The Flagpole

A very happy New Year to you all and I hope the first week of home learning went well in your households. Although we would all rather be in school, the feedback I have had this week has been very positive, so thank you for your support in helping to get remote learning underway in your homes - particularly for the Year 7s who are going through this at Princethorpe for the first time.

It has certainly been an interesting week in school. On Monday we had a staff training day and were getting ready to open the Asymptomatic Testing Centre for mass testing of the whole school on the staggered return, only to find that later in the day we were into another national lockdown and the GCSE and A-level exams were cancelled.

We have formulated a very good plan for the Year 11 and Upper Sixth over the weeks and months ahead and if you didn’t have a chance to join the live assemblies I gave today (Friday 8 January), you can watch them here:

Year 11 Assembly Recording

Upper Sixth Assembly Recording

During the latest period of Home Learning we will try to keep as many of the normal school routines and events as possible. We have re-jigged a number of assessment, reporting and parents’ evening dates following the enforced changes. These can be found in Dr Reddish’s Flagpole article under Academic – please do read this carefully and make a note of the relevant changes which affect your family.

From next week as everyone is working online we will also be removing the split lunch and break times. All tutor times will be 10.35am to 10.55am and all lunch times will be 1.05pm to 2.00pm.

No matter how good Home Learning is, we know it is better to have the children in school and we are looking forward to this – we are hoping it will be after February Half Term but will have to wait and see. In the meantime, a key part of the strategy for getting pupils back into school is the Asymptomatic Testing programme so if you are still to register your consent, please can I ask you to do so as soon as possible to help our planning. An email was sent to all parents today from Mrs Sharpe with a video about how we are running the test centre and a link to the consent form for those who have yet to complete it.

Finally, a reminder that if you or you children need any support, please do get in touch with us so we can focus extra help where it is most needed.

With all best wishes for the term ahead,

Ed Hester

Princethorpe College’s Asymptomatic Test Centre (ATC), offering lateral flow tests, is up and running and has tested its first volunteers. 

Back before Christmas the Government confirmed that they would be building on the success of testing pilots in educational settings and rolling out rapid lateral flow coronavirus testing in secondary schools.

Lateral flow devices do not require a laboratory to process the test, instead the processing of these tests is conducted at the testing site by trained personnel with the results often received within an hour.

Over the Christmas break the College has been preparing to offer the tests, setting up the test site and training staff to run it, and the test kits were delivered to the school at the beginning of the week.

Despite the subsequent national lockdown, and the requirement for all pupils to stay at home, the ATC remains a critical tool in keeping pupils and staff safe, both now in terms of the key worker provision but also when we eventually get the go ahead to return to school.

Around 20 members of staff volunteered to test the new centre when it opened its doors at 2.00pm on Wednesday including Headmaster, Ed Hester and on Thursday the children attending Key School with consent were also tested.

Mrs Sharpe has recorded a video to explain how the ATC at Princethorpe is running, which we hope will reassure parents and pupils alike. Click here to watch the video.

We now have consent for a large proportion of the pupils, if you have yet to grant consent for or on behalf of your child (if over 16) please click here for the consent form.

A huge thank you to all involved in getting the ATC up and running.

In the light of the announcement by the Prime Minister of the new national lockdown, and of schools moving to home learning until February half term, the College has taken the decision to move its Entrance Exam for September 2021 entry online.

The exams will take place between 9.00am and 12.00 noon on Saturday 23 January, with adjustments for those with agreed access arrangements. Parents will be asked to register their child at 8.50am and verify at the end that their child has completed the work on their own, without any assistance.

The Entrance Exam will comprise of three tests of 45 minutes each, English Comprehension, Mathematics and a Free Writing paper with short breaks in between.  After a brief live welcome from the Headmaster, parents will be emailed links to the tests over the course of the morning and children will complete the tasks and submit their responses online within a given timeframe.

