The Flagpole

The College's Development Office has been thrilled by the response to its new Capital Campaign - A Vision for Science, which was recently launched via the Headmaster's Vision for the Future evening and a brochure mailing to the wider Foundation community.

The new Science Centre will provide state-of-the-art science facilities for Princethorpe pupils, and will in turn inspire future generations of scientists amidst this fabulous learning environment.

The Development Office is excited that the Vision for Science Campaign is now underway, and has already received many expressions of interest in the range of fundraising ideas presented. Interest is particularly strong for commemorative stones, chemical elements and naming opportunities. The Menu of Giving for Science, is designed to offer every Princethorpian a chance to become involved in the fundraising programme; there really is something for everyone.

To find out more about ways in which you can support the Vision for Science Campaign, and watch the interactive fly-through of the building, click here. 

The College is looking to add to the fundraising arm of our Development Team in the near future and if this opportunity is of interest please do contact the Headmaster's PA, carmelhopkins@princethorpe.co.uk, in the first instance.

The Development Team will be hosting a Vision for Science Dinner on Friday 27 September and further details will be announced next term. In the meantime if you would like to register your interest in the evening, or would like further information on any of our fundraising ideas, please contact the Development Team at makingadfifference@princethorpe.co.uk

We’re delighted to announce that our new look website for Princethorpe College has been officially launched!

Developed in conjunction with website company e4education, the site has a lighter, brighter look and feel and includes features such as a News and Stories wall with social media feeds, an interactive direction map and a live subscribable calendar.

Current parents, pupils and staff can easily access school systems via the Portals tab in the top right hand corner of the school site.

The Admissions pages give prospective parents all the information they need at their fingertips, including forthcoming open event dates and deadlines for applications.

We hope that visitors will enjoy browsing the new site and finding out more about the rich and varied life of the College.

To visit the new website go to www.princethorpe.co.uk

To go straight to the parents portals page use the link www.princethorpe.co.uk/parents-area

Princethorpe’s University and Apprenticeship Fair took place on Thursday 28 March.  Aimed at Year 11 to Sixth Form, it was a new addition to the College calendar and proved to be popular with parents and pupils alike.

On offer was a series of informative talks that addressed subjects such as ‘Why choose University’ and ‘Applying to competitive courses’ as well as advice on ‘Researching University and Apprenticeship Courses’ and the increasingly popular subject of ‘Degree Apprenticeships’.  Led by guest speakers from the Universities of Leeds, Southampton and Warwick and the Head of Careers, Jacqui Quinney, the talks offered useful guidance to pupils approaching higher education and working life.

In addition to the talks, the Sixth Form Centre hosted an exhibition of universities and employers.  Universities, from as far afield as Plymouth and Sheffield to the more local Birmingham and  Coventry, were on hand to answer questions and share information.  Then there were employers from a range of professions such as Accountancy, Engineering, Law, Medicine and Veterinary and representatives from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

The Sixth Form Lecture Theatre was dedicated to organisations offering apprenticeships such as Rolls Royce, with representatives on hand to talk to interested pupils and parents about their programmes.  The Lecture Theatre also had an extra attraction, the Premier League Trophy, kindly brought along by Mondelez International, which certainly encouraged visitors to their stand.

Head of Careers Jacqui Quinney commented, “The University and Apprenticeships Fair was all about getting pupils on the right track.  We wanted to help them explore different pathways and provide information on the choices they have.  It was certainly popular as we welcomed over 400 attendees on the night.”

Feedback has already been very positive with parents and pupils commenting on how useful and informative the event was and exhibitors on how impressed they were with Princethorpe’s pupils.

We are most grateful to all the Old Princethorpians, parents and contributors who supported the Fair and to the Careers Team for their organisation of the event.

We congratulate Kenny Owen, Head of Austin House, who has been appointed to the role of Deputy Headteacher at Arnold Lodge School in Leamington from September 2019.

Headmaster Ed Hester comments, “Kenny joined Princethorpe in 2008 and has been a key member of both our pastoral team and the Economics and Business Department.  We congratulate him and wish him all the very best with his new role.”

Each year Hollywood celebrates their prestigious Academy Awards, but here at Princethorpe College we have our own ‘night of nights’, the Princethorpe Oscars, when the Sixth Form Atrium is transformed, and the red carpet is rolled out, to celebrate our very own shining stars.

