Friday 6 February 2026
Head’s Weekly Update
Academic Rigour
Well done to Years 7-9 for surviving their assessment week. It is quite a stressful week but it provides us with helpful insights to inform teaching and enables the students to reflect on the experience and ensure they are fully prepared for their summer end of year exams.
Mr Seccombe and I are currently working on Project 50. This is my very ambitious plan to hit 50% A*/A this year with the Upper Sixth. Similar to Mallory on Everest, we want to try to climb this mountain because it is there. We are aiming for the stars and may well fall short, but if we fail, at least we will fail valiantly. This means we are working at a very granular level with every student in the Upper Sixth from 9 March onwards to identify the precise gaps from their trials and work to close them. It will require a great deal of hard work and commitment from the students but the first step is believing it is possible.
Adventure
Last weekend we had a fantastic weekend of sport. I had a great time over at Bradfield watching the Boys’ and Girls’ 1st XI teams play. Football is Bradfield’s thing and so it was fantastic to be able to secure a fixture against them. The boys played with real commitment and physicality. Testing yourself against a stronger team is part of the sporting life and I was so impressed with the boys’ commitment and work rate. The girls had a fantastic tournament and it was lovely to see so many parents supporting them on the touchline. The girls played brilliantly, losing to Millfield 1-0 in the quarter finals of the cup. Given Millfield's unrivalled sporting pedigree, this is an incredible achievement. The atmosphere was electric and it felt like a really enjoyable morning of football.
I didn’t manage to get to the Rugby 7s tournament on Sunday but the boys seemed suitably proud of their performance, not least in beating Marlborough. I’m looking forward to Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s Tournament in March. The U15 girls seem to be taking their unbeaten hockey season into their football tournaments, with a fantastic run at LWC on Saturday. Whilst there is far more to sport than winning, it is great to see so many wins and close games. Hopefully this, alongside their improved academic results, shows the students that they can achieve anything if they put their mind to it. They are capable of far more than they realise.
Community
Over the course of the last couple of weeks we have celebrated the arts at Pangbourne with some fantastic events. Last week we enjoyed the very first Live Lounge recital in the café. There was a great range of solo and group performances from pupils in Years 8 to Upper Sixth. Last night we also had another musical treat with our Advanced Musicians’ Recital in the Nancye Harding recital hall. It is wonderful to experience the talent we have at Pangbourne.
Next week, we are looking forward to the College Production of The Addams Family. The cast will be performing for three nights: Monday 9, Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 February. Please make sure you book your free tickets via the booking links in the notices section below.
It was fantastic to welcome Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, to come and talk to the Sixth form this week. This is part of our programme of guest speakers and we are looking forward to welcoming Jess Rowe later this month.
As part of our commitment to providing a rich cultural experience for our pupils, we are delighted to announce the first two concerts in our new Pangbourne Arts series. These events will bring professional performances of the highest calibre to the College. They will be available to the public, but pupils and parents are warmly encouraged to book tickets at a specially discounted rate. Further details are provided in the notices section below.
Leadership
One of the things I am very keen to do is to ensure that each year, the Chief Cadet Captains of the College leave a legacy; one that enhances the student experience and furthers the mission of the College. To that end, Faith and Ed in our weekly lunch, are working on a refined model of student leadership and student voice. This will both streamline the model and ensure that the voice of the students is heard. They are working with Mr Cheney and Mr McLeod on this.
Best wishes,
Oliver Knight
Notices (Please click on the + sign to expand for full information)
All Pupils & Parents: Years 7- Upper Sixth
-
The Pangbourne Drama and Music departments are delighted to be performing The Addams Family as our College Production this year. There will be three showings taking place on Monday 9 February, Tuesday 10 February and Wednesday 11 February 2026.
Tickets are free and are available now. We politely ask for everyone to book a ticket before attending so we know how many people to expect on the night. There will be no walk-ins available.
Doors will open at 19:00 with the show starting at 19:30 and finishing at around 21:45. There will be a 15 minute interval and refreshments will be available to purchase.
Monday 9 February - Book your tickets here.
Tuesday 10 February - Book your tickets here.
Wednesday 11 February - Book your tickets here.
