The Flagpole

The Princethorpe Foundation is delighted to announce that two new senior members of staff will be joining its Leadership Team in September.

Dr Liz Pyne, joins Princethorpe College from Finham Park School in Coventry, in the new role of Assistant Head (Teaching and Learning). Dr Pyne is an outstanding History teacher, who has had a wealth of strategic leadership and training experience in Teaching and Learning at her current school. An experienced practitioner, Liz is a Professional Mentor for Warwick University and has been rewarded with an Honorary Fellowship. She regularly shares best practice and the latest developments in pedagogy with colleagues from other schools.

Her role will be to inspire, support and develop pupils and staff to achieve the highest possible standards in teaching and learning.

Liz already has a close connection with the Foundation, as her two daughters attended the Crescent School. Outside of school Liz’s interests include reading, visiting historical sites and eating out at local restaurants.

Joining her is Andy Compton, who takes on the new role of Foundation Assistant Head (Director of Digital Strategy). Andy is an experienced Spanish and French teacher who has had responsibility for leading on new technologies and championing digital learning at his current school, Sidney Stringer Academy in Coventry. A passionate advocate of the power of digital technology on teaching and learning, he will draw on these experiences to develop strategies to use technology to its full potential, improving the ICT, learning and teaching across the whole Foundation, including the College and its two junior schools, Crackley Hall in Kenilworth and the Crescent School in Rugby.

Away from the classroom, Andy is also a keen sportsman, who runs and regularly plays and coaches football.

Comments, Headmaster, Ed Hester, “The Foundation is moving forward in very exciting ways and it is so important for us to have first class staff in leadership positions. We are therefore delighted to welcome Liz and Andy and wish them both well in their new roles.”

Mrs Caroline McGrory was appointed to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees at the beginning of December 2017.  Mrs McGrory is a qualified solicitor with over 20 years’ experience who has worked in private practice in London and Birmingham and then in house as Director of Legal and Commercial Affairs for the Mercedes AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.  In 2016 she was appointed as General Counsel for Leicester City Football Club.  She has extensive experience of commercial law.

Mrs McGrory has close connections with the Foundation, her three children attend Foundation schools and she married her husband and had her children christened in the Princethorpe College Chapel.

Mrs McGrory is enjoying working with fellow Trustees overseeing the overall management and strategic direction of the Foundation.  She comments, “It is a real privilege to be a Princethorpe Foundation Trustee and I am really enjoying this new involvement.”

Eddie Tolcher, Foundation Bursar and Clerk to the Trustees said, “Caroline has already brought a wealth of commercial experience to the Foundation’s Governing Body.  Her insights and advice are very much appreciated.”

On Wednesday 6 June Princethorpe welcomed prospective parents and pupils into school for the College’s flagship Summer Open Evening.

Bathed in sunshine the school and grounds were at their sparkling best, a well organised hive of activity; departments had prepared informative displays and had plenty of exemplar work on show, staff and present pupils were on hand to take questions and talk with parents and of course there were plenty of fun subject-related activities for younger (and older) visitors to enjoy.  Rewards were on offer for all those who ‘had a go’ with stickers to collect and a choice of snazzy prizes for the children on their way home.  

Outside many chose to try their hand at archery, explore the outdoor classroom, watch the tennis display or visit the Catteralls school bus.  In the Sports Centre the climbing wall was a popular attraction, as was the bustling Limes atrium with its da Vinci display. Elsewhere the classrooms were abuzz with parents and children exploring subjects such as  IT, Maths, English and Languages.

Music echoed around the Roundhouse, buskers and performers entertained in the corridors and drama rehearsals attracted audiences to the newly refurbished Clarkson Theatre.  Through the length and breadth of the school, visitors were invited to attempt a dissection in Biology, to control robots in Technology, to test their strength in Physics, to watch explosive Chemistry experiments and to delve into the archives in the Library.  

Ed Hester, Headmaster, welcomed parents with an inspiring address in the Chapel, talking about the school, its plans for the future and the ‘Spirit of Family’ ethos that allows Princethorpe to help every child to succeed.

Some 172 families attended the evening, many completely new to the school.  For all it was a great chance to soak up the special Princethorpe atmosphere and to get a flavour of day-to-day life.  The sun shone brightly all evening and everywhere enthusiastic staff and pupils extolled the virtues of Princethorpe’s tailored individual approach.

