The Flagpole

Another exceptional year of achievement, progress, creativity and contribution was celebrated at Princethorpe College’s annual Prize Giving Ceremony at the Butterworth Hall, at Warwick University Arts Centre on Friday 22 November. Before the ceremony, the Old Princethorpians Committee hosted a special Drinks Reception for the returning Class of 2024 and their parents, providing a welcome opportunity for last year’s cohort to get together and catch up.

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

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

All evening the atmosphere was joyful and celebratory and there were superb musical interludes from the school String Orchestra, Concert Band and the Year 7 Chorus.

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

The final award, the Princethorpe Shield, presented annually to the student who is seen to embody the spirit and ethos of the College, was presented to Connor Silvester. It was a very popular decision, with the audience cheering as a delighted and surprised Connor came up to receive the Shield.

Foundation Principal, Ed Hester then spoke echoing Mr du Toit’s congratulations, before the current Heads of School, Sebastian Bainbridge and Megan Shipton, gave an eloquent vote of thanks.

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

Click here to see the Prize Giving Programme. 

You can watch a clip of Year 7 singing here.

You can access the photos below by clicking on the relevant links. 

Leavers of 2024
Click on the relevant links below to view the three galleries of photographs:

The OPs Reception
A-level Certificate Presentation
Prizes Presentation
(NB you will need to login to view the galleries. Please note there are several pages of photos within the galleries to click through. If you are not currently a member of Princethorpe Connect, please click here to join.)

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

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

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

Princethorpe’s popular PTA Christmas Fair took place on Sunday 1 December and hundreds of visitors descended on a College resplendent in decorations. There were plenty of stalls selling a range of artisan products and gifts and an array of seasonal activities for all ages to partake in. The crowds enjoyed musical entertainment and in the Sixth Form Dining Room, families gathered to enjoy warming hot drinks and delicious mince pies, sausage rolls and turkey and stuffing baps.

Our huge thanks go out to the many helpers, supporters and workers who worked all weekend to make the event such a success. The Christmas Fair and Raffle are one of the PTA’s key fundraising events. Their team are still finalising the total raised and will confirm it shortly.

It won't be long before planning for the Summer Fête on Sunday 29 June begins in earnest. If you fancy getting involved, then do email the PTA at pta@princethorpe.co.uk. 

Following on from the Year 11 mocks, we would like to remind Year 11 pupils and parents of the Sixth Form Scholarship process for September 2025 for internal candidates.

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

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

The deadline for this application is Monday 20 January 2025. Applications should be marked for the attention of the Registrar, Mrs Catherine Rogers.

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

Details of any awards will be confirmed when the Sixth Form Offer letters are sent out in writing during week commencing Monday 30 March 2025. Some awards may be dependent on final GCSE grades.

The criteria for each of the scholarships can be found on our website here and in the Sixth Form Admissions Information Booklet 2025, which has been emailed to parents, but can also be found on My School Portal. It is essential that pupils and parents look through these in detail before making an application. The Sixth Form Application Form for current Princethorpe Year 11 pupils can be found here. The form can be filled in electronically and returned via email to admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Princethorpe is an 11 to 18 school, and the expectation is that pupils will continue with us through to Sixth Form, providing they meet the academic requirements and embrace the College’s ethos. Princethorpe Year 11s are not required to reapply for Sixth Form, however notice in writing is required to the Headmaster (copying in the Registrar at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk) by Wednesday 30 April 2025 should a pupil not be intending to return.

Over three nights last week, captivated audiences were invited to step inside our very own spectacular Chocolate Factory! They discovered delicious chocolate rivers, everlasting gobstoppers, gum that tasted like a three-course meal and many more wonders galore.

Directed by Aileen Cefaliello and Vicky Roberts and performed with verve and passion by our wonderful troupe of players. Princethorpe’s amateur production of Roald Dahl’s classic novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, told the story of an impoverished young boy who wins a golden ticket to tour the mysterious and magical chocolate factory of the eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka.

It was pure imagination brilliantly performed in the College’s Clarkson theatre, full of larger-than-life colourful characters, heartfelt drama, slick dance sequences and magical special effects and supported superbly by our backstage pupil technical crew. A real treat for the dark November nights!

Congratulations to everyone involved.

On Wednesday 4 December, Princethorpe College hosted a special Senior Citizen's Christmas celebratory lunch. Guests were welcomed from a number of local care homes including Overslade House, Greenways, Town Thorns Care Centre, Galanos House, Castel Froma, Lilbourne Court, James Hirons, Cubbington and Homewood as well as from the parish of St Anne's, Wappenbury.