In order to complete the tests at home children will need an internet enabled device and to be able to receive and send emails. More detailed instructions will be provided nearer the day.

Music Scholarship auditions will also take place in an online format during week commencing 18 January and an online Art Scholarship exam will be scheduled for Wednesday 20 January.

Invitations to Academic and All-Rounder Scholarships interviews will be made to selected candidates following the meeting of the Admissions Panel.

This change of plan comes at relatively short notice, but the College believes that this new approach combined with the reference from children’s current school will be the fairest way forward for all candidates in the current circumstances.

Parents who have questions or need further information can contact our Admissions Team on 01926 634201/262/297 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk

Congratulations to Old Princethorpian, Bethan Ellis (Class of 2017), who, just before Christmas, became one of the first female players to sign a full-time professional domestic cricket contract.

Bethan, who is currently studying at Loughborough University, started playing with Leamington Cricket Club aged just ten-years-old and has been with Warwickshire County Cricket Club since she was 13. Last year, the all-rounder and opening batswoman, made her maiden century for Warwickshire, scoring 132 against Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

In 2019 she helped the Birmingham Bears, Warwickshire’s T20 women’s team, win the T20 Vitality Cup and last summer Bethan was selected to play for Loughborough Lightnings in their 15-man squad for the Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy.

Bethan is also a qualified coach working as an assistant coach for Warwickshire U13 girls and with the Complete Cricket company.

Whilst at Princethorpe, Bethan was a regular player for the College teams and captained the Boys 1st XI cricket team, the first girl to do so in the school's history, her dedication to school sport was exemplary and she was a role model to all within the Foundation.

Bethan has signed with Lightning Cricket the East Midlands-based team in the new Women's Elite Domestic Cricket Structure. Her signing will provide Bethan with the opportunity to train and work on her skills full-time and give her access to some of the best coaching and training facilities in the UK.

A huge well done to Bethan from us all here at Princethorpe, we were delighted to hear of your success.

As an affiliated Arkwright School, Princethorpe College is committed to inspiring future leaders in Engineering and Technical Design. Applications for the 2021 scheme close shortly and the College is once again delighted to be supporting a number of pupils to prepare.

Arkwright Engineering Scholarships are offered by The Smallpeice Trust, the UK’s leading STEM Education Charity, they are the most prestigious scholarships of their type in the UK. They are awarded to high-calibre Year 11 pupils through a rigorous selection process. The scholarships identify, inspire and nurture exceptional pupils in Engineering, Computing and Technical Design.

Last year two pupils, Stan Brocklebank and Carys Burchell, were awarded a scholarship, and received a financial award and the support of a mentor to work with them throughout their time in Sixth Form. They will also have the opportunity to attend courses and events for Arkwright Scholars and be ideally positioned to pursue Engineering, Computing or Technical Design at university, or through a higher-level apprenticeship, and then to pursue careers in the engineering field.

Head of Design and Technology, Paul Scopes, comments, “Arkwright Scholarships are highly sought after as they provide exceptional support.  Pupils who successfully obtain an award have access to unparalleled opportunities. We have identified a small number of current Year 11 pupils who we believe have the skills and attitude to be successful in the scheme and we are helping them prepare their applications. We wish them all the very best of luck as they make their way through the five-stage application process.”

The College Careers Fair will be held on the morning of Saturday 20 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.

This year the event will take place virtually from 9.30am to 12.30pm 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.

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.”

Registrations for the event will open in February.

Congratulations to Year 7 pupil, Alexa Holland, who back before Christmas achieved a 'Highly Commended' in the Connected Creatives 500 Word Malala Yousafzai writing competition with her thought-provoking entry Who Am I?  

Connected Creatives is an educational online platform that supports and encourages creative expression. It helps pupils to find their creative voice and improves literacy while allowing them to share their work with teachers, family and peers.

Pupils were encouraged to submit a creative writing piece into their national competition that launched back in September on International Literacy Day.  Entries closed in mid-November and in early December Alexa received the exciting news that her story had been awarded a ‘Highly Commended’.

