The Flagpole

On Tuesday 18 January, the College was delighted to welcome England international and Wasps Rugby FC fly-half, Jacob Umaga, to school to talk and inspire pupils at the relaunch of the College’s Elite Sports Programme.

Aimed at pupils from Year 8 to Upper Sixth who are participating at a representative level, or have the potential to participate, the programme will offer different pathways to mentor, guide and encourage pupils in their journey to the pinnacle of their sport.

Jacob shared his personal journey with pupils starting from playing school sport up through the Warwickshire County programme, then on to Leicester Tigers, England’s youth teams before moving to Wasps and being selected to represent his country internationally. He shared his top tips for the journey, the importance of learning from those around you and of being your own player.

Foundation Director of Sport, Lee Cassell, commented, “Thank you to Jacob for sharing his story, and for being so generous with his time with our pupils at the end of the evening. We are looking forward to working with pupils and helping them to achieve their potential.”

The latest edition of the College’s magazine, The Tower Review, has just been published.

It tells the story of the school year, term by term, reflecting on the whole host of activities, achievements and successes that pupils from Year 7 through to Upper Sixth took part in. It includes highlights such as Prize Giving and the College production as well as reviews of sporting events and House competitions.

2020/21 was an incredible year filled full of challenges, but there were still plenty of wonderful and memorable moments to reflect on. We hope that our annual souvenir review will be treasured by pupils and parents alike.

The magazine will be mailed to parents and the Leavers of 2021 will also be sent a hard copy in the post. An electronic copy can be found here and also on the school website.

If you would like to receive an additional copy please email marketing@princethorpe.co.uk with your name and address.

The Upper Sixth welcomed four visiting speakers on Thursday 20 January for an Interfaith Forum. The event was organised by Assistant Head of Sixth Form, Rod Isaacs and provided the students with a chance to hear from representatives from the Humanist, Sikh, Muslim and Christian faiths.

Ghulam Vohra, Chairperson of the Coventry Muslim Forum, Marcia Watson, representing the Offchurch Group of Churches, Jane Sault from the Humanist Association and Jatinder S Birdi, representing the Gurdwara Sahib of Leamington and Warwick, also Chair of Warwick District Faiths Forum and Trustee of the Princethorpe Foundation, spoke to the students in turn, sharing an understanding of their faith, answering questions and providing insights into their beliefs and their thoughts on the importance of faith in society today. The Upper Sixth had the opportunity to appreciate the different faiths, to consider how many similarities there are between them and how through mutual understanding and co-operation we can all work with and respect each other in our communities.

Our thanks go to our visitors for providing such an engaging and thought-provoking session.

Every year we are delighted to hear of pupils’ triumphs securing much-coveted places in the County Hockey squads. Earning representative honours is no mean feat. All those selected will have school and club commitments; they will have attended extra trials and training sessions before finally being chosen for the squad.

Those who win through participate in England Hockey’s ‘Player Pathway’, a programme that provides Development Centres and Academy Centres as progressive staged steps to help all junior hockey players realise their potential.

Head of Girls’ Games, Jen Law, comments, "It is fantastic to see our pupils’ passion for hockey, they show great enthusiasm and excellent technical skills which is regularly recognised by the County selection teams. I am really pleased to have such a depth of talent to call on for the school’s fixture programme."

Pictured here are some of this year’s successful contingent, the full list is below. Our congratulations go to all who were selected this year. We look forward to watching their hockey journeys in the years to come.

Year 7 Girls: Amy Robinson and Hattie Sarkies

Year 8 Boys: Archie Dowling, Josh Gorbutt, Marco Rodriguez Hernandez and Noah Windley

Year 8 Girls: Lauren Tebbatt

Year 9 Boys: Joe McCullough, Oscar Glover, Fin Calder, Charlie Wilcox and Dylan Williams

Year 9 Girls: Martina Grace and Cara Ridd

Year 10 Boys: Ben Smith

Year 10 Girls: Georgia Dowling and Ruby Clark

Year 11 Girls: Sophie Gray and Tilly Houghton

Year 12 Boys: Harry King, Tom Knight, Jamie Smith and Madoc Williams

Princethorpe College Year 11, Alexander Hammond, has just debuted for England’s U16 football team. Alexander, who plays in goal, was called up for the squad’s recent double header against Turkey (two consecutive matches) and helped the team achieve two fantastic results, with wins of 2-1 and 3-1.

