The Flagpole

27 Princethorpe College girls conquered its 30 metre high chapel tower in an epic fundraising abseil challenge.  As part of a drive to raise funds to support their summer 2019 South Africa sporting tour the girls from Year 11 and Lower Sixth enthusiastically took on the once in a lifetime challenge.

In light wind and warm sunshine on Wednesday 1 May there was nothing to hold back the dare devil students from tackling the descent. Under the supervision of outdoor education specialists, Peak Pursuits, participants were kitted up in helmets and harnesses before being given their safety brief. First over the top was Sixth Former Alys Hemmings who led the way effortlessly abseiling the 100 foot drop to cheers from waiting classmates on the ground below.

With 27 girls taking part, the event took all afternoon.  Last to descend was Ellen Bucknall who had waited patiently for three hours, before she climbed over the edge she commented, “It was almost harder to come up the Tower, there is no way I am going back down those stairs.”

PE teacher, Louise Harrison, commented, “The South Africa tour is a major event in the Princethorpe Sporting calendar. We expect pupils to take responsibility for raising funds for the trip to support the South African charity Sporting Chance and this year the girls have impressed us all with their tenacity and community spirit.”

The exact funds raised are still being tallied but huge congratulations to all the girls who took part.

Benet pupils gathered together on Wednesday 1 May in Tutor Time to celebrate their amazing victory in this year’s House Cup. Special celebratory cookies had been laid on for all to enjoy. Victory was especially sweet because it has been five long years since Benet last won.

Winning the House Cup isn’t easy these days, you can’t just win sports day and have it in the bag. To succeed every single pupil needs to pull together and do his or her very best. This year it was a steady and consistent performance that helped Benet pupils finish first, having amassed a huge total of 22,504 points.  More finished in second place with 21,056 points, Austin came in third with 19,197 and Fisher close behind in fourth place with 18,486 points.

Some of Benet’s many successes along the way included wins in:

House Bake Off
Sports Day
House Activities Day
Welly Wanging
House Talent Show
House Public Speaking
St Hildegard House Award
Easter Egg Hunt
Merits

The House Cup was presented to Benet’s Head of House, Lisa Challinor, and outgoing House Captains, Lily Dyble and Bryn Lewis in the final assembly of the Lent Term.

A delighted Lisa Challinor said, “Miss Carminati and I are so proud of Benet House and their achievement in winning the House Cup this year.  Led by our Benet House Captains, Bryn and Lily, the whole house has really stepped up and got involved in every event.  The ‘big’ events like Sports Day and House Activities Day are obviously joyous to win, but this really is about every member of Benet House doing their best in their own way, every day."

A number of individual Benet pupils have been recognised with full colours, half colours and commendation certificates for their contributions to the overall House total.  They included:

Full Colours

Luke Daniel
Lily Dyble
Emily Enoch
Bryn Lewis
Anna Wells

Half Colours

Commendations

Eva-Rose Ancill-Griffiths
Seb Bainbridge
Kitty Bonsor
Daisy Durke
Amelie Friess
Oliver Edwards
Louise Gambling
Marcus Garcia-Stokes
Bella Holt
Joel Malam
Noella Mbanga
Alice Minshull
Ed Moon
Luca Smith
Darcey Reeve
Megan Shipton
Jack Stern
Grace Thomas
Fynn Walker
Kaena Wasley

Many congratulations to Adam Rickart who is to take on the role of Head of Austin House from September.

Adam, who holds a first class BSc in Psychology from the University of Leeds, joined Princethorpe in 2014 and was promoted to Head of Psychology and Sociology in September 2016. He is currently a Benet Tutor.

He takes over the role from Kenny Owen, who leaves to become Deputy Head at Arnold Lodge School.

Comments Headmaster, Ed Hester, “Adam is an outstanding teacher and form tutor, who I know will embrace this important role with energy and commitment. We congratulate him and wish him well.”

Adam added, "I feel immensely fortunate to be given the opportunity to support pupils as Head of Austin House. The ethic of care that runs throughout every part of Princethorpe College is one of the things I love most about our school community, and it will be a privilege to contribute to this in my new role.”

On Friday 3 May Princethorpe College welcomed ex-Air Vice-Marshall and ex-Chaplain-in-Chief to the RAF, Jonathon Chaffey, into school to speak to Year 9 pupils about the challenges of being in the military as a priest, and the tensions between Christian beliefs and working in the Armed Forces.

Jonathon talked about his long career within the RAF and his time serving in conflict zones including the Falklands, the Gulf and Afghanistan.  He explained how religion is enshrined into the Forces using a personal anecdote about a Jesus nut (a critical bolt on a helicopter) to demonstrate his point.  He explained that religion helps serving soldiers and gave examples of where he had personally seen faith at work in the military.

Jonathon talked about the Geneva Convention and personal moral discipline and his belief that it is a really deep-rooted spiritual discipline that helps soldiers keep going in times of great conflict.  He explained that chaplains fulfil three roles, providing prayer, presence and proclamation, and in giving moral education that helps soldiers make the decisions necessary for a just war.

