The Flagpole

I hope you all had a good Christmas break with your families. As we start the new term we welcome three new members of staff. Peter McLeish is a very experienced Mathematics teacher who replaces Rachael Beasley as she leaves us due to family circumstances. We are also delighted that we have re-established our Australian Gap Student Programme and welcome Patrick Bullock and Libby Butler from Downlands, our MSC sister school in Toowoomba, Queensland.

I am sure that many of you and your children will have made New Year’s resolutions and hopefully these are still in force! One of the targets for us all, I am sure, is to look after our own health - both physical and mental - and our general well-being. It is the same for our children of course.

Two related factors that are regularly highlighted by scientific studies in this area are:

1.    Excessive screen time

2.    Insufficient sleep

So if you have any room for additional New Year’s resolutions, then the following suggestions may be useful:

1.    Do continue to talk to your children about their screen time and ensure you have established sensible ground rules in terms of ICT access and usage.

2.    Do enforce (and police) appropriate bedtimes for your children – they generally need a minimum of eight hours per night.

3.    Do model good practice: it’s really important that we, as adults, don’t have our phones out at the dinner table or let our phones interrupt conversations with our children.

At Princethorpe, as a staff, we are also looking at our own wellbeing and measures to best manage our workloads. One area we have identified as a cause for concern is the proliferation of emails in recent years and the sheer amount of time it takes to read and respond to them. Whilst email can be an exceptionally effective communication tool, like any area of ICT its use needs to be carefully considered to avoid overload. So this year we have set ourselves a target to reduce internal email traffic – by using more efficient ways of sharing information such as My School Portal or Microsoft Teams – or by talking more face to face!  

We also have a genuine desire to make our parental communications as efficient as possible. As you know we try to keep you well informed by publishing the Calendar and our e-newsletter the Flagpole and having a number of bespoke on-line platforms such as: the Parent Portal (My School Portal), SOCS (school sports fixture information) and Evolve (for trips).  

We also realise that from time to time parents may need to contact a member of staff directly and therefore email is a key part of our parental communications. There is an expectation that staff regularly check their emails at work (though not when they are teaching of course) and we have a target that a parent email is responded to within 24 hours of receipt.

Please be aware however, that teaching staff often have limited time during the day to access their email – due to their teaching commitments, lesson preparation, marking, pastoral care, breaktime duties and running clubs and activities - and we do not expect staff to spend many hours in their evenings or weekends dealing with work emails.

If you have any feedback on our communications or suggestions as to how we could further improve, please do let me know.

Finally, many thanks to all of you who sent messages of support and goodwill (and presents!) to our staff in the run up to Christmas – these are all really appreciated.

I send my best wishes to you and your families for the New Year.

Ed Hester
Headmaster

The College Careers Fair 2020 will be held on the morning of Saturday 21 March. The Fair is open to Year 10 to Sixth Form pupils and their parents. It will provide a ‘one stop careers shop’ with a wide range of speakers and organisations on hand to offer advice and guidance on careers, universities, apprenticeships, internships and gap year options.

The event will run from 10.00am to 1.00pm and, as before, will include a keynote speaker and career path workshops with presentations and Q and A sessions from parents and Old Princethorpians. Attendees will be able to attend up to three workshops depending on their personal interests.

The Fair will also include an A-Z career zone with stalls from many well-known companies, charities, institutions, universities and gap year advisers for pupils and their parents to explore.

Comments, Jacqui Quinney, Head of Careers, “This is a really key event for our senior pupils. It will provide important information and advice to help them develop their career choices. Please do make a note of the date now, so as to not miss out on this very valuable opportunity.”

More details will be published in the next edition of the Flagpole.

Huge congratulations to Princethorpe College Year 10 pupil, Isabelle Harding, on her success at the prestigious Champions of Tomorrow national Ballroom and Latin competition that took place on Saturday 4 January at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

Isabelle took third place in both the British Under 35 Ballroom and Latin dancing competitions, an amazing achievement in what is a very well regarded and competitive event. 

Isabelle trains at AURA Dance Studios in Solihull dedicating 12 hours a week to her challenging and technical performing art. 

A delighted Isabelle, pictured here with her trophies, commented, “We danced very well, and I am really pleased to have finished third. The standard is so high. It really was an incredible day.”

Well done to Isabelle, what an amazing achievement.

Back before Christmas Princethorpe College pupils, parents and staff responded generously to Director of Ethos, Kieran McCullough’s seasonal challenge to put Faith Into Action. Mr McCullough challenged every member of the school community to bring in one item of non-perishable food and the community did not disappoint, showing a sense of empathy, generosity and solidarity that at one stage led to the school’s student hub overflowing with boxes and bags of donations.