Alexander plays for Aston Villa Academy and last summer was picked by the England team scouts to be on standby for the U16 team. In October he took part in an England Men’s Goalkeeping Development Camp at the National Football Centre, St George’s Park. It proved to be a great opportunity for him to showcase and develop his skills. His determination and talent were clearly recognised, and he was delighted to be called up just before Christmas to be in the international match squad.

Alexander has also just signed his Scholar Contract with Aston Villa and will join the club after he completes his GCSEs. These are exciting times for this talented young player – well done to Alexander and good luck from all of us here.

Thinking of becoming a teacher? Then why not consider training with the Princethorpe Foundation.

Whether you are a new graduate or contemplating a career change, we have a wide range of opportunities available across the subjects but particularly in Maths, English, History, Geography and PE.

Though our association with the Lion Alliance, we offer a year’s training as part of the School Direct scheme, leading to Qualified Teacher Status. Placements would be at Princethorpe and also at other schools within the Lion Alliance. Our training is supported by Warwick University, Birmingham City University, Coventry University and by our experienced mentors here at the Princethorpe Foundation.

You can preview the courses on offer here: www.gov.uk/find-postgraduate-teacher-training-courses by searching the database using the details: 1K1 – The Lion Alliance

Our Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning, Dr Liz Pyne is also happy to offer advice about the different routes into teaching and what Princethorpe can offer you. Please email Dr Pyne at lizpyne@princethorpe.co.uk.

Further information about the Lion Alliance can be found at www.thelionalliance.co.uk.

After the exciting announcement that the new Science Centre has been given the go ahead, now is the perfect time to make your mark on Princethorpe College and become a permanent part of the College’s history for generations to come.

You can support the Science Centre project with a simple donation in return for an engraved name on a Brick, Element or Paver?

Princethorpe’s pupils sit at the heart of the school community, and purchasing a Brick, Element or Paver is a wonderful way to record the part individuals play in school life. They make great gifts commemorating and celebrating time spent attending the College, reflecting the energy pupils have invested in their studies and all while helping to turn the vision for Science into reality.

For more information, and to take advantage of this one-off opportunity, please visit the school website here or contact the Development office at makingadifference@princethorpe.co.uk.

Princethorpe College’s First VII Netball team have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Sisters n Sport Seniors Plate competition. The girls faced Malvern College on Saturday 8 January and played superbly to win 37-20. It was fantastic effort especially as the team were also all juggling the start of term, revision, training, and their mock exams as they prepared for the match.

Team coach, Louise Harrison, said, “I was really proud of the team and how the girls all pulled together and played for each other in a squad with lots of changes due to illness, injury and Covid. Their team spirit shone throughout the match and their tenacity in defence saw the most turn-overs the girls have been able to complete this season.” She continued, “Excellent performances from Charlie who made her full first team debut at Goal Attack, Eve who was voted player of the match by Malvern College, and Evie just purely for her sheer perseverance - I'm sure her player felt like they had no space at all. I am really looking forward to the next round and the netball term ahead.”

On Thursday 6 January, pupils took part in an online service to celebrate the Feast of Epiphany, the feast that marks the arrival of the three wise men to pay homage to the new born king.

This year, the Chaplaincy theme for the year is ‘Hope’. So, in his service, Father Alan Whelan MSC spoke about the meaning of Epiphany, how it offers a revelation, an insight into how the birth of Jesus was a journey from darkness to light, a journey of hope.

Father Alan encouraged pupils, as they settled back down to daily school life, to also reflect on their parents’ hopes for them, how those hopes could be to ‘keep on trying’ and ‘don’t give up’. He then shared an example of how some of the College’s Sixth Form students, who are members of the Youth St Vincent de Paul society, have brought hope, through their volunteering, their visits to care homes and charity work.

Our thanks go to Father Alan for leading the services, for the inspiration for us all to reflect on our hopes, and to all who bring hope, light and encouragement through their charity work.

Congratulations to Olivia Ward, Ciaran Smith, Ishbel Kempton and Elsie Kelley who have all been awarded a distinction in their London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) Grade 8 Gold Medal examinations.

Gold is the highest medal awarded by LAMDA and will have taken years of training to achieve. The four Sixth Formers took their LAMDA Gold medal examinations back in November, at school, and just before Christmas they received news of their success. Achieving their LAMDA Gold Medal examinations means that all four students have now also accrued 30 UCAS points towards their university applications.

Olivia Ward took LAMDA Speaking in Public Grade 8, for which she had to write and present two speeches. She gave an in-depth analysis of the pros and cons of electoral reform in her first speech, and for her second she gave an imagined ‘Best Woman’ speech for her brother’s wedding. She had to write an impromptu speech in the exam and deliver it with only fifteen minutes preparation time. The examiner praised Olivia’s ability to present stimulating and well considered work.

Ciaran Smith impressed the examiner by performing with ‘real confidence, control and a mature understanding of texts’ during his Reading for Performance Grade 8 exam. Ciaran created a recital on the theme of ‘Democracy’ using texts from The Hand that Signed the Paper by Dylan Thomas, Henry V by William Shakespeare and 1984 by George Orwell. He wrote introductions and linking statements to all his chosen texts and answered questions on the writers and contexts in depth.

Ishbel Kempton and Elsie Kelley have been taking acting exams together for several years and were delighted to complete their studies in their Grade 8 Acting Duologue exam. They performed scenes from Antigone by Sophocles, The Odd Couple (Female Version) by Neil Simon and The Thrill of Love by Amanda Whittington. The examiner noted a ‘clear energy’ and ‘strong presence’ in their performances, and they completed their exam with a discussion on their chosen theatre practitioner, Constantin Stanislavski.

Lead LAMDA Teacher, Kathy Buckingham-Underhill, commented, "I am delighted to see these four young people completing their LAMDA studies on such a high. Congratulations to them all. Their hard work, diligence, ownership and understanding of the tasks involved has been amply rewarded. Their LAMDA teachers are proud of them all."

A huge well done to all four students on a really impressive achievement.

Tuesday 25 January 2022 - 7.30pm

For our first Arts Society Lecture of 2022 Dr Nick Baker, former Archivist of Princethorpe College will give a presentation on ‘Should You Judge A Book By Its Cover? A fascinating look at book bindings through the centuries.

The lecture will cover:

Does it matter what a book looks like? We often take book bindings for granted, but they can tell us so much about the past. Generally speaking, books have only been sold ready-bound since the nineteenth century. Before then, loose sheets of printed or written text were bound to serve the taste, needs and the means of the patron or purchaser. Various materials, including leather, were employed to protect precious volumes, and they were frequently decorated with metalwork, paint and ink. Hot metal tools were sometimes used to stamp the covers with elaborate designs.

What is a girdle book? What is russia leather? What is tree calf? We will consider these, and other weird and wonderful terms, in the course of the evening. Book bindings can tell us so much about past owners, printers and publishers, and provide insights into changing fashions and tastes. Above all, many book bindings are simply works of arts to be treasured and enjoyed.

The talk will take place at 7.30pm on Tuesday 25 January 2022 in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre followed by wine and light refreshments in the Atrium.

Tickets cost just £5 each, Princethorpe, Crackley Hall and Crescent School pupils are free of charge. To book your ticket please go to Princethorpe Connect. Tickets will also be available on the door.

Our Spring Arts Society Lecture is the third in the series on Italian poet, writer and philosopher, Dante, by former Deputy Head, Pastoral and Art Historian, Margaret-Louise O’Keeffe on Tuesday 29 March 2022 – please save the date.

Friday 28 January 2022

The Princethorpe PTA is pleased to announce their second Burns Night quiz which will take place on Friday 28 January in the Sixth Form Centre from 7.30pm to 9.00pm.

The evening promises to be fun-filled with six short question rounds. Test your Scottish knowledge in Geography, Music, Sport, Celebrities, Landmarks and General Knowledge along with prizes for top scores. The PTA will be providing a cheese board for each table to enjoy and there will also be drinks available at the bar to purchase; cash only thank you. 

The event will be in aid of Mary's Meals, the Scottish-based charity, which is close to Princethorpe's heart. It is also the Sixth Form's SVP Charity so students will be our comperes for the quiz and we look forward to their rendition of 'Address to a Haggis'.