His presentation was fascinating and pupils listened attentively and were full of thought-provoking questions at the end.

Whilst in school Jonathon Chaffey also spoke to Sixth Formers in their weekly assembly and to a number of pupils who are interested in a career in the RAF.

Our thanks go to Jonathon for sharing his experiences and for his intriguing and inspirational words, we were delighted to welcome him into school.

Congratulations to Princethorpe College Year 9 pupil Amelie Friess who has impressed local judges to win the Stratford Literary Festival’s Felix Dennis Young Poets Competition.  Amelie wins a prize of £200 and will have her work, published in the 2019 Young Poets Collection.

This is the first independent competition that Amelie has entered, although she has previously taken part in Radio 2’s 500 words with her school when she was younger. 

Amelie said, “I am immensely proud, I was really surprised when I heard.  I take part in a writing workshop outside of school and we had been writing poetry.  After reading one of my poems my teacher encouraged me to enter the competition so I did, but to be honest then I almost forgot about it.  I really couldn’t believe it when I won.”

The Felix Dennis Young Poets Competition marks the legacy of poet Felix Dennis who was a great supporter of the Stratford Literary Festival.  The competition is held in his memory and to encourage young writers and poets.  Amelie entered the 11-16 years age group category.

English Teacher, Nicola Borman commented, “This is excellent news, Amelie is a fantastic writer and it is wonderful she has had her work recognised in such a well-regarded poetry competition.”

Princethorpe College was transformed into a racing venue on Thursday 2 May as seven teams from local primary schools powered up their hand built cars to compete in the Regional Finals of the Jaguar Primary School Challenge.

The F1 in Schools - Jaguar Primary School Challenge engages with primary school pupils and teachers across the UK. The challenge is open to pupils aged 5-11 years old and involves designing and manufacturing the fastest car possible emulating the design and engineering processes employed by real engineering companies, such as Jaguar Cars.

At the Regional Final the pupils presented their designs and then raced the cars they had built down a special 20-metre-long track, set up specially in the Sports Hall at Princethorpe College. The cars were propelled using special compressed air gas canisters and they travelled the distance in a matter of seconds.

The Warwickshire Regional Final is hosted and organised by Princethorpe College and Head of Design Technology, Paul Scopes, has been on hand to support the primary schools’ design and development work. Taking part this year were some 35 Year 4 and 5 pupils from Crackey Hall School, Crescent School, Priors Field Primary School and Balsall Common Primary School.  The teams were judged on a range of criteria including speed, engineering, pit display and a verbal presentation, and were competing for a chance to go forward to the National Final, which this year will be held on Tuesday 11 June 2019 at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon.

Alex Darkes, Assistant Head Development, and the Chairman of the judges, was impressed with the hard work of all the teams, saying: “The standard of competition of all the teams this year was tremendously high, illustrating the commitment and talent of all the children involved. These nine-year-olds explain aerodynamics and friction with a level of knowledge and understanding I would be pleased to see in a GCSE pupil.”

It was a very hard fought competition but the two teams going through to the final were: Speed Specialists from Priors Field Primary School and Firecrackers from Crackley Hall School. Well done to all the teams!

An intrepid band of Princethorpe College staff, parents and former pupils are to take on an epic challenge over the May half term holiday when they cycle 110 miles between the French towns of Saumur and Amboise in the Loire Valley, in aid of Mary's Meals.

This is the second Cycling Pilgrimage undertaken by the College, the last being part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2017. The 20 cyclists and their supporters will travel to France by coach and cycle 110 miles over two days, with a rest day in between in the beautiful chateau town of Azay-le-Rideau.

Comments, Headmaster, Ed Hester, “110 miles in two days is no mean feat and all the pilgrims deserve to be encouraged. Many of the cycling pilgrims are taking part for a second time and we are expecting once again for there to be fantastic camaraderie on the trip. With pilgrims aged from under 20 to in their 70s this really epitomises Princethorpe’s spirit of family.” 

The cyclists will once again be raising money for the College's chosen charity, Mary's Meals and have set a target of £2,000, enough to feed 143 children at Makalunga Primary School in Malawi for a year. 

If you would like to support them please go to their fundraising page here.

Princethorpe’s very own marathon man, Assistant Head of Sixth Form, Rod Isaacs, completed the Shakespeare Marathon in an amazing time of four hours and 18 minutes.  Mr Isaacs joined 3,500 runners on a course that ran past Stratford-upon-Avon’s many historical buildings and out into the Warwickshire countryside.  The run took place on Sunday 28 April and the weather stayed dry and calm, Storm Hannah having blown herself out overnight. 

Mr Isaacs commented, “The first half was great but then I hit the wall and my muscles seized up. Then it was 13 miles of heavy breathing and saying Jesus under my breath, as a prayer!  It was such an amazing experience, there was a great atmosphere and camaraderie and the crowd was very supportive; I could even hear Sixth Form Administrator, Mrs Mitchell, ringing the bells at Holy Trinity Church, Shakespeare's church, in support of all of the runners at the start.”