On Thursday 19 December Richard Gordan from the charity, St Vincent de Paul Society, visited the school to collect all of the donations. There were so many bags and boxes that the donations literally had to be crammed in to his car. Mr Gordon was almost speechless, he thanked the Princethorpe community profusely, saying, “The donations will be shared between the homeless and refugee charities that the SVP supports.”   

Kieran McCullough commented, “The level of enthusiasm and support shown for our Faith In Action challenge was amazing, affirming the school’s spirit of family ethos and showing that pupils embrace the communities they live in and are willing to help those who are less fortunate than themselves.” 

He continued, “It is easy to sometimes think that one person alone cannot make a big impact, but by bringing all of those individual small acts of kindness together we have been able to make a real difference.”

Princethorpe College was delighted to welcome back Old Princethorpian Murray Wells on Thursday 9 January to talk to Lower Sixth students and Design Technology pupils about the Bloodhound SSC (Supersonic Car) Project and plans for it to set a new world Land Speed Record.

Murray left Princethorpe in 2014 and went on to study Aerospace Engineering at the University of Hertfordshire.  He had always wanted to be an engineer, his choice of career reinforced by a video he saw explaining just how the Bloodhound was powered.  So he jumped at the chance to work on a placement with the project, amongst the UK’s best engineers, on what can only be described as a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Murray explained that the Bloodhound SSC project has two objectives. To set a new Land Speed Record at or above 1,000mph, but also to address the shortage of engineers, by inspiring a whole new generation of enthusiasts.  He recounted the history of the Land Speed Record and of British involvement in it and how ex-RAF pilot Andy Green finally set the current record of 763 miles per hour in Thrust SSC in 1997.

He talked about the Bloodhound SSC Project and the design challenges it faces. How it took two years to design a new body shape, the search for the right engine, the challenges of developing fuel pumps, air brakes and even wheels. He explained that the car will weigh six tonnes, be three metres tall and larger than a bus and that the plan is to drive at 1,000 miles per hour over 12 miles of desert.  He explained about the work done to prepare the race site in Hakskeen Pan in the Mier area of the Northern Cape, South Africa and the positive impact the project has had on the local community.

Assistant Head of Sixth Form, Rod Isaacs and Head of Design and Technology, Paul Scopes both agreed that Murray’s talk was fascinating, saying, “The Bloodhound SSC is one of the most exciting engineering projects in the world, there really is nothing like UK engineering, it was incredible to hear about the project and its achievements so far.”

Our huge thanks go to Murray for taking the time to come into school to talk about the project and his involvement with it.

On Monday 6 January, the first day of the Lent Term, pupils participated in a series of Epiphany Services exploring the unexpected benefits of ‘Giving’. 

The Epiphany services offered College pupils the opportunity to reflect on how ‘Giving’ at Christmas could go further and to consider how and what they could give across the year.

Whilst leading the services Father Alan Whelan MSC encouraged pupils, as they settled back down to daily school life, to reflect on opportunities for ‘Giving’.  He talked about the true meaning of Epiphany and how it offered insight and understanding of the important act of ‘Giving’.

Sixth Form students shared their experiences of volunteering, and how through visiting care homes and working at the Leamington Night Shelter they are actively ‘Giving‘.

The services finished with pupils completing Thank You cards, as a reminder of how simple it can be to ‘Give’.

It was a wonderful morning of reflection and inspiration after the festive season and our thanks go to Father Alan for leading the morning’s services and to the Sixth Form students for sharing their experiences of ‘Giving’ through volunteering.

The T4U charity were busy distributing the shoe-boxes to the children in the Romanian Danube Delta in the weeks before Christmas.

The overwhelming reports we have been receiving are ones of delight, gratitude and wonder. Each child who received a box had literally nothing else as a gift for Christmas. The children, as you will see in the video, dress in their best clothes for the giving of the boxes as they consider it a great honour to receive these gifts.

Please take a few minutes to watch the video of the distribution of the boxes - click here

The charity is thrilled with the gifts and boxes received from the pupils at the College and wish to thank everyone for their continued support. Here's to the Christmas Appeal for 2020!

The team invite all helpers and donors to All Saints Church, Stretton on Dunsmore, on Saturday 11 January at 10.00am (light refreshments will be served from 9.30am) for a short presentation and video session of the work of Teams4U for Christmas 2019.

Mrs Pam Hopwood, the local co-ordinator for the charity, wishes to thank all those involved with the collection of items and the preparation of the shoe-boxes.

The image shows the lengths the Teams4U charity go to in delivering the boxes.

Now that the festive season is over Fr Teddy O'Brien and the parishioners of St Anne's, Wappenbury would like to remind you that the Mass times will resume as normal from Sunday 12 January 2020.