There is no charge to take part, but we are asking participants to kindly donate to the College’s ongoing project with Mary’s Meals supporting the feeding programme at Makalanga School in Malawi. All donations made before Sunday 30 January will be matched by private Mary’s Meals supporters, more information is available here: https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/doublethelove.

Use the link below to donate to our sponsored school in Malawi, you will also be helping Mary’s Meals support new school feeding programmes in Liberia.

Please make your donation here: http://giving.marysmeals.org/en_gb/projects/vt0p-princethorpe-5-makalanga 

We will also be holding a silent auction for a beautifully framed print of our very own Princethorpe College. 

The evening is sure to be excellent entertainment so why not join in the fun. If you would like to attend the evening we need to know in advance, so please register here by 9.00am Monday 24 January.

We look forward to seeing you.

The PTA Committee 

Monday 31 January - 6.30pm to 8.00pm

Princethorpe College is thrilled to welcome Dr Suzie Imber as guest speaker at our forthcoming da Vinci Lecture on Monday 31 January. If you would like to attend, please follow the link below for this online event:

My Life as a Space Scientist – Dr Suzie Imber

Dr Suzie Imber was the winner of the BBC 2 series entitled Astronauts: Do You Have What it Takes? during which twelve candidates were put through astronaut training with NASA astronaut Chris Hadfield. She endured challenges such as taking her own blood, speaking Russian while in a centrifuge at 5g and carrying out emergency procedures on the NASA undersea astronaut training facility, Aquarius. 

As an Associate Professor of Planetary Science at the University of Leicester, Dr Imber specialises in space weather; understanding how explosions from the Sun travel through the solar system and impact the planets, in particular the Earth and Mercury. Space weather has profound impacts for our modern-day society and has been added to the government’s national risk register, having the potential to disrupt power grids, telecommunication systems and GPS systems, as well as damaging spacecraft instrumentation and posing a hazard to astronaut health.

A true polymath and role model for Princethorpe’s da Vinci programme, Suzie was an England U21 lacrosse player, an elite rower, and is now a high-altitude mountaineer. She has written computer code to automatically identify mountains in South America and found hundreds of mountains that didn’t exist on previous lists. She sets off annually to scale these incredibly remote, un-climbed mountains, exploring new regions of our planet and even discovering sets of Incan ruins on the summits.

It will be such a privilege for us to hear Suzie speak about her life as a space scientist and we hope that as many of you as possible can join us on the night.

If you have any queries, please contact helenpascoe-williams@princethorpe.co.uk

Helen Pascoe-Williams
Da Vinci, Learning Skills, EPQ Co-ordinator and English Teacher

Thursday 3 Februrary - 6.30pm to 7.30pm   

The STEAM ambassadors invite you to an evening with Dr John Lloyd.

Dr John Lloyd will be joining us on Thursday 3 February from 6.30pm to 7.30 pm in the Clarkson Theatre to share his love of science, computing and technology. He will explain how his curiosity about how things work influenced his choice of A-level and degree courses and how his STEAM skills have enabled him to make some unexpected but rewarding career choices.

Dr Lloyd works with well known companies using a variety of data to make decisions on how to increase sales of their products - from crisps and chocolates to gin and skin moisturisers, from creating new products and brands, to how to display products on shelves to increase sales. He started his career as a research chemist (in thermodynamics) with British Gas and now works in IT and cloud-based data analysis with NielsenIQ.

Please click here to reserve your seat at what promises to be a fascinating session.

Thursday 10 February - Saturday 12 February 2022

Sometimes You Have to Be a Little Bit Naughty if
You Want to Change Your Story

The Clarkson Theatre will be filled by the smell of rebellion when Princethorpe presents Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR. Based on the beloved book Matilda by Roald Dahl and adapted from the award-winning full-length musical, Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR. tells the story of an extraordinary girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.

Musical Director Gil Cowlishaw says, “One of my favourite moments early on in the show is when Matilda sings, ‘Even if you are little you can do a lot’. It’s such a powerful reminder for each of us, tall and small, to take ownership in how we can create our reality. Through the process of putting on this musical, these pupils (many of whom are brand new to the College this year) are doing just that: they are joining together and working hard to create this extraordinary event for their community. We think they deserve a standing ovation for all their work.”

