Princethorpe College is a co-educational 11-18 independent Catholic day school with around 900 students, 200 of whom are in the Sixth Form.
Christ’s teaching in the Gospels on love, service, forgiveness and generosity of spirit is central to the school’s character and approach to learning. Welcoming children of all denominations, we aim to provide a caring, stimulating environment in which children’s individual needs can be met and their talents, confidence and self esteem developed.
We aim to encourage a lifelong love of learning and an understanding of moral values, and to put young people on the road to happy and fulfilled lives.
A relatively young school, Princethorpe was established in 1966 by the Catholic Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, who moved their expanding boys’ boarding and day school, St Bede’s, from Leamington Spa to Princethorpe, taking over the former St Mary’s Priory, previously home to an order of Benedictine Nuns.
It is from the MSC’s founder, Jules Chevalier, and our college motto ‘Christus Regnet’, that we draw the continued inspiration for our community’s ethos.
“Ours is a spirit of family
and a spirit of brotherhood
formed by kindness and understanding
by compromise and mutual forgiveness
by gentleness, humility and simplicity
by hospitality and a sense of humour.”
Princethorpe College opened in September 1966 after the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSCs), purchased the site to use as the senior school for their already established boys’ school, St Bede’s College in Leamington Spa.
It was officially opened on Wednesday 26 April 1967 by the Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Rev. George Patrick Dwyer, who encouraged the MSCs to develop both the boys’ academic knowledge and their character. The St Bede’s College campus fully closed in 1976 with all of the pupils transferring to Princethorpe and, as a tribute to the original school, the sports hall was named St Bede’s when it was opened in 1978.