Mr Isaacs is pictured with his wife Ann Marie who ran alongside him for the last mile of the race.  

He continued, “Huge thanks to everyone who has supported my run, it really helped me keep going.”

Mr Isaacs’ marathon run was in support of Princethorpe College’s expedition to Malawi in July 2020.  There, a group of 23 pupils and five staff will work with Classrooms for Malawi at Lauderdale School.  All of the group are fundraising to support the project, which will refurbish and redecorate classrooms to give the 2,500 pupils a suitable environment in which to learn.

You can find out more about the expedition and support the group’s fundraising at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/malawi2020.

Tuesday 7 May 2019 - 5.00pm to 7.30pm

The Crescent School, Princethorpe's junior school in Rugby, is opening its doors to prospective parents and children for a Spring Open Evening on Tuesday 7 May 2019 from 5.00pm to 7.30pm. This is an ideal opportunity to experience the Crescent outside of the school day. 

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

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

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

Tuesday 7 May 2019 - 7.00pm

There will be a recital from some of the most talented pupils taking music lessons at Princethorpe College in the Clarkson theatre on Tuesday 7 May at 7.00pm.

It will be a friendly and informal evening, and a great chance to experience some of the vast talent shown by our pupils.  There will be a combination of solo and small group performances on the evening, and an opportunity after the event to meet up with your child’s peripatetic teacher for a chat if you would like.

Everyone is welcome to attend, and there will be light refreshments after the event.  No tickets are required but due to limitations on seating, could I please ask that you reserve your seats by clicking here.

Gil Cowlishaw
Head of Music

Wednesday 8 May 2019 - 6.30pm to 8.00pm

Were you a Dramatic Delight or a Sporting Superstar? Put your memory to the test at our photograph naming evening.

Here at Princethorpe, we have a fantastic online archive catalogue (click here to view) showing what records we hold. To avoid having thousands of photographs titled ‘Photograph showing football team’ or ‘Photograph of actors on stage’, we will be holding a photograph naming session on Wednesday 8 May from 6.30pm to 8.00pm and we really need your help!

Photographs focusing on the themes of ‘music and drama’ and ‘sport’ from the 1980s and 1990s will be displayed in the Sixth Form Centre for you to name and we would love to see as many former staff, parents and pupils as possible.  To help energise those brain cells, plenty of refreshments will be available. 

If you would like to attend the evening or if you would like any further information please contact me at janetteratcliffe@princethorpe.co.uk. 

Janette Ratcliffe
Archivist 

Saturday 11 May 2019 9.30am to 12.00pm

If your younger son or daughter would love to give hockey a try, why not get them to come along to the Princethorpe College 'Year 4 and 5 Say Hello To Hockey' taster session!

A morning of free hockey training on our astroturf, they'll learn new skills, make friends and have fun.  Aimed at girls and boys, the morning will finish with a mini tournament, beginners most welcome!

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. To book your child's place please complete our online booking and consent form here by Tuesday 7 May.

Tuesday 14 May 2019 - 5.00pm to 7.30pm

Crackley Hall School and Little Crackers Nursery, Princethorpe's junior school and nursery in Kenilworth, is opening its doors for a Spring Open Evening on Tuesday 14 May from 5.00pm to 7.30pm. This is an ideal opportunity to experience Crackley Hall School and Little Crackers Nursery outside the school day. 

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

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

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

Wednesday 15 May 2019 - 7.30pm

At out last meeting we discussed Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, an engaging saga which charted the lives of slaves and former slaves over generations.  This was an impressive first novel, clearly carefully researched.  It depicts the complex nature of the slave trade and the way in which native communities became quite heavily involved themselves in exploitation for financial gain.  The writing is controlled yet doesn’t flinch from depicting many horrors both psychological and physical, including humiliating experiences of those from former slave families who had made a new life in America. 

Our next meeting is on Wednesday 15 May in the library at 7.30pm.  We will be discussing A Spark of Light which is the latest novel by Jodi Picoult.  We are a small, friendly group of readers with broad tastes and we always welcome new faces.  Please join us and bring a friend, whether you have read this novel or would like some recommendations for summer reading.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English

Friday 17 May - from 6.30pm

For our next Old Princethorpians' London Meet we will be gathering at the Bull Dog Bar at The Clarence, 53 Whitehall, SW1A 2HP.  We used this popular venue for our Golden Jubilee London Pub Meet and it was so good we have decided to return. 

Centrally located just a short wander from Trafalgar Square and with the fair claim to be the Prime Minister’s local.

Partners and friends are welcome. If you would like to attend please RSVP with the number in your party and any special dietary requirements to oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk or call Melanie Butler on 01926 634284 by Friday 10 May.

Sir Henry Rider Haggard (1856-1925) - Tuesday 21 May 2019

On Tuesday 21 May at 7.30pm former Princethorpe Foundation Archivist, Dr Nick Baker, returns to present another illustrated talk Sir Henry Rider Haggard: Storyteller, Politician and Country Gentleman.

