This shorter week definitely helped ease the shock following our return from a glorious three weeks off over Easter. Bank holidays really do lift the mood, especially when the weather plays along. I trust, that even though we are back to a full programme, Easter was restful and provided opportunity to resonate with the theme of hope. This half term is extremely short and as ever, there is so much going on.

During the holidays, our pupils and staff travelled far and wide. There was a History Trip to Germany and Poland, Geography explored Iceland, while our Year 10s had a wonderful time on the slopes in Italy. We also had more than 200 pupils take part in their Bronze, Silver, and Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award practice expeditions. The travel continues with our Year 8s departing on their Bush Craft Camping trip tomorrow, followed by the various opportunities related to the Innovation and Activity Days that may take pupils away from school for a day or two. These trips and visits are crucial to our offering as they develop a young person in so many different ways compared to what happens in the classroom. The biggest highlight is the bi-annual sports tour to South Africa departing in July. With more than 90 pupils participating in the trip, I do believe it may be one of the biggest tours of its kind within the independent sector. All of this would of course not be possible without our committed staff who generously give up their time. A massive thank you must go to them as I know my colleagues set us apart as a school.

Of course, the fun and enjoyment of a trip must be balanced by what happens in the classroom, and the upcoming internal exam week is our yearly opportunity to take stock and to prepare our pupils for when the real thing comes along. Internal exam results are important, and they do matter. However, they are a checkpoint along the journey to adjust course and to refine any support that may be needed. It is important that our pupils study and prepare in order to give the best account of themselves, but this should happen in the knowledge that there is support and next steps no matter the outcome. For some pupils this will be their first experience, while for our Lower Sixth students these exams will influence their predicted UCAS grades. As parents, please be supportive, ensure good habits, and expect best effort (no matter the grade). It is important to note that we have a zero tolerance on exam malpractice as this mirrors the extremely harsh and inflexible approach from the exam boards in external exams. Our pupils must understand the consequences of not keeping to the exam regulations, even if they may seem rigid. As ever, if your child has any queries or concerns about exams, please do reach out to their tutor or subject teacher who will be happy to provide guidance and help.

Today is the second day of external exams for our Year 11 pupils, while our Upper Sixth have their last day of formal school – you may have seen some costumes when arriving this morning. As we send them off on study leave, we wish them all the very best. We pray for clear minds and calm spirits, and we hope they get the grades they have worked so hard for. The Year 11s had their good luck parade last Friday and there was plenty of laughter and tears – excitement for reaching this point, but also a realisation of what is to come. We have sent communications about their Thanksgiving Services, and hopefully dresses and suits have been sourced for their respective evening events after their exams. We look forward to celebrating these two fantastic year groups when the time comes.

As an Independent School, we are inspected by ISI, instead of OFSTED. They visit us every three years and in short, our next inspection is now overdue. Part of the process is a parental questionnaire which they will use to collate data and to identify possible areas they might want to discuss with us as a school. We would really appreciate as many parents as possible completing the questionnaire as this provides the broadest picture of parental experience of the College. The inspection is very important, and we welcome the opportunity to show what Princethorpe is all about. An integral part of this is our parental support. Unfortunately, we have no idea when they will arrive so this request may not be relevant until September. However, just in case they call us on Monday...

With the recent change in the weather, I appreciate there may be a temptation for pupils to relax uniform standards. As ever, can I please request your support in making sure your child looks smart and adheres to our expectations. This also includes school rules around mobile phones, behaviour both in and out of lessons, and the principles outlined in our Princethorpe Learner.

This past week saw the du Toit family host two Dutch pupils who have visited us previously through the Hopbel Hockey Club that has a rotational arrangement with Princethorpe. I know some of our families hosted club members at the start of the term for which we are very grateful. However, the two girls staying with us are here on a two-week exchange as part of a residential they can arrange through their school. During our conversations I have asked them what the biggest differences were that they noticed while spending time in the College. I was really surprised and encouraged by their response. Firstly, they really liked our lunches and the fact that we wore uniform. Their second observation was that everyone in the Sixth Form seemed like they were friends. Everyone talks to everyone and there is a friendly atmosphere “which you really notice”. When I talk to prospective families I always reference this “atmosphere” even though I don’t have concrete evidence. It was brilliant to hear two teenagers confirm this as outsiders and identify it as a strength - “ours is a spirit of family”.

Finally, this weekend sees 40 pupils and four members of staff take on the annual Mary’s Meals 24/7 Walk. We start in Meriden at 8.00am on Sunday morning, aiming to complete the 24 miles before 4.00pm back at Princethorpe. This is my third year taking on the challenge and it is for an excellent cause. Every year we finish as the number one school in terms of donations to Mary’s Meals. Therefore, can I please request your support by donating to the cause via this link and supporting our pupils as they make their way across the Warwickshire countryside. It is looking like 24 degrees and climbing...

With all best wishes

Grove du Toit

Princethorpe College Year 11 pupil, Orla Fleming, has been selected for the prestigious National Youth Theatre. During a rigorous two-stage audition process, Orla saw off fierce competition from thousands of applicants to be chosen for the 2025 intake.