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

The visitors were entertained by Sixth Form students, Chloe Henderson, Robyn Shaw, Bea Taylor, Martha Harris and Grace Rushbrooke who did a sterling job singing and playing festive tunes and then leading the Christmas carols. All of the guests were also presented with a personalised Christmas card with handwritten messages from the Sixth Form students.

Head of Sixth Form, Ben Collie, commented, "It was wonderful to see old and young chatting together. The lunch embodied the true spirit of Christmas. A huge thank you to our Sixth Formers and staff for organising such a lovely festive event."

Princethorpe College is celebrating after pupils had another successful outing at the Independent School Association’s National Swimming Championships. Together they brought home eight Gold, one Silver and three Bronze medals, a fantastic haul.

Six pupils had qualified to swim for the Midlands team and on Friday 29 November they travelled down to the London Aquatics Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to take part.

• Year 10, Charlotte Gower, was on fine form winning four Gold medals, in the 100m Backstroke, the 100m Freestyle and then as part of the team in the 4x50m Medley and Freestyle Relays.
• Year 9, Issey Cleary, also swam brilliantly, claiming Gold in the 100m Breaststroke and in the 4x50m Medley and Freestyle Relays.
• Upper Sixth Former, Lottie Hunter, swam superbly claiming Gold in the 4x50m Medley Relay, Bronze in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay and finishing 5th in the 100m Freestyle.
• Year 8, Bebe Hesketh-Reynolds, had a great outing earning herself a Silver in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay and a Bronze in the 50m Breaststroke. She also finished 4th in the 4x50m Medley Relay and 6th in the 50m Butterfly.
• Lower Sixth Former, Julieta Ascencao Martinez, earned herself a Bronze medal in the 4x50m Medley Relay.
• Year 9, Porter Tinning, just missed a medal after finishing 4th in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay and 7th in the 200m Individual Medley.

Together, the pupils helped the Midlands team finish in third place overall at the national event.

Foundation Director of Sport, Lee Cassell, was delighted and said, "Our swimmers have traditionally done well in the ISA Swimming Championships and they have had another really successful outing this year. Well done to everyone who competed in both the National Championships and in the qualifying regional competition."

We welcomed OP Molly Geehan (Class of 2019) back to school on Wednesday 27 November. Molly joined us to talk about her journey to a career as a Sports Journalist and Content Creator in the latest of Mrs Pascoe-Williams’ English Enrichment Lectures, that are designed to expose pupils to the many careers open to those who study English.

Molly very much enjoyed writing at school and studied English Language & Literature, Psychology and PE at A-level. She even wrote her own blog while at school, Moll’s Moments, developing her writing skills by sharing her thoughts on her life, her experiences and her favourite sport, netball. She first played netball at Princethorpe back in 2012 and with the support of the Sports Department went on to play at U21 National Level, playing for the likes of Wasps, Loughborough Lightning and Severn Stars. However, it was the College’s Careers Advisor, Kerry Low, who set her on course to her current career, when she recommended Molly combine her passions and study journalism at University.

After graduating from the University of Worcester, Molly was lucky enough to work as a volunteer Flash Quote Reporter at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. That was an incredible experience that allowed her to meet international netball players and top-quality journalists and her work was used all over the world, from The Daily Mail here in the UK to 7News in Australia. It also gave her the contacts for her first sports reporting role.

After a brief return to Princethorpe working with the marketing team, Molly landed her dream job when she joined England Netball as their Digital Assistant. For the last two years she has managed their social media and content creation successfully growing their followers as she engaged with their audiences. She has worked across the world including in South Africa at the Netball World Cup. Day to day she could be found writing match reports, reporting on live events, interviewing netball players, attending photo shoots and even working with social media influencers as she looked to promote the English Netball team.

Now Molly has a new challenge ahead of her that she is really looking forward to. She is currently packing up to move down to Bournemouth to work for the Premier League football team, AFC Bournemouth. Her new role as a Content Executive will see her working across the men’s, women’s and academy teams.

She finished her talk with some sound advice for pupils looking to work in journalism or as a content creator. It included, ‘go with your gut’ and always be prepared to try new things, remember ‘it’s okay to say no’ to keep your workload balanced but to have an ‘always on approach’ and be happy to learn from everyone.

It was fantastic to welcome Molly back to school and to hear all her latest career news. We are always grateful to OPs who take the time to come in to school to share their knowledge and experiences. It won’t be that long before we see her back here again though, as she has kindly offered to run a workshop at our 2025 Careers Fair.

