The Flagpole

Following up from my last letter on 30 August, I write to update you on the Government’s plans to add VAT to independent schools’ fees.

We have been continuing our communications with local MPs across the political spectrum to ensure that they are aware of the key issues and potential damage that this policy could have both locally and nationally.

In addition, we have made comprehensive submissions to HM Treasury’s public consultation over this issue. As such I thought it would be worth sharing some of the key points that we have raised.

The Government’s consultation on the policy posed three key questions:

1. Will the policy raise revenue to support the public finances and help deliver the Government’s commitments relating to education and young people?
2. Will the policy ensure high-quality education is available for every child?
3. Is the policy fair, with all users of private schools paying their fair share?

Our view is:

1. The policy is unlikely to raise any revenue that can go into the state education system, in fact there is a significant chance it will have a negative effect on the Government’s finances.

The £1.6 billion that the Government continues to claim that this policy will raise is based on a single report from the IFS. The Government’s extrapolation from this report is fundamentally flawed since they have ignored a number of key factors: they have absolutely no data on parents’ levels of affordability or independent schools’ ability to change their business model so that they can drop their fees and remain viable. As a consequence, it appears that the Government has no data with which to make a reasonable estimate of the numbers of pupils who will be forced out of independent schools due to affordability.

The latest figures from the Adam Smith Institute show how the migration from independent to state sector would affect the government’s finances:

Some schools will have parents of enormous wealth who will be able to afford the additional 20% on top of their fees. Such schools are outliers. At Princethorpe College the overwhelming majority of our parents are not the super-wealthy; they are aspirational, hard-working people who work exceptionally hard to send their children to the school they believe best meets their needs, aptitudes, and abilities.

At the Princethorpe Foundation we are fortunate to be in a strong financial position; in addition, we have been able to make cost savings through a range of measures and we would significantly reduce our fees to support our families – our strategy being to retain our pupils and ensure the high-quality education provision is maintained. Were this policy to go ahead in January, our parents would effectively have a 5% fee increase – whilst this is still a considerable extra burden for many of our parents, our pupil numbers have remained very strong. However, in many schools both locally and nationally, parents will face an increase of well over 10% and in many cases closer to 20%. This will be unaffordable to many families who will be forced out of their schools

2. The policy will not ensure high-quality education is available for every child, in fact it is likely to damage the education of a significant number of pupils currently in both the state and independent sectors.

Without doubt, this policy, on its own, could never ensure high quality education is available for every child. Education is highly complex, as are young people, and the world in which we now live. There are so many factors which go into high quality education, whilst proper financial investment is obviously a key factor, there are many others: genuine parental choice; a broad and rich curriculum; a meaningful and inclusive co-curricular programme; highly motivated, passionate and well-qualified teachers; the ability of the school to meet every child’s specific needs…

This policy, whether or not it raises any additional revenue, will reduce the choice of school for a significant number of parents. It will be hugely disruptive for any child who has to leave their current school where they are happy and flourishing. However, there will undoubtedly be a negative effect in the state sector too where school resources will be stretched more thinly with the additional influx of children who, were it not for VAT, would be educated independently. This will affect all pupils but perhaps none more so than those with additional needs or those with SEND.

This policy will therefore not help the government achieve its aim of ensuring high-quality education for every child; rather it will damage it significantly.

3. The policy and in particular the timescales of its introduction are not fair.

Fair is an interesting word as it will mean different things to different people.

Is it fair that our parents, who save the Treasury money by not taking up places for their children in the state sector, are the very people who are targeted to pay more for the state sector?

It is important to note that many of our families are not hugely affluent and are currently making enormous sacrifices to send their children to a Princethorpe Foundation school. My personal belief is that it is much fairer to use income tax to generate any additional money needed for the state education system. In this way, the burden falls on those with the broadest shoulders, not just those who make the greatest sacrifices for what they consider to be best for their children.

Whilst personal views on the fairness of the questions posed above will differ, it is universally accepted that for a decision to be fair and reasonable the decision-makers will have taken account of all relevant factors in their decision-making. The fact that timescales of the policy were announced before any consultation had even started is testament to the fact that the government has not applied this principle of fairness.

Before the election, the Labour Party made it absolutely clear they would be looking to implement this policy if elected, with a September 2025 implementation. The news on 29 July of a January 2025 implementation is perhaps the most unfair aspect of it. The rush to implement this policy without any attempt to examine all the relevant factors makes it unfair for schools and for parents who will be forced to make life-changing decisions in the middle of a school year. The timing of the announcement of the policy (in the middle of the summer holiday) and the proposed timescale (in the middle of the academic year) could not have been worse. It feels like a deliberate attempt to cause the greatest possible havoc to independent schools, their parents and most importantly the pupils.