Sir Henry Rider Haggard was only one of many extraordinary Victorians who straddled many different lives. Inspired by his first-hand experiences of Africa, he went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time, specialising in ‘Lost World’ literature. Works such as King Solomon’s Mines and She communicated stories of lost civilisations in far off lands, and brought much needed escapism to a reading public. He did not limit himself to tales set in Africa, but also wrote about the Vikings in Iceland. Many of these stories have since been transformed into successful films. Who can forget Ursula Andress as ‘She who must be obeyed’ in the Hammer film of the same name? Haggard did more than simply feed the popular imagination. He was deeply concerned with the countryside, especially the farming communities in Norfolk, and argued for a more serious approach to Britain’s agriculture as the clouds of the First World War appeared on the horizon.

This illustrated talk will examine Haggard’s early life in Africa, and loves lost, to show how they shaped his literary output. We will also consider his close friendships with other notable individuals, such as Rudyard Kipling. A display of first editions and signed material will also be on display.

Please click here for booking form.

Organ Recital - Tuesday 2 July 2019 

Once again on Tuesday 2 July 2019 at 7.30pm in the Chapel Tim Campain will play a wide variety of pieces from various genres on the renowned Princethorpe Binns’ organ of 1901. This year promises a special programme to mark twenty-five years of the popular Hugh Page Memorial Organ Recitals.

Please click here for a booking form. 

Tickets - £5.00 for each of the events including refreshments. All Foundation pupils free of charge.

Saturday 25 May – Sunday 26 May 2019

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

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

Please use the link to find booking forms.

We do hope you can come along and enjoy a wonderful weekend of equestrian events.

Wednesday 5 June 2019 - 6.30pm to 8.30pm

The College's Summer Open Evening will take place on Wednesday 5 June from 6.30pm - 8.30pm. This is an informal opportunity for prospective families to look around the college and to meet members of staff and pupils.

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

There is no need to book.

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

Saturday 8 June - 3.30pm to 7.00pm

The College is looking forward to welcoming back the Sudden Impulse Theatre Company in June for an outdoor performance of William Shakespeare's play, The Taming of the Shrew.

A father has no problem finding a suitor for his youngest daughter, Bianca, in fact there are three of them fighting for her affections. First he must find a husband for his eldest daughter Katherina, a fierce, wild shrew who strikes fear and terror into most men. The three love rivals join forces to find a man who can tackle Katherina and clear the path to their love. Along comes Petruchio who is looking for a wealthy wife, and claims to be able to tame any woman. Of course it is not that easy in this hilarious Shakespeare comedy.

The performance is open to the public and will take place on the Sixth Form Lawn from 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 now from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/suddenimpulsetheatrecompany and are priced at £12 or £10 for concessions.

Tuesday 11 June 2019 - 6.00pm

The Drama Department invite you to The Idiot's Guide to Haunting at 6.00pm-7.30pm in the Clarkson theatre on Tuesday 11 June. 

This a short Key Stage 3 performance adapted and directed by our Performance Arts Leaders Fern Boston and Jennifer Brown.

There are no tickets required for this event but if you could please advise of your attendance here so we can cater for refreshments we would be most grateful.

Aileen Cefaliello and Vicky Roberts
Joint Heads of Drama

Thursday 20 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and Sunday 23 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm

A celebration of our pupils GCSE and A-level Art, Photography and Design work will take place in the College's Sixth Form Centre on Thursday 20 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and on Sunday 23 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm.

A range of design and 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 and 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.

21 - 22 June 2019 

The Autism Show is the national event for people with autism, for parents and families of people with autism as well as professionals – including families who want to find out more before diagnosis who will have lots of questions.

It is a reasonably priced and dynamic event and this year conveniently it is local to us. There is a wide programme of seminars in three theatres that you can book including lots of talks by people with autism themselves that are often hugely inspiring.

For further information or to book tickets please click here.

Lorna Prestage
Learning Support

Sunday 23 June 2019 from 2.00pm to 4.30pm

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

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

We are always seeking new supporters for this event so if you could help us out for an hour at the fête, or at future events, please do contact us at pta@princethorpe.co.uk or via Twitter @PrincethorpePTA.

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

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

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

Many thanks
Princethorpe PTA

Sunday 23 June from 2.00pm to 4.30pm 

The Motoring Festival always coincides with the College Summer Fête, which takes place on the last Sunday in June. This year's event is on Sunday 23 June 2019.

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 2019 event is open now! Please use the link - click here

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

Monday 24 June 2019

The Year 11 Prom will be held on the evening of Monday 24 June 2019 from 7.00pm until 12 midnight and the venue will be the stunning Coombe Abbey. This is a special occasion to celebrate the end of GCSEs and the dress code will reflect that. Gentlemen are expected to wear suits or tuxedos and for ladies formal evening wear is required – dress to impress is certainly the order of the day!

If your son or daughter would like to attend, and has not yet returned the permission slip, please ensure they are handed in to Ms Satchwell at the Student Support Hub as soon as possible please as these are now overdue. Please click here to download slip if required. 

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

Beth Sharpe
Deputy Head - Pastoral

Sunday 22 September 2019 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!

With our internal exam weeks fast approaching we would like to remind you that the School Shop carries essential items which we can add to account for your child as follows:

• Calculator (Casio fx-85GT X) £15.00
• Maths Set (Oxford, includes a compass, pencil, ruler, two set squares, a protractor, eraser, pencil sharpener and lettering stencil) £5.00
• Compass (Maped, soft grip, with pencil) £ 2.50
• Protractor (Helix) 50p

Nicola Browne
Foundation Shop Manager

Week Commencing Monday 20 May 2019 - Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and Lower Sixth

As you will have seen in previous Flagpole articles, the internal end of year exams have been brought forward this year to the week prior to the Trinity half term. This will allow pupils and teachers more time to reflect on those exams and put in place detailed next steps to maximise their progress.

The normal teaching timetable for Years 7-10 and the Lower Sixth will be suspended for the whole week in order for the exams to run. All pupils will receive an individualised exam timetable which will show exactly when each exam will take place. Pupils with access arrangements will be advised of specific arrangements. Exams will be conducted as closely as possible to full exam regulations so pupils can start to get used to how they work.

Lower Sixth students are expected to be in school throughout the week; they will be able to revise silently in the Sixth Form Atrium in periods when they do not have exams. The results of these exams will play an important part in deciding on the predicted grades that the school will use on UCAS and other applications but they will of course be considered in the full context of a student’s progress and trajectory.

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. Teachers will give guidance to their classes after Easter about the specific nature of the exams.  

All pupils in Years 7-10 will be assigned to a specific room (their exam base) and they will take all the exams in that base for the whole week. This will hopefully make the process as simple as possible for them.

Games lessons will continue as normal for all year groups throughout the week.

I wish all the pupils the very best of luck and we look forward to sharing with you how your child has done in our Exam Reports in June. If you have any questions about Exams Week, do please contact us.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic

All exam candidates have now checked their exam entries and been issued with their personal exam timetable together with a copy of the Candidate Booklet. (Click here to download a copy).

It is important that candidates familiarise themselves with the content of the information booklet – a key change this year is the start time for afternoon exams - now 1.10pm. This will ensure that GCSE exams finish before the buses leave at 3.45pm but many A-level exams will continue beyond this time and candidates must make their own arrangements for transport home.

Candidates have been asked to look carefully at their timetables to identify any clashes or, for A-level candidates with two exams on the same day, a lengthy exam in the morning giving them less than 45 minutes break before the afternoon exam begins. All such issues will need to be discussed with me – an email in the first instance to: examinations@princethorpe.co.uk will enable me to see how many candidates are affected each day.

Individual timetables can also be viewed on the pupil portal and, nearer the time, rooms and seat numbers will be displayed.

For the first time this year, JCQ (the body responsible for all public examinations) have included an exam contingency day to be used if a significant, unexpected event arises nationally or locally during the exam period such that no pupils (or a large number of them) are able to take an exam when planned. Wednesday 26 June is the contingency day and crucially, all pupils must be available up to and including Wednesday 26 June in case one of their exams is moved.

JCQ have made it clear that if an exam is moved and a candidate is unable to attend then special consideration will not be considered. This means that even if your child has sat the first paper in a subject and then misses the moved one, the normal process of being able to ‘scale up’ the result from previous papers and make it count for the whole subject will not apply: any pupil who is unable to sit the moved exam will be given zero in that paper.

In light of this, please make sure that any holiday arrangements are only booked for after Wednesday 26 June even if the last exam on their current timetable is before that date. 

Key dates for this summer’s exams are:

·         First written Exam - Monday 13 May

·         Final written exam (Year 11) - Tuesday 18 June

·         Final written exam (Upper Sixth) - Tuesday 25 June

·         JCQ Exams Contingency Day - Wednesday 26 June

·         A-level Results - Thursday 15 August

·         GCSE Results - Thursday 22 August

A-level results, the College will open at 7.00am and results will be published to the pupil portal at 9.00am.

GCSE results, the College will open at 9.00am and results will be published to the pupil portal at 10.00am. 

On both days, staff will be on hand to assist with queries and to advise on future options. Any results envelopes not collected by 2.30pm on results days will be posted home.

If parents wish to have access to the exams section of the portal, this facility has to be enabled by the pupil beforehand, see the written Candidate Booklet for instructions.

Please note that results cannot be given out over the telephone.

If a pupil wants their results to be collected by a third party, written permission must be sent to the Exams Officer before 1 July 2019. Please include the full name, address and date of birth of the person collecting. On results day, the 3rd party will need to bring photo ID with them before results can be handed over.

Shellagh Dodds
Examinations Officer

Year 11 Exams - Important Dates

Formal lessons end for Year 11 on Wednesday 8 May 2019 and the GCSE exam period runs from Monday 13 May 2018 until Wednesday 26 June 2019. Please read the notice from Shellagh Dodds, our Examinations Officer, very carefully. It gives important information regarding exam timetables and the need for all pupils to be available up to and including Wednesday 26 June.

