The Flagpole

Earlier this week the Princethorpe Foundation issued its response to new data legislation (GDPR), which comes into force today, Friday 25 May 2018.

Over the last year we have been working hard to keep abreast of directives from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and their guidance concerning data processing. We have also sought advice from professional industry bodies, our school solicitors and external consultants.

Having undertaken a thorough review and audit of the data we hold and the way in which we process it, the Princethorpe Foundation believes that all of the data held relating to our community can be lawfully processed under three bases, namely Legal Obligation, Contractual and/or Legitimate Interests. This is due to the nature of the existing relationships we already have with our community which includes prospective, current and former pupils, prospective, current and former parents, prospective, current and former staff and Friends of the Foundation.

Please be assured that we will treat your data with the utmost integrity, respect and confidentiality. Your personal data will be stored and used in accordance with our updated Privacy Notices in line with the new regulation and our communications with you will be conducted in the least intrusive way possible and only in ways that you would reasonably expect.  You can opt out of receiving non-legal or non-contractual communications at any time by contacting us by email, telephone or by letter.

To see the full response, view the updated Privacy Notices and how to contact us, click on this link.

The Princethorpe Foundation is pleased to announce that it has appointed two new trustees.  Elizabeth Kenward and Mike Fletcher have joined the Governing Body and will work with fellow Trustees to oversee the overall management and strategic direction of the Foundation.

Mrs Elizabeth Kenward BA, PGCE, CTC brings a wealth of educational experience having worked in Catholic secondary education for 37 years, including 15 as a Deputy Head. 

Mrs Kenward, commented, “My two children left Princethorpe in 2017 after seven happy years at the College, both progressing to university to study their chosen courses. They benefited greatly from the opportunities the school provided to travel widely and play sport, leaving with many happy memories.”  She continued, “I was honoured to be asked to join the Princethorpe Foundation Trustees, which will enable me to continue my links with the College and my involvement in Catholic education, both of which I value greatly.”

Mr Mike Fletcher BSc (Hons) is an Old Princethorpian, who attended the College from 1977 to 1982.  Mr Fletcher has recently retired from his role as Vice President at a global IT company, where he worked for over 30 years in a number of technical, operational, managerial and business development roles.  Mr Fletcher has two children that currently attend the College.

Mr Fletcher, remarked, “I particularly appreciate the environment that Princethorpe provides, academic challenge is complemented by sound ethical values and the opportunity to experience a wide range of extra-curricular activities that enrich the lives of pupils for years to come.”

Eddie Tolcher, Foundation Bursar and Clerk to the Trustees said, “Both our new Trustees bring valuable experience to the Foundation’s Governing Body.  Their support and advice will be much appreciated and we are delighted to welcome them to the Board of Trustees.

Congratulations go to our Year 8 Netball Team who are the newly crowned U13s ISA National Netball Champions.

On Saturday 12 May Princethorpe’s U13 Girls’ Netball Team took on 11 schools from across the country in the Independent Schools Association’s National Netball Finals.  The championships took place at the excellent facilities of Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate in York.

The girls stormed though the Group Stage hitting the ground running with fast attacking play.  They won all their first round matches dispatching Alderley Edge School for Girls 8-6, St Michael’s School 15-1, Hull Collegiate School 16-4 and Claires Court School 11-10.  

Keeping the momentum up and their shooting sharp, the U13s had another easy win in the semi-final against St James Senior Girls’ School 12-4.

They were then pitted against Ballard School in the final and from the start it was a tight match.  The girls had to fight for every ball and work tirelessly together, grabbing every opportunity to turn over, transition down the court and convert.  Ballard fought back hard, testing the Princethorpe defence again and again.  The teams were well matched and with goals aplenty from both sides at full time the score stood at 12-12. The game then went to sudden death and, Goal Attack, Rosie Pritchard-Jeffs kept her nerve and shot the golden goal to seal the national championship title for Princethorpe College.

Well done to all the girls involved, everyone played fantastically and we are super proud of their achievement.

Playing in the team were Millie Giffin (Captain), Lara Tripp-Smith, Molly Wincott-Thomas, Evie Phillips, Eve Farquharson, Issy Bunting, Rosie Pritchard-Jeffs, Mia Johnson, Ruby Harris.  Missing on the day but a key player in the qualifying matches was Jess Mackenzie.

A huge thank you to team coaches Hannah Carminati and Debs Brookes and to our pupils’ parents, for their support.

Jacqui Quinney, Head of Careers at Princethorpe College has been appointed to UCAS’ Secondary Education Advisory Group (SEAG). 

The Secondary Education Advisory Group (SEAG) represents the pre-higher education sector and advises UCAS on the impact of its products, systems and services. They also discuss and debate wider policy issues and their effect on students’ progression to higher education and UCAS’ role within this.

Jacqui will be one of only five representatives from independent schools, alongside colleagues from Marlborough College, Cheltenham Ladies College, Sevenoaks School and Felsted School. They will work with representatives from maintained schools and further education colleges to represent the views of the secondary sector on UCAS’ services and educational policy issues.