Nicola Borman, Teacher of English, said, "It was great to see several Princethorpe entries across the year groups, with pupils enjoying the freedom of having no limitations on genre, topic and form.  We will shortly be awarding internal prizes and certificates, and are very proud of Alexa for gaining a Highly Commended in the national competition."

It was a fantastic result and very well deserved too. You can read Alexa’s excellent entry here.

Following on from the Year 11 Academic Reviews, we would like to remind Year 11 pupils and parents of the Sixth Form Scholarship process for September 2021 for internal candidates.

All of our Year 11s are able to apply for Sixth Form Scholarships - Academic, Art, Music, Drama and Sport. To do so they must complete a Sixth Form Scholarship Application Form and write a 'personal statement' outlining their achievements to date and why they feel they would make an excellent candidate for the scholarship (maximum 500 words).

Those pupils who currently have a scholarship, will normally retain their award for Sixth Form, but must also complete a Sixth Form Scholarship Application Form to re-apply for the scholarship.

The deadline for internal Sixth Form Scholarship applications is now Monday 8 February 2021, due to the changed timings of the mocks, mock reports and Year 11 Parents' Evening. Applications should be marked for the attention of the Registrar, Mrs Vanessa Rooney.

Depending on the scholarship, prospective award holders may be interviewed and/or take part in a scholarship assessment in March.

Details of any awards will be confirmed when the Sixth Form Offer letters are sent out in writing during week commencing Monday 22 March 2021. Some awards may be dependent on final GCSE grades.

The criteria for each of the scholarships can be found on our website here. It is essential that pupils and parents look through this in detail before making an application. Sixth Form Application Forms for current award holders can be found here, and for new applicants can be found here.

We hope that this will be another motivational factor for our Year 11s as they focus on their studies and revision in the build up to the exam season.

There are just a few 2021 College Calendars remaining so if you didn't receive one as a Christmas present then you still have time to order yours now.

Featuring 12 superb images of the College and its grounds, the calendar is a celebration of the wonderful scenery and countryside that surrounds us here at Princethorpe.

Capturing the College and Tower through the changing seasons, and including key dates from across the school year it is sure to be a handy addition for any kitchen or office.

The 2021 Calendar is priced just £5 and can be ordered online at https://connect.princethorpe.co.uk/shop

Our events programme carries on with many events going online for the first half of the Lent 2021 Term, for more details see the College website or My School Portal.

A summary of upcoming key events can also be found below:

• Year 11 and Upper Sixth Mock Exams - wc 11 January 2021
• Lower Sixth speaker - Jordan King, Old Princethorpian and racing driver - Thursday 14 January 2021
• Arts Society Lecture - Dr Nick Baker - Sir Wilfrid Thesiger, Explorer, Writer and Photographer - Thursday 21 January 2021
• Entrance Examinations for September 2021 entry - Saturday 23 January 2021
• GCSE Options Evening - Thursday 11 February 2021
• Virtual Careers Fair - Saturday 20 March 2021

Tuesday 12 January 2021 - 6.30pm to 7.30pm

Crackley Hall School and Little Crackers Nursery will be hosting a Virtual Open Evening on Tuesday 12 January 2021 from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

This will give prospective families an insight into the many aspects of school life at Crackley Hall and Little Crackers and the firm foundation they give children for their future learning.

For more information and to register for the event please click here or contact the Admissions Secretary, Mrs Jenny Vaughan on 01926 514410 or by email admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk

Thursday 14 January 2021 - 6.30pm to 7.30pm

Crescent School will be hosting a Virtual Open Evening on Thursday 14 January 2021 from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

This will give prospective families an insight into life at the Crescent and the firm foundation they give children for their future learning.

For more information and to register for the event please click here or contact the Registrar, Mrs Helen Morley on 01788 523851 or by email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk.