Year 11 Exams - Study Period Arrangements 

Following the end of their formal lessons, Year 11 pupils may revise at home and come in only for their timetabled exams. We will keep the Year 11 timetable running as normal up to Friday 17 May so if any Year 11 pupils wish to study supervised in school they can follow their normal timetable, bringing with them whatever revision materials they wish to use for whichever subject they wish to study. If they are in school they must attend each lesson on their normal timetable that day, including tutor time, to make sure we have an accurate register.

From Monday 20 May onwards, rooms will be allocated for Year 11 pupils who wish to come into school to revise. They will be supervised but their normal teachers are unlikely to be available. Pupils will be allocated a specific room within which to study. They are unlikely to have access to IT facilities so should bring all the material with them that they need to revise from.

Maintaining an accurate record of who has come in to study and where they are is of course essential from a Health and Safety perspective. Pupils who come into school must make sure to sign in and be registered either in their timetabled lessons initially or in their specific allocated study base from then on. Any pupils who do not follow those rules will have to revise at home.

For our planning purposes we need to know who will be in school on any particular day and at what times. We will shortly circulate the form below in hard copy to the Year 11 pupils. Please fill it in to let us know when your son or daughter will be in school and return it to the Student Hub by Friday 3 May 2018.

Please click here for Exam Period Attendance Form.

Thank you for your support.

May I take this opportunity to wish all of Year 11 the very best of luck for their GCSEs. They have been working very hard and we have been delighted with the progress that the vast majority of pupils have already made between their first and second mock exams. They are on the home straight now. I am sure that they will reflect carefully on their mocks and take full advantage of the revision guidance they have received and the time they have left to prepare.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic

Pupils and parents in year 8 and 9 are reminded that the following textbooks need to be returned to their teacher by Friday, 21 June 2019:

Year 8 - 'Smart Science' textbook

Year 9 - CGP revision guide

If a textbook has been lost a charge will be made for this book. 

Emma Cooper
Head of Science

Pupils and parents are reminded that the Textbook Return Forms, which are available to download here are due to be completed and returned by Wednesday 26 June 2019.

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.

Members of Lower Sixth will be able to park at school from Monday 13 May 2019 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 Monday 13 May 2019.

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 

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

We will provide a refund of £10 for used fobs in good condition returned to us by Sixth Formers once they are no longer required.  Fobs should be returned to Miss Browne in the School Shop by the end of term, Wednesday 3 July 2019.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Students and parents are reminded that the Textbook Return Forms, which are available to download here, are due to be completed and returned by Friday 21 June 2019.

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, students should take the form to the Head of Sixth Form to sign off. Any incomplete or unreturned forms will result a charge for unreturned books.

A range of residential summer schools for students in Year 12 wanting to explore STEM degrees are being offered by Leeds University.

Students can choose from the following:

26-28 June: University Maths in Perspective

An introduction to student life and maths at the University of Leeds. We offer you an insight into how mathematics develops at degree level through a series of talks and workshops, and the chance to find out more about the range of undergraduate courses available.

10-12 July: Food Science Summer School

Students will learn how they can apply their chemistry, biology and physics knowledge to this multi-disciplinary subject, and explore the outstanding employment prospects it offers. Activities include product design, food analysis, investigating the health effects of food, and visiting a leading food and drinks manufacturer. Ranked 1st in the UK by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019, The School of Food Science and Nutrition is globally renowned for its teaching and research.

16-17 July: Biosciences Summer School

Students will take part in a research project of their preference in our brand new teaching laboratories; designing experiments and using advanced lab equipment to obtain results and present the findings to their peers.

Please follow this link to find out more.

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers

Work Experience Placements at Princethorpe College, as part of our Careers programme, take place at the end of Year 11.  We believe that all pupils can gain immeasurable benefits from their placements; not only can a good placement teach a pupil a lot about an area of work that he or she may be interested in, but it can also develop communication skills, self-confidence, initiative and teamwork.

Many thanks to all Year 11 parents for helping your son/daughter to find a work placement. These can be done at any time after the last GCSE exams, at any point in the summer holidays to fit in with family plans. We normally expect at least one week, although historically we have had many undertake more than this, often in more than one placement. Such experience is invaluable for considering a future career path, getting used to the world of work, and for references.

So that I can complete the necessary paperwork, possible references and so on, I'd be grateful if you could you let me know the company name and contact details, for the placement(s) you have arranged either by return of the slip attached to the letter sent to you in June, or by email to me at miketaylor@princethorpe.co.uk.

If you need a hard copy of the original letter, please could you ask your son or daughter to ask me for one at school.

Mike Taylor
Work Experience Co-ordinator

At the start of the Easter holiday, Saturday 13 to Sunday 14 April, Princethorpe College Year 8 pupil, Sophie Glover, competed in the Blue Chip Winter Show Jumping Championships at Hartpury College, in Gloucester.  Sophie qualified for the championships back in October at Arena UK in the 90cm class on her pony Dolly.  At the Blue Chip Championships, Sophie rode in the 95cm class against a field of 98 starters.  Despite the tough competition, Sophie jumped an initial clear round and in the jump off against the clock came 10th to finish in the placings and prize money. Sophie said, “I was really pleased with how well Dolly jumped.”

