Old Princethorpians

Judy Vick a mainstay of the College's dedicated cleaning team has been recognised for 40 years of service to Princethorpe.

She was presented with her award, a new flatscreeen TV and CD player, by Mark Johnson, Estates Manager.

Judy, who now has six grandchildren, first came to the College when her own three children were small, working first as a cleaner, then moving into the bustling laundry.

The laundry, now Photography, was a hive of activity with the College at the peak of boarding. Judy was appointed by Matron, Maria Lawless, and fondly remembers the boarders who brought their clothes and bedding down every week for washing and pressing.  This alongside the linen of the MSCs and all the sports kit meant there was never a dull moment for Judy and her colleagues including Mrs Flavell and Mrs Mercer.

Nowadays Judy is often to be seen with her colleagues Lester and Cynthia keeping the College spick and span.

Comments Judy, "I have very happy memories of all my time at Princethorpe, there's been lots of fun and friendship, it's been a huge part of my life and still is!"

We thank Judy for all her hard work and ever cheery disposition!

Going into the inaugural AROPS Old Girls Hockey Tournament on Sunday 13 September, the OPs were feeling quietly confident after a successful outing earlier in the month against the College at the OPs Sports Day.  Having played recently together may well have given them the upper hand as the tournament unfolded.

Captain Letty Heath was ably supported by an strong squad of fellow past pupils including Carmen Simpson, Millie Bray, Ellie Eaton, Lucy Fisher, Jodie Fisher and Izzy Powell plus for this first event members of teaching staff Rachel Mack, Lil Gane and Debs Brookes.

The tournament held at the Coventry Schools Astro  was the first national event of its kind. Our girls were taking on old rivals the Old Coventrians but also the unknown quantity of the Old Queenswoodians from Hertfordshire. 

Playing against King Henry’s first Princethorpe settled into their groove quickly, dominating play with excellent passing and movement. The 6 – 0 final score was fully justified. Next was Old Queenswoodians who were highly competitive and their squad held a number of talented hockey players. The opening exchanges were extremely tight and it wasn’t until Princethorpe broke their resistance with 2 quick goals in succession before half time that the game was won. In the second half Princethorpe controlled the possession and created many opportunities as the game wore on and with some excellent finishing Princethorpe secured another 6 – 0 victory.  

At the end of the tournament Letty Heath was delighted and proud to receive the brand new AROPS Cup from organiser Shaun Schofield.

Comments, Princethorpe Director of Sport, Neil McCollin, “I am extremely proud of the girls for their achievement. It was great to see the quality that we had in all areas on the pitch and the joy and competitive nature that playing for Old Princethorpians brought out in them all. As pupils they would have spent a lot of time playing at Coventry Schools astro – Warwickshire cup tournaments, fixtures against King Henry’s and Bablake – and therefore to add another layer of success for the Old Princethorpians on that pitch is tremendous. Huge thanks to Letty for organising the side and to the staff who turned out this year to help with the fixture. I look forward to the girls retaining the title next year."

AROPS are keen to hold the tournament again next year with more teams involved and the OPs plan to be there defending their title.

A good day down at Kenilworth RFC on Sunday 6 September with a very strong turnout of 28 players ready to represent the Old Princethorpians, led to a never in doubt 24-19 victory to the OPs. Players ranged from boys who have just left the college, to those who have been gone for a number of years, including OPs Chairman, Peter Rollason.

The opening exchanges were full of surprisingly good rugby as a number of boys put on their boots for the first time in quite a while! Kenilworth got across the line twice in the first half and with one, long range, first half try from Mitch Cook, the half time score was 12-5 to the Babas.

The second half was a nip and tuck affair; a converted try from Chris Easton leveled the scores and one from Tom McNevin put us in a strong position, only for Kenilworth to score a late try to lead 19-17. With only a few minutes left, a long-range effort from Man of the Match Chris Easton and a cracking conversion from Dom Owens settled the result at 24-19. T

he benefit of rolling subs, a large squad and 4x20 minute periods allowed us to keep a fresh team on the pitch throughout the game, which certainly benefited some players more than others.

More important than the result on this day was the reason the game was being played, with many of Wallis’ old school teammates playing. It was a fantastic game, played in good spirits with a fantastic turn out from both players and supporters.

Harry O'Brien 

A fantastic day of sport was staged on Saturday 29 August when Old Princethorpians and current pupils came together for the annual OPs Sports Day. On the day the OPs take on the College for the honour of raising the Alex Wallis Memorial Shield and John Shinkwin Trophy (in their fourth and seventh years respectively). 

The sun shone brightly and it was a great day in terms of numbers attending with plenty of new 'old' faces both playing and supporting the teams.  There was much reminiscing, sharing of great memories and catching up with old friends as the Princethorpe community young, old, past and present came together.

It was always going to be a huge challenge for the College players with the Old Princethorpian teams able to pick teams with the cream of players from the last few years.  Up to half time many of the games were evenly matched, but in the second halves the OPs got the upper hand to clinch wins across the board.

All the College boys and girls showed great mental and physical stamina and the lessons learnt from the day are invaluable ones that will benefit them for the up and coming season.

At the after-match meal the Old Princethorpians were proclaimed the victors, retaining the John Shinkwin Trophy for Rugby 64 - 5 and the overall Alex Wallis Memorial Shield 101 - 25.

Sports Results:

Girls Hockey
Princethorpe College 2 - 4 Old Princethorpians

Boys Hockey
Princethorpe College 0 - 7 Old Princethorpians

Girls Netball
Princethorpe College 18 - 26 Old Princethorpians

Boys Rugby
Princethorpe College 5 - 64 Old Princethorpians

The touch line and games fields have been a huge part of the lives of all who attend the College and we hope that the OP Sports Day allows all who participate to keep in touch with their old school and continue to play a part in the life of the Princethorpe family.