The Bottom Line:

The stated aims of this policy for the Government are underpinned by the assumption that very few families will be forced out of the Independent Schools sector.

This aligns with the aims of the Princethorpe Foundation – we want to be able to be able to keep our pupils and support our families. It will be the same for all independent schools.

The short timescale does not provide reasonable time for schools to adjust their finances thus increasing the likelihood that more pupils will leave and move to the state sector. A move to September 2025 the start of a school year, would be more reasonable and would minimise the potential for disruption to pupils, families, independent and state sector schools. The decision to being the date forward smacks of a desire to deliberately undermine the sector.

The Government must look at the timing of execution of their policy. For it to have any chance of succeeding, schools across the country need time to adjust their business models and become leaner so they can continue functioning and generate the income which can provide the extra money the Treasury expects. Whilst we have been able to do this at Princethorpe, I know that many schools have not been able to throw the time and resources into this huge challenge at such short notice.

The Government decision to ban junk food adverts before 9.00pm has recently been announced with implementation from October 2025; the introduction of this VAT policy must not be overly rushed – a January 2025 implementation would have catastrophic consequences for many independent and state schools and most importantly their pupils.

Thank you as always for your support for our schools and to those parents who have contacted their MP or made a submission to the public consultation.

E D Hester

This September, Princethorpe College has been thrilled to welcome a bumper intake of 30 new Lower Sixth students from a wide variety of schools. As they came up the drive for the first time, they joined over 100 returning Year 11 pupils, all enthusiastic to start the next stage of their education.

The Sixth Form at Princethorpe is a successful and inclusive community offering a great choice of qualifications and pathways. Whether it’s quality teaching in small classes, a vast array of sporting, co-curricular, leadership and service opportunities or excellent pastoral care and guidance, the Sixth Form team deliver an outstanding programme, tailored to the individual’s needs.

It’s going to be an exciting two years for our Lower Sixth, as they embrace the opportunities for academic achievement, explore their passions and prepare for the future. It’s fantastic to have them in the Sixth Form and we can’t wait to support them as they work towards whatever they want to be.

Year 7 begin their Religious Studies lessons at Princethorpe with an introduction to the origins of the College and its predecessor, the catholic community of St Mary’s Priory. Exploring the College’s history gives an excellent insight into the school and its ethos and is a really great way to bring pupils’ initial RS studies vividly to life.

In their first few lessons, pupils tour the College exploring the wealth of religious artefacts and treasures around the school site. They spend time in Our Lady of the Angels Chapel, the Cloisters and the Nun’s cemetery, reflecting on the incredible history of Princethorpe College.

Year 7 have found it all fascinating and have asked plenty of interesting questions and it’s their turn now to add to the College’s unique history.

They have made a great start - well done Year 7!

There is a fascinating timeline of the College's history on the OPs Page of our website here.

The school council met this week on Wednesday to discuss ideas and suggestions raised by Tutor groups across the school. Pupil voice is important here at Princethorpe, with the school committed to listening to and engaging with the views, wishes and experiences of the school community. This year, the School Council has been split into House groups, and Wednesday’s sessions were facilitated by the House Captains. Pupils raised topics including food choices, girls football, sports kit and more, as they enjoyed munching their way through a Princethorpe cookie.

In the final assembly of the year, I set a challenge to the whole school - a da Vinci competition for any age and any ability to create a response to the title 'Bounce', as our theme of the year had been resilience. 

There were some outstanding entries and they have been rewarded with da Vinci merits. 

The most creative was produced by Dami Ajagunna, who made an origami jumping frog accompanied by a roll out tongue on which was printed a beautiful poem that she had composed.

However, the overall winner was Luka Vrljicak, in Year 8, who produced this outstanding presentation and coded video game: Resilience and Bounce Project

We welcomed BOSCH to Princethorpe College on Thursday 26 September for our latest STEAM lecture. The BOSCH team included a Product Manager, Software Engineer and two Mechanical Engineering Interns from the company’s Nuneaton site. They spoke about BOSCH’s heritage and business specialisms and specifically about the role of BOSCH Mobility in providing expertise in vehicle technology hardware, software and services.

Pupils learned that the Bosch logo is a magneto starter motor which was first produced by Bosch to replace the need to manually crank a car, to start it, back in 1897. That Bosch Mobility makes up 70% of the company’s business while the more familiar Consumer Goods division, that includes domestic appliances and power tools, accounts for only 10%.