Established in 1956, the National Youth Theatre (NYT) is a UK-based arts organisation that provides pre-professional training and stage experience for young performers. It is widely regarded as one of the country’s most dynamic and innovative youth music theatre companies, consistently nurturing the next generation of talent and has produced many household names. Notable alumni include Dame Helen Mirren, Daniel Craig, Colin Firth, Catherine Tate, Daniel Day-Lewis and Sir Ben Kingsley to name just a few.

Reflecting on her achievement, Orla said, “I am so excited. I couldn’t believe it when I found out that I had been accepted into the National Youth Theatre and I can’t wait for the opportunity to take my drama to the next level. I would like to thank my drama teachers for all their encouragement and support.”

Princethorpe College’s Joint Heads of Drama, Aileen Cefaliello and Vicky Roberts, are delighted for Orla, commenting, “We are so proud of Orla’s achievement. She worked incredibly hard in preparation for her auditions and truly deserves this remarkable opportunity. Amazingly, her success means we now have three NYT alumni walking the corridors of the College!”

Currently studying for her GCSEs, Orla plans to study Drama and Theatre Studies at A-level and has just been awarded a Sixth Form Drama Scholarship. She hopes to then go on to train at Drama School.

Since joining Princethorpe in Year 7, Orla has been a regular contributor to co-curricular Drama playing lead roles in productions such as A Monster Calls. Outside of school Orla takes her drama seriously and is a member of Playbox’s Shakespeare Young Company and recently performed scenes from the Bard’s plays in the crypt of St Mary’s Warwick.

As a member of the National Youth Theatre Orla will attend a workshop during the summer to cement her place in the company. She will then have the opportunity to take part in classes, productions and performances and will undoubtedly make the most of this opportunity to further develop her talents. 
 

The Foundation has recently introduced a new Year 5 Foundation Early Offer Scheme, which prioritises applications to Princethorpe from Crescent and Crackley Hall School pupils. 

The scheme has been timed to target current Year 5 pupils who are looking to gain entry to Princethorpe in September 2026. Interest has been high and the majority of the year groups at both schools registered by the deadline this week.

Whilst the optional Scheme does not guarantee entry, it does allow for the sharing of academic assessment data between the Foundation’s schools in the summer term, this plus an online assessment, will provide the College with sufficient information for an offer to be made if appropriate before the end of Year 5. 

Pupils with an early offer do not need to sit the Entrance Exams in November, unless they wish to apply for an Academic Scholarship. They can also additionally apply for other Scholarships (Art, Performing Arts – Choral, Drama, Dance, Music, Musical Theatre and Sport) in the normal assessment timetable.

If the Early Offer Scheme is of interest and you have a child in current Year 3 or 4 who is not currently at a Foundation Prep School, please contact the Registrars at Crackley Hall or Crescent School  to discuss availability for September 2025 in Year 4 or 5. They will also be able to advise as to availability in lower years.

Crackley Hall School - Jenny Vaughan - 01926 514410 or email admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk

Crescent School - Becky Witcomb - 01788 533851 or email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk 

Princethorpe College’s Winter Sports Awards were presented during the last week of the Lent Term. It was an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the College’s young sportsmen and sportswomen at all levels and across all sports.

This year, for the first time, awards were presented to the Junior (Years 7 and 8), Intermediate (Years 9 and 10) and Senior (Year 11, Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth) Sports Girl and Sports Boy as well as the Boys’ and Girls’ Team of the Season, providing more opportunities to pay tribute to all those who show such commitment to sport here at Princethorpe.

Foundation Director of Sport, Lee Cassell, Head of Girls' Games, Carly Walton, and Head of Boys’ Games, Joe Jackson, shared shortlists for each award.

Recognising their success across the year, the Girls Sports' Team Of The Season was awarded to the U12 Girls’ Hockey Team while the Boys Sports' Team Of The Season went to the Senior Boys’ Cross Country Team.

The individual awards were presented to:

• Junior Sports Girl – Esme Card
• Junior Sports Boy – Rufus Jones
• Intermediate Sports Girl – Lola Esler
• Intermediate Sports Boy – Angus Griffin
• Senior Sports Girl – Jemima Teeton
• Senior Sports Boy – Ollie Farquharson

Mr Cassell commented, “Congratulations to all the award winners, it has been another very successful winter season for the College with plenty to celebrate across the school. Huge thanks to all the pupils for their commitment and effort and to the coaching staff and parents for their dedication to school sport.”

Huge congratulations to Theo Cowlishaw (best in Year 8), Dami Ajagunna (best in Year 9), Erik Windham and Jasper Nicholls (best in Year 10), Daniel Ovens (best in Year 11), and Sophie Nicolle (best in Sixth Form), who have all achieved Gold Certificates in the first-ever UK Bebras Coding Challenge. Their exceptional performance placed them in the top 10% of participants nationwide - an outstanding accomplishment!

A follow on to the UK Bebras Challenge and successor to the Oxford University Computing Challenge, the UK Bebras Coding Challenge is a new competition that provides the next step for Bebras participants eager to expand their coding abilities. Over the course of 45 minutes, pupils tackle computational thinking problems suited to their age and skill level, honing their programming skills, building confidence and fostering creative problem-solving.