Not content with that success Sophie then took Dolly to the Pony of the Year Show at Olney Showground in Willoughby.  Over the Easter weekend, Thursday 18 to Monday 22 April, Sophie and Dolly placed 2nd and 6th in qualifiers, earning a place in the Grand Prix finals, where they finished 3rd in a fast and technical jump off.  Sophie continued, “It was amazing to come third and take my place on the podium.  I was really proud of Dolly.”

Congratulations Sophie we were delighted to hear about your show jumping success.

From after the half term break, our current Year 10 pupils are permitted to wear our senior sports kit which is coveted by our pupils as it sets them apart from the rest of the school, the range includes:

Boys

Senior Training Top £25.00

Senior Hoodie £38.00 (must not be worn for contact sports i.e. Rugby)

Senior Socks £8.00

Girls

Senior Girls Games Top £30.00

Senior Hoodie £38.00

Senior Socks £8.00

Tracksuit Bottoms £30.00 (Limited number available)

Please note that all pupils are expected to wear Princethorpe crested sports kit for Wednesday afternoon Games.  All senior boys need the top and socks for fixtures.  Senior girls must have the senior top and hoodie for all fixtures with the additon of socks for hockey matches.

Orders may be place from now until Thursday 23 May with the School Shop and will be initialled during the half term break.  All purchases must have written permission from home either by a note in the school planner, a text, email or verbally from parents.

We carry a full range of sizes in the School Shop for pupils to try on.

Neil McCollin
Foundation Director of Sport

The last week of the academic year (27 June - 3 July) is Activities Week.  Normal classes are suspended and a wide variety of activities are on offer.

• Thursday 27 June: Whole Year School Trips
• Friday 28 June and Monday 1 July: Pupils choose from a range of activities in school
• Tuesday 2 July: House Activities Day
• Wednesday 3 July: Last day of school 

Please click here for an A-Z of activities and descriptions which shows the wide variety of sessions on offer on the Friday and Monday. 

All pupils in Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 must select their activities online and will receive a link their Princethorpe email address. Places on each session are limited and allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

For fairness, the ability to select activities will be available from 8.00pm on Tuesday 7 May. Alternatively, pupils may wait and complete this during tutor time at school as directed by their tutor. The deadline for selecting their activities is 8.00pm on Monday 13 May.

Some activities attract a charge – this charge will be added to the school bill with parent consent.  The charge is shown on the summary sheet. 

For more information and guidance on how to select activities, please refer to the Pupil Booklet given to your child in school this week. If you have any queries about Activities Week, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Greg Hunter
Assistant Head - Co-Curricular

The remaining Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Bronze Practice Expedition will take place this weekend.  I do hope that your son/daughter has passed on the information discussed in our recent meeting. Please find a copy of the presentation here for your reference in addition to the kit summary. 

Group B: depart Sat 4 May, 9.00am – return Sun 5 May, 4.00pm

Please arrive at the Sports Hall for 9.00am to meet your instructor. The group and individual kit being borrowed will be handed out. Instructors and Princethorpe College staff will spend time with you helping you to pack your bag. 

There will be plenty of time to get things organised.  Those borrowing rucksacks should please bring your personal equipment and food in waterproof bags, ready to be transferred into your rucksack.

Pupils will then head out on their routes, initially with direct supervision. Pupils will return on Sunday by 4.00pm although some groups may finish a little earlier.

You will need 1 breakfast, 1 evening meal, 2 lunches and snacks.  In addition to the attachment, you might find the following link useful in helping you to make good decisions regarding kit: www.dofeshopping.org/expedition-kit. 

Please note the school will not make claims for items such as laptops, PDAs, smartphones and cameras and other expensive personal possessions under the travel insurance as we wish to maintain our claim record. Parents should ensure that personal possessions are covered through their own insurance.

The use of mobile phones on the expedition is only permitted in case of an emergency. Phones will be sealed in a plastic bag for the duration of the trip.  I am sure you will agree that this measure significantly adds to the sense of adventure and independence the expedition fosters. For news, updates will be provided via the @PC_Outdoors Twitter account. 

As a final reminder, the Expedition Review and Qualifying Route Planning will take place on Sunday 12 May 2019:

• Group A: 9.00am - 12.00 noon
• Group B: 1.00pm - 4.00pm

We do hope this helps with your planning and very much look forward to the expedition. 

Will Bower                                
Head of Outdoor Education, DofE Manager

Jan Ryalls                                
DofE Bronze Coordinator 

A reminder that the DofE review and route planning will take place in The Limes this coming Friday 10 May from 4.00pm - 7.00pm. Whilst we anticipate a 7.00pm finish, the exact timing will reflect the endeavour of each group. Participant attendance is mandatory in order to progress onto the next stage.

There will be an opportunity to discuss the practice expedition. Please have a think in advance of any questions or areas you would like to discuss further.  I will also explain the next steps for Silver in more detail. Please arrive promptly bringing a packed tea with you.

