Old Princethorpians

Princethorpe College is celebrating another year of excellent exam results.

108 students sat A-level and BTEC examinations and completed the Extended Project Qualification this summer and, continuing the strong performances of previous cohorts, two thirds of all grades awarded were A*- B, with more than a third being A*- A. Impressively, 17 pupils achieved three or more A* or A grades.

At GCSE, Princethorpe pupils also performed well, from a cohort of 150 pupils, 44% of all entries were the coveted 9, 8 or 7 grades, with 32 pupils achieving nine or more 9, 8 or 7 grades.

Grove du Toit, Headmaster, commented, "We are delighted with the excellent results that our Sixth Form students and Year 11 pupils have achieved. They have worked incredibly hard and deserve these results. It was wonderful to see all their happy faces on results day, and we congratulate them all on their well-deserved success. We are thrilled that our pupils have received such good grades but also, more importantly, that the overwhelming majority are moving on to their first choice of next step."

He continued, "We are proud of their academic achievements, but all these pupils have many other fine qualities: kindness, respect and a strong sense of right and wrong, which will be tremendously important for them in the next phase of their lives. We wish them all the very best."

After essential remedial work last year, that sadly included the removal of some unhealthy trees, we are pleased to report that in a recent inspection by independent tree specialists, RGS Arboricultural Consultants, the remaining Limes show no signs of decay.

The Limes will be familiar to all Princethorpians and are a much loved and integral part of the College skyline. They were planted to commemorate the founding members of the St Mary's Priory community and lined the original Lime Walk running from the White Gate in Switzerland to the gate leading to the Acacia Walk. There is much within the archives to show how fond past pupils were of them, with pupils writing poetry about them, revising for exams under them and religious processions taking place through them.

Sadly, six trees had to be removed last year, and the College was concerned that their felling could compromise the remaining tress. However, all 14 of the Limes still standing, have now been individually tested with all 14 showing no signs of decay.

It’s fantastic news for all Princethorpians. For now, the Limes can continue to play their part in the Princethorpe’s history.

As the Trinity Term came to a close, it was lovely to have an event for staff to mark the end of another busy school year and to celebrate and thank them all, as well as wishing goodbye and good luck to those leaving the College for retirement or pastures new.

Moving on or retiring in July were Graduate Teaching Assistants, Sam Harding and Lili Draper, Sixth Form Administrator, Amanda McKenzie, Teacher of Girls’ Games and PE, Vicky Howell, Teacher of RS, Lizzie Hester, Teacher of Psychology, Lizzie Caisey, Teachers of English, Jo Evans and Jess Proudlock, Teacher of MFL, Bérénice Galano, Foundation Buildings Manager, Michael Small, Head of Psychology and Sociology, Fionnuala Schofield, Head of Outdoor Education, Will Bower and last but by no means least, much loved, Teacher of Classics, Rachel Taylor, who has taught at our Foundation Schools for an incredible 50 years!

A huge thank you and our very best wishes to them all.

In July, Princethorpe College said farewell to much loved teacher, Mrs Rachel Taylor. She has been both a remarkable teacher and Head of Department, going about her work with passion and enthusiasm for so many years.

Rachel, then Miss Roberts, started working for St Joseph’s (now Crackley Hall) as the Latin Mistress under the headship of Sister Mary Patrick back in May 1974. Rachel describes her as fearsome but fair with strict rules for uniform even for staff. She started her teaching career with a blackboard and chalk but adapted over the years to overhead projectors, whiteboards and eventually, with thanks to the IT team, even computers.

She joined the College in September 2001 as a teacher of Latin and German when St Joseph’s merged with Princethorpe College. At that time, Latin was not taught at Princethorpe, so Rachel’s skills and experience were a great asset to the school. All her pupils have thrived under her encouragement. She embraced the Foundation’s ethos, always teaching with kindness and encouragement and thanks to her dedication, Latin continues to be successfully taught today.

Diligent to the end, a delighted Rachel, who had hoped to scuttle away with little fuss, was surprised with gifts on our final INSET day.