They also discovered that the Nuneaton site specialises in the premium car market (Lotus, Aston Martin, Morgan etc.) and that 'Active Safety' aligns with the company’s slogan of 'Invented For Life', and that they develop software and hardware to make travel safer, for example sensors that control the braking of individual wheels to allow the driver to retain control of a vehicle during an emergency manoeuvre.

The visitors also brought along a number of components that they had designed and manufactured for pupils to see. Although, unfortunately, due to technical issues they were unable to bring along the Bentley they had been testing.

Pupils from Year 7 up to the Sixth Form asked lots of great questions and gained a fantastic insight into the automotive industry. It was a very interesting and informative lecture that delivered a clear message to 'pick a career doing something you love'.

Many thanks to our BOSCH visitors for taking the time to come and talk to pupils and for anyone interested in finding out more there is an excellent video online, just search for No BOSCH No Car

It was European Day of Languages on Thursday 26 September and pupils at Princethorpe College joined in the fun. The House teams challenged pupils to solve a series of language-linked Escape Room tasks to discover a four-digit code. Tutor Groups took on the interactive activities in their 3PD sessions last week, with pupils having until the Thursday to complete the task. At break time, the House Captains were kept busy counting up the points. Thank you to everyone who participated and well done to all who got involved. This year it was a landslide victory for Benet - muy bien to them all!

From Friday 20 to Monday 23 September, 19 Upper Sixth Biology students visited Swanage in Dorset for this year’s Biology Field Trip. An essential part of their A-level studies, the trip allowed students to complete two required assessed Biology practicals, as well as experiencing a variety of field work techniques.

The group were based at Leeson House Field Studies Centre in Langton Matravers, on the Jurassic Coast. Across their long weekend, the biologists visited the River Piddle to do a comparison between the species found in slow- and fast-moving water as well as Kimmeridge Bay to undertake work on the rocky shores examining the distribution and morphology of limpets and periwinkles, both perfect opportunities to practise their sampling techniques. Their field trip also included studying Studland sand dune succession, surveying wood lice populations and examining mammal and moth traps. The Upper Sixth also had the opportunity to visit the RSPB Arne, where they completed a guided ramble through heathland and woodland learning about the different habitats. The students also visited a bird hide on the sandy shores of Shipstall Beach, where they were lucky enough to observe a grey seal, migrating Black-tailed Godwits and Egrets.

Head of Biology, Catherine Warne, commented, “Our Sixth-Formers made the most of their jam packed itinerary, they learnt a lot but had plenty of fun too. It was a very successful trip.”

14 keen climbers from Years 8 to 12 travelled to The Roaches in the Peak District on Saturday 21 September to take on one of the best gritstone crags in the country. The day trip, led by Head of Physics, Dan Lee, and supported by Head of English, Helen Pascoe-Williams, was a great opportunity for the College’s Climbing Club to put into practice the skills and techniques they have learnt on the College’s own Climbing Wall.

The Roaches is a prominent rocky ridge situated above Tittesworth Reservoir and the town of Leek. After warming up with a bit of bouldering, pupils successfully climbed a variety of classic routes graded from ‘very difficult’ to ‘severe’. They were rewarded with the most magnificent views from the top of the crag.

There was even a special visitor as an extra treat, as former Head of Outdoor Learning, Will Bower, couldn’t resist turning up to encourage everyone on.

Year 8 Amalia summarised the trip saying: "The climbing trip was outstanding, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We managed to do four walls each and had one or two goes on each one. As the day rolled on, we did some scrambling around on the rocks. The weather was amazing, and we were very lucky as when we got on the minibus to go back it started raining and there was lightning. For me, it was my first outdoor climbing experience, and I would 100% do it again. Everyone had a go at everything, and it all ran smoothly. Alan Stapleton was an amazing guide who also set everything up before we arrived so that there was no delay. When we went scrambling, he also had great names for some of the rocks, such as 'The Chasm of Doom'.
Thank you to Mr Lee, Mrs Pascoe-Williams and Alan for giving us this opportunity. Also thanks for the surprise visit by Mr Bower who came to help for the afternoon."

Many thanks to the staff who supported the trip and to Alan Stapleton, from 1010 Ventures, for leading the climbing on the day.

Crescent School has been recognised for its work to create a sustainable environment.

The school has been awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction in recognition of its environmental consciousness and commitment to sustainable practices. The award is given to schools that work through a seven-step framework outlined in the Eco-Schools programme.

