Princethorpe College welcomed a capacity crowd of nearly 800 pupils and parents to its flagship event, Career Insights 2025, on Saturday 29 March.

Nearly sixty speakers, the majority Old Princethorpians, along with some current and former parents, gave generously of their time to present on a wide variety of careers and professions. There was something for every one, from Accountancy, Finance and Banking to Medicine and Midwifery, Engineering, Computing and IT, from Law, Architecture, Construction, Surveying, Energy and Renewables, Marketing and Journalism and Product Design to the Performing Arts, Fashion, Sports Careers, Police and the Armed Forces and even Teaching. The individual presentations gave pupil attendees the chance to consider careers, research universities and explore opportunities such as apprenticeships. There was a host of advice to listen to, lessons to be learnt, questions to be asked and connections to be made.  

The morning included a truly inspirational keynote speech from our guest speaker and Old Princethorpian, Tunde Olanrewaju, Senior Partner with global management consultancy, McKinsey & Co. Tunde’s speech was full of encouragement, wisdom and sound advice, as well as a few tales from his time here at Princethorpe. He spoke movingly of the strength of the friendships he formed at the College and how the environment and people he met here shaped the person he has become today. He shared his lessons from life, of giving yourself the space to develop, of focusing on the things you really care about, of the importance of remaining curious, living in the present and of believing in yourself, which together help you towards a successful and fulfilled future. He encouraged pupils to look for and take opportunities to develop their skills, to help them figure out what they want from life, and especially to develop their networks, as it is those connections and mentors that can really help you to achieve great things. He finished by reminding his audience of the power of optimism, of leaving the doubts behind and of focusing on the world of opportunities out there.

Thanking Tunde, Headmaster, Grove du Toit, reflected on the powerful insights that Tunde had shared and urged pupils to take them on board. He reiterated all the opportunities that the event provided and encouraged all the attendees to make the most of the morning exploring careers, universities and life after the classroom.

Aimed at Year 10 to Sixth Form, for many of the pupils, this was their first step on the career ladder, and it was a great opportunity to have a taste of some of the different sorts of career choices available.

Feedback has been exceptionally positive with parents and pupils commenting on how useful and informative the event was: ‘It was fantastic. Varied, informative and frankly inspiring too’ and ‘It was so well organised, informative and extremely useful. We were so impressed with the lectures we visited and in particular, the keynote speech was quite inspiring’.  

We are immensely grateful to all the Old Princethorpians, parents, contributors and staff who supported the event and to the Careers and Alumni Teams for their organisation of this key event.  

The new Princethorpe College Prefect Body for 2025-2026 was formally inaugurated into office at an end of term assembly on Wednesday 2 April. Parents of the new prefects were invited to College to watch the afternoon’s formal ceremony.

In his Headmaster's address, Grove du Toit spoke about the importance of leadership and the legacy good leaders leave. The incoming prefects were introduced by Grove du Toit, Headmaster, and presented with their prefect blazers and badges by the outgoing prefects. The outgoing Heads of School, Seb Bainbridge and Megan Shipton, spoke of the privilege of serving, thanking all who had supported them in their journey of growth. The incoming Heads of School, William Gower and Francesca Kelly stressed the importance of Princethorpe's family ethos and committed to make a positive impact on every pupil at the school. 

After the event parents of the new prefects enjoyed a celebratory afternoon tea on the Sixth Form Lawn.

The College extends warm thanks to the outgoing prefect body for all their hard work and unstinting service this last year and we wish the new prefects well as they take up their duties.

The full list of appointments can be found here.
 

Upper Sixth Former, Freddie Hadley, is celebrating after finishing in second place at this year’s Midlands regional round of the 2025 Catenian Association's Public Speaking Competition for students from Catholic schools.

This year’s contest took place at Newman University on Thursday 27 March with speakers from 24 schools taking part. Freddie spoke with tremendous flair, impressing the judges with his speech on the topic of ‘Should the monarchy be abolished?

Competitors were marked by the judging panel on a variety of criteria from content, delivery, elocution and appearance and finishing second overall was a fantastic achievement for Freddie who was up against strong competition.

Freddie’s success was down to teamwork and preparation as a group of Sixth Formers had worked together to prepare for the event. Supporting Freddie were Jayden Carr, Raphi Kane, Roxy Glenn and Nika Handjani. They all worked together to help Freddie get ready for the competition. Jayden wrote the speech and the team had met once a week across the last term to research, write up, refine and rehearse.

Teacher of English, David Leach, commented, “All the competitors gave incredible performances, so Freddie’s second place finish is something that we are very proud of. It was fantastic to see so many schools competing. With such a broad range of topics covered, it really was a challenging and thought-provoking session.”

On Friday 28 March, Princethorpe College hosted its Spring Concert, and it was a wonderful celebration of music enjoyed by all. The Sports Hall was packed with parents and families eager to be entertained. Over 60 talented Princethorpe pupils treating the audience to a night to remember.

Concert Band opened the evening, performing two pieces confidently Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and from Rocky III the uplifting Eye of the Tiger. 

The College’s Choir was in fine form, over the course of the evening they performed four pieces including super medleys from Schwartz’s Wicked and Boublil & Schoenberg’s Les Miserables as well as Hope is Near by Lockaby and the catchy 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton, showcasing their fabulous delivery and rich harmonies. While Chamber Choir impressed all with the traditional Jesus on the Mainline and Another Day of Sun by Hurwitz.  

