The Flagpole

During the Easter holidays a contingent from Princethorpe, comprising Headmaster, Ed Hester, his wife, Tracey, Fr Teddy O’Brien MSC, Development Director, Rachel Hadley-Leonard and Old Princethorpians’ Secretary, Melanie Butler journeyed to Hong Kong to meet with past pupils who had boarded at the College from the late 1960s to the 1990s.

The trip came five years after Fr Teddy O’Brien and Fr Dan O’Connor MSC had been hosted on a very successful visit by former pupils.

The focus of this return visit was a Development Reunion Dinner at the prestigious Hong Kong Club, in Central on the evening of Saturday 14 April, but an amazing itinerary had been arranged around this event to give the visitors a thorough introduction to all the sights and delights of Hong Kong. The OPs behind masterminding the schedule and helping organise the dinner were Alan Young, Vitus Leung, Nelson Ngai and Heman Lam – or the ‘Fantastic Four’ as they soon became known.

All Old Princethorpians living in Hong Kong or the Far East had been invited to the Development Reunion Dinner and the response to the invitation had been very positive, with acceptances from across the generations. Most of the guests are resident in Hong Kong, but others travelled from further afield, including Simon Loasby who now lives in Shanghai, Jonathan Leung from Singapore, Peter Lee from China and Peter Yang (aka Fat Jack) and his wife, Kitty from Australia.

On the Saturday evening after a short drinks reception, a delicious three-course buffet was enjoyed by the 40-strong group in the club’s private Harcourt Suite. Guests were sat at five tables depending on when they had attended and named after key locations at Princethorpe, from the Quad, to the Refectory, the Study Hall, the Orchard and Switzerland. A slide-show of archive photographs played throughout the evening, bringing back memories and fuelling tales of bygone days. Guests also had their memories tested by a special quiz relating to Princethorpe and its past, with points earned being allocated to their former Houses, see results below.

The more formal part of the proceedings saw Headmaster, Ed Hester, take to the floor to address the gathering. He explained his connections with the College, how things had changed over the years, the huge debt owed to the College’s founders, the MSCs and the strong Christian ethos that continues to this day. He also spoke about plans for a new Science building aimed at giving pupils the very best facilities to encourage the pursuit of Science-based careers.

Rachel Hadley-Leonard then introduced guests to the work of the Development Office including milestones and progress since the office was opened in 2016. Rachel spoke about how the College had a very rich history of philanthropy, including support for various improvements at the College, and not least the great act of generosity by the MSCs who gifted the College to the Foundation in 2001. She then showed the ‘Making a Difference’ Film which explains the school’s new Bursary Fund and how that has impacted on pupils’ lives and outlined the new Capital Campaign for Science. She concluded by asking for the group’s support for the College in a variety of ways, whether in terms of mentoring and careers advice or sponsorship of bursaries or supporting aspects of the new Science building.

Melanie Butler, spoke briefly about the Old Princethorpians’ Association, its aims and activities including events and the popular termly e-newsletter, The Old Princethorpian, before emphasising the importance of both parties keeping in touch and how welcome all the OPs would be to visit the College, bringing their families with them.

She finished with a second film entitled ‘Greetings from Princethorpe’, which featured former and long-standing members of staff, Peter Griffin, Bernie Moroney, Lou Skiffington, Alex Darkes and Sean Philpott all reminiscing about the Hong Kong pupils and sending their greetings to the assembled throng.

The evening came to a happy conclusion with the results of the Quiz, a resounding rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ to Fat Jack, who was celebrating his 63rd birthday that day, goodie bags full of information, and an invitation to Mass the next day at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception the next day, when Fr Teddy would be co-celebrating.

Over the few short days that the Princethorpe group spent in Hong Kong with their kind and trusty guides, they had a wealth of experiences from the stunning views from The Peak, to a tram ride across town to the Hong Kong Park, climbing 200 steps to see the giant Buddha on Lantau Island, the sights and sounds of Tai O village and fascinating visits to the Hong Kong Government Offices thanks to David Chung and to Hong Kong University, courtesy of Professor Paul Cheung. They also had an amazing array of culinary experiences from a traditional Dim Sum brunch, to Chinese, Cantonese and Thai banquets.

Commenting on the visit, Headmaster, Ed Hester said, “We were completely overwhelmed by the warmth of the welcome we received and the hospitality shown to us. There is clearly a huge fondness for Princethorpe within the OP community in Hong Kong and they seemed delighted to be reminded of times past and also to see the many developments that have happened at the College over the intervening years.

He continued, "We have been delighted to hear that several OPs who attended the dinner have already pledged their support for our Bursary Fund or Capital Campaign, and we look forward to reporting back in due course as to the difference this will make to our Development initiatives."