Princethorpe College presents Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR. on 10-12 February 2022 at 7.00pm (with a 2.00pm Saturday Matinee as well) in the Clarkson Theatre. Tickets are free, and allocated on a first come, first served basis. 

Performances will take place on Thursday, 10 February, Friday 11 February, Saturday 12 February 2.00pm and Saturday 12 February 7.00pm.  Please click on the day you require in order to book tickets on My School Portal.  

Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International 423 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019, 212-541-4684, mtishows.com.

Wednesday 16 February 7.00pm

It was great to welcome some new faces to the Reading Group this month. The Catch by T M Logan which we discussed was certainly a quick and engaging read. We all felt involved in the narrative but it didn’t quite live up to the reviews and rapidly lost credibility towards the end. 

We will be meeting again on Wednesday 16 February, just before half-term, in the library at 7.00 pm. The book we will be discussing is One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin which is certainly endorsed by those who’ve read it. All welcome whether or not you’ve had time to finish the book.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English

We would like to remind Year 11 pupils and parents of the Sixth Form Scholarship process for September 2022 for internal candidates. The deadline for applications must be submitted by Monday 31 January 2022. 

All of our Year 11s are able to apply for Sixth Form Scholarships - Academic, Art, Music, Organ, 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 this application is Monday 31 January 2022. 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 February or March.

Details of any awards will be confirmed when the Sixth Form Offer letters are sent out in writing during week commencing Monday 28 March 2022. Some awards may be dependent on final GCSE grades.

The criteria for each of the scholarships can be found on our website here and in the Sixth Form Admissions Information Booklet 2022. It is essential that pupils and parents look through these in detail before making an application. The Sixth Form Application Form for current Princethorpe Year 11 pupils 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.

Year 11 Mock Exam Reports will be published to the parent portal on Friday 21 January. Once published, you will receive an email notification advising that the reports are available to view on My School Portal. 

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head – Teaching and Learning

Progress Reports for Year 9 will be published on Friday 28 January 2022, and will be available to view on My School Portal.  

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning 

Some Sixth Form and Year 11 pupils are taking external exams during January, the timetable for these exams can be viewed here. Individual timetables are shown on My School Portal.

The Summer 2022 exam timetable can be viewed here. Individual timetables will be available on My School Portal by the start of the February half term.

Shellagh Dodds
Examination and Assessment Manager

Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 February 2022 - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

The Year 9 Parents’ Evening will take place on Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 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. Further details will follow on how to book the appointments.

It is hoped that all parents will be successful in gaining an appointment, however if this is not possible teachers may contact you via email to update you about your child’s progress.

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

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 January 2022 - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

The Year 11 Parents’ Evening will take place on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 January 2022 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. Further details will follow on how to book the appointments.

It is hoped that all parents will be successful in gaining an appointment, however if this is not possible teachers may contact you via email to update you about your child’s progress.

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

Dr Liz Pyne
Assistant Head - Teaching and Learning

Pupils in Year 8 will be asked to make some choices over their Year 9 curriculum later this half term. I will be speaking to them all in an assembly on Friday 28 January and will send parents the same information in order to inform discussions at home. This process replaces the Options Evening which was originally in the calendar; please accept my apologies for any confusion and do get in touch with any queries. 

The most recent Parent Toolkit webinar, entitled ‘Mobile phone management, including apps and social media’ took place on Tuesday 11 January. Mrs Sharpe provided excellent guidance for parents and carers on the benefits and dangers of mobile phones, how to manage your child’s device use and the importance of ongoing conversations with your child on how they interact with their phone. She also shared some excellent resources and a short video from https://internetmatters.org. The recording of the webinar along with all the links from the session can be found on the Parent Toolkit Section of My School Portal, or you can access the recording direct here.

The next webinar, ‘Support your child with studying at home’, takes place on Wednesday 2 February at 6.30pm, the link to the webinar, along with the programme of all future webinars and links to access them, can be found on My School Portal here.

Please send any suggestions for future webinar topics that we have not already planned to cover to Mrs Beth Sharpe at BethSharpe@Princethorpe.co.uk

Flu

We held a successful flu vaccination in school earlier this week. If you missed this and would like your child to have a nasal flu vaccination. Please book into a community clinic using the following link www.swiftqueue.co.uk. Please note appointments are limited.