A-level Politics students had a thoroughly enjoyable day at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster, London, on Monday 2 December, attending the A-level Politics Convention. Students heard from a wide range of attendees including the speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, former MP Michael Gove, and Reform UK leader and MP Nigel Farage.

Students got to listen to key debates in British politics and pose questions to speakers, with some responses sparking a lively reaction from the audience. Lower Sixth student Logan Leitch asked Stella Creasey MP an informative question about Britain's future relationship with the European Union and the USA. It was great to see our students so engaged whilst hearing some of the debates that directly applies to their classroom learning.

On Wednesday 27 November, Princethorpe College was delighted to welcome Sarah Mullin MBE, Visiting Professor at the University of Sunderland, and author of What They Didn’t Teach Me On My PGCE, to meet and work with this year’s cohort of trainee teachers. With her background as an experienced headteacher and education consultant, Sarah was able to share her knowledge, observe a lesson and happily answer questions on teacher training.

Sixth Form House teams gathered excitedly at lunchtime on Friday 29 November for the annual House Sixth Form Christmas Tree competition. 

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

This year pupils from across the school had produced recyled Christmas decorations during their 3PD sessions, as part of the College's ongoing commitment to sustainability.

Judging considered the originality, appearance, environmental friendliness and House qualities and trainee Art teachers, Rebecca Downey and Savannah Grindell, chose Benet House as the winners. 

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

The South Africa Christmas Fundraising Wreath Making Evenings took place this week on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 December.

The Sixth Form Centre was a hive of festive activity as parents and staff, led by Vicky Bridgewater, grappled with evergreen foliage, baubles, pinecones and ribbons to create wreaths that any high-class florist would be proud of. We are sure they look amazing hung upon your doors.

Foundation Director of Sport, Lee Cassell, said, “It was great to see so many parents and staff enjoying themselves at the Christmas Wreath Making evenings. Thank you to all who attended for supporting the fundraising for next year’s South Africa Tour.”

Over the last couple of years, the Book Trust Bookbuzz scheme has been hugely beneficial in encouraging independent reading among pupils. Earlier this term, Years 7 and 8 were excited to choose from a list of fantastic new titles and there was much excitement last week when their chosen books arrived.

Bookbuzz is a reading programme from the Book Trust that aims to help schools inspire a love of reading in 11 to 13-year-olds. Pupils chose one of 16 different books, from a range of genres, all carefully selected to ensure quality, suitability and to encourage reading for pleasure.

Research shows that allowing pupils to choose their own reading material increases the likelihood that they will engage more in reading and that reading for pleasure has a real impact on educational outcomes. We hope pupils enjoy their new books.

We were delighted to welcome Leek Wootton Brownies and Guides to Princethorpe College on Tuesday 26 November. The youngsters enjoyed a fun, free introductory session on our climbing wall and we were very impressed with how well everyone did. It was fabulous to meet them all.

Many thanks to Mr Lee, Mrs Pascoe-Williams, Lower Sixth Former, Sophie Nicolle, and Year 11, Jessica Johnson, who volunteered their time and supported the activitiy for them.

The 2025 College Calendar featuring 12 superb images of the College and its grounds, and priced at £7.50, is now available. It is sure to be a handy addition for any kitchen or office and would be a perfect Christmas present for all Princethorpians. Copies of the calendar can be purchased via our online shop here. 

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

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

To ensure UK orders can arrive in time for Christmas, orders and payment will need to be received by 12 noon on Monday 16 December 2024 please.

Tuesday 10 December 2024 - 6.00pm to 7.30pm

The STEAM Ambassadors warmly invite you to join us for this year's Science Christmas Lecture on Tuesday 10 December.

The evening begins at 6.00pm, with a festive reception in the Refectory with refreshments, plenty of science magic and a fun science quiz. The main lecture follows in the Clarkson theatre and is based on this year's Royal Institute's Christmas Lectures on 'the revolutionary science inside our bodies when we eat'.

Don’t forget to bring your mobile phone so you can take part in the online quiz.

Please book your free tickets via MySchoolPortal or by clicking the link here. 

Dan Lee and the STEAM Ambassadors

Thursday 12 December 2024 - 7.00pm to 8.30pm - College Chapel

The Music Department extends a warm invitation to all parents and friends to join us in a Christmas celebration of music and poetry.