Next year the OPs Sports Day will form a major part of the College's Golden Jubilee 'Princefest' Celebrations on the weekend of Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September 2016.  Plans for the sport include a larger number of College and OP teams taking part in the girls' and boys' hockey and netball. 

Princefest on Saturday will culminate in a music festival and firework display, with a more relaxed day on the Sunday. Keep reading the Old Princethorpian for more details of the Princefest weekend.

Please click here to see a gallery of pictures from the event.

Many who have visited Princethorpe in the last year or so will have noticed that the old Woodhouse Hotel close to the College had been demolished and the site cleared. Progress has been slow but building work has recently started in earnest with a soaring red steel structure appearing in the last few weeks. 

The architects, HB Architects of Rugby, have confirmed that the project is intended to provide a conferencing facility and wedding destination with a traditional 'country house' feel, conservatory style restaurant and contemporary cocktail bar.

There will be 40 contemporary bedroom suites within the property. The gardens will be re-landscaped and a new car park provided on the frontage. The conference facility will be located in a semi basement under the hotel which provides it with excellent sound reducing qualities and a panoramic window arrangement is proposed facing the gardens looking out over the rolling countryside.

The project is due for completion by Christmas 2016.

We will watch the project with interest as we hope it will provide comfortable accommodation for Old Princethorpians when returning to the College for reunions and events in the future.

Click on the pdf below to view artist's impressions of the new build.

Woodhouse New Project.pdf

OPs Nigel Hall, Jerry Peacock and Mark Deacon had their own OPs reunion when they met up with their wives at the Seven Stars Inn, Bottlesford, Wiltshire earlier in the summer.

They enjoyed a good lunch and a couple of beers in the 17th century thatched pub in the Wiltshire countryside. Unsurprisingly the conversation was around school and what they have been doing since leaving, holidays, and what they wish to do once they actually get around to retiring.

Nigel comments, "It was good to catch up with the old friends with their wives. If there are any OPs in the Berks, Hants, or Wilts area who want to establish a local chapter of OPs then we could look into this."

If you might be interested in meeting up with this group please email oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk and we will put you in touch.

Image shows from left to right. Mark Deacon, Nigel Hall, Stephanie Peacock, Susie Hall, Sue Deacon, Jerry Peacock.

Many congratulations to former Headmaster, Fr Dan O'Connor, who celebrated his own Golden Jubilee of 50 years of priesthood in the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, this summer in Cork with his family and confreres.

Alex Darkes, who was a pupil at Princethorpe from 1968 to 1975, writes of his fond memories of Fr Dan.

Dan O’Connor was one of the MSC clergy who was already here when I arrived at Princethorpe as an eleven-year-old in September 1968, when John Kevin Fleming was head. Dan took over from Bill Clarkson as Dean, when Bill rose to the headship a year later. I always think of Dan looking eternally youthful, something which he has managed to perfect! He was well established as a Maths teacher – later becoming Head of Maths - and of course, has always loved his sport, particularly rugby and squash. Always known as “Dan” to everyone  (staff and pupils alike; how cheeky was that?) he managed to cleverly tread a path which meant that as a strong disciplinarian everyone was always slightly frightened of him, yet the humility, fairness and kindness which shone through always won everyone’s unequivocal respect. His teaching was much revered; he always took the top Maths set and to get into that group was seen as something of a trophy. But could he shout?! Always though with a glint in his eye, as he persistently banged the chalk against the board, much to the consternation and amusement to those in the adjacent classroom, where they expected that he might come through the wall at any moment…

It was when he became the Form Master of E1 in September 1972 that I really got to know him. He was wonderfully supportive and always there to help and encourage us. I realised quickly that the bark was much worse than the bite. To come back to Princethorpe to teach and find him as a colleague in 1979, was wonderfully rewarding and we have kept in touch ever since. He found himself thrust into the limelight overnight when he took over as Headmaster in 1982. He always gave the impression that he would have been happier on the back benches, yet he carried out the role in a wonderfully professional way, always appreciative, motivational and wonderfully considerate. He also never forgot his marvellous sense of humour. His stewardship only came to a close when he became unwell and he was always amused that he ended up on the same hospital ward as Jonathan Hall, the then head of Arnold Lodge in Leamington Spa, so they had plenty to talk about! Mercifully both made full recoveries. It was no surprise to see Dan as the Community Superior and a long-term member of the Provincial Council.

His quiet, unassuming support and kindness came to the fore when he represented the Provincial at the funeral of my mother in 2004, flying over from Cork specially. I had no idea that he would attend and there could have been no kinder or more appreciated gesture. Typically Dan.

Congratulations on your Golden Jubilee!

Lesley Topham, our superb catering manager for the past nine years left us during the summer and moves to a new job at Sedbergh in Cumbria. Lesley’s memorable stewardship at Princethorpe was always marked by her great cheer, lively personality and a marvellous “can do” approach. Lesley was as happy providing daily lunches as she was managing the food for formal dinners, weddings, barbecues and outdoor events.

An enthusiastic dressage rider, one of Lesley’s tasks last term was to provide hospitality for the Two Day Event, which she was also able to attend as a spectator on the day of the cross country. Those who attended commented that they had eaten the best lunch at any equestrian event ever!

Colleagues presented Lesley with flowers and gifts on her last day at Princethorpe. We wish her well in her new job; Lesley will be hugely missed at Princethorpe.

Those who have been following the progress of the new building at Crackley can’t fail to have noticed that the roof on the main hall is nearly finished and  the roofers have started to add the roof lights and waterproof membrane. Other parts of the building are already watertight, with the electrical first fix well under way. The last of the floor slabs is now being completed and then the screed will follow over the next two weeks. Brick work is just about done and then there will be the big task of plastering internally and fitting out.