Covid-19

The Immunisation Team are returning to school on Tuesday 8 February to offer second dose vaccinations to any child aged 12–15 years old (provided it has been 12 weeks following their first dose), as well as to offer the first dose of vaccination to any child in this age group yet to receive their Covid-19 vaccine. If your child has recently tested positive for covid, they will need to wait 12 weeks before receiving a covid vaccination.

Please click here link if you wish to book and record your consent. Note this link expires at midday on Wednesday 2 February 2022. Appointments will only be offered to those pupils for whom consent has been given.

Pupils may become eligible before the School Aged Immunisation Service is able to return to school, parents may also wish to access the alternative offer of vaccination by having this at an out of school setting. Any pupil who turns 12 after the vaccination visit takes place, or any pupil that is unable to be vaccinated for any reason during the in-school visit would be encouraged to take up this offer when they are eligible. 

There may also be additional vaccination sites that are more local to you available on the National Booking Service, which you can book into by calling 119 or by using the following link: National Booking - Covid Vaccination Link

Year 9 Diptheria/Tetanus/Polio and Meningitis ACWY

These vaccinations will be offered in school on March 14 2022. An email containing a link to the electronic consent form and further info has been emailed to all Year 9 parents. Please note this link expires on Sunday 23 January. After this you will no longer be able to book onto this clinic. Appointment times will be given to pupils nearer the time.

Human Papillomavirus

Dose 1 is usually offered to all year 8 pupils with a follow up dose in Year 9. Please note that the dates originally published in the paper Lent calendar have now been postponed. This will no longer take place on the 9 and 10 March. As soon as we are offered new dates I will let parents know. For those in Year 10 that may have missed a dose of this vaccination, new appointments will soon be offered at community clinics. I will publish these details as soon as I have them

NHS Consent Portal

Please note that as a school we do not have access to the NHS consent portal if you have any queries about consent or wish to withdraw after it has been submitted, please contact the Immunisation service directly for Covid vaccinations: CWPTSchoolCovidVaccinations@covwarkpt.nhs.uk 

For all other vaccinations NORTHIMMS@covwarkpt.nhs.uk

Whilst I dont' have any access to the appointment system, as always I am happy to answer any queries. Please email me at paulagreig@princethorpe.co.uk

Mrs Paula Greig
Senior Matron 

The National Citizen Service is a voluntary personal and social development programme for 16–17 year olds in England and Northern Ireland, funded largely by money from the UK Government and it will be working with Princethorpe College this year to deliver an unforgettable two week summer experience for students in Year 11.

The NCS programme offers young people, aged 16-17 (or age 15 and in Year 11), a once in a lifetime opportunity to do something meaningful with their summer break, as well as a chance to develop key skills for employment whilst taking on new challenges that will set them up for adult life. They'll also do something good for their local community, carrying out a project to support a cause they care about.

Throughout 2021, teenagers on NCS donated 500,000 hours of their time to help rebuild their communities following the pandemic, showing what a difference young people can make when they work together towards a goal.

More information on the NCS summer programme can be found here. If you are interested in taking part in this exciting opportunity please contact Mr Isaacs via email 

The job market for students leaving school or university can be difficult to navigate. 

This event is free of charge and it will be running via Zoom on Thursday 3 February from 6.00pm to 7.30pm. You will have the opportunity to join this event as a family and ask any questions that you may have, directly to leading employers. 

Leaders from some of the biggest employers in their industry including M&S, HSBC, PwC, Capgemini, Linklaters and more will be available to talk to you and explain how best to navigate the job market to find some incredible work experience/internship placements, as well as graduate and apprenticeship opportunities.

Some useful tips will also be shared around psychometric testing, how to prepare for assessment centres, putting together a CV, filling out application forms, as well as advice on how you can prepare your child/young person for the working world.

The booking link can be found here, so please do sign up if you would like to attend. 

For Christmas we went to Iceland (a year late; last year I just stood outside the supermarket) and had the immense luck to not only get there, despite Covid, but discover caving in one of the longest known lava tunnels in the world, Víðgelmir lava cave.