The school has also had its sustainability efforts recognised by the Independent Schools Association (ISA) in its annual national awards, with the school shortlisted for the Sustainability Award, which will be voted on later this year.

Last school year, pupils from Year 2 to Year 6 formed a Green Team, and identified three key focus areas for sustainability improvements: Biodiversity, Waste and Water. Across the year, the committee launched numerous activities and campaigns, including 'Cut Your Carbon Month', a ‘Paper Free Day’, and the 'The Big Plastic Count'. Pupils also took part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch and held their own school mini COP 28.

During the year, pupils also worked together to construct a bug hotel and pollinator bed, installed rainwater harvesting water butts, completed a biodiversity survey, organised a book swap and pen recycling, installed bird boxes, planted trees and herbs, made wildflower seed bombs and much more.

The Green Team also developed a Crescent Eco Code that encourages everyone to ‘Go Green and Stay Green’.

Jacqui Johnson, the teacher leading the Green Team at Crescent School, said: "We are thrilled that our environmental efforts have been recognised. We are proud of the enthusiasm of our pupils to make real changes for the benefit of our planet. Their mature and inspirational attitude aligns with our school and wider the Foundation’s sustainability ethos, and our shared goal to make the world a better and brighter place."

Headmaster, Joe Thackway, added: "It has been wonderful to see our school community working together to improve our sustainability. The dedication and passion of the children has been inspiring, and they deserve their recognition at the highest level by the Eco School Awards and also by the ISA."

The Eco Schools Award team said: "Your school has truly gone above and beyond to make environmental education engaging for young people. It has been an absolute joy assessing your application and learning about the impact you’ve had, not only on our planet but also on the young people you work with every day."

Tuesday 1 October 2024 - 6.00pm to 7.00pm

The Crescent School, in Bilton, Rugby, is opening its doors for a dedicated Reception and Year 3 Open Evening on Tuesday 1 October 2024 from 7.00pm.

This Open Evening is aimed at prospective families wishing to join Reception or Year 3 in September 2025 and beyond.

The evening will have presentations highlighting key admissions information as well as what school life is like in Reception and Year 3. There will also be opportunities to look around the school and visit the Reception and Year 3 classrooms, as well as speak to key members of staff. Joe Thackway, Headmaster, will also be available to answer any of your questions you may have about the school.  

To book your place please click here.

The Early Bird Deadline for Reception and Year 3 registrations for 2025 entry is Friday 18 October 2024.

If you can't make the Open Evening but would like to visit the school, you can now book a personal tour here, or please call our Registrar, Mrs Becky Witcomb on 01788 521595 or email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk and come on a day to suit you.

For more information visit www.crescentschool.co.uk

Wednesday 2 October 2024 - 6.00pm to 7.30pm

Year 7 pupils and their parents are invited to compete in our annual 'Science Family Challenge'. 

Each team will carry out a range of hands-on science practical work, competing against other pairs to win the coveted Science Family Challenge trophy.

We can only accommodate one parent per pupil and a maximum of 36 teams, so sign up as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.

We can't wait to share our enthusiasm for science and give parents the opportunity to experience a taste of science education at Princethorpe College. 

If you have any questions, please get in touch via email at danlee@princethorpe.co.uk

Please sign-up via the link here.

Dan Lee
Head of Physics and STEAM co-ordinator

Monday 7 October – 6.00pm to 7.30pm

As part of our VESPA strategy, Princethorpe College will be holding a virtual, interactive GCSE revision evening, on Monday 7 October between 6.00pm and 7.30pm, for the parents and pupils in Year 11.

It will be hosted by Martin Griffin who has worked with more than sixty schools to develop effective character education systems using the VESPA model. During the session, Martin will explore the key principles of having a positive and proactive learning mindset and share tools and strategies for effective coaching and intervention with parents and equip parents and pupils with practical ideas and strategies to support their children throughout their GCSE courses. We do hope that Year 11 parents and pupils will be able to join us for what promises to be a very useful and informative evening.

A link to join the event will be emailed on Friday 4 October.

We look forward to you joining this event. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at lizpyne@princethorpe.co.uk.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Wednesday 16 October 2024 - 6.30pm to 9.00pm

Year 11 pupils and their parents will have now received an invitation to attend our Sixth Form Open Evening on Wednesday 16 October 2024 from 6.30pm.

