The Flagpole

Tuesday 2 April 2019 – Clarkson Theatre

We are delighted to welcome parents and friends to this informal evening where you will have the opportunity to see our more advanced LAMDA students perform some of their examination pieces. Please note that the material is age appropriate and may not be suitable for very young audience members.

Tickets are not required for this event. Refreshments will be served after the performance when our LAMDA teachers look forward to meeting you.

Individual performers will be contacted directly through their LAMDA teacher. 

Kathy Buckingham-Underhill
LAMDA Co-ordinator

Wednesday 3 April 2019 - 7.30pm

Our March book was Wild Places by Robert MacFarlane and nobody could avoid being impressed by the huge rage of knowledge and erudition which MacFarlane brings to his writing.  The book is a celebration not just of places but of people – one to savour and dip into perhaps rather than one to race through – but a very sensitive and spirited celebration of the natural world and our dependence on it for our own personal well-being. 

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 3 April in the library at 7.30pm.  We will be discussing Home Going by Yaa Gyasi, a book which comes recommended by a couple of members and one which is short enough to complete in a couple of weeks.  We always welcome new faces so do join us whether or not you have read this particular book, whether it be to share your own reading interests or to take away a few recommendations for future reads.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English

Friday 5 April 2019 - 7.00pm

Our annual Spring Concert is fast approaching!

Following the success of last year's homecoming event we will be holding our fantastic Spring Concert at Princethorpe again, and it will be taking place in the Sports Hall at 7pm on Friday 5 April.  This is your opportunity to hear all the best items from the Music department across one exciting evening of entertainment.  Orchestra, Choir, Jazz Band, and our amazing Vocalize a capella group, alongside small ensembles and solos will provide an unforgettable evening of musical entertainment, with food and wine to finish.  Come and join us to close the Lent term in style.

Tickets are available free of charge, and you can book your place by filling in your details here.

Gil Cowlishaw
Head of Music

Saturday 6 April 2019 - 2.00pm to 4.30pm

Following on from the success of our Former Parents’ Brunches the Old Princethorpians are hosting a Former Parents' Afternoon Tea. The event will take place on Saturday 6 April 2019 from 2.00pm - 4.30pm in the College's Sixth Form Centre. In addition to catching up over a leisurely complimentary afternoon tea visitors will be able to take an optional tour of the school campus and help our archivist, Janette Ratcliffe, puts some names to faces on some of the class photos.

Many former parents will have spent a considerable amount of time at Princethorpe over the years, supporting their children in different ways and may miss the involvement in school life. The Old Princethorpians' Association hope that the fromer parents events offer opportunities for them to reconnect with the College and each other in an informal, friendly environment.

If you would like to attend please RSVP with the name of your child/children, the number in your party and any special dietary requirements to oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk or call Melanie Butler on 01926 634284 by Friday 29 March.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Please help spread the word amongst former parents!!

Tuesday 9 April - 6.30pm to 7.30pm

Year 11 parents are invited to attend a Q and A Session on Tuesday 9 April in the Sixth Form Centre.

The session, which is timed after the Sixth Form offers are made, is designed to give Year 11 parents the opportunity to ask questions about the next few months and provide practical advice and information as their sons and daughters gear up for GCSEs and Sixth Form.

Ben Collie, Head of Sixth Form, will host the evening along with a panel of experts, including Examinations Officer, Shellagh Dodds, Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning, Liz Pyne and Registrar, Vanessa Rooney.

Topics covered will include key dates, countdown to exams, exam dos and donts, coping with exam stress, revision tips, what to expect on Results Day and induction to Sixth Form including driving to school and dress code.

Parents will be able to ask questions in the wider forum or individually afterwards. Light refreshments will be served.

Please complete this link to let us know you would like to attend.

Wednesday 10 April 2019

Parents of pupils elected to serve on the Prefect Body, for the term of office which commences at the start of the Trinity term 2019, will receive an invitation from the Headmaster inviting them to attend the Prefect Inauguration Ceremony.

The ceremony takes place on Wednesday 10 April at 1.45pm, in the Sports Hall, as part of our final assembly of the term and is preceded by a buffet lunch at 12.45pm in the Sixth Form Centre Lecture Theatre.

Replies will be due in by Friday 5 April.

Fr Teddy O'Brien MSC and the parishioners of St Anne's, Wappenbury invite you to celebrate the Easter week services with them as detailed below:

Thursday 18 April   7.00pm      Mass of the Last Supper
                                             Princethorpe College Chapel

Friday 19 April       3.00pm      Good Friday Service           
                                             Princethorpe College Chapel

Saturday 20 April   9.00pm      Easter Vigil Mass               
                                             St Anne's, Wappenbury

Sunday 21 April     8.30am      Easter Sunday Mass           
                                             St Anne's, Wappenbury
                          10.15am      Easter Sunday Mass           
                                             Princethorpe College Chapel

For further information about the parish of St Anne's please click here

Saturday 27 April 2019

Do you or your child have dyslexia (or another specific learning difficulty, such as dysgraphia)?