The College’s String Orchestra played to their usual high standard, with a varied repertoire including Vivaldi’s Spring from The Four Seasons, Handel’s The Hallelujah Chorus, When She Loved Me by Newman and finally Sicilienne by von Paradis.

Other fine ensembles included the College’s brilliant BTEC Musicians who performed End of the Beginning by DJO and Fleetwood Mac’s Rhiannon and new to the College this year the Year 11 Ceiligh Band that had everyone’s toes tapping with Medley Èireannach.

There were plenty of soloists showing off their talents too including new scholar Darcey Carroll who played Gershwin’s Walking the Dog, the talented Chloe Henderson, outgoing Music Prefect, who captivated the audience with Devienne’s Sonata No 1 in E Minor, Jorja Parris wowed everyone with her dramatic rendition of Adelaide’s Lament by Loesser, Bea Taylor was faultless with Bach’s Ciaccona, the talented Jack Fleming amazed with Debussy’s Claire de la Lune and finally the incredible Robyn Shaw sang With You from Ghost The Musical.

The Concert Band returned to the stage to begin the build up to the finale with a wonderful medley of Disney Film Favourites and then to round the evening off all the performers joined together to deliver a combined ensemble of Elbow’s One Day Like This.

A huge thank you to, Director of Music, Gil Cowlishaw and, Teacher of Music, Alison Wakeley and the wonderful Princethorpe College vocalists and musicians for providing such super entertainment for a Friday night.

Benet House is celebrating after winning the most hotly contested competition in school, the House Cup. Their victory was announced by House Activities Co-ordinator, Meg O’Gorman, in the Prefect Inauguration ceremony yesterday afternoon. The House Cup was presented to the outgoing Benet House Captains, Ben and Kaena, as jubilant Benet pupils cheered across the school.

As always, the House Cup was a close run affair with just five points between this year's winners Benet and second place More. Across the year, pupils had participated enthusiastically enjoying all the events, including exciting new ones such as House Bench Ball and House Archery.

It was a steady and consistent performance that helped Benet pupils amass their huge total of points and finish first this year. The final placings were: 1st Benet, 2nd More, 3rd Fisher and 4th Austin.

In the assembly the outgoing House Captains surprised Ms O'Gorman with flowers to say thank you for her tireless energy and ingenuity in respect of House activities.

Our thanks go to the whole House team, including the House Activities Leaders (Mrs White, Mrs Wilford, Mr Walters and Mrs Chard) and the House Captains for all they do to organise and run House events.

The College’s First Team Dinner took place on Friday 21 March in the Sixth Form Centre. It was an opportunity for Foundation Director of Sport, Lee Cassell, and the PE and Games staff, to thank pupils for their longstanding commitment to sport here at Princethorpe College, to reflect on pupils' many talents, to celebrate this year’s successes and to wish those moving on at the end of the year well. It was a lovely evening for all involved.

Congratulations to the Upper Sixth Formers who took part in this year’s British Biology Olympiad, that is organised by the Royal Society of Biology. Designed to challenge and inspire, it offers the opportunity for biology students to develop their thinking and problem-solving skills and to test their knowledge of biology across and beyond the A-level Biology specification.

The results of this year’s competition have now been received and the students who took part have all been awarded certificates. Well done to Hamish O'Brien, Henry Woodrow, Layla Wolsey, Sammie Borland and Niamh Perks who all received Bronze awards but a special shout out to Ben Smith who was awarded Gold. They faced tough national competition and we congratulate them all on their success.

Pupils in Year 11 have just put their physics skills to the test in the British Physics Olympiad Intermediate written challenge. Consisting of multiple-choice and short answer questions, the challenge goes well beyond the standard curriculum and is a valuable enrichment experience for pupils.

Our top Year 11 physicists tackled the questions with enthusiasm, building their confidence, understanding and problem-solving prowess. Their results were excellent with one pupil receiving a Commendation, nine achieving Bronze and, with the best Intermediate Physics Challenge result the College has ever had, one pupil, Daniel Ovens Gibbs, awarded Gold. 

Head of Physics, Dan Lee, commented, “The British Physics Olympiad Challenges are well respected tests. They encourage participants to approach problems with an open mind, taking the principles of Physics and applying their learning to the real world. Our pupils all did very well, congratulations to them all.”

The College’s Upper Sixth A-level Fashion and Textiles students visited Marks and Spencer’s Fosse Park store on Wednesday 26 March to consolidate much of the theory they have been learning. 

Andy Frith, the Store Manager and his Visual Merchandising team welcomed them warmly into one of the busiest M&S stores in the country. The store has recently undergone a fabulous refurbishment and Andy explained how the store had cleverly been redesigned to feel lighter (look up at the clever use of lighting next time you are in), more spacious and up to date, to attract consumers of all ages.

The students then learnt what visual merchandisers do, on a daily basis, to ensure windows and instore displays are pristine, current and have an individual feel, as well as clear brand identity. Andy explained to the students how M&S respond quickly to viral trends and this helped them understand the importance of Production, Planning Control and Quick Response Management. They were then were able to look and analyse style and fabric choices across all departments and embed why choosing the right combination of fibre, yarn and fabric structures can give a product required outcomes, such as, sustainability, breathability, crease resistance, comfort, wind resistance or UV protection. Finally, they explored the reality of how a retailer has responded to the colour, style and fabric predictions that they studied back in February 2024. The students all agreed that the trend predictions were correct and that M&S had designed-in these predictions with a wide range of consumers in mind. 

Thank you to Andy and his team for bringing alive what has been taught for A-Level. It was really engaging and informative visit and everyone had a great afternoon.
 

Back in January, 14 of our Lower Sixth Formers took part in an intensive TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course over two consecutive Saturdays here at Princethorpe College.

The course covered topics such as teaching English language skills, identifying learning styles and creating learning materials through a series of active, engaging and fun activities.

Princethope’s Sixth Form has offered the TEFL qualification as an extra-curricular option for a number of years, as TEFL certification is particularly useful for those students considering a gap year abroad.

All the pupils passed with flying colours, and this morning, in Celebration Assembly, Assistant Head of Sixth Form, Cyp Vella, was delighted to present them with their certificates.

Many congratulations to them all. We wish them well in their TEFL adventures!

On Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 March, our Year 10 Geography pupils visited Preston Montford, one of the Field Studies Council’s specialist outdoor centres. Their two-day trip supported the fieldwork element of their Physical and Human IGCSE paper.

On the Monday, pupils undertook an urban study comparing the quality of life in two differing areas of Shrewsbury then on the Tuesday they measured downstream changes in Carding Mill Valley in Shropshire.

Head of Geography, Helen Baker, commented, “For once, the weather was beautiful, and the pupils learned lots of new skills and techniques gaining practical experience in the field.”

On Wednesday 26 March, the College welcomed Jennifer Johnson, a cartographer from the British Cartography Society, into school to run a disaster relief mapping workshop with our Year 9 Geography pupils. The Restless Earth workshop immersed pupils in the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster of 2011 simulating the real-life scenario faced by organisations during disaster relief efforts. It looked at the basic cartographic principles, symbology and how to create maps for emergency crews.

Jennifer ran two workshops working in turn with half the year group. Pupils worked in teams of five taking on the roles of Humanitarian, Search and Rescue, Military, Medical and a Co-ordinator to create large scale and small-scale maps of the affected area. The maps were then assessed based on cartographic design, accuracy, and group work and the winners announced.

Congratulations to the winners who won large world hazard maps:
Session 1: Lucas, Rohin, Oscar, Lucia and Hattie
Session 2: Victor, Porter, Jake, Daniel and Erik

It was an interesting and enjoyable workshop for them all.
 

Princethorpe said thank you to popular and talented peripatetic brass teacher, Jodie Kelsall, last week, who is giving up teaching music here at the College at the end of this Lent Term. Jodie was presented with a bouquet of flowers by Director of Music Gil Cowlishaw to thank her for all she has done to support and promote music here at Princethorpe.

Jodie has had a long association with the College, having first attended Princethorpe as a pupil and having even been one of Mr Cowlishaw’s first ever GCSE Music pupils when he started teaching here at the school. She herself began teaching music here back in 2014 and her pupils have thrived in their music studies ever since. Her encouragement helping them successfully progress through their examination syllabus, with some reaching the very top level and being selected to play in National Youth Bands.

The Foundation is not losing Jodie completely, as she will be continuing to support the PE and Sports teams, coaching Netball, one of her other passions.

The College is pleased to announce that we have a new brass teacher joining us, Mark Allison, an incredibly experienced and enthusiastic Brass teacher, with many years of experience. Mark starts at the beginning of the Trinity Term to ensure continuity in our brass peripatetic teaching programme. He will not only be teaching Brass but also supporting in the running of ensembles and is looking forward to working with pupils studying brass here at the College.

Not experienced Team Super Sports Camps before? Team Super Sports is offering all Princethorpe parents a FREE DAY at camp this Easter if you have not attended before! Simply click here to book your spot. 

Checkout this video of the Super Sports Camps here at Princethorpe to see what they get up to. 

Team Super Sports Camps are held at Princethorpe College from Monday 7 April to Friday 25 April (excluding bank holidays), the Holiday Camps will run from 8.00am to 5.00pm.

Children aged 7 to 16 can choose from a variety of sports 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!

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

Camps are priced at £38 per day.

Sibling discounts and flexible booking options available!

Wednesday 9 April, 2.30pm and 4.00pm and Thursday 10 April, 2.30pm and  4.00pm

As part of the Foundation's drive to increase non-fee income, our Commercial Enterprise Team are delighted to be hosting LOL Theatre Company's lovingly adapted production of The Tale of Peter Rabbit in The Clarkson Theatre in the run up to Easter.

When young Peter Rabbit disobeys his mother and enters the forbidden garden belonging to Mr McGreggor, he indulges himself with lettuce, green beans and radishes, however he soon starts to feel sick and goes in search of some parsley to soothe his stomach ache. Who does he encounter when he ventures further into the vegetable patch? None other than Mr McGreggor himself! After a frantic chase, he loses his clothes and his sense of direction. Will Peter Rabbit escape Mr McGreggor's clutches and return home unharmed? More importantly, will he learn his lesson and listen to his mother's warnings next time? Let's hope so!

This 45 minute family friendly production is based on the classic short story by Beatrix Potter and teaches about the importance of listening to warnings, doing the right thing and facing the consequences of your actions. Recommended for ages 4 and above.