This year, 31 Princethorpe pupils, from Year 8 through to the Sixth Form, opted to take part in the challenge, showcasing their aptitude for coding. Impressively, 16 of them ranked among the top 25% nationally.

Head of Computer Science, Ed Musson, praised their achievements, saying: "Computational thinking is an invaluable skill, empowering pupils to solve problems with logic and creativity. These young people have demonstrated mastery far beyond their years and it’s truly inspiring to see their talents recognised in such a prestigious competition."
 

Back in the Lent Term, Princethorpe’s Lower Sixth physicists had their second opportunity to take part in the British Physics Olympiad Senior Physics Challenge. Competing against over 6,000 pupils from more than 300 schools nationwide, the students sat a tricky one hour long written paper, where none of the marks were easy to get.

Head of Physics, Dan Lee, was delighted with their results, commenting, “Congratulations to all, it is great to see our students succeeding in the toughest school-level Physics competition there is.”

Congratulations to Alex Lawrence who earned the highest scores of the Princethorpe contingent and was awarded a very well-deserved Gold certificate. Zach Hawkins and Sophie Nicolle both achieved Silver, then Heather Allen, Annabel Brimley, Sam Divers, Oliver Dyke, Tom Leret, Arjen Randhawa, Dylan Williams, Joe Woodward, Murray Endenberg, Emmi Parmenter, Theo Sparkes and Daniel Taylor were all all rewarded with Bronze while Jamie Capelett and Ben Heywood received a Commendation.

Well done to everyone who took part.
 

The much-anticipated Geography trip to Iceland took place over the Easter holidays. 31 pupils, predominately in Year 11 and the Sixth Form, headed off for an exciting and educational adventure in the land of fire and ice. 

After an easy journey they were straight into sight-seeing visiting the unearthly lava fields of the ‘Bridge between Continents’ where the North American and Eurasian plates are moving apart. Then it was on to Gunnuhver Hot Springs where pupils collected lava samples from a recent eruption.

Day two started on the Solheimajokull Glacier where pupils saw a meltwater lake, crevasses and icefield, they wore crampons and walked with ice axes! They also visited the amazing Skógafoss Waterfall and the ‘Black Beach’ at Reynisfjara.

An overnight dusting of snow caused much excitement and made the tectonic rift in Thingvellir National Park even more stunning in the sunshine. Gullfoss Falls was mesmerising as was the explosive power behind the geothermal geysers. Pupils also had the chance to meet the well adapted Icelandic horses and even had time for an Icelandic ice cream.

Day four included a visit to an incredible volcanic crater, Hveradalir, a geothermal area, a lava tunnel with spectacular icicles and recent lava deposits with fascinating rippled formations from eruptions in 2021 in the Natthagi Valley. 

On the last day, pupils explored the capital Reykjavik and visited Hallgrímskirkja, the imposing church at the top of Skólavöðustigur visible from almost every angle of the city. It was designed to resemble a mountain of basaltic lava. They also visited the Sky Lagoon geothermal waters to relax before their flights home. 

Iceland 2025 was an amazing trip from start to finish!

Our thanks go to the staff who accompanied the trip: Anne Allen, Michael Spencer, Mike Taylor and Helen Baker. 

46 pupils and staff headed off to Europe at the start of the Easter holidays for a fascinating and informative exploration of two cities that found themselves at the centre of twentieth century history. The five-day trip to Berlin and Krakow provided plenty of educational enrichment for their history studies as well as profoundly moving experiences to reflect on.

During their time in Berlin, pupils visited famous landmarks including the East Side Gallery and the Berlin Wall Memorial, the infamous Haus der Wansee-Konferenz, Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenberg Gate. Seeing the sites in person allowed pupils to put the momentous events that happened there into context. The trip also toured the Reichstag Building, including its rooftop with its imposing city views, and explored the German Spy Museum and the Olympic Stadium.

Then it was on to Krakow where pupils visited Auschwitz and the Jewish Ghetto, both incredibly painful and solemn experiences where pupils came to terms with the horrors that happened there. While in Poland, they also explored the breathtaking Wieliczka Salt Mines with its huge caverns and salt landscapes.

Head of History and Politics, Adelaide Fretwell, said, “We had an unforgettable and educationally eye-opening few days. Huge thanks to a fantastic group of pupils and our dedicated staff team. The whole trip was thought-provoking and brought pupils learning in the classroom to life, memories that pupils will take with them beyond Princethorpe.”

Our thanks go to all the staff who accompanied the trip.

The Easter holidays saw the successful start of this year’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition season with Princethorpe’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Groups undertaking their practice expeditions. Always a key part of the Award, the expeditions provide an unforgettable experience that develops team and leadership skills and builds independence and confidence.

At the start of the Easter break, 29 Gold students trekked through the Lake District, spending three days walking and camping. In teams they walked circular routes that included Borrowdale and Buttermere and finished in Keswick. Along the way they enjoyed the stunning views of the fells.

Nine teams of Year 9 pupils also ventured out for two days of walking and one night of camping in the local Princethorpe countryside. Carrying their tents on their backs they walked to Long Itchington and back.