The evening will focus on the Route to Sixth Form for 2025 including key dates, milestones and scholarships, specific A-level and BTEC subject information and advice provided by the Heads of Departments, together with information on outstanding pastoral care provided and the vast array of sporting, co-curricular, leadership and service opportunities available.

The evening will include brief talks by Grove du Toit, the Headmaster, Ben Collie, Head of Sixth Form, Michael Spencer, Deputy Head - Academic and current Sixth Formers. There will also be the opportunity to speak to the Sixth Form Team in the Sixth Form Centre. In addition, all of the A-level and BTEC departments will be open for you to visit, with short presentations, course details and the opportunity to talk to staff and current students.

An electronic copy of the Sixth Form Admissions 2025 Information Booklet will be emailed shortly before the event, hard copies will be available on the evening. We recommend you refer to this prior to your visit to help you choose which departments to visit on the evening.

External candidates should register via this link and if you have any questions please do contact the Admissions Team via email at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Monday 28 October to Friday 1 November, 8.00am to 5.00pm

We know many of our Foundation pupils enjoyed our Holiday Camps over the summer, and we are pleased to announce we have teamed up with Team Super Sports again to offer an action-packed October half-term experience for children aged 5 to 16 years. From Monday 28 October to Friday 1 November, 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. Book before Sunday 29 September to receive an extra 10% off for early booking!

Sibling discounts and flexible booking options available!

Assistant Head (Teaching and Learning), Dr Liz Pyne, shares her latest case study on Feedback and Marking here. Her paper which has been published by the Chartered College will make fascinating reading for parents and the wider school community to read.

Her article reflects on the journey the school has been on to support teachers’ continuing professional development and showcases the dedication and desire of staff to create the most productive atmosphere for pupils to learn in. It is focused on the idea of ‘Feedback’ as opposed to ‘Marking’ and highlights the investment and commitment made by the school to providing coaching and a supportive encouraging environment. It shares the way staff have embraced different types of pedagogy to support pupil progress not because staff need to improve but because staff want to be better.

It's an inspirational read about the classroom experts we are lucky enough to have here at our school.

Wednesday 9 October - 6.00pm-8.00pm 

To support the progress of our new Year 7 pupils, we will be offering face to face meetings with your child’s tutor to discuss how they are settling-in to life at Princethorpe. Alongside this, senior staff will present some key messages for the year ahead, including how to support pupils’ learning at home. As targets will be made for further improvement, we hope that pupils will also attend the meeting wherever possible. 
 
Parents will be given the opportunity to book a 15-minute slot with their child’s tutor electronically; an email will be sent out with more information and booking details before the evening itself. 
 
Michael Spencer 
Deputy Head – Academic 

Wednesday 9 October - 6.00pm-8.30pm 

To support the progress of our Year 10 pupils we will be offering face to face meetings with your child’s tutor to reflect on how they are settling-in to GCSE study, and to discuss future targets. These will be preceded by a presentation from senior staff to explain how we can use YELLIS testing data to inform these discussions, and to highlight some key messages for the coming academic year. As we are discussing their individual targets, we hope that pupils will also attend the meeting. 
 
Parents will be given the opportunity to book a 15-minute slot with their child’s tutor electronically; an email will be sent out with more information and booking details before the evening itself. 
 
Michael Spencer 
Deputy Head - Academic 

Following last week’s Year 11 360 Review Evening, we wanted to share the following links to recordings of the main talks. 

Year 11 Journey (Mr Spencer)

Study Skills for Year 11 (Dr Pyne)  

Following this week’s 360 Review Evening, we wanted to share the following links to recordings of the main talks. 

Upper Sixth Journey (Mr Spencer)

Study Skills & Digital Learning (Dr Pyne & Mr Compton) 

Reading for pleasure is so important, not just for the enjoyment of a good book but also it also helps to relax, inspire, escape and also brings a new confidence in literacy and comprehension. We learn so much from reading books, without even realising it.

Please click the link below for a list our autumn reading suggestions.

Autumn Reading

The Library Team

October is Black History Month in the UK and this month's calendar celebrates this with a wide range of activities and information. Pupils can use this as a starting point to explore Black History month. The Theme this year is 'Reclaiming the Narratives' and I highly recommend for the Sixth Form, especially, to watch the full lecture given by David Olusoga.

The link to the Black History Month Website is here.

The full Calendar can be accessed on the Whole School Team from 1 October using the link here.

Alongside the calendar I am including these recommended reads for the older pupils and students in the Sixth Form to take it further:

Astrophysics For People In A Hurry, by Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Black And British, by David Olusoga

Girl, Woman, Other, by Bernadine Evariso

Noughts And Crosses, by Malorie Blackman

Twenty Eight Pounds And Ten Shillings - A Windrush Story', by Tony Fairweather

Please can you discuss with your child the new mobile phone expectations in school as outlined below:

Mobile phones must be put away as soon as a pupil arrives on site.

• Year 7 – Year 9 must put their mobile phones in their locker and are not allowed to have them on their person.
  
  
• Year 10 – Year 11 are allowed phones on their person, but they must be on silent, out of sight, and only used with permission from a member of staff.
  
  
• Sixth Form are allowed to use their phones in the Sixth Form Centre, however, as soon as they move into the rest of the site, their phones must be on silent, out of sight, and only used with permission from a member of staff.
  
  
• No earphones are allowed unless required for educational purposes and with permission from staff. Sixth Form pupils may use earphones in the Sixth Form Centre.
  
  
• Pupils are allowed to access their phones freely at the end of the school day. In Prep, phones will be put away at 4.20pm.
  
  
• Phones are allowed on trips and visits, but their use will be determined by the member of staff leading the activity.

Thank you for your continued support.

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

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. 

Princethorpe College has a partnership 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.

Schools Mobile can be added to any device, including, iPhone/iPad, Android phones and tablets, Windows and Mac.

Parents currently using SchoolsMobile will find the free trial period (since January 2024) will come to an end at the end of this month, and to continue using SchoolsMobile, you will need to subscribe for just £3 a month, per child, directly through the Schools Mobile App. This is a fantastic price for a service that allows parents to be confident that their children are safe and protected from both inappropriate content and cyber threats when online, as well as having control of the apps available and the time spent on devices.

For parents of pupils new to Princethorpe, you can sign up to SchoolsMobile and receive a three month free-trial of the service.

We will also be running an online introduction to Schools Mobile on Thursday 17 October, from 6.00pm, to provide a comprehensive guide to the tools and features available. You can join the session via this link: Schools Mobile Online Introduction.

For more information on Schools Mobile, please visit: Schools Mobile Information - Princethorpe College.

To get started using Schools Mobile, you can create your account and get started here.

Can I please remind parents to read and fully appraise themselves of the information in the Princethorpe College Parent and Pupil Information Booklet

We will continue to enforce our uniform expectations throughout the school year. Should we have any concerns regarding a pupil's uniform we will contact you directly to resolve any arising matters.

Thank you. 

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

Princethorpe College is a nut aware school.

People who suffer from nut allergies can develop a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, so this is really important to make sure everyone in our community is kept safe.

If someone has a nut allergy, it is not just eating nuts that can cause a severe reaction. Nuts touching the skin or smelling a product containing nuts can trigger an allergic reaction which can cause breathing and swallowing difficulties.

We request that families do not put any nut products in their child’s packed lunch, or give them a snack containing nuts.

Can we also ask that pupils do not bring any nut products to school or on any school-related activities.

Thank you for your support. 

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

Sixth Form Update - Michaelmas Term

We have an exciting lineup of events planned for our Sixth Form students. These activities are designed to enrich their educational experience, promote social interaction, and provide important assessments. Here's a comprehensive guide to the key events happening this term.

Lower Sixth ALIS and 360 Review Evening - Thursday 3 October 2024

The Lower Sixth students have been undertaking the ALIS assessments, which are essential for benchmarking their academic abilities. These assessments will help us provide targeted support and ensure each student can achieve their potential.

Lower Sixth Trip - Friday 4 October 2024

The Lower Sixth Trip is an exciting outing designed to foster teamwork and camaraderie among students. It's a wonderful opportunity for them to bond outside the classroom and create lasting memories.

Grangers - Tuesday 8 October 2024

Grangers is a special event that combines fun and learning. It's an engaging way for students to explore new interests and develop new skills in a supportive environment.

World Porridge Day - Thursday 10 October 2024

World Porridge Day will be celebrated with a special meal of porridge event. It's a chance for students to come together and enjoy a healthy start to the day while raising awareness for a good cause.

Welly Wanging - Thursday 10 October 2024

We have the fun and quirky tradition of welly wanging. It is a light-hearted competition where students can demonstrate their throwing skills in a fun, relaxed setting for Mary's Meals.

Sixth Form Open Evening - Wednesday 16 October 2024 - 6.30pm to 9.00pm

Our Sixth Form Open Evening is a significant event for prospective students and their families. It provides an insight into the academic and extracurricular opportunities available. Current students and staff will be on hand to assist visitors, answer questions and share their experiences.