This will be an informal evening offering pupils the opportunity to perform a range of out-of-the-ordinary Christmas pieces. Pupils from the various music ensembles, LAMDA lessons, as well as individual music recitals will be taking part in the evening. Please feel free to enter into the spirit of the occasion by wearing a Christmas jumper or similarly festive outfit. There will be an award for the finest example of Christmas knitwear!

This promises to be an enjoyable and memorable introduction to the festive period. If you would like to join us then please note that due to our restrictions on numbers this will be a ticket-only event. To apply for tickets please click here and complete your details. Please note that due to the number of seats available in the Chapel there is a limit of four seats per family. If you think you may need any more, please contact me directly at gilcowlishaw@princethorpe.co.uk

We hope that you will join us for festive refreshments following the performance in the Sixth Form Centre. Please note that tickets are free of charge, but there will be a retiring collection in aid of Save The Children's Christmas Jumper Day Appeal.

With thanks for your continuing support.

Gil Cowlishaw
Director of Music

Tuesday 17 December 2024 - 7.00pm to 8.00pm 

Fr Teddy O'Brien MSC, the Parish Priest for St Anne's Catholic Church, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW and the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels, Princethorpe College, CV23 9PX, warmly invites you to attend any or all of the services over the Christmas season at the churches indicated below:

Monday 16 December 2024
7.00pm      Carol Service - St Anne's, Wappenbury

Sunday 22 December 2024
8.30am       Mass - St Anne's, Wappenbury
10.30am     Mass - St Anne's, Wappenbury

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

Thank you
 
 

Tuesday 14 January - 9.00am to 5.00pm

For those of you who have children in Year 11 who are not currently studying at Princethorpe or who have friends with Year 11 children, our upcoming Sixth Form Taster Day for external candidates may be of interest. 

The Sixth Form Taster Day is an opportunity for a small group of prospective Sixth Formers to visit the College for a selection of A-level and BTEC subject taster lessons, a Q&A session with current Sixth Formers and Year 11, lunch, a tour of school and a chance to meet the Headmaster and Head of Sixth Form.

The day will run from 9.00am to 4.15pm, when parents are invited back to join an informal Sixth Form information session which will finish around 5.00pm.

The Sixth Form at Princethorpe offers great choice, quality teaching in small classes, a vast array of sporting, co-curricular, leadership and service opportunities coupled with excellent pastoral care and careers guidance, tailored to the needs of today’s young adults. Our staff give outstanding individual support to all students and this remains an essential feature of Sixth Form life.

This event is for external candidates who are interested in attending Princethorpe College Sixth Form. Places are limited. To register your interest in attending our upcoming Sixth Form Taster Day at Princethorpe College, please click here.

The deadline for external candidates to register for the Sixth Form for September 2025 entry and to apply for scholarships or bursaries is Monday 20 January.

For more information on Sixth Form admissions please contact the Registrars on 01926 634201 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

• Subject areas: Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology and Project Management 
• Target pupils: Those interested in pursuing a career in Science based subjects, healthcare, chemical industry or further research in Year 10 only
• Sign up: Pupils are to sign up via their Science teacher (message via Teams or email) 
• About RBT: RBT is a global developer, formulator and manufacturer of hygiene and infection control products. Their products are equally as effective as harsh chemicals but are biodegradable, alcohol-free and water based. Based locally, they work with distributors across the globe to distribute their products for a range of uses across human and animal health. For more information please click here.

Year 11 Mock Exam Reports will be published today, Friday 6 December 2024, and will be available to view on My School Portal.

The Year 11 Subject Progress Evening will take place online on Wednesday 11 December 2024 from 5.00pm to 8.30pm. Appointments are now available to book on SchoolCloud.

The December Challenge Calendar is now live for pupils to access on the Whole School Team - Challenge Curriculum Channel, or can be accessed here. I hope pupils enjoy the Christmas themed activities available to them!

On Wednesday 11 December we will be holding our Princethorpe Science Christmas Lecture - please see our separate article regarding this in the Flagpole, if you wish to obtain tickets.  

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas Season!

Please find below details regarding homework expectations over the Christmas break. Christmas is a very important family time, and it follows a long and demanding term. All pupils should make time to rest and recuperate with their family but be prepared for the new year.

Years 7, 8 and 9
No formal homework will be set for completion over the holiday.

Year 10
Homework may be set for all subjects if needed. Pupils may catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders if desired.

Year 11
As pupils have just taken their mock exams, it is important that they have some time to recover and reset. Suggested revision may be set by teachers to support those pupils who wish to undertake some revision. Pupils may catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders if desired. 