Company Managing Director, Nick Henderson, of Southam-based contractors, Trendgrey, has kindly said that Crackley pupils wearing protective equipment and hi-vis jackets will be able to have a sneak preview inside the £2m project towards the end of September. Children and staff have eagerly followed the progress from upstairs windows over the last twenty-six weeks.

The new play surface has been completed with a special porous tarmac and over the next fortnight the splay onto Fennyland Lane and the new gates will be finished.

Headmaster, Robert Duigan commented, “The new east end development at Crackley will give the school outstanding facilities which fit totally with its aspirations. We gain a superb new hall which will allow all of the school to meet together in a bright, modern and uplifting space. Musicians will gain a new home in specially designed accommodation and we win two state-of-the-art classrooms which will be fully equipped with IT”. He continued: “This is also an opportunity to say thanks to everyone involved with the school and the local community for putting up with disruption during the build, but we know that any short term pains will give the school huge long term gains”.

The outstanding contemporary design is the brainchild of Tony Pugh of local architects AT Architects in Leamington Spa, who completed the £4.5m 14-classroom Limes project at Princethorpe College in 2014. The scheme will provide the school with a much needed 240-seat multi-purpose hall, two classrooms, four specialist music teaching rooms and a large tutorial room. The hall will be fitted with sports equipment, a demountable stage and full lighting and sound facilities. Work is due to be completed for Spring 2016.

Once again Princethorpe pupils have performed well in the public examinations.

Out of a cohort of 102 Upper Sixth Formers at Princethorpe, the overwhelming majority have gained entry into the universities of their choice with over a quarter of all grades at A* or A and over three-quarters of all grades at C or better. In addition, over 70% of the students were awarded the Princethorpe Diploma, encompassing academic success, work experience, extra-curricular achievement and service to others in the community.

Headmaster, Ed Hester, said that he was delighted with the results; “We have had more top grades than ever before and the results show how the hard work of both students and staff has been rewarded. Whilst we are of course delighted with their academic achievements, these students have many other fine qualities: kindness, respect and a strong sense of right and wrong which will be as important for them - if not more so - as they move on to the next phase of their lives. I am delighted they have been rewarded for their efforts; we all wish them well for the future”, he commented.

From a cohort of 134 GCSE candidates at Princethorpe, a third of grades are at A* or A, over 60% at grade B or better and 14 pupils achieved at least ten A* or A grades.

There were many distinguished performances, but the best individual results were from Alana Eckland who achieved 13 A* grades.

Headmaster, Ed Hester, continued, “I am delighted that the vast majority of this cohort will continue into our wonderful Sixth Form."

The College's Golden Jubilee plans for 2016-17 are taking shape.

Various committees are taking forward different elements of the year including Princefest on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September, a weekend of celebrations including the established OPs Sports Day plus fun for all the family, stalls, entertainment, food and music, culminating in a firework display on the Saturday night. Followed by a more relaxed Sunday including Mass, brunch, tours of the College and time for OPs to meet up.

A Golden Jubilee Prayer book is being produced as a keepsake for all current pupils and a commemorative Golden Jubilee book charting the College's history, mainly in pictures, from the times of the Benedictines to the present day, will be launched as part of the anniversary celebrations.

Plans also include a special MSC event, which will take place on 8 December, a cycling pilgrimage between Issoudun and Montargis and a Jubilee Ball as a finale to the year.

More details will be released in the next edition of the Old Princethorpian, to register your interest in any of the Golden Jubilee elements please email goldenjubilee@princethorpe.co.uk.   

The Old Princethorpians' Summer Supper on the evening Friday 12 June was a fabulous night and fitting farewell for Peter Griffin who retired this summer after 37 years of service to the College. Colleagues Kenny Owen and Bernie Moroney spoke eloquently and affectionately about Peter's time at the College before handing over to the main man himself.

This year's supper, attended by some 90 past pupils and current and former members of staff, also provided a focus for a landmark 40th anniversary reunion for the leavers of 1975, a significant number of leavers from 1977 also gave them a run for their money! This approach of focusing on specific year groups seems to work well so the OPs Committee have decided to make this event a focus for OPs celebrating their 10th, 20th, 30th and 40th anniversary of leaving the College in future.

Longstanding members of staff were recognised including Margaret Robinson who celebrates 25 years at the College and Registrar Loretta Curtis who after 17 years is moving from admissions into the role of Development Secretary.

Comments OPs Chairman, Peter Rollason, "Friday night summed up everything that is good about Princethorpe College and it was wonderful that so many OPs could be a part of it. I feel that Peter Griffin must take a huge amount of credit for all the love, care, attention and sheer professionalism that he has given to the institution during his time here and we wish him and his wife, Liz, a wonderful and well deserved retirement."

He continued, "A huge thank you to the College's wonderful catering, maintenance and grounds staff who worked so hard on the Committe's behalf and made the evening go so well. Here's to next year!"

The University Women's Club in Mayfair proved to be a superb venue for the annual Old Princethorpians London Meet last Friday 15 May.

The evening social in the Club's fantastic Library attracted more OPs than ever before, including plenty of new faces from across the decades. The group included longstanding teachers Alex Darkes and Peter Griffin, along with OPs Chairman, Peter Rollason and Headmaster, Ed Hester.

The OPs mingled over drinks and canapés, swapping stories and catching up on news.

Comments Peter Rollason, "Following on from last year's event at the East India Club, we decided that the University Women's Club should be our next venue to publicise the great deal for lady leavers as part of Princethorpe's HMC connection.  The staff at the club really made us welcome.

"It was great to see such a good number of OPs in attendance and the generations mixing with such good humour and fun. We hope everyone had a good time!"

Saturday 21 May 2016 - 6.00pm to 10.30pm

Old Princethorpians, trustees, staff, parents and friends of Princethorpe are invited to join the Headmaster, Ed Hester, for what promises to be an historic and memorable night for the College.

A guided tour of the Commons will be followed by a drinks reception in the Terrace Pavilion and a three course dinner with wine in the magnificent Churchill Dining Room overlooking the Thames.

We are delighted that our guest speaker on the evening will be Mark Pawsey MP for Rugby and Bulkington, a former parent of the College.

Comments Ed Hester, "This inaugural event at the House of Commons will launch the Golden Jubilee celebratory year in true style and we hope to see all those involved with the College over the last fifty years represented on the night."

Tickets for this black tie event will be priced at £145 per head for the tour, drinks reception and three-course dinner with wine.

Optional return coach transport will be available from the College for a small additional charge.

Applications for tickets should be made via the Princethorpe website from Saturday 7 November to Sunday 15 November. Click here to link to the page. Applications will be entered into a ticket lottery and successful applicants will be notified wc 23 November.

Over 18s and only one or two tickets per application please. 

For more information contact goldenjubilee@princethorpe.co.uk.

J2318-House of Commons Dinner Invite 5_Page_2.jpg

Wednesday 2 December 2015 - 7.30pm

The Arts Society is delighted once again to welcome back the former Deputy Head of the College, Margaret-Louise O’Keeffe, for another of her inspirational lectures. 

The lecture will commence at 7.30pm and take place in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre.  The lecture will then be followed by wine and light refreshments in the Atrium.  Please see below for further details and booking procedures.

Renaissance Rome was dominated by the Popes and it was their patronage which was responsible for transforming the city from a disease-ridden, decaying ruin into a dynamic centre of art and learning. Key figures in this transformation were Sixtus IV and his nephew, Julius II, the Medici Popes Leo X and Clement VII, and the brilliant Farnese Paul III.  The city also faced challenges due to the political and religious upheavals of the time.

This slide-illustrated talk will focus on the decoration of the Vatican Palace including the Sistine Chapel with its Quattrocento frescoes by Perugino and his team, and also Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgement, the Borgia Apartments with Pinturicchio's works and Raphael's Stanze and tapestry cartoons. The architecture of the genius Bramante will also get a mention!

Please click here for the booking form.

Sunday 29 November  - 2.00pm to 4.30pm

The College's annual PTA Christmas Fair will take place on Sunday 29 November from 2.00pm to 4.30pm.

As well as the 'must visit' Old Princethorpians stand, there will be an array of stalls full of present ideas, games and activities, festive music and refreshments plus of course Santa in his grotto!

This is a good chance to see the College at a weekend and all the family are very welcome to come along!

Wednesday 11 November - 7.00pm to 9.00pm

Aimed at internal and external prospective Sixth Formers and their parents, this is an opportunity to get an insight into the Sixth Form experience at Princethorpe, to meet staff and members of the Sixth Form and to get specific A-level information and advice.

Individual taster days for prospective external Sixth Formers are available. For more information please contact the Registrar, Mrs Rebecca Bantoft on 01926 634201 or email rebeccabantoft@princethorpe.co.uk. Scholarships and bursaries are available.

Friday 6 November 2015 - 7.30pm

This year's Prize Giving will be held on Friday 6 November in the Butterworth Hall at Warwick Arts Centre beginning at 7.30pm.

Traditionally, the vast majority of last year’s Upper Sixth returns to collect their A-level examination certificates.  Most will have embarked on their first year at university, apprenticeship or employment and this is an opportunity to catch up with the class of 2015.

This year, in addition to an address by our Headmaster, Ed Hester, our guest speaker is the Rt Hon Mark Pawsey, Member of Parliament for Rugby and Bulkington whose son Tom was educated at Princethorpe.

The OPs Committee hosts a special Drinks Reception before the ceremony for the U6 leavers, their parents and other invited guests. This is a very popular occasion and we have a limited number of seats available for any OPs who would like to join us for the Pre-Drinks at 6.30pm in the Helen Martin Studio and later for the ceremony itself.

To secure your seat please RSVP with the number in your party, stating that you are an Old Princethorpian, to carmelhopkins@princethorpe.co.uk by Friday 16 October please.

Thursday 8 October - 10.00am to 3.00pm

Crackley Hall, Princethorpe's junior school and nursery in Kenilworth, is opening its doors for an Open Day on Thursday 8 October from 10.00am to 3.00pm. Parents are now being encouraged to apply for places in Reception in 2016.

This is an opportunity to look around the school and to meet staff and pupils on a normal working day. All are welcome, no need to book.

If you can't make the Open Day but would like to look around, please call our Admissions Secretary, Mrs Angela Barnard on 01926 514444 and come on a day to suit you, we welcome visitors on most days.

For more information visit www.crackleyhall.co.uk

Sunday 4 October from 2.00pm to 5.00pm

The annual College Open Afternoon takes place on Sunday 4 October from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. All are welcome to visit the College and younger visitors are encouraged to participate in the many fun subject related activities around the various departments.

The Headmaster will address visitors during the afternoon and refreshments will be available.

All Old Princethorpians and Friends of Princethorpe welcome.

We have great pleasure in unveiling the OPs events calendar for the forthcoming academic year.

We have tweaked the programme slightly with some new venues being introduced. The Royal Pug in Leamington's Regent Street will be the venue for our local pub meet in March and our London meet will take place in June at The Old Tea Warehouse in the City, a venue that comes highly recommended by other alumni associations. 

The very popular Summer Supper Meeting at the College in June will be aimed this year particularly at the leavers of 1976, 1986, 1996 and 2006 (Year 11 leavers from those cohorts are most welcome too).  We are looking for champions from those years to spread the word, so please get in touch if you are happy to do so.