Lower Sixth Social - Friday 18 October 2024

We believe that a strong sense of community is vital for our students' well-being and success. Starting at 7.00pm,  the Lower Sixth Social event is designed to foster this sense of community. Students will enjoy an evening of fun activities, entertainment and the chance to unwind and socialize in a relaxed environment.

Pink Day - Friday 18 October 2024

On Pink Day, students and staff are encouraged to wear pink to support breast cancer awareness. It's a powerful way for our school community to show solidarity and raise awareness for an important cause.

Ben Collie 
Head of Sixth Form

As our new Lower Sixth students settle into life in Sixth Form, we would like to invite all parents to our Lower Sixth ALIS and 360 Review Meeting Evening, on Thursday 3 October from 6.00pm to 8.30pm. 
 
This will include a talk by Mr Spencer who will explain how we use the results of recent ALIS tests to support our students to succeed. This will be followed by the opportunity for a personal meeting with your child’s tutor or member of the Sixth Form Team to discuss how your child is settling into Sixth Form and suitable personal targets. The meetings will follow a very similar format to what would normally occur at our 360 Review Evenings lower down the school. 
 
Appointments are now available to book on SchoolCloud. 
 
Michael Spencer                                     Ben Collie 
Deputy Head - Academic                 Head of Sixth Form 

We are delighted to offer our Sixth Form students the opportunity to participate in a TEFL course running at Princethorpe College on Saturday 18 January and Sunday 19 January 2025. For more information please watch this video or see this flyer.

Students may express their interest in the course by completing this form.

With best wishes

Ben Collie
Head of Sixth Form

At Princethorpe College we believe that Work Experience is a vital part of any young person’s journey, and it has long been a part of our Careers Programme. A good placement can provide a huge insight into an area of work, but it can also develop skills such as communication, self-confidence, initiative and teamwork.

Don't take it from us though. Please read on to find out how Ben, one of our student's, got on when he completed a week's placement last year.

"I completed a week's work experience placement at Mott MacDonald in Birmingham in February Half Term 2023. Mott MacDonald is a global engineering and development company. During the week, I completed a presentation on how I would design a high-speed rail route from Birmingham to London. I had to go into great depth, including pricing the project and designing the carriages for the train itself. During this time, I spoke with lots of employees for the company in various roles who told me about what they do day-to-day and some projects that they had worked on in the past. At the end of the week, I presented my project to some of these employees at Mott MacDonald and got awarded an EDT Industrial Cadets Bronze certificate. Overall, I had a very valuable experience with the company, and I gained a further understanding of the dynamics of a workplace environment. I would highly recommend doing a work experience placement, it definitely helped me decide on what my next steps were after A-levels and is a great way to explore what you want (or don't want) to do when you're older."

We expect all of our students to complete at least one work experience placement of around a week in either Year 10 or Year 11, but they can, if they wish, undertake more than one placement or placements of longer duration. These placements can take place during any of the school holidays. Sixth form students are encouraged to complete another placement during the Lower Sixth.

Normally, students are expected to find their own placement(s) through friends, family or through other initiatives; once a placement has been found then the information will need to be added to our Placements Portal on Unifrog.org.

If any parents are able to offer a work experience placement to any of our students then do please email me.

We are using Unifrog (www.unifrog.org) to manage the administration of the work experience programme – for example collecting information from the employer about their Risk Assessment and Health and Safety policy, as well as getting agreement from yourselves for the placement to go ahead.

Some important logistics:

Students need to agree the placement with the employer first, and then students will get the ball rolling by adding the placement to their Unifrog account (they’ll find the Placements tool on their Unifrog homepage). Please choose my name as the school contact from the drop down list.

The Unifrog system will then email the employer, the parent/guardian, and the school, to collect the necessary information and permissions. For the process to work, it’s essential that students add the initial information about the placement accurately. If students have forgotten their Unifrog login details then they should use their school email address and click the forgotten password link.

Finding out more:

Unifrog have created a set of guides about placements which you can find here.

Some pupils, might prefer to start with a virtual work experience placement and these too, can be very valuable in giving insight into a particular career sector. These still need to be entered on the Unifrog Placements tool as this will provide a record of what work experience has been completed. There are a great number of these placements available through the following link:

https://www.springpod.com/virtual-work-experience

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries. My email address is jacquiquinney@princethorpe.co.uk. 

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers

As part of the the fundraising for the Senior Sports Tour to South Africa this summer, we will be selling refreshments on Saturdays before all home sports fixtures beginning on Saturday 28 September. 