Foundation Principal, Ed Hester said, “We would like to thank Rachel for all her hard work and dedication to first St Joseph’s and then later Princethorpe’s pupils. She has served the Foundation for an amazing 50 years. She was creative in her approach to teaching and has been instrumental in the success of Latin here at the College, with subject results always amongst the best. We will all miss her and we wish Rachel a happy, healthy and well-deserved retirement, although we are glad to know we will still see her as she has promised to help invigilate an exam or two.”

Rachel is pictured here on her last day along with some photos from the archives from her early years at St Joseph's Convent School.

After 40 years hidden behind boards the final Station of the Cross and the Altar Alcove in the former Nuns' Library have been carefully restored to their former glory.

The College welcomed specialist conservator, Alexandra Carrington, and her colleague, Dawn Jessop, to Princethorpe during the summer holidays to renovate the final Station of the Cross and a decorated Altar Alcove in the former Nuns’ Library.

Part of the incredible story of Princethorpe, the artworks had been hidden for around 40 years until last year when refurbishment work began on the old G22 and G23 Physics Labs, after the opening of the College’s new Science Centre.

Both the Station of the Cross and the Altar Alcove had been preserved behind classroom boards but were suffering from damage and the build-up of decades of dust and grime. The conservators used a range of cleaning, consolidating and retouching techniques to reveal and restore the charming nature-based design and stencilling on  the painted wall above the alcove, which would have been specially commissioned by the nuns who founded the Priory, and to repair damage and restore the vibrant colours of the last station, which depicts Jesus being laid in the tomb.

Director of Estates, Rob Heath, commented, “It is wonderful to see these unique works, part of Princethorpe’s rich heritage, brought back to their original splendour and saved to be studied and enjoyed by generations of pupils to come.”

The work was generously funded by the College's PTA and was available for visitors to see on Heritage Open Day.

Planning has commenced for the College's biennial Careers Fair 2025 which will provide a ‘one stop careers shop’ for pupils in Year 10 through to Upper Sixth. The event will take place next year on the morning of Saturday 29 March.  

Comments Head of Careers, Jacqui Quinney, "We are always on the look out for Old Princethorpians, who have recently embarked on a new career or those who are more established and would be willing to share their experiences with our pupils.

Headmaster, Grove du Toit adds, "We are really indebted to all the OPs who have volunteered their time and energy over the years to make our Careers Fairs a success for our Year 10 to Sixth Form pupils and their parents."

If you would be interesting in helping, please email jacquiquinney@princethorpe.co.uk.

Princethorpe has a familiar face working in its Admissions Team. OP Georgia Newborough returned to the College in June, to take on the role of Assistant Registrar. She now works alongside Catherine Rogers, our Registrar, assisting families who are interested in entry to the College for September 2025 and beyond.

Georgia knows Princethorpe well, having attended the school as a pupil from 2012 to 2019. She went on to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the University of York before spending a year back at Princethorpe working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Her knowledge and experience of the school, from both sides of the fence, positions her ideally to advise prospective families with children looking to join the school.

Georgia began her Admissions journey welcoming and supporting pupils new to Princethorpe when they visited the school. in June for their Induction Day. Over the summer, she was kept busy dealing with new Lower Sixth joiners post GCSE Results Day, our Year 7 Preparation Day and of course getting ready for Open Afternoon.

It's lovely to have Georgia back in the Princethorpe team.

With just five weeks to go now, the countdown to the College's Entrance Exams for admission in September 2025 is well underway. This year the exams for Year 7 to 10 entry will take place on Saturday 9 November from 9.00am to 4.00pm.

Our friendly Admissions Team have been kept busy over the summer and this term accepting registrations for the examinations from prospective parents. 

Comments Melanie Butler, Foundation Director of Marketing, Admissions and Communications, "Interest remains high, we had a very busy Open Afternoon and since then registrations have just not stopped coming in. As always, we have had lots of enquiries from Old Princethorpians, who are keen for their children to follow in their footsteps."

For more information on the admissions process for 2025 and beyond click here to visit our Admissions Update Newsletter, call the Registrars on 01926 634201/297 or email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Prospective families can now discover all the ins and outs of applying to Princethorpe College in a new informative podcast series, Pathway to Princethorpe.

From choosing the right school to preparing for the entrance exams, the podcast is designed to help parents navigate the admissions process step by step. This is perfect for parents whose children are looking to join Princethorpe in Year 7 to Year 10. Join Registrar, Catherine Rogers, and new Assistant Registrar, Georgia Newborough, plus special guests, as they explore many aspects of Princethorpe life, share expert tips, and demystify the journey into independent secondary school.

Launched at the beginning of the summer holidays, there are now seven informative episodes in the series which can be found on Spotify, YouTube and Amazon Music. More will be released over the coming weeks as we approach Entrance Exams in November.

Comments, Registrar, Catherine Rogers, "We hope that these bite-sized episodes, which cover many areas that we get asked about frequently, will allow parents to listen and gather essential information at their convenience, whether commuting, relaxing, or enjoying a cup of tea."

Click here to access the Pathway to Princethorpe podcast series.

A portrait photograph of former Headmaster, Ed Hester, who led Princethorpe College for 13 years, from 2009 to 2022, has been hung in the Cloister corridor. It sits alongside portraits of previous Headmasters, recognising his contribution to the history of our school community. His encouraging gaze will look down on generations of Princethorpians to come.

We took a picture of Mr Hester, who is now of course, Foundation Principal, standing next to his portrait just after it was hung during the summer holidays. His favourite photograph though is actually the last whole school photograph, which hangs on the opposite wall, if you look carefully, you might realise that on the day he was missing and has been photoshopped in!

Princethorpe College was delighted to take part in the 2024 Heritage Open Days festival on Sunday 8 September. England's largest community-led festival of history and culture, Heritage Open Days has run annually since 1994, celebrating local history by giving access to thousands of places usually closed to the public.

The College has participated in the festival for many years and on the day welcomed over 90 visitors through its doors. They came from near and far, including local neighbours, current and former Princethorpe families, and OPs, all interested in local history. All were made welcome and enjoyed a fascinating tour that took in Pugin’s magnificent Chapel, the Cloisters, nuns’ cells on Lower Pugin, the Library (originally the first church of St Mary’s Priory) and the unique Roundhouse. Visitors were also delighted to see the recently-restored last Station of the Cross and decorated altar alcove in the Cloisters and Nuns’ Library respectively.

Foundation Archivist, Jo Wong, and Alumni and Development Officer, Caroline Spencer, acted as tour leaders, sharing wonderful insights into the history of the magnificent building and the amazing people that made it the place it is today.

A huge thank you to all who kindly organised and supported this super community event.

The latest issue of The Pinnacle, and our Prep Schools' edition of the magazine, The Minnacle, has just been published, showcasing yet more of our Foundation pupils' excellent work. The Pinnacle and The Minnacle have always celebrated our pupils at their best and this edition includes plenty more examples of their outstanding efforts; their dedication, hard work and commitment to their studies inside and outside the classroom clear to see.

If you fancy a little inspiration why not settle down with a cup of tea and have a read. You can find a copy of The Pinnacle on our school website here while The Minnacle is available from the Prep school websites, follow links to Crackley Hall School and Crescent School.

It's inspirational to see pupils' determination to do their best.

Thinking of becoming a teacher? Then why not consider training at Princethorpe College.

Whether you are a new graduate or contemplating a career change, we have opportunities available across the subjects but particularly for those with a degree relating to STEAM.

Through our association with the Lion Alliance, we offer a year’s training as part of the School Led Route, leading to Qualified Teacher Status. Placements would be at Princethorpe and also at other schools within the Lion Alliance. Our training via the Lion Alliance is supported by Warwick University. 

Teacher training at Princethorpe is a popular and successful scheme, we have trained over 50 teachers with our programme now in its sixth year.

Bursaries from the government of between £10,000 and £28,000 are available to support those training in Chemistry, Computing, Maths, Physics, Languages, Geography, Biology, Design Technology, Art and design, English, Music and Religious Studies.

Our Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning, Dr Liz Pyne is happy to offer advice about the different routes into teaching and what Princethorpe can offer you. Please email: lizpyne@princethorpe.co.uk

Further information about the Lion Alliance can be found here: www.thelionalliance.co.uk

Information about Getting into Teaching and possible bursaries can be found here: getintoteaching.education.gov.uk