• St Anne’s, Wappenbury, CV33 9DW 8.30am Mass
• Our Lady of the Angels' Chapel, Princethorpe College 10.15am Mass

Further information about St Anne's, Wappenbury please use the link

All are welcome.

Fr Teddy O'Brien MSC

We have a few remaining places still available on these forthcoming themed taster activities aimed at current Year 5 pupils, who might be interested in joining the College in September 2021:

Choral Fun Day – Saturday 18 January 2020 – 9.00am to 4.30pm

A day of free musical activities, singing tuition and team-building skills ending with a gala performance for family and friends. Light refreshments will be available for parents and children on collection.

Try Tag Rugby – Friday 24 January 2020– 4.15pm to 6.00pm

An afternoon of free tag rugby training for boys and girls on our astro, learning new skills and making friends before a mini tournament. Beginners welcome. Light refreshments will be available for spectators.

Places for both events are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. 

Please click here to book a place. The closing date for booking onto these events is Monday 13 January 2020.

Dante created a remarkable body of work, including love poetry, linguistic and political treatises, and the monumental theological and philosophical Commedia, which is also a beautiful love story.

He wrote in Latin and Italian, advocating the vernacular as a fitting subject for serious subjects, and his writings had a profound influence on the course of Italian literature.

This talk will explore some of the best poems from his Vita Nuova and stories from the Commedia with illustrations of the superb artworks inspired by them. Artists such as Blake, Flaxman, Rossetti, Rodin and others will be included.

The talk will take place at 7.30pm on Tuesday 21 January 2020 in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre followed by wine and light refreshments in The Atrium.

Tickets may also be purchased at the door but advance notice helps catering, please. Princethorpe, Crackley Hall and Crescent School pupils free of charge. We are happy to receive provisional bookings by e-mail please, at alexdarkes@princethorpe.co.uk

For a booking form please click here

Dante Lecture 3 will take place on Tuesday 12 May 2020 - please save the date.

Thursday 23 January - 10.00am to 3.00pm

Crackley Hall, Princethorpe's junior school and nursery in Kenilworth, is opening its doors for an Open Day on Thursday 23 January 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.

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 514444 and come on a day to suit you, we welcome visitors on most days.

For more information visit www.crackleyhall.co.uk

If you know someone who might be interested in finding out more about teaching at Princethorpe College why not encourage them to come along to our A Taste of Teaching at Princethorpe Event on Thursday 23 January 2020 from 4.30pm to 6.00pm.

They'll get a tour of the College with some of our Sixth Formers, a chance to visit their subject area and meet the Head of Department, followed by a short presentation by the Headmaster and the opportunity to ask questions of our senior team. Light refreshments will be available.

We have recently become a training school through the School Direct Scheme in partnership with the Lion Alliance and we are actively encouraging applications from those just entering the profession too.

To book onto the Taste of Teaching at Princethorpe event and to download our new Teaching at Princethorpe brochure please click here by Monday 20 January 2020.  Further information on the event will be confirmed nearer the date.

Any other questions about recruitment should be directed to recruitment@princethorpe.co.uk or call 01926 634269.

Friday 24 January - 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 24 January from 10.00am to 3.00pm.

This is an opportunity to meet the Crescent's headmaster, Joe Thackway, see its new facilities, look around the school and to meet staff and pupils on a normal working day. All are welcome, no need to book.

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 and come on a day to suit you, we welcome visitors on most days.

For more information visit www.crescentschool.co.uk

Thursday 6 February 2020 - 12.15pm

On behalf of Fisher House, it is my pleasure to invite you to our House Eucharist, which takes place on Thursday 6 February in the College Chapel.

The service will be a celebration of our House community and will begin at 12.15pm.  If you are able to join us, I would recommend you aim to arrive at midday to be seated in the Chapel before the arrival of the pupils.

There will be signage to indicate where to park on the day.

We would be delighted if you could also stay at College after the service to join us for lunch. So that we can cater efficiently, please reserve places by completing the form here no later than Wednesday 5 February 2020.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Louisa Fielding
Head of House – Fisher

Thursday 6 February - Saturday 8 February
The Clarkson Theatre

It's a kinda magic!

Princethorpe College is gearing up for this year’s Musical Theatre Production, We Will Rock You School Edition.

Following on from last year’s fantastic production of Little Shop of Horrors, the worldwide smash hit musical by Queen and Ben Elton returns to Princethorpe College.

Featuring more than 20 hit Queen songs, We Will Rock You School Edition follows two revolutionaries as they try to save Rock in a post-apocalyptic world. Featuring the songs “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Killer Queen,” “We Will Rock You,” “Somebody To Love,” “We Are The Champions,” “Don’t Stop Me Now” and many more.