This enchanting theatre show brings Beatrix Potter’s beloved characters to life! This is a public performance and all are welcome.

Tickets

• Adult ticket - £10
• Child ticket - £5
• Under 4s go FREE

Click here to book your seats.

Fr Teddy O'Brien MSC would like to invite you to participate in any or all of the upcoming services over Easter, including:

Thursday 17 April             
Maundy Thursday Mass      7.00pm Princethorpe College

Friday 18 April                
Good Friday Service             3.00pm Princethorpe College

Sunday 20 April - Easter Sunday           
First Mass of Easter              8.30am St Anne's, Wappenbury
Mass of the Day                    10.30am Princethorpe College

If you would like further information about St Anne's, Wappenbury please use the link here.

Wednesday 30 April - 4.00pm to 5.30pm

Our next English Enrichment Event will take place on Wednesday 30 April, between 4.00pm and 5.30pm in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre.

Professor Rutter is Professor of Shakespeare and Performance Studies at the University of Warwick, a regular contributor to BBC Radio arts programmes and a rehearsal consultant for the Royal Shakespeare Company. We are delighted to welcome her to Princethorpe to speak on Shakespeare's tragedy Othello.

All A-level English Literature students are expected to attend please, and all other interested students are most welcome, especially Year 11 students considering studying English at A-level.

Helen Pascoe-Williams
Head of English

Our popular Bluebells and Brunch event is a highlight of the OP social calendar, and we'd love to see as many former pupils, their parents and staff join us as possible to enjoy the delicious spread, good conversation and a wander around the beautiful Princethorpe grounds, on what we hope will be sunny spring day.

In addition to catching up over a leisurely brunch, where a Full English, fresh fruit and pastries will be served in the Refectory, guests can take a stroll around the Mile Walk and visit Little Switzerland, which should be resplendent with bluebells at this time of year. They will also be able to watch the Saturday sports fixtures and take an optional tour of the school.

Former parents will have spent a considerable amount of time at Princethorpe over the years supporting their children, and may be missing their involvement in school life. The Old Princethorpians' Association organises the brunch as an opportunity for all to reconnect with both the College and each other.

Why not come and join us for this relaxed, family-friendly event? Partners and families, including little ones are most welcome. For more information and to purchase your ticket*, please visit the event page on Princethorpe Connect by Friday 2 May 2025.

We hope to see you there!

*For events where significant hospitality is provided, we require a small donation in support of bursaries. Child places are free, but a booking is requested to help us cater accordingly.

Throughout the Trinity Term, we will be hosting a number of Taster Events for prospective pupils looking to join Princethorpe in 2026 and beyond.

Year 4 and 5 Say Hello To Hockey
Friday 16 May 2024 4.15pm to 6.00pm

If you'd love to give hockey a try, why not come along to the Princethorpe College 'Year 4 and 5 Say Hello To Hockey' taster session after school on Friday 16 May!

An evening of free hockey training on our astroturf, you'll learn new skills, make friends and have fun. Aimed at girls and boys, the evening will finish with a mini tournament, beginners most welcome!

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. To book your child's place please complete a booking and consent form, for a copy please click here.

Year 5 Taster Days
Thursday 15 May, Wednesday 11 June, Tuesday 17 June and Thursday 19 June 2025

Aimed at prospective Year 5 pupils, our Taster Days are a great way for your child to really experience Princethorpe during a normal school day.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Please click here to book your child's place at one of our Year 5 Taster Days.

Crackley Hall and Crescent School Year 5 pupils and their parents have already been invited to school specific Taster Days and Parents' Information Sessions at the beginning of the Trinity Term. 

Year 6 Taster Days will be available in September 2025.

For further information on admissions and entry to the College in 2025 visit our school website or speak to the Admissions Team on 01926 634201/297 or by email at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Tuesday 24 June 2025

The British Motor Museum is proud to host a special Girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Day on Tuesday 24 June, for pupils in Years 9 and 10. As well as being an inspirational day for female scientists and engineers of the future, it will be an exciting day of immersive and interactive learning in a unique setting, surrounded by an amazing collection of historic British cars.

A day at the British Motor Museum to include: 

• Keynote speaker - inspirational talk from a leading female executive
• Talk from a professional female race car driver
• Guided tour of the museum with an emphasis of the influence of women on the automotive industry
• Hands on activities that will develop teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills
• The opportunity for a self-guided tour at the end of the day

Return transport will be via school minibus during normal school hours and this trip is fully funded by the STEAM and co-curricular budgets.

To apply for a place, pupils can contact Dan Lee at danlee@princethorpe.co.uk or via Teams message with a brief paragraph to explain why you would like to attend. Places are limited to 14 and pupils will be notified of the success of their application at the beginning of June.

See the following link for last year's event details: Girls in STEM.

Dan Lee
Head of Physics and STEAM Co-ordinator

Sunday 29 June 2024 - 11.00am to 7.00pm

Princethorpe’s PTA are joining forces with the Foundation’s Commercial Enterprises Team to host a new exciting event – Princethorpe Summer Fest.

Building on the success of our established Summer Fête and Motoring Festival, the new event will take place on Sunday 29 June from 11.00am to 7.00pm and will include live music, a theatre show, a vintage car display, literary talks, art exhibition, activities, games and crafts and lots more, as well as lots of food, drink and artisan products for all to purchase and enjoy.