When inviting Jacqui to become a member of the Group, Georgina Venman, Provider Engagement Co-ordinator at UCAS commented, “We were impressed by Jacqui’s experience and Princethorpe's diversity of admissions and curriculum.”

Jacqui heads up the College’s in-house Careers Service which works closely with pupils to support and develop their careers plans.  Together with Kerry Low, Careers Adviser, they meet with pupils in Year 10 and then again in Lower Sixth to provide one-to-one support and guidance.  Jacqui also oversees the UCAS process and helps students choose their Universities and courses. She also advises on alternative opportunities such as apprenticeships.  The Careers Team also supports pupils through Life Skills sessions using career tools such as Unifrog and Kudos and organises careers events to widen pupil understanding of the choices and opportunities available to them.

Before joining the College Jacqui spent six years at Myton School as an Assistant Head of Sixth Form and UCAS Co-ordinator.

Jacqui comments, “I am really looking forward to working with SEAG, and helping UCAS understand and appreciate independent schools’ needs and opinions.  I want to make sure that our students can make the very most of the opportunities available.”

Summer Fete and 23rd Annual Motor Festival - Sunday 24 June 2018, 2.00pm to 4.30pm

Our Summer Fete is fast approaching and this year has a Royal Wedding Theme. There'll be Zorbing and countless other fun games and activities and entertainment for all ages, including our “Food and Fodder” competition. Categories include:

• o    Wedding theme cupcake
• o    Red, white and blue flower arrangement in a jam-jar
• o    Royal wedding look-a-like scarecrow
• o    Preserve, jam or chutney
• o    Bread - White or wholemeal 1lb tin loaf

Entries should be brought on the day and don’t forget to make sure your name and contact number are clearly marked on your entry.

There will be the traditional array of school supported charity stalls, and external stalls selling a range of high quality crafts, cakes and jewellery. 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, including Gin, Prosecco, beer and a selection of soft drinks.

The Princethorpe Art, Photography and Design Exhibition will be open to all our visitors and, for those not wanting to miss the big sporting event of the day, we’ll be showing the England World Cup match.

As always we will be holding a raffle, this year with a 1st Prize of £250, 2nd Prize of a Fortnum and Mason Hamper, 3rd Prize of £100 and many more fabulous items to be won. You can return your completed tickets (and any unsold tickets) with payment in an envelope marked ‘FAO Anne O’Rourke, PTA Treasurer’, to the special PTA Post Box at the Student Hub. Cheques should be made out to "Princethorpe College PTA". Further tickets are also available from Mrs Satchwell if required. We would also be grateful for any donations of bottles for our tombolas, again to be delivered to the Student Hub.

We are always on the lookout for volunteers, so if you can help in any way on the day, even for half an hour, we would really like to hear from you! Please email us at pta@princethorpe.co.uk.

We do hope that you are able to come along to this fun, family event.

Many thanks,

Princethorpe PTA

Click here to access the twenty eighth issue of the Old Princethorpian which was published on Friday 4 May.

This issue includes the latest Foundation and College news plus plenty of news and updates from OPs across the decades.

If you are an OP or know an OP who would like to share their news or pictures with us for the next issue due out in early May please email oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk by the end of April

If you would like to be added to the distribution list please email Old Princethorpians' Secretary Melanie Butler.

We had a cracking evening at Ye Olde Mitre on Friday 18 May at the OPs London Pub Meet. A tremendous number of Old Princethorpians from across the generations managed to find their way to this quirky, historic venue and up the steep stairs into the cosy Bishop's Lounge.

It was particularly nice to see some newcomers to OP events including Emilio Doorgasingh, Corin Johnson, Charlie Emerton, Simon Fisher, Maddie Sykes and Andrew Bunt and to wish many happy returns to birthday boy, Harry Robinson. London stalwarts, Daniel Bevan, Joel Gleghorn, Aaron Jaffer, Chris Santamarina, Michael Nagaur, Jeremy Peacock, James Simpson, Carmen Simpson and Ian Rudolph joined in the fun with the Princethorpe contingent led by OPs Chairman, Peter Rollason, Alex Darkes, Eddie Tolcher, Loretta Curtis, Rachel Hadley-Leonard, Harriet Brember and Melanie Butler.

One of the loveliest things to see was how well all the Old Princethorpians got along together, regardless of whether they had been at Princethorpe in the 60s or had only left three years ago! Roll on the next OPs event, our Summer Supper on Friday 22 June, celebrating the leavers with an 8 in their leaving year. Leavers from other years are most welcome too.

Matt Dickinson, award-winning author and Mount Everest summiteer visited Princethorpe College on Monday 21 May 2018. A successful writer and film maker Matt has worked for production companies including the BBC, National Geographic Television and the Discovery Channel and is one of the very few cameramen to ever film at the summit of Everest.

Matt spoke to Year 9 Geography pupils about his experiences climbing the tallest mountains in the world and coping in extreme climates.  He talked about the risks involved in mountaineering and his personal experiences of dangers such as frostbite. He shared breath-taking images and film clips of towering icebergs, fathomless ice crevices and gigantic glaciers and discussed the wider geographic impact humans are having on the world.