Ms Rebecca Atack, Head of Drama
-
Since the College has fallen under the attendance policies of the maintained sector, we are required to have a clearer idea of where the pupils are and, particularly, the circumstances when they leave site. The main changes are that, from half term onwards, pupils will not be allowed to sign out without explicit parental agreement and they should sign in and out with the PA to Senior Staff on the ground floor of study block. To clarify the processes:
If a pupil needs to miss College for a planned reason, a request for leave form should be completed on the College portal. This applies to whole days, late arrival and early departure.
If a pupil is going to be absent, late or collected early for an unplanned reason (e.g. illness or a transport issue) then you should email the relevant Divisional email address as soon as possible.
If a pupil arrives late for any reason, they should sign in with the PA to Senior Staff (ground floor study block). They cannot sign in at any other location.
If a pupil is signing out, they must do so with the PA to Senior Staff. Records will be checked and the pupil will only be allowed to sign out if we have a record of parental consent. If there is no record then we will need to seek consent by phone. When permission is confirmed, the pupil will wait for collection in Reception.
If you consent to an unaccompanied departure (i.e. the pupil is not being collected from College by a parent) then this needs to be explicit.
For 6th form students, we still need parental permission to allow an early sign out. Pupils with a driving permit will be allowed access to their car keys once permission is confirmed.
If a pupil needs to be collected because they are unwell, you will be contacted by the Health Centre.
Mr Mark Seccombe, Senior Deputy Head Academic
-
We are delighted to announce the first two concerts in our new Pangbourne Artsseries, both taking place in the beautiful Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel. These events promise inspiring live music and we warmly encourage you to come along and support them.
The first concert takes place on Monday 2 March 2026 at 19:30 and is a lecture recital entitled The landscape of exile. This thought-provoking evening explores the experiences of composers who were forced to flee risk and persecution, and how exile shaped their music and creative lives. Through live performance and commentary, the recital brings together music, history, and personal stories in a way that is both moving and illuminating. The performers are Katy Thomson (soprano), Rustam Khanmurzin (piano), and Katy Hamilton (musicologist), whose combined expertise will offer the audience a rich and engaging introduction to the repertoire and its wider context.
The second concert, on Monday 11 May 2026 at 19:30, welcomes the acclaimed all-female vocal ensemble Papagena with their programme Tomorrow is today, drawn from their fourth album of the same name. The concert explores themes of beauty, love, and the passing of time, with music ranging from early composers such as Hildegard of Bingen and Claudio Monteverdi to modern and contemporary figures including Kate Bush, Caroline Shaw, and James MacMillan.
Tickets are now available to purchase online (reserved seating) and details can be found by visiting the music pages of the College website (www.pangbourne.com/music). Whilst these are public concerts, Pangbourne pupils and families can get half price tickets using the code PANGBOURNE50 at checkout. We hope many members of the Pangbourne community will be able to join us to help make these inaugural concerts a great success.
Mr Don Gillthorpe, Director of Music
-
The Art Department are looking for expressions of interest in a trip for Art, Photography or BTEC Art and Design to Venice in February next year.
If your son/daughter is a Year 10, 11 or Lower Sixth student and studying Art we would like to know if you are interested in joining us.
This would be an exciting opportunity for pupils to visit an iconic UNESCO world heritage site, as well as being a valuable cultural experience with the opportunity to create artwork whilst on the trip.
Currently this is just a feasibility study and costs and final itinerary will be decided once we know numbers. The expected dates fall during February Half Term: 10 - 15 February 2027.
Please complete this google form to express your interest.
Mr Tom Poynter, Assistant Head Co-Curricular
-
We were delighted to see that January recorded our highest ever use of the EV chargers at the College. A sign of the growing move towards electric travel.
Our EV chargers are located in the Café car park and are available for staff and visitors to use. They’re quick and easy to access: simply sign up to the TAP app, with instructions displayed on each charger.
-
The much anticipated Pangbournian Community Quiz is back on 20 March at 19:30 in the Mess Hall. Tickets coming soon.
Mrs Lucinda Grafton, Director of Development & Community
-
An upcoming significant social event this term is the Dunbar Inter-Watch Music evening. This is being organised and co-ordinated by the Music Department, and is scheduled on Thursday 26 February. It will take place in the Chapel, and there will be plenty of seats available, so no need to sign up for tickets - just come along on the night.