With an hilarious script, thrilling storyline and featuring 24 of the Greatest Hits of Queen, this show is guaranteed to blow your mind! This musical phenomenon is not to be missed!

Tickets for the production are priced at £5.00 (adult) and £3 (U18).  Performaces will take place on Thursday 6 February, Friday 7 February, Saturday 8 February Matinee and Saturday 8 February.  Please click on the performance you would like to attend to book tickets.  Please note there are limited seats and tickets will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Monday 10 February 2020 - 7.00pm to 8.30pm

Our world depends on Science, Technology (including Computing), Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) and Princethorpe College is committed to helping our pupils have the aspiration, knowledge and skills to thrive, with more progressing into STEAM-related careers.

All parents and pupils are cordially invited to our STEAM Presentation Evening on Monday 10 February, to promote the value of STEAM and to encourage and support our Lower Sixth students in their STEAM-related projects.

The evening will run from 7.00pm until 8.30pm in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre with refreshments throughout the evening.  First, you are invited to watch three ten-minute presentations delivered by our Year 13 Extended Project students on STEAM-related projects that they have completed. Following this, you will have the chance to wander around the Atrium, where pupils in Year 12 will present their work in progress for their Extended Project and Design Technology investigations.

If any parents have expertise in this area and would like to consider becoming a STEAM Ambassador for Princethorpe, please do let us know on our online form below. We are keen for you to help ignite an interest in STEAM subjects, to help our students explore STEAM subjects in innovative and inventive ways outside the curriculum, and to provide a platform to extend our pupils’ learning.

All who attend this presentation evening, both parents and pupils, will play a crucial role in giving valuable feedback to the students to help them develop their work so that they may consider further study of STEAM subjects and progression into related careers, inspiring the next generation of STEAM professionals.

To assist with our planning and catering arrangements we would ask you to fill in the brief on-line form which can be accessed here.

Friday 6 March 2020 - 6.30pm to 10.30pm

The OPs annual Pub Meet will take place at Inside the 22, on Lawrence Sheriff Street in Rugby.

The OPs Commitee will be laying on a delicious, complimentary hot and cold buffet and welcome drink, so do let us know if you can join us by visiting Princethorpe Connect or email us at oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk. 

Partners and friends are most welcome. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Saturday 14 March - 7.30pm onwards

Don’t miss this fabulous night out in support of our Malawi 2020 project with an Irish dancing display, live Ceilidh band and auction. There will be a two course meal and drink included in the ticket price. Early bird tickets are still available for £25 per person or a table of ten for £220.

Amazing raffle with superb prizes and cash bar all evening. 

Please reserve tickets with Marion Mitchell at marionmitchell@princethorpe.co.uk

See our JustGiving page to find out more about the Classrooms for Malawi project at Lauderdale School here.

Saturday 21 March 2020 - 10.00am to 1.00pm

Plans for the College’s Careers Fair on Saturday 21 March are taking shape. The bi-annual event is open to Year 10 to Sixth Form pupils and their parents. It provides a ‘one stop careers shop’ with a wide range of speakers and organisations on hand to offer advice and guidance.

The Careers Fair will run from 10.00am to 1.00pm and, as well as a keynote presentation, attendees will be able to attend up to three workshops depending on their personal interests and visit an exhibition zone, with stalls from many well-known companies, charities, institutions, universities and gap year organisations.

Head of Careers, Jacqui Quinney comments, “Do put saturday 21 March in your diary, registrations will open in February and there will be plenty to interest and inform our pupils and their parents."

Saturday 28 March 2020 - Arrive from 6.30pm - Walk from 9.00pm

Princethorpe is delighted to be hosting a major fundraising event for the charity Myton Hospice on Saturday 28 March 2020.

Glow For Myton - Around The World In 5km is a night walk that will wind its way through the beautiful grounds of the College campus, taking in the sights and sounds of some of the world’s best celebrations along the way. Myton Hospice has been running sponsored night walks for a number of years in city centre locations. The events have proved so popular that the charity started looking for a new venue and Princethorpe College was delighted to step in. Ideally situated midway between the charity’s three hospices in Coventry, Warwick and Rugby, Myton Hospice is hoping to attract hundreds of walkers from across Warwickshire for what it is describing as its biggest and best Glow fundraiser ever.

The 5km walk will begin and end in the Orchard where there will be entertainment and food available both before and after the event. The route will take walkers off around the College grounds. There will be plenty of volunteer marshals to cheer all the walkers on and along the way will be exciting zones showcasing festivals and cultural celebrations from around the world including Oktoberfest, Chinese New Year and the Holi Colour Festival. The event isn’t timed, instead it is all about enjoying the experience and the sights and sounds laid on for the event.

