The Flagpole

I am sure that we were all delighted to hear this week that the further easing of COVID restrictions has been confirmed from Monday 17 May 2021. With infection rates nationally at their lowest since August and the vaccination deployment programme moving apace, it would appear that life is starting to return to normal at last, although the latest “variant of concern” does ring some alarm bells.

Following this news, we have also received further guidance this week from the Department for Education. The main changes which apply to schools involve face coverings. I am delighted to confirm that from Monday 17 May pupils will generally no longer have to wear face coverings in most classrooms. We are going to keep all other safety measures in place such as one-way systems and masks will continue to be worn by pupils and staff in areas where social distancing is not possible, such as communal areas and whilst moving around inside the building. We will review the situation after half term.

In accordance with advice from Public Health England, pupils must still wear a face covering on the school bus services and we would ask that they continue to sit in their allocated seats.

Any visitors to the school will need appointments and will also be required to wear a face covering.

These rules do not, of course, apply to those who are exempt from wearing face coverings.

The government has also confirmed that the twice weekly lateral flow home testing of staff and pupils will remain for the time being in order to control infection rates. We thank everyone for their continued support with this measure which is working well and keeping everyone safe. We should bear in mind, however, that in a number of local schools, groups of pupils, or even whole year groups, have been sent home in the past week because of confirmed cases – something we are keen to do all we can to avoid.

I am pleased to report that the Final Internal Assessments appear to be going very smoothly for the Year 11s and Upper Sixth and Dr Reddish has written in more detail on this and the Teacher Assessed Grades which can be found here in the Academic Section of this newsletter. I wish all the other year groups well as pupils prepare for their end of year assessments before Half Term.

Looking further ahead, we are delighted that school fixtures return after half term and we are making arrangements for parents to be able to spectate at weekends – we will send you further details nearer the time. As we know, Monday 21 June is the next significant date when further restrictions are to be relaxed. If all goes well, we will be able to remove the “bubbling” of individual year groups and we are planning to re-introduce Vertical Tutoring thereafter which we are very excited about. Full details regarding how and when we do this will be sent through after Half Term.

With the significant changes ahead, please do check the on-line calendar for any additions and amendments. Some of the key upcoming events after Half Term are: 

• Wednesday 16 June: Exam reports for Years 7, 8 and 10 published
• Wednesday 23 June: Year 7 Parents’ Open Evening
• Thursday 24 June: Summer Art, Photography and Design Show
• Friday 25 June: Full reports for Year 9 and Lower Sixth published
• Sunday 27 June: PTA Summer Fête, Motoring Festival and Summer Art, Photography and Design Show

With all best wishes to you and your families.

Ed Hester

Austin House is celebrating after winning the most hotly contested competition in school, the House Cup. Their victory was announced at the end of last week in the Prefect Inauguration ceremony by House Activities Leader, Jess Newborough. The House Cup was presented to the outgoing Austin House Captains, Luke Brotherton and Charlotte Fitzpatrick, as jubilant Austin pupils watched and cheered from their classrooms across the school.

Before announcing the result, Mrs Newborough spoke of the challenges of the last year, her delight at how Princethorpe pupils had responded and the camaraderie and sense of community that the House activities had provided across the year but especially during all the lockdowns - from the very first Tuesday challenge, the Blinding Lights TikTok style dance videos, through all the virtual competitions, activities as diverse as the Toilet Roll challenge, the VE Day Flag competition, the Land’s End to John O’Groats race, the week of Olympic challenges, the Bookshelf challenge to the hugely popular Masked Reader quiz. Over the year all the regular weekly fun of the Friday quizzes had continued and some House events went virtual such as the House Talent Show. In between lockdowns there were even a few events that managed to take place in person including the European Day Of Languages quiz and the Easter Egg challenge.

Across the year it was a steady and consistent performance that helped Austin pupils amass their huge total of points and finish first across the line but well done to all pupils across the school who participated in all the events so enthusiastically. The final results this year were: 1st Austin, 2nd More, 3rd Fisher and 4th Benet.

Huge thanks also to all the House team, including the House Activities Co-ordinators and House Captains for all they do to organise and run House events.

On Tuesday 4 May enthusiastic and well-read pupils from Year 7 and Year 8 represented Princethorpe College in the West Midlands heat of the National Reading Champions Quiz organised by the National Literacy Trust. The quiz was for pupils aged between 10 and 14-years-old and included 10 challenging rounds testing pupils’ general knowledge of books written for children and young adults.

The quiz was hosted online on Teams and the quiz master for the event was educational writer and performer Mr Dilly. Over 400 schools from across the country had entered the competition and in the regional round Princethorpe’s teams faced up against 30 from the West Midlands.

The competition was certainly challenging including rounds titled, Odd One Out, Opening and Closing Lines, Villains, Books on Screen, Myths and Legends, Comic and Graphic Novels, Partnership, Blast from the Past, Word Play and Watch Me Now.

Competing from Year 8 were Sean Birtley, Andrew Gordon, Anna Johnson, Pip Evans, Dylan Williams and Jess Lane while in the Year 7 team were Ariana Gray, Soren Wasley, Alexa Holland, Sophie Henry, Bella Ward and Megan Thandi.

The rounds came thick and fast and the pupils worked under pressure to answer the questions before the clock timed out. It was an exciting event for all who took part.

It was a fantastic opportunity for pupils to enjoy an online quiz with their peers and to prove just how much they know about children and young people’s fiction. Both Princethorpe teams performed brilliantly with Year 8 coming sixth and Year 7 eighth overall, an absolutely fantastic result.

Celia Scott, School Librarian, said, "Our pupils performed very well, as there were 32 schools who took place in the West Midlands heat altogether.  It was a super afternoon much enjoyed by our avid readers who have already begged to take part again next year."

A huge well done to them all.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Steve Kowal to the role of Foundation Development Director. He will take up the position later in the summer.

Steve has a proven track record in fundraising and a wealth of development experience. He has spent most of his working life within Higher Education Development, including City University London, the University of Surrey, Coventry University Group and most recently the University of Buckingham as Director of Advancement.

Well versed in leadership and strategic direction over his 15-year career, he has a history of accomplishments including successful capital campaigns, corporate and major donations, grants, annual giving and data management.

Comments Ed Hester, “We had an outstanding field of candidates and Steve stood out both in terms of experience and most importantly his fit with Princethorpe. His arrival at this key juncture will be instrumental to the success of both the Science+ Campaign and the wider development strategy for the Foundation and I am very excited at the prospect of working with him.”

Steve adds, “I am fully committed to the values that education embraces and look forward to bringing my skills and experience to bear within the independent school sector at Princethorpe. The Foundation is relatively young in its development journey and I relish the opportunity to lead and manage its fundraising efforts and engagement with the whole community.”

The Library has recently purchased a series of four captivating books outlining the horror and heroism of the First World War. The volumes entitled As We Were have been co-written by retired teachers David Hargreaves and Margaret-Louise O’Keeffe.

Margaret-Louise was a former Deputy Head at Princethorpe who joined the College in 1994 and retired in 2007. The collaboration for the four books started when she began an online project with David in the summer of 2014 to tell the story of the First World War, week by week. They have worked on it for the past four years, adding to it and never missing a week. The books were released in March 2021.  A review of the books in the Spectator is available to view here.

The four books span the period from August 1914 – November 1918 and they bring together vivid stories and first-hand accounts of thousands of soldiers and civilians, As We Were is a ground-breaking work that exposes the individual experience of the First World War in four remarkably readable volumes.

The books will be available for student loan from the Sixth Form Library and we hope to invite Margaret-Louise into College to talk about her books with staff and students in the new academic year.

During her time at the College, Margaret-Louise was actively involved in the preparations to make Princethorpe co-educational which happened in September 1995. In 2008, she returned to open the new Sixth Form Centre. Since retiring from Princethorpe Margaret-Louise has worked as a freelance lecturer on literature and history. Educated at Girton College Cambridge, she completed a two year MA in art history at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. She also continues to be an active member of the Arts Society and gives regular talks at the College.

On Tuesday 11 May, Year 10 pupils took part in a virtual tour of the Leicester Hebrew Congregation Synagogue. Pupils joined from their classrooms here in school via Zoom for a tour of the synagogue and an insight into the Jewish faith.

Head of Religious Studies Cyp Vella explains, “Judaism is one of the set religions that pupils study at GCSE and the virtual visit was a good opportunity to further their understanding of the faith.”

The Hebrew Congregation’s ambassadors were delighted to show pupils their beautiful Synagogue, taking the time to explain its different functions. They introduced pupils to some of their important artefacts including the Torah Scrolls and a Shofar, an ancient instrument made from a ram’s horn. The ambassadors also spoke about what it means to be Jewish, such as the rules they live by, including eating only kosher food, and the challenges that brings.

Cyp Vella, continues, “The virtual sessions worked really well and provided pupils with a valuable enrichment experience. Exploring the Jewish faith with the Hebrew Congregation brought their learning alive. Year 10 engaged well and asked a wide range of questions. Many thanks to the Leicester Hebrew Congregation for taking the time to meet with Year 10.”

During the Easter holidays Princethorpe College undertook its first-ever telethon, aimed at getting back in touch with Old Princethorpians and former parents of the College to catch-up, update them on our news and ensure we can stay in touch in the future.

A team of 13 recent leavers from 2015 to 2020 totalled nearly 700 hours of conversations with nearly 600 alumni and former parents being spoken to during the two weeks of the campaign.

The telethon was undertaken remotely with the call team doing their work either at home or university – from Glasgow to Bristol and supported by colleagues from Buffalo Fundraising Consultants.

Our callers were told many stories of years past from the 1960s onwards and also enjoyed catching up with more recent leavers and hearing how many of them are getting on at university or work.

The College would like to extend its thanks to all who participated in the campaign – especially our wonderful call team of recent leavers, as well as those from the Princethorpe community who took the time to give us their thoughts and feedback.

Michael Gucluer (OP 2018), who was part of the call team, said:

“The telephone campaign has been challenging but also really useful for developing interpersonal skills. It’s been great working from home and being able to engage with Old Princethorpians, many of which I was friendly with at school or had an indirect affiliation with. Miki from Buffalo was brilliant - keeping us entertained and always being available to answer any questions and for her inclusive attitude in virtual calls.

“A particularly funny moment was an Old Princethorpians’ story of antics in Austria where a group of them were berated by the fathers for nearly missing the flight home!”

Esme Down (OP 2019), who was also on the call team, added:

“I’ve really enjoyed doing the telethon campaign. It has been wonderful to chat to so many different people and to hear that the caring ethos of Princethorpe has been prominent throughout its history.

“People I’ve spoken to have such fond memories of the school and still feel a great affinity with it. It’s been especially interesting for me to chat to Old Princethorpians who have gone on to work in the scientific and medical fields. It’s been a privilege to be able to give back to Princethorpe and show my appreciation for my time there.”

Upper Sixth leaver, Trinnie Seaman, has been announced as the lucky winner of the College’s Princethorpe Connect prize draw, winning a £25 Amazon Voucher and a magnum of champagne for her table at the Leavers’ Ball on Tuesday 29 June at Warwick House.

All the Upper Sixth were encouraged to join Princethorpe Connect over the last few weeks giving them access to our online alumni network, careers and mentoring advice, the termly OP e-newsletter and OP Friendly Faces, our initiative to match new undergraduates with OPs at universities around the country. They will also be able to view their Leavers’ Ball photos on the platform after the event.

Any of the Upper Sixth who have yet to join can do so by going to connect.princethorpe.co.uk and creating a profile as an Upper Sixth leaver.

All the Upper Sixth leavers profiles will be go live on Friday 21 May after the Final Internal Assessments end.

Parents of Upper Sixth leavers, for whom this is their last year in the Foundation, are also very welcome to join as a Former Parent and can do so be going to connect.princethorpe.co.uk and creating a profile as a Former parent.

Parents might also like to take a look at the Princethorpe Connect Online Shop and purchase some of our souvenir items which include the OP Tie, Tower Pin, Scarf, Pen and the Soaring Redbrick Tower Fine Art Print.

connect.princethorpe.co.uk/shop

Wishing all our Upper Sixth leavers well as they come to the end of their Princethorpe journey. Do please keep in touch, we always love to hear how you are doing.

The latest edition of the Old Princethorpian, the Foundation's alumni newsletter was published last Friday 7 May.

The newsletter aims to keep our alumni in touch with each other and with news, developments and events across the Foundation. This latest edition was a bit of a bumper issue with plenty of OP updates and memories shared.

You can find the newsletter here: oldprincethorpian.co.uk

If you are an OP or know an OP and have any comments on the e-newsletter or news to contribute to the next issue, which is due out in October, please do email us at oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk.

Planning permission has been granted for the Crescent School, the Foundation's Prep School in Bilton, Rugby, to transform a building at the heart of its campus.

Work on the 250m² building, which was previously leased to Pathfinders Nursery, will begin shortly and will be completed before the start of the next academic year.

The building will be known as the Horton Centre, reflecting the school’s origins on Rugby’s Horton Crescent.

Comments Joe Thackway, Headmaster, "Our vision for the Crescent is for it to be a small but perfect preparatory school. Part of our development strategy over the last few years has been to upgrade and update our facilities. This has been constrained by our site and the desire to maintain the outdoor space we have for sport and recreation."

"We now find ourselves in the unique position of being able to significantly enhance our facilities for the benefit of the whole school community. The Horton Centre will house a classroom for our Year 2 children, a flexible space for the Performing Arts and our Before and After School wrap around care will benefit from a new home."

The Crescent is a thriving 4 to 11 co-educational independent day school, which forms part of the Princethorpe Foundation. The school has an Open Evening planned for Thursday 27 May, where, by appointment, visitors will be able to tour the school in a socially distanced way and speak to members of staff.

For more information please contact, Helen Morley, Registrar on 01788 523851 or email admissions@crescentschool.co.uk.

Saturday 22 May 2021 and Saturday 19 June 2021

Our Year 5 Taster Experiences are a great way for your child to really experience Princethorpe. Each session will involve a welcome introduction from Mr Hester, Headmaster and two taster lessons. The sessions will be carefully managed to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

We have three sessions available in May and June. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Saturday 22 May 2021 – 9.00am to 12.15pm
Saturday 19 June 2021 – 9.00am to 12.15pm and 1.30pm to 4.45pm

To attend please register your child here.

Crackley Hall and Crescent School Year 5 pupils have been invited to a specific Taster Experience and Open Afternoon on the afternoon of Saturday 22 May. 

Year 6 Taster Experiences will be available in September 2021.

Wednesday 26 May - 5.00pm to 7.30pm

Prospective pupils and their parents are warmly invited to Crackley Hall and Little Crackers' Open Evening on Wednesday 26 May from 5.00pm.

The evening will consist of a welcome from our Headmaster, Rob Duigan, and a guided tour around the school. Families will also have an opportunity to ask our Senior Leadership Team questions at the end of the visit. 

The evening will be split into two, hour-long sessions, so that we can manage numbers and adhere to government guidelines. A maximum of two family members will be able to attend with the prospective pupils.

To book your place, please click here.

For more information on admission to Crackley Hall and Little Crackers please email Jenny Vaughan at admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk or call 01926 514410.

Thursday 27 May - 5.00pm to 7.30pm

Crescent School will be hosting an Open Evening on Thursday 27 May from 5.00pm to 7.30pm for prosepective families and pupils.

On arrival families will be greeted by the Head Boy and Head Girl before taking a guided tour of the school with a member of the Senior Leadership Team.  Joe Thackway, the Headmaster, will be available at the end of the tour to talk to parents and answer any questions they may have.

In order to adhere to government guidelines, the evening will be by appointment only. A maximum of two family members will be able to attend with the prospective pupils.

To register your interest please click here.

For more information on admission to the Crescent please email Helen Morley at admissions@crescentschool.co.uk or call 01788 523851.

Saturday 29 May – Sunday 30 May 2021

The National Schools’ and Riding Club Two Day Event will be taking place at the end of this month on the magnificent Princethorpe estate. The competition is open to any school or Riding Club riders and is always a well-attended event.

Show Jumping and Dressage take place on the Saturday with Roads and Tracks, Steeplechase and Cross Country on the Sunday.

With the easing of restrictions, spectators are also welcome to watch the event and we do hope you can come along to cheer on Princethorpe's riders and enjoy a wonderful weekend of equestrian sportmanship.

More information can be found on our news and events page of the school website here.

The Parents' Reading Group has been running for many years now. A group of parents get together once a month to discuss a book we have all previously agreed on. It's an opportunity for readers to share their reading interests with others and to pick up suggestions to broaden their own reading. We are very eclectic in our tastes and completely unpretentious. We'd welcome newcomers and can guarantee all a warm and friendly welcome when we are once again able to meet.

As circumstances will not permit us to meet at present many of us have kept in touch about books via email.  Please let me know if you’d like to be on the reading group emailing list (chriskerrigan@princethorpe.co.uk) and I’ll add you to it. We look forward to welcoming a few new faces when permitted to meet, but until then we’ll continue to share reading suggestions via email.

Chris Kerrigan
Head of English

14 - 19 June 2021

The Autism Show has gone digital again to offer you over thirty hours of new online learning.

Over six days in June, you will have the opportunity to watch a huge range of live webinars providing the latest autism news and views, practical strategies and approaches, and direct insights from adults on the spectrum. You’ll be able to learn from the experiences of other attendees and have the opportunity to quiz the speakers for personalised advice via the in-webinar chat box.

For further information or to book tickets please click here.

Lorna Prestage
Learning Support

Thursday 24 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and Sunday 27 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 24 June from 6.00pm to 8.30pm and on Sunday 27 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 PTA Summer Fête and Motoring Festival. Light refreshments will be served.

This event is part of the Warwickshire Open Studios Summer Art Weeks 2021 and more information on their full programme of events is available here.

Friday 25 June 2021 - 6.00pm optional tour, 7.00pm drinks reception, 7.30pm supper

OPs who left the College in 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 (or those who were in the same year groups) are cordially invited back to the OPs annual Summer Supper on Friday 25 June to celebrate their respective 50th, 40th, 30th, 20th and 10th anniversaries of leaving.

Leavers of year groups ending in a 0, who missed out last year, and other year groups are also most welcome. 

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 year groups ending in a 1 and a 0 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 go to Princethorpe Connect or email oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk by Friday 11 June to reserve your place.

Sunday 27 June 2021 from 2.00pm to 4.30pm

We are pleased to confirm that this year's PTA Summer Fête will take place on Sunday 27 June 2021.

The fête will take place in the Orchard between 2.00pm and 4.30pm and promises to be an afternoon of traditional summer fun.  The PTA are currently finalising their plans for the event and more details will be published in the next edition of the Flagpole.

The Fête always offers visitors a lovely selection of stalls, so if you would be interested in having one then please email the PTA at stalls@princethorpe.co.uk. 

If you have any ideas or queries regarding the Fête or the PTA, or would be able to spare an hour to help out then please do contact them at pta@princethorpe.co.uk. 

Sunday 27 June 2021 - 2.00pm to 4.30pm

The Motoring Festival always coincides with the College PTA Summer Fête, which takes place on the last Sunday in June. This year's event is on Sunday 27 June 2021.

The Festival is open to anyone keen to bring any sort of classic, vintage, veteran or interesting vehicle along for the afternoon. There are rally plaques for all vehicles pre-booked by 1 June 2021 and there are 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.

On-line registration for the 2021 event is open now. Please use the link - click here.

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

Thursday 1 July and Monday 5 July 2021

We can now confirm that the Headmaster’s Thanksgiving Service and Buffet Lunch will be held on Thursday 1 July and the Year 11 Prom will be held on Monday 5 July at Coombe Abbey in Coventry. We sincerely hope that these events can take place - we have our fingers crossed.  

Year 11 and Upper Sixth pupils are both now deep into their Final Internal Assessments. We have been very impressed by their dedication and their determination to really take advantage of this opportunity to shine. I sincerely hope that the FIA have gone well for them all so far and continue to be successful.

Year 11 and Upper Sixth teachers will soon begin the arduous process of determining the Teacher Assessed Grades (TAG) following the extensive guidance that has been provided by the exam boards’ collective body, the JCQ. They will draw from the full range of evidence at their disposal, from in-class tests, mocks, NEA and of course the FIA amongst other things to be able to give the pupils the grades they deserve. Ofqual have produced a guide for pupils and their families explaining the process in overview.

The process of external quality assurance has already begun and soon the internal processes will get underway before the TAG are finally submitted by Friday 18 June. The pupils will have finished long before then, of course and will have enjoyed a very well-deserved break over an extended half-term before embarking on the bridging courses designed to help them with their next steps.

We wish the pupils all the very best of luck and I hope they take full advantage of the half-term to rest, recharge and support their families who have supported them so well throughout this most challenging of years. We very much look forward to seeing Year 11 at their Prom and Upper Sixth at their Leavers’ Ball.

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic 

Pupils and parents are reminded that text books and locker keys are to be returned to school on Thursday 20 May 2021.  They should be brought into school in a bag together with the Return Form and taken to Marquee 2 after the last Final Internal Aassessment (Mathematics).

For those pupils not taking the Mathematics exam, text books and locker keys should be returned to Reception during the period Wednesday 19 May to Friday 21 May 2021.

If a text book has been lost, please enter ‘LOST’ in the staff signature column on the Return Form and a charge will be made for this book.

Please ensure that lockers have been emptied prior to returning keys. If locker keys are not returned or lockers are left damaged or unclean then charges will be applied to the pupil account.

Any queries please contact Heather Aston in Reception.

Dr Michael Reddish 
Deputy Head - Academic 

As you will be aware pupils from Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and Lower Sixth will be sitting end of year assessments during the week beginning 24 May 2021. To support understanding of these assessments, please see the guidance here. This should allow you to support your child during that week.

To further support our Year 11 pupils with their transition to post-16 studies, we are delighted to be able to offer a Bridging Course programme which will run from Monday 7 June until Tuesday 29 June. This will involve pupils being in school every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for the above period (normal school hours).

A major component of this programme is that the pupils will attend lessons in their chosen A-level and BTEC courses. Our experience from last year showed that these sessions supported the transition to A-level studies very successfully and that the pupils felt more prepared for their start in the Sixth Form. In addition, the programme will also include career guidance - including individual interviews, EPQ lessons, games afternoons and other fun activities with their Houses.

On the Thursday and Friday of each week, pupils will be expected to engage in independent learning tasks set by their teachers and will be able to access study skills materials and activities on-line. These two days can also be usefully used to further any opportunities with regards work experience using any contacts you may have.

Those pupils who are not continuing into our Sixth Form may wish to access bridging courses at their new schools or colleges. Alternatively, they can attend our bridging courses when lessons are appropriate and we can provide supervised independent study during the day. They are of course welcome to join in with all the other activities offered during the time of the bridging courses and we will try to accommodate any additional needs.

Pupils will be given a full timetable for the bridging courses nearer the time. We hope the above information will help with your planning of the Trinity Term.

As you will be aware, following the bridging courses we will celebrate the end of the year with the Headmaster’s Thanksgiving Service and Buffet Lunch on Thursday 1 July. This will be followed by the Year 11 Prom on Monday 5 July at Coombe Abbey.

Pupils and parents in Year 8 are reminded that the following textbook needs to be returned to their science teacher by Friday, 11 June 2021:

Year 8 - 'Smart Science' textbook.

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

Faye Roberts
Acting Head of Science

Members of the Lower Sixth will be able to park at school from Monday 7 June 2021.

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 and photo copies
• 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 available from the Sixth From Administrators in the Sixth Form Resource Centre. 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, plus photocopies, to the School Shop.

Members of the Lower Sixth are welcome to provide the paperwork to the School Shop from the 4 June but permits will only be issued from Monday 7 June.

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 

Students and parents are reminded that text books and locker keys are to be returned to school between Tuesday 18 and Friday 21 May 2021. Books should be brought in a bag with a copy of the Return Form and returned to the Sixth Form Resource Centre. 

Students who use a Laptop Locker should return their key to Mrs McKenzie.

Car parking fobs are to be returned to the Uniform and School Shop no later than Friday 25 June 2021. Upon return of the electronic fob, which must be in good condition, a £10 refund will be applied to the leavers bill. Lost or unreturned fobs will be charged at £18, this will be added to the leavers bill.

If a text book has been lost, please enter ‘LOST’ in the staff signature column on the Return Form and a charge will be made for this book.

Please ensure that lockers have been emptied prior to returning keys. If locker keys are not returned or lockers are left damaged or unclean then charges will be applied to the student account.

Any queries please contact Heather Aston in Reception. 

Dr Michael Reddish
Deputy Head - Academic

We are delighted to announce that plans are well underway for the end of year celebrations:

Tuesday 29 June Upper Sixth Leavers' Ball - Warwick House

Thursday 1 July Lower Sixth Formal Social - Coombe Abbey

Virgin Media host fun, interactive webinars. These 'Tea and Talk' sessions are jam-packed with information giving you the opportunity to learn more about Virgin Media apprenticeships while meeting like-minded people. The sessions are free of charge and there are a range of dates currently available. 

If you are interested please book your place here. 

Nottingham Trent University is offering an online taster session with Duncan Howell which will highlight some of the key routes, roles and careers in the film and TV industry.

Duncan is a production designer and a senior lecturer at Nottingham Trent Univeristy. He has designed the production of high profile shows including Shameless (Channel 4) and Emmerdale (ITV). 

The session will take place on Wednesday 26 May from 3.45pm - 4.45pm. Click here to sign up and select 'Design for Stage and Screen'.

TLP Aspire is a must-attend conference for aspiring lawyers. Learn about the routes into law and get practical advice on pursuing your legal career. You’ll hear from university admissions tutors, law students and lawyers.

TLP Aspire, in official partnership with BPP Law School, is led by lawyers and legal educators and provides valuable insight into the law school application process and what a career in law really means.

Parents and students are welcome to attend the event together. However, due to high demand you will need to make two separate bookings, inputting the name of the attendee each time.

This conference is due to take place on 22 May from 10.30am - 1.30pm and the cost per delegate is £20.

Book your ticket(s) here.

We are still hoping that Year 11 pupils can undertake some work experience this year.

I know that this is a very challenging time, and that getting some work experience could be less easy for the next few months, but as things start to open up, it could be possible.

Placements can be done at any time after the Final Internal Assessments and Bridging courses have been completed as well as during the two week May half term break. They can also be undertaken during the early part of Lower Sixth, for example October half term 2021.

I would also suggest looking at the website Springpod which offers a virtual work experience programme which has been highly recommended by our Careers Advisor.

Many thanks to those who already have managed to help their son/daughter obtain a placement; in the meantime please could you let me know if you have managed to arrange something by emailing miketaylor@princethorpe.co.uk

Mike Taylor
Work Experience Co-ordinator

There has been great excitement during Games lessons this week as pupils have been selecting their Sports Day team. Each year group will have their Sports Day during their games afternoon on the week beginning 24 May. One track, one field and a relay sport are the maximum number of events  pupils can take part in so that all of the House can compete at an event. Mr Cassell has spent the winter collating the College Athletics records for each age group; how many will be beaten this month? 

Neil McCollin
Assistant Head - Co-Curricular 

Before the Michaelmas term starts, there is an opportunity for our rugby players to attend some training sessions to help with their preparation for the forthcoming season.

If your child is currently in Year 7, 8 or 9 please click here for further information.

If your child is currently in Year 10, 11 or Lower Sixth, please click here for further information.

Many thanks

Peter Bucknall
Head of Rugby

Please don’t forget that Princethorpe College PTA is registered with easyfundraising. So, although we’re unable to get together and hold fundraising events in person, we can continue to raise free funds, at no extra cost to you.

When you shop via the easyfundraising website or app, with over 4,100 of your favourite retailers, including John Lewis & Partners, eBay, Amazon and many more, you will raise FREE donations for the school.  

If you’re not already registered, please visit our easyfundraising page here:

This will really make a difference to our school! Thank you for your support.

On Monday 5 July, we are hosting a day of activities and trips to venues all around the Midlands for pupils in Year 7, 8, 9 10 and Lower Sixth. The school day is extended with College buses departing at 5.15pm and pick up by cars from 5.00pm; pupils will have the choice of how they spend their day. 

There is a huge range to the activities being offered by staff; the pupils will have a presentation on the choices that are available to their year group. Some activities attract a charge which will be added to the school bill, with parent consent, if pupils select one of these activities. The final list of activities will be distributed to pupils and families on the next edition of the Flagpole and pupils can make their selections via an online form which will be emailed to them at 7.00pm on Monday 7 June. 

The provisional list of options as they currently stand is attached here. 

It is traditionally a fantastic day of activities and it is great that it has returned this year. 

More information to come in the next edition of the Flagpole.

Neil McCollin
Assistant Head - Co-Curricular 

Year 9 Bronze 

Well done on planning your routes for the qualifying expedition. There will be a meeting for all pupils after half term to discuss the final details for the trip. Whilst exam preparation takes priority, please continue to log hours and sign off your volunteering, physical and skill sections. 

Y10 Silver 

Well done on completing your additional training and qualifying expedition planning session. Please attend a meeting at 10.35am on Wednesday 19 May in Marquee 1, the final details for the trip will be explained.  

Year 11 Silver 

It was great to see you all at the meeting on Wednesday. I will send out an email confirming the qualifying expedition information over the weekend. 

Lower Sixth Gold 

I will hold a meeting during the first week back after half term to discuss your training and practice expedition. Date, time and location will be confirmed next week. 

Upper Sixth Gold 

Please refer to your emails for the joining instructions for the expeditions being run directly by Peak.  Please contact me via email should you wish to borrow equipment.  We can arrange a time for collection. 

Will Bower
Head of Outdoor Education – DofE Manager

Re-Booking

In readiness for the 2021-22 academic year, we will shortly be re-booking the bus services on behalf of those pupils who already hold an annual bus pass. We will assume the same route and stop will be required next year, unless you tell us of a change, or we receive the required half term’s notice. This does not apply to those leaving the College. 

If you wish to inform us of a change or give notice on the bus services, please email buses@princethorpe.co.uk by Tuesday 1 June 2021.

For those continuing with the service please ensure that your child keeps their swipe card safe in readiness for September. Replacement swipe cards can be issued at the cost of £10.

As usual the cost of the termly bus pass will be added to your termly invoice.

New Bookings

New joiners or current pupils wishing now to purchase a bus pass will be able to book via https://princethorpe.vectare.co.uk/ from Monday 14 June to Friday 2 July. All new users need to set up an account before booking. Swipe cards will be issued to all new bus pass holders at the start of the Michaelmas Term.

Parents purchasing a bus pass for their child are reminded that bus passes are issued on an annual basis and we require half a term’s notice if you no longer wish to use the service.

Ad hoc users

All ad hoc tickets must be purchased in advance. Journeys that are not pre-booked are charged at a flat rate of £10.

Those wishing to purchase ad hoc tickets for next year, will be able to do so from Monday 23 August via https://princethorpe.vectare.co.uk/. It is now possible to make multiple ad hoc bookings at the same time. All ad hoc users will also be issued with a swipe card, though it is still possible to show a mobile confirmation. 

The swipe cards enable us to monitor bus usage and capacity on a day-by-day basis, alert parents to delays and will help us improve the service going forward.

An updated Bus Briefing Booklet will be sent to all bus users prior to the start of term in September and will be available at https://princethorpe.vectare.co.uk/ and on the first Flagpole of the new academic year.

If you have any queries regarding the bus services, please call Gill Price on 01926 634275, any queries regarding billing for the bus services, please call Barbara Bromwich on 01926 634263 or email them both at buses@princethorpe.co.uk.

Please see below our current vacancies:

• Health and Safety Manager
• IT Infrastructure Engineer - Princethorpe College
• Early Years Assistant - Crackley Hall School
• Summer Estates Assistants

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

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

Thank you to all the parents who turn off their engines when they are waiting for pupils to come out of school. As a community we are striving to reduce the impact that we have on our world and turning of engines reduces our carbon impact and the emission of smelly exhaust fumes.

Eddie Tolcher 
Foundation Bursar

Cyber-crime – please be extra vigilant

Parents are asked to be vigilant when reading emails relating to the payment of school fees and any other items to the Foundation. You can protect yourselves by only making payments to us in line with our normal, published methods. Any email offering a large discount on fees for the coming academic year if paid immediately is fraudulent.

There has been no change to the bank details of Princethorpe College, Crackley Hall or Crescent Schools and there is no intention to make any changes in the foreseeable future. Any electronic notification that appears to be from any of the Foundation schools changing these details may be fraudulent. Our bank details are available on the Parent Bills, the Online Payment Portal and in the Information Booklet for each school, and only those details should be used.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or my colleagues in the Bursary if you are have any doubts about the correct details or indeed if anything appears suspicious.

Eddie Tolcher
Foundation Bursar