The format will be that each Watch will present a group song involving the whole Watch, and there will be a solo vocal performance and a solo instrumental performance for each Watch as well. Since all the children are involved, we will arrange dinner for all Dunbar pupils, and you may meet them outside the Chapel beforehand, or afterwards if you are unable to attend. We aim to start at around 19:00, and the evening should last around an hour or so, but final timings will come out in due course.
Dr Ian Hart, Head of Junior House
Year 7 - 8 (Dunbar)
-
On Tuesday 17 March 17:00 - 18:00, we would like to invite Year 10 parents to an Introduction to Sixth Form. Mr Knight and Ms Kaur will be giving an introduction to life in Sixth Form at Pangbourne and you will also hear from pupils about their experiences in Sixth Form. Parents will also have an opportunity to visit the Sixth Form Centre.
Please fill out the form here to register your attendance for this event by Friday 13 March.
Ms Indy Kaur, Head of Sixth Form
-
This week the Year 9s have been completing their Assessment Week. This is an important milestone in the year to help offer an experience of a more intensive set of assessments to really help build resilience for future trial examinations, and final examinations at GCSE and beyond.
I have been really impressed with the self-discipline of the pupils this week, and their perseverance. Year 9 pupils have also begun the GCSE Options interviews. All pupils in the year group are invited to an interview to explore their choices further with a member of staff. We have been very pleased with just how conscientious the pupils have been about their choices and to see so many choosing to pursue particular subjects at GCSE for the right reasons. Pupils are informed of their interview time a few days before, and we will be interviewing up until the Year 9 parents evening on 4 March.
Mr Anthony Hammond, Head of KS3
-
Tuesday 17 March is the deadline for the Year 11 Sixth Form Choices form. We have been having lots of conversations with students here about this, and hopefully you have been doing the same at home.
On the evening of Tuesday 17 March from 17:00-18:00 there will be another Sixth Form Open Evening - this will be aimed predominantly at Year 10 and their parents, but you are, of course, welcome to attend as well. Please fill out the form here to register your attendance for this event by Friday 13 March.
I have sent a message to all of Year 11 today saying that they are doing really well to cope with the hugest pressure point right now of the entire two year GCSE project. The next three weeks are gruelling (they are just going up the very last and steepest ascent of the long uphill): they have prep being set still, whilst they are completing many of their courses, alongside the pressure of feeling like they should be doing revision for Trials 2. It is a lot!
They should realise that all prep set will be preparation for Trials 2, it is therefore effectively revision and they should keep doing it. Once these three weeks are over, they will have got to the summit. They will hopefully start to feel like everything is becoming rather more manageable again. Hopefully the weather might improve too which will help bolster the mood!
Mrs Abbie Stephenson, Head of KS4
-
Please view the recording of the webinar that was held on Wednesday 4 February here. The passcode is #iDX3iS+
Ms Indy Kaur, Head of Sixth Form
-
Initial entries have been made for this summer's exams. You can view your child's entries through the College portal here. They can be found within the 'My Child' section by clicking on 'Exam Timetable'. Please note that the paper name is how it is referred to by the exam board and some are more obvious than others! If your child is in any doubt about the nature of the paper, they should ask the relevant teacher. The overview of all the summer term examinations, including those which are scheduled in advance such as the Art and Photography exams and MFL oral exams can be found within the 'Academic - Exams' section of the College Documents. A link to this overview is also at the top of the individual entries page. Please do not worry if there are any clashes, it is a common occurrence and the exams team will be in contact to let you know how the clash will be resolved.
Mr Mark Secombe, Senior Deputy Head Academic
-
As you will be aware, the Non Exam Assessment (NEA) components of the course which comprises the practical assessments and written coursework contributes to 40% of the final GCSE PE grade.
For those students who are being assessed in activities that we do not deliver as part of the PE and Sports curriculum, the deadline for submission is Friday 13 February 2026.
Please can parents, guardians and students ensure that these videos are shared with your GCSE PE teacher before the deadline.
If you have any questions about the GCSE PE practical assessment please do not hesitate to get in contact with me joe.mills@pangbourne.com
Mr Joe Mills, Director of Sport
Year 9 - 11
Sixth Form
-
Following the assessments earlier this term, there will be a Parents' and Guardians' Meeting next Friday 13 February to discuss the results and progress so far. Booking opens today, Friday 6 February at 18:00 on School Cloud and a user guide can be found here, should you need it. Most appointments start at 16:45 but some busier staff will start a bit earlier at 16:00.