Just shy of 1600 metres long and around 150,000 cubic metres (m³), Víðgelmir is one of the biggest caves in Iceland and one of the largest lava caves in the world. It is located in Hallmundarhraun lava field in Iceland’s highlands. The cave is 1100 years old, and the Vikings thought it was made by a giant worm escaping from the Volcano and eating through the earth.

However, the accompanying highlight for me were the telltale British accents of our guides, so I had to interview them about how two British students had ended up working in a lava cave, 45 meters below earth.

Our tour guide was Will. Will had taken a Geology Degree at Brighton University and then followed his passion onto a Masters Degree Course in Palaeontology at Bristol University. Subsequently, Will could answer any question about the cave, lava ropes, lava roses, basalt temperature and liquidity behaviours and why the rocks were all the colours of the rainbow! I asked Will if he had been confident about getting a job directly related to his course. He told me,

“I completed my Masters Degree and two days later was on a plane to Reykjavik. If you follow what you love and study to masters or doctorate level the jobs come to you. Employers look at the skills they want and approach the relevant high level academic courses. My tutor told me about it, all I had to do was apply and have an interview on Zoom.”

Will went onto tell me about other opportunities he could have pursued and how his lecturers at university were also involved in world leading, paid geological/archaeological work alongside their jobs as lecturers; in fact this is a prerequisite to be a lecturer, you must be actively working in the field you lecture on. Some students from his course went onto work for them on their projects. Will said,

 “If you want a job with your specific subject, you can take a job in any area, keep in touch with the University department and specialist monthly journals for their recruitment section and eventually if you want a job you will get one”. 

Will’s comments raise some good points about careers and education. Are we encouraging our students to aim for a job we recognise, or is it our role to encourage them to find their niche and then work out a way to make it pay?

When I look at student projects for Universities they say “Our students study real world problems”, these are: Natural disaster warning sensors, Astroids and seismic shaking, Crocodile jaw optimisation, Carbon in soil. These are not jobs I would recognise as they are not mainstream, but there is work in those areas and governments are funding it.

Also, when you consider that Graduate Trainee Schemes (made up of the top FTSE 100 companies in the UK) ask for a 2:2 degree, from any discipline. Does it therefore matter if a student has completed a degree in knitting (it exists) or a degree in something thought of as more aligned to a management function such as marketing or management? Trinity Mirror Plc (the largest newspaper publisher in the UK) actively welcomes applications from those who have not studied English or journalism at degree level.

Kerry Low
Careers Advisor

Work experience is now back on the post GCSE agenda, and, as things open up after COVID, we hope that all our Year 11 students will be able to find a placement in Summer 2022.

I would also suggest looking at the website Springpod which offers a virtual work experience programme which has been highly recommended by our Careers Advisor.

Many thanks to those who already have managed to help their son/daughter obtain a placement; in the meantime please could you let me know if you have managed to arrange something by emailing miketaylor@princethorpe.co.uk

Mike Taylor
Work Experience Co-ordinator

Please don’t forget that Princethorpe College PTA is registered with easyfundraising. So, although we’ve been unable to get together and hold fundraising events in person for a while, we can continue to raise free funds, at no extra cost to you.

When you shop via the easyfundraising website or app, with over 4,100 of your favourite retailers, including John Lewis & Partners, eBay, Amazon and many more, you will raise FREE donations for the school.  

If you’re not already registered, please visit our easyfundraising page here:

This will really make a difference to our school! Thank you for your support.

Our friendly PTA here at Princethorpe College are keen to welcome new members. 

By joining our PTA community, you are not committing to volunteer, but just to joining our community and if you do wish to volunteer you will receive emails when we require help to run our events.

For more information about the PTA and how to join please email pta@princethorpe.co.uk

Princethorpe PTA

It is great to be able to share news of pupils' co-curricular successes outside of school.

Year 8, Mia Petrucci regularly volunteers for the charity Zoe's Place and before Christmas she roped in her friend, Year 8, Delilah Teeton, to help with a collection before and after a Wasps game. Between them the girls raised £1,250 for Zoe's Place Baby Hospice. The charity like many was hit hard in the pandemic and we were very impressed to hear about Mia and Delilah's fundraising. Well done to both girls!