Will Bower
Head of Outdoor Education, DofE Manager 

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

A list of all the Co-curricular activites can be found at the front of the Trinity 2019 Termly Calendar which you will have received by post over Easter. Alternatively, click here to view an electronic version. 

Greg Hunter
Assistant Head - Co-Curricular

5 June 2019

At this moment in time, pupils in Year 7 are looking at castles throughout the medieval period and their impact on the people that lived in and around them.  Currently, pupils are working towards completing a research project on a castle of their choice. In order to support this program of study, the History department have organised a trip to Warwick Castle on 5 June 2019. This is a fantastic opportunity to visit a local attraction that will help all pupils understand the significance of the structure and its impact upon life in medieval England. 

The intended areas of study are:

• The structure of the castle and how it was an effective defensive fortress;
• Life in Warwick Castle and how it can help us learn about life if medieval England;
• The role of Warwick Castle in the Wars of the Roses and its relevance to the story of King Richard III.

All Year 7 pupils are expected to go on the trip to the castle as it is a central part of the study of history this academic year. The cost of the trip will be £20 per pupil, which covers transport, admission and guided tours/activities. The coach will leave Princethorpe College at 8.45am and return for 3.45pm. An electronic consent form will be sent by email and the £20 cost will be added to the Trinity term bill.

Peter Bucknall
Head of History

Ski Trip Easter 2019 - Reminder

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

Ski Trip Easter 2020

There will be a meeting for next year’s ski trip on Friday 10 May 2019 in the Clarkson theatre at 13.05pm. Any pupil currently in years 7 and 9 who is interested in joining the ski trip to Austria at Easter 2020 should attend for further information and to collect consent forms. Due to the popularity of the ski trip, places are likely to fill very quickly and a prompt return of the consent form and deposit is advised.

Please contact me at catherinewarne@princethorpe.co.uk if you have any questions.

Catherine Warne
Trip Co-ordinator

Please see 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

The bus companies are aware that external examinations will be starting shortly and how important it is to run to time and to let us know of any problems as soon as they can. Whilst punctuality is generally very good we also know that traffic problems can occur at any time causing unavoidable delays. Information known to the school is published on PrincethorpeCol when received.

In the event of a bus arriving late during external exams then we ensure that pupils taking exams leave the bus before anyone else. Candidates should not worry if the bus runs late. The Examinations Officer is alerted to the expected late arrival of any bus and will arrange for a member of the team to collect candidates from  the student hub.

The procedure for candidates to follow has been highlighted in a recent assembly and is:

• Register at student hub and tell the member of staff they should be in an exam
• Hand over their mobile phone and any other electronic devices to staff at the student hub
• Wait to be escorted to the exam room
• Stay calm!

Candidates will always be allowed their allocated time to complete their exam and then the exam board is notified of late arrivals.              

Eddie Tolcher 
Foundation Bursar

Please accept our apologies for the issues experienced this week with the S1 bus service.

The longstanding, experienced driver who knew the route extremely well has recently retired.  We have asked for a regular driver to be put onto the route so he or she can build up a detailed knowledge and experience of the route.

There have also been a number of genuine traffic problems especially in the Dunchurch area.

Please find a list of the S1 stops and their timings below.  It may be that other stops for the service have been unofficially introduced that are not on the published timetable – if this is the case for your child please let us know so we can try to get the timetable right. New or replacement drivers should always follow the published bus stops and timetable.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar

Please note that all locker keys from our Year 11 pupils must be returned via their tutor prior to leaving for exam leave on 8 May 2019.  If a pupil would like to keep their locker for Sixth Form then this should be confirmed with their tutor also.

If locker keys are not returned or are left damaged or unclean then charges will be applied to the pupil account

Any queries, please contact Nicola Browne Student Support Officer at nicolabrowne@princethorpe.co.uk

Nicola Browne
Student Support Officer

Please see below a list of current vacancies available across the Foundation:

• Head of Religious Studies
• Teacher of Religious Studies
• School Nurse

Full details of the roles and how to apply are available via the following link: Join Us

Should you know anyone who might be interested in these posts, please do share this information with them.

Please can we ask you to check your child’s sports kit over the bank holiday weekend to see if you have inadvertently ended up with any other pupil’s kit. 

If you have any items of kit that do not belong to your child please can you pop them in a carrier bag that can be dropped off at the Student Hub on Tuesday so that we can get them back to their rightful owners.

Nicola Browne
Student Support Officer

Our catering team's new menus for this term can be found below, with a range of with a range of healthy meal options served in both the Refectory and Sixth Form Dining Room on a three-week rotation:

Trinity Term - Week 1 

Trinity Term - Week 2

Trinity Term - Week 3

If you have any questions regarding the selection of food we have on offer here at Princethorpe College, especially if related to any allergies or specific food requirements, please email maureenkennedy@princethorpe.co.uk as we aim to cater for all needs.

Maureen Kennedy
Catering Manager

Please click on the links below to access the Term Dates and Key Dates documents:

2018-19 (Two-page document)

2019-20 (Two-page document)