The Flagpole

Saturday 8 June 2019

Both Princethorpe College and Crackley Hall School will be out in force at the Kenilworth Show on Saturday 8 June 2019.

A great day out for all the family, there is so much to see and do! Featuring Paul Hannam Quad Bike Stunt Display, The Sheep Show, Grand Parade of Livestock plus the Countryside Arena and displays of farm machinery to name just a few of the exciting activities that visitors can enjoy.

There will also be over 100 trade stands from arts and crafts, jewellery, homewares, through to artisan breads and pies in the indoor trade marquee (where you can also find us!), with clothing stalls, garden furniture, plants and local club stands outside.

Visitors to the show can come and find out about our upcoming open events, admissions for September 2020 and beyond, and we would love to say hello to any former St Joseph School pupils and Old Princethorpians!

Tickets are just £15 at the gate (£12.50 in advance), and under 16s go free! For more information about the event and to buy tickets, please visit: www.kenilworthshow.co.uk

We hope to see you there.

Saturday 8 June - 3.30pm to 7.00pm

The College is looking forward to welcoming back the Sudden Impulse Theatre Company in June for an outdoor performance of William Shakespeare's play, The Taming of the Shrew.

A father has no problem finding a suitor for his youngest daughter, Bianca, in fact there are three of them fighting for her affections. First he must find a husband for his eldest daughter Katherina, a fierce, wild shrew who strikes fear and terror into most men. The three love rivals join forces to find a man who can tackle Katherina and clear the path to their love. Along comes Petruchio who is looking for a wealthy wife, and claims to be able to tame any woman. Of course it is not that easy in this hilarious Shakespeare comedy.

The performance is open to the public and will take place on the Sixth Form Lawn from 3.30pm to 7.00pm

So bring a picnic and, if last year’s performances are anything to go by, enjoy some perfect summer entertainment.

Tickets are available now from the link here, or at the door on the day and are priced at £12 or £10 for concessions.

Tuesday 11 June 2019 - 6.00pm

The Drama Department invite you to The Idiot's Guide to Haunting at 6.00pm-7.30pm in the Clarkson theatre on Tuesday 11 June. 

This a short Key Stage 3 performance adapted and directed by our Performance Arts Leaders Fern Boston and Jennifer Brown.

There are no tickets required for this event but if you could please advise of your attendance here so we can cater for refreshments we would be most grateful.

Aileen Cefaliello and Vicky Roberts
Joint Heads of Drama

Wednesday 12 June 2019 - 7.30pm

Our book for May was A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult.  This is a surprisingly topical book in view of what is happening in America at present and deals with the issue of abortion from many different angles.  There were rather mixed reviews from Princethorpe readers and some found limitations in the quality of the writing, but it certainly generated some interesting discussion. All agreed the book offers an unbiased and balanced exploration of a highly emotive topic within the confines of a gripping narrative with some surprising twists and turns. 

As ever, we have something very different for next time – a crime novel.  We are reading City of Sinners by A A Dhand which has been well reviewed and comes recommended by those who have tried it.  We’ll be meeting at 7.30pm in the library on Wednesday 12 June.  We hope this book might have broad appeal so please join us if you have an interest in crime fiction. We are a welcoming group and are always keen to hear of other readers’ interests and enthusiasms.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English

Thursday 20 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and Sunday 23 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm

A celebration of our pupils GCSE and A-level Art, Photography and Design work will take place in the College's Sixth Form Centre on Thursday 20 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and on Sunday 23 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."

Added Head of Design and Technology, Paul Scopes, "We look forward to welcoming all the exam pupils and their families from across Design, Art and Photography to enjoy the fruit of their labours."

All are welcome. On Thursday evening admission is free, on the Sunday admission will be £2 per car including entry to the College's Summer Fete and Motoring Festival. Light refreshments will be served.

Friday 21 June 2019

(11.15am in the Chapel\12.30pm buffet lunch on the Sixth Form Centre lawn)

There are still a small number of replies outstanding for this event and to enable us to finalise seating and catering arrangements, should you wish to attend and are yet to reply, please can you rsvp no later than Tuesday 11 June.

Please click here to RSVP  

The car parking for this event will be in the Orchard. 

Staff will be on hand to direct traffic on the day and access to the Chapel will be via the external door; please kindly walk across the North car park to the Sixth Form Centre and continue through the glass link.

Pupils must arrive in school at the normal time on this day ie 8.40am and will be free to leave school, after the buffet lunch, from 2.00pm.

Carmel Hopkins
PA to the Headmaster

Sunday 23 June 2019 from 2.00pm to 4.30pm

The Princethorpe College PTA Summer Fête and Annual Motoring Festival is fast approaching – we look forward to seeing you all on Sunday 23 June, from 2.00pm – 4.30pm.

As we’ve mentioned in the the previous Flagpole, there’s something for everyone with loads of stalls, fun and games including Zorbs, live music, BBQ food and refreshments etc.  We have over 30 stalls selling local wares, our usual raffle, tombola, book stall and bar!  We also have our very popular ‘Pre-loved Uniform Stall’.  Entry is only £2 per car so please do come along and support us. Raffle tickets have been sent out this week, please return any sold tickets to us at the Student Hub as soon as you can.