His anecdotes helped pupils understand the preparation and practice, the determination and resilience required to be an adventurer, but also how it is possible for anyone to get out there and get involved in the natural world.  Matt has met some amazing and inspirational people on his travels and his love of adventure and extreme environments has given him plenty of story lines for his writing. He is the author of the ‘Mortal Chaos’ series, fast-paced action adventure stories for teenagers, and the crime drama series ‘The Everest Files’. He has also written ‘Death Zone’, a factual book based on his climb to the summit of Everest during a devastating killer storm.

Celia Scott, Princethorpe Librarian, who organised the visit, commented, “Matt’s passion for the natural world was inspirational, he has had some amazing adventures and was able to share stories that really captured the imagination of our pupils. We had five lively sessions and it was great to see pupils interacting and asking questions.”

Matt Dickinson was clearly delighted with his enthusiastic audience and said, “I have had a great day at Princethorpe College, with some superb questions from the pupils. Their knowledge of the natural world is impressive, they were able to talk about alternative energy sources and global warming and appreciate the impact of tourism on natural environments.”

Year 8 enjoyed a wonderful weekend at Whitemoor Lakes Outdoor Residential Centre in mid May.  They were blessed with good weather and going off the grid, with no mobiles, ensured plenty of old style outdoor fun.

90 pupils took part in a three-day programme that included archery, canoeing, climbing, abseiling, zip wire, high ropes, problem solving and the challenge course.  In small groups pupils rotated around the different activities working together to rise to all the challenges they were set.  The group also had fun playing team games and enjoyed a fabulous Saturday night disco. Pupils tackled the activities with great energy and commitment and showed excellent teamworking skills.

Trip Leader, Adam Rickart, said, “The residential provided an opportunity for pupils to develop their ability to work as part of a team, to encourage initiative and to develop resilience and social awareness. The children had the chance to demonstrate leadership skills and really go out of their comfort zones.  Year 8 have established friendships groups but this cross-year activity, enabled them to mix with different groups and make new friends. The aim of the trip was for them to come back to school having gained in confidence and ready for the challenges of Year 9.”

Well done all on a truly wonderful weekend and a big thank you to all the staff and to Lower Sixth Formers, Sammy Inskip and Aimee Sen-Gupta, who accompanied the trip and took on many of the activities too.

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 starting at 8.00am with Roads and Tracks, Steeplechase and Cross Country on the Sunday commencing at 9.00am

Please come along and enjoy a wonderful weekend of equestrian events.

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

Please be advised, Extended Day will be moved to LF01, LF02, LF04 and LF05 on this day. The room change will be signposted and pupils notified. 

Friday 8 June and Saturday 9 June

The College is looking forward to welcoming back the Sudden Impulse Theatre Company in June for two outdoor performances of William Shakespeare's play, The Comedy of Errors.

The Comedy of Errors is believed to be one of Shakespeare's earlier written plays; a true farce ahead of its time. The story involves two sets of twins, separated at birth, being thrown together in a tale of mistaken identity.

The performances are open to the public and will take place on the Sixth Form Lawn as follows:

Friday 8 June - 6.30pm to 10.00pm

Saturday 9 June - 3.30pm to 7.00pm

So bring a picnic and, if last year’s performances are anything to go by, enjoy some perfect summer entertainment.

Tickets are available from www.suddenimpulse.co.uk and will be priced at £12 or £10 for concessions.

6.00pm Thursday 14 June 2018

PALs Theatre would like to invite you to an original production of Lost Girls, a sequel,  with a twist, to Peter Pan written and directed by Year 10 pupils Abbie O'Carroll-Bailey and Georgia McCallum. 

The performance will be in the Clarkson Theatre at 6.00pm on Thursday 14 June. This is not a ticketed event, but seating for the performance is limited so to reserve your places please click here. Charitable donations can be made at the door and all proceeds will go to our supported charities. We look forward to seeing you in Neverland.  

Abbie O'Carroll-Bailey and Georgia McCallum
Year 10

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 before Friday 8 June.

Ben Collie
Head of Sixth Form

Do you have a Year 5 child who is creative and innovative? Do they love getting to grips with a problem and coming up with a solution? Then why not get them to take on the Princethorpe Year 5 Design Technology Challenge.

In our well-equipped DT studios, the children will be set a series of space-themed challenges. They will be able to try their hands at electronics or work with materials such as wood, plastic or food and textiles. After a well-deserved lunch, they'll go home with a sense of achievement and their very own 'one'off' products.

There is no charge for the day and break and lunch will be provided. Collection will be at 1.15pm from the Sixth Form Centre, where parents will be able to see the work produced during the morning and join us for a buffet lunch.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Please complete the online form here by Friday 8 June and we will advise you as to whether a space is available soon after.