Fr Teddy O'Brien MSC offers Mass for the Princethorpe community including Old Princethorpians, friends of the College and St Anne's Parish, Wappenbury at 9.30am every morning, via Facebook, from St Anne's Catholic Church, Wappenbury.

If you wish to join in this daily Act of Worship please use the  link for Facebook here

Regrettably due to the current Covid-19 restrictions the church is closed.

Thursday 21 January 2021 - 7.30pm to 8.30pm (Online) 

The Arts Society's Lent Term 2021 lecture will be presented by former Princethorpe archivist, Rev Nick Baker on Sir Wilfred Thesiger, Explorer, Writer and Photographer.

The lecture will take place online, through Zoom and will last approximately one hour. There will be an opportunity to ask questions afterwards. Links will be sent out approximately 24 hours beforehand.

Wilfred Thesiger (1910-2003) is considered to have been one of the greatest explorers of the twentieth century. Born in Addis Ababa, he spent his early years in Abyssinia (now Ethiopia), and was later educated at Eton College and Oxford University. He returned to Abyssinia during the Second World War, and in due course served with the newly created SAS.

Thesiger spent almost sixty years of his life travelling through some of the most inhospitable areas on this planet, including the Arabian peninsula and western Asia. These travels were communicated to a wide audience through books such as Arabian Sands (1959) and The Marsh Arabs (1964), and were often accompanied by the photographs Thesiger took along the way.

Thesiger’s manuscripts are now housed at Eton College, whereas his collection of negatives and prints, together with his artefacts, are under the care of the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford.

This talk will endeavour to provide an introduction to Thesiger’s life and legacy. You will be invited to look at remote countries and peoples through the eyes of this remarkable individual.

There is no charge for this lecture

To register your interest in this event please use the link here.

Friday 29 January 2021

Our first 2021 PTA online event will be celebrating the famous Scottish Burns Night. 

More information will be coming out shortly so please keep your diary free for what promises to be an enjoyable evening.

We are always looking for volunteers so if you would like to help at this or any future event, please sign up here at the Ptasocial website or email us at pta@princethorpe.co.uk

You can also follow us on Twitter - @PrincethorpePta, Instagram - @PrincethorpePta or Facebook - Princethorpe PTA

The Parents' Reading Group has been running for many years now. A group of parents get together once a month to discuss a book we have all previously agreed on. It's an opportunity for readers to share their reading interests with others and to pick up suggestions to broaden their own reading. We are very eclectic in our tastes and completely unpretentious. We'd welcome newcomers and can guarantee all a warm and friendly welcome when we are once again able to meet.

As circumstances will not permit us to meet at present many of us have kept in touch about books via email.  Please let me know if you’d like to be on the reading group emailing list (chriskerrigan@princethorpe.co.uk) and I’ll add you to it. We look forward to welcoming a few new faces when permitted to meet, but until then we’ll continue to share reading suggestions via email.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English

Following on from the Headmaster’s letter, please find below a list of key changes that we have needed to make in the light of recent events. I have set them out by Year Group for ease of reference.

Dr Michael Reddish

Year 7

No changes

Year 8

No changes

Year 9

Parents’ Evening (online) brought forward to Tuesday 26 January

Year 10

Parents’ Evening (online) brought forward to Thursday 11 March

Full Reports postponed until Friday 7 May

Academic Review Evening postponed to w/c 21 June

Year 11

Mock Reports postponed to Wednesday 3 February

Parents’ Evening (online) postponed to Thursday 4 February

Online Options Final Choices Survey emailed - Friday 5 February

Deadline for internal Sixth Form Scholarship applications and return of Online Options Final Choices Survey - Monday 8 February

Lower Sixth

No changes

Upper Sixth

Parents’ Evening (online) brought forward to Thursday 4 March

As you are aware, you should be receiving a envelope through the post hopefully today, if not tomorrow, containing the timetable, instructions and papers for the Year 11 or Upper Sixth mock exams next week.

