The Flagpole

We have great pleasure in unveiling the OPs' events calendar for the forthcoming academic year.

This year's calendar features some of our regular favourites including the Saturday Brunch on 12 October, this year open to both former parents and Old Princethorpians. The popular London and local meets return with a spring meet in Rugby, upstairs at Inside the 22 on Friday 6 March and an early summer gathering in London's Covent Garden in a private room at French restaurant, Balthazar on Friday 15 May.

The OPs' Summer Supper Reunion will take place on Friday 26 June 2020, this time celebrating the leavers of 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010, although leavers of other years are also most welcome.

All OPs, past parents and staff are welcome to participate in any or all of the events. Click here to download the calendar or visit Princethorpe Connect, our new online community to register and book on events.

You can also visit the Old Princethorpians section at www.princethorpe.co.uk/ops for more information on Old Princethorpians.

Wednesday 11 September 2019 - 7.30pm

In our last meeting we discussed City of Sinners by A A Dhand. It was quite refreshing to read something as undemanding as this – a crime novel with numerous twists and turns exploring crime in the Asian communities of Bradford.  Dhand certainly knows the city and its inhabitants well.   At the heart of the novel is the extreme suspicion and antagonism between Muslim and Sikh communities within the city.  These racial issues are explored with some insight and sensitivity as the backdrop to some engaging and sometimes shocking crime detecting. 

Our next meeting will be on 11 September in the library at 7.30pm and we hope to welcome some newcomers to the first meeting of the new academic year.   We are using the long summer break for quite a challenging read and hope to get through Atwood’s Alias Grace.  We will also be discussing Force of Nature by Jane Harper and, as a piece of award winning non-fiction, we’ll be looking at Wilding by Isabella Tree.  Obviously not everyone will be reading all of these, but we hope there is something here for everybody so please come along in September and tell us what you thought of one or more of these books.  We are a small but friendly group of readers with broad tastes, always willing to try the recommendations of others.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English

Saturday 31 August 2019 - 10.30pm to 5.30pm

It looks like we are once again going to be blessed with lovely weather for the 9th annual Old Princethorpians' Sports Day (and 11th John Shinkwin Trophy Match) on Saturday 31 August. 

We are planning to repeat last year's successful format with a relaxing day that mixes sporting matches with music, a BBQ, ice cream van and a bar.

As in previous years points will be accumulated throughout the day, with the Alex Wallis Memorial Shield being awarded to the victors at the end of the main programme.

As a finale to the day the OPs XV will be taking on old rivals, Old Coventrians (King Henry VIII's alumni association).

Format of day:

10.45am to 12.00pm Football OPs vs Staff

12.00pm to 1.00pm Hockey Princethorpe College 1st XI Girls vs OPs XI (x 2)

1.15pm to 2.15pm Hockey Princethorpe College 1st XI Boys vs OPs XI (x 2)

1.30pm to 2.30pm Netball Princethorpe College 1st VII Girls vs OPs VII (x 2)

2.30pm to 3.45pm Rugby - John Shinkwin Trophy - Princethorpe College 1st XV Boys vs OPs XV (leavers of 2019 and 2018)

3.45pm After Match Awards

3.45pm to 5.00pm Rugby - OPs XV vs Old Coventrians

Please come along and support all the teams!

Friday 20 September 7.00pm – 9.00pm

Parents of pupils new to the school this year are invited to the Headmaster's Quiz, which will take place in the College Dining Room.  Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis.  Tickets for the Parents’ Quiz, including a curry supper, are £10 per head.

The PTA will be running a bar and my quiz will hopefully not be too testing! 

It should be a very enjoyable evening for all and enable you to meet a number of other parents new to the College, as well as some staff and members of the PTA.  

You will receive an email in the next few days regarding the booking form.

Year 7 Social

At the same time, there will also be a Year 7 Social organised by the Parent Teacher Association and school prefects in the Sixth Form Centre. This is a fun evening for our newest pupils, at which there will be a disco and a ‘chill out’ area.

Tickets for the Year 7 Social are free of charge but you do need to reserve a place, so please look out for this on the booking form too. We recommend children bring approx £3 pocket money with them to purchase drinks and treats. Children should have eaten their evening meal before attending. 

Children can attend the Year 7 Social without their parents attending the Quiz, however parents are required to sign them in and sign them out. Drop off is at 7.00pm and collection no later than 9.00pm.

I very much hope you are able to attend and I look forward to meeting you on Friday 20 September; if you have any queries please email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk or call 01926 634201

Ed Hester
Headmaster

Sunday 22 September 2019 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Built in 1832, St Mary's Priory was one of the first Catholic buildings in England built after the reformation. Everyone is welcome to come for a tour of the magnificent building and to 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 22 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!

Thursday 26 September from 10.30am to 12.30pm

The College Open Morning will take place on Thursday 26 September from 10.30am to 12.30pm. This is a chance to look around the school on a normal working day, prior to Entrance Examinations Day on Saturday 9 November 2019.  Year 8 and 9 pupils will act as tour guides and light refreshments will be available.

Taster Days for children in Year 6 this September are available on the following dates:

• Tuesday 10 September
• Thursday 12 September
• Wednesday 18 September and
• Tuesday 1 October

To register your interest in a Year 6 Taster Day click here.

Those wishing to register for Entrance Examinations should do so by the deadline of Friday 4 October to facilitate the gathering of references from junior schools. Registration forms are available from the Registrar, Mrs Vanessa Rooney on 01926 634201 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Entrance Examinations for Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 will take place on Saturday 9 November 2019 from 9.30am to 3.30pm. More information is available in our 2020 Admissions and Entrance Examinations Booklet available on our website, click here.

Tuesday 1 October 2019 - 10.00am to 3.00pm

Crackley Hall, Princethorpe's junior school and nursery in Kenilworth, is opening its doors for an Open Day on Tuesday 1 October 2019 from 10.00am to 3.00pm.

This is an opportunity to look around the school and to meet staff and pupils on a normal working day. All are welcome, no need to book.

We have places available in Nursery and will be recruiting for places in Reception 2020.  Please speak to our Admissions Secretary, Mrs Jenny Vaughan for availability in other years.

If you can't make the Open Day but would like to look around the school, please call our Admissions Secretary, Mrs Jenny Vaughan on 01926 514410 or email admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk and come on a day to suit you, we welcome visitors on most days.

For more information visit www.crackleyhall.co.uk

Friday 4 October 2019 - 10.00am to 3.00pm

The Crescent School, the Foundation's junior school for 4 to 11 year olds in Bilton, Rugby, is opening its doors for an Open Day on Friday 4 October from 10.00am to 3.00pm.

This is an opportunity to look around the school and to meet staff and pupils on a normal working day. All are welcome, no need to book.

We have a limited number of places available and are now accepting registrations for admission to Reception, Year 3 and Year 4 in September 2020.

If you can't make the Open Day but would like to visit the school, please call our Registrar, Mrs Helen Morley on 01788 521595 or email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk and come on a day to suit you, we welcome visitors on most days.

For more information visit www.crescentschool.co.uk