might be interested in these posts, please do share this information with them.