If you have any immediate issues or concerns please do contact myself or Beth Sharpe.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic

Gresham College's free public lectures (running since 1597) will be continuing online from January 2021 until Easter. Their lectures are delivered by world-class experts in fields ranging across the arts and sciences, and they include lecturers like Professors Chris Whitty who is speaking about Vaccination on Wednesday 10 February, Edith Hall (Classics), Leslie Thomas QC (Law) and Joanna Bourke (Cultural History).

They are an excellent resource for developing subject knowledge and skills, gaining careers advice and informing EPQ projects and UCAS statements. There is a searchable back catalogue of 2,500 free digital lectures on their website ordered by school subject at www.gresham.ac.uk/schools.

Those interested can sign up for monthly email updates here: gres.hm/schools.

Their 2020-21 Lectures include:

Astronomy
A series called Cosmic Vision by Astronomy Professor Katherine Blundell, and another by Visiting Professor Roberto Trotta, The Unexpected Universe.

Business/Economics 
A series on The Psychology of Finance by Business Professor Alex Edmans; a series on Intergenerational Justice by Visiting Professor Martin Daunton.

Classics
A Great Thinkers series including Plato and Aristotle, by Visiting Professor Edith Hall.

English
The Powers of the Novel by Visiting Professor John Mullan, a series on 'classic' film, Exploding the Film Canon by Visiting Professor Ian Christie.

Geography
Two short series about the environment, Our Connected World, and How to Build a Just and Prosperous Planet by Professor Jacqueline McGlade.

History
A fascinating series on Evil Women In History by Professor Joanna Bourke; a series on England's Reformations by Professor Alec Ryrie; a Black History Month series; a series about Darwin And His Impact by Visiting Professor Jim Endersby (may also be useful for Science); a series on Great Tudor and Stuart Houses by the Provost Simon Thurley (architecture history) and lots of one-off lectures.

IT
Great Ideas From Computer Science by Professor Richard Harvey, which includes algorithms, data, programs and networks; a lecture on AI And Humour by Visiting Professor Yorick Wilks.

Law/Politics/Citizenship
Death, The State And Human Rights by Professor Leslie Thomas QC will discuss police restraint and inquests into deaths in custody (Black Lives Matter); The Politics Of The Courtroom by Visiting Professor Thomas Grant will weigh the balance between politicians and the courts.

Mathematics
Gresham Professor Sarah Hart will look at Mathematics In Music And Writing, Professor Kevin Buzzard will ask Will Computers Outsmart Mathematicians, Dr Kit Yates discusses The Maths of Life and Death.

Medicine
Major Debates In Public Health by the Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Chris Whitty will include a lecture on Vaccination; and Performing Medicine by Visiting Professor of Medical Education Roger Kneebone includes a lecture on Knife Crime.

Music
Russian Piano Masterpieces by Music Professor Marina Frolova-Walker with pianist Peter Donohoe; 100 Years Of BBC Radio by Visiting Professor Jeremy Summerly; Dr Xenia Pestova-Bennett will look at Toy And Cyborg Pianos.

Archive Lectures
Recent highlights in their archive include a career-relevant series on Business Skills by Alex Edmans, which includes lectures on your CV, time management etc; and two series by Sir Jonathan Bate on Classic Shakespeare and Wordsworth and the Romantics; there is also a strong series on the Applications Of Mathematics for example, in the film industry, the maths of climate change, etc by Professor Chris Budd.

All very interesting, I am sure you will agree.

Between Monday 11 January and Friday 22 January, there will be an opportunity for all Year 7 pupils and parents to have an online appointment on Teams with their child’s tutor. This will be to discuss current progress, but also to support home learning and pastoral care. Year 7 tutors will be in touch with parents to make a convenient time.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Thursday 4 February 2021 - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

Please note that due to the change of date for the Year 11 mock exams Parents' Evening will now take place on Thursday 4 February from 6.00pm to 8.30pm. It will be hosted virtually through of a series of Microsoft Teams meetings with your child's teachers. Meetings will be booked online in five-minute slots. Further details will follow on how to book the appointments.