A huge thank you to all our guests for attending the Dinner and particularly to the Fantastic Four, Alan, Vitus, Nelson and Heman, for their endless good humour, hospitality and friendship.

To view more information and photographs from the evening click on this link.

Quiz Results:

1st place – Switzerland – 500 points

2nd place – The Study Hall – 400 points

3rd place – The Quad – 300 points

Joint 4th place – The Orchard and The Refectory – 150 points each

House points earned:

Austin - 273

Benet - 554

Fisher - 343

More - 330

The points earned will go into this year’s (2018/2019) College House Competition.

Filming is set to commence next week on a new promotional video for the College website.  Affixxius Films have been commissioned by the Marketing Team to undertake the project, with the concept an extension of the College's Princethorpe and Me advertising campaign.

The film crew will be on site from Monday to Thursday next week, with a second visit to take drone footage scheduled for mid June.

Comments Melanie Butler, Assistant Head - Marketing, "It is a really exciting project and the film will feature lots of different locations, lessons, activities and pupils of all ages. We are aiming to reflect the fact that Princethorpe appeals to and suits a wide variety of children with different interests and talents. Affixxius are approaching this in a fun and quirky way and we hope that the pupils and staff involved will enjoy feeling like film stars!"

The film will be completed over the summer in time for release in September in advance of the next admissions cycle and Entrance Exams, so watch this space!

The Old Princethorpians are introducing a brand new event into their annual calendar with the addition of a Former Parents’ Saturday Brunch.

The inaugural brunch is set to take place on Saturday 12 May from 10.30am to 12.30pm in the College’s Refectory. In addition to catching up over a leisurely complimentary brunch, visitors will be able watch some cricket against local rivals, Bablake School, and take an optional tour of the school campus.

Comments Peter Rollason, Old Princethorpians’ Chairman, “We know a lot of former parents will have spent a considerable amount of time at Princethorpe over the years, supporting their children in many different ways and may be missing the involvement in school life. This is an opportunity for them to reconnect with both the school and each other in an informal, friendly environment. We hope if the event goes well to make this more of a regular fixture in our calendar.”

All former parents are most welcome to attend, for catering purposes please RSVP with the name of your child/children, the number in your party and any special dietary requirements to oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk or call Melanie Butler, Old Princethorpians’ Secretary on 01926 634284 by Tuesday 8 May.

Congratulations go to our Year 7 Football Team who are the newly crowned U12s Warwickshire Schools Cup Champions.

Princethorpe’s U12 Football Team were pitted against Nuneaton’s Higham Lane School in a much anticipated Warwickshire Schools Cup Final.  The hotly contested game took place on Monday 23 April at the excellent facilities of Rugby Town Junior Football Club.

On the way to the final the U12 team had dispatched Bilton School 6-0, Kenilworth School 1-0 and in the semi-final Ashlawn School 7-1.  With both teams having conceded only one goal each in the run up to the final match, and many of the players knowing each other through local club football teams, the final was always set to be a very tight game.

Spectators and supporters were treated to a real cup final atmosphere as the boys were led out on to the pitch and shook hands before the start.  From the first whistle both sides didn’t disappoint as the teams put on an excellent and tenacious display.  It was a close game and by half-time the score stood at 0-0 thanks to a brilliant save by Princethorpe goalkeeper, Alexander Hammond.  Following team manager, Mr Kenny Owen’s, inspirational half-time team talk, the team were really champing at the bit.

As the second half progressed, Joe Bird managed to break and played an excellent ball through to Luc Sen-Gupta who picked it up and stunningly scored his first, and what proved to be the winning, goal for the College Team.  Superb defence from Finn Osborne and Jamie Robinson prevented successful retaliation from a determined Higham Lane side and a delighted Princethorpe went on to secure the cup title with a 1-0 victory.

Well done to all the boys involved, everyone played fantastically and should be very proud of their achievement.  A huge thank you to team manager Mr Owen and coach, Mr Hadley, and our pupils’ parents, for their untiring support.

On Tuesday 24 April Princethorpe College's U13 Girls Hockey team travelled to Cannock Hockey Club in Staffordshire along with 16 teams from across the Midlands to compete in the National In2 Hockey Schools U13 Regional Championships.  

Playing for Princethopre were Year 8 pupils Issy Bunting, Eve Farquharson, Molly Harper, Jess Mackenzie, Evie Phillips, Jasmin Rose, Grace Thomas, Lara Tripp-Smith, Molly Wincott-Thomas and Zoe Wallis. 

The girls’ opening match was played against Northampton School for Girls and confident stick work led to an easy 4-0 win.  Then it was Shrewsbury School and they were dispatched just as quickly by 3-0. The final match in the group stage was against Bromsgrove School who put up more of a fight, the match was fast paced and had plenty of goals from both sides to finish in a 3-3 draw.  The girls were delighted to have won the group and to be through to the final stages. 