The easiest way to access School Cloud is via the College Portal, then click the 'Parent Evenings' tile on the dashboard. You should be automatically logged in.
The meetings will be taking place in Drake Hall. Parking is available in the Café car park.Ms Indy Kaur, Head of Sixth Form
-
The second set of Upper Sixth trial exams will be taking place in the week after half term (w/c 23 February). The timetable is here.
Mr Mark Seccombe, Senior Deputy Head Academic
-
All Upper Sixth parents and guardians should have received a personal invitation from the Head, by email on Monday this week, to join him at this celebratory event on Saturday 7 March.
If you would like to attend, please RSVP using the Google Form attached in the email by Monday 23 February.
If you have any queries about this event or didn't receive the original email, please contact Amanda James, EA to the Head, via amanda.james@pangbourne.com.Mr Knight looks forward to seeing you there.
-
Initial entries have been made for this summer's exams. You can view your child's entries through the College portal here. They can be found within the 'My Child' section by clicking on 'Exam Timetable'. Please note that the paper name is how it is referred to by the exam board and some are more obvious than others! If your child is in any doubt about the nature of the paper, they should ask the relevant teacher.
The overview of all the summer term examinations, including those which are scheduled in advance such as the Art and Photography exams and MFL oral exams can be found within the 'Academic - Exams' section of the College Documents. A link to this overview is also at the top of the individual entries page.
Please do not worry if there are any clashes, it is a common occurrence and the exams team will be in contact to let you know how the clash will be resolved.
Mr Mark Seccombe, Senior Deputy Head
-
Clifford Chance are hosting a virtual insight event on 19 February from 10:00 - 15:00. Those who take part will receive a certificate of completion. This is an amazing opportunity with a Magic Circle law firm.
Students are encouraged to register using this link.
-
A number of opportunities have been shared with the Lower Sixth on Google Classroom. These include:
Oxbridge essay competitions (History, Law and Humanities)
A Physics Webinar Series at Lancaster University
Insight into Aerospace Engineering at the University of Liverpool (course fee payable)
Insight into Maths at Lancaster University (course fee payable)
Insight into Mechanical Engineering at University College London (course fee payable)
PWC Virtual Insight Programme - apply online
Cap Gemini In Person Work Experience - apply online
Savills Apprenticeship Virtual Insight Programme - apply online
Schroders Work Experience Insight Day - apply online
-
Please see the flyer here for details on a 60 minute lecture and Q&A on Wednesday 11 February at 18:00.
Friday 6 February, 19:00 - 22:30
Dunbar Family Quiz
The Hudson Room, Community
Sunday 8 February, 10:30 - 18:00
College Production - Full Cast Rehearsal with Band
Drake Hall, Year 7 - Upper Sixth, Drama
Monday 9 February, 11:30 - 17:00
College Production - Dress Rehearsal
Drake Hall, Year 7 - Upper Sixth, Drama
Monday 9 February, 19:30 - 22:00
College Production Night 1
Drake Hall, Year 7 - Upper Sixth, Drama, Community
Tuesday 10 February, 19:30 - 22:00
College Production Night 2
Drake Hall, Year 7 - Upper Sixth, Drama, Community
Wednesday 11 February, 19:30 - 22:00
College Production Final Night
Drake Hall, Year 7 - Upper Sixth, Drama, Community
Thursday 12 February, 13:20 - 18:00
Drama Theatre Trip: A Woman in Black
Oxford Playhouse, Year 10 - Upper Sixth, Drama
Friday 13 February, 16:45 - 19:30
Lower Sixth Parents’ & Guardians’ Meeting
Drake Hall, Lower Sixth, Academic, Parent/Guardian
Friday 13 February, 16:45
End of Half Term
General
UPCOMING EVENTS
COLLEGE NEWS THIS WEEK
Macquarie are Crowned the winners of the Senior Divisional Quiz 2026
A huge congratulations to Macquarie for winning the Senior Div Quiz 2026. The winning team consisted of James, Immie, Vita and Rory. Well done to Ida, Erika, Rory and Hugo who represented Illawarra and fought hard to try and take the win. The final scores were 165 to Illawarra and 275 to Macquarie.
Advanced Musicians’ Recital
Following the success of last week’s Live Lounge Café Recital, we were delighted to host the Advanced Musicians Recital this week in the Nancye Harding Recital Hall. The evening was a wonderful celebration of musical breadth and ambition, with pupils presenting a wide-ranging programme that reflected both technical accomplishment and individual flair.