At the end of the Easter holidays, pupils undertaking their Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award took part in their practice expeditions. 46 Silver pupils travelled to the White Peak, where seven teams completed two days of walking and two nights of camping. They trekked following routes through beautiful Dovedale, the Manifold Way and along the Tissington Trail.

To cap off our mammoth DofE Easter effort, the second group of 69 Bronze Award pupils also completed their practice expeditions. Enjoying their first opportunity to carry all their own food and tents and getting to grips with the challenge of cooking your tea on a trangia!

All the pupils worked hard showing good navigation and camp-craft skills. They were lucky with the weather and we had plenty of happy, tired faces at the end.

All pupils now need to start planning for their qualifying expeditions that take place later in the term.

Many thanks to all the staff that supported the expeditions.

Springtime is the season for wildflowers and here at Princethorpe that always means bluebells. The bright violet-blue native perennials carpet the woodlands around the College site every year from April to May. This year the bluebells have flowered early and have been glorious once again. Almost half the world’s bluebells are found in the UK – they are relatively rare elsewhere. Bluebell colonies take a long time to establish so we are especially proud of the displays in the woods around the College campus and along the Mile and Nut Walks. For all Princethorpians old and new, the bluebells are synonymous with Princethorpe. We popped out to take some photos to share and we hope you enjoy looking through them and seeing this year’s display.

On Tuesday 29 April, some of our Lower Sixth Religious Studies A-level students took part in an inspiring interfaith collaborative project, organised by the United Religions UK Initiative, alongside other schools from Warwickshire and Coventry.

On a gloriously sunny day, our students visited the Houses of Parliament where they witnessed a live debate in the House of Commons Chamber, and saw Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Climate and Energy, addressing critical green issues.

The students then had the amazing opportunity to meet with Lord Khan of Burnley, Faith Minister, and Coventry MP Zarah Sultana in one of the cabinet meeting rooms. Lord Khan began his address to the students with the powerful statement, "This is your Parliament," and went on to emphasise our shared humanity and social responsibility to others. The students engaged in meaningful discussions, asking insightful questions on interfaith issues.

We are very proud of our Lower Sixth RS students for their participation and commitment to this inspiring project and excited for what's to come as we continue to build upon inter faith initiatives here at Princethorpe!

On Tuesday 1 April, Lower Sixth English Language and Literature students attended a student conference at Nottingham University. The day began with an exploration of the language of dystopian fiction, focusing on the ways in which we imagine speculative future worlds in our minds. 

Next, the English and Media Centre’s Dan Clayton looked at ways to take linguistic analysis of journalism, spoken accounts and travel writing to another level.

In the third session, the award-winning novelist Prof Jon McGregor discussed his creative writing process in conversation with Jess Norledge. Jon talked about his use of language, his world-building and characterisation, his inspirations and how he feels about the critical and readers’ perceptions of his work. Jon’s books include If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things, Only the Dogs, This Isn’t the Sort of Thing That Happens to You, Reservoir 13, and Lean Fall Stand. 

After lunch, Prof Louise Mullany examined how impoliteness is used in different contexts, including by sports stars, leaders at work and public figures. She showed how insults and banter can seriously damage interpersonal and professional relationships, so much so that they may break down for good. She then moved on to examine situations where insults and banter are instead perceived as positive, solidarity-building devices, working to strengthen positive relationships and social bonds between different groups.

To end the day, we were treated to an exploration of the language and sounds of lyric by Prof Peter Stockwell. The most read form of literature is the lyric, when you include the words of songs as well as traditional poetic writing. Before mass education in the 20th century, hardly anyone could read; so the vast majority of literature was designed to be heard rather than read silently. Understanding how literature sounds gives you the power to hear and read any poem, song, or poetic performance. 

The conference was a huge success and offered our students the superpower of stylistics.

Helen Pascoe-Williams
Head of English

Designed to challenge and inspire, the UK Chemistry Olympiad is a national chemistry competition run by the Royal Society Of Chemistry. Hosted annually, it is aimed at chemistry students in the Sixth Form and offers a unique opportunity to develop their thinking and problem-solving skills while testing their knowledge of chemistry in situations from the real-world.

The results of this year’s competition have been received and all our Upper Sixth Chemists who took part in the 2025 Chemistry Olympiad have achieved certificates. They faced tough national competition and we congratulate them all on their excellent results.

Well done to Louise Gambling who earned the highest scores and was awarded a Silver certificate. Sammie Borland, Tom Bucknall, Albert Jackson-Bettles, Giorgio Kleinmann, Hamish O'Brien, Ben Smith, Tom Windley, Layla Wolsey and Henry Woodrow all received Bronze certificates while Charlotte Gledhill and Megan Shipton were awarded participation certificates. 
 

Three Princethorpe Upper Sixth Formers are celebrating after being awarded degree apprenticeships. Ruby Clark has landed a place on Grant Thorton’s Public Sector Audit Apprenticeship programme, Kai McNamara has secured a position on JLR’s Supply Chain Degree Apprenticeship scheme and Tim Peyret will be joining Barclays' Risk Analyst Apprenticeship programme. All three are to be applauded after beating off tough competition to earn their place on these coveted programmes.