Next up were the quarter finals. On fire and playing outstanding hockey the girls beat Trent College 3-2.  The team then played Oakham School in the semis and won again.  By now the girls had trounced some seriously good schools.  Hopes were high as they lined up for the final match against Royal Grammar School Worcester.  It was a fast-paced game from the off, the team played brilliantly but just couldn't find a way through and in the end went down 2-0.  

However, all was not lost as the top two teams qualify for the National Finals so despite coming second the Princethorpe U13 Girls Hockey team still get to go through.  

Head of Hockey Kat Berns was ecstatic and commented, "This is the first time that a Princethorpe Girls Hockey team has ever made it through to the Nationals. We are incredibly proud of them and their fantastic achievement.  They were just amazing." 

Fisher pupils came together on Wednesday 26 April to celebrate their fantastic victory in the 2017/2018 House Cup. Special Princethorpe cookies and drinks had been laid on for all to enjoy in a party during Tutor Time.  It was also Head of House, Mrs McCullough's birthday making it an extra special double celebration. 

Winning the House Cup isn’t easy these days, you can’t just win Sports Day and have it in the bag. To succeed every single individual pupil needs to pull together and do their very best. This year it was a solid, steady and consistent performance that helped Fisher win the day.  Some of their many successes along the way included wins in the: 

• Sixth Form Mini Quiz 
• Ready Steady Cook 
• The Oscars 
• Christmas Quiz 
• House Quiz 
• Parents' Quiz 
• World Book Day 
• Merits 

In fact, it came right down to the last allocation of Merits before the final winner emerged, with only 110 points separating 1st and 2nd place. 

A delighted Chris McCullough said, "I am so incredibly proud of Fisher House as I honestly believe that it is the extra activities that happen outside the classroom that help define the adults these pupils become. Each and every individual in Fisher House has contributed to our win in their own incredible way, well done to you all and thank you Fisher House." 

Princethorpe College’s U17 football team flew to Dubai over the Easter holidays to compete in the prestigious Dubai Super Club, an international football competition that attracts youth teams from across the globe.  Played at the superb facilities of the Sevens Stadium the trip was an unforgettable experience for all, on what was the College’s first overseas football tour. 

The team of 13 players, accompanied by two staff, were looking forward to testing themselves against quality opposition.  They were playing in the U19 Youth category with 16 teams from countries as far afield as Australia, South Africa, Nigeria, and Pakistan. The teams included a number of specialist football academies including Ronaldo’s (the retired Brazilian legend) Academy from Columbia as well as local United Arab Emirates teams and other football teams from the UK.   

The Princethorpe College Team were pleased to start their campaign with a special training session courtesy of the Dubai English Speaking College, their fantastic facilities gave the players a chance to loosen up after the long journey, acclimatise and fine tune tactics before their first official match.  Playing in the evening to avoid the worst of the heat their first opponents were a local team, the Precor Academy.  The Princethorpe boys started well against what was a good team but couldn't translate that into a win, in the end losing 3-1.  

The next evening the team was pitted against Ronaldo's Academy.  The boys played exceptionally well, this was their best performance of the tournament and the match could have gone either way, the result a 2-1 loss does not reflect the high standard of play.  Match three was against the Dubai based Al Etihad Football Academy and the boys were delighted to get a solid 2-1 win.  At the end of the first round the boys had qualified for the plate competition.

Match four was a knockout match against a team from Pakistan.  Princethorpe were the better players by far and scored early on.  It was hugely frustrating that their opponents had a lucky counter attack to claw the score back to 1-1. Sadly, the boys then lost on penalties bringing their time in the competition to a close.  The team had one final friendly match against BURJ from NIgeria, it was another good match but ended with a 2-0 loss.

Whilst in Dubai the Princethorpe players also had the chance to participate in plenty of sightseeing.  They visited Ferrari World and enjoyed an exhilarating ride on the world's fastest roller coaster.  They visited the world’s highest building, the Burj Khalifa, and the Dubai Mall and Fountains and had an exciting day in the desert on a ‘dune bashing’ expedition.

Ross Holtom, Acting Head of Academic PE, said, "It was an excellent tournament, the lads very much enjoyed it and played well against tough and often older opposition.  Playing in the Dubai Sevens Stadium was a great experience and it was also good for the boys to mix socially with teams from different countries who were staying in the same hotel."  He continued, "The tournament was a valuable experience that gave us the chance to learn new moves, new skills and new tactics.  It was a successful first overseas football tour and we now plan to take a football team on the next South African tour in summer 2019."

