Old Princethorpians

Last Friday's Old Princethorpians' London Meet at The Riverside, in Vauxhall, drew an enthusiastic crowd of over 30 OPs from across the decades.

A warm welcome from the Princethorpe contingent including OPs Chairman, Peter Rollason, (Class of 1977), and beautiful autumn sunshine greeted the OPs as they arrived at the pub. As the sunset and night fell the OPs lapped up the views from the glass fronted bar and outside terrace area which overlooked the Thames with stunning views to Battersea Power Station and back to the London Eye.

The London meet is now a well-established event in our calendar and many of the attendees were regulars, though it was lovely to see a fair few new faces too. OPs were represented from as early as the 1970s, the 1980s and there was a large contingent of younger OPs from 2011 onwards. Some of the guests had not seen each other for over 40 years but picked up where they had left off.

Longstanding and much-loved teacher, Alex Darkes, enjoyed reminiscing with past pupils, and as ever it was a delight to see the OPs of all ages networking, swapping stories and enjoying each other’s company. Special mention must go to international OPs, Louise Gusterson (Class of 1983), who was visiting from her home in New Zealand and Ernest Springley (Class of 1975), who came over from Germany for the occasion.

The welcome drinks and delicious hot and cold buffet laid on by the OPs Committee were also much appreciated by all.

Our next OPs Pub Meet takes place closer to Princethorpe upstairs at The Fox and Vivian, Clarendon Street in Leamington on Friday 8 March, you can register your interest on our Events page here.

For more pictures from the evening visit Princethorpe Connect.

It was amazing to have the OPs vs College Sports Day back in full swing and to see so many familiar faces on Saturday 2 September. This popular annual fixture traditionally kicks off the College’s sporting calendar for the year ahead.

Many of the OPs playing this year had just recently returned from the summer South Africa Sports Tour and it was great to see them catching up with pupils.

The Staff Football Team started the morning in good spirits but the younger OPs team took control late in the second half to gain a close victory.

Next up was the first ever mixed hockey game and it was fabulous to see full teams playing in the spirt of the game with the more experienced OPs taking the victory while the College pupils got some valuable game time in before their season starts.

Moving on to Netball, the College's team secured their first victory of the day with an outstanding performance against an experienced OPs team, the win showed that this team could be set for success this year.

The OPs v College 1st XV John Shinkwin Trophy match produced an entertaining match with a strong OPs team made up from leavers from 2022 and 2023 taking the victory. The young College team showed promise for what could be a good season ahead.

The results of the matches were as follows:

• Football – Staff 3 v OPs 5
• Netball – College 40 v OPs 13
• Mixed Hockey – College 3 v OPs 6
• Rugby – College 17 v OPs 41

At the After Match Awards, the OPs proudly raised both the Alex Wallis Memorial Shield and the John Shinkwin Cup.

Lee Cassell, Foundation Director of Sport, commented, "It was fantastic to see so many OPs returning to play in some very competitive games against our College teams. It showed the true spirt of the Princethorpe community and gave staff, pupils, OPs and parents the opportunity to watch entertaining matches over the course of the day and all while enjoying some fabulous food."

"A huge well done to all those who played and made the day so special. I look forward to seeing them all again next year on Saturday 31 August 2024 for the next OPs vs College Sports Day."

Thanks to all the players, supporters, organisers and caterers for making the day such a lovely, relaxed affair and to BTEC Music student Noah Kemp, Year 9 Jasper Nicholls and OP Bowen Kent for performing live during the day.

Find more photos from the day on Princethorpe Connect.

As has become traditional at the end of June, it was a pleasure to once again host the OPs Summer Supper Reunion at the College on Friday 23 June.

Representatives from the classes of 1973, 1983,1993, 2003 and 2013 returned for their respective 50th, 40th, 30th, 20th and 10th anniversaries of leaving, along with a smattering of OPs from other years and former and current staff.

The evening started with an optional tour of school at 6.00pm ably led by Alex Darkes and Eddie Tolcher. The large group meandered excitedly around the campus, visiting areas such as the Chapel, the Library, the cloister corridors, Roundhouse, the newer Limes Building and Sixth Form Centre before venturing out to see the site of the new Science Centre which is nearing completion just off the Lime Walk.

After a glass or two of Pimms in the Quad, the group was warmly welcomed by Foundation Principal, Ed Hester and invited to take their seats in the Refectory. Fr Alan Whelan, MSC, said Grace and the refectory became a hubbub of chatter and laughter as sat in their year groups or decades the gathered OPs happily caught up and reminisced over a delicious three course meal. They also enjoyed a rolling powerpoint prepared by archivist, Catherine Lewis, which featured images of many of the attendees from year books, prize giving programmes and the College’s magazine, The Tower.

After dinner, Ed Hester, thanked the College’s wonderful catering team and spoke to the assembled gathering about developments at the College, including the new Science Centre, the arrival of new Headmaster, Grove du Toit, and how the Development Office is making a Princethorpe education more accessible for a wider range of pupils, through its Bursary Programme.

Ed then invited Peter Rollason, Chairman of the OPs Association to address the gathering. Peter detailed the work of the Association and the annual programme of activity including OP Friendly Faces, networking, social events and the termly e-newsletter. He urged the OPs to spread the word, get involved and encourage other to join Princethorpe Connect, the College’s online alumni network.

Finally, as Ed introduced them, Peter presented gifts on behalf of the Association to one longstanding member of staff, counsellor, Heather Tocher, and six members of staff who are leaving or retiring after serving at the College from between six and 41 years respectively, Anna Jelec, from the SEND Department, Vanessa Rooney, Registrar, Julie Satchwell, Student Hub Manager, Loretta Curtis, Development Assistant and former Registrar, Chris Kerrigan Head of English and last but by no means least, Mike Taylor, Head of Geography.

As the supper came to a happy close, guests mingled over coffee, teachers enjoyed hearing of their pupils’ achievements and plans were made for keeping in touch and more informal reunions in the future.

Thanks go to our wonderful catering team, the OPs Committee and all who contributed to the success of the event.

To see more pics from the evening logon to Princethorpe Connect.

We will shortly begin planning for the 2024 Supper Reunion, which will be aimed at all those with a leaving year with a 4 and will take place on Friday 28 June 2024. Why not come along?

The Old Princethorpians have had an active Facebook page for many years and it has a proved a useful tool for helping our alumni stay in touch with each other and their former school.

Recognising that our younger OPs use other social media, we have launched a new @oldprincethorpians Instagram account.

Why not follow us to celebrate all things Old Princethorpian.

The College's staff cricket team, The Piranhas, marked Mike Taylor, Head of Geography's, retirement after 42 years at the College with a special commemorative match on Friday 30 June against former members of staff.

The new Piranhas vs the old Piranhas match was masterminded by Assistant Head, Co-Curricular, Neil McCollin and former Head of Biology and Games stalwart Bernie Moroney.

It was fantastic to see so many former members of staff returning for the match, either to play or to lend their support, those returning included:

• Paul Adams
• Jonny Allen
• Debs Brookes
• Peter Griffin
• John Harwood
• Mick Kitteridge
• Ed MacFetridge
• Colin Morgan
• Bernie Moroney
• Nathan Reynolds
• Barbara and Lou Skiffington
• and last but by no means least Rob Startin

Neil commented, “It was a fantastic evening and so lovely to have so many former staff come back to celebrate Mike’s long tenure at the College. I am sure the event will be repeated and the Piranhas will go from strength to strength. It was so wonderful to hear the many stories of how the Piranhas have developed since their inception in 1982."

The final results after 16 overs was a win for the Ed Hester-led young Piranhas. The party enjoyed after match refreshments and yet more fun with plenty of catching up into the evening.

On Saturday 9 September we were delighted to welcome to the College some of the ‘old girls’ from St Mary’s Priory, the school on the site before Princethorpe College was founded. The group are known to us as ‘Very Special Old Princethorpians (VSOPs).

The informal get-together, allowed for plenty of time to chat, reminisce and to look around the College and see how it has changed over the last sixty or seventy years.

The day started with coffee and pastries, and plenty of time to catch up with old friends and make new acquaintances. The Development Office had set up a fascinating display of memorabilia, and our VSOPs took great delight in browsing through it all. They also enjoyed recording their memories of St Mary’s Priory, in a special audio recording booth, adding their fascinating spoken history to the Foundation’s archives.

We were overwhelmed by the warmth and regard the VSOPs showed the College, and it was lovely to spend time with the ‘old girls’, hearing of their school days here. For us, it was a further opportunity to cement friendships and to learn more about the history of the place which we all love so much.

At coffee time we heard from VSOP Sr Monica Lewis who shared her calling with the group speaking of her life in a Benedictine community in Germany. We then made time for a quick group photograph, then after a delicious buffet lunch we hosted a Zoom call to allow the more distant VSOPs including Sr Mary Bernard to join in the reunion.

Headmaster, Grove du Toit, popped in to welcome the VSOPs back to Princethorpe before Foundation Assistant Head, Alex Darkes, took our guests on a tour of the College, taking in the latest addition to the College’s facilities, the new Science Centre, as well as the original chapel, now a library, and ending in the church for a short service given by Father Teddy O’Brien, MSC, with the organ played by organist Tim Campain. Following the service, our guests were treated to afternoon tea, and a final chance to look at the archives, speak with current members of staff and exchange farewells.

Princethorpe’s Upper Sixth celebrated the end of the examination season and their time at Princethorpe with a beautiful Thanksgiving Eucharist and a fabulous farewell ball. It was one last chance for them to gather to reminisce over their time at the College, the friends they have made and the many adventures they have had along the way.

Parents and students came together on Thursday 29 June to mark the end of their Princethorpe journey with a moving Eucharist service in the Chapel and enjoyed a buffet supper afterwards in their home for the last two years, the Sixth Form Centre.

Their Upper Sixth Leavers’ Ball followed one week later on Wednesday 5 July at Warwick House in Southam. The students smartly attired in black tie and ball gowns enjoyed a sparkling reception, followed by a delicious sit-down dinner, much anticipated speeches and then dancing until dark.

Both were joyous occasion with lots of laughter, shared memories and plans for the future. Head of Sixth Form, Ben Collie said, “We wish all the Upper Sixth the very best as they move on from Princethorpe. We very much hope that they all keep in touch and come back to tell their teachers and future pupils all about their fascinating endeavours and achievements. They have been a delightful year group, have worked hard and we are confident they will be rewarded with success when the A-level results are published in August.”

Photos from the ball are available on Princethorpe Connect.

It was great to hear back from our Princethorpe Connect Summer Prize Draw winner, OP Geoff Taylor (Class of 1996) who took safe delivery of a delicious cream tea hamper back in July.

Geoff updated us on how he has been faring over the last few years:

'I now live in St Albans and have been here since 2005, having moved to London to work in recruitment straight after university and I’ve remained in the South (and in recruitment!) since.

I’m married to Vanessa and we have two, now not so young, children, Sam (18) who is hoping to head off to Uni in September and Hattie (15). I still see a number of people regularly from my Princethorpe days, both from my leavers' year (96) and my brother, Stuart's (94).'

It was good to hear things are going well for Geoff and by the looks of it there was enough cream tea treats for whole family to enjoy!

Princethorpe Connect is our growing online alumni network, with over 1,400 online members now. Why not sign up to keep in touch with developments and events, receive the OP e-newsletter and to network with fellow alumni and members of staff?

Huge thanks to OP and current parent Ian Vincent, who works at Jaguar Land Rover, for helping the College to procure this super display of an electronic drive unit from a Jaguar I-Pace as a scientific artefact for the College’s new Science Centre.

Depicting the motor, gearbox, transmission, battery and inverter, that turns DC into AC, along with assisting with the regenerative braking system, it’s an absolutely fantastic piece that showcases leading edge sustainability technology and is just perfect to act as inspiration for Princethorpe’s young scientists and engineers.

A Jaguar I-Pace Electric Powertrain, sourced by current parent Stefan Fuchss, will also go on display in the entrance to the Science Centre as part of the College’s commitment to providing the very best learning environment, one that nurtures young minds and fosters a deep appreciation and passion for science.

We are most grateful to Ian, and also to Princethorpe parents, Oliver Boakes and Stefan Fuchss, and to Nikola Uminska, all from JLR, for their support in arranging for the College to have these wonderful display items.

Ian visited the College to assemble the unit ready to be displayed and is pictured here with Sixth Form prefects, Amy Hogg, Chris Lock and Joseph Newborough.

The College was delighted to welcome OP Sean Webb back to Princethorpe during the summer holidays for a tour of the school.  

Sean is a former pupil (having attended the College from 1977-1984), and was visiting the area with his 12-year-old son Declan. Sean and his family were over from France where he has lived for the past 28 years.   

New receptionist and OP herself Katie Strange was pleased to show them round. 

Sean was delighted to see his old school and the school where his own father Bill Webb taught clarinet and saxophone for a time. He was particularly pleased to visit the Chapel, where he had got married and also the Orchard where he had fond memories of his Games lessons.

It was great to welcome them back to Princethorpe. 

This autumn, we have been busy matching OP Friendly Faces (those already established at university) to our recent Upper Sixth Leavers who have headed off to university this term. We have successfully managed to match a number of leavers, many thanks to all the Friendly Faces supporting this initiative, it really does make a difference to those first few weeks away from home!

For all those starting university this year, here are some top tips from those who have experienced it first-hand.

1. Join a sports club or society. This is an amazing way to meet new people who share the same hobby or interest and will integrate you perfectly into the university experience as well as a great social and night life.

2. It may be tempting to pack everything you own when preparing for university but really you should only take the essentials - rooms in student halls tend to be quite small!

3. Attend your university's freshers fair! It's the best way to discover what your university is offering as well as local businesses trying to grab your attention. They normally hand out loads of freebies too.

4. Plan a weekly budget. With the cost of living increasing, it's a good idea to track your money and know what you will be prioritising when it comes to spending.

5. Learn how to cook the basics. It is far cheaper than constantly buying ready meals or takeaways.

6. Facebook groups and hashtags on Twitter and Instagram are a great way to connect with your  flatmates and course-mates on campus. Connecting with fellow students is an ideal way to ease your fears about making friends. Remember, everyone is in the same boat, so everyone will be eager to join in the conversation and make connections.

7. Stay active. It is important to keep your physical health in check as well as your mental health. There will be accessible to talk to at your university in your student union if you feel as though you are struggling. Try to eat well, exercise regularly and allow yourself some downtime in order to create a balance alongside your studies.

8. Don't rush into finding a house for your second year. You will get to know more people as the months pass by. Do no presume you have to share a house with your flat mates from first year. Try to find likeminded people who you get along with and attend the housing fair! There will be plenty of houses to go around.

9. Communicate with your lecturers. If you are struggling with your work or have a question, don't be afraid to email your lecturers. They may be busy but they want the best for you and will respond and support you.

10. Remember that moving away from home is a big step! It is normal to feel homesick and lonely from time to time. Social media may give you the impression that everyone is having a great time, but they're probably finding it hard too.

And last but by no means least, here are our top five don't forgets!

1. Buy a student rail card - you will save so much money!

2. Subscribe to a free Unidays or Student Beans account. They give you access to loads of discount codes.

3. A clothes airer.

4. Back up your uni work!!

5. If you want to have a job alongside your studies, then start looking as soon as you can. The process can take longer than you think!

This autumn, the Foundation is delighted to have welcomed back to the fold a number of former pupils and staff.

At Princethorpe College, OP Katie Strange (Class of 2015), has joined the Reception team. Katie stayed on at Princethorpe as a Teaching Assistant after finishing Sixth Form but then went to work at Abraxas Cookshop for six and a half years. However, the lure of Princethorpe remained strong and we are delighted she has returned to the College as part of our friendly front of house team. 

OP Tom Gleghorn (Class of 2000) has also returned to Princethorpe College as Head of Academic PE. Tom studied at Exeter University, and then trained as a PE teacher. He enjoyed a year out travelling the world visiting Australia and South America. He then worked in schools in London, Coventry and Rugby before the pull of Princethorpe brought him back here. It is great to have Tom working in our talented PE and Sports team.    

OP Lily Draper (Class of 2023) has stayed on at Princetorpe College to support us as a Graduate Teaching Assistant this year.

OP Lizzie Hester (Class of 2012) will return after half term as a teacher of Religious Studies while OP Dan Hogg, who left the College in 2020, is now supporting the College's IT team. 

OP Charlie Ashley, who left Princethorps in 2008, is back working within the Foundation as Form Teacher for Junior 4 at Crackley Hall School. He has been joined there by recent leaver OP Eve Farquharson (Class of 2023) and OP Matthew Duigan (Class of 2018) who are both working as part of the school's Teaching Assistant team.

Three former staff have also chosen to return to Princethorpe. We are delighted to have Kate Ingram back teaching Spanish, Aimee Brookes working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and we are also pleased to welcome back Catherine Morrish who was previously a trainee teacher here.

It is fabulous to see the Foundation's Spirit of Family ethos in action and its deeply rooted strong ties evident in our community. We wish all our returning OPs and staff a successful year.    

Princethorpe Connect, the Foundation's online alumni community portal, was launched back in the summer of 2019 and some four years later now has over 1,400 members. Aimed at past pupils, past parents and former staff, Princethorpe Connect enables you to find and network with old friends and former colleagues from across the Foundation schools and to keep up with news and events.

We encourage all past pupils, past parents and former staff from all our Foundation schools to become online members. It takes just a few minutes to create a profile and we encourage all our current online members to invite their friends to join too. To do this you simply log in and go to the Invite Friends tab at the top of the page, this enables you to add multiple email addresses and send one message to your friends. 

One good reason to join is that in November we will be running our popular Christmas Hamper Prize Draw and all those with an online profile are automatically entered in for the chance to win.

Why not have a quick read about what Princethorpe Connect has to offer below or visit the site here.

Princethorpe Connect is an exclusive social network for those in the Princethorpe community, giving us all the chance to share news and stories, photographs, connect with old friends, send and receive individual or group messages with other alumni, sign up for Old Princethorpians and Development events, pay for tickets, make a donation, order merchandise through our online shop, and access exclusive content such as behind-the-scenes and archive photographs.

Over the last year we have developed the portal to meet the needs of our growing alumni community. The news pages have had an overhaul with new sub-sections added to allow our alumni to find the news stories that interest them the most. We have also introduced an In Memoriam section as well as featuring our regular OP Interviews, so do take a look at Princethorpe Connect. Your membership brings with it many benefits, in addition to the termly OP e-newsletter including the latest news and events, you can also view private photo galleries, connect with other online members and access our Careers and Networking pages.

Stuck for a gift idea for the OPs in your life? Look no further as items from our alumni range of merchandise make the perfect present for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries or even just for yourself!

Our new Zaini hats and headbands are now back in stock and look out for our 2023 calendars that will be available from late November. 

Other popular items include:

• Socks with the distinctive Tower design on dark blue background with thin diagonal stripe - priced £9.00 + postage
• A university style scarf (in 100% wool with navy blue, red and gold stripes) - priced  £31 + postage
• T-bar cufflinks with a gold Tower design - priced £26 + postage
• The Old Princethorpian tie. A classic 100% silk tie with a repetitive gold Tower design and thin red diagonal stripes on a dark blue background - priced £19 + postage and packing.
• Tower pin badge. The 2cm high badge in nickel with recessed metal detail is based on the Tower logo - priced £11 + postage
• A Spirit Of Family: The First Fifty Years Of Princethorpe College - produced to mark the College's Golden Jubilee this beautiful keepsake is a relflection on the first fifty years of Princethorpe College written by Nick Baker and Alex Darkes, it was published on 1 September 2016 - priced £21 + postage.
• The Soaring Redbrick Tower Fine Art prints and cards sized at A2 for £40, A3 for £25 and as an A5 greetings card for £3. 
• St. Joseph's Convent and School Fine Art print for £12.

Stocks are available to order online from Princethorpe Connect, please click here.