Comments Clare Cropp, Myton’s Community and Events Fundraising Manager, “We are hoping to raise £60,000 from this event and are really looking forward to holding it at Princethorpe. The event is already generating a lot of interest and we’re very grateful to the College for so generously supporting us.”

Glow For Myton - Around The World In 5km is open to all, and pupils and parents are encouraged to sign up for the event at the early bird price of £15 for adults and £10 for children on the charity’s website here. (Children of all ages are welcome but under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.)

The event is sure to be great fun for a good cause so we are hoping lots of families and friends of the Foundation will want to get involved.

Key dates in the reporting and examinations cycle for the first half of the Lent term are:

· 7  Jan – January public exam season begins; this includes IGCSE Maths for some candidates, BTEC L3 exams & L1 Latin. All pupils involved have been issued with their personal timetable

· 24 Jan – Mock exam reports published for Year 11 and Upper Sixth pupils

· 31 Jan – Progress Reports published for Year 9 pupils

· 7  Feb  – Full Report published for Year 10 pupils

External Examinations:

January 2020 - Results for these examinations will be published on Thursday 5 March 2020.

Summer 2020 - the exam timetable was amended by JCQ in November. If you downloaded the previous version please delete it and download the updated one which can be viewed by clicking here.

Please note the examination contingency day of Wednesday 24 June 2020. In the unlikely event that there is national disruption to a day of examinations causing a last-minute change to the timetable, all candidates must be available up to and including this date.

Entries for these examinations will be made in January 2020. As soon as pupils have checked and confirmed their entries, their individual exam timetable will be distributed.

Exam Subject Specifications and Awarding Bodies:

If you’re buying revision guides it’s important to choose the correct one for the specification being followed in school. The documents below show the exam board and specification code for each subject for GCSE and A-level.

NB: The exam details for GCSE PE are OCR J587, this has been updated on the GCSE document below.

GCSE

A-level

Shellagh Dodds
Examinations and Assessment Manager

If your son or daughter is studying for their GCSEs or A-levels they would have just sat mock exams and their mock results will be arriving.  Click here to read further how can you now support your child when they get their results.

Tuesday 14 January 2020 - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

The Lower Sixth Parents’ Evening takes place on Tuesday 14 January from 6.00pm to 8.30pm in the Sports Hall.

We will provide two supervised areas where siblings can wait whilst you and your son or daughter meet with the teaching staff. There will be a film screening in one room and for those looking for a quieter environment a second area will be provided where they can relax or study.

Please make sure to arrive by 7.30pm at the latest. Parents arriving later than that may not be able to see all the relevant teachers before the event closes at 8.30pm.  Please leave the building by the main entrance to The Limes and sign out at the exit as you leave.

Here is some additional information that you may find helpful:

• Parking will be available on the school playground
• Please enter the Limes building through the main entrance only
• Please ensure you sign in and collect your name badge from the reception desk before entering the Sports Hall
• There is no appointment system. You should allow approximately five minutes per teacher – a timer will sound every five minutes to assist with keeping discussions within this timeframe.  

We look forward to seeing you.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Year 11 and Upper Sixth Mock Exam Reports will be published to the parent portals on Friday 24 January 2020.  Once published, you will receive an email notification advising that the reports are available to view on My School Portal.

For Year 11 parents, there will be an opportunity to discuss your child’s report at the forthcoming Year 11 Parents’ Evening on Monday 27 January 2020.

We look forward to seeing you then.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic

Monday 27 January 2020 - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

The Year 11 Parents’ Evening takes place on Monday, 27 January from 6.00pm to 8.30pm in the Sports Hall.  Do please bring your Year 11 son or daughter with you if at all possible – it is most beneficial if parent, pupil and teacher can all be present and be part of the conversation.

We will continue to offer the option of a two course supper for you and your family, at a cost of £2 per head, and served across three sittings, 5.30pm to 6.00pm, 6.00pm to 6.30pm and 6.30pm to 7.00pm. Supper will be served in the Refectory.

We will also provide two supervised areas where siblings can wait whilst you meet with the teaching staff. There will be a film screening in one room and for those looking for a quieter environment, a second area will be provided where they can relax.

To help us with the smooth running of Parents’ Evening and so that we can cater efficiently we would be grateful if everyone who would like to book for supper could complete the RSVP form by clicking here no later than 10.00am on Wednesday, 22 January.

Please make sure to arrive by 7.30pm at the latest. Parents arriving later than that may not be able to see all the relevant teachers before the event closes at 8.30pm.  Please leave the building by the main entrance to The Limes and sign out at the exit as you leave.

Here is some additional information that you may find helpful:

• Parking will be available on the school playground
• Please enter the Limes building through the main entrance only
• Please ensure you sign in and collect your name badge from the reception desk before entering the Sports Hall
• There is no appointment system. You should allow approximately five minutes per teacher – a timer will sound every five minutes to assist with keeping discussions within this timeframe.