Princethorpe College would like to thank Sentinel Private Clients Limited, an Independent wealth management practice based between Stratford-upon-Avon and Henley-in-Arden, who very kindly sponsored the team's kit.  Andrew MacDonald, Director from Sentinel Private Clients Limited, said, “We were very pleased to be able to sponsor Princethorpe College’s very first overseas Football Tour and are delighted to hear that it was a successful experience for all involved.” 

To find out more about Sentinel Private Clients please click here.

Friday 27 April 2018 7.00pm

Our annual Spring Concert is coming home!  

For the first time, we will be holding our fantastic Spring Concert at Princethorpe, and it will be taking place tonight in the Sports Hall at 7.00pm.

This is your opportunity to hear all the best items from the Music department across one exciting evening of entertainment.  Orchestra, Choir, Jazz Band, and our amazing Vocalize a capella group, alongside small ensembles and solos will provide an unforgettable evening of musical entertainment, with food and wine to finish. Come and join us to get the Trinity term off to a rousing start.

Tickets are not required so please feel free to come along.

Gil Cowlishaw
Head of Music

Tuesday 8 May 2018 - 5.00pm - 7.30pm

Crackley Hall School and Little Crackers Nursery, Princethorpe's junior school and nursery in Kenilworth, is opening its doors for a Spring Open Evening on Tuesday 8 May from 5.00pm to 7.30pm. This is an ideal opportunity to experience Crackley Hall School and Little Crackers Nursery outside the school day. 

During the course of the evening there will be two short presentations at 6.00pm and 7.00pm in the hall by Crackley Headmaster, Rob Duigan, about Crackley Hall and Little Crackers. Elsewhere on site there will be plenty to see and do, including sporting displays, instrumental performances, plus the opportunity to visit classrooms and talk to staff. Light refreshments will be available. There is no need to book and all are welcome.

If you can't make the Open Evening but would like to visit the school, please call Admissions and Marketing Secretary, Mrs Jenny Vaughan, on 01926 514410 or email admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk.

Alternatively please visit www.crackleyhall.co.uk for more information.

Thursday 10 May 2018 - 5.00pm - 7.30pm

The Crescent School, Princethorpe's junior school in Rugby, is opening its doors to prospective parents and children for a Spring Open Evening on Thursday 10 May 2018 from 5.00pm to 7.30pm. This is an ideal opportunity to experience the Crescent outside the school day. 

During the course of the evening there will be two short presentations at 5.45pm and 6.45pm in the hall by Crescent Headmaster, Joe Thackway, about the Crescent and its ambitions for the future. Elsewhere on site there will be plenty to see and do, including sporting displays, instrumental performances, plus the opportunity to visit classrooms and talk to staff. Light refreshments will be available. There is no need to book and all are welcome. 

If you can't make the Open Evening but would like to visit the school, please call the Registrar, Mrs Helen Morley, on 01788 523851 or email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk.

Alternatively please visit www.crescentschool.co.uk for more information.

Wednesday 16 May 2018 - 7.30pm

Sixth Form Lecture Theatre

Followed by wine and light refreshments in the Atrium

From 8 March until 9 September 2018, the first solo exhibition of Picasso’s work at Tate Modern, London, will be held. Entitled The EY Exhibition Picasso 1932-Love, Fame, Tragedy, it will focus on one year in the prolific artist’s life when he was passionately absorbed in his love for Marie-Thérèse Walter, his young mistress, also an inspirational muse. Picasso created dozens of images of her blond, sensual beauty in different media during a time often called his ‘year of wonders’ when the artist was at the height of his powers.

For the first time since they were created over just five days, Nude, Green Leaves and Bust, Nude in a Black Armchair and The Mirror will be shown together with around a hundred other sensational works.

This slide-illustrated talk will examine Picasso’s relationship with Marie-Thérèse, its impact on his long-suffering wife, Olga, and its tragic outcome.

Tickets may also be purchased at the door; but advance notice helps catering, please. Princethorpe, Crackley Hall and Crescent School pupils free of charge. Please complete the booking form here. We are happy to receive provisional bookings by e-mail, please, to alexdarkes@princethorpe.co.uk.

Friday 18 May - from 6.30pm

For our next Old Princethorpians' Meet we will be gathering at the historic, Ye Olde Mitre, tucked away off the beaten track in Ely Court, Holborn, EC1N 6SJ.  We will be meeting upstairs in their private Bishop's Room. The pub is famous for its wealth of real ales and home-made food, so we are really looking forward to our visit.

Built in 1546 for the servants of the Bishops of Ely, The Ye Olde Mitre is famous for having a cherry tree, (now supporting the front) that Queen Elizabeth once danced around with Sir Christopher Hatton. The pub was actually a part of Cambridge (Ely being in Cambridge) and the licencees used to have to go there for their licence. Set in a part of London steeped in history, it's near where William Wallace was hung, drawn and quartered at Smithfield, along with martyrs and traitors who were also killed nearby.

Saturday 26 May – Sunday 27 May 2018

The Fifteenth Princethorpe-Kingsley Wigley Group National Schools’ Two Day Event takes place for the fourth year running on the magnificent Princethorpe estate.

The 80cm class continues again, as well as Novice 90cm and Open 100cm classes. Once again, the event includes Independent Schools' Association Classes. Show Jumping and Dressage take place on the Saturday with Roads and Tracks, Steeplechase and Cross Country on the Sunday.

Click here for a 2018 schools' schedule

Click here for an entry form in Word

Wednesday 6 June - 6.00pm to 8.30pm

The College's Summer Open Evening will take place on Wednesday 6 June from 6.00pm - 8.30pm. This is an informal opportunity for prospective families to look around the school and to meet members of staff and pupils.

There will be activities in each department for children to participate in, and the Headmaster will also address visitors in the Chapel during the evening. Light refreshments are available.

There is no need to book.

For further information please contact the Registrar, Mrs Vanessa Rooney, on 01926 634201 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Monday 25 June 2018

All Year 11 pupils are invited to the Princethorpe College Year 11 Prom at Warwick Castle. Tickets are on sale now and we hope all our pupils will come to celebrate the end of GCSE courses and exams before pupils make their transition to the Sixth Form.

The event will be supervised by Princethorpe staff and alcohol is strictly forbidden. The event will be for Princethorpe pupils only, guests from other schools are not allowed.

The event will be held on the evening of Monday 25 June 2018 from 7.00pm until 11.30pm and the venue will be the stunning Warwick Castle. This is a special occasion and the dress code will reflect that. Gentlemen are expected to wear suits or tuxedos and for ladies formal evening wear is required – dress to impress is certainly the order of the day!

The cost of the event is £55 per person, which includes soft drinks, the hire of the venue, a three course meal, and a disco. A photographer will be on hand to record the evening for posterity and photographs will be available to order at a later date.

Please encourage your son or daughter to attend, we feel this will be a memorable evening for all involved and it will offer pupils an opportunity to celebrate the end of exams with all of their peers.

If your son or daughter would like to attend, we require a permission slip to be completed - click here to download slip. This slip should be returned to Ms Satchwell at the Student Support Hub by Friday 11 May.

If you have any queries regarding this event please do not hesitate to contact me.

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head Pastoral

Tuesday 3 July 2018 at 7.30pm in the Chapel

Followed by refreshments in the Atrium

Once again, Tim Campain, Director of Music at Warwick Road United Reformed Church, Coventry, will play a wide variety of pieces from various genres on the renowned Princethorpe Binns’ organ of 1901.

Tickets may also be purchased at the door; but advance notice helps catering, please. Princethorpe, Crackley Hall and Crescent School pupils free of charge. Please complete the booking form here. We are happy to receive provisional bookings by e-mail, please, to alexdarkes@princethorpe.co.uk

Sunday 9 September 2018 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Built in 1832, St Mary's Priory was one of the first Catholic buildings in England after the reformation. Come for a tour of the magnificent building and learn all about its history, including the amazing women that made it the place it is today.

From 1833 until 1966, St Mary's Priory was home to a congregation of Benedictine nuns who ran a boarding school for girls. This community sold the priory in 1966 and a new school was established by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, who had previously run a boys' school in Leamington Spa. Princethorpe College is now a fully co-educational Catholic independent day school.

Our archive team will be conducting free tours of the College on Sunday 9 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!

14 May 2018 - GCSE And A-level Exams Begin

If pupils have any questions about the exam season, please refer to the booklet they were given in February called Candidate Booklet Written Exams. You can download a copy here. If you still have questions please come to the Exam Office in S38 or email your query to examinations@princethorpe.co.uk

A-level results - 16 August 2018
School opens at 7.00am. Results will be published to the portals at 9.00am and any uncollected results envelopes will be posted home that day.

GCSE results - 23 August 2018
For Year 11 pupils, school opens at 9.00am and any uncollected results envelopes will be posted home that day. For all GCSE pupils, results will be published to the portals at 10.00am.

If a pupil wants someone else to collect their results, they will need to advise the exams office. This can be done by email from their school email address and must include the full name of the person collecting the results. The named person will need to bring photo ID when they come to collect the results. Alternatively, pupils can come to the Exam Office in S38 and complete a request form.

Please note results cannot be given out over the telephone.

Exams information (timetables, seating, results) is available to pupils on the pupil portal. For parents to see this information on the parent portal, pupils need to enable access to each exam section, instructions are in your booklet. If you can’t remember your login details for the pupil portal, they are the same as you use to login to the school computers.

Mrs Shellagh Dodds
Examinations Officer

Formal lessons end for Year 11 on Friday 11 May 2018 and the GCSE exam period runs from Monday 14 May 2018 until Friday 15 June 2018 (except for those doing the AQA Certificate in Further Maths on 18 and 19 June 2018).

