The Flagpole

Please find below the Headmaster's letter posted to parents over Easter with the Lent calendar:

Dear parents

After the extraordinary past twelve months, it is incredibly exciting to think that the many events which we used to take for granted – clubs, practices, fixtures, trips, activities, shows and concerts – will (we hope) actually take place, with the majority not being in a virtual format.

Of course, we will keep our fingers crossed and must all keep our guards up and follow the COVID-related guidelines to maintain the positive momentum built up since the school’s return on Monday 8 March. To this end pupils should be continuing with their bi-weekly lateral flow tests to help identify any possible cases. With the easing of some restrictions on our return to school picnic benches will once again be available to pupils for al fresco eating and socialising. You may have seen the recent news that the government has not removed the requirement for masks in the classroom after the Easter holidays - hopefully it won’t be too long before this rule is also eased. With the continuing success of the national vaccination and COVID-testing programmes we have a lot to be optimistic about.

We are, in particular, looking forward to the Year 7 ‘Open Evening’ for parents on Wednesday 23 June. Assuming we can go ahead as planned, this will, of course be the first time that we have been able to welcome this year group’s parents into the school and we have plans to celebrate this in a special way. Although we are not anticipating as much disruption to the calendar as over the past three terms, I am sure there will be some amendments and these will be found on the on-line calendar, accessed via My School Portal or the website.

In normal times we would have finished the Lent Term with the Prefect and Ambassadors’ Inauguration and the House Awards Ceremony, and I am glad that we will be able to hold these at the start of next term. As the current prefects and subject ambassadors step down I must, on behalf of the whole Princethorpe community, thank them for all they have done for Princethorpe in such trying circumstances. Abbie and Jack have been wonderful heads of school and tremendous role models for us all. We thank them and all the outgoing prefects and ambassadors for their time, effort and dedication towards making Princethorpe a better place. 

As for our new prefects and ambassadors, we congratulate them on being selected for their roles and ask that they remember that there are many fine students who weren’t selected. They have been called upon to serve the school and we wish them all well for their term of office. As we think about the term ahead, our thoughts turn to all those involved in GCSEs and A-levels. On either Tuesday 10 or Thursday 12 August they will pick up an envelope with their results in; we wish them well as they prepare for their final assessments and hope they do themselves justice and achieve the results they deserve.

As you may be aware, following the end of the Lent Term we held two INSET days. INSET days allow us to undertake training for our staff and help prepare for the term ahead. As you can imagine the initial training for producing Teacher Assessed Grades for the GCSEs and A-levels, alongside preparing for the Final Internal Assessments across the years occupied a major part of the time. We are looking to recruit additional invigilators for the forthcoming assessment period; if this is of interest to you please you please check the details on our website. 

Another key aspect of our recent training was a session looking at the impact of pornography on the young people of today and how we, as a school community, can both react to this and be proactive in supporting families to manage internet access outside of school. We will be following this up with parents and pupils in the term ahead and will also be consulting on the new Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) policy which will be in place by September 2021 and needs to reflect statutory government guidelines and take into account the context of our school. 

A highlight of the Easter holidays was undoubtedly the College virtual production of the 1970s rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar. Those lucky enough to watch it, cannot fail to have been impressed by the hours of work that went into producing such a high-quality show remotely. Our thanks and appreciation go out to directors Gil Cowlishaw and Jessica Newborough for their vision and hard work in pulling it together digitally and to the fabulous cast and crew for all their talent and commitment.

Finally, I send our best wishes to all, but particularly to those who have only one more term left before they leave the College. Please do also keep in your thoughts and prayers all members of the Princethorpe family who are ill or in need of our support.

Yours sincerely

Ed Hester