This year 16 films, produced by pupils and staff, were up for consideration with the best of the best being awarded much-prized mini Oscars.  Up for grabs were categories including Best Cliffhanger, Best Special Effects, Best Educational Film and Best Musical, as well as a new exciting category Best Health and Safety Film and of course, the most prestigious accolade of all, Best Movie.

Host and compere for the ceremony, Assistant Head – Co-curricular, Mr Greg Hunter, welcomed guests to a special VIP drinks reception before the evening’s showing commenced and the audience sat back and the movies flickered onto the big screen.  Judges for the night included Chuck Norris (Mr Compton), Meryl Streep (Dr Pyne) and Mr and Mrs Harrison Ford (Mr and Mrs Hester).

At the end of the premiere and before handing out the awards Headmaster, Ed Hester, commented, “What a wonderful evening, such a celebration of talent and creativity and such a wide range of entries.  Our thanks go to all of the contributors and to Greg Hunter for organising this tremendous event.”

The awards went to:

Best Feel Good Movie: Chloe O’Carroll Bailey and Abbie O’Carroll Bailey (for Making Brownies)

Best Musical: BAR (for Wheels on the Bus)

Best Cliffhanger: FSR (for Finding Remo)

Best Fantasy Film: Sammy Carter, Georgia Davis, Katie Duigan, Lettie Gladwin, Alys Hemmings, Joe Hurworth, Jess Johnson, Henry King, Maya Spence and Matthew Walker (for Sixth Form Vlog)

Best Soundtrack: The Cowlishaw Clan (for It’s Coming Home)

Best Editing and Technical Skills: Kitty Bonsor (for Snow White)

Best Stunts: Darcy Reeve (for School Box)

Best Production: Georgia Newborough and Mrs Newborough (for The Newborough’s Make Up Tutorial)

Best Short Film: Olivia Rawle (for Dark Secrets of Benet House)

Best Documentary Teaser: Mr Parsons (for Living with Erb’s Palsy)

Best International Film: MKD (for Chinese New Year)

Best Educational Film: Alys Hemmings, Ron Jacob Jaimon, Sophie Mitchell, Luke O’Kelly, Caitlin Parris, Maya Spence, Ryan Warwick, George Williamson, Fenton Woolf, Alex Wright and Mrs McBride (for A-level Maths: A lesson from L6A/Ma1a)

Best Health and Safety Film: Mr Scopes (for At Home with The King)

Best Special Effects: Harry Fitzpatick and Louis Harper (for Lights Out)

Best Animation: Daisy Burke, Charlotte Fitzpatrick, Louise Gambling, Alice Minshull, Jemima Teeton and George Wild (for The Secret Life of Teachers)

Best Ensemble: Roualeyn Alford, Amy Hogg, James MacLean and many other Fisher staff and pupils (for Carpool Karaoke #FisherStyle)

The main award of the night Best Movie proved to be a difficult decision for the judges.  In the end the stunning scenery in the drone footage, the enthusiasm and talent of the participants and the quality of the performance helped Mrs McCullough and her Fisher team claim the prize for the second year running.

It was another fabulous evening; thank you to all of the pupils and staff involved and watch out for next year when our film awards night returns - The Oscars - The Heptalogy.

Superleague, Wasps Netballer, Samantha May visited Princethorpe College on Tuesday 19 March, to coach the Sixth Form and Year 11 girls who will be touring South Africa in the summer.

Australian Samantha, who plays in Goal Defence/Wing Defence, began the session with a warm up that encouraged the girls to be quick on their feet before moving on to a series of netball drills.  The girls practised passing fluidly and accurately, placing the ball in a space and stealing the ball.  She encouraged them to get physical, stay engaged and look for quick clear shots.

They worked on 1-on-1 gameplay, focusing on driving forwards for the ball or cutting back, making sure all movements had an angle to them.  Then 2-on-2 play that centred on the first and second lead balls improving their ability to read each other on court.  Before finally playing a competitive 5-on-5 game where the girls worked as a team, reading each other in order to move the ball effectively down the court.

PE teacher, Hannah Carminati, said, “We are very grateful to Samantha for coming to visit us, the girls have really enjoyed the training session and will have gained valuable experience from their time with a professional player.  It has been a super opportunity for the South Africa squad to work together as they start their preparations for the 2019 South Africa summer tour.”

