Princethorpe College Review 2026: Catholic Education in the Warwickshire Countryside

The red-brick tower of Princethorpe's Pugin Chapel emerges from 200 acres of Warwickshire parkland like a beacon anchoring the school's Catholic identity. What began in 1966 when the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart relocated from Leamington Spa has grown into a thriving co-educational day school of roughly 900 students. The academic results place it comfortably in the top 11% of schools in England (FindMySchool ranking), yet what distinguishes Princethorpe is not rankings alone but a deliberate integration of faith, rigour, and pastoral depth. The ISI inspection concluded in September 2025 that the school fully met all standards; inspectors specifically noted that teaching is characterised by "effective planning, responsive classroom practice and the use of varied strategies that promote engagement and skill development."

The campus itself tells a story. Built on land that housed a Benedictine priory from 1833 onwards, Princethorpe occupies buildings that blend Victorian and modern architecture. That historical weight, combined with the sprawling countryside setting, creates an atmosphere distinct from suburban schools. Students move purposefully between lessons. The campus feels calm and focused without being austere.

Headmaster Grove du Toit leads with a philosophy centred on two simple rules: be kind and try your very best. The vertical house system, Austin, Benet, Fisher, and More, named after Catholic saints, means Year 7 pupils sit alongside sixth-formers in tutorial groups, fostering cross-age mentoring and a sense of family. The oldest pupils act as ambassadors and role models, a structure that enriches younger pupils and deepens leadership within the sixth form.

The Catholic character is genuine and pervasive. Daily Mass for Year 10 and above, weekly assemblies rooted in Catholic social teaching, and regular Eucharistic celebrations mark the rhythm of the year. The school motto, Christus Regnet (Christ Reigns), derives not from empty tradition but from the founding vision of Jules Chevalier, the MSC founder whose spirituality of the heart underlies institutional culture. For families of all faiths, and the school welcomes them explicitly, this religious context is transparent and neither hidden nor apologised for.

GCSE Performance

In 2024, 45% of GCSE grades fell within grades 9–7, performing above the England average of 54% (FindMySchool data). With 28% achieving the very highest grades (9–8) and 17% at grade 7, the headline figures show consistent strength. The school ranks 488th for GCSE outcomes, placing it in the top 11% in England and 3rd locally among Rugby schools.

Progress matters as much as raw attainment. The school's approach to pupil pathways and the breadth of subject choice ensure students move forward from their starting points. The broad curriculum, Latin and Greek available at GCSE, sciences taught separately, a full range of humanities and arts, reflects confidence that intellectual challenge need not narrow the student experience.

A-Level Performance

The sixth form yields stronger results than the lower school. In 2024, 66% of A-level grades achieved A*–B, well above the England average of 47%. Single A* grades account for 13% of entries, suggesting genuine mastery rather than grade inflation. The school ranks 474th for A-level performance (top 18% in England), reflecting consistent delivery at post-16.

Beyond numbers, university progression tells the fuller story. In 2024, 63% of sixth form leavers progressed to university, with one student securing a place at Cambridge and eight additional students winning offers from Russell Group institutions. Destinations included Durham, Bristol, Exeter, and Edinburgh, alongside Imperial College and UCL. These patterns suggest Princethorpe students are not only achieving grades but translating them into genuine competitive advantage at top universities.

Teaching follows structured, knowledge-rich approaches. The curriculum integrates Catholic values without compromising academic ambition. Religious education goes beyond theology to explore ethics, meaning, and identity, subjects that engage sixth-formers deeply. Science teaching benefits from a newly completed Science Centre (opened 2023), equipped with contemporary lab facilities that enable practical, inquiry-based learning.

Class sizes remain manageable. The vertical tutor groups foster personalised pastoral oversight. Each tutor group comprises four to five pupils from Years 7–11 plus a co-tutor, creating close relationships across age bands. Inspectors found that pupils "feel supported and challenged in their learning" and "gain the confidence and competence needed to thrive."

Setting in core subjects begins in Year 4 (primary), creating differentiated pathways by Year 7. Subject specialists teach from the outset, and the range of qualifications available, including IB pathway options at sixth form, signals flexibility around diverse student trajectories.

Progression to university dominates the sixth form pathway. 63% of 2024 leavers entered university, compared with 2% proceeding to further education and 3% to apprenticeships. For context, the school's university progression rate sits well above national averages for independent schools. The Russell Group representation, with students regularly winning places at Durham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Warwick, and UCL, indicates that Princethorpe students are competing successfully in selective admissions.

Oxbridge representation is modest but present. The single Cambridge acceptance from six applications in recent years reflects the school's academic seriousness without suggesting Oxbridge is a pipeline. More characteristic are strong outcomes at researchintensive universities, indicating that the school positions students effectively for institutions where intellectual engagement matters.

The dedicated careers programme operates through Years 10–13. A biennial Careers Fair attracts speakers from law, medicine, engineering, finance, and public service. Old Princethorpians volunteer extensively as mentors and advisors, creating pathways into professional networks. The University and Careers section of the school's website maintains live destination data and tracks alumni progression, a transparency that many independent schools lack.

Drama and Creative Arts

The Clarkson Theatre provides the home for drama, a programme that extends beyond performance to embrace student-led production and technical training. Recent years have seen ambitious stagings of rock musicals, small-scale experimental work, and full productions involving orchestral accompaniment. Drama clubs operate twice weekly, one for Years 7–9, another for Years 10–Sixth Form, with LAMDA tuition available through external specialists. The annual House Talent Show provides platforms for solo performers, while the Christmas Carol Service and Prize Giving ceremonies offer additional performance opportunities throughout the year.

Music Ensembles and Performance

Music thrives across multiple ensembles. The chapel choir, open to all, rehearses weekly and performs at services; a more selective chamber choir tours and undertakes ambitious repertoire. The school orchestra, wind band, and jazz ensemble cater to diverse instruments and abilities. Spring Concerts and the annual Christmas Soirée showcase student musicianship, whilst House singing competitions embed music into the pastoral calendar. Individual instrumental and vocal lessons are available in piano, organ, guitar, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, cornet, French horn, trombone, tuba, violin, viola, cello, and double bass, a roster that reflects serious music provision.

Sports: Breadth and Excellence

Sport features prominently. Every pupil participates in PE and games throughout Years 7–13. Games sessions occupy 100 minutes weekly and rotate through five sports each term: boys rotate through rugby, hockey, football, cricket, athletics, and tennis across the year; girls experience hockey, netball, cross-country, athletics, tennis, and cricket. An elite sports programme identifies the top 60 pupils across years and provides structured support, mentoring, and competition access. County, regional, and international representation is common; Old Princethorpian Ian Bell played international cricket, a connection the school clearly celebrates.

Facilities include an impressive Sports Hall (badminton court-sized, with indoor cricket nets), a Fitness Suite with free weights and cardio equipment, a climbing wall, floodlit all-weather pitch, floodlit netball and tennis courts, 60+ acres of games pitches, and an internationally recognised cross-country course. The scope suggests Princethorpe takes physical development seriously. Sixth form scholarships recognise sporting excellence, and the Sports Leadership Award programme trains students in coaching, refereeing, and event organisation from Key Stage 4 onwards.

Clubs and Societies: Intellectual and Creative

Over 40 non-sporting clubs operate on a termly basis, available during lunch or after school. The Chess Club meets weekly and welcomes all abilities. The Debating Society develops public speaking and argumentation, particularly for older students. Model United Nations engages those interested in global affairs and diplomacy. The Poetry Club and Photography Club cater to creative interests. The Electric Car Club and Beekeeping Club encourage technical and environmental exploration. Planet Princethorpe (also known as Eco-Action or the Green Team) coordinates environmental initiatives including the Precious Plastics project, a waste-reduction initiative that evidences genuine engagement with sustainability rather than tokenism.

Community service forms a key theme. Youth SVP (Society of Saint Vincent de Paul) comprises sixth-formers who volunteer at care homes, visit Granger's Club for people with learning difficulties, support local primary schools, and organise the Christmas Shoebox Appeal and collections for the Leamington Night Shelter. Since 2008, the school community has raised over £70,000 for Mary's Meals, a Scottish charity providing daily meals in sub-Saharan Africa. Annual house charities and fundraising events embed giving into the pastoral culture.

The House system generates additional activities. Inter-house competitions in sporting, academic, performing arts, and social categories accumulate points toward the House Cup. House Activity Days, House Charity Days, and the House Talent Show create competitive yet collaborative engagement with school life beyond the classroom.

Tuition fees for 2025–26 are £6,199.20 per term, payable in advance. Annual cost thus equals approximately £18,597. A registration fee of £90 and returnable deposit of £400 apply. Lunch is pre-paid through a biometric system; Sixth Form Common Room levy is £24 annually; Parent-Teacher Association levy is £6.

Sibling discounts apply automatically: the youngest sibling pays full fees, second and third siblings receive 5% discount, and fourth and subsequent siblings receive 10% discount. These discounts apply across Foundation schools (Princethorpe College, Crackley Hall, Crescent School) but exclude nursery attendees.

Additional costs include instrumental and LAMDA tuition (negotiated separately with tutors), learning support tuition (£23.69 per session for group work, £45.36 for individual 1:1 tuition), and optional trips. Fees in Advance scheme offers 2% annual discount for those pre-paying.

The Foundation reduced fees from January 2025 to mitigate VAT increases, a signal of commitment to keeping fees affordable. Bursaries and scholarships exist, though the school does not publish the percentage of pupils receiving support or specific income thresholds.

Entry at Year 7 is selective, based on entrance examination and interview. The 2026 admissions cycle registration closed on 26 September 2025, with entrance exams held on 8 November 2025. Offers posted on 27 November. The school welcomes pupils from its junior school, Crackley Hall, and from maintained and independent primary schools within a 30-mile radius.

The school welcomes children of all faiths and backgrounds, a point emphasised consistently in admissions materials. Nevertheless, the Catholic ethos is integral, and families uncomfortable with daily prayer, regular Masses, and Catholic religious education should consider alternatives.

Scholarship and bursary applications use the same registration deadline as standard admissions. Scholarships are offered for academic achievement, music, sport, art, and drama; these typically carry 10–25% fee remission. Bursaries are means-tested and reviewed annually, with the school committed to widening access. The Foundation has invested substantially in bursary provision, though exact percentages of pupils receiving support are not published.

Entry at Year 8, 9, and 10 is also possible via entrance examination and interview. Sixth form entry requires standard GCSE results (typically grade 5 or above in key subjects) and interview; external candidates compete alongside internal progression.

Pastoral provision is a recognised strength. The vertical tutor group system ensures continuity and relationship-depth. Heads of House, Adam Rickart (Austin), Faye Roberts (Benet), Louisa Fielding (Fisher), and Lizzie Casey (More), manage day-to-day pastoral oversight alongside dedicated form tutors and co-tutors. A "pastoral corridor" staffed by house heads and SEND specialists ensures pupils have accessible points of contact.

Mental health and counselling services are available, though specific staffing ratios and provision details are not published on the school website. Behaviour is calm and consistent; uniform policies are formal (including gowns for sixth-formers at formal occasions), and mobile phones are restricted in Years 7–9, stored in lockers, with sixth-formers permitted phone use only in the Sixth Form Centre.

The school environment, according to the 2025 ISI inspection, is "calm and purposeful." Pupils demonstrate "a strong sense of moral responsibility," encouraged by the core values of kindness and effort.

School hours are 8:30am to 3:30pm, with school open from 7:30am to 6:00pm. Before-school provision is free; after-school prep is free until 6:00pm, with a charge of £10 per half-hour thereafter. Many pupils participate in co-curricular activities during this window, reducing childcare burden.

Transport is not provided by the school; pupils arrange their own travel or use commercial bus services. The school sits between Rugby and Leamington Spa, accessible via the A44. For those outside walking distance, buses operate from across Warwickshire and surrounding regions.

Uniform is formal and compulsory through Upper Sixth. Sixth-formers wear gowns at formal occasions and assemblies, a tradition that signals identity and community.

Faith commitment expected. The school's Catholic character is genuine and integral. Daily prayer, regular Mass, and Catholic religious education permeate school life. Families uncomfortable with explicit religious practice and teaching should look elsewhere, despite the school's welcome of pupils of all faiths.

Selective intake. Entry is via entrance examination and interview. While the school is not academically selective in the way grammar schools are, ability to pass entrance exams does mean the cohort is academically confident. Pupils who struggle with test conditions or who require significant SEND provision may find the admissions process challenging.

Fees and financial access. At £18,600 annually, fees exceed many state alternatives but sit mid-range for independent schools. Bursary availability is real but limited in scale. Families without significant financial cushion should carefully assess affordability before proceeding.

Remote location. The Warwickshire countryside location is an asset for campus atmosphere but a liability for commuters. Some pupils travel over an hour each way, which can be tiring. Families should verify transport feasibility before registering.

Princethorpe College delivers Catholic education that integrates faith with intellectual rigour, achieving results that rival secular alternatives whilst maintaining distinctive pastoral and spiritual priorities. The 900-pupil cohort, housed in beautiful countryside, benefits from strong teaching, well-resourced facilities, and a palpable culture of community. The house system fosters genuine relationships across age bands, and co-curricular provision, 40+ clubs, multiple drama productions, elite sports pathways, ensures breadth and depth beyond examinations.

Best suited to families seeking a Catholic education that is serious about both faith and achievement, comfortable with selective entry and formal traditions, and living within roughly 30 miles of the campus. The school is not a pipeline to Oxbridge, nor does it market itself as such; rather, it aims to develop well-educated, morally thoughtful young people ready for citizenship and professional contribution. For those whose values align with its mission, Princethorpe delivers handsomely on that promise.