A huge thank you to all the staff, pupils, prefects and parents who helped on the evening and to those involved in the preparations.  The school looked amazing and the feedback from our visitors as they left was very positive.

Year 10 pupil Ben Abrahamson has qualified for CyberStart Elite the final stage of the UK Government’s Cyber Schools Programme, Cyber Discovery.  From the 23,663 participants that started the extra-curricular learning programme Ben is one of only 100 pupils from Years 10-13 that has made it through to the fourth and final stage.

The Cyber Discovery Programme aims to give young people the opportunity to learn the skills needed to enter in to the cyber security profession and has been designed to grow the UK’s cyber capable workforce.  Created by world-leading experts, the programme aims to identify cyber talent early and teaches exciting topics such as ethical hacking, penetration testing and digital forensics.

Mrs Ryalls’ Year 10 GCSE Computer Science class took the initial assessments for the programme, CyberStart Assess, in their lessons back in November.   From there Ben has progressed through CyberStart Game and Cyber Start Essentials before being selected for CyberStart Elite.

Ben will attend a two-day face-to-face camp in August where he will get the chance to compete in a live Capture the Flag competition, meet some of the industry’s top experts, test his skills by working on a hackable robot arm and learn what a career in cyber security could be like.

Ben commented, “I have really enjoyed the challenges the programme offers, at the Elite Camp we will have to hack into a server to get information, it sounds like a lot of fun and I am really excited.”

Jan Ryalls, Computer Science Teacher, said, “This is an incredible achievement and a testament to Ben’s problem solving, hard work and determination. Cyber security is now more than ever a careers area with huge potential and this experience will give him a head start if he chooses to progress into that line of work. “

Invited guests from seven local care homes and elderly members of the local parish, were welcomed into school for a special Summer Tea Party on Thursday 6 June.  Hosted by Sixth Form prefects and volunteers the tea party was held in the airy atrium of the Sixth Form Centre.

Guests were served a delightful selection of scrumptious sandwiches, sausage rolls and tasty cakes, together with a choice of drinks. Everyone clearly enjoyed the chance to linger over lunch and chat with the younger generation.  For all it was a lovely opportunity to share stories, find out about school life, enjoy a change of scenery and savour some top class refreshments.

Excellent background musical accompaniment was provided by Sixth Formers Kate Palmer and Charlotte Pagan on piano and members of Princethorpe’s Choir entertained the gathering with a lively Beatles medley.

The event is a great example of Princethorpe’s ‘spirit of family’ and is one of a series of community events the College’s Sixth Formers support.

Our thanks go to Mrs McKenzie for organising the party; the new prefect body and Sixth Form volunteers for generously hosting our guests, the musicians and choir for performing and to our fantastic catering team for the fabulous food.

Congratulations to Year 7 pupil, Oliver Pendleton who finished in sixth place in the Tumbling Spring Event Series competition that took place on Saturday 2 June at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

Competing in the Tumbling FIG (Federation Internationale de Gymnastique) Men 11-12 years category, Oliver executed two powerful and explosive runs each made up of five separate elements to score a total of 55.7 points.  His stunning performance proves Oliver is one of the best tumblers in Great Britain and having achieved above the British Qualifying Score he has also secured himself a place at the British National Tumbling Championships which will take place in Birmingham in September.

The event was a superb spectacle with competitors demonstrating awe-inspiring all action skills on the tumble track, trampoline and double mini trampoline.

Director of Sport, Neil McCollin, commented, “Oliver is a talented gymnast and this is an amazing achievement, we are delighted for him and wish him well for the National Championships.”

The College has also awarded Oliver a da Vinci award to recognise his extraordinary performance. 

Friday 8 June was an important day for six Crackley pupils as they celebrated their first Holy Communion Mass.  Sam Bearman-Henderson, Saffron Hall, Amelia Hunt, Seamus Meakins-Owens, Francesca Voisey and Thomas Zanyi gathered together excitedly with friends, family and the whole Crackley Hall school community at St Francis of Assisi Church in Kenilworth.

Father Kevin Hooper began by commending Crackley Hall’s long and strong association with the parish.  He then led a joyful and celebratory Eucharist beautifully supported by the Altar Servers and Chamber Choir.  He spoke about the nourishing love of God that would sustain the young communicants throughout their lives. The communicants then received the sacrament with the utmost sincerity and reverence and were a credit to their families and their school. 

Special thanks were given to Mrs Jackson-Mayne and Mrs Simmonds who have supported the children in their journey this year and to Mrs Olden and the choir.  It was a wonderful occasion bringing together pupils, teachers, family and friends from across the Princethorpe Foundation.  Crackley Hall was delighted to welcome Ed Hester, Princethorpe Headmaster, and Trustees Mrs Griffin, Mrs O’Farrell, Mrs Lane and Commodore Warner to the service along with Sixth Form prefects, Molly Geehan, Jasmine Rigg, Aimee Sen-Gupta and Meera Chauhan.

After the service parents, family and guests were invited to share in the special buffet lunch laid on for the communicants in the adjacent church hall.   There the prefects helped to serve guests and enjoyed chatting with the clearly delighted six boys and girls.

Over the Bank Holiday Weekend, Saturday 26 to Sunday 27 May, Princethorpe College played host to the 2018 National Schools Two-Day Event.

Run in conjunction with Stoneleigh Riding Club a record 250 plus competitors took part in the two-day event, the only ‘long format’ competition open to schools and riding clubs in the UK.  It included dressage and show-jumping on the Saturday and roads and tracks, steeplechase and cross country on the Sunday.

This was the fourth year running that the event was hosted on the Princethorpe estate and the course looked magnificent against the backdrop of the Princethorpe Tower.  This year there was a challenging new addition to the cross country course, a new permanent water jump generously built by the event’s main sponsors, The Wigley Group, who have strong connections to the College.  As well as being a fantastic enhancement to the course, the deep pools within the water jump will be used by pupils year round supporting environmental and wildlife studies.

The competition takes a huge amount of organisation and our thanks go to the school staff and Stoneleigh Riding Club who, together with an army of volunteers and some beautiful British weather, ensured the event was a such a success.

Princethorpe’s riders rode magnificently and we were incredibly proud to see them taking part.  Competing in the 80cm class, Year 7 pupil Sophie Glover was part of a local schools’ team placed third in the ISA 80cm competition, riding her horse Dolly at her very first cross country event. Sophie also picked up best Warwickshire school competitor.  Year 8s Lottie Paybody and Libby Chapman and Year 9 Robyn Field have all represented Princethorpe before and this year finished in a respectable sixth place in the ISA 90cm team competition and came top in the Novice ISA competition winning the ISA Shield. Lottie Paybody also won best Warwickshire school individual in the 90cm section 6 and Libby Chapman picked up the same prize in the 90cm section 7.

Assistant Head, Alex Darkes, Princethorpe’s equestrian event organiser, said, “This has been our biggest two-day event ever at Princethorpe and it was really good to see a strong presence of school participants once again. The new water jump was an exciting addition to the cross country course.  Our thanks go to members of Stoneleigh Riding Club, key sponsors The Wigley Group, Howkins & Harrison and Listers Group, our Grounds and Estates Teams and all the volunteers, without whom we would have been unable to stage such a busy event.”

There will be more equestrian action taking place at Princethorpe shortly - the Inter-Schools’ Dressage Competition is scheduled for Saturday 30 June and spectators are most welcome.

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

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 will be available on the door or from www.suddenimpulse.co.uk priced at £12 or £10 for concessions.

Saturday 9 June 2018

Both Princethorpe College and Crackley Hall School will be out in force at the Kenilworth Show on Saturday 9 June 2018.

A great day out for all the family, there is so much to see and do. Returning for 2018 will be the infamous Bolddog Lings, The Sheep Show, Grand Parade of Livestock plus the Countryside Arena and displays of farm machinery to name just a few of the exciting activities that visitors can enjoy.

There will also be over 100 trade stands from arts and crafts, jewellery, homewares, through to artisan breads and pies in the indoor trade marquee (where you can also find us!), with clothing stalls, garden furniture, plants and local club stands outside.

Visitors to the show can come and find out about our upcoming open events, admissions for September 2019 and beyond, and we would love to say hello to any former St Joseph School pupils and Old Princethorpians!

Tickets are just £10 and under 16s go free! For more information about the event and to buy tickets, please visit: www.kenilworthshow.co.uk

We hope to see you there.

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

This is the final call for Lower Sixth students and their families to get their tickets to the BBQ. This provides a great opportunity 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 today.

For thoses football fanatics among you the World Cup match, Portugal v Spain, will be shown in the Sixth Form Dining Room during the evening.

Ben Collie
Head of Sixth Form

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

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

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 for the production are priced at £5.00 each with a concession of £2.50 for children and can be booked here. Please note there are limited seats and tickets will be allocated on a first come first served basis. 

Gil Cowlishaw
Head of Music

Friday 22 June 2018

11.15am in the Chapel\12.30pm buffet lunch on the Sixth Form Centre lawn

The RSVP date for this event is Friday 8 June. If you would like to attend but are yet to reply, please use the link below to let us know that you are coming:

Please click here to RSVP  

The car parking for this event will be in the Orchard. 

Staff will be on hand to direct traffic on the day and access to the Chapel will be via the external door; please kindly walk across the North car park to the Sixth Form Centre and continue through the glass link.

Pupils must 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.

Carmel Hopkins
PA to the Headmaster

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 (or those who were in the same year groups) 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 by Friday 15 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.

Saturday 30 June 2018

A reminder to let you know that the annual Inter-Schools' Dressage Competition which incorporates the Inter-House Dressage Competition takes place at Princethorpe on Saturday 30 June 2018 and is an NSEA qualifier.

This competition is a qualifier for the NSEA Championships taking place at Keysoe in October 2018.

Click here for the schedule

Click here for an entry form in Word

Entries close on Thursday 21 June 2018

The Area 5 Dressage Competition organised by Stoneleigh Riding Club will take place at Princethorpe on the following day, Sunday 1 July 2018.

A link to the Princethorpe Equestrian page of the Princethorpe College website can be found by clicking here

A link to the National Schools’ Equestrian Association (NSEA) website can be found by clicking here

Further information from Alex Darkes at Princethorpe on 01926 634207 or alexdarkes@princethorpe.co.uk

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!

Timings for results days for Upper Sixth and Year 11 pupils are given below. All other year group pupils will be able to view their results on the pupil portal and written confirmation will be sent through the post. Please note: Results cannot be given out over the phone.

Exam results will appear on the pupil portal. For parents to see this information on the parent portal, pupils need to enable access. Instructions on how to do this are in the candidate handbook for written exams, for a copy of the relevant page click here. Login details for the pupil portal are the same as those used to login to the school computer network.

If a third party (e.g. parent, relative, friend) is collecting exam results, the pupil must notify the examinations office in writing before the end of term, giving the full name and address of the person collecting the results. Photographic proof of ID will be required on results day. Pupils can email me the details, this must be from their school email address, to: examinations@princethorpe.co.uk or by completing the attached form and bringing it to Room S38.

Upper Sixth A-level results – 16 August 2018: School opens at 7.00am. Results will be published to the portals at 9.00am.

Year 11 GCSE results – 23 August 2018: School opens at 9.00am. Results will be published to the portals at 10.00am.

Mrs Shellagh Dodds
Examinations Officer

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 

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.

Our Confirmation Programme will begin on Wednesday 3 October 2018.  

Father Alan Whelan MSC will celebrate Mass in the College Chapel at 6.30pm for pupils wishing to be confirmed and their parents or guardians.  This will be followed by an introduction to the course and coffee/tea. Please bring a copy of your Baptismal Certificate.

Confirmation will take place in March 2019 at 7.00pm. (Date to be confirmed)

The preparation takes place in the lunch break.  Each 20-minute session will be offered twice in order to avoid clashes with other activities.

Confirmation Preparation - Michaelmas Term 2018

Tuesday 16 October or Friday 19 October
Tuesday 6 November or Friday 9 November
Tuesday 13 November or Friday 16 November
Tuesday 20 November or Friday 23 November

Confirmation Preparation - Lent Term 2019

Tuesday 15 January or Friday 18 January
Tuesday 22 January or Friday 25 January
Tuesday 29 January or Friday 1 February
Tuesday 5 February or Friday 8 February
Tuesday 12 February or Friday 15 February

Thursday before confirmation - everyone to attend.

To register please complete the enrolment form by 24 June 2018.

Mary Benham
Chaplaincy Co-ordinator

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 - King's College 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

King's College London has just announced taster courses in Accounting & Finance, Comparative Literature, Digital Culture and Film Studies to add to their series of taster courses this June.

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 about any of the taster courses at King's College London and to apply please click here.  You can also search and apply to all the taster courses on the University Taster Course Programme website.

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.

Can I  ask parents of Year 11 pupils, who have not already done so, to please let me know where their son/daughter is going for their work experience placement. Please provide the company name and contact details, for the placement(s) you have arranged by email to miketaylor@princethorpe.co.uk. 

Mike Taylor
Work Experience Co-ordinator

Any items of sports kit that require initialling during the summer break can be brought into the school shop prior to Wednesday 4 July 2018.    Please note all articles of clothing must be new or freshly laundered if they are to be sent to the embroiderers.  Items will be ready for collection from the school shop when school reopens on Monday 3 September 2018.

If you have any queries please contact our Nicola Browne on 01926 634272 or email nicolabrowne@princethorpe.co.uk

Nicola Browne
Foundation Shop Manager

Tuesday 18 September 2018
Sixth Form Centre Dining Room - 7.00pm

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

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

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

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

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

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

Princethorpe PTA

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

• 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 any 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 click here for A-Z of Activities which shows the wide variety of activities on offer on the Monday and Tuesday. 

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

(Maternity cover - full-time and part-time considered)

Required for November 2018, after the Michaelmas half term break, a well-qualified graduate to teach Mathematics to KS3 and KS4 in a flourishing and successful department. Familiarity with Pearson’s IGCSE would be an additional recommendation, but is not essential.

Enthusiasm to become involved with the extra-curricular life of the school is essential. Candidates should be able to demonstrate success in the classroom and be effective team players. Full and part-time applications will be considered. 

This is an excellent opportunity to join the fast growing Foundation that values its staff and offers a rewarding benefits package.

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

Closing date: Monday 18 June 2018, at 9.00am. Interviews are likely to be held on Thursday 21 June 2018 at Princethorpe.

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

(Maternity cover - full-time and part-time considered)

We require a well-qualified, enthusiastic and energetic graduate to teach Spanish from November 2018. The ability to teach Spanish to GCSE is essential with Spanish to A-level and French to KS3 desirable. Full and part-time applications will be considered.

The person(s) appointed will be expected to motivate and inspire pupils of all ranges of ability across Key Stages 3 and 4 as well as stimulating further interest in the subject through extra-curricular clubs and events. Candidates should be able to demonstrate success in the classroom and be effective team players.

This is an excellent opportunity to join the fast growing Foundation that values its staff and offers a rewarding benefits package.

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

Closing date: Monday 18 June 2018, at 9.00am. Interviews are likely to be held on Wednesday 20 June 2018 at Princethorpe.

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

We are looking to recruit an IT Apprentice, at Level 3, to join the busy Foundation IT department, to start by August 2018, although later starts will be considered for the right candidate.  They will report to the Assistant Head (Director of Digital Strategy) and will be based in Princethorpe College with some duties at the Foundation feeder schools, Crackley Hall School in Kenilworth and Crescent School in Rugby. 

The candidate will be a member of the IT Service Desk team providing a front-line service to staff across all three schools and for pupils in the College.

The role would provide the successful candidate with an inside view of the workings and the organisation of a multisite network, implementation procedures of new hardware/software, including expansion and development of existing and new IT services. They will have responsibility for the first point of contact on the ICT helpdesk with all users.

Interested candidates will have good communication and organisational skills, as well as the ability to work on their own and as part of a team. They will be studying an IT related apprenticeship at level three or four. Likely courses are IT, Software and Telecoms Professionals, IT Application Specialist or Infrastructure Technician, although this list is not exhaustive. Warwickshire College Group are the training service provider for the apprenticeship and additional training will be on day release at Warwickshire College.

An IT Apprenticeship will enable the successful candidate to gain hands on experience; they will be trained to provide support to users on various levels, from toner replacements, stock checks and Audio Visual setups, to supporting end users with any technical and software queries.

Candidates are welcome to discuss the apprenticeship courses in more detail with Emma Rogers, Worked-based Learning Manager, Warwickshire College Group on 01788 863230.

Single person accommodation on site may be available.

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: Wednesday 27 June at 9.00am, with interviews likely to be held on Tuesday 3 July at Princethorpe College.

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

We would like to remind all pupils that the school shop carries the following items:

Casio fx-85GT PLUS Calculators (School recommended) - £10.00

Compasses – 50p

Protractors Maped soft grip, lockable (School recommended) - £2.50

Maths Sets containing 15cm rular, compass with pencil, rubber, sharpener. - £5.00

As with any purchase we must have permission from home to add them to the bill.

Nicola Browne
Foundation Shop Manager

The school shop will be open until Friday 6 July 2018.  If you are looking for additional or replacement items of uniform ready for September, please can you order in plenty of time to allow delivery to school prior to this date.

From Monday 23 July until Monday 3 September, the school shop will be open for new starters and will be by appointment only.

Nicola Browne
Foundation Shop Manager