For more information contact Helen Morgan, Assistant Registrar on 01926 634262 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Tuesday 19 June 2018 - 7.30pm

Sixth Form Lecture Theatre

Followed by wine and light refreshments in the Atrium

The Christian church is one of mission. At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus instructs his disciples to go and teach all the nations, baptising in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

This talk will look at the different ways art was used to communicate God’s Word in early Medieval times.  Our investigation will begin in the Mediterranean, where we will gaze upon sparkling mosaics, intricately carved ivories and wooden doors. We will then consider what was going on in the British Isles in the seventh and eighth centuries, and how Mediterranean art influenced creative minds in the far reaches of the ‘known’ world. Beautifully illustrated manuscripts, like the Codex Amiatinus, impressive stone crosses, such as the one at Ruthwell, not only communicated Scripture but also encouraged emotional responses in the viewers and contributed to prayerful relationships with the Divine.

Tickets may also be purchased at the door, adults £5.00; but advance notice helps with catering, please. Princethorpe, Crackley Hall and Crescent 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

Thursday 21 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and Sunday 24 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm

A celebration of our pupils GCSE, AS and A2 Art, Photography and Design work will take place in the College's Sixth Form Centre on Thursday 21 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and on Sunday 24 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm.

A range of design technology projects, from resistant materials to textiles, will be showcased alongside the stunning art and photography work the College is renowned for.

Comments, Paul Hubball, Head of Art, "This is a great opportunity to share our pupils' fantastic creativity with a wider audience and to welcome more art and design lovers to Princethorpe."
Added Head of Design Technology, Paul Scopes, "We look forward to welcoming all the exam pupils and their families from across Design, Art and Photography to enjoy the fruit of their labours."

All are welcome. On Thursday evening admission is free, on the Sunday admission will be £2 per car including entry to the College's Summer Fete and Motoring Festival. Light refreshments will be served.

Thursday 21 June 2018 to Saturday 23 June 2018

Grease meets The Big Bang Theory, as the College’s Musical Theatre group show what it’s like to be an American teenager in this fun and energetic performance of Loserville. 

It tells the story of Michael Dork and his closest friends, a group of socially awkward teenage boys struggling through High School in 1970s America. Michael is trying to invent email, Lucas is writing his first Sci-Fi novel (Galaxy Battles; Episode 4) and Marvin and Francis spend all their time building a space ship from a shopping trolley. They are constantly being thwarted by popular and privileged school quarterback, Eddie Arch and his cronies.

Then one day, a new girl arrives at the school. Holly is intelligent, funny and harbours a desire to become NASA’s first woman in space. Her sudden arrival throws everyone’s world into turmoil.

Loserville is filled with brilliant and energetic rock songs by James Bourne of Busted. Come along for the ride to find out if our heroes ever get their “Ticket Outta Loseville”.

Tickets will be on sale shortly…

Gil Cowlishaw
Head of Music

Wednesday 20 June 2018 at 7.30pm

At our meeting in May, we discussed Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor.  This was enjoyed by members of the group as a very sensitively observed and credible portrayal of village life.  The book opens with the disappearance of a young girl which leads to much media interest.  It is worth pointing out, however, that the fate of the girl is never discovered.  It is helpful to know this as otherwise readers can be looking out for clues that are simply not there.   The book charts the ebb and flow of the lives of the villagers but does not have a conventional plot.  This seems to be McGregor’s point.  He is simply giving us a slice of life and letting us draw our own conclusions about the material.   

We will be meeting again at 7.30pm in the library on Wednesday 20 June.  On this occasion we’ll be talking about Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, a first novel by Gail Honeyman which has been a best-seller now for many weeks.  Please come along whether or not you have read this book.  We’ll be thinking about books for summer reading and giving each other a few recommendations.  We’re a small friendly group and always welcome new faces, so we’d be very pleased to see you.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English

Friday 22 June 2018 at 11.15am in the Chapel followed by a buffet lunch on the Sixth Form Centre lawn at 12.30pm

Thank you to the many parents who have already replied to the Headmaster's invitation to this event.  If you are yet to reply, please use the link below to let us know whether or not you will be attending.

Please click here to RSVP  

An extract from the Headmaster's letter can be found below.

Carmel Hopkins
PA to the Headmaster

Extract from the letter posted to all Year 11 parents:

There will be a Thanksgiving Service on Friday 22 June 2018 at 11.15am in the Chapel followed by a buffet lunch on the Sixth Form Centre lawn at 12.30pm for all Year 11 pupils.  

This is a beautiful occasion and parents are warmly invited to both the service and to lunch.  If you would like to attend, and to help with catering arrangements, I would be very grateful if you would rsvp by Friday 8 June using the link which will be sent to you shortly by email.

This will be a special day for the pupils.  They come into school wearing suits\smart clothing following the Sixth Form dress code.  Pupils need to arrive in school at the normal time on this day ie 8.40am and will be free to leave school, after the buffet lunch, from 2.00pm

Friday 22 June 2018 - 6.00pm optional tour, 7.00pm drinks reception, 7.30pm supper

OPs who left the College in 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998 and 2008 are cordially invited back to the OPs annual Summer Supper on Friday 22 June to celebrate their respective 50th, 40th, 30th, 20th and 10th anniversaries of leaving.

Comments OPs Secretary, Melanie Butler, "We know many OPs are keener to come to these events if they can be sure of seeing some familiar faces. By focusing on these year groups we hope to get a critical mass of attendees, although OPs from other years will of course be welcome too!"

The Summer Supper is an established event in the OPs calendar, attracting a large number of OPs, former and current members of staff. The supper is preceded by an optional tour and drinks in the Quad. Every year the OPs recognise long-standing members of staff and say farewell to any staff leaving the College.

Numbers are limited to around 100 guests, so if you would like to attend please email oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk, message Old Princethorpians on Facebook or call Melanie Butler on 01926 634284 by Wednesday 13 June to reserve your place.

Sunday 24 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm 

The Motoring Festival always coincides with the College Summer Fete, which takes place on the last Sunday in June. This year's event is on Sunday 24 June 2018.

The Festival is open to anyone keen to bring any sort of classic, vintage, veteran or interesting vehicle along for the afternoon. There will be rally plaques for all pre-booked vehicles and awards for self-judged competitions.

The Festival is preceded by an informal morning road run of about 30 miles through the Warwickshire countryside. Vehicles taking part in the run need to arrive at Princethorpe for 11.00am. There is no charge for classic vehicles entering the festival or taking part in the road run.

Barbecued food is available for a nominal charge on return to Princethorpe at lunchtime, or feel free to bring a picnic.

The Summer Fête takes place in the Orchard between 2.00pm and 4.30pm, unless the weather is inclement when we will retire indoors.  There will be lots of entertainment both for children and adults alike including a large inflatable slide for the kids, BBQ, refreshments, bar, pupils’ stalls, over 30 external stalls, a raffle and many, many more exciting things for all the family to enjoy.

On-line registration for the 2018 event is open now! See below.

For a Motoring Festival 2018 Newsletter click here

To register a vehicle online click here

For a booking form in Word click here

For a club booking form in Word click here

Further details from Alex Darkes on 01926 634207 or email alexdarkes@princethorpe.co.uk

Tuesday 26 June 2018 at 7.00pm (rsvp by Friday 15 June )

Thank you to the many parents who have already replied to the Headmaster's invitation to this event. If you are yet to reply, please use the link below to let us know whether or not you will be attending.

Please click here to RSVP. 

An extract from the Headmaster's letter can be found below.

Carmel Hopkins
PA to the Headmaster

Extract from the letter posted to all Upper Sixth parents and students:

You are warmly invited to the Upper Sixth Thanksgiving Eucharist and Buffet Supper on Tuesday 26 June 2018

The evening starts at 7.00pm with a celebration Eucharist in the College Chapel, after which we shall all adjourn to the Sixth Form Centre for a buffet supper. The dress code is smart jacket and tie for men and equivalent for ladies. This will, I’m sure, be a very enjoyable and beautiful occasion; it is a celebration of all that this Upper Sixth group and their parents have contributed to the Princethorpe community over the years. I very much hope you will all be able to come.

To help with catering arrangements, I would be very grateful if you would rsvp by Friday 15 June using the link which will be sent to you shortly by email, indicating whether or not you will be able to join us for this evening and how many people will be in your party.

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

Last week during Life Skills, Year 10 pupils were given an introduction to the online destinations platform, Unifrog. This already plays a big part in the Sixth Form here at Princethorpe College and helps the Sixth Form students with their career planning and preparations for university and apprenticeship applications.

Pupils created their own accounts and are now able to use Unifrog on any device. This gives them access to a wealth of careers and higher education information including tools to allow them to find out about different careers and what it’s like to study different subjects at university.

There is also the opportunity to use the online platform to record evidence of their activities, skills and competencies, in preparation for important decisions about their future that will need to be made next year.

The launch of Unifrog is intended to support pupils, alongside the one-to-one interviews that they are currently receiving from the Careers team. It is intended that all pupils will have received at least one interview by the end of the Michaelmas term.

Please do ask your son/daughter to show you what Unifrog has to offer via their login. If any parents wish to login themselves and browse, please visit the site here and enter ‘parentprincethorpe’ as a Form Code.

Please do not hesitate to contact me by email if you have any questions about Unifrog or Careers in general.

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers
UCAS Co-ordinator

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 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

Please note that Upper Sixth study leave will commence after school on Friday 25 May 2018.

Ben Collie
Head of Sixth Form

Reports for Year 8 will be posted out today, Friday 25 May 2018.  They will also be available to view on the Parent Portal.

Dr Digby Carrington-Howell
Deputy Head - Staffing and Assessment
 

Years 7 to 10 and Lower Sixth have their end-of-year exams in the week beginning 11 June 2018.

Lower Sixth students will sit internal exams in all of their subjects. These end of year exams are opportunities for the students to test their knowledge and exam technique. These exams will play an important part in teachers’ determination of the predicted grades which are included in applications to university, and also in the wider picture of a student’s progress which will be considered when advising on the suitability of next steps in the Upper Sixth. Any notable achievements in these exams will also of course be celebrated in the school’s UCAS references.

The normal teaching timetable for Years 7-10 and the Lower Sixth for that week will be suspended for the whole week in order for the exams to run. Pupils will have a busy programme of assessments and exams so sensible revision can begin now.  A draft timetable for each year can be found below so that they can plan their time.  Pupils with access arrangements will be advised of specific arrangements. Lower Sixth students are expected to come into school during that week and they are welcome to use the Sixth Form Resource Centre or Common Room to engage in revision and private study. Both of those areas will be silent study areas as the Sixth Form Centre itself is going to be given over to hosting examinations.

All Year 7-10 pupils will have slots throughout the week when they can revise silently for papers later that day or later in the week.  They should therefore make sure they have with them each day the relevant materials they wish to revise from.  It is also a good idea to have a private reading book with them, although the time allocated to exams should only be used for the paper itself.

Teachers will give guidance to their classes about what to revise and what the nature of the exam will be.  

We look forward to sharing with you how your child has done in our exam reports later this term. If you have any questions about Exams Week, do please contact us.

Year 7 Timetable

Year 8 Timetable

Year 9 Timetable

Year 10 Timetable

Year 11 Timetable

L6 Timetable

 Dr Digby Carrington-Howell
Deputy Head - Staffing and Assessment

Dr Michael Reddish
Assistant Head - Director of Studies 

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)

Pupils and parents are reminded that the Textbook Return Forms, which are available to download here, are due to be completed and returned by Friday 22 June 2018.

Books should be handed to a member of staff from the relevant department with staff signing the form to confirm receipt of the correct number of books.

If a textbook has been lost, ‘LOST’ should be entered in the staff signature column on the Return Form and a charge will be made for this book. When all subjects are complete, pupils should take the form to their Head of House to sign off. Any incomplete or unreturned forms will result a charge for unreturned books.

Year 7 Progress Reports will be published today, Friday 25 May 2018, and will be available to view on the Pupil and Parent Portals.  

Dr Digby Carrington-Howell
Deputy Head - Staffing and Assessment 

The Immunisation team will be in school on the morning of Monday 4 June to offer Year 9 pupils the Tetanus/Polio/Diptheria booster and the Meningitis ACWY vaccine. Those pupils who are sitting their Latin GCSE that afternoon have the option of receiving their vaccines on Tuesday 26 June instead.

If you have yet to return the consent form to me, please can you do so as soon as possible.

Paula Greig
Senior Matron

Please find attached links to the presentations given at the Year 9 and 10 Academic Review Meeting held on Thursday 10 May.

Learning Skills

Positive Mental health

Preparing for Sixth Form

Special Education needs

Careers

21st Century Parenting

The College Ethos

Students should be busy using Unifrog to search for university courses, create shortlists and record their key competencies in readiness for making applications to UCAS next term. All students will be offered a one-to-one meeting with me this term and then myself and the Sixth Form team will guide them through the process of application. Further advice on personal statements will follow after exam week but they can be started at any time – drafts should be written in the Personal Statement tool in Unifrog.

Tips:
• Open Days are mostly in June and July – these should be booked now.
• Make sure you follow the link on Unifrog shortlists to the course pages and check the details of the courses – not all courses are the same.
• Check out the Careers, Subject and Know-how libraries on Unifrog for information on different careers, help with choosing which subject to study and a wealth of videos on various aspects of the process.
• The UCAS website is also a wealth of information and has a specific page for parents.  Click here to access it. 
• Any parents who wish to use Unifrog themselves can set up their own login by visiting the site here and entering the Form Code ‘princethorpeparent’.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by email.

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers
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
• SOAS University of London (School of Oriental and African Studies) Taster Courses
• French Studies and International Politics Taster Courses by the University of London Institute in Paris
• Brightbulb - Creative Internship Scheme

Job opportunity - Do you have the talent and the dedication for a career in television? If so, I have details of a company looking for an Entertainment Runner.

The job involves working with the Entertainment team to ensure effective day-to-day support across all aspects of the team. 

They are looking for someone who is proactive, responsible and reliable with strong organisational and communication skills. You will need a willingness to undertake a huge variety of jobs and be able to adapt to ever changing priorities. A genuine interest in the genre is essential and strong computer skills and technical knowhow are advantageous.

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

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers and UCAS Co-ordinator

There are places available on many of the University of London's taster courses in a variety of subjects taking place at numerous universities in and around London.

All of their taster courses are free to attend and aimed at current Sixth Form students. You can search and apply to the taster courses on the University Taster Course Programme website.

Alternatively, to see a list of their taster courses for this May and June, please click 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.

SOAS University of London (School of Oriental and African Studies) uniquely combines language scholarship, disciplinary expertise and regional focus.  It has the largest concentration in Europe of academic staff concerned with Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

This summer SOAS University of London is running the taster courses for Sixth Form students to allow them to explore their range of undergraduate courses.

All their taster courses are free to attend and it is recommended you apply as soon as possible as places are limited. To find out more and to apply, just click here.

