The Courier

Much excitement in Year 6 today with a visit to the large pond located in the small woodland, known as Switzerland, at Princethorpe College, for the final testing of pupils' latest DT projects. Year 6 have been working hard with Science and DT Teacher, Mrs Johnson, to design and make a vessel to travel on water. It’s been a super challenge, that has allowed them to investigate real problems from today’s world. With the expert help of Mr Knowles the boats were all launched on the lake for a test run. There was great excitement as most of the boats travelled successfully across the lake. Pupils had worked in groups to create unique designs which were powered in different ways. Mrs Johnson was really impressed with the skills, creativity and resilience shown by all. Well done everyone and go team Crescent!

Crescent was delighted to feature as BBC CWR‘s Star School this week and to hear our amazing pupils being interviewed by BBC Reporter Dan Sambell.

Year 5 pupils, Max T, Toni O, Maya T and Patrick B, and School Caretaker, Mr Knowles, confidently answered all his questions, sharing their views on the news, taking him on a tour of the school, and even teaching him a thing or too.

If you missed any of the episodes you can catch up on BBC Sounds, search for CWR Breakfast with Phil Upton, and the Star School feature is on at 8.25am.

BBC Sounds

We are delighted to announce that Rebecca Iley has been appointed to the new role of Head of Business Services for The Princethorpe Foundation.

A qualified management accountant and teacher, Rebecca joins us from Activate Learning FE College Group in Banbury, where she has worked for the past ten years, most recently as Director of Business Engagement and Employability. She has also held positions within Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance for ten years.

She impressed the interview panel with the combination of her education and commercial experience and her ability to juggle an extensive work portfolio, alongside her busy family life and volunteering commitments, including being Director of Banbury Chambers of Commerce and Chair of Governors of a local Catholic primary school.

Rebecca is no stranger to the Foundation as her three children attend Princethorpe College in Years 7, 10 and Lower Sixth.

She will take on her new role in October, enabling a handover with Foundation Bursar, Eddie Tolcher, who is retiring in December, although he will continue to support the work of the Foundation.

Ed Hester, Foundation Principal, comments, “We were looking for someone with exceptional personal qualities and abilities, with a wide range of skills, who was aligned with our ethos, and we have found just that in Rebecca.

She came top of a very strong field of shortlisted candidates and the interview panel was unanimous in support of her. We are absolutely delighted that she has agreed to join us, and I am sure she will make a real impact in this new role, which will be instrumental in helping us deliver our strategic plan for the Foundation.”

Comments Rebecca, “I am thrilled to have been offered the role of Head of Business Services. To have the opportunity to be part of an educational Foundation that I truly believe in is both exciting and a great privilege and I look forward to working closely with Ed and the team.”

Following on from last week’s ISA Tennis, Mrs McCollin was delighted to receive the news that the U9 Girls team had performed so well that they were awarded the trophy for first placed school. Pictured here are our winning team, Isabella J, Charlotte W, Ella B and Kiran T, many congratulations to them all!

To mark Autism Pride day on Tuesday 18 June, Chef Mrs Miliopoulos and her fabulous team baked these amazing jigsaw biscuits for all our pupils to enjoy.

Princethorpe has a familiar face joining its Admissions Team. OP Georgia Newborough has returned to the College to take on the role of Assistant Registrar. She will be working 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.

She starts her Admissions journey welcoming and supporting pupils new to Princethorpe when they visit us next week for their Induction Day. She will then be working alongside Catherine as the Admissions team prepares for the new school year and their next big Open Event, which takes place on Sunday 15 September 2024 from 2.00pm to 5.00pm.

You can get in touch with Admissions by email admissions@princethorpe.co.uk or call 01926 634201/297 and they will be happy to help you.