The British Dyslexia Association have a free parent pop-up event in Coventry on the 27 April 2019.  

This event is aimed at parents and carers of young people with dyslexia and those who have a general interest in finding out more about this learning difference.

The ticket will enable you to attend the half day workshop with the following sessions:

• What is dyslexia? Supporting your child’s needs; BDA CEO, Helen Boden
• Empowering Potential; Microsoft: Arran Smith
• Navigating the SEN maze: entitlement, provision and appeals; SEN Legal: Hayley Mason
• How does my Child's Dyslexia Affect Me? John Hicks

Tickets are free and can be applied for here.   

Lorna Prestage
Learning Support

Saturday 27 April 2019, 9.00am - 4.30pm

The new prefect body is reminded that the Prefect Training Day will take place on Saturday 27 April 2019.  We are delighted to have an external trainer with us for the day, Victor Allen.  Victor will be working with our prefects to develop their skills in line with their new areas of responsibility as well as helping them to develop employability and life skills.

The session will help the students to develop a greater understanding of:

• The role of a prefect and a leader and be able to recognise how to lead and manage others as well as oneself.
• Setting a personal vision and understanding one’s own values.
• The difference between management and leadership.
• Styles of leadership.
• What makes an emotional intelligent leader.
• Working effectively within a team.
• Taking on roles of responsibility effectively, delegation and time management.  
• Managing a difficult situation - areas to consider.
• Listening skills.
• Negotiation, communication and mediation skills with a range of people.

You will also discuss projects for the year ahead, learn how to chair a meeting and, hopefully, have lots of fun!

I look forward to seeing you all there.  Remember that the dress code is informal and comfortable and also that we will be meeting up again in the evening at 7.00pm, Castle Balti, 11-13 St Johns, Warwick CV34 4NE. Parents should collect from there at 9.00pm.

Ben Collie
Head of Sixth Form

Tuesday 7 May 2019 - 7.00pm

There will be a recital from some of the most talented pupils taking music lessons at Princethorpe College in the Clarkson theatre on Tuesday 7 May at 7.00pm.

It will be a friendly and informal evening, and a great chance to experience some of the vast talent shown by our pupils.  There will be a combination of solo and small group performances on the evening, and an opportunity after the event to meet up with your child’s peripatetic teacher for a chat if you would like.

Everyone is welcome to attend, and there will be light refreshments after the event.  No tickets are required but due to limitations on seating, could I please ask that you reserve your seats by clicking here.

Gil Cowlishaw
Head of Music

Wednesday 8 May - 6.30pm to 8.00pm

Were you a Dramatic Delight or a Sporting Superstar? Put your memory to the test at our photograph naming evening.

Here at Princethorpe, we have a fantastic online archive catalogue (click here to view) showing what records we hold. To avoid having thousands of photographs titled ‘Photograph showing football team’ or ‘Photograph of actors on stage’, we will be holding a photograph naming session on Wednesday 8 May from 6.30pm to 8.00pm and we really need your help!

Photographs focusing on the themes of ‘music and drama’ and ‘sport’ from the 1980s and 1990s will be displayed in the Sixth Form Centre for you to name and we would love to see as many former staff, parents and pupils as possible.  To help energise those brain cells, plenty of refreshments will be available. 

If you would like to attend the evening or if you would like any further information please contact me at janetteratcliffe@princethorpe.co.uk. 

Janette Ratcliffe
Archivist 

Saturday 11 May 2019 9.30am to 12.00pm

If your younger son or daughter would love to give hockey a try, why not get them to come along to the Princethorpe College 'Year 4 and 5 Say Hello To Hockey' taster session!

A morning of free hockey training on our astroturf, they'll learn new skills, make friends and have fun.  Aimed at girls and boys, the morning 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 our online booking and consent form here.

Monday 24 June 2019

All Year 11 pupils are invited to the Princethorpe College Year 11 Prom at Coombe Abbey. Tickets are on sale now and we hope all our pupils will come to celebrate the end of GCSE courses and exams before pupils make their transition to the Sixth Form.

The event will be supervised by Princethorpe staff and alcohol is strictly forbidden. The event will be for Princethorpe pupils only, guests from other schools are not allowed.

The event will be held on the evening of Monday 24 June 2019 from 7.00pm until 12 midnight and the venue will be the stunning Coombe Abbey. This is a special occasion and the dress code will reflect that. Gentlemen are expected to wear suits or tuxedos and for ladies formal evening wear is required – dress to impress is certainly the order of the day!

The cost of the event is £60 per person, which includes soft drinks, the hire of the venue, a three course meal, and a disco. A photographer will be on hand to record the evening for posterity and photographs will be available to order at a later date.

Please encourage your son or daughter to attend, we feel this will be a memorable evening for all involved and it will offer pupils an opportunity to celebrate the end of exams with all of their peers.

If your son or daughter would like to attend, we require a permission slip to be completed - click here to download slip. This slip should be returned to Ms Satchwell at the Student Support Hub by Monday 29 April.

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

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral