The Flagpole

Welcome to the first Flagpole of the 2017-18 academic year and a special welcome to all parents new to the school. As I write, we have just finished three very productive staff training days; these allow us to both prepare for the year ahead and also to focus on how we can deliver the best possible education to all the children in our care.  

Over the holidays we had over a hundred pupils and staff safely return from the South Africa Senior Sports tour and the Lourdes trip. All had a fantastic range of life-changing experiences which I am sure they will never forget. We look forward to many trips and excursions this new academic year which include the History and Politics trip to Moscow and St Petersburg this half term, the Ski trip at Easter and the Costa Rica expedition next summer.

We are launching a variety of new initiatives this year including an exciting new “study skills and resilience” curriculum which we are integrating into the house tutoring system across all year groups. We are also putting in a variety of workshops and seminars for parents with the aim of helping you to support your children both in and outside school. On this theme, we have produced a set of guidelines and expectations which I will be asking all parents to read and agree to.  One particular area we will putting more resources into is the use of mobile phones and social media and how we can work together to help your children to learn, manage and control their use of the readily available technology which we know can have both positive and negative effects on their lives.

You will be aware that each year we steadily develop our campus and improve our facilities. I hope that your children will soon tell you about the superb upgrade of our main theatre and the new Outdoor Classroom by Switzerland which has been made possible through the help of our wonderful Parent Teacher Association.  Later this year we will be seeking planning permission for a suite of new Science laboratories and I will keep you informed of developments in this next major building project.

Another area of the school we have been quietly building up over the last twelve months is our careers and higher education department. Under our wonderful new Head of Careers, Jacqui Quinney and her team who work closely with all staff, we have a new careers curriculum being integrated into the Life Skills and guidance sessions and again this year we will be running a major Careers Fair aimed at pupils from Year 10 upwards; please keep Saturday 17 March 2018 free in your diaries. As in previous years, we will be asking parents and OPs who feel able to, to help by giving a talk on their career or profession.

As I expect you will be aware by now, we are extremely pleased with the public examination results achieved by our pupils a few weeks ago both at A-level and GSCE. We strive hard to ensure that each member of the College’s community makes the most of their own talents. At A-level, over 80% of all grades were A*, A, B or C, with top performers Nick Bonsall and Alana Eckland achieving 5A*s and 4As between them. We are also delighted that the overwhelming majority of our Upper Sixth leavers gained a place at the university of their choice, with a small but significant number gaining exciting employment positions, including some extremely sought-after apprenticeships. We wish all our leavers well for the next phase of their education and look forward to welcoming them back on Friday 3 November to the annual Prize Giving at the Butterworth Hall in Warwick Arts Centre. I hope that many of you will be able to attend this special occasion – further details will be sent in due course.

At GCSE we had many stunning results with two thirds of all grades at A*, A or B. There were many distinguished performances, the best individual results being from Mollie Dibb, Amy Field and Tom Warne who achieved 26 A*s and 8 A grades between them, with a further 18 pupils achieving 9 or more A* or A grades. Princethorpe pupils performed well in all the core subjects but we are particularly delighted with our best ever English results with 55% of pupils achieving A* or A grades. Results were also strong in the creative subjects with 83% of Art entries graded A* or A.

Princethorpe is certainly not an examination factory - when pupils leave, they do so with so much more than an examination certificate - but we do take great pride in trying to ensure that all our pupils achieve the very best possible academic results.

In future editions of The Flagpole, we will be giving some more feedback on the parental questionnaire from the end of last term. On the “satisfaction” part of the form we were delighted that you scored almost all areas at over 80% “very good” or “good” (with many over 90%). However, there were a few that were just below 80% - “opportunities for parents to become involved in the school”, “the quality of food” (which as a regular eater in the refectory surprised me) and “the way parents’ evenings are run”. We are looking closely at these as well as any area where any parents, no matter how small the number, rated us as “poor”. We are determined to ensure that we strive to make the school the best it can be and this feedback is key to our planning, so thank you again to all the parents (about 65%) who took part.

Finally, I hope that you and your families have had a peaceful and happy summer and look forward to seeing you over the course of the year.

With all best wishes 

Ed Hester
Headmaster 

With just ten weeks to go the countdown to the College's Entrance Exams for admission in September 2018 has begun. This year the exams for Year 7 to 10 entry will take place on Saturday 11 November from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

Our friendly Admissions Team has been kept busy over the summer accepting registrations from prospective parents.  The deadline for registrations is ideally Friday 6 October, to enable the seeking of references from junior schools.

There are plenty of opportunities for prospective pupils and their parents to visit the College before Entrance Exams, including our Open Afternoon on Sunday 24 September from 2.00pm to 5.00pm and Open Morning on Thursday 2 November from 10.30am to 12.30pm, when pupil tour guides will be available to show visitors around the school.  All our Year 6 Taster Days are now fully booked, but places are still available for a Year 7 and 8 Taster Day on Monday 2 October.

Comments Melanie Butler, Assistant Head, Marketing, Admissions and Communications, "Parents and pupils will still have plenty of time to prepare and opportunities to visit the College in the run up to the exams.  The results will be out at the end of November, making for an exam-free Christmas holiday, which has got to be good news."

For more information on the admissions process click here to visit the Admissions Update newsletter.

If you have any queries relating to admissions please feel free to email the Registrars at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk or call them on 01926 634201.

Princethorpe College is celebrating another year of excellent exam results. 

This summer 25% of all A-level grades were A* or A and 80% of grades were C or better; at GCSE over 25% of pupils received at least seven A* or A grades and an impressive two thirds of all grades were the coveted A*, A or B. 

Ed Hester, Headmaster, said, “Our students have worked so hard and we are incredibly proud of their achievements.” 

A-level summary results: 

• 92 candidates
• 25% A* & A
• 80% grade C or better
• 100% pass rate

Amongst the high fliers were Head Girl Alana Eckland who achieved all A*s and As and will be studying medicine at university and Head Boy Lloyd Ellis who is going abroad to study History at Utrecht University. Charlotte Morton, Alistair Robinson, Nick Bonsall, Josh Horswill, Marcio Zheng, James Ireland and Jack Dennis also achieved all A* and A  A–level grades.

At GCSE there were many distinguished performances, but the best individual results were from Mollie Dibb, who achieved ten A*s and one A grade, and Amy Field, who achieved nine A*s and two A grades.   

Princethorpe pupils performed well in all the core GCSE subjects but the College is particularly delighted with its best ever English results with 55% of pupils achieving A* or A grades.  Results were also strong in the creative subjects with 83% of Art entries graded A* or A. 

GCSE summary results: 

• 131 candidates
• two thirds of all grades A* to B
• over 25% achieved at least seven A* or A grades
• 55% of pupils achieved A* or A grades for English

Headmaster, Ed Hester, continued, “All credit goes to our pupils and staff for their commitment and hard work.  The College goes from strength to strength and our 2017 A-level and GCSE results are very strong indicators that the school’s academic achievements across the ability range continue to go from strength to strength.

The Development Office, now in its second year, has been delighted with the initial response to the 50 + 10 Bursary Fund. The fund aims to provide at least ten fully funded bursary places for children who would otherwise be unable to benefit from a Princethorpe education.

We are delighted to tell you that we have several donors to date, including some families who gift regular amounts each month. With further gifts pledged over the next seven years, we have been able to offer our first full bursary place in addition to a Sixth Form bursary.

The cost to wholly fund one child for a year at Princethorpe is approximately £12,000, however through regular giving, small gifts from many supporters, soon add up to make a real difference. For every 84 families who make a regular gift of £12 a month, we can offer one full bursary place to a child and change their life for the better.

Over the summer holidays, parents will have received a Making a Difference flyer which shows how cutting back on coffee, can help to transform young lives. For example, forgoing three lattes or cappuccinos, would mean a £12 a month donation, making a real difference.

You can read more about our ‘Cut the Coffee, Change a Life’ campaign here and learn how to make a regular donation today.

Please consider joining those families who already give monthly donations. With your help, we can achieve our goal of becoming a truly inclusive school. Follow this link to make a donation today.

We have great pleasure in unveiling the OPs events calendar for the forthcoming academic year.

After the excitement of the Golden Jubilee year some established OP events are being reintroduced including the OPs Summer Supper on Friday 22 June (this year celebrating the leavers of 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998 and 2008) which always attracts a large number of OPs and former staff. 

We have rejigged the timings of the London and Leamington meets with a spring pub meet in Leamington in the upstairs function room of the Star and Garter on Friday 2 March and an early summer gathering in London at the Old Mitre, a very historic pub in Holborn, on Friday 18 May.

All OPs, past parents and staff are welcome to participate in any or all of the events. Click here to download the calendar or visit the Old Princethorpians section at www.princethorpe.co.uk for more information on Old Princethorpians.

Saturday 2 September - 10.45am to 6.00pm

We are gearing up for the 7th annual Old Princethorpians' Sports Day (and 9th John Shinkwin Trophy Match) on Saturday 2 September. 

Building on the success of the sport at Princefest, for this year we have introduced some new elements, namely an OPs vs Staff Football Match to kick off the day and an OPs vs OPs Rugby Match to round off the proceedings!  We will also be looking to make the day a relaxed affair with music, a BBQ and a pay bar on offer.

As in previous years points will be accumulated throughout the day, with the Alex Wallis Memorial Shield being awarded to the victors at the end of the day.

Format of day:

10.45am to 12.00pm Football OPs vs Staff

12.00pm to 1.00pm Hockey Princethorpe College 1st XI Girls vs OPs XI (x 2)

1.15pm to 2.15pm Hockey Princethorpe College 1st XI Boys vs OPs XI (x 2)

1.30pm to 2.30pm Netball Princethorpe College 1st VII Girls vs OPs VII (x 2)

2.30pm to 3.45pm Rugby - John Shinkwin Trophy - Princethorpe College 1st XV Boys vs OPs XV (leavers of 2017 and 2016)

3.45pm to 5.00pm Rugby - OPs XV vs Kenilworth Babas

5.30pm - After Match Awards 

We are keen to get as many OPs from across the generations participating. If you are interested in playing in any of the sports please contact Neil McCollin, Director of Sport as soon as possible.

All are welcome to come along and support the teams!

Sunday 10 September 2.00pm - 4.00pm

The Heritage Open Days scheme was established in 1994 as England's contribution to European Heritage Open Days and is now this country's largest heritage festival. Around 40,000 volunteers arrange 5,000 events at historic sites, most of which are not normally open to the general public.

Princethorpe College has participated in the Heritage Open Days programme for many years. Our archive team will be conducting free tours of the College on Sunday 10 September from 2.00pm - 4.00pm. Areas open include Pugin’s magnificent chapel, the cloisters, nuns’ cells, library (former church) and roundhouse. No booking is required; just turn up and join the next available tour. Entrance is via the glazed link off the North Car Park. Admission is free and there is complimentary tea and coffee available. We would be delighted to see you!

And if you are coming to Princethorpe why not also visit our local parish church.  St Anne's Catholic Church in Wappenbury has a long affiliation with the College and is participating in the Heritage Open Days scheme. The church can be found at CV33 9DW and will be open from 9.30am - 4.00pm.

Wednesday 13 September 2017 at 7.30pm

The Parents’ Reading Group is a group of keen readers who meet once a month in the library to discuss a book that is always decided on the month before.  Our first meeting of the term is on Wednesday 13 September in the library at 7.30pm.  On this occasion, we will be discussing Hot Milk by Deborah Levy and The Allegations by Mark Lawson, two very contrasting books that reflect the diversity of our reading tastes. 

Do please come along whether or not you have read these particular novels.  We are a friendly group of readers, looking forward to welcoming some new faces this year.  We would be interested in new recommendations of books and authors others have enjoyed so come and share your reading interests in the beautiful setting of the library; light refreshments and plenty of good conversation are provided.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English 

Sunday 24 September 2017 - 2.00pm - 5.00pm

The annual College Open Afternoon takes place on Sunday 24 September from 2.00pm - 5.00pm. All are welcome to visit the College and for our younger visitors there will be many fun subject related activities organised by the departments.

The Headmaster will address visitors during the afternoon and refreshments will be available. 

As usual we'll be looking for existing pupils to help out around school, talking to visitors and taking part in activities in the various departments.

Monday 25 September - 7.00pm

What a piece of work is a man

There are 92 naturally occurring elements in the Periodic Table but how many of them would you need to make a human? The chemical formula for a human has some surprising inclusions and the recipe to make a fully functioning person is carefully balanced. The next science Matters talk looks at some interesting facts about the elements that make us what we are.

The talk is to be given by Dr Kathryn Harkup who has become a regular and very popular contributor to Science Matters events.

You can hear all about the ‘Chemistry of the human body’ on Monday 25 September at 7.00pm in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre. There will be refreshments and a chance to talk with the Kathryn Harkup after the talk.

All parents and pupils are welcome. This is a free event but to help us cater efficiently please reserve places with Lisa Gardner by clicking here. 

Gill Smith
Head of Science

Friday 29 September 7.00pm – 9.00pm

Parents of pupils new to the school this year are invited to the Headmaster's Quiz, which will take place in the College Dining Room.  Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis.  Tickets for the Parents’ Quiz, including a curry supper, are £10 per head.

The PTA will be running a bar and my quiz will hopefully not be too testing! 

It should be a very enjoyable evening for all and enable you to meet a number of other parents new to the College, as well as some staff and members of the PTA.  

If you would like to reserve your place, and to enable us to plan our catering, please click here to complete and submit a brief form by 9.00am, Monday 25 September.

Year 7 Social

At the same time, there will be also be a Year 7 Social organised by the Parent Teacher Association and school prefects in the Sixth Form Centre.  This is a fun evening for our newest pupils, at which there will be a disco and a ‘chill out’ area.

Tickets for the Year 7 Social are free of charge but you do need to reserve a place; to do so, please click here.  We recommend children bring approx £3 pocket money with them to purchase drinks and treats. Children should have eaten their evening meal before attending. 

Children can attend the Year 7 Social without their parents attending the Quiz, however parents are required to sign them in and sign them out. Drop off is at 7.00pm and collection no later than 9.00pm.

I very much hope you are able to attend and I look forward to meeting you on Friday 29 September; if you have any queries please call 01926 634200 or email, post@princethorpe.co.uk

Ed Hester
Headmaster

Monday 2 October 2017 - 9.30am to 3.00pm

For current Year 7 and 8 pupils (children born between 1 September 2005 and 31 August 2006 and 1 September 2004 and 31 August 2005 respectively), who are interested in admission to the College in September 2018, a Taster Day will be available on Monday 2 October.

The Year 6 Taster Days in September and October are now fully booked.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. To book your child's place telephone the Registrars on 01926 634262 or email helenmorgan@princethorpe.co.uk.

Thursday 5 October - 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 5 October 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 Angela Barnard on 01926 514444 and come on a day to suit you, we welcome visitors on most days.

For more information visit http://www.crackleyhall.co.uk/

Friday 6 October - 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 6 October 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 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 http://www.crescentschool.co.uk/

Following the distribution of exam results the period for making enquiries about results continues until 12 noon on Thursday 21 September. The options still available are a standard review of marking and/or requesting a copy of the exam script. If Edexcel is the exam board it is still possible to request a copy of the script before deciding whether to request a review of marking, the other exam boards no longer guarantee that a copy script will arrive before the deadline for requesting a review.

If pupils are considering a review of marking and need a breakdown of their individual paper marks, or need to know if they are close to a grade boundary, they can ask me or the head of the relevant department.

To apply for any post-results service please complete the form enclosed in your results envelope, or a copy can be downloaded here. Please note that all fees are per candidate, per component/paper/unit. If the exam taken had more than one written paper pupils must make clear which paper they wished to have reviewed.

If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Shellagh Dodds
Examinations and Assessments Officer

Please be aware that individual portrait photographs will take place on Monday 4 September for all of Years 7, 10 and 12 and pupils new to Princethorpe College. 

There will be a whole school photograph on Thursday 7 September. 

Mrs Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

If there have been any changes to your child’s medical health during the summer holidays, please do email them to me so that I can keep our records up to date.

I hope you have had a good summer break.

Paula Greig
Senior Matron

paulagreig@princethorpe.co.uk

We would like to remind Sixth Form students that high standards of personal appearance and presentation are expected of them at all times. Our Sixth Formers are the main ambassadors of the College and role models for the lower school pupils.

Please click here to download a copy of the dress code. If you are in any doubt as to the suitability of items you have purchased during the summer, please retain receipts and consult me, Mrs Harrison or Mrs Allen before you wear them.

Please pay close attention to the updated sanctions which will be incurred if you do not adhere to the dress code.

Ben Collie
Head of Sixth Form

Thursday 12 October 2017

We would like to invite parents and Old Princethorpians to take part in our annual Interview Skills Day for our Upper Sixth students on Thursday 12 October 2017 at Princethorpe College.

Our Sixth Form students are now considering their options of university, apprenticeships or other career paths and we know it is very likely that they will be interviewed for their chosen courses or careers in the near future. From September our students will be able to begin applications, and make important decisions, and we hope our practice interview day in October will help them in this.

Our parents and Old Princethorpians, with experience and expertise in so many areas, play an essential part in this process.

The day begins just after 9.00am, when our volunteer interviewers will gather in the Sixth Form atrium for a briefing about the interviews ahead. The interviews themselves usually last until lunchtime although some lucky volunteers do find they have interviews in the afternoon too! Lunch is a pleasant occasion, allowing us the opportunity to chat and reflect upon the morning's proceedings.

We are keen to hear from anyone who can offer expertise in a range of disciplines such as:

• Marketing/Management/Business
• Accountancy
• History
• Mechanical Engineering
• Music
• Biological Sciences
• Psychology
• Philosophy
• Medicine
• Physics
• English/Journalism
• Sports Science/PE
• Maths
• Speech Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Classics
• Sociology
• ICT

or anyone who is experienced in coaching interview techniques. However, all offers of help are gratefully received for all or just part of the day.

If you think you might be able to help, please can you reply by clicking here and completing the short form.

I will, of course, let you know whether we would like your help as soon as I know which disciplines/areas of expertise are required. I will then get in touch with you with more detailed information nearer the time. Meanwhile, the attached PDF document here will give you an idea of the structure of the day.

Thanking you in advance.

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers

Have you been away for your summer holidays? 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 support the work of Youth SVP in the UK of which our Youth SVP group is a part. 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! 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'. This can be handed in at the staff room or left in the collection box outside my office (Room F30).

Many thanks

Rod Isaacs
Assistant Head of Sixth Form

Thursday 21 September 2017
Sixth Form Centre Dining Room - 7.00pm

The PTA extend a warm welcome to all, and hope you will to join us for cheese and wine at the PTA AGM.

This will give new and current parents an opportunity to find out what the PTA does for the school, and how you could help us by supporting activities such as Open Days, Christmas and summer fairs.

There will be an opportunity to meet other parents, those who are new to the PTA and existing members. We have a number of parents who are involved in the PTA and although you may wish to join us on the committee – we also very much welcome parents who may be able to spare an hour supporting the fairs or welcoming visitors to the schools on Open Days. It really is an excellent way to get involved with school life, as you can offer as little or as much of your time as you feel is possible.

Our main aim is to provide the ‘extras’ for the school which are very much appreciated by pupils and staff alike; we support events such as Activities Week and one of our largest donations recently has been to improve the area of the school known as Switzerland.

If you have any queries please contact us on pta@princethorpe.co.uk.

We hope you will be able to join us on the night and very much look forward to meeting you.

Princethorpe PTA

Pupils from years 7 to U6 are invited to get involved in any one of the disciplines of Theatre making - w are looking for actors, dancers, costume and prop makers, technical and stage management crew to work in our stunning new Theatre.

There will be an initial meeting first week back and a sign-up sheet to register your interest. Auditions will be held in the theatre on Monday 11 September until 6pm with any mop-ups during the following lunch times.

You can get more information from the Drama Department VLE/Drama notice board and get ahead by learning script extracts.

Prepare to shine with fine lights for a little bit of Eastern Magic!

Mrs Cefaliello
Head of Drama

Thank you for the applications for individual music lessons received to date; tuition will commence during the second week of term. The instrumental teachers will contact you in the next few days to confirm the day/time/room of the first lesson. Lessons are charged at £17.00 per half hour individual lesson. Please can all parents return the invoice payment and the ‘new pupils’ Teacher/Parent contract to the teacher by the first lesson date at the very latest.

I would appreciate it if you could encourage some practise at home before the initial lesson and ask your child to bring along a piece of music to play to their teacher. All musical instruments must be clearly named on both the case (try a strong suitcase label or dog tag) and instrument, if possible, and then stored safely either in the pupil’s locker or music store cupboard in the morning. Sheet music should be kept flat in a music bag; these are available to purchase from the school shop. Instruments must not be left around school at any time.

If you have not yet arranged music lessons and are interested in individual tuition for your son/daughter then please can you contact me either by email at felicitycoulson@princethorpe.co.uk or by direct phone line on 01926 634268.

Felicity Coulson
Peripatetic Music Coordinator

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you, particularly those new to Princethorpe College, about the wide variety of Co-curricular activities and clubs that are on offer during lunch time and after school.  Not only is it a good way to try new activities but it is also a great way to make new friends.

A list of all the Co-curricular activites can be found at the front of the Michaelmas 2017 Termly Calendar which you will have received by post during the summer.  Alternatively, click here to view an electronic version which can also be found on the Princethorpe College website in the section titled 'Outside Class'.

All sport and music Co-curricular activities will start on Monday 4 September, all other activities and clubs will start on Monday 11 September.

I hope that you have all had a great break over the summer and look forward to seeing you back and welcoming our new pupils on Monday 4 September.

Greg Hunter
Assitant Head - Co-Curricular

Just a quick reminder about the future ski dates:

Thursday 2 November 2017

First Parent meeting 6-7pm Sixth Form Atrium

Preliminary information with important forms that need to be completed and returned will be given out. A representative from ‘Snow Union’, a ski clothing and hire company will give a presentation on required ski kit. It is expected that a representative parent attends and students are also welcome.

Thursday 4 January 2017

Ski Trip Practice to the Snowdome, Tamworth

This is a voluntary two-hour lesson with qualified instructors based on student ability on indoor snow. Skis, poles and helmets will be provided. Ski gloves, ski socks and warm clothing are required, as well as a packed lunch. I would recommend that absolute beginners attend at least one ski practice session. We will travel by coach from Princethorpe, leaving at 9:00am and returning at 3:00pm. Cost £40. An Evolve consent form will be sent by email nearer the time for parents to add students onto the trip.

Thursday 1 March 2018

Second Parent Meeting 6-7pm Sixth Form Atrium

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 students are also welcome.

Wednesday 7 March 2018

Ski Trip Practice to Ackers Adventure, Birmingham

This is a voluntary two-hour lesson with qualified instructors based on student ability on a dry ski slope. Skis and poles will be provided. Ski gloves, ski socks and warm waterproof clothing are required, as well as a packed tea. I would recommend that absolute beginners attend at least one practice session. We will travel by coach from Princethorpe, leaving at 15:45pm and returning at 20:30pm. Cost £32. Max number of students is 40. An Evolve consent form will be sent by email nearer the time for parents to add students onto the trip.

Thurs 29 March – Thurs 5 April 2018 (Over Easter Weekend)

Ski Trip to Val di Fiemme, Italy 

Departure and return times are still to be confirmed but it is likely to be late afternoon on both days.

14 September 2017

There will be an information evening for the parents of all pupils attending the Performing Arts trip to New York taking place in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre, starting at 6pm.  

Mr Cowlishaw and the other teachers involved on the trip will talk through the full itinerary and hand over all the information regarding this exciting trip.  Refreshments will be provided, and the meeting should be finished by 7pm.

Parents and pupils are encouraged to sign up for our Twitter news feed on the bus service using @PCBuses. We will use this to keep pupils and parents informed of anything that happens during the journeys to and from school.

Simply go to twitter.com/PCBuses. From here you can follow @PCBuses, if you have a twitter account, or if you do not regularly use twitter you can bookmark this link on your mobile or computer and check it whenever you need to.

The safety of pupils using the bus service is of paramount importance. We ask parents to talk to their children about how to keep safe going to and from the bus stop and ensure they know what to do if the bus doesn’t arrive.  There is a briefing for pupils who use the bus service at the start of each academic year. The College’s risk assessment of the bus service is attached here and a copy is also on the Parent Portal.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Under our parking permits scheme, students from Upper Sixth can gain agreement to drive into school.

In order for a parking permit and a barrier access fob to be issued, students are asked to provide the following; a £30.00 administration fee, signed contract, a copy of their driving licence and current insurance policy together with consent from their parents and Head of Sixth Form.  These forms can be found on the VLE and are also available from the School Shop.

Written permission is required from both families, if lifts are being given.

Parking places are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students are not permitted to drive to or park at school until permission has been granted.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

We offer bus passes in several different options to allow pupils the most flexible options for travel to and from school.  

All information with regards to routes, booking forms and associated costs can be found in the Information Booklet for Parents and Pupils or on the Princethorpe website under 'Getting to School' https://www.princethorpe.co.uk/daily-life/getting-to-school

If you wish to apply for a bus pass then please complete the travel questionnaire which can be found via the attached link and return to Mrs Barbara Bromwich via email at buses@princethorpe.co.uk or post to Mrs Bromwich at Princethorpe College.

Bus passes should be shown for every journey, failure to produce a pass on five occasions will lead to a replacement pass being automatically issued at a cost of £5, which will be added to the school fee account.

If your preference is to purchase bus tickets (which must be purchased in advance of travel) then these can be purchased from the School Shop. Please contact Nicola Browne on either 01926 634272 or via email at nicolabrowne@princethorpe.co.uk to order tickets for collection by pupils during the school day.

For ease, tickets of 10 or more can be added to the school fee account.

An additional charge for travelling without a ticket will be applied as follows:

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

As we start the new academic year, our catering team are proud to introduce their new and improved menus. All the menus offer a selection of healthy meal options and they will be served in both the main dining room and Sixth Form on a three-week rotation. Each term the menus will be reviewed and updated. To see the Michaelmas term menus just use the links below:

• Michaelmas Term Menu Week 1
• Michaelmas Term Menu Week 2
• Michaelmas Term Menu Week 3

A selection of vegetarian dishes will be available and for those customers with a sweet tooth who want a healthier option, we’ll be offering cakes and desserts with less sugar so everyone can enjoy a sweet treat. Choose from such delights as:

• Rich Chocolate Pot
• Berry and Coconut Tray
• Marble Cake

Customers in the Sixth Form will now be able to choose from a selection of smoothies and frappés that will be available in a variety of delicious flavours. The Michaelmas term also sees the introduction of the new Take me to be toasted service, providing Sixth Form customers with a selection of paninis, bagels and toasties with a range of fillings. Here’s just a taster of some of the flavour combinations we will have available.

• The Mexican – chicken, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and leaves
• Philly Cheese Steak – pulled roast beef, cheese, red onion & peppers
• The Greek – hummus, halloumi, avocado, honey mustard dressing and leaves

At the tuck shop, as well as continuing to serve the same street food that is available in the main dining room, we will have:

• Jacket potatoes
• Pasta pots
• Crudité pots
• Fruit Pots

And finally, customer will have the chance to try some authentic Indian cuisine when they are given the chance to sample a range of dishes prepared from scratch by our chefs at the Taste of India event during the autumn term.

Required for January 2018 or earlier if possible, a well-qualified graduate to teach English to at least GCSE and the ability to teach to A-level would be an advantage, in a lively and enthusiastic department which has just moved into superb new purpose-built accommodation. There may be flexibility for either a full-time or a substantial part-time appointment. Willingness to become involved with the extra-curricular life of the school is also essential. Candidates should be able to demonstrate success in the classroom and be effective team players. 

NQTs are also welcome to apply; the College has a comprehensive induction programme leading to full QTS status. Single accommodation may be available. Princethorpe has its own pay scale which is above national scales. 

This is an excellent opportunity to join the fast growing Foundation that values its staff and offers a rewarding benefits package including discounted places for staff, a pension scheme, child care vouchers and a cycle to work scheme.

Application: To apply for this vacancy applicants must submit a Princethorpe College application form, together with a CV and covering letter detailing your personal qualities, experience and how you meet the person specification for the role. Applicants must ensure the application form is fully completed, including a detailed career history with specific dates.

Closing date: Monday 18 September at 9.00am and interviews are likely to be held on Thursday 21 September, at Princethorpe.

Further details and an application form are available from the College website www.princethorpe.co.uk/employment-opportunities

As per Mr Hester’s introduction in the last issue of The Flagpole, we are delighted to welcome a number of new members of staff for the new academic year. Please click on photographs so you can see who to look out for.

Janette has joined the Foundation as the Archivist on a part-time basis. 

She graduated from the University of Liverpool this year with a postgraduate qualification in Archives and Records Management. Janette worked for many years as a primary school teacher, teaching in Oldham, Leicester, Oxfordshire and Leicestershire, before changing career and training to become an archivist. She is looking forward to combining the skills she’s gained in both careers here at Princethorpe.

When she is not busy preserving records in the hope that one day she might have a guest spot on ‘Who Do You Think You Are’, Janette keeps herself busy with family life and her very demanding cocker spaniel called Meg. 

The Administration Team welcomes Lisa as a new full-time Receptionist\Administrator. Lisa graduated from Coventry University with a Masters Degree in Business Administration and has over 30 years’ experience of working in the service industry. She has held roles in a variety of business sectors including retail, finance and utilities and most recently worked at Practical Action, a Rugby based charity.

Lisa enjoys good food and wine, spending time with family and friends and her hobbies include skiing and motorcycling.

Catherine comes to Princethorpe to work with both the Admissions Team, as an Admissions Administrator, and the Development Office as a Database Assistant. She has worked at King’s High School in Warwick for the last 11 years as a Computer Science and ICT Assistant; before working in education, Catherine was a nurse and a midwife for 18 years. Originally from Lancashire, she has lived in Warwickshire for almost 25 years with her husband David, three sons aged between 16 and 21, and her cat called Mimi.

If a pupil would like to purchase an item from the shop, we do require written permission from home.

All purchases can be paid by cash, debit/credit card or alternatively the item can be added to the pupils fee account.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

The school shop is open for pupils during both break and lunch time, every school day.   For parents wishing to visit the school shop, this can be done without an appointment between 3.30pm and 4.30pm, every school day.

Should you be unable to visit the shop during the above mentioned times and would like to make an appointment, please contact the Foundation Shop Manager, Miss Nicola Browne on 01926 634272 or via email on nicolabrowne@princethorpe.co.uk.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Please click on the links below to access the Term Dates:

2017-18 (Two-page document)

2018-19