Comments Jacqui Quinney, Head of Careers, “We are absolutely delighted for them all. Apprenticeships are an excellent career choice for young people, developing invaluable skills and years of relevant on the job experience. A degree apprenticeship may take longer to complete than a traditional degree at university but those who opt for one are paid a salary and incur no tuition fees. It’s a route that is proving increasingly popular.”

Huge congratulations to Ruby, Kai and Tim, we are delighted for them all and are sure they will be successful in their apprenticeship roles.

A number of our other Sixth Formers have apprenticeship applications ongoing and we wish them the very best of luck as they pursue these sought-after opportunities.  
 

Saturday 24 May and Sunday 25 May 2025

The National Schools And Riding Clubs Two Day Event is once again taking place on the magnificent Princethorpe estate.

This year’s event includes classes at 70cm, 80cm, 90cm and 100cm for school and riding club teams. The best performing school will be awarded the Winner's Cup and ISA member school teams will also compete for ISA rosettes.

The two day event takes place across the weekend of 24 to 25 May at Princethorpe College, near Rugby and is organised in conjunction with Stoneleigh Riding Club.

Entry to the event is free and spectators are most welcome to come along and enjoy a wonderful weekend of exciting equestrian sport.

To find out more or to enter the Two Day Event click here.

Tuesday 13 May - 5.00pm to 7.00pm

Prospective pupils and their parents are warmly invited to Crescent School's Open Evening on Tuesday 13 May 2025 - 5.00pm to 7.00pm.

The Open Evening is a great opportunity for prospective families to get a feel for the school and to meet, Mr Thackway, Headmaster.

The school currently has very rare limited availability in Year 4 and Year 5 for September where there are two classes in both year groups, and there are also a few places remaining in Reception for 2025 entry, again due to two classes in this year group following high demand.

Registrations are also now open for places in Reception and Year 3 starting in September 2026. 

To book your place please click here. 

For more information or to talk to our Admissions Team, please contact our Registrar Mrs Becky Witcomb on 01788 523851 or by email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk.

Team Super Sports Camps are back for May Half Term! The camps are held at Princethorpe College from Tuesday 27 May to Friday 29 May, 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!

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

Camps are priced at £38 per day. 10% early bird discount ends on Sunday 11 May! 

Sibling discounts and flexible booking options available!

Click here to book your Team Super Sports camps 

Wednesday 5 June - 6.30pm to 8.30pm

The College's annual Summer Open Evening will take place on Wednesday 4 June from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. This is a perfect opportunity for prospective families looking for a place in September 2026 and beyond to visit the school, for children to take part in departmental activities and for parents to meet and chat to members of staff and pupils.

The Headmaster, Grove du Toit, will also address visitors during the evening. Light refreshments will be available.

Please click here to book your place. 

2025 Entry

Due to significant continued interest we are planning a final Summer Entrance Exams session on Monday 9 June for candidates still looking for a place in Years 7 to 10 for September 2025. The Entrance Exams have been scheduled to take place after our Open Evening on Wednesday 4 June, so candidates can visit the school before they take the exams.

Please click here for more information

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
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.

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.

Thursday 26 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and Sunday 29 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm

A celebration of the College pupils' GCSE and A-level Art, Photography, Textile and Design work will take place in the Sixth Form Centre on Thursday 26 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and on Sunday 29 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm.

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

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

All are welcome. On Thursday evening admission is free, on the Sunday admission will be £5 per car including entry to the College's Summer Fest. Light refreshments will be available.

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

Join us for an unforgettable day building on the success of the PTA's Summer Fête and Motoring Festival!

Mark your calendars for Sunday 29 June, from 11.00am to 7.00pm, and get ready to immerse yourself in a vibrant celebration featuring:

• Live Music
• Performances from local groups
• Stunning Vintage Car Display
• Food, Craft and Beauty stalls selling lots of amazing products
• Exquisite Art Exhibition
• Fun-filled Activities, Games, and Crafts for all ages!

And that's not all! Indulge in a delightful array of food, drink, and artisan products.

Don't miss out on this spectacular event—bring your friends and family for a day of entertainment, creativity, and delicious treats!

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

With thanks to our generous sponsor, Carter and King.

Please click here to view the Challenge Calendar for May. 

This month we celebrate the height of Spring. Please see the green text for challenges where pupils can get involved - entries can be sent into me on Teams for rewards. 

Well done to ⁠Isaac Frith, ⁠Mila Foulerton and ⁠Miriam Lambe, who have been awarded Creative da Vinci's for their entries for the April recycling challenge. 

Among the challenges there is a new activity  from the Imperial War Museum to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day on 8 May and a sign language short course for deaf awareness week. I hope you all find something on this calendar that you can get involved with.

Julia Lindsay
Challenge Curriculum Co-ordinator

Warwickshire Libraries are delighted to announce that the competition to become Young Poet Laureate 2025/26 is now open. The search is on for the county's eleventh Young Poet Laureate, who will succeed Ananditha Venkatramanan in the role for 2025/26.

The competition is open to anyone aged between 13 and 17 who lives and is educated in Warwickshire and who would like to perform their own poetry to an audience. The Young Poet Laureate will take part in events and activities across the county and is offered the mentorship of a professional poet. Past Warwickshire Young Poet Laureates have performed on the radio, on film, at festivals and led their own poetry workshops.