We look forward to seeing you.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Tuesday 4 February 2020 - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

Parents are reminded that the Year 9 Parents’ Evening takes place on Tuesday 4 February from 6.00pm to 8.30pm in the Sports Hall. This is a crucial chance to discuss your son or daughter’s academic progress with their subject teachers after the mock exams.  

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Reports for Year 10 will be posted out on Friday 7 February 2010. They will also be available to view on My School Portal.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic

Year 11 pupils taking an MFL iGCSE will have a timetabled mock speaking exam w/c Monday 10 February.  Pupils taking Spanish will have their exam Monday to Wednesday of that week and those taking French on the Thursday or Friday.  Pupils taking German will have their exam on Tuesday 11 February.

All MFL pupils will be expected to practise little and often between now and their mock oral, using all the resources shared with them by their teachers. They have a booklet of questions and will also need to choose a photo to describe.  This will form part of their homework in the lead up to the mock oral. Pupils are encouraged to come to the clinics on a Wednesday lunchtime or Thursday after school for extra support.

Stella Keenan
Head of MFL

Thursday 13 February 2020

On Thursday 13 February, the GCSE Options Information Evening is being held in the Sports Hall at 7.00pm. The evening comprises a series of short presentations on the options process followed by an opportunity for parents to meet with subject staff. Light refreshments will be available. The purpose of the GCSE Options Information Evening is to provide parents with sufficient information regarding the options process so that they can help their son or daughter decide their GCSE options.

Prior to this, the Year 9 Parents’ Evening will be held on Tuesday 4 February between 6.00pm and 8.30pm. The Parents’ Evening will enable you to discuss the progress of your son or daughter with subject staff.  This academic feedback can then prepare you to think about GCSE choices prior to the Information Evening taking place on 13 February.  

After half term, on Monday 2 March 2020, the Year 9 and 10 Academic Review Evening will then provide you the opportunity to meet with your child's tutor and discuss the next steps.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

The Immunisation team will be in school on Monday 16 March to offer all Year 9 pupils a booster of the Diptheria/Tetanus and Polio vaccine, this will complete the course they started as babies.

In addition the Meningitis ACWY vaccine will be offered.

As part of a national MMR (Measles, mumps, rubella) catch up programme Year 8 pupils who have not received the full course of MMR will be invited to receive the vaccine on this day. Information packs and consent forms will be sent home with pupils nearer the time.

Further changes to the UK routine Immunisation schedule mean that for the first time Year 8 boys as well as girls are now being invited to receive the HPV vaccine (Humanpapilloma Virus) – this will take place in school on the 15 and 16 June. Again further information and consent forms will be sent home nearer the time.

Further information can be found using the following links:

https://www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/mmr-catch-up-campaign-targets-a-million-children/

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/hpv-human-papillomavirus-vaccine/

If you have any concerns or queries please contact Mrs Paula Greig Senior Matron at paulagreig@princethorpe.co.uk

Mrs Paula Greig RGN
Senior Matron

Warwickshire Police Cadets is a volunteer scheme for young people who wish to be part of a one year programme. It offers the opportunity to gain a practical understanding of policing and to develop a spirit of adventure and good citizenship.

Recruitment is open from 1 January to 29 February 2020 and the application form can be downloaded here. 

To apply to be a Warwickshire Police Cadet you must live in Warwickshire and be aged 13 to 16 on 1 September 2020.

If you are interested then why not attend their recruitment evening on 29 January 2020 at the Holiday Inn Express, Bermuda Park, St David’s Way, Nuneaton, CV10 7SD between 6.30pm and 8.00pm. This is an opportunity for students and parents to find out more about the scheme and to meet the leaders and some cadets. If you wish to attend then please sign up to the event on their Facebook page.

Where could a career in Finance, Economics or Law take you?

Prospects and Shaw Trust offer Year 11 pupils to Sixth Form students the unique opportunity to gain insights into career areas that are traditionally hard to access. They do this through their established links with prestigious employers and institutions.

There are a limited number of places still available for the February sessions of Careers in Practice. These two-day intensive courses cover careers in the Finance and Economics sectors or the Legal profession.

The course aims to provide:

• a valuable and varied experience
• access to leading organisations
• first hand, accurate and up to date careers and labour market information
• presentations from professionals in their workplace.
• specialist and practical careers advice covering personal statements and CV preparation
• the opportunity to network with other like-minded students.

Where: City of London.

When: 

Legal Profession: Tuesday 18 February and Wednesday 19 February 2020. 

Finance & Economics: Thursday 20 and Friday 21 February 2020.

Time: 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Cost: £225 (including VAT) with lunch provided each day.