Please be aware that for subjects where teachers teach more than one set, teachers may be in contact with you via email before the Parents’ Evening to update you as to your child's progress as there will be more pupils than available meetings.

You can find a list of your child's teachers under Teacher Contacts on MySchoolPortal.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Tuesday 26 January 2021 - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

Please note that the Year 9 Parents’ Evening will now take place on Tuesday, 26 January 2021 from 6.00pm to 8.30pm. It will be hosted virtually through of a series of Microsoft Teams meetings with your child's teachers. Meetings will be booked online in five-minute slots. Further details will follow on how to book the appointments.

Please be aware that for subjects where teachers teach more than one set, teachers may be in contact with you via email before the Parents’ Evening to update you as to your child's progress as there will be more pupils than available meetings.

You can find a list of your child's teachers under Teacher Contacts on MySchoolPortal.

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

The NHS Live Virtual Work Experience Programme is now available to support all aspiring healthcare students with work experience opportunities during the pandemic. Students will have access to their own specific work experience programme, which will be highly relevant to the following healthcare careers:

• Nursing
• Midwifery
• Paramedics
• Physiotherapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Radiographers
• Art, Drama and Music Therapists
• Dietitians
• Operating Department Practitioners
• Radiographers
• Podiatrists
• Osteopaths
• Orthoptists
• Prosthetists and Orthotics
• Speech and Language Therapists

You can learn more and register for the programme here.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis, and will cost £10 per day to cover administrative costs. 

As you may know, we tried to launch the work experience programme for Year 10 last academic year, although for most pupils this became impossible as a result of the COVID situation. However a small number of pupils did manage to undertake a placement.

We are hoping that, if circumstances allow, work experience could take place in the summer of Year 11, as it traditionally has done.

If you are able to find a placement for your son or daughter, this would be an invaluable asset when considering future careers and UCAS applications.

If you can find a placement, or have done so already, please could you contact me on miketaylor@princethorpe.co.uk. I shall be posting our standard forms in the New Year.

Many thanks for your continued support, and best wishes for 2021.

Mike Taylor
Work Experience Co-ordinator

In a year when the odds were against the appeal in so many ways, the support received has been most welcome!

Volunteers sorted, stored, and packed; crafted items, wrapped boxes, gifted pre-loved toys, bought essentials, and generously donated money. 

This enabled Teams4u Stretton to achieve a total of 2,815 shoeboxes from an overall total of approximately 50,000 boxes.

These boxes started their 1,400 mile journey from Stretton in mid-November, reaching the vulnerable children and families in Oradea, Western Romania, in December and it is hoped more boxes will have arrived in Moldova by early 2021.

Our thanks go to:

Birdingbury Ladies
Princethorpe College
Brookside Stores, Stretton
Radford Semele WI
Country Style Hair Salon
Ryton Evergreens
Earlsdon Methodist Church
Ryton-on-Dunsmore (WI) TWIRLS
Eastern Green Ladies
Southam WI
Harbury Knitwits
Stoneleigh Card and Quilling Group
Heart of England Co-op
St Anne’s Church, Wappenbury
Knightlow C of E Primary School
St Francis Church, Bedworth
Knowle WI
St John’s Church, Long Lawford
Ladbroke Village
St. John’s Mothers Union, Kenilworth
Marton Village
Stoneleigh Village
Meriden Ladies
Stretton Village
Our Lady’s Roman Catholic Primary School
Ullesthorpe Golf Club Senior Ladies
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, Bulkington
……And many, many individuals beyond Coventry & Warwickshire

The appeal is an all year-round project.

At the start of the Christmas holidays, eight full to bursting bags of tinned soup and beans, pasta, biscuits and even smarties were delivered to the Lighthouse Charity Shop in Leamington Spa.