The Independent Schools Association’s U13 and U14 Rugby Sevens took place on Thursday 14 March at St James Senior Boys’ School in Ashford, Middlesex. 

In the U13 competition, Princethorpe faced teams from Boundary Oak School, St James Senior Boys’ School, Abbey Gate College, The Cedars School, Pitsford School, Radnor School and Claires Court School.  Split into two pools Princethorpe’s boys powered through their first-round games with three convincing wins: 20-15 versus Pitsford School, 30-10 versus Claires Court and 35-5 against Radnor House.  The team’s discipline and power in defence blending well with skill and intelligence in attack.

As pool winners, they qualified for the Cup final where they faced Boundary Oak School.  Despite another strong performance, the boys narrowly missed out, finishing second overall and taking the silver medal.  The result was a reflection of the hard work and commitment the boys have put into training this year.  

Head of Rugby, Peter Bucknall, commented, “The whole team is to be commended, they played fantastically.  Well done in particular to Year 7 pupils, Vincent McNevin and Joel Nicoll, who stepped up to play in the U13 team and contributed well.”

Six teams took part in the U14 competition including Claires Court School, The Cedars School, Salesian College, Pitsford School and St James Senior Boys’ School.  In the first round, the teams played a round robin.  Princethorpe’s U14 boys started well securing two good wins: 19-12 versus Salesian College and 26-22 versus Pitsford School, but a couple of injuries saw their fortunes change and they lost their remaining three matches and, with the points difference going against them, their competition ended there. 

Peter Bucknall, continued, “Well done to both teams who represented Princethorpe in such a fantastic way.  Effort, attitude and teamwork were in abundance and we saw some good match play.  Congratulations to the U13s who finished second in their competition, but all of the boys performed well which is great news for both 15-a-side and 7-a-side rugby at Princethorpe.”

On Sunday 24 March Princethorpe opened its doors wide and welcomed hundreds of prospective parents and pupils to its Spring Open Afternoon.

In the spring sunshine the school was at its sparkling best, a well organised hive of activity; departments had prepared informative displays, staff and current pupils were on hand to take questions and talk with parents and of course there were plenty of fun subject-related activities for younger (and older) visitors to enjoy. Rewards were on offer for all those who ‘had a go’ with stickers to collect and a choice of snazzy prizes for the children on their way home.

Outside many chose to watch the sporting displays, try their hand at archery and visit Switzerland, our ‘outdoor classroom’. In the Limes the climbing wall was as always a popular draw and the classrooms were abuzz with parents and children exploring IT, Maths, English and MFL.

Music echoed around the Roundhouse and mini drama sketches attracted audiences to the Clarkson theatre. Throughout the length and breadth of the school, visitors were invited to ‘have a go’ at maths challenges, control robots, taste test scones, watch explosive experiments or explore motherboards.

Ed Hester, Headmaster, welcomed parents and children with inspiring addresses in the Chapel, talking about the school, its plans and the ‘Spirit of Family’ ethos that allows Princethorpe to help every child to succeed.

Some 172 families, many completely new to the school, enjoyed the chance to soak up the special Princethorpe atmosphere and to get a flavour of day-to-day life.

A huge thank you to all the staff, pupils, prefects and parents who helped on the day and those involved in the preparations. The school looked amazing and the feedback from our visitors as they left was very positive.

On Tuesday 19 March, 35 Lower Sixth Business Studies and Product Design pupils visited Jaguar Land Rover’s Education Centre in Solihull.  The behind the scenes educational visit offered the students the chance to put their theoretical studies into practice.

They began their day with a classroom team building production line challenge.  The just-in-time exercise required them to construct trolleys out of different parts.  They had to work out the most efficient process to build the most trolleys within a set time. 

“It was a lot harder than you would think,” said Lower Sixth students Alexis Draper and Ellie Dowell, “but relevant to our studies on lean production processes.”

The group then moved into the factory for a tour of JLR’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, before finishing the day with an exciting drive round the Jaguar Land Rover ‘Jungle’ and ‘Land’ Experience tracks.

Head of Economics and Business Studies Teacher, Lil Gane, added, “Visiting JLR was a valuable educational experience.  It will have helped our Sixth Form students take their theoretical learning and start to apply it in a business situation.  Feedback from the students has been very positive; they were clearly impressed by the technology and facilities at the Solihull site.”