During the exam period the school timetable will operate as normal. Should Year 11 pupils wish to study supervised in school they need only follow their normal timetable, bringing with them whatever revision materials they wish to use for whichever subject they wish to study. However they also have the option of studying at home if they wish, coming in only for their timetabled exams.

It is important that we have a record of who will be in school on any particular day and at what times so if you have not done so already, please complete the form below indicating when your son or daughter will be in school and return it immediately to Mrs Satchwell.

Please click here for Exam Period Attendance Form

Dr Michael Reddish
Assistant Head (Director of Studies)

Progress Reports for Year 9 are published today and will be available to view on the Pupil and Parent Portals.

Dr Digby Carrington-Howell
Deputy Head - Staffing and Assessment

Apologies once again that the vaccinations were unable to go ahead earlier this month. The new date that has been scheduled is Monday 4 June 2018.

For any queries or questions please do not hesitate to contact me either by email or by telephone 01926 634214.

Paula Greig
Senior Matron

On Monday 30 April 2018 the Immunisation team will be in school to offer the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine to girls in Year 8 and 9. The first dose is usually given in Year 8, the second in Year 9.

Further information and consent forms have been sent home with Year 8 girls this week. Please return  the signed consent form to the medical centre. If you do not wish for your daughter to receive the vaccine please annotate on the form accordingly and return anyway so that our records can be updated

For girls in Year 9 consent was given for both doses last year – you don’t need to do anything unless something has changed and you no longer want the second dose, in that case please do contact me.

Paula Greig
Senior Matron

Friday 15 June 2018 6.30pm to 8.30pm

All Lower Sixth students and their families are invited to join the Sixth Form team for a summer BBQ. A time to be able to socialise, relax, have some fun and raise money for the charity The Ups of Downs.

The BBQ will be held outside the Sixth Form Centre from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and tickets will cost £10 per parent/Lower Sixth student and £5 for children under twelve. The cost of the ticket will include food, a drink on arrival (prosecco for the adults, a soft drink for everyone else), live music and games. There will be a paying bar available too.

We hope you will be able to join us for our first ever parent/student summer social. Please click here to book your place.

Ben Collie
Head of Sixth Form

Thank you to all those who attended the workshop last Thursday.  The presentations from the evening can be accessed by clicking the links below:

• General information including UCAS timeline - Ben Collie and Jacqui Quinney
• Unifrog parents' guide - Jacqui Quinney
• Student finance - Rebecca Ayres, Warwick University
• Degree apprenticeships - Harri Tatnell, Aston University
• UCAS application process

Students should now be busy using Unifrog to search university courses and also apprenticeship opportunities to make sure they are making informed decisions. University open days start very soon and we highly recommend that students visit a university before making an application. Time off school will be granted for these – please just email Mr Collie for permission.

If you have any queries regarding university applications, Unifrog or careers in general please email me.

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers and UCAS Co-ordinator

It is time for students to think about applying for 2018/19 student finance.

Students starting a full-time course at university or college in 2018/19 can apply now for their finance online at the Student Finance England website by following the steps below: 

• Set up a student finance online account.
• Log in and complete the online application.
• Include details of your household income and get your parents to support your application, if needed.
• Send in proof of identity, if needed.
• Sign and return the loan declaration, which you should receive within 6 weeks.

You should apply as soon as you have decided on your firm and insurance courses to make sure your money is in place at the start of your course. It's quick and easy and you don't have to have a confirmed place - you should use your first choice for the application and change it online at a later date if you need to. Do not wait for your exam results before you apply - it will be too late!

Click here to be taken to the Student Finance England website to start your application.

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers, UCAS Co-ordinator 

The careers team are keen to involve parents as much as possible in assisting with the decisions your children will be making when choosing a career and their next step. As such, I will be passing on information that might be useful to you.

Please see the articles below for information regarding the following:

• University of London Taster Courses
• National Healthcare Careers Weekend

Exciting job opportunity for a school leaver with a local property firm: 

• Are you in Upper Sixth and looking to go straight into work?
• Are you interested in the property and estate agency business? 

If this sounds like you and you have a methodical approach to problems, are good at talking to people and are keen to learn then this might be the chance you've been waiting for. 

Please email or come and see me in G10a for more information. 

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers and UCAS Co-ordinator

The University of London is running taster courses in the following subjects this April/May:

Accounting and Finance
Actuarial Science
Banking and International Finance
Business Management
Criminology
Computing: Video Games
Design
Economics
English
Finance
Health and Social Care
History
History of Art
International Politics
Investment and Financial Risk Management
Journalism
Law
Radiography
Media and Communications
Music
Music, Sound and Technology
Nutrition/Nutrition and Dietetics
Politics
Pharmacy
Sociology
Speech and Language Therapy

Click here to access links to each individual taster course.