Sixth Form - Lower Sixth
Homework may be set for all subjects if needed. Students may catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders if desired.

Sixth Form - Upper Sixth
As students have just taken their mock exams, it is important that they have some time to recover and reset. Suggested revision may be set by teachers to support those students who wish to undertake some revision. Pupils may catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders if desired. 

Wishing you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and a healthy and successful 2025.

Thursday 9 January 2025

We warmly invite all parents of Year 9 pupils to join us at Princethorpe for our GCSE Options Evening on Thursday 9 January 2025. This event will be held in person in the main College building and will run from 6.00pm to 8.00pm. Further details will be emailed out just before the start of the Lent Term.

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

● 6.00pm Presentation

● 7.00pm Presentation

Optional subjects will be based in nearby classrooms and will deliver short presentations and answer questions throughout the evening. Parents and pupils are advised to visit as many departments as possible in order to explore the available options. Senior staff will also be on hand in the Sixth Form Centre to answer any queries, alongside refreshments.

Three exciting essay competitions are open and links are available to pupils on the Challenge Curriculum Team. The Year 9 Competition is run by the Perse school, Cambridge, and is open to any student in Year 9. The Aristotelian Award is open to pupils to submit an essay of 1500 words on one of the 10 essay titles; Five are science based and five are humanities  questions. The deadline for submissions is 5.00pm on Monday 13 January. Entries should be submitted on their website which can be accessed by pupils via the links below.

The Young Minds competitions are open to anyone. The Under 14 competition has three possible questions: Should technology have limits? What role should young people play in shaping the future of climate action? Is a world without borders possible, and should it be pursued?

The Senior competition is aimed at Lower Sixth students, but they will accept submissions from other year groups. There are 17 different subjects and each has a choice of three questions. These are particularly good for students who want to pursue one or more of these subjects at university. The deadline for entries in these competitions is 3 March 2025.

Pupils wishing to enter these competitions can see Mrs Lindsay for more details, or the competition websites, also in the links below.

Year 9 Competition

Lower School Competition (Years 7-9)

Senior Competition (Years 10-12)

As the last day of term is fast approaching, I thought it may be helpful for you to know our plans for Wednesday 18 December 2024 here at Princethorpe College.

Please do share this information with our pupils over the weekend and the coming days

Last day of term - Carol Services   

Period 1, 2, tutor time, break and period 3 will follow the usual timetable for our pupils.  

Benet and Fisher Houses

12.15pm – 1.25pm Benet and Fisher Houses Carol service

1.25pm – 2.20pm Lunch  

2.20pm – 3.45pm Benet and Fisher Houses Christmas Quiz  

Austin and More Houses 

12.15pm – 1.25pm Austin and More Houses Christmas Quiz 

1.25pm – 2.20pm Lunch  

2.20pm – 3.30pm Austin and More Houses Carol service

3.30pm – 3.45pm Austin and More Houses Christmas Quiz

Thank you for your continued support.

As the Christmas festivities are now in full swing I wanted to remind you that our annual Christmas Jumper day is on the last day of term, Wednesday 18 December 2024.

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

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

Friday 20 June 2025

The Year 11 End of Year Celebration will be held on Friday 20 June 2025 at Walton Hall near Wellesbourne, Warwickshire.

Please save the date.

Further information will be sent out to all Year 11 parents in the New Year.

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

If any parents or guardians did not submit their child’s nasal flu consent form before the portal closed or if your child was absent, unwell or refused on the day of the school session, you can now book on and attend a local clinic venue for the flu vaccination.

Appointments can be booked via the Swiftqueue link below:

https://www.swiftqueue.co.uk/userlogin.php

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

Mrs Paula Greig
Senior Matron

Tuesday 10 December 2024 

On Tuesday 10 December, we will be celebrating the 170th anniversary of the founding of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in 1854, the esteemed founders of our College.

As part of the annual celebrations, students are permitted to wear their house tops along with their normal uniform for the day.

The day will include the traditional sharing of Princethorpe cookies within tutor groups and special assemblies where we will join together in song to compete in the annual House singing competition.

During the assembly, we will also celebrate the House Awards for the 2023–2024 academic year.

Thank you for your continued support as we come together to honour this important milestone in our College's history.

We kindly remind you of the importance of adhering to the set parking arrangements during drop-off and pick-up times.