And the undoubted jewel in the crown of the year will be our first Golden Jubilee event, a tour and dinner, which will take place at the House of Commons on Saturday 21 May 2016.  See separate event listing.

The dates for the next major Golden Jubilee event, the 'Princefest' weekend including the OPs Sports Day are confirmed as Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September 2016.  More details will follow in the New Year, but this will be a must attend event!

All OPs, past parents and staff are welcome to participate in any or all of the events.

Click here to download the calendar or visit the Old Princethorpians section at www.princethorpe.co.uk for more information on Old Princethorpians.

Age: 18

What are you doing now?

I am currently sat on a bus, on my way to Christchurch Airport getting ready to fly out to the Gold Coast, Australia, for a four week holiday, after having lived in New Zealand for five months.

Having finished my time at college the day before, I flew out to NZ on Wednesday 20th May, not having much clue of what was waiting for me on the other side of the world (apart from a rugby team). I arrived in Kurow, which is a very isolated town in the middle of the South Island, and there wasn’t much there apart from a rugby team, sheep, and a pub. Un-coincidentally i ended up working on a sheep and beef station, roughly half the size of Wales for a couple of months which was a big shock compared to being brought up in a city. For the last few months of my trip i was working as a support worker for a guy who was a disabled paraplegic, whilst living in the seaside town of Oamaru, and playing for North Otago which is the 3rd tier of NZ rugby. Back at home I live in Rugby with my mum, and Coventry with my dad.

When were you at Princethorpe?

I was there from Years 7-11, which was 2008-2013 I think!

What was the school like in your day?

I suspect it hasn’t changed much, but what I remember from Princethorpe is the great balance it has between the academic, sport and social sides of school. I think this was really important because it let everyone achieve different things in different fields. Also another stand out for me was the pastoral care that everyone knew was there if needed, which helped people feel safe and happy. 

How did Princethorpe affect the person you are today?

Well first of all I wouldn’t be here, because I wouldn’t have even played rugby if it wasn’t for Princethorpe! I think the Princethorpe ethos did rub off on me a lot in my time there, which is something i proudly carry around with me as a person. I also know I wouldn’t have got the results I did if it wasn’t for the tireless work of the teachers, always wanting to get the best out of everyone.

What advice would you give to your teenage self?

To give some of teachers a break because they must work so hard! And maybe to focus less of what people think of you, and more on what you want to make of yourself.

... And  to do more kicking practice, you can never do enough of that.

Who or What has been the greatest influence on your life?

Apart from family, probably Princethorpe. It wasn’t just one teacher or one moment either, the whole placed changed me a lot. I was adamant when I went there in Year 7 that i wasn’t going to play rugby, as I was football mad. But that soon changed when I was chucked onto the pitch with not much clue -I still remember it to this day.

What keeps you awake at night?

At the moment my phone, because it keeps buzzing and going off because of people trying to contact me, as they’re 12 hours behind. But at home probably my dog, who never wants to stop coming in and out as he pleases.

What has been your proudest moment/greatest achievement so far?

Probably scoring a hat-trick for Kurow. I’ve also got it on dvd and sent it off to a few clubs, which has created a few opportunities for myself, which I’m excited to pursue when I get home. I also helped crutch 10,000 lambs, which was very fulfilling when we finally, finally finished.

What's your biggest indulgence?

My biggest indulgence has got to be clothes, I don’t even buy that many, but spend hours looking and get really involved with it all.

If you had one last meal, what would it be?

Not exactly exotic, but fish and chips with curry sauce, from a proper English chippy.

What is your favourite TV show and why?

I'm a series type of person so this question is difficult! I loved Prison Break but I’ve finished that now. My current favourite is Game Of Thrones, which really sucks because I still haven’t found a way to watch it in NZ so I’m kind of stuck behind everyone else. I read that a lot of the series was filmed in NZ, not that far away from me.

If you could be anywhere right now, where would it be and who would it be with?

A place I have really craved to be since I arrived in NZ, and a place I love going to is the south of Spain. My dad’s got a house there, it's by a real nice town called Estepona which hasn’t been overtook with tourism, so it still has a real nice Spanish culture, and the food there is unbelievable. But still only about 30 minutes from Puerto Benus and Marbella. I'd either be there with my dad and my best mate Jordan, who I’ve been with numerous times; or it would be great to get the lads who I spent all my time with at school back together. The lads I met at college would be pretty cool to go there with too.

Lasting memories of Princethorpe:

God its hard to narrow them down!

I guess especially for me, all the Saturday mornings spent at home and neighbouring schools playing for the jersey. I loved all of that, and its something that I really miss. I remember once Mr Fitt said to us as a group ‘there’s nothing like winning with your mates', which is something that stuck with me because it’s so true. It wasn’t just the rugby though, the cricket, athletics and football were also hugely enjoyable as we always had good teams as we had a talented year. In the athletics, we had Ryan Letts, Luke Bromley, Chris Tolcher and myself, who still to this day have not been beaten in a 4 x 100; we won ISA nationals 4 times I think. We also made it to the Country cricket semi’s one year which was a real good achievement. Towards the end of my time at school I went on the South Africa trip, which still stands out as the best two weeks of my life so far. 

Another one is the great set of mates I made there, we aren’t always seeing each other or talking as a lot of us have gone our separate ways, but when we do its like nothing's changed and we still have a great laugh.

Are you in touch with with any other Old Princethorpians, if so whom?

Yes, I’m in touch with quite a few as it wasn’t long ago that I left. I see Jordan Hallam a lot as ww were best mates, a lot of people question if we’re inseparable sometimes. I also keep in contact with a lot of my old mates over social media because its so easy nowadays. Im still talking to a few of the girls who I was good friends with too, like Zoe Hyland and Sian Davies.

Most importantly what are your thoughts on the World Cup and England's chances?

I think England are at a massive stage now, if they win against Aussie, it proves they can do it under pressure and there's no reason why they can't go all the way. But there's always the all blacks as I have been reminded every day in NZ! Any team who beats them will go on to win it I think.

It was with huge sadness that we learned of Anne Davey’s death in May, after a short illness bravely borne.

Anne and Paul Davey’s first contact with the College was as parents when their daughter Rosie started at the school as one of the first girls to join Year 7. Anne quickly became a stalwart and leading light of the Parents’ Association, helping to organise everything from quiz evenings, murder mysteries and theme nights, to fetes and fairs, which meant that frequently she seemed to spend as much time at Princethorpe as those on the payroll! It was at this point that Anne developed a very strong affinity with the school and it became a place which she loved.

Anne’s gentle warmth, sense of proportion and quick humour rapidly won her many friendships, added to which she and Paul were natural hosts, often throwing parties for friends in their glorious garden, usually in celebration of another year’s committee work well done. They also owned the famous marquee which was loaned for so many Princethorpe events; it seemed to spend more time with the school than with the Daveys!

In 2002 Anne was appointed as College Bursar, a role which she carried out until retirement in 2011, with her characteristic enthusiasm, efficiency and industry, frequently working on Saturdays as well, seeking neither recompense nor recognition. She was able to get on with everyone, regardless of the part they played and her amiable, mildly self-effacing and modest disposition earned universal respect and she became the confidant of many. She seemed to understand young people particularly well, too, often welcoming boarders into their home for school holidays and making sure that the youngsters had their fair share of good parties; many became lifelong friends. Anne was tolerant, good-humoured, immensely patient and kind. When things went wrong she had that unshakable faith that everything would turn out alright, which of course it usually did!

Anne was taken seriously ill in the spring, losing the battle with cancer only a few months later. She had planned her funeral perfectly to be just as she wanted: a lunch-time gathering in The Denbigh Arms followed by the service at St Edith’s Monks Kirby (with firm instructions for any glowing eulogy to be left out) and simple burial in the churchyard, concluding with a marvellous reception back at the family home. Testimony to the esteem in which Anne was held, there were many Princethorpians at her send-off: from colleagues and friends through to other parents and former pupils. It was a sad but also thoroughly uplifting occasion which celebrated Anne’s life so fittingly on a gloriously sunny June afternoon in the Warwickshire countryside, which she so loved.

We send our condolences not only to her family and mother, but especially to Paul and Rosie who also share Anne’s love of Princethorpe.

Congratulations to Lauren Wightman who married Alex Young at St Mary's Cubbington on September 19th 2015.

The pair both attended Princethorpe between 1999 and 2006. The wedding reception was held in a marquee on the lawn of Alex's parents' house.

We wish them every happiness together!

Anthony McMullan, former Princethorpe College pupil between 1993-98, was married to Alison Webber by Father Teddy on the 7th of August 2015 at Princethorpe College.  This was followed by a reception which was held at The Dunchurch Park Hotel.

Following the wedding the newlyweds went on their honeymoon to the West Coast of the USA.

The couple met in 2006 and after many years together Anthony proposed in Mexico in 2013. 

Anthony and Alison now work together for the family business, Homemaker Properties, a property company based in Coventry. 

We wish the happy couple every happiness together!

Sad news reached the OPs at the end of August that Michael or Mick McDermott had passed away peacefully in hospital surrounded by his family - his mother, sisters, Regina Galvin, Maria McDermott, Finola McDermott, and brother, John McDermott after an illness bravely borne.

Our sincere condolences go out to all his family and friends.

OPs Megan Price and Tom Redman, who announced their engagement at the end of September 2014, returned to Princethorpe on Saturday 25 July to exchange their wedding vows.

Megan and Tom, who left Princethorpe in 2008, were blessed with beautiful weather on the day. It was very special, not only for Megan and Tom, but also for their families and friends to celebrate their marriage at Princethorpe College, a place with many happy memories.

We wish them a long and happy future together.

Sophie Roberts and Mark Lewis had a fantastic wedding ceremony in the beautiful Princethorpe Chapel on Saturday 8 August. The summer sunshine and beautiful service was made all the more memorable by spending a day with friends (lots of Old Princethorpians) and family.

Sophie and Mark, who both attended Princethorpe from 1999 to 2006, have many fond memories of their time at the college.  Sophie is now head of early years, teaching at a primary school in Coventry and Mark is an accountant, based in Coventry and Leamington. 

We wish them well in their future life together.

Engagement congratulations go out to Rosannah Kettle and her fiancee Grant Fellows.

Rosannah attended Princethorpe from 2005 - 2009. On leaving she went to study English Language at Aston University (2:1) and then did a law conversion. She is now the Operations Manager at a bullion dealers in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. 

Rosannah met Grant at Princethorpe in 2005, the couple got engaged in January and are getting married on 23 April 2016 on their 10th anniversary. Grant is a web developer and product owner with an e-commerce mobile phone company. 

Congratulations to the happy couple.

Old  Princethorpians were delighted to hear about the successful reunion of Matt Audinwood and Adrian Ray.  After a plea from Matt's mum Sue in the last edition of the OP e-newsletter Adrian came forward and the old friends were put back in touch.

On a rare trip back to England from their home in Capet Town Matt and his family met up with Adrian and his family for a fantastic weekend reunion in July.

Adrian, his wife Claire, daughter Amelia (named after Matt's wife) and baby Nathan met Matt, Amelia, and children Sassie and Benji in The Botanical Gardens, Oxford for a picnic and punting. Then back to Matt's mum's home in Goring on Thames overnight, followed the next day by brunch at The Springs Golf Club in Wallingford.