Further University of London taster courses can be found by clicking here.

The National Healthcare Weekend on 14 and 15 July 2018 is taking place in London, at the University of East London, Stratford.

Over two hundred healthcare professionals form across the UK will be volunteering to present and network with students who are interested in:

• Medicine
• Veterinary Medicine
• Dentistry

These conferences provide a valuable opportunity for pupils to network with a variety of healthcare professions, learn about work experience opportunities and how to make a successful application.

Registration is £25 for pupils on the Saturday conferences and there is an optional UCAS lecture available on Sunday for each specialty.  Please note that these events are likely to fill up quickly.

Pupils can register on the Medic Mentor website and find out more about events here.

All proceeds from the weekend will be used to support UK's healthcare students with scholarships, elective bursaries, free training and educational initiatives.

The 2018 Independent Schools Football Association (ISFA) U13 Regional Football Festival took place at Shrewsbury School between Saturday 7 and Monday 9 April 2018.   Princethorpe College was well represented with three Year 7 boys, Mark Dunkley, Finn Osborne and Jamie Robinson playing in the Midlands Region squad of 16 and a further two, Ollie Bench and Sean Hewlett, on standby as reserves.

The boys competed against representative teams from across the UK regions including Hertfordshire & Essex, London, North West, South Central, South East and South West.  Shrewsbury School provided a marvellous setting for the Festival with its outstanding facilities located on the banks of the River Severn. 

As a football festival no results were formally recorded and there were no final winners but standards were high.  Over the three days a total of 21 matches took place and every region won at least one match making this year’s festival a more even event than for many years.  The team from the Midlands, however, played particularly impressively; they were the only region to finish the festival with an unbeaten record, five wins and a draw, scoring 17 goals along the way. 

All three Princethorpe boys played brilliantly with the Midland’s coaches commenting, ‘they were an absolute credit to your school’.  They now have to wait and see if they are selected for summer camps and to find out if they will represent the ISFA nationally at U14 level next season. 

What a really great experience for them all.

Congratulations to Madoc Williams, Jamie Smith and James Robinson who play for the U13 Warwickshire Hockey team. The three Princethorpe boys played in the inter County Midlands tournament last Sunday 22 April against teams from Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Shropshire and Derbyshire and won to become this year’s Midlands Champions.

Recognition is also due to their fantastic coach - our very own Emma Nobes.

A fabulous result – well done to all!

Sunday 24 June 2018

As the College gallops into Trinity term the PTA focus our attentions on the highlight of summer – the PTA Summer Fete and Annual Motoring Festival.

There will be the usual array of stalls including our school supported charity stalls; countless fun games and activities; and live music. We'll be firing up the BBQ and for those of you who find days like this thirsty work we'll be providing an array of drinks in the refreshment tent.

We are always seeking new supporters for this event so if you could help us out for an hour at the fete, or at future events, please do contact us at pta@princethorpe.co.uk, via Twitter @PrincethorpePTA or message us on www.facebook.com/Princethorpe-Pta-Warwickshire.

We are once again running the popular ‘Pre-loved Uniform Stall’ and if you have any uniform which is no longer required this can be passed onto Julie Satchwell at the Student Hub.  School blazers, ties, skirts, jumpers, PE kits and PE bags are always welcomed, with proceeds of this stall going directly back to the PTA and the pupils of the College.

If you wonder what the PTA does with the money they raise take a look at Twitter for photographs of the projects we have supported in the past few years, including the refurbishment of the school Quad.

Should you have any ideas or queries regarding the fete or the PTA, please contact us at the above email address.

Many thanks
Princethorpe PTA

Due to circumstances beyond our control the Bronze DofE Review and Route Planning scheduled for Sunday 20 May 2018 has been re-scheduled to Thursday 17 May 2018 4.00pm -7.00pm.  We will provide food for pupils at the end of the school day. Please accept my apologies for the change at this late stage. 

Will Bower
Head of Outdoor Education - DofE Manager

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 activities can be found at the front of the Trinity 2018 Termly Calendar sent to you during the Easter break.  Alternatively, click here to view an updated electronic version which can also be found on the Princethorpe College website in the section titled 'Outside Class'.

Greg Hunter
Assistant Head - Co-curricular

Eighty-four pupils visited the traditional Italian ski resort of Val di Fiemme during the Easter holidays.  Excellent conditions made for plenty of super skiing during their week-long stay.

The party travelled by coach over to Panchia in Italy. There they stayed at the Hotel Panorama, a friendly centrally located hotel where the helpful local staff ensured everything ran smoothly.  The accommodation was good and the food in the hotel superb with plenty of choice for hungry après ski teenagers.  Mid-week the group enjoyed a great evening out at a local pizza restaurant where everyone enjoyed the local speciality.