A limited number of fully paid scholarships are also on offer. 

For more information please contact Lesley Margiotta on 0208 315 1013, or email her.

This year, Work Experience Placements at Princethorpe College, as part of our Careers programme, will take place at the end of the summer term for both Year 10 and Year 11.  We believe that all pupils can gain immeasurable benefits from their placements; not only can a good placement teach a pupil a lot about an area of work that he or she may be interested in, but it can also develop communication skills, self-confidence, initiative and teamwork.

Many thanks to all Year 10 and 11 parents for helping your son/daughter to find a work placement, in anticipation and if you already have done so.  It can be done at any time after the last GCSE exams for Year 11 and the week beginning 29 June for Year 10. We normally expect at least one week, although historically we have had many undertake more than this, often in more than one placement. Such experience is invaluable for considering a future career path, getting used to the world of work, and for references.

So that we can action the necessary paperwork, including references, we would be grateful if you could complete the form that have already been sent out for both year groups.

Queries relating to work experience should be sent as follows:

Year 10 – Mrs Quinney at jacquiquinney@princethorpe.co.uk

Year 11 – Mr Taylor at miketaylor@princethorpe.co.uk

Have you been away over Christmas? Maybe you have some left over foreign currency? Maybe there are a few old coins or notes lurking in the back of a drawer, a pocket or a handbag? Why not round them up and put them to good use? All donations would be gratefully received and all money raised will be split between UK projects of the SVP (St Vincent de Paul Society), including support for the homeless, elderly, handicapped and those coming out of prison and an overseas SVP project helping to fund secondary school education children - especially girls - in India. Click here to discover what the SVP organisation is about and how your donation can help.

The money can be current or out of date, British or foreign; anything is welcome. We already have 8kg, but we need more.

Click here and watch the video to see how cash4coins works. This is what you can donate:

All foreign coins and banknotes
Current UK coins and banknotes
Any old British and Irish money
Even obsolete currency
Please send in money in a strong envelope labelled ‘Rod Isaacs - Cash4Coins’.

We raised a spectacular £231.85 last year.

Many thanks

Rod Isaacs
Assistant Head of Sixth Form

Sunday 8 March and Sunday 5 April 2020

This year we are going the extra mile for Mary’s Meals with two sponsored events. The 24 mile walk will take place on Sunday 8 March 2020 and the 40 mile walk takes place on Sunday 5 April. The 40 mile walk is with the official Coventry Way Association event featuring 250 competitors. Both challenges are in support of Makalanga School, in Malawi so that each of the 500 children can receive a daily meal in school.

These walks are a major challenge for all taking part but they could not be for a more worthy cause. Mary’s Meals was founded back in 2002 with a small project to feed 200 children in a school in Malawi and now feeds 1,101,206 children each day in 12 countries, across four continents.  

Why not support our intrepid walkers by sponsoring one or more children at a cost of only £13.90 for an entire year of school meals for one child.  You can make a donation via the on-line page, simply click here to make your pledge.  We are also looking for willing volunteers to help at the various checkpoints along the walk on Sunday 10 March, and will be in touch again soon to request your help.

We’ve already raised over £2,500 this academic year but we are looking to raise £8,841 in total so as to feed every child in Makalanga school.

Between now and 1 March 2020 Mary's Meals are running a 'Double The Love' campaign and will match donations up to a total of £1.9million. Simply click here to 'Double the Love'.

This simple initiative has helped children all over the world receive a daily meal in school and since 2007 Princethorpe College has been a part of that, raising in excess of £90,000.

Thank you for your support.

Rod Isaacs
Assistant Head of Sixth Form

We would like to announce the further release of the senior sports kit, which has now been extended to Year 10. 

The kit is optional and consists of a hoodie, training top and socks for the boys and hoodie, polo top and senior socks for girls. 

All items are available from the School Shop from the beginning of the Lent Term.

If you would like your child to purchase kit please send them to the School Shop with written permission from yourselves to allow us to add the items to the school account.

Neil McCollin
Foundation Director of Sport

Our PE and Games Department have created a helpful guide for pupils and parents for Lent Term 2020 (click here) which includes: 

• A list of team coaches and how you may contact them
• Instructions on how to access the Princethorpe Sport app
• Information about fixtures, including selection and cancellations
• Postcodes for away fixtures (which can also be found in the Lent Term calendar)

If you have any questions, please direct them to your son/daughter's team coach or email Mr Turns (Acting Head of Boys' Games) or Ms Law (Head of Girls' Games). 

Neil McCollin
Foundation Director of Sport 

24-25 January 2020 

The Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award training takes place on Friday 24 January, 4.30pm - 9.00pm and Saturday 25 January, 9.00am - 1.00pm.  Pupils have been excused from their sports fixtures as this training takes precedence. We will meet in the Limes Atrium for registration. Please bring a packed tea, pen, notepad and your DofE folder.  You may wear casual clothes. 

