The Flagpole

I would like to update you on the Bring Your Own Device programme that will be in place for Year 10 to Upper Sixth beginning this September, to help ensure that both you and your children are ready and prepared for this.

Firstly, a reminder that the main learning platform within the college is Microsoft Teams, and the associated Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, PowerPoint and OneNote. As previously advised, our recommended specification is a Windows 10 device with at least 4GB RAM and a 128GB SSD hard drive, but any device that can run Teams and Office 365, ideally via the apps or via the browser will be suitable.

We have setup a system of supporting the management of these BYOD devices, making it easy for parents and pupils to ensure that the device is setup and ready to use in school, called Microsoft Intune.

Microsoft Intune works through installing an app on the device called Company Portal and signing in with your child's Princethorpe email address and password. This will then push the correct security certificate to the device, ensuring that the device will work correctly on our Wi-Fi and internet filtering, and will download the relevant apps required for school directly to the device.

The aim of this is to ensure that correct setup for use in school is as easy and simple as possible. This does require certain access to the device by the Foundation, but will only be used for the specific reasons mentioned above, namely, to install the correct security certificate and to allow easy access to apps and links. Please note that you can also unenroll the device from the Intune Company Portal at any time.

Please see the links for the guides for setup of the Company Portal app on Widows devices, Macs and iPads. These are also available on My School Portal, on the IT support pages here.

If a Chromebook will be used as the BYOD device, or you would prefer not to use Intune and the Company Portal app to provide this device management, then alternative instructions for installation of the security certificate are available on the My School Portal page linked above, and Office apps can be installed by signing in at www.office.com and clicking on "Install Office" in the top right corner. 

Tutors will be covering this information with pupils on Tuesday and supporting the children to ensure devices are ready to be used. IT Services will also be visiting tutor groups to provide further support where needed over the course of next week, to ensure pupils are setup and able to use the device as intended.

While the BYOD programme starts from the beginning of term, please be assured that teachers will ensure pupils have sufficient time to ensure devices are setup and working. Therefore, BYOD use will be available to pupils but will not form key parts of the lessons for the first week of term.

If you have any further questions regarding the BYOD program, please do contact me at andycompton@princethorpe.co.uk

Andy Compton

Assistant Head (Director of Digital Strategy)

Welcome to all our new Years 7s! We hope that the children and their families are looking forward to the new term and all the years ahead at Princethorpe. To support the transition to secondary school, here are some tips to ensure that the move goes as smoothly as possible.

At Princethorpe, your child will be expected to take greater responsibility for their own organisation. You can help to encourage this at home with the following tips:

• Encourage your child to get organised for school the evening before. This can save them (and you!) a lot of undue stress in the morning. Remind them to check their timetable for the following day, pack their bag and lay out their uniform if necessary.
• Try and resist the temptation to do everything. Your child needs to learn to manage their time efficiently and they won’t do it if you get everything ready for them.
• Your child will have several homework tasks to complete each night, and it will be recorded the homework diary. Make a note to yourself to read and sign the diary at least once a week to make sure your child is keeping up with their assignments.
• Allocate a place where your child can complete their homework quietly and purposefully.
• Have a calendar on display at home clearly marked with different equipment needed for different days (sports kit, music, projects etc.). Encourage the habit of looking at the schedule the night before and organising schoolbags there and then.

Once your child has started school, make time to talk and listen to your child each day to check how things are going. Just giving attention in this way can help your child feel supported and more confident. Perhaps ask about what they are learning, but also ‘how’ they are learning in different subjects. It is important that your child understands the many different ways to learn to support their progress and eventual revision.

Your child’s tutor will be keen to help with the transition and to ensure your child is settled and happy. Please contact your child’s tutor if you are concerned that they are finding the first few days or weeks stressful.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Students who would like to improve on their A-level and GCSE grades from the June 2020 Exam series are able to sit exams in the Autumn Exam Series.  Any improvement in their grade will replace the grade awarded in August 2020.  Should any students wish to apply to sit an exam, please email examinations@princethorpe.co.uk. 

The deadlines are as follows:

• A-level Exam           Friday 4 September 2020
• GCSE Exam             Friday 18 September 2020

The A-level Autumn Exam Series will take place in October, starting on Monday 5 October and finishing on Friday 23 October 2020. 

GCSE exams will take place in November, starting on Monday 2 November and finishing on Monday 23 November 2020. 

The normal exam entry fees will be charged.

Shellagh Dodds
Examination and Assessment Manager

An initial set of mock exams for Upper Sixth will take place in the from Wednesday 16 September through to Friday 18 September and for Lower Sixth will take place from Monday 21 September through to lunchtime on Wednesday 23 September.

Timetables will emailed to both parents and students and we are pleased to have been able to include Wednesday afternoon Games for Lower Sixth on Wednesday 16 September and both Lower and Upper Sixth on Wednesday 23 September.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic

Upper Sixth will be on study leave on Monday 14 September and Tuesday 15 September to allow preparation time for their mocks which commence on Wednesday 16 September through to Friday 18 September.

Students ordinarily study at home during Study Leave but if there are particular reasons why they would like to study in College, please get in touch with Mr Collie so individual arrangements can be made.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic