Old Princethorpians

If you are stuck for a Christmas present for the OPs in your life, what about an OP tie, cufflinks or a College scarf. See attached image.

The university style OP scarf (in 100% wool with navy blue, red and gold stripes)  is priced at £30 + postage, and the OP T-bar cufflinks with a gold Tower design at £25 + postage. To download an order form click here.

The Old Princethorpian tie is still available. The classic 100% silk tie, produced by Smart Turnout of London, sports a repetitive gold Tower design and thin red diagonal stripes on a dark blue background.

The limited edition tie is priced at £17 + postage and packing.

To download a tie order form please click here.

We also have a limited number of packs of College Christmas cards available at £3.50 for ten plus postage and packing.  The wintery image was taken by our very own David Bailey, Alex Darkes.

Email oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk if you would like a pack or two!

Out of a cohort of eighty-eight Upper Sixth Formers, the overwhelming majority have got into the universities of their choice and over twenty-five percent of the grades are at A* or A.

Click here to see university placements for 2011.

Top performers were Leamingtonians Alex Thompson with three A* and an A* in his Extended Project and Matthew Clucas with two A*s and one A. Thompson will study medicine at Cambridge and Clucas physics at Oxford. Other highlights were Laura Newitt and Gina Bannister with two A*s and two As, Ducan Loscombe and Cameron Bullock with two A*s and an A, Hattie Hall and Danny McNamara with one A* and three As, and James Street with one A* and two As.

Headmaster, Ed Hester, said that he was delighted with the results and particularly pleased that the top ten percent of candidates had achieved grades A* and A. “This is our highest ever average UCAS points per candidate in the College’s history and also our best AS results. Whilst we are of course delighted with their academic achievements, these pupils have many other qualities: kindness, respect and a strong sense of right and wrong which will be as important for them - if not more - as they move on to the next phase of their education. This is a year group which has worked exceptionally hard and I am delighted pupils have been rewarded for their outstanding efforts,” he commented.

There were also broad smiles for Princethorpe’s GCSE candidates

From a cohort of one-hundred-and-twenty-four GCSE candidates 40% grades are at A* or A, and 75% at grade B or better. 15% of candidates achieved ten or more A* or A grades.

There were distinguished performances from Bethany Leigh with nine A* grades and two As and from Francis Turner-Berry with eight A*s and four As. Other highlights included Daisy Donaldson and Tom Thorogood both achieving eight A*s and 3As, and Mary Hitchman, James Simpson and Lucy Tallis all of whom gained seven A*s and four As.

Ed Hester, added “It is marvellous to be able to celebrate such success and all credit goes to the pupils and staff for their hard work”.

Singer and former Princethorpe student, Charlotte Harris who left the College in 2007, is about to release a single with duo Goldlock & Octagon under her stage name of Rose X.

The single “Unstoppable featuring Rose X” will be launching on to the club scene with a release date of December 5 and the track will become available for pre-order very shortly on Itunes.

Charlotte is currently at De Montfort University studying Peforming Arts.

Goldlock and Octagon hail from the same stomping grounds as Flux Pavilion. Having knocked around on the indie circuit alongside Flux, they have also collaborated with underground electro DJs such as Sharooz.

Look out for a club edit from the infamous re-mixer and producer Marc JB (Gaga, Kylie and Rhianna) who comments, "This track will be hitting the airwaves and dance floors hard, look out for it! Rose X has got one hell of a voice’’. 

The single comes from Goldlock and Octagon's forthcoming album and is published by 2NX, part of the Imagem Group whose world famous copyrights include Daft Punk, Kaiser Chiefs, and MIA.

That was the joyful cry back in July when an email came through from Jose Contreras to say that he, his brother Javier and four other Spanish OPs, who had boarded at Princethorpe during the late 80s/early 90s, were planning a visit to the College in early September with their wives and nine children all under eight years old.

Former matron Ann Grant was quick to volunteer to show her past flock around the school and their visit was eagerly awaited.

The 'Spanish Six' comprised (pictured from left to right) Iñigo Silvela (with the scarf), Javier Contreras, Julio F. Monsalve, Ann Grant, Jose Contreras, Esteban Abad and Alfonso Lechuga.

The boys were sent to Princethorpe by their parents to learn English and get an English education. Alfonso, Inigo and Julio were all from the same little town in the south of Spain, they had found out about the College through friends Jose and Olga Lopez-Esteras who recommended it to them after coming for Sixth Form.

Esteban and Jose now live and work in London, Javier is living in Lisbon, whilst the others are based around Spain variously in Madrid and Cadiz.

It was quite an emotional trip down memory lane for the charming group. As well as a full tour of the school, meeting up over lunch with a few old teachers and classmates, including Paul Adams, Ed MacFetridge and Frs Whelan and O'Brien and a trip to Mass on the Sunday. The boys even managed a sneeky basketball game in the theatre, formerly the College gym.

To read more about what each of them are doing now and their Princethorpe memories, click below:

• Alfonso Lechuga 1987 - 1990

• Jose Contreras 1987 -1992

• Inigo Sivela 1989 - 1991

• Javier Contreras 1988 1991

• Julio F Monsalve 1987- 88 and 1989 - 1991

• Esteband Abad 1989 - 1991

Thanks to Julio for co-ordinating all their information and to Ann Grant for all her help with the visit.

Well over 100 pupils, past pupils, staff and parents gathered on Saturday 25 June for a celebratory musical farewell for Director of Music, Sue Francis, who retired at the end of term after some 29 years.

The day was always going to be an interactive one and Sue orchestrated choral and instrumental sessions for all abilities before a fantastic 'open mic' session over lunch, which showcased the breadth of talents she has nurtured in her pupils over the years.

In the afternoon at the Eucharist in the Chapel celebrated by Fr Alan Whelan, Sue's inclusive approach to music at Princethorpe, her inspiration and commitment were all applauded by OP Pete Trewin, colleague Peter Griffin and Headmaster, Ed Hester. The Mass culminated in a fittingly rousing version of 'Christus Regnet' to the tune of the Dambusters March.

Sue was joined by many members of her family, including husband Ray, a stalwart of choir tours and performances over the years and many of the music staff. The day was rounded off with a group photo, more music and a delicious afternoon tea. Commented Sue, "I shall never forget the day, it was absolutely phenomenal. I didn't want a lot of fuss, just something celebratory and it was such a happy day, I couldn't have wished for more!"

A big thank you to all those who contributed to 'Sue's big day' and we wish her a very happy retirement!

The Old Princethorpians hosted a lovely evening for longstanding Biology and Science teacher and Head of Lower School Sean Philpott on Tuesday 14 June.

The event was a special 'Farewell and Celebration' for Sean, who retired at the end of last term, after 33 amazing years on the teaching staff, and four as a pupil himself. 

Amongst a gathering of OPs, former and current staff the Headmaster and Alex Darkes spoke eloquently and amusingly on Sean's contribution to the College. Messages for Sean from OPs from around the globe were read out and Sean responded in his own inimitable style to the delight of all present.

"Fr Teddy, Headmasters past and present, OP staff, present colleagues and OPs going back to the dawn of creation…"Click here to read the rest of Sean's speech.

Comments Peter Rollason, Chairman of the OPs, "Sean is a true Princethorpe institution and it was an absolute pleasure to host this event for him. We hope that with more time on his hands, we will see him at more OP events in the future!"

Happily for Princethorpe Sean just can't keep away and he is back teaching RS to some of the new Year 7s this term.

Below are some of the many comments received from old friends and past pupils who Sean has influenced over the years:

Chris Patterson wrote...Good afternoon from Bahrain in the Middle East. I was a contemporary of Sean's at Princethorpe, in that we did A Levels together - I was a full-time boarder, and Sean a day-boy. Its hard to believe its so long since I left Princethorpe after 4 years in 1972, and in the intervening years I have spent a lot of my working life overseas, particularly the Middle East. I was to retire myself this year, but couldn't face giving up! Please pass my best wishes onto Sean, and had I been home in Stratford-on-Avon I would have been delighted to attend.     

Tim Doyle wrote... Thanks for the email and photo of Sean Philpott – I cannot attend the celebratory evening as I am a little far away, but would be happy if you pass on my best wishes to him.  I am pretty sure that Sean was our form teacher in both of our first years – his as a new teacher, and me as a first year student.  Sean taught me biology for several years at Princethorpe, including through the sixth form, and I went onto a career in biochemistry and biomedical research, which now finds me at Stanford University, California.

Steve Doherty (Deputy Head Boy, 1986/7) wrote... If this is received in time, please send my regards and best wishes to Mr Philpott - who may remember me from my time at Princethorpe (1981 - 87). I am now living in North Wales and unable to be with you on Tuesday - but would like to wish him good luck for his retirement.

Joe Clune wrote...I have just got round to reading the last newsletter and saw the photo of Mr Philpott (even now I struggle to call teachers by first names!). A highly influential man on my life, especially as I went on to get a Biological Science degree from Leicester. I have then pursued a career in the Pharmaceutical industry and now I am the UK marketing Manager for the oncology drug at AstraZeneca.

If you are able to pass on my best wishes to him I would be very grateful. It would be great to hear from him, should he remember me!