For further information please click here.

Nicola Treadwell
Head Librarian

As we head into the Trinity term, the library is excited to share our Literacy Road, which marks the events we will be celebrating and promoting this term with our excellent range of related reads.

Please click here for details.

Nicola Treadwell
Head Librarian

In the week before May half-term, Monday 19 to Friday 23 May, we will be conducting an internal examination week. For this period pupils will not be in normal lessons but will instead be using the time to revise and to take a series of assessments across their subjects. All year groups will continue to have their Games afternoon during this period.

For Lower Sixth students and Year 10 pupils we will be using the opportunity to begin preparations for public examinations next summer, helping them to become familiar with the formality of examinations and to have a taste of an examination hall environment, alongside any individual exam access arrangements.  

For Years 7 to 9 the experience will be less formal and papers will be shorter in length, with pupils working in classrooms throughout and engaging in practical Art and Technology sessions. Their assessments will provide the chance to revisit content and to demonstrate how much they have learnt this year. 

All pupils should plan to revise in preparation for these assessments and will receive generic advice from the school alongside specific guidance from each subject. After half-term we will publish results and give feedback so that all pupils know how to improve in their future studies. 

A copy of the slides from my assemblies to each year group can be seen here.

Michael Spencer
Deputy Head - Academic 
 

Thank you for joining us at the Year 8 and 9 360 Review Evening.

A recording of the main presentation can be seen here.

If you have any feedback about the event, please use this form.

Michael Spencer

Deputy Head – Academic

Year 11 are now on Study leave and examinations are underway.

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.

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. 

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 are proud of how Year 11 have approached this week and wish them well in all their examinations. 

Michael Spencer 
Deputy Head - Academic 
 
 
 

 

We wanted to take this opportunity to remind you all of the digital resources that we have.

Links and usernames/passwords can all be found in the Library Section of the School Portal. 

Go to My School Portal, then click on School Information Princethorpe, click on Library from the menu at the left hand side and you will see the links.

These are really good for additional reading around topics and a good source of information for additional revision resources especially with the upcoming internal exams.

We also have a link to OLIVER which is our Library Management System and shows all the books we stock in the library as well as links to useful websites.

Many thanks
The Library Team

Invitations have been sent to parents of Year 11 Pupils and Upper Sixth Students for the year groups Thanksgiving Services, both of which will be followed by a buffet supper.

Event and RSVP dates are as follows:

• Year 11 Thanksgiving Service and Buffet Supper - Thursday 19 June at 7.00pm. RSVP date Wednesday 11 June
   
• Upper Sixth Thanksgiving Service and Buffet Supper - Tuesday 25 June at 7.00pm.  RSVP date Monday 16 June

A very warm welcome back!

We hope you had a restful and enjoyable break. As we step into the final term of the academic year, there's a great deal to look forward to, with events, celebrations, and opportunities to support both our school community and wider charitable causes.

Lower Sixth UCAS and Apprenticeships Information Evening

On Tuesday 6 May we welcomed many of our Lower Sixth students and their families to our annual Higher Education and Apprenticeship evening. This was an opportunity for parents and carers to familiarise themselves with the huge choice of destinations available to our school leavers. During the evening Mrs Quinney and I outlined the higher education and apprenticeship landscape and gave valuable insights into the application processes. There was also a talk from Mrs Hester and Mrs Smith giving tips for those interested in applying for very competitive universities, medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses. Finally, Joe Quinney, a third-year degree apprentice with civil engineering consultants, Mott MacDonald, gave a very informative talk about his experiences as an apprentice, what made him choose that route, and how to apply. If you were unable to make the evening you can access the slides below.

UCAS Parents Info Evening Presentation

Princethorpe Apprenticeship Presentation

Competitive Universities Presentation

There were many references within Mrs Quinney's talk to the value of using Unifrog as a search tool for both universities and apprenticeships, as well as the enormous wealth of information and advice contained on the platform. To help parents and carers support the students we have set up a parent login so that you can use Unifrog as if you were a student yourself, allowing you to access the same resources and tools. To make your account, click on this Unifrog link and input the sign-up code COPXparents.

You can also sign up to Unifrog's parent/carer newsletter to get expert advice and guidance on supporting your child with their next steps. For more information go to www.unifrog.org. For any parents who would like more specific advice on their young person's future, Mrs Quinney is always happy to arrange a phone call, Teams or face-to-face meetings to suit. Please get in touch via email at jacquiquinney@Princethorpe.co.uk.

24/7 Challenge For Mary's Meals - Fundraising In Action

A huge shoutout to all those taking part in the annual 24/7 Challenge Walk. The participants are currently fundraising for Mary's Meals, a charity that provides life-changing school meals to children living in some of the world's poorest communities. We are proud of this initiative and encourage everyone to support the effort in any way they can. Every contribution helps! Please click on the link if you would like to donate Mary's Meals Fundraiser 2024-25.

Lower Sixth Charity BBQ - Prizes Needed

Our Lower Sixth charity BBQ is fast approaching and we are on the lookout for prize donations to make the event even more special. If you are able to contribute a prize - large or small - please get in touch. Your support will help raise funds for worthy causes and add excitement to this much-loved event.

