Friday 17 January 2025

Head’s Welcome

Welcome back to the start of the Lent Term.  I am pleased to report the students have adapted well to the change of pace after the Christmas holiday and that the benefits of the rest are evident. I returned to an inbox full of proposals offering support to manage school changes, mergers, acquisitions by groups and, sadly, closures - a clear reflection of the climate the College is currently operating in. 

CAMPUS 2030: Thank you to all parents who have contributed to the Campus 2030 consultation this week.  Whilst I appreciate change is unsettling, doing nothing and hoping we are immune to the challenges facing the sector would not be the right thing to do. My role as custodian of the College is to turn threat into opportunity, to lead Pangbourne to get ahead of the sector and provide our students with an incredible educational experience whilst staying true to our heritage.  

PROPOSED SPORTS STRATEGY: Last Friday, as part of the wider Campus 2030 plans,  the College hosted a Sport Consultation Briefing for parents to discuss the future of sport at Pangbourne. If you were unable to attend, this document and video  summarise the discussion - Mr Hewick and I have a new found respect for those who present sport or Match of the Day! We would value parental input on the proposal, please share your feedback via this form. The final plans will be shared ahead of the Summer Term.

COLLEGE SUNDAY: I am very excited to be welcoming Colonel Tom Parsons MBE, Chief of Staff and AD Leadership, as our Guest of Honour and Inspecting Officer this Sunday. The practice on Thursday went well. Thank you to Mr Radford for helping me improve my eye and to ensure the highest standards are met. The weather seems good, a little overcast but currently looks dry (although as a former Naval College a little rain should not be a problem for us)  and so I look forward to welcoming everyone onsite. 

Best wishes

Oliver Knight

COLLEGE NEWS THIS WEEK

Year 7 Trip to Williams F1 in Oxfordshire

On 15 January, Year 7 attended a trip to Williams F1 in Grove, Oxfordshire.

Similar to when our Year 8 pupils visited last month, they got the opportunity to learn more about the science behind crumple zones and deceleration, before producing a number of models to test their learning.

The pupils were very excited to be able to have a go on a racing simulator, and visit the largest private collection of F1 cars in the world.

Overall, they had a wonderful day, and learnt a lot about the types of careers available in the F1 industry, and STEM as a whole.

Year 7 Reading Challenge Awards

Well done to all of the pupils who received their Reading Challenge certificates in their English lesson this week. Congratulations to the following students on their awards:

The Gold Award (read 9 books and do a task for each):

Jessica

The Silver Award (read 6 books and do a task for each):

Alexa, Noah, Alexander and Oscar

The Bronze Award (read 4 books and do a task for each):

Isla, George, Sophie, Alexander, Kitty, Wilf, Jago, Ruby, Lloyd, Niamh, Henry, Yaz, Hendro and Elizabeth


Charlotte Drake Society Careers Networking Event

On Monday 27 January, 18:30-21:00, we are holding a Women’s Career Networking Event.  There will be an amazing selection of interesting delegates attending to talk to the girls in a 'speed-networking' style event, introducing them to a multitude of career pathways. We hope this will inspire our girls and help them to understand how their programme of study and aspirations for higher education will help shape and support their future careers. 

Upper Sixth Geography Trip to Milford-on-Sea

Upper Sixth Geography students have been out on the South Coast, tracking the processes at work in a sediment cell and travelling back in time through 250 million years of geology. It was a really valuable trip to the sea and enjoyed by all who attended.

Sunday 19 January, 09:00-12:00
College Sunday #4
Chapel/ Parade Ground/ Devitt House

Sunday 19 January, 13:30-16:00
Boarders Reading Trip

Thursday 23 January, 18:45-19:30
Senior Div Quiz: Final
NHRH or Chapel

Friday 24 January 16:45
Overnight Leave

Friday 24 January, 16:45-20:00
Year 10 Parents' and Guardians' Meeting
Drake Hall

Friday 24 January, 19:00-22:30
Port Jackson Divisional Dinner
Goring and Streatley Golf Club

Friday 24 January, 16:40
Y10 Parents’ and Guardians’ Meeting
Drake Hall

Saturday 25 January
Overnight Leave

Sunday 26 January
Overnight Leave

Monday 27 January, 18:30-21:30
Charlotte Drake Society Careers Event

Thursday 30 January, 19:00
Lower Sixth Careers and UCAS webinar

Monday 10 February, 19:00
College Production: Opening Night
Drake Hall

Monday 11 February, 19:00
College Production: Middle Night
Drake Hall

Monday 12 February, 19:00
College Production: Final Night
Drake Hall

Friday 14 February, 16:00
Lower Sixth Parents’ and Guardians’ Meeting
Drake Hall

UPCOMING EVENTS

NOTICES

  • The Core Knowledge booklets for the Lent term are available on the Portal. The mastery quizzing this term will be based on the content of the booklets. Pupils will also be given a hard copy. The booklets can be found here.

  • Please can we remind parents who collect their children by car to take care on the Parade Ground during these darker winter months. The speed limit from the Mess Hall is 10 miles an hour.  In addition, can we remind parents that there is a crossing near the Mess Hall that pupils will be using and that the white line in front of Illawarra is for pupils to walk safely to their Divisions.

    Thank you for your cooperation.

  • Tickets for the College Production are free. Please follow the links below to register for your tickets.

    Tickets for Opening Night (10 February 2025)

    Tickets for Middle Night (11 February 2025)

    Tickets for Final Night (12 February 2025)

  • A guideline to timings for this Sunday are as follows:

    09:00 College Choir and Chamber Choir in their No.1s in Chapel

    09:00 Year 9 to Upper Sixth in their Divisions (this is to allow time to change into No.1 uniform)

    10:00 Chapel Service (all parents and guardians are welcome)

    10:45 Service ends

    11:15 Parade begins

    12:00 Parade ends

    For safety reasons there will be no access to the Parade Ground from 09:00.

    Parking will be along the verges towards White’s Playing Field. Disabled parking will be available at the Café car park. Staff will be in place at the mini-roundabout to direct parents.

    Refreshments will be served in Mess Hall from 10:45.

    The Café will also be open for the purchase of refreshments from 09:00.

  • The Chaplain is running confirmation classes this term for anyone interested in investigating this next step of faith. You may want to have a conversation with your child over the weekend to encourage them. There are two different times available on a Tuesday, 16:45-17:15 or 18:30-19:00. Please email the Chaplain, neil.jeffers@pangbourne.com, if you have further questions.

  • Between February and December 2025 essential repairs are taking place to one of Bradfield College’s grade II listed boarding houses. This will result in traffic restrictions (closures and temporary lights) on Ashampstead Road through Bradfield.

  • West Berkshire is offering free autism and ADHD advice workshops for those interested.

    The following workshops are available for parents of autistic young people aged 11 to 18, along with the password required to book, in bold. These sessions are also all 10:00-11.30. 

    Parenting Special Children is also providing ADHD advice workshops and two follow-up workshops for the service that are open to parents and carers of autistic and/or ADHD children who are registered with GPs in the Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire areas: 

    • 24 February - 27 February - U6 Trial Exams Part 2 (A Level subjects only)

    • 24 February - 3 March - Y11 Trial Exams Part 2

    • 4 March - 16:40 -  Y9 Parents' and Guardians' Meeting (focus on GCSE choices) - Drake Hall

    • 13 March - Year 9 GCSE Options Submission Deadline

    • 14 March - 16:40 -  Y11 Parents' and Guardians' Meeting - Drake Hall

    • 18 March - Y11 Sixth Form Options Submission Deadline

Years 9 -11

    • The second set of Y11 Trials will be taking place after half term (week commencing 24 February). Information on how to support revision at home can be found in this webinar recording from earlier in the year. The timetable will be published next week.

  • Study Leave for GCSEs in the summer will commence after Half Term. Lessons will continue and attendance will be expected until 23 May. These lessons will focus on crucial topic revision and examination skills. If a subject completes all of its exams before half term then those lessons will become supervised study periods.

SIXTH FORM

  • Future Thought Leaders is an essay competition and summer leadership programme aimed at helping young people think analytically about the challenges their generation will face over the coming decades. The Patron is Sir Anthony Seldon. The deadline for the essay competition is 1 February.


    Both the essay competition and leadership programme is relevant to ambitious STEM pupils who want to think more deeply about the ethical implications of developments in their fields (or who may be asked to do so at university interviews). It would also be relevant to humanities and social science pupils applying to degrees like law, politics, philosophy, economics, or PPE.

    Pupils pursuing careers in medicine or law are particularly encouraged to apply, given the technological upheavals that are likely to transform these fields. 

    For 30% off enter ‘Pangbourne College’ on the application form to be charged the discounted price if your application is successful.

  • There will be a parent webinar on Thursday, 30 January for parents of Lower Sixth pupils. This will outline the support and guidance pupils will receive in relation to careers and university applications. It will be delivered by Ms Kaur (Head of Sixth Form) and Mr Nel (Head of Careers). Parents can register for this webinar here.

    • The second set of Upper Sixth Trials will be taking place after half term (week commencing 24 February). Information on how to support revision at home can be found in this webinar recording from earlier in the year. The timetable will be published next week. Please note that lessons for subjects not being examined in this set of Trials (all BTEC subjects, Art and Photography) will continue during exam week.

  • Study Leave in the summer will commence after Half Term. Lessons will continue and attendance will be expected until 23 May. These lessons will focus on crucial topic revision and examination skills.

  • Despite the cold weather, we have had a really positive start to the new term, and it is great to have the House buzzing again. Following on from the Year 8s last term, it was the Year 7 pupils who had the opportunity to visit the Williams F1 HQ this week, and by all accounts it was a great day out. It will be a College Sunday this weekend, and as ever all Dunbar parents and pupils are warmly invited to join us and see the spectacle that is a Pangbourne College Parade.

    It has been wonderful to have Louise Tremlett join us after Christmas as our new Assistant Housemistress, and the Dunbar pupils have made her (and Sala, her Spaniel!) very welcome. 

    The Watch Captains met with our new Director of Music this week to start planning their performances for the Dunbar Inter-Watch Music Competition which is due to take place on the evening of Thursday 13 February - more details will come out from the Music Department about that event in due course, but for now pencil it into your diaries.

    Best wishes as always, Ian

    Dr Ian Hart


  • It is good to be back after the Christmas break and to hear about the various trips and holiday experiences. It has been a productive start to the Lent term, the boys have come back in good spirits with a number of them entering straight into exams. A large number of the cohort will have the second half of their trials later this term and the focus is really on quality of effort from all. 

    I was really impressed with our much improved academic performance last term, a number of the boys are really putting in good levels of effort with their lessons and independent learning, this has been reflected with our highest position for a number of years in the Headmaster’s cup standings. I hope the momentum is gathering and look forward to the results at the end of the term.

    A huge thank you to the boys who represented us in the Divisional Quiz this week against a strong PJ team. A very high scoring and entertaining quiz losing out in the end by 230 to 160. There is still hope as it is the top two points scores that make the final from the three rounds. Well done to Alex, Josh, Max W and Max M for stepping up and thank you to the subs bench and supporters who came to watch.

    We have two College Sundays this term, the first of which is this week. We have been encouraging the boys to take responsibility for getting themselves ready so we can build on winning parade from our last outing. We are looking forward to catching up with you all on the parade ground afterwards.

    We have our Divisional Dinner being held on Saturday 7 June for parents and guardians of all students of Harbinger as well as the Upper Sixth students. It will be held at Goring and Streatley Golf Club. Please do book your place here.

    Andrew Sumner

  • It has been a good start to the term after the Christmas break and all the pupils have returned in good spirits. I was impressed with their attitude during the Parade Practice on Wednesday and hope that this follows through into the Parade on Sunday, the first of 2025.

    At the end of last term, in the Head’s assembly, the Division managed to retain the Divisional sports cup for the Michaelmas Term. This was achieved through 100% effort from all of the boys in the range of events that spanned the term. A great achievement for all of the boys.

    The house quiz team will be facing Illawarra in round 1 of the Divisional Quiz competition on Monday and following last year's excellent performance we are hopeful to do well again this year. I will update you all in our next newsletter.

    Just a reminder if you are returning to the boarding house on a Sunday that return time is always from 19:00 for both normal weekends and overnight leave weekends as well

    On Saturday 8 February we have the Hesperus Divisional dinner for all Parents of pupils in the Division as well as the Upper Sixth Pupils. Please can I ask you to book your place at the dinner at the link here.

    Tom Cheney

  • It’s been a fantastic start to the term after the Christmas break, and it’s great to see all the pupils back and in such high spirits! I was especially impressed with their energy and focus during Wednesday’s Parade Practice. I’m confident this will shine through at Parade this Sunday.

    A special highlight from last term was the Head’s Assembly, where our Division proudly retained the Headmaster’s Cup. It’s always wonderful to see how, despite being the slightly smaller girls’ division, we consistently demonstrate determination, teamwork, and resilience—well done, everyone.

    Looking ahead, our House Quiz Team is set to face Hesperus in the first round of the Divisional Quiz Competition on Monday. After last year’s quick performance, we’re feeling optimistic about putting up a stronger fight. On top of that, I’m looking forward to Divisional Netball this Saturday, when the mighty Illawarriors take on the Dragons once again. These competitions are such a fantastic opportunity to come together as a community, showcase our talents, and celebrate some friendly rivalry; it’s great to be part of it all.

    And finally, save the date. On Saturday 1 March, we’ll be hosting the Illawarra Divisional Dinner for parents and Upper Sixth pupils. This is always a special evening, and I’m really looking forward to seeing many of you there. Please don’t forget to book your spot using the link here.

    Rosie Jewell

  • It has been a chilly start to the Lent Term but there are already plenty of positives to report. Work has started with a vengeance and many of our senior boys have completed BTEC exams over the last weeks. For other exam year groups, this term is crucial. With the next set of Trial Exams just four school weeks away, there is a lot to do. Small, incremental improvements is the name of the game and I am pleased that the boys appear to be taking this seriously.

    This weekend is a busy one and I look forward to seeing many of the Division out on the football pitches on Saturday morning, or putting in the metres on the ergos. Sunday is also our first Parade of 2025 and with Colonel Thomas Parsons from Sandhurst as our guest of honour, this is one to get right. The Division looked excellent during our rehearsal on Wednesday so I hope they arrive at 09:30, looking smart and ready to put their best foot forward - quite literally.

    Finally, on Thursday evening, our Div Quiz team of Rory, Tom, Oscar and Rafer put on an excellent show, beating a strong St George team in our opening round. With questions ranging from locations of theatres, acronyms relating to crime, planets featured in the Dune series of books, ingredients used to make beer, British imperial currency and satellites in Low Earth Orbit (amongst other weird and wonderful topics), the team racked up a huge score of 310, almost guaranteeing a spot in next Thursday’s final. Hopefully we make it through and have the opportunity to try and retain the title for the third year in a row!

    I look forward to seeing many of you over the weekend.

    Finally - a date for your diary - this year’s Macquarie Divisional Dinner (open to parents of all year groups and students in the Upper Sixth) will be held on Saturday 17 May 2025. Please book your place here.

    David Metcalfe

  • It has been a bright start to the Lent Term by Port Jackson, albeit a cold one. The boys have come back with a purpose, especially those that were straight into exams. As I say to the boys, this term is very much a sprint, and working out the pace of the term determines how much energy will be in the tank come the Easter holidays. So I urge them to look after themselves and enjoy everything the college has to offer as the days start drawing out.

    Our first engagement this term was on Monday where four of the finest PJ brains took to the table for the first round of the Divisional Quiz. Harrison, James, Jay and Shea faced the stern test of Harbinger in Round 1.  Winning by a fine margin of 80 points, the boys have put themselves in good stead for whoever they face in the next round.

    Next, I want to congratulate Amwolf once more for coming top of the wolf packs last term. The boys seemed to enjoy their trip to Nando’s on the Wednesday just gone. We restart again this term, so all is to play for the next Nando’s trip.

    Then finally, to cap an already busy week, it is College Sunday this weekend. With only two this term it is an imperative that the boys do their best to turn out well and put their best foot forward. I look forward to catching up with a few parents on the parade square.


    If you haven’t already please book your spot for the Port Jackson Dinner. Booking closes on Monday morning. Please book here.

    Steve Thompson

  • It has been lovely to welcome all the girls back after the Christmas break. It is a busy start to this term. There have been  a number of the girls sitting BTEC exams this week and I have been impressed by their positive attitudes and resilience. We have a lot happening at the end of the week and this weekend. 

    I’m writing this on Thursday and Thursday night is our first round of the Divisional Quiz against Macquarie. We will have to see if we do well enough to get through to round 2 as only the two highest scoring teams make it to the final. 

    Saturday is the Senior Div Netball. All the seniors who take netball are included in the teams that Amy sent out and we look forward to seeing everyone for some competitive fixtures this weekend.

    Last term, the girls performed brilliantly in both Div Hockey and Div Ergo. It looks like a great start to winning the sports cup this year.

    On Sunday, we have Parade. The girls looked very good in this week's Parade Practice and I hope to see them perform at least as well on Sunday.

    I will be around after parade if anyone wants a catch up. If you want to make sure of some time please send me a message and I will make sure to find you.

    And finally, save the date. On Friday 2 May, we’ll be hosting the St George Divisional Dinner for parents from all years  and the Upper Sixth pupils. This is always a special evening, and I’m really looking forward to seeing many of you there. Please don’t forget to book your spot using the link here.

    Jenny Jones

DIVISIONAL UPDATES

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