The University of London Institute in Paris is a small institution located in the heart of the French capital and offer the opportunity for students to gain a wealth of knowledge by living and studying abroad with the reassurance of a UK University.

What can students study at the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP), and how are classes taught? Students are invited to attend their free Taster Courses taking place on Thursday 21 June in London, where they will have the chance to experience ULIP classes.

This year, in addition to their long-established BA French Studies programmes, they will also be offering a taster course for their new BA International Politics programmes in partnership with Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).

To find out more and to apply, just click here.

Endemol Shine are looking for people who love television and are capable of coming up with a broad range of new and exciting TV shows. They're running Brightbulb, a creative intern scheme designed to give some of the brightest and best a chance to get into TV ideas development. Your job will be to come up with brilliant new format ideas for TV.

Their interns work in a fun, creative and diverse environment with excellent, experienced support to guide them through their first role in the TV industry.

They welcome applications from people of all ages, experience and social backgrounds and are looking for creative minds to join their team at their offices in West London. This internship is initially a full-time three month contract, with eight successful applicants starting 17 September 2018. You will be based in either Remarkable Television or Initial TV. The internship is a paid position at a rate of £400 a week.

For further details click here.

After a very successful season, with 24 wins and 136 goals tucked under their belts, the U13 Girls’ Hockey Team boarded the minibus last Friday 11 May to travel to Nottingham Hockey Centre to compete in the National Finals of the Schools In2Hockey Championships.  After winning the County Championships and then qualifying as the Midlands Regional Runners-Up, the girls were well prepared and raring to go.

Pitted against the very best hockey schools in the country and playing in matches that were nine minutes each way, they found the games fast-paced and their opponents well practised.  Playing for Princethopre were Year 8 pupils Issy Bunting, Eve Farquharson, Molly Harper, Jess Mackenzie, Evie Phillips (Captain), Jasmin Rose, Grace Thomas, Lara Tripp-Smith (Vice Captain), Molly Wincott-Thomas and Zoe Wallis.

In the first round the team played four matches, they secured a good win 3-1 against Stockport Grammar School, a draw 1-1 versus Gresham’s School, but went down 1-0 to St George’s College and 2-1 to Redmaids’ High School.  They finished third in the group and qualified for the 5th vs 6th playoff.

The girls put up a strong fight, there was plenty of confident stick work, good tackles and brave defensive play, but despite some strong driving runs their good chances were not converted into goals and the girls went down to Wakefield Girls’ High School 2-0.  The team finished in sixth position overall.  Pleasingly Lara Tripp-Smith was the top scorer in the tournament.

Head of Hockey, Kat Berns, was delighted and commented, "This was the first time that a Princethorpe Girls Hockey team has ever made it through to the Nationals. We are incredibly proud of them.  There is no stopping these girls, they are just amazing.  With a little more training who knows what they might achieve next season.”

Princethorpe College’s Senior and Inter Girls Athletics Team delivered top scoring performances to both finish in first place in the Warwickshire Schools Combined Events.  Hot on their heels were the Inter Boys team whose matching determination led to a deserving overall second place.  It was a super start to the athletics season at the Warwickshire Schools Combined Events, held at the excellent facilities of The Pingles Stadium, Nuneaton, from Wednesday 2 to Thursday 3 May. 

24 schools from across the county sent their best athletes to the two-day event.  Standards were high as competitors aimed to accrue as many points as possible across the track and field events.

In the Senior Girls Heptathlon, the College’s Lower Sixth girls took all the top placings with Hollie Moore finishing 1st after storming round the track to complete the 800 meters in 2 minutes and 49.8 seconds.  Anna Wells was placed 2nd following huge jumps in both the High Jump at 1.33 meters and in the Long Jump at 5.05 metres.   All-rounder Charlotte Silvester claimed 3rd place after performing consistently across all the disciplines, the Long Jump, High Jump, Javelin, Shot, 100m Hurdles, 200m and 800m.  Together the girls’ points added up to a super score and gained Princethorpe overall team first place.

The Year 10 girls also put in a magnificent effort in the Inter Girls Heptathlon.  They attacked the Long Jump, High Jump, Javelin, Shot, 80m Hurdles, 200m and 800m to deliver in all the disciplines. Maddie Glasspool finished 3rd overall, Evie Headland 4th, Mya Lloyd-Thomas 6th and Amelia Cunnington 9th to again clinch Princethorpe the overall team first place.

The Inter Boys had the Long Jump, High Jump, Javelin, Discus, Shot, 100m Hurdles, 400m and the 1500m to contend with in their Octathlon event.  Year 10 Boldi Kordas led the charge finishing in overall 3rd after storming to second place in the 100 metres Hurdles in 19.4 seconds and third place in the 400 metres in 60.2 seconds.  He was followed closely by Sam Wincott-Thomas who finished 4th overall after an incredible 28.96 metres throw in the Javelin.  Ellis Chaplow came 8th overall, a nimble footed middle distance runner, he finished in second place in both the 400 metres in 59.7 seconds and the 1500 metres in 5 minutes 6.2 seconds.   Their hard work earned the College an overall second place team finish.