Where possible, please bring your own reusable cups. 

Both hot drinks and cakes will be available from The Bourse from tomorrow morning, so please come and support. 

The new design of the Princethorpe College Umbrella is now in stock!

All the money from the sale of the umbrella will go to the South Africa Sports Tour this summer.

The new umbrella is quick opening, with a high-quality windproof system. It has a polyester Pongee waterSAVE® cover material made from recycled plastics and dyed using a water-saving process, a stylish soft-Touch crook handle and integrated pushbutton.

The price of the umbrella is £30.

If you would like to purchase an umbrella please fill in the form below. The umbrellas will also be on sale at home sports fixtures on a Saturday morning at the parents' refreshment stall.

Please find the order form in the link below:

Umbrella Order Form 

The Talent Development Programme (TDP) is being relaunched in the 2024 Michaelmas term.

The programme is being developed to support pupils performing at the following standards:

• National Governing Body pathway level performers
• Academy performers
• English School performers
• Franchise Performers
• National representation
• International representation 

Attached here is a PowerPoint with some more details. We would ask that parents complete the form here if you would like your child to be considered for the TDP. 

Please can you submit the form by Friday 4 October. Pupils who have shown that they are meeting the performance standard will then be invited to be part of the programme. Teams will be the main method of communication between staff and pupils.  

If you have any further questions, please email me at elliecallan@princethorpe.co.uk 

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 for all your support this academic year. 

Princethorpe PTA

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.

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.

At the start of the academic year our school photographers, Gillman and Soame, with whom we have an excellent and longstanding relationship, came to school to take the start of year photographs.

Photographs were taken of pupils in Years 7, 10, 11 and Lower Sixth, as well as of all pupils new to the College in Years 8 and 9. 

You are now able to create an online account with Gillman and Soame, which will allow you to view and order prints directly online, with email notifications when new photos are available to view. 

Photographs are available now. Please refer to the link sent to you via iSAMS by Louise Eaton (Foundation Data Manager) and register as soon as possible. If you have any problems with registering your child’s account, please email action@gillmanandsoame.co.uk and they will be happy to assist you. 

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

It is always great to hear about our pupils' successes that take place outside of school; please do keep us updated if your son or daughter has won a competition, raised money for charity, is performing in a show or competing at a high level with a sporting team outside of school.

We would like to invite parents to submit this information to us via a nomination form by clicking here so we might celebrate these achievements in school too. 

Neil McCollin
Assistant Head - Co-Curricular and Operations

Enrolment for Bronze, Silver and Gold awards has gone well over the last two weeks. Thank you to those who have signed up. The enrolment deadline is 18 October 2024 in time for a meaningful start after half term.

The presentation, enrolment form, expedition dates and other useful information is now live on MySchoolPortal under the Co-curriclular - Princethorpe page. Link here.

Here is a reminder of the eligibility criteria: 

Award Stage   Age Requirement 
Bronze              Year 9 
Silver                Year 10 
Gold                 16 years old (must be in the Sixth Form) 

I look forward to welcoming pupils onto the scheme this year. 

The new Duke of Edinburgh's staff team are currently undergoing their training and will be aiding last year's participants to sign off their awards over the coming weeks to ensure completion by the Christmas deadline.

For any Duke of Edinburgh's enquires please use the dedicated email dofe@princethorpe.co.uk with the subject DofE-B, S or G-Surname.

On Tuesday 10 September, Art students from the Upper Sixth visited Compton Verney for our annual Sixth Form life-drawing class.

The tutor was highly impressed with how well the students worked in a pressurised drawing studio.

All students felt they had produced some drawings they were proud of; however, the aim of the day was to learn how to see and respond quickly, in a variety of medias, to different poses and shapes under timed conditions.  

The outcome was a bonus, but not essential. Everyone worked hard and we were all exhausted by the end of the day!

Monday 30 September 2024 6.15pm-7.00pm

The Year 8 and 9 South Coast Tour Parents' Information Evening will take place online at 6.15pm on Monday 30 September. 

A link for the evening will be sent to parents of those pupils invited on the Tour.                             

Tuesday 8 October 2024 6.15pm-7.00pm

The Parents' Information Evening for the Holland Hockey Trip will take place online at 6.15pm on Tuesday 8 October 2024.

A link for the evening will be sent to parents of those pupils invited on the trip.                       

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:

The Princethorpe Foundation

• IT Apprentice

Crackley Hall

• Assistant Head (Pastoral)
• Site Supervisor
• Nursery Practitioner

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.