We also have several exciting events planned for this term.

24-Mile Charity Walk – 11 May 2025

First Aid Training – 14 June 2025

Grangers Event – 17 June 2025

Sixth Form BBQ – 23 June 2025

Lower Sixth UCAS Trip (Birmingham) – 24 June 2025

Upper Sixth Eucharist – 24 June 2025

Orange Day – 26 June 2025

Summer Fest – 29 June 2025

Leavers’ Ball – 30 June 2025

Ben Collie 
Head of Sixth Form

Each year, the Old Princethorpian Association runs a prize draw exclusively for Upper Sixth Leavers, to encourage them to join Princethorpe Connect, our online alumni community platform, before they leave to embark on their next chapter. 

This year, Archie Campbell's name was drawn from amongst those who had created a profile on Princethorpe Connect between 31 March and 6 May. His prize is a £25 Amazon voucher, and a Magnum Of Fizz for him and his table at the Leavers' Ball, which takes place this year at Warwick House, Southam on Monday 30 June.

Princethorpe Connect gives these new Old Princethorpians access to the vibrant community of former pupils, parents and staff, and is a one-stop-shop for staying connected and finding support throughout their lives. It offers a careers and mentoring service, the termly OP e-newsletter, the calendar of OP events, and is host to our merchandise and gift shop. Upper Sixth Leavers will also be able to view their Leavers’ Ball photos on the platform after the event.

Many Leavers who have signed up already in order to enter this prize draw, have also signed up to our OP Friendly Faces scheme. This is our initiative to match new undergraduates with OPs at their destination universities around the country. The matching process will begin after Results Day and those who have requested a Friendly Face will be contacted directly. Leavers can request a Friendly Face at any time by emailing oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk.

Any of the Upper Sixth who have yet to join Princethorpe Connect can do so at any time by going to connect.princethorpe.co.uk and creating a profile, using the group name 'Upper Sixth Leaver'.

All the Upper Sixth profiles created will be activated after they have officially left and the Leavers' Ball photos are available to view.

Parents of Upper Sixth leavers, for whom this is their last year in the Foundation, are also considered Old Princethorpians, and are warmly invited to join Princethorpe Connect under the group name, 'Former Parent'. They can do so via the same link, as above.

Parents might also like to take a look at the Princethorpe Connect Online Shop and purchase some of our souvenir items which include the OP Tie, Tower Pin, Scarf, Foundation Pen and the Heritage Buildings Trio Fine Art Print. Items will also be available to purchase at the Upper Sixth Thanksgiving Eucharist and Buffet on Tuesday 24 June.

connect.princethorpe.co.uk/shop

Wishing all our Upper Sixth leavers well as they complete their time at Princethorpe College and begin their journey as an Old Princethorpian: Good luck to you all in your exams and do please keep in touch; we always love to hear how you are doing!

Our PE and Games Department have created a helpful guide for pupils and parents for the Trinity Term 2025 which includes further information about: 

• Team coaches and how you may contact them
• Instructions on how to access the Sports homepage and team sheets
• Information about fixtures, including selection and cancellations
• Sports kit expectations
• Postcodes for away fixtures 

Please click the link here to view the guide. 

If you have any questions, please direct them to your son/daughter's team coach or email leecassell@princethorpe.co.uk.

Lee Cassell 
Foundation Director of Sport 

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

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

Neil McCollin
Assistant Head - Co-Curricular and Operations

Our first spring workshop saw a fabulous turnout of 50 people who started the night off with a glass of pink fizz and a deli snack boat before Vicky, our lovely demonstrator, took us through how to create a large basket arrangement.  Take a look at the wonderful creations in the photo gallery and see how proud everyone was as well as the fun and laughter that was had during the evening.

We have had a very busy seven months of events, raising money to support the school, teachers, and pupils with numerous requests, so thank you for coming along and making the evening the the success it was! 

Ever wondered how the PTA fundraising money is spent? 

We are delighted to share what we have supported various departments in school with since September:

• 2 tables and 10 chairs for the Sixth Form Centre - £1,015
• New library books - £424
• Set of 3 wool blankets for art press - £300
• 21 pairs of climbing shoes for the Climbing Wall - £947
• Tuning of 8 steel pans for the music department - £1,125
• 47 girls football shirts plus 4 goalkeeper shirts - £562
• 42 tables and 176 chairs for the Refectory - £13,365

Total support to school academic year-to-date = £17,738.

At the end of the year the PTA will continue as in previous years to contribute £2,000 towards the End-of-Year whole school Activity Day, plus donations towards the Year 11 Celebration Ball and Upper Sixth Leavers Ball totalling £1,221 this academic year.

If any pupils, staff or parents have any suggestions for where PTA fundraising should support, please email ptassociation@princethorpe.co.uk.

We are delighted at the number of people who volunteer to help us out on events. If you and fellow parents have any spare time we always welcome the help and support. 

If you can help with the following events please complete the form linked here.  Any help offered will be gratefully received. 

• Open Evening – Wednesday 4 June
• Induction Day – Wednesday 25 June 3.00-5.00pm
• Princethorpe College Summer Musical Theatre Production – Thursday 12 June, Friday 13 June, Saturday 14 June
• Summer Fest - Sunday 29 June 11.00am-7.00pm (time slots will be allocated so you can enjoy the festival).

We are looking for helpers to support with the following stalls at Summer Fest:

• Pre-loved uniform
• Raffle
• Bar
• Summer tea
• Festival goodies
• Tombola
• Popcorn and Candy Floss

Please get in touch with our PTA secretary, Melanie Flegg via ptassociation@princethorpe.co.uk or alternatively message us via Instagram or Facebook and share any ideas of events you would like to see us putting on and getting involved with. 

Yes it’s true, if you sign up to Princethorpe College Easyfundraising, when you shop online the retailer will give us a percentage of your spend at no extra cost to you. It is a reward and thank you for shopping with the retailer and free money in the PTA pot to spend on the much needed extras in the school.

We DO keep reminding you about Easyfundraising, however we have raised £715 so far this school year with 79 supporters including parents, family and friends. Just think of what this amount could be with a fraction more of you signed up!

It is incredibly easy! If you are not already registered, please visit the link here or search for Easyfundraising and find Princethorpe PTA. Once registered you can set automatic tracking or go through the Easyfundraising App to purchase and the PTA will receive a percentage of what you spend!

We are hoping 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.

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

We have now completed our detailed review of the bus services.  

In response to overwhelming parental support for late routes, I am delighted to announce that we will be adding three express late buses from September 2025. These will operate Monday to Thursday throughout the school year and leave at 5.45pm to coincide with the end of co-curricular activities or Prep. We hope this improvement to our transport provision will be well received and popular, however we will carefully monitor the uptake of the services and may need to alter or withdraw them should the indicated support not materialise.

Our aim is to operate an overall bus service that provides options to as many of our families as possible and as part of a wider review we have done our best to optimise the offering for next year. You will be aware that due to the challenges facing the sector as a whole, we have had to analyse every area of our operations for efficiencies so we can continue to provide the quality of education our pupils deserve. As part of the review, we identified that the utilisation of two of our bus services had dropped to such low levels that they were no longer sustainable. We have therefore been working closely with Vectare to amalgamate these stops into other routes and have tried to minimise the impact of these route adjustments. The overall level of coverage is very similar, however some stops may now be served by different bus routes and/or have slightly different timings. The new timetable can be viewed here and the Vectare booking platform for next academic year will be launched very soon. 

Please read the timetables carefully to ensure that you understand the adjusted timetable and are fully aware of your options for September 2025. For reference, the PC1a will be renamed PC3 and the PC12 will be renamed PC10. 

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this review. We hope that this expanded service will support families with their transport needs and reduce the number of cars travelling to and from the College.

Rob Heath
Foundation Director of Facilities

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

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

Over the Easter holidays pupils will have received an email on their College Outlook account detailing all the textbooks that they currently have on loan from the Library. These books will need returning after their last exam (pupils can drop the relevant book off after each exam to make it easier if they wish).  

All textbooks need to be handed back to the library by 30 June 2025 at the very latest.  Pupils must not hand any of the books listed on the email to their teachers but must be returned to the library.

In addition, all Year 11 and Upper Sixth pupils must return their locker keys to The Pupil Hub before 23 June 2025. Pupils will be reminded on Teams and on Pupil Briefing. 

Any textbooks that are still outstanding after this date will be added to the final bill and there will be a £5 charge for any keys lost or not returned.

It may be that pupils have other books that have been given to them directly by their teachers that are not listed on the email, these will need to be handed back the relevant subject teacher.

We are expecting back around 800 books, so assistance with this is much appreciated.

Thank you.

Nicola Treadwell
Head Librarian

We are delighted to welcome Mrs Eleanor Farr to the Pupil Hub, working alongside Mrs Barnes as an Attendance and Pupil Support Officer.  

Eleanor has several years’ experience of working in similar roles, most recently at Bilton School, so brings with her a wealth of experience.  

Outside of school, Eleanor enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her family.

Please click here to view a copy of the current catering menus. 

If you have any questions regarding the selection of food we have on offer here at Princethorpe College, especially if related to any allergies or specific food requirements, please feel free to email andrewwilliams@princethorpe.co.uk as we aim to cater for all needs.

Andrew Williams
Catering Manager

Cyber-crime – please be extra vigilant.

Parents are asked to be vigilant when reading emails relating to the payment of school fees and any other items to the Foundation. You can protect yourselves by only making payments to us in line with our normal, published methods. Any email offering a large discount on fees for the coming academic year if paid immediately is fraudulent.

There has been no change to the bank details of Princethorpe College, Crackley Hall or Crescent Schools and there is no intention to make any changes in the foreseeable future. Any electronic notification that appears to be from any of the Foundation schools changing these details may be fraudulent. Our bank details are available on the Parent Bills, the Online Payment Portal and in the Information Booklet for each school, and only those details should be used.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my colleagues in the Finance team if you are have any doubts about the correct details or indeed if anything appears suspicious.

Claire Alcock
Foundation Director of Finance

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.

Please see below our current vacancies:

Princethorpe College

• Foundation Office PA
• Foundation Data Assistant

Crescent School

• After School Manager

Crackley Hall School

• Estates 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.