Recently, we have received concerns from parents, staff, and pupils regarding parking practices, including reports of parental aggression.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone:

• Drop-off and pick-up must only take place in the designated playground area. The staff car park is not to be used for this purpose until after 4.10 pm and then is reserved for collection from Prep.
• The speed limit is 10 miles per hour within the school grounds. This is crucial to protect the safety of all children and staff. Please do not exceed this limit.
• We expect all interactions to be conducted respectfully. Aggressive or rude behaviour will not be tolerated.
• Could we ask that your consideration is also extended to the residents of Princethorpe when you drive through Princethorpe village

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in fostering a safe and respectful school environment for everyone.

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

As we approach the end of the Christmas term, I wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication throughout these past months. The festive season is always a busy and exciting time, and this year has been no exception.

One of the highlights of our term was the annual Christmas Care Home Lunch. This event, as always, was a tremendous success, and it would not have been possible without the incredible efforts of our Sixth Form students. The smiles and joy we were able to bring to the residents are a testament to the compassion and community spirit that defines our school.

In addition to the Care Home Lunch, our Sixth Form students have been actively involved in various other events and initiatives, showcasing their leadership, creativity, and commitment to making a positive difference. From charity drives to school events, their enthusiasm and hard work have been truly inspiring.

As we look forward to the new year, we are excited about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Your continued support will be crucial as we strive to provide the best possible education and experiences for our students. Together, we can help them achieve their full potential and prepare them for the future.

We also have several exciting events planned for the new year.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) - Saturday 18 and 25 January 2025

An accredited course offering students the chance to travel the world and gain new experiences by teaching in schools, universities, businesses, Non-Governmental Organisations or private tuition. For further details please contact us or visit the TEFL website here.

Interview Skills Morning - Tuesday 28 January 2025

An opportunity for our Lower Sixth students to submit their CVs and be interviewed by external interviewers. 

Ben Collie 
Head of Sixth Form

Now we are in to the second half term, it is important to recognise the stresses and demands on our Lower Sixth students. You should have noticed the level of study has increased somewhat but be aware that this level of load can cause difficulties and anxieties. Here are some tips to support your youngster.

Encourage your youngster to ask for help when they need it – seeking out a teacher before stress starts to build up is essential. This could be as simple as finding the teacher before class, chatting to their tutor or sharing worries with friends.

Stay organised – consider how your youngster is scheduling their time and ensure that they are setting aside time for each subject throughout the week. Encourage them to start assignments early, set deadlines and make the most of study periods in the school day.

Mix up your study routine – talk to your youngster about staying focused and positive during their study time. It is important that they use a variety of study techniques from using flashcards or mind maps, writing summaries and watching online tutorials to getting a friend or family member to quiz them, completing practice tests under exam conditions and working through questions from the text book.

Take time to research your post-school options – get your youngster thinking about their future aspirations. Taking time to research and make plans for post-school life can provide a nice break from studies, while also helping them to stay motivated by reminding them of the bigger picture. This may include researching institutions and courses of interest, organising things for a gap year and putting together course applications.

Stay calm and keep things in perspective – Sixth Form studies are rewarding but also demanding. Your youngster’s mental health is a vital component to success. Take time to encourage them to be involved in other activities and have a balanced life style.

For more suggestions, please click on this link.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Thursday 16 January 2025

The Lower Sixth Subject Progress Evening will take place, in person, on Thursday 16 January 2025 from 6.00pm to 8.30pm. Details of how to book appointments will be emailed week commencing 6 January 2025.

The first event of the Talent Development Programme took place on Thursday 5 December and involved 20 of our athletes engaging in a nutritional seminar and practical workshop. 

Sports Talent Development Programme Co-ordinator, Ellie Callan, says "It was great to see so many of our pupils, from Year 8 to Upper Sixth, learning more about optimising and periodising their nutrition, followed by making a portion of delicious protein balls to take home and enjoy."

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

Thank you for all your support this 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.

It is always great to be able to share news of pupils' co-curricular achievements outside of school.

Lower Sixth Former, Bea Taylor had the privilege to perform at The Royal Albert Hall last week as a member of her County Youth Concert Band that had qualified to play in the Music for Youth Proms. The night showcased a wealth of UK national youth talent across all types of musical genres and by all reports was truly outstanding and inspiring. 

Bea is currently relishing being Principal Clarinet of the Northamptonshire County Youth Orchestra, 1st clarinet in the County Youth Concert Band, bass clarinet in the Northampton County Clarinet Choir and was delighted to receive her second Gordon Robinson award in the shape of a Peter Dunkley speciality award for most promising Woodwind player for 2024 presented to her at the Northamptonshire Music and Performing Art’s Trust’s Youth in Concert at The Royal and Derngate in October.