This mandatory training forms a vital part of the planning and preparation for the expedition section of the award.  I very much look forward to seeing you there.  As a final reminder, if you have not yet done so, please complete the programme planners on the eDofE website detailing your choices for each section of the award.  I would also encourage you to research and organise the residential section.

Will Bower
Head of Outdoor Education, DofE Manager

25-26 January 2020

The Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award training takes place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 January, 9.00am - 4.00pm. Pupils have been excused from their sports fixtures as this training takes precedence.

We will meet in the Limes Atrium for registration.  Please arrive promptly so that we can divide up into expedition groups for the training.  Please bring a packed lunch and some snacks plus a pen, note pad and your DofE folder.  You may wear sensible casual clothes.  A coat and suitable outdoor footwear will also be useful.

This mandatory training forms a vital part of the planning and preparation for the expedition section of the award. I very much look forward to seeing you there.

As a final reminder, if you have not yet done so, please complete the programme planners on the eDofE website detailing your choices for each section of the award.

Will Bower
Head of Outdoor Education, DofE Manager

The DofE Certificate Presentation Evening will take place on Tuesday 11 February 2020 from 6.30pm-8.30pm. The event will start with light refreshments in the Limes Atrium followed by the presentation in the Sports Hall. Our guest speaker is mountaineer Jon Gupta. 

Invitations have been sent out today to all who have completed everything on the eDofE website.

A number of those who took part in the scheme last year have yet to complete their award.  Please follow the instructions provided in this guide to complete your sections and guarantee your invite to this exciting event.

Will Bower
Head of Outdoor Education

We are keen to acknowledge and celebrate pupils’ co-curricular achievements outside of school and would like to invite parents/carers to submit this information to us via My School Portal. 

If your son or daughter has won a competition, is performing in a show or competing at a high level with a sporting team outside of school, we would love to hear more.

Parents contacted us last term to let us know about County Hockey selection, swimming successes and pupils volunteering their time to raise money for local charities.  Do keep us updated so we might celebrate these achievements in school too! 

Please could you check again that passports have at least 6 months validity left on them from our day of departure (31 March) and EHIC cards will be valid for the duration of the trip. Please could you send me a photo of both by Friday 17 January 2020.

Tour hoodys must be ordered from the snowunion website by 26 January 2020 (www.snowunion.co.uk).  They can be selected from the ‘Hoodys’ page and there is no cost when you complete the order.  A size guide is available.  The hoody will be initialled and sent into school shortly before our departure date.  Please see the attached flyer here for more information and how to order.

The Ackers practice trip, for those who have already consented, is on Wednesday 12 February 2020, 3.45pm-8.30pm. Pupils should bring warm waterproof winter clothing, ski gloves and ski socks. A packed tea and plenty to drink is also required (Please note that there are very limited refreshments available for purchase at the venue).

The second parents' meeting is on Thursday 27 February 2020 at 6.00pm-7.00pm in the Clarkson theatre. Final trip details will be provided including confirmed departure and return times. A representative from ‘IBT’, our tour company, will give a presentation and be on hand to answer questions. It is expected that a representative parent attends and pupils are also welcome.

Lockwoods Ski Shop in Leamington have kindly offered all pupils on the trip a 10% discount, valid until 30 April 2020, on all products. To take advantage of this offer, please print this voucher and show it at the till or use the online voucher code.

Please contact me at catherinewarne@princethorpe.co.uk if you have any questions regarding the trip.

Catherine Warne

Please see here for the planned school trips in the coming years. This document will be updated each term, but it should allow you to make an informed decision when deciding on trips for your child to attend.  For any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Neil McCollin
Assistant Head - Co-Curricular

Our catering team's new menus proved popular last term, with a range of healthy meal options served in both the main dining room and Sixth Form on a three-week rotation.  Each term the menus will be reviewed and updated. Please click here to view the Lent Term 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

Please see below our current vacancies:

• Head of Law - part-time
• Teacher of Art - part-time
• Teacher of Business Studies
• Teacher of Computer Science
• Teacher of Design and Technology
• Teacher of English
• Teacher of Mathematics
• Events and Estates Co-ordinator
• Groundsman
• Nursery Practitioner - Crackley Hall

Full details  and how to apply are available via the following link: Join Us

Should you know anyone who might be interested in these posts, please do share this information with them.

Please find below our updated Term Dates and Key Dates document for 2019-20, along with the dates for 2020-2021.

2019-20 - updated (two-page document)

(Updated showing that the May bank holiday in 2020 has been moved from Monday 4 May to Friday 8 May to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day)

2020-21 - updated (two page document)