Then Year 10, Thomas Smith, Year 9, Andrea Zanyi, and, Year 7, Thomas Zanyi are all members of the Warwickshire Regional Youth Orchestra. As such, they had the privilege of attending a weekend course in early January, in partnership with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. NYO’s Associate Conductor, Lee Reynolds, both conducted and led the course, while NYO students took charge of the sectionals. The focus was on 'creativity'. At the end of two very enjoyable days the following pieces were performed to an audience in the Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre:

• A fully improvised piece called Wave
• The premiere of Jigsaw; an uplifting piece including recorded electronic sections, composed during lockdown by Dani Howard, who is a member of NYO
• A jazz version of Auld Lang Syne created by the weekend course attendees
• Boléro by Maurice Ravel, classical version

Well done to them all!

Please continue to prioritise signing off your volunteering, physical and skill sections. The majority have already completed their award in full. Guidance can be found on a DofE Completion email sent to you and your parents, the advice documents below are also available on MySchoolPortal.

For help, please refer to this eDofE Completion Guide and the Electronic Assessor Report Guide. You may also find it useful to refer to the Temporary Changes Summary or Gold Temporary Changes Summary documents.

The DofE drop in clinic continues next term on Tuesday lunch 1 LF01 and 2 LG02. The Certificate Presentation Evening takes place on Thursday 17 February 2022.

Will Bower 
Head of Outdoor Education – DofE Manager 

Well done to those who met the first deadline and submitted their eDofE programme planners by Tuesday 14 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. 

For those still finalising their activities, please complete the following steps as soon as possible so you can get started on your award.

• Download the DofE app or find www.edofe.org
• Login using the username and password sticker on your folder
• Update your personal details
• Set timescales (for example at bronze physical 6, volunteering 3 and skill 3 months)
• Complete programme planners for the physical, volunteering and skill sections. Please make sure you speak to your potential assessor to ask permission before you upload the details
• Submit your ‘programme planners’ online to your DofE Leader for approval. Once approved you can start your award.

As a reminder to Y10 Silver participants, the expedition training is fast approaching: 

Year 10 Silver Training - Saturday 29 January 9am-4pm and Sunday 30 January 2022, 9am-1pm

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.

Will Bower 
Head of Outdoor Education – DofE Manager 

Co-curricular trips and educational visits have always been a major part of life at Princethorpe. These experiences for pupils enrich their lives, enhance their learning and develop their understanding and appreciation of the world around. Over the past 18 months, opportunities for these have been sadly lacking but it has been great for us to be able to successfully run the Year 7 residential to Whitemoor Lakes and the Lower Sixth residential as year group bubble trips this term. Supporting the curriculum, we have had Maths Challenge to Warwick University, Geography field trips for Year 11 and Upper Sixth, as well at the Fashion and Design Technology trip to London.

We know that there will be concerns this winter about more spikes in COVID cases; however, it is important to look forward and plan for the summer and beyond making the best, informed judgements at the time. We have, as always, been hugely gratefully to parents for their support in this aspect of Princethorpe so wanted to update you with the provisional major trips and visits plans as they currently stand (this does not include academic department day trips or Duke of Edinburgh's Award). Please see here for the planned school trips in the coming years.

Please also ensure that you read the information about individual trips with care when they are released, in particular in relation to consent, cancellation and insurance.

Neil McCollin
Assistant Head - Co-Curricular

As we start the new term we would like to remind parents of some useful contact details.

To report a pupil absence please email attendance@princethorpe.co.uk or telephone the Attendance Line on 01926 634260.

For other enquiries please use the email addresses below:

Bus related queries - buses@princethorpe.co.uk

School Shop - uniform@princethorpe.co.uk

Medical Centre - pcmatrons@princethorpe.co.uk

School fees -  accounts@princethorpe.co.uk

General enquiries - post@princethorpe.co.uk

Lost property - lostproperty@princethorpe.co.uk

Email addresses for members of teaching staff can be found on My School Portal.

Please see below our current vacancy: 

Princethorpe College

• Gardener\Groundsman 

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.

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 Schools 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

There are just a few 2022 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 2022 Calendar is priced just £5 and can be ordered online at https://connect.princethorpe.co.uk/shop

Thank you to all the parents who turn off their engines when they are waiting for pupils to come out of school. As a community we are striving to reduce the impact that we have on our world and turning off engines reduces our carbon impact and the emission of smelly exhaust fumes.

Eddie Tolcher 
Foundation Bursar