Not to be left out, her younger sister, Year 7 pupil, Atty also had her debut outing with her newest ensemble; the Northamptonshire County Training Orchestra last weekend playing flute and piccolo at their Autumn Festival of Music (having completed two years as Principal Flute in their Junior Orchestra). 

The Day is an online daily newspaper for young people.

It publishes analysis of the news that provides context for debates that explore the deeper currents shaping our world. All resources are created by a team of journalists to help schools teach critical thinking, real-world knowledge and civic engagement. 

Articles are available in five different reading levels for children between the ages of five and eighteen. It is interactive and has voting on hot topics where pupils can share their own views.

It is an excellent resource that can be used in school or at home. There are lots of articles that support all parts of the curriculum and provide additional reading around topics that are studied here at the College.

Pupils can find the link to The Day via the School Portal in the Library section.

Princethorpe Library subscribe to the JSTOR. This is a digital library containing academic journals, books and primary sources, in many formats and disciplines. It includes current issues of journals in the humanities and social sciences and supports further reading around subjects and research.

There are over 2300 full text journals, more than 100,00 ebooks from academic publishers, images that are contributed from institutions such as universities, museums and private collection as well as audio content. It is an excellent resource that pupils can use in school, or at home for research. 

Pupils can access JSTOR via the School Portal in the Library section.

We are looking for pupils who would like to help play an exciting and important role in the day-today running of the Library.

Further details and an application form are available from the Library. Applications need to be in by Friday 6 December.

Did you know that our Library Management System, OLIVER, holds book lists to give pupils ideas of what to read?

If pupils click on Reading Lists at the top menu then there are lots of book lists that we have put together to help them find their next fabulous read. These include different genres, book awards we follow, suggested reads by Year Group and all these lists are updated regularly. In addition there is an excellent interactive News page, that changes regularly. The main Search page also shows new books as they come into the Library, and also popular reads and recommendations.

Access is via The School Portal, pupils should click on School Information – Princethorpe, then select Library from the left hand menu.

All Bronze, Silver, and Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award participants for 2024-25 have now been added to a Team where information and assignments will be posted. All participants that signed up before the deadline will have received an email on 12 November 2024 with details of how to logon and trigger the welcome pack, there are still a few outstanding. The welcome packs can take up to a month to arrive in the post so please ensure the participant has logged in.

We have five Young Leaders in the Lower Sixth undergoing their training and they have been allocated 35 Bronze and Silver participants to support through their DofE journey this year. Teams chats have already been set for the groups if participants require any extra help.

The presentation, expedition dates and other useful information is still live on My School Portal under the Co-curricular - Princethorpe page. Link here.

The Duke of Edinburgh's staff team have completed their training and will be aiding last year's participants to sign off their awards over the coming weeks. Participants will be contacted on Teams highlighting the areas that need 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.

Tuesday 17 December 2024

A festive Christmas lunch will be available to purchase on Tuesday 17 December, served in the Main Refectory and Sixth Form Dining Room.

Andrew Williams
General Manager - Holroyd Howe

Parents will have received a Registration email this week from IRIS ParentMail, which allows them to register for their +Pay account. +Pay is the new cashless catering payments system, replacing WisePay from 19 December.

The registration email will come from IRIS ParentMail, from the email address info@parentmail.co.uk. If you have not received this, please check your junk/spam folders. 

From your email, please click on the registration link 

The majority of parents will be new to +Pay, and should follow the steps below: 

1. Click on I do not have an account 

2. Confirm the Date of Birth of the child named on the screen and click Verify now 

3. Confirm your contact details 

4. Create and confirm a password to use with +Pay. We would advise using a strong, unique password. 

5. Select I have read and accept the Terms and Conditions, then select Complete Registration. 

Once the steps above are completed your account has been registered. We would also advise you to download the IRIS ParentMail app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and sign into the app with your new account. Search for IRIS Parentmail in your app store to find this. 

To access +Pay in the future, you can use the app or go to https://pmx.parentmail.co.uk. This link will also be added to My School Portal once the system is live. 

Please note that you will not be able to see your linked children or add any payments to the account at this point. Once we switch payments to +Pay on 19 December, you will see your children and be able to make catering payments in the ‘Accounts’ section of +Pay. 

You should still top-up your child’s Wisepay account for catering payments required until the end of term. 

Please see below some FAQs relating to the move to +Pay: 

What if I already have a ParentMail or +Pay account for a child at a different school? 