Comments Sue, "These two grown men, now in their late 40s, were so very sad to say goodbye, vowing to meet up at the next opportunity, thanks so much to OPs for getting them back together!"

Image shows Matt and Amelia on the left, Adrian and Claire on the right.

Earlier in the summer it was a pleasure to show OP Matt Garff, his wife, Nicole, and three children around the College.

Matt is a car dealer in the States and on this short trip to England he and his family took time out of their busy schedule to see the school where he boarded for a couple of years.

Matt described the experience as 'comforting and uplifting' as he walked the corridors for the first time in many years. The family left laden wih Princethorpe sports kit and goodies as souvenirs of their visit.

It was great to hear that Matt is still in touch with many of his peers from the 90s, including Angus Shillinglaw, Mark Wilson, Mikey Knapp, Jonathan Scoble, Matt Morgan and Timothy Morffew.

Since leaving Princethorpe, Chris went up to Nottingham Trent but also played and subsequently captained Bedford Blues Academy, where as scrum half he was awarded Player of the Year.

Chris has trained with Bedford Blues 1st XV all summer and has been given a professional contract with neighbouring club Ampthill. Ampthill is in  the third tier of Rugby in England and has close ties to Bedford Blues and Saracens.

Chris was the only Princethorpian of his year that represented Warwickshire for four consecutive years.

While at Princethorpe he pursued his ambitions at club level and captained Rugby Lions where he captained the Colts. At 17-years old he was called up to the senior Rugby Lions 1st XV to assist in their Junior Cup competition and scored a try in the defeat in the final at Twickenham

Chris' ambition is to concentrate and pursue his professional Rugby career to the highest possible level.

He has commented that the move from Academy to the professional game has been immense and the level of commitment required is demanding.  We will watch his progress with interest.

In September I went to Leeds College of Art to study illustration. For the past year I’ve been developing my style, selling my artwork and doing commissions.

I love to combine my love of football with my art. In March I did an illustration depicting the many hairstyles of David Beckham. It went viral when ‘The Sport Bible’ shared it to their 6.8 million Facebook followers and was featured in an article on the ‘Bleacher Report’.

www.bleacherreport.com/articles/2414016-illustrator-documents-the-history-of-david-beckhams-hair-in-cool-new-artwork

It was great to get so much exposure for my work, my inbox has been busy ever since! This also led to getting involved in a feature in the Nottingham Forest F.C. match-day programme; ‘The Art of the Game’. I did a couple of illustrations for the programme of midfielder Henri Lansbury and manager Dougie Freedman. I was also invited to visit the City Ground for an interview about my work as well as a tour of the stadium.

My website is www.benfarr.wix.com/artist.  I'm always happy to do commissions, my email is ben.farr94@gmail.com.

My work can be bought from www.redbubble.com/people/benfarr.

I am currently in my second year at, Birmingham City University, studying Sound Engineering and Production. The course includes aspects such as live sound, studio sound, coding, acoustics etc. I have started my final year dissertation, and I will be pursuing acoustics.   

I am going to study the characteristics of reed pipes by different organ builders around the world, specifically, the oboe. Everyone has researched the acoustics of flue pipes, but reed pipes are a lot more complex. In terms of collecting the data, I would make small recordings of each individual pipe. I would also gather information such as the scale, tongue thickness and shallot construction. This information is difficult to obtain, as pipes should not be taken out of the wind chest unnecessarily. This means that I would have to get specific details from restorers and organ builders. If I am successful in my research, it will help organ builders around the world.

Last time I wrote for the OP Newsletter I was about to go to RAF Cranwell for my Initial Officer Training.  As anticipated, this thirty weeks was a time of physical, mental and intellectual challenges. After endless drill, inspections, exercises and a lot of lost sleep, I was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in the rank of Flying Officer in June 2015. I was now through to the next phase of my training to be a pilot.

This started with a two week survival course in the North Yorkshire Moors. This was designed to train our small group of student pilots to survive in a “permissive” environment (ie crash landing on land or sea whilst not on operations). The main focus was on ensuring that one could build a shelter, a fire and collect food and water in order for us to survive and be rescued. It was a particularly sobering reminder of the realities of military aviation. The worst bit was the squirrel gravy!

The next stage of my training was Ground School back at Cranwell. This was where we were taught the theory of flight. The course was very varied, including the physics of lift, the complicated systems of airways and air traffic control zones that cover the busy UK airspace and the theory of sortie planning and navigation. This course was six weeks long and particularly intensive, with regular exams that usually had a 90% pass mark.  That being said, any mistakes in the air could be extremely costly.

I recently moved into my new accommodation at RAF Wittering and will soon begin flying a light aircraft (the Grob Tutor) where I will be assessed on my flying ability and aptitude. After about 25 weeks, I will be streamed onto a specialist aircraft type based on my performance. The three streams are Fast Jet (Typhoon, Tornado and F-35), Rotary (Puma, Chinook, etc) and Multi-Engine (Hercules, Sentry, Voyager, Atlas etc). My current aspirations are undecided but I am certain, without a shadow of a doubt, that I have an exciting career ahead of me.

Old Princethorpian, Felicity Hannah, Fliss King-Evans to those who were at Princethorpe with her, scooped a national journalism award this summer.

At an industry event chaired by the BBC's Jeremy Vine, she was named Household Money Journalist of the Year, seeing off some pretty tough competition. Felicity is a consumer rights journalist and now writes for the Independent on Sunday, the Guardian and the Mirror.

I left Princethorpe in 2012 and I cannot believe that I have just completed a three year combined honours degree in Philosophy and Ethics and Christian Theology at Liverpool Hope University. In July, I graduated with a First at Liverpool's Metropolitan Cathedral, or "Paddy's Wigwam" as it is commonly known, and at the same time was honoured to receive the Sir Netar Mallik award for 'outstanding achievement over three years in Theology and Philosophy'. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Liverpool Hope and was privileged enough to have been taught by many leading scholars in my subject, who ultimately drove me towards reaching my full academic potential.