Get the date in your diary now, as everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy lots of summer fun in the glorious grounds of Princethorpe College.

Entry is £5 per car to be paid on the day. To get your tickets click here. 

Years 7, 8, 9

1. No formal homework will be set for the holiday (although some pupils may have to complete homework set for the last week of the term).
2. Pupils will be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders.
3. Please be aware that the internal exam week will begin on Monday 19 May 2025 and areas of learning will be explained by individual teachers as soon as possible.

Year 10

Based on a minimum of 2 hours work per weekday.

1. Homework will be set for certain subjects.
2. Pupils will be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders. This is essential to ensure that all topics are ready for revision purposes.
3. Plan and begin a revision programme for the summer exam week beginning Monday 19 May 2025. 

Year 11

Based on a minimum of 4 hours work per weekday.

1. Specific holiday work/revision will be set for most subjects.
2. Pupils should continue to follow their revision timetables using revision materials given to them by their teachers and tutors.
3. Pupils should be encouraged to use a variety of revision techniques (revision books, online resources, past papers).

Sixth Form

Lower Sixth based on a minimum of 4 hours work per weekday.

1. Specific holiday work may be set for certain subjects.
2. Students will be expected to catch up on any missed or incomplete work and sort any files or folders.
3. Revision and preparation for the summer exams week beginning Monday 19 May 2025. 

Upper Sixth based on a minimum of 5 hours work per weekday.

1. Specific holiday homework and revision will be set for all subjects.
2. Students will be expected to review their understanding of their topics and carry out additional research and tasks to ensure that secure revision can take place.
3. Pupils should be encouraged to use a variety of revision techniques (revision books, online resources, past papers).

Thank you.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head – Teaching and Learning

Summer Exam Season 2025

All pupils have been given access to Exam Work Space where they can view their personal exam statement of entry. Timetables, rooms and seating are also visible. This link will remain active and live throughout the examination season. 

A few pupils have exam clashes, and have been contacted through Teams with a resolution. A clash of exams only occurs when two exams for different subjects are timetabled to start at the same time on the same day.

Where two exams for the same subject are timetabled to start at the same time on the same day, they will be taken one after the other. This applies to IGCSE French, IGCSE Spanish and A-level Maths.

Mr Spencer has delivered assemblies to Year 11 and Upper Sixth pupils before they have left for the Easter holiday to outline key advice and information ahead of their study leave.  

Sarah Tsang
Examinations Officer

As we approach the beginning of the examination season, we wanted to provide some final notes about arrangements for Year 11. 

Much of this, along with arrangements for Results Day and transition to Sixth Form, was covered in the Online Sixth Form Admissions Q and A Session hosted by Mr du Toit and Mr Spencer on Wednesday 2 April, a recording of which can be found here.

The Candidate Handbook is visible to pupils in Teams and can be seen here.

Examination Timetables 
All pupils have been given access to Exam Work Space where they can view their personal exam statement of entry. Timetables, rooms and seating are also visible. This link will remain active and live throughout the examination season.

Study Leave  
From Tuesday 6 May , Year 11 pupils are not required to be on-site except when they have an examination. They may choose whether they work at home, in school or a combination of the two. We will provide supervised study rooms for those remaining on-site. Please could you use this form to give us an indication of your child’s intentions to inform our planning. 

Study Leave Registration 
In order to know who is on site at any time, Year 11 pupils will need to sign-in and out of school if arriving/leaving during the school day. 

• Pupils arriving for a morning examination will be registered in the exam room
• Pupils arriving to a study room for Period 1 will be registered in the room
• Pupils arriving at any other time of day should sign in at the Pupil Hub

Pupils leaving after an examination can sign-out at the Pupil Hub on quiet days; however, after larger examinations, we would request that pupils are collected during the time windows shown below so that we can control traffic on the playground. 

Parents are not required to sign-out pupils when collecting them, but please do send your child a text when you have arrived so that they can show staff before leaving the premises. Similarly, if your child is being collected by another parent, when leaving school during the day after an exam, please email in advance to attendance@princethorpe.co.uk with the details.

Examination Playground Pick-up Times 
Please click here for pick-up times.

Study Rooms 
Study rooms will be published to pupils before Study Leave and will appear on their timetables on My School Portal. We expect pupils to bring revision materials with them and to be proactive in reaching out to teacher via Teams where needed.     

Examination Day Protocol 
Year 11 pupils should all attend examinations in correct uniform. They should use their lockers to store bags and revision materials when in an examination so that they are not bringing any forbidden items into the examination hall. Mobile phones accounted for 44% of malpractice cases nationally last year and it is essential that they are not in the room, even if switched off.   

Unforeseen Events And Special Consideration 
If your child is ill, injured or delayed in getting to school, please communicate with attendance@princethorpe.co.uk as normal and copy in the examinations office examinations@princethorpe.co.uk as quickly as possible so that we can offer the best advice and make any necessary arrangements to support. For pupils affected by illness or other circumstances such as bereavement, we are able to apply for Special Consideration from the examination boards if certain criteria are met. Please communicate any such issues to Heads of House and the examinations office if they arise.   

Book Return 
Year 11 pupils will need to return all of their textbooks and other loaned equipment before the summer and so we ask that this is done following the last examination taken by the whole year group. We will write to you nearer the time with details of exact timings. 
 
Finally, all of our best wishes go to all of those sitting examinations, and to those supporting them as they prepare to do so. 

Michael Spencer 
Deputy Head - Academic 
 
 
 

 

Tuesday 29 April 2025 - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

We would like to invite all parents of Year 8 and 9 pupils to a 360 Review Evening with their child’s form tutor. The main part of this evening will be a 15-minute face-to-face appointment with their tutor to discuss overall progress and involvement in school. There will also be a presentation from senior staff to support pupils’ preparations for the forthcoming internal examination week, as well as the opportunity to meet with the Learning Support department.

Appointments are available for parents to book online using SchoolCloud, accessed via My School Portal from 6.00pm tonight and an email has been sent to all Year 8 and Year 9 Parents earlier this week regarding this event too. 

To book one of the key message presentations please use the link here which will be active from 6.00pm on Thursday 3 April 2025.

We look forward to seeing you and we hope that you find the evening both informative and helpful.    

Michael Spencer
Deputy Head - Academic

Tutor Reports for Lower Sixth will be published today, Thursday 3 April 2025 , and will be available to view on My School Portal.  

Michael Spencer
Deputy Head - Academic

Please click here to view the Challenge Calendar for April. 

This month's theme is Earth Month, as 22 April is Earth Day.

There is also a holiday da Vinci Project to repurpose something you would normally throw away. Send a phot of your repurposed item and a brief description of what it is, how you have re-purposed it and how it works to Mrs Lindsay for merits - really great ideas could receive a Da Vinci and be published in the Pinnacle. 

Julia Lindsay
Challenge Curriculum Co-ordinator

Brighter mornings and longer evenings announce that spring has arrived. Daffodils are in abundance in soil which previously seemed barren. Time to either lower the temperature or turn off the central heating. Winter overcoats and clothing can be put to the back of the wardrobe.   

What cannot be put to the back of the minds for Christians is that Easter is fast approaching. Indeed, not long into the new year, Easter Eggs were on our supermarket shelves. A feast for chocoholics but temptation for Christians trying to observe their Lenten observance. The four days of Easter (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday) are days of recalling the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. And just as the Easter Egg represents new life, so for Christians each Easter is a reminder not only of the sacrifice of Jesus for us but also a foretaste of our own passing through death to eternal life.

An Easter Prayer

Christ is risen: Let the whole of creation rejoice

Christ is risen: Let our Lenten penance sanctify us

Christ is risen: Let us rejoice in His resurrection

Christ is risen: Let our loved ones share in His glory

Christ is risen: Let our faith be strengthened

Christ is risen: Let us be Easter people in word and action

Christian is risen: Let our song be Alleluia 

Christ is risen: Let us be pilgrims of hope

Amen

Mary Benham
Chaplaincy Co-ordinator

Can I remind you that our Year 11 End of Year Celebration will be held on Friday 20 June 2025 from 7.00pm until 11.00pm at the stunning Walton Hall Hotel in Wellesbourne, Warwickshire. This is a special occasion, and the formal evening wear dress code will reflect that - dress to impress is certainly the order of the day!

Photographs will be available to purchase on the evening, so pupils attending will require a payment card or other cashless payment method available to them.

We hope that this will be a memorable evening for all involved and it will offer pupils an opportunity to celebrate the end of exams with their peers.

If you have any queries regarding this event, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Beth Sharpe 
Deputy Head - Pastoral

Thursday 19 June 2025

The Headmaster’s Thanksgiving Service and Buffet Supper will be held from 7.00pm on Thursday 19 June 2025 in school.

Please save the date.

Further information will be sent to our Year 11 parents nearer the time.

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

To better support our pupils and staff we have introduced a new process for requesting exemption from Games lessons. This change will help staff promptly register pupils for their Games afternoon and allow our School Nurses to provide timely follow-up and support for those recovering from illness or injury. 

We now have an Off Games request form available on our school portal. If your child is not fit to participate in their Games lesson, please complete this form by 10:00am  on the day of their scheduled Games session. 

Once submitted, your child can collect an official slip from the Medical Centre during break or lunch that day. Absence from PE lessons throughout the week should also be requested using the same form in advance of the lesson.

Alternatively visit My School Portal, go to My Children and then click on Forms.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us ensure the well-being and smooth management of all our pupils.

Paula Greig
Senior Matron

The School Aged Immunisation Service will be in school on Tuesday 13 May 2025 to offer all Year 9 pupils a booster of the Diphtheria/Tetanus/Polio vaccine along with the Meningitis ACWY vaccine.

Over the next few weeks the Immunisation Team will contact parents directly by email sending out further information and links to consent forms. 

We will notify pupils of their appointment times in due course.

Paula Greig
Senior Matron 

The end of the Lent Term always carries with it a sense of transition. Our Upper Sixth students have now finished their A-level courses and will shortly be embarking on their study leave, at which point the Lower Sixth will become the senior members of the school community; they will, we are sure, be excellent role models for the rest of the school to look up to.

At Wednesday's Prefect Inauguration Ceremony, the mantle was passed formally to the incoming Lower Sixth Prefects. We take this opportunity to thank the outgoing Upper Sixth Prefects for all their hard work over the past year; they have given their time and energy with generosity and good humour, and have set a formidable bar for their successors to live up to.  The new Prefects have our warm congratulations and support - we are excited to see the fruits of their enthusiasm blossoming over the next twelve months.