But it was the skiing that everyone was interested in.  Beginners, intermediates and advanced, every group benefited from a dedicated ski instructor who coached and fine-tuned their skills and took them out into three resorts, Bellamonte, Cermis and Pampeago, and across some 100kms of skiing tracks.  There was a wide choice of runs, from greens up to blacks, so Princethorpe’s downhillers were spoilt for choice.  During the week progress was excellent, so much so that the final day’s downhill races were hotly contested; the winners were delighted with the medals awarded at the presentation evening.  The added bonus of fresh snow virtually every day helped ensure the Princethorpe party had a spectacular time. 

Other entertainment included late afternoon swimming at the Cavalese swimming pool, a disco night in the local night club and exquisite Italian ice cream at the local parlour.

The 2018 Ski Trip certainly provided a memorable end to a busy Lent Term.

Pupils currently in Years 7 and 9 interested in joining next year’s Ski Trip at Easter 2019 should attend a meeting on Friday 4 May at 1.05pm in the Theatre to find out more.

Ski Trip Easter 2018 - Reminder
Any Snowunion hired ski clothing you still have, should be washed and returned to school by the end of next week, preferably in the blue drawstring bag that it came home in.

Ski Trip Easter 2019 - Obertauern, Austria. 11-18 April 2019 (cost £899)
The sign up meeting for the next ski trip, taking place during the Easter Holiday 2019, is open to any pupil currently in Years 7 and 9 and will be held on Friday 4 May 2018 at 1.05pm in the Clarkson Theatre.

Catherine Warne
Trip Co-ordinator

Please click here for the planned school trips in the coming years. This document will be updated each term, but it should allow you to make an informed decision when deciding on trips for your child to attend.  For any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Greg Hunter
Assistant Head - Co-curricular

Thursday 3 May 2018 at 6.00pm 

We will be holding a Parents’ Information Evening on Thursday 3 May in the Chapel for all pupils taking part in the weekend away to the Whitemoor Lakes Activity centre taking place on Friday 18 May to Sunday 20 May.

Required for September 2018, a well-qualified, dynamic and creative graduate to teach Textiles in our very successful Design and Technology department. The ability to teach other areas of the Design and Technology curriculum would be an advantage.

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 30 April at 9.00am and interviews are likely to be held on Thursday 3 May, at Princethorpe.

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

Parents may recall paying a deposit when their son or daughter first started at the College. We will write to the parents of pupils in the Upper Sixth regarding instructions for the return of deposits next term and return them in the summer holiday. We will write to parents of Year 11 pupils who do not return to the Sixth Form in early September. Deposits will be returned at the end of September/start of October.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Sixth Formers who have permission from the College to drive to school are issued with a fob to allow access.  The cost of this makes up the majority of the £30 parking permit.

We will provide a refund of £10 for used fobs in good condition returned to us by Sixth Formers once they are no longer required.  Fobs should be returned to Miss Browne in the School Shop by the end of term, Friday 6 July 2018.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Members of Lower Sixth will be able to park at school from Monday 4 June 2018 when members of Upper Sixth commence Study Leave.

To receive permission the Sixth Former must:

• have the consent of their parents and the Head of Sixth Form
• provide their full driving licence and their current insurance certificate
• agree to abide by the required Code of Conduct.

There is an administration fee of £30 for the provision of a parking permit which provides access to parking, an electronic fob and a parking permit until the end of Upper Sixth.  The charge for lost fobs is £18 and for lost discs £2.  Please note that there will be a refund of £10 for electronic fobs returned to the School Shop at the end of Upper Sixth.

Please note that there is a limit to the number of parking permits that can be issued.  Permits are issued on a first-come first-served basis but only where the requirements detailed above are met in full.

The forms to apply for a permit are on the Parent Portal and are also available from the School Shop.  When completed, including the signature of a parent and the Head of Sixth Form, the Sixth Former should take them, together with their full driving licence (both the card and the paper section- if applicable) and current insurance certificate to the School Shop.

Members of the Lower Sixth are welcome to provide the paperwork to the School Shop from the start of term but permits will only be issued from Friday 1 June 2018.

If the contract is broken then the permission to drive to school will be withdrawn by the school.  Please note that Sixth Formers park at their own risk and that the school does not accept liability for accidents, damage or loss incurred.

Please note that if a Sixth Former drives to school without a permit they will be given a warning on the first occasion and will be denied parking on the second occasion.  We would appreciate the support of parents in this matter.  This is so we can discharge our responsibilities to everyone on school premises as well as to individual drivers.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar 

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

2017-18 (Two-page document)

2018-19

Bank Holiday - the school will be closed on Bank Holiday Monday 7 May 2018.