I am particularly proud of my 10,000 word dissertation that I was required to undertake during my final year and was concerned with whether it was possible for humanity to achieve perfection as God is perfect. I found the whole process fascinating and grew to actually find essay writing rather enjoyable! Waking up to discover I had achieved my highest mark in my dissertation was a very pleasant surprise and I hope to expand on this subject further in a Masters course at some point in the years to come.

I had always been anxious about going to university and I was certainly very reluctant to leave Princethorpe behind as I didn't want to lose the inclusive and familiar atmosphere. I soon found that Hope's ethos was incredibly similar to Princethorpe; priding itself on the close ecumenical community it has established and valuing the importance of students not getting lost in a crowded lecture hall. It was always a pleasure to walk into class being well aware that the lecturers knew exactly who you were and what you wanted to achieve and would do whatever they could to make sure you got where you needed to be. I believe I owe much of my degree success to the care and attention my tutors offered me.

I am now set to begin a PGCE in Primary Teaching at the University of Warwick from September. I am very much looking forward to getting started and I cannot wait to see the rewarding results at the end of such an intensive year. In the meantime, I have been keeping myself busy as an assistant in Princethorpe's Uniform Shop and it is very nostalgic seeing all of the new Year 7s trying on their school uniform for the first time, 10 years after I experienced the same nervous excitement. As I enter the world of work I know I go with the values both Princethorpe and Hope have ingrained in me both in my work ethic and as a person, and I will be forever grateful for the tremendous support I have received up until this point.

Rory Rooney and Sacha Galloway (2004-2011) headed down under on Wednesday 16 September. Flying into Sydney, they intend to stay with friends and family but also to travel the East Coast of Australia and maybe pop into the outback and visit Uluru. As both are keen skiers they would also like to see what the New Zealand ski season has to offer.

Sacha comments on their trip, “Our main purpose for the journey is to relax, take in the sights and experience as much as we can that Australia has to offer before Rory heads off to University and I transcend into the world of work. We’d like to thank everyone at Princethorpe since 2004 for your support, friendship and the fantastic education we have had.”

Both have been familiar faces around Princethorpe since they left in 2011, Rory staying on as a GTA and then working with the Estates Department. On his return from Australia he will go to The University of Sheffield to study Product Design. Sacha, who has just obtained a First in Information Technology Management from Sheffield Hallum University, returned to Princethorpe in 2013 to complete a year long work placement. On completing his degree, he has spent the summer in the Princethorpe Estates department earning his travel money.

We wish them well on their fantastic trip.

Lexy Neal

I just graduated from the University of Exeter with a 2:1 in a BSc Psychology. Proudly achieved a First Class dissertation when conducting research into the link between parental depression and child guilt, shame and self-esteem.

In September I will be starting a job at Birmingham Children's Hospital as a Clinical Support Worker in their Parkview Clinic. This is a hospital for young people aged 11-18 who have a range of different mental health problems. I am soooo sooo excited to start! 

Laura Newitt

Congratulations to Laura who graduated with a first in Physiotherapy from Cardiff University in July. She's now going on to do medicine at Southampton University. Click on the gallery to see a picture of Laura.

Congratulations to all the OPs who graduated this summer.

Martin Gallagher recently got in touch to let us know of a great night he and a small group of OP friends from the 80s had in July at The Almanack in Kenilworth. Martin left Princethorpe in 1986 in Year 11 and some of the other guys stayed on until the end of Sixth Form in 1988.

Comments Martin, "It was a fantastic evening, catchig up with some of my old school mates - some I haven't seen for 29 years. We were only a small group om the night but we vowed to meet on a more regular basis & increase the numbers.

He added, "There were some great stories shared. Please let Mr Darkes know we haven't let him down!!"

If you'd like to join Martin and Co the next time they meet up email oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk and we will put you in contact.

Image shows from left to right: Steve Doherty, Paul Maudis, John Reading, Mark Brennan, Nick Bennett, Martin Gallagher, Martin Cakebread, Philip Kedward.

Old Princethorpian and best selling author Mark Woods published his latest book 'Planet Parent' in June. 

The book aims to find out who are the world's best parents. A unique and entertaining journey to gather together the best parenting techniques from across the globe, Planet Parent takes you through the highs and lows of raising children with the world itself as your wise guide. 

From morning sickness and fussy eaters to iPad addicts, education dilemmas and tumultuously tricky teenagers, the core challenges facing parents are strikingly similar the world over – but the way in which each country and culture deals with them is often astonishingly different.

In Planet Parent, Mark Woods looks in every corner of the globe to find the very best parenting tips and from the lowdown on early potty training success in China, which countries still co sleep and exactly why French kids eat their greens rather than throw them. The world's best school systems are also given a thorough going into with the wildly differing but equally successful Scandinavian and SE Asian models compared. Then there's the small matter of what former Apple boss Steve Jobs thought about the screen time his own children should be allowed! 

The result is a funny, fascinating book, which will be an invaluable source of wisdom and advice for parents everywhere.

Inspired by the birth of his first son Mark wrote Pregnancy for Men which soon became an international bestseller translated into multiple languages with the Chinese version in particular becoming a big hit with parents. Now Mark has taken this international perspective one step further and unearthed the best global perspectives on everything from fertility, pregnancy, sleep and feeding to learning, discipline and much more - all covered in the humorous, accessible, concise style that has already seen his books so well received by mothers and fathers alike across a host of different countries.

Available primarily in English, Planet Parent is published by White Ladder Press and is already being translated into Chinese, with many other translations expected.