We are sure some of our Upper Sixth students will be viewing Easter with a sense of trepidation, marking the start of their final period of preparation for public exams. With a mature and organised approach to the holidays, you should be able to find time both to relax and, through revision,  to lay important foundations for exam success. The Trinity Term will be a busy time; don't forget that your teachers are always available for help and guidance, and they will be cheering you on from the sidelines! Once all the exams are completed, Upper Sixth students and their families are cordially invited to a Thanksgiving service in the Chapel on the evening of Tuesday 24 June. Please make a note of this date in your diaries; further information will be shared in due course.

Wishing all our students and their families a very blessed, joyful and restorative Easter!

Upper Sixth Leavers' Hoodies - Sunday 6 April 2025

A reminder that the Leavers' Hoodies can be ordered direct from our supplier. The final deadline for orders is by 11.00pm on Sunday 6 April. Please do get in touch should you need any assistance with these. 

UCAS and Careers Information Evening - Tuesday 6 May 2025

An opportunity for parents and students  to learn about all aspects of applying to university, including detailed advice about the UCAS application process.

Upper Sixth Last Day - Friday 9 May 2025

A fun last day for our Upper Sixth students to look back and reflect on their time at Princethorpe before their study leave commences.

24/7 Challenge Walk for Mary's Meals - Sunday 11 May 2025

Continuing our tradition of philanthropy and global citizenship, we are proud to participate in the 24/7 Mary's Meals Walk. This initiative aims to support Mary's Meals in their mission to provide nutritious meals to children in some of the world's poorest communities. By walking together, our students exemplify the values of compassion, empathy, and solidarity.

Lower Sixth First Aid Course - Saturday 14 June 2025

An important opportunity for our Lower Sixth students to learn life-saving skills and receive a certified qualification in first aid. If your child is interested in signing up for this please get in touch for more details.

Lower Sixth BBQ - Monday 23 June 2025

We are looking for contributions we can use as prizes for our Lower Sixth Charity BBQ event. If you are able to donate, please do get in touch.

Upper Sixth Thanksgiving Service - Tuesday 24 June 2025

Upper Sixth Leavers' Ball - Monday 30 June 2025

This will be held at Warwick House and is an opportunity for our Upper Sixth students to come together again after their exams to celebrate and enjoy a fun evening.

As we approach the beginning of the examination season, we wanted to provide some final notes about arrangements for Upper Sixth. The Candidate Handbook is visible to pupils in Teams and can be seen here.

Examination Timetables  

All pupils have been given access to Exam Work Space where they can view their personal exam statement of entry. Timetables, rooms and seating are also visible. This link will remain active and live throughout the examination season. 

Study Leave   

From Monday 12 May , Upper Sixth pupils are not required to be on-site except when they have an examination. They may choose whether they work at home, in school or a combination of the two. We have asked them to ensure that they sign in and out so that we have an accurate record of who is on-site. 

Examination Day Protocol  

Upper Sixth students should all attend examinations in normal Sixth Form attire. They should use their lockers to store bags and revision materials when in an examination so that they are not bringing any forbidden items into the examination hall. Mobile phones accounted for 44% of malpractice cases nationally last year and it is essential that they are not in the room, even if switched off.  

Unforeseen Events and Special Consideration  

If your child is ill, injured or delayed in getting to school, please communicate with attendance@princethorpe.co.uk as normal and copy in the examinations office examinations@princethorpe.co.uk as quickly as possible so that we can offer the best advice and make any necessary arrangements to support. For pupils affected by illness or other circumstances such as bereavement, we are able to apply for Special Consideration from the examination boards if certain criteria are met. Please communicate any such issues to Heads of House and the examinations office if they arise.  

Book Return  

Upper Sixth students will need to return all of their textbooks and other loaned equipment before the summer and so we ask that this is done following their last examination. We will write to you nearer the time with specific details. 

Finally, all of our best wishes go to all of those sitting examinations, and to those supporting them as they prepare to do so.  

Michael Spencer
Deputy Head - Academic 

Tuesday 6 May 2025 - 6.00pm to 7.00pm

We invite all Lower Sixth Form students and their parents to an evening in school to help prepare for forthcoming applications to university and apprenticeships.

The evening is an opportunity to learn all about the application process, including timings and tips for writing applications.

During the evening, there will be separate breakout sessions to find out more about Degree Apprenticeships, including hearing from an Apprentice about their experiences. Applications to Oxford, Cambridge, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine will also be covered.

This will be an extremely informative evening and we therefore encourage all parents and students to come along.

Cyprian Vella and Jacqui Quinney
Assistant Head of Sixth Form and Head of Careers

Next term, Princethorpe's four Houses will be taking part in a ‘yarn bombing’ challenge.

The goal is for each House to yarn bomb one of the trees that line the driveway leading into the school. Each tree will feature a variety of colours, with a predominant focus on the House colour of that team.

We are seeking donations of wool to help us get started with knitting and crocheting. Additionally, if you would like to contribute a Granny square or knitted square, we would be very grateful.

Please send your wool donations to the Pupil Hub, addressed to Mrs Nelson.

Thank you for your support!