If you already have a +Pay account for a child at a different school, you can click ‘I already have an account’. You will then be prompted to sign into your account and confirm the Date of Birth of your Princethorpe child. This will then link them to your account. 

What happens if my child still has money in Wisepay at the end of term? 

Balances will be transferred from Wisepay to +Pay on 19 December. As such, any money still in the Wisepay account will be transferred to the +Pay account. 

What if I owe money on the Wisepay account? 

If money is owed, this will also be transferred on 19 December, and you can use +Pay to add money to cover this.  

If I have more than one child at Princethorpe, will I receive multiple emails? 

No, you will have a single +Pay account which will have all your children at Princethorpe linked to it, allowing you to make payments for all children through the same account. As such, you will only receive a single registration email. 

Also, please note that when you register, you will only need to input the DOB of one child (your eldest child). Even though only one DOB is used for registration, your account will still be linked to all of your children. 

Will both parents receive an email for +Pay and need to register? 

If both parents have separate email addresses registered with the College, you will both receive an account registration email and can register separately for +Pay. Should you wish for only one parent to register, that is fine, as long as one parent has registered and is able to make catering payments. 

When do I need to register my account by? 

We would appreciate it if you could register your account by the end of term - Wednesday 18 December. However, if required you can still register after this date. Please ensure you register before the start of the Lent Term on Tuesday 7 January, so your child can make catering payments.  

What if I have a problem with registration? 

If you don’t receive the registration email, please check your spam/junk email. If you do not have the email in spam/junk, please email andycompton@princethorpe.co.uk. 

You can find more help and support on using +Pay here: ParentMail Help 

Specific registration help is available here: How do I register an IRIS ParentMail account? 

Is ParentMail/+Pay GDPR compliant? 

The College has undertaken Data Protection assessments for IRIS Parentmail, and has a legal basis to communicate information about your child and accept payments. However, if you do have concerns about your data being used, please refer to ParentMail’s data protection overview to read more on what data they take and how this is used. The IRIS privacy policy can be found here: Privacy policy

We are delighted to welcome Mike Kobylak to the Estates team as Head of Estates and Sustainability.

Mike has a wealth of experience from previous roles as Head of Property at Four Seasons Healthcare and Property Risk Manager at Warwickshire County Council, where he worked closely with schools in both Property and Health and Safety related disciplines for fifteen years.

Outside of work, Mike has a passion for music, comedy and watching sport.

Please find below the Term Dates for 2024-25 and 2025-26.

2024-2025 (two page document) - revised Sixth Form Open Evening and Christmas Fair dates. Updated June 2024

2025-2026 (two page document) - revised Sixth Form Open Evening and Christmas Fair dates. Updated December 2024

Please note that the School Shop will be closed from 2.00pm on Wednesday 18 December 2024 and will re-open at the beginning of the Lent Term on Tuesday 7 January 2025.

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

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

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

Barbara Bromwich
Foundation Shop Manager

As it is the time of year when there is the threat of snow, it might be helpful for everyone to be familiar with the arrangements should there be significant snowfall. Where possible and if it’s safe to do so, we always remain open, even if we have to end the school day earlier than usual.

Should there be bad weather overnight, we talk to the bus companies a little before 6.00am and they brief us about their ability to operate our services. The Headmaster then makes a decision about whether the school will open.

Information will be available via the channels detailed below:

The home page of the website www.princethorpe.co.uk will normally be updated shortly after 6.00am.

• We will also post on the College Twitter page @PrincethorpeCol and Facebook Page www.facebook.com/PrincethorpeCollege shortly after 6.00am.
• If there is likely to be disruption we will send text messages to parents’ mobiles and the mobiles of pupils who use the buses, usually by 6.30am. Please note that we are not able to receive text replies on this service. 

The Estates team will respond to the severe weather with appropriate actions in line with our policies to keep the site as safe as possible. This may result in areas being closed or restricted and normal operations being adapted. We kindly request your support in adhering to any restrictions and taking extreme care whilst on site. In the case of flooding, then www.environment-agency.gov.uk is also useful. If you look under Flood and then use the river search word Leam, that will give you a good idea of the conditions around Princethorpe and the surrounding villages.

Should we have to close during the course of the day we will send text messages to let you know the arrangements. In such circumstances we will publish regular updates on the website. Where possible, we will make sure that our main number 01926 634200 is staffed during our school office hours, from 8.00am to 5.00pm. 

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

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

• Teacher of Law
• Apprentice Grounds Operative

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.