We need volunteers to help run the event and would be grateful for any help you could offer.  Please follow the link here and add your name to the volunteer list, we’d really appreciate it.  

We would also be very grateful for any book and bottle donations (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), which can be dropped off at the Student Hub.  If you have any old uniform that we could sell on, even if it’s initialled, then please also bring these into the Student Hub  – all donations are very much appreciated and should be sent in by the morning of Friday, 21 June.

Many thanks
Princethorpe PTA 

Tuesday 25 June 2019 at 7.00pm (rsvp by Friday 7 June)

Thank you to the many parents who have already replied to the Headmaster's invitation to this event. If you are yet to reply, please use the link below to let us know whether or not you will be attending.

Please click here to RSVP. 

An extract from the letter can be found below.

Carmel Hopkins
PA to the Headmaster

Extract from the letter posted to all Upper Sixth parents and students:

You are warmly invited to the Upper Sixth Thanksgiving Eucharist and Buffet Supper on Tuesday 25 June 2019. 

The evening starts at 7.00pm with a celebration Eucharist in the College Chapel, after which we shall all adjourn to the Sixth Form Centre for a buffet supper. The dress code is smart jacket and tie for men and equivalent for ladies. This will, I’m sure, be a very enjoyable and beautiful occasion; it is a celebration of all that this Upper Sixth group and their parents have contributed to the Princethorpe community over the years. I very much hope you will all be able to come.

To enable seating and catering arrangements, I would be very grateful if you would rsvp by Friday 7 June using the link which will be sent to you shortly by email, indicating whether or not you will be able to join us for this evening and how many people will be in your party.

Friday 28 June 2019 - 6.00pm optional tour, 7.00pm drinks reception, 7.30pm supper

OPs who left the College in 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2009 (or those who were in the same year groups) are cordially invited back to the OPs annual Summer Supper on Friday 28 June to celebrate their respective 50th, 40th, 30th, 20th and 10th anniversaries of leaving.

Comments OPs Secretary, Melanie Butler, "We know many OPs are keener to come to these events if they can be sure of seeing some familiar faces.  By focusing on these year groups we hope to get a critical mass of attendees, although OPs from other years will of course be welcome too!"

The Summer Supper is an established event in the OPs calendar, attracting a large number of OPs, former and current members of staff. The supper is preceded by an optional tour and drinks in the Quad. Every year the OPs recognise long-standing members of staff and say farewell to any staff leaving the College.

Numbers are limited to around 100 guests, so if you would like to attend please email oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk, message Old Princethorpians on Facebook or call Melanie Butler on 01926 634284 by Friday 14 June to reserve your place.

On Tuesday 2 July 2019 at 7.30pm in the Chapel Tim Campain will play a wide variety of pieces from various genres. This year promises a special programme to mark twenty-five years of the popular Hugh Page Memorial Organ Recitals.

The renowned Princethorpe Binns’ organ of 1901 was built by James J Binns, Bramley Organ Works, Leeds. It was restored by Hugh Page in 1984.

From our archives we have a fascinating insight into the numerous letters that were written between Peter Paul Pugin and Sister Procurator of the Priory regarding the organ and the delay in placing the organ. An extract from one of the letters:

March 30th 1901 

...."it is all nonsense Binns saying the organ would be finished long ago if he had has a design for case. I sent him the design for case with full working drawings which he never acknowledged. He could have worked on it at once. The console is quite a separate affair. When I see Binns I will give him a bit of my mind. I was not at all extravagant in the design for the case and a tracing of it is now enclosed which you will kindly return after M Prioress has seen it. I will send on details of console as soon as I can!"

Please click here for a booking form. 

Tickets - £5.00 for each of the events including refreshments. All Foundation pupils free of charge.

The main image shows the original position of the organ console - it was moved to the gallery in approximately 1908 to make way for a statue of St Peter. This statue was taken by the nums to Fernham when they left St Mary's Priory 1965. 

Fr Teddy O'Brien MSC and the parishioners of St Anne's R C Church, Wappenbury, invite you to celebrate the summer holiday Sunday Masses at 8.30am and 10.15am in St Anne's from Sunday 28 July to Sunday 1 September inclusive.

Please note there will be no 10.15am Mass on Sundays during this period in Princethorpe College chapel.

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

Sunday 22 September 2019 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Built in 1832, St Mary's Priory was one of the first Catholic buildings in England after the reformation. Come for a tour of the magnificent building and learn all about its history, including the amazing women that made it the place it is today.

From 1833 until 1966, St Mary's Priory was home to a congregation of Benedictine nuns who ran a boarding school for girls. This community sold the priory in 1966 and a new school was established by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, who had previously run a boys' school in Leamington Spa. Princethorpe College is now a fully co-educational Catholic independent day school.

Our archive team will be conducting free tours of the College on Sunday 9 September from 2.00pm - 4.00pm. Areas open include Pugin’s magnificent chapel, the cloisters, nuns’ cells, library (former church) and roundhouse.

No booking is required; just turn up and join the next available tour. Entrance is via the glazed link off the North Car Park.

Admission is free and there is complimentary tea and coffee available. We would be delighted to see you!