Kati Nelson
Teacher in charge of Textiles

All cricket kit ordered before the deadline of Wednesday 26 February 2025 will be ready to collect from the School Shop on the first day back after the Easter holidays, Monday 28 April 2025, at break or lunchtime. 

If you need any help with your order please contact Tamsin Frost on 01926 634272 or email uniform@princethorpe.co.uk.

Barbara Bromwich
Foundation Shop Manager

The Year 8 Forensic Club will run on Wednesday lunchtimes from Wednesday 30 April  until Wednesday 11 June, at 1.05pm to 1.30pm in SF05, with the finale crime scene on Wednesday 11 June from 4.00pm to 6.00pm.

There are only 20 spaces available, so if your child is interested in attending, they can either Teams message Mrs Curtis, or email at samcurtis@princethorpe.co.uk, to reserve their place

Sam Curtis
Teacher of Chemistry

We wish all the Bronze, Silver and Gold participants the best of luck with their expeditions that are taking part over the Easter holidays. Emergency contact numbers and the link to follow their progress has been shared via email. 

All participants - This year's scheme has now been running for over six months and participants should be requesting Assessor Reports from their Assessor for any three or six month activities. Participants should be proactive in this ensuring the sections are signed off in good time to complete their award.

Participants are reminded to check their Teams messages. Please check in with your participant to ensure they are making full use of the support on offer. There is lots of information under the 'Files' tab including a document with links to free online courses that would count towards the Skill or Volunteering sections. 

Participants are encouraged to use Teams chats with their Young Leader or individually with Tamsin Frost, Natalie Hardy or Sion Murphy for any extra help.

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

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

Neil McCollin
Assistant Head (Co-curricular and Operations)

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 your support. 

Princethorpe PTA

The PTA support the school with many events throughout the year and we are currently looking for volunteers to help. 

If you can spare some time, please fill in the form linked here.  Any help you can offer would be gratefully received. 

Our PTA secretary, Melanie Flegg, will email you closer to the time with further details of events we need help at.

Please feel free to share this plea for help with any other members of the school community  that may also be able to volunteer. 

Our upcoming events that we need help at are:

Peter Rabbit performances:

Wednesday 9 April - 1.30pm

Wednesday 9 April - 4.00pm

Thursday 10 April - 1.30pm

Thursday 10  April - 4.00pm

Princethorpe College Summer Musical Theatre production (times to be confirmed): 

Thursday 12 June

Friday 13 June

Saturday 14 June

Summer Fest (time to be confirmed):

Sunday 29 June 

Thank you in advance for your support. 

The 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 are not already registered, please visit our Easyfundraising page here.

We are hoping with to buy a 3D printer for the Technology Department with the money raised via Easyfundraising. This will really make a difference to the department and students! 

Thank you for your support.

Parents have been asked to respond to a Late Bus Proposal which we are hoping to introduce from September 2025. See proposed routes here.

The proposal has been fine-tuned based on responses to our initial late bus feasibility survey and the recent parent drop-in sessions, conducted by Rob Heath, our Director of Facilities. We are proposing three late ‘express’ services stopping at key hub locations to support pupils staying for co-curricular clubs or Prep. The intention is that these services will run Monday to Friday, throughout the year, leaving the College at 5.45pm and dropping at their last stop within the hour. Parents will be able to pick up from convenient town hubs, rather than travelling to and from the College.

We would ask all parents to respond to the survey here by Monday 14 April to enable us to gauge precise levels of interest and assess viability.

Our bus services are a key part of our operation and in addition to the late buses, we are in the process of reviewing the regular services, to see where routes can be streamlined to improve our carbon footprint and be more cost efficient. These changes will affect a very small number of current users and Vectare will be in touch with those families over the Easter holidays to discuss proposals and alternatives further.

Thank you for completing the survey, this is an exciting development, which we are sure will benefit many families.

Please see below our current vacancies:

Princethorpe College

• Performing Arts Technician and Administrator

Crescent School

• Class Teacher - KS2 (part time)
• Class Teacher - Lower KS2
• Class Teacher - KS1

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.

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

Sixth Form offer letters, including scholarships, were issued week commencing Monday 31 March 2025. To assist us with our planning of teaching sets and timetabling, please could you let us know in writing to Mr du Toit, via the Registrar, Mrs Rogers by Wednesday 30 April 2025, if you do not wish to take up the offered Sixth Form place. 

This would meet the term’s notice of withdrawal as set out in our terms and conditions.

Parents are reminded that if a decision is made subsequently not to take up the offered Sixth Form place and a term’s notice has not been given, you would be liable for the term's fees.

Claire Alcock
Foundation Director of Finance

Parents are reminded of the notice requirements according to our terms and conditions.

A term's notice is required if a pupil will not be returning to the school. Notice must be in writing, addressed to the Headmaster, via the Registrar, Mrs Rogers by the first day of term.

All letters are acknowledged within seven days; if you do not receive an acknowledgement then please contact the Registrar immediately. 

Claire Alcock
Foundation Director of Finance

Please note that half a term's notice is required if a pupil no longer needs to use the bus service provided by the school.  

Parents wishing to give notice should email princethorpe@vectare.co.uk.

Rob Heath
Foundation Director of Facilities

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

+Pay catering - cashless@princethorpe.co.uk

Email addresses for members of teaching staff can be found on My School Portal.