The Lighthouse is part of the Helping Hands Community Project a charity that encourages local people to help local people in need, and the Sixth Form's donations were gratefully received. 

Thank you to all who donated and to Sixth Form Tutors, Mr Lee and Ms Andrews, for promoting the initiative in their tutor groups.

More information on this local charity can be found here: www.helpinghandscharity.org.uk/

Why not follow the PE department's instagram @princethorpefoundationsport for photos and videos featuring sport from across the schools.

The Design Technology department will be running a number of virtual co-curricular clubs this term including: Cook-a-long Club, Year 7 DT Club and the Robotics Club.

Any pupils interested in taking part should message Mr Scopes directly via Teams.

Well done to those who met the first deadline and submitted their eDofE programme planners by Tuesday 15 December.  Please check to see if your selections have been approved and whether any further information is required.  You can now start logging your hours and collecting evidence. 

Remember DofE have provided lots of 'lockdown' options so that you can complete your award despite the pandemic. 

https://www.dofe.org/dofewithadifference/activities

Due to lockdown, we will be forced to re-arrange the Gold and Silver expedition training at the end of January.  Please keep an eye on your emails for further information. 

For those still finalising their activities, please see below a summary of the necessary steps. 

Additional guidance has been emailed directly home, please could participants spend some time reading through this information with their parents. 

1. Login to eDofE website and update personal details – DofE will then send your Participant Handbook directly to you.
2. Set the timescales for your award (for example at Bronze - physical 6, volunteering 3 and skill 3 months).
3. Complete the ‘programme planners’ for physical, volunteering and skill sections. This includes:    

• selecting the activity
• inputting start dates
• setting a goal to achieve
• recording your assessor details

Submit your ‘programme planners’ online to your DofE Leader for approval. Once approved you can start your award. 

In addition to the email sent to pupils and parents, resources can be found on MySchoolPortal

Will Bower
Head of Outdoor Education – DofE Manager

Bronze 

Well done to all who have completed their award so far; certificates will be distributed in due course.

For the remainder of participants, please prioritise this over the coming weeks by uploading your physical, volunteering and skills section assessor reports. 

For help please refer to the DofE temporary Changes Update, eDofE Completion Guide and the Electronic Assessor Report Guide.

Mr Robertson and I will be in touch to complete the DofE Completion Drop-In Sessions online.

Silver and Gold

Well done to those who have managed to complete their physical volunteering and skills sections; excellent work. An update regarding the qualifying expeditions will be sent out in due course as the lockdown restrictions are lifted.  

For help please refer to the DofE temporary Changes Update, eDofE Completion Guide and the Electronic Assessor Report Guide.

I will contact participants to help you to sign off your volunteering, physical and skill sections. 

Will Bower
Head of Outdoor Education – DofE Manager

Please note that the school shop is currently closed.

Remember you can email queries or orders for uniform to uniform@princethorpe.co.uk.

Barbara Bromwich
Shop Manager

Cyber-crime – please be extra vigilant

Parents are asked to be vigilant when reading emails relating to the payment of school fees and any other items to the Foundation. You can protect yourselves by only making payments to us in line with our normal, published methods. Any email offering a large discount on fees for the coming academic year if paid immediately is fraudulent.

There has been no change to the bank details of Princethorpe College, Crackley Hall or Crescent and there is no intention to make any changes in the foreseeable future. Any electronic notification that appears to be from any of the Foundation schools changing these details may be fraudulent.  Our bank details are available on the Parent Bills, the Online Payment Portal and in the Information Booklet for each school, and only those details should be used.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my colleagues in the Bursary if you are have any doubts about the correct details or indeed if anything appears suspicious.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Please see below our current vacancies:

• Deputy Head (Academic)
• Assistant Head (Director of Studies)
• Assistant Head (KS2 and Academic) - Crackey Hall
• Teacher of Business Studies
• Foundation Marketing and Communications Executive

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

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