Director of Sport, Neil McCollin, was thrilled with the early season performances, commenting, “This was an excellent start to the athletics season, Princethorpe’s athletes shone across all the disciplines delivering consistent solid performances in both field and track events to help the College to victory.  Well done to everybody.”

Year 7 pupils James Robinson and Will Antrobus were part of Rugby and East Warwickshire Hockey Club’s Boys’ U12 Team that won the national title in the In2Hockey National Championships on Saturday 12 May.

Played at the Nottingham Hockey Centre the REW Team cemented their place as the best U12 club hockey team in the country. The boys played superbly to win 1-0 vs Old Loughtonions, 4-1 vs Harrogate, 3-2 vs Guildford and 2-1 vs Clifton Robinsons.  They faced a very capable team from Surbiton in a hard fought, nail-biting final, in a match that ended in an incredibly tense 2-2 tie.  The game went to penalty flicks, which REW then won 5-4.

The trophy is now going on a tour of the boys’ schools and we look forward to seeing the silverware at Princethorpe soon.

Two other members of the REW Hockey Club U12 Team currently attend the Crescent School.  Oliver Bell and Chris Gibson are in Class VI, and Chris as goalkeeper saved the penalty flick that delivered the national title.

Princethorpe’s Games Coaches Rachel Mack and Emma Nobes have worked hard coaching the boys here at school and at the Club and for the County.

The Rugby and East Warwickshire U12 Girls’ also qualified for the Nationals and performed nearly as well, coming a very respectable ninth in the country!  Several of the girls in the team also hail from Princethorpe including Jess Evans, Sophie Gray, Tilly Houghton and Alice Whittaker.

Getting to the Nationals was a great achievement in itself, what a brilliant day for so many pupils in the Foundation.

All pupils currently in Year 10 and going into Year 11 may purchase and wear the senior sports kit from 4 June 2018.

For girls there is a predominantly black sports top, skort, tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie.

For boys there is a red top with Princethorpe down the back and a soft shell jacket with fleece lining.

All pupils in Year 11 may also purchase the senior socks which are red as opposed to the black with the school tower on them.

All Year 11 Girls who will be playing as 'seniors', must purchase the Senior polo shirts, skort, socks and tracksuit bottoms.  A letter will be sent home outlining your childs place on the team and the kit which will be required.

Permission for all purchases must be given by the bill payer as either a written note or written in your child's planner.

Nicola Browne
Shop Manager

This summer, pupils have the opportunity to represent Princethorpe College in orienteering events around Warwickshire. Below is a list of the events we are taking part in:

• Borough Hill, Daventry - Wednesday 2 May 6.00pm to 7.30pm
• Hay Wood, Baddesley Clinton - Wednesday 9 May 6.00pm to 7.30pm
• Coombe Country Park (West Midlands School Championships) - Saturday 12 May 10.00am to 12.00pm
• Kingsbury Water Park - Wednesday 16 May 6.00pm to 7.30pm
• Abbey Fields, Kenilworth - Wednesday 23 May 6.00pm to 7.30pm
• Elmdon Park, Solihull - Wednesday 30 May 6.00pm to 7.30pm
• Hartshill Hayes Country Park, Nuneaton - Wednesday 6 June 6.00pm to 7.30pm
• Coombe Country Park - Wednesday 13 June 6.00pm to 7.30pm
• Brueton Park, Solihull - Wednesday 20 June 6.00pm to 7.30pm
• Rough Close Scout Camp, Coventry - Wednesday 4 July 6.00pm to 7.30pm

There is no obligation to take part in all of the events. Simply choose the ones you are able to make. I hope this will be an exciting opportunity for pupils to get outside and try something different this summer. If you would like more information, please email adamrickart@princethorpe.co.uk.

Adam Rickart
Head of Psychology

The last week of the academic year (2 - 6 July) is Activities Week.  Normal classes are suspended, and a wide variety of activities are on offer.

• Monday 2 July and Tuesday 3 July: Pupils choose activities in school
• Wednesday 5 July: House Activities Day
• Thursday 6 July: Whole Year School Trips
• Friday 7 July:Last day of school

Please see the attachments for the information regarding the wide variety of activities on offer on the Monday and Tuesday. 

Please click here for A-Z of Activities

If you have any queries about Activities Week, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mr Greg Hunter
Assistant Head Co-curricular

12 April to 19 April 2019

Unfortunately there are no available places on the ski trip next Easter. Pupils who are already on the waiting list will be contacted as soon as a place becomes available.

Please could parents of pupils who have been offered a place, and wish to pay the balance in full or by direct debit, arrange payment by 15 June. Otherwise the balance will be spread over the next two school bills.

I will be in touch early in September with confirmed dates of the parents meetings and practice ski trips. For further information or if you have any questions please contact me at catherinewarne@princethorpe.co.uk.

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

Please note that the school shop will be closed from 4.30pm on Friday 25 May and will reopen on Monday 4 June at 10.30am.

Nicola Browne
Shop Manager

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