Performances spanned an impressive variety of styles and genres, moving seamlessly from Liszt to Jimi Hendrix, Vaughan Williams to ABBA. The recital hall provided a fittingly formal and acoustically rich setting, allowing each performance to shine and giving the audience an engaging and memorable concert experience.
Mr Don Gillthorpe, Director of Music
Boys’ 1st XI Football
Last Saturday the boys 1st XI played a strong Bradfield side that was a fantastic test for all involved. We started extremely well and were very unlucky not to take the lead having much the better of the first 25 minutes. Bradfield broke the deadlock with a well worked move and added a second just before half time. The boys showed tremendous character in the second half and almost scored via two swift transitional attacks. A disappointing result overall but some real positives in the performance as we move into the final set of fixtures before half. Bradfield 5-0 Pangbourne.
Mr James Purdue, Head of Football
Girls’ 1st XI Football
Last Saturday, the 1st XI Girls travelled to the Bradfield College 7-a-side Tournament for a fixture featuring some of the top schools in the country, including the likes of Millfield, Charterhouse, Rossall, and Sevenoaks. The standard was very high, but the squad produced a fantastic performance that should be viewed with real optimism.
In the group stages, the team played some superb football. A major highlight was beating the hosts, Bradfield, 1-0 on their own soil, which was followed by a clinical 2-0 victory over Magdalen College. Hard-fought draws against Charterhouse and St Edward’s, combined with a loss to a strong Sevenoaks side, saw us finish 3rd overall in the group on goal difference. This set up a Cup Quarter Final against one of the tournament favourites, Millfield.
The Quarter Final was a fiercely contested match where our girls battled hard against top-tier opposition. Millfield managed to score with just five minutes remaining, but the reaction from our side was brilliant. We pushed hard for an equaliser, forcing the Millfield keeper into a couple of top saves, but ultimately came away on the wrong end of a 1-0 defeat. It was a real test of our standard against the very best schools in the country, and the performance gives the girls a massive boost of confidence going forward.
Mr Frankie Rogan, Football Coach
Girls’ U15A & B Football
A fantastic performance from the U15A girls, with the less experienced players really stepping up and playing very well indeed. Highlight was a great win vs Millfield A, where we scored halfway through and then needed to really dig in and defend resolutely against a strong and talented team, and the exciting penalty shoot-out vs Ardingly where both teams scored their first two pens, then Ardingly hit their third pen off the inside of both posts before bouncing out and never crossing the line, at which point Genny stepped up to slot home for the win!
The team were just a little bit flat in the Semi Final against the LWC team (who we had drawn 3 - 3 with in a previous fixture this term) and lost but the positive is that they nearly went all the way.
Dr Ian Hart, Football Coach
The U15 Bs had a tough game against St Edward’s starting with only 9 girls vs 11. The girls showed great determination in defence, clearing the ball with our main aims being to prevent goals and to get the ball up the pitch. The girls took this in their stride getting the ball up the pitch to our attack. The second half showed huge improvements with many chances at goal.
Miss Izzy Peacock, Football Coach
U18 Rugby 7s
The Senior boys Rugby 7s team showed spirited performances against some top schools last weekend at the Pangbourne invitational 7s. For the first tournament of the 7s season there were plenty of positives to take forward. Close contests with Lord Wandsworth College and Abingdon saw our boys fall just short, but a brilliant showing in the final pool game against Marlborough meant a great win and a third place finish in the pool. Wet conditions and soft pitches played a part in the fatigue of the boys going into the knock out stages and two tough games against Seaford College and Marlborough once again proved too much for the squad. They showed some great rugby at times and there is lots to work on as we continue to prep for the upcoming tournaments.
Mr Michael Cooke, Rugby Coach
Dunbar Netball Tournament
Dunbar played a friendly Netball Tournament against St Andrew’s on Wednesday afternoon. After a crash course in Netball during the lessons before he tournament, we were feeling confident going into the games and the girls were super excited. We had two teams and St Andrew’s had 4 teams, we played a Round Robin Tournament playing 3 mini games for each team.
The A team drew 2-2, lost 6-5 and lost 9-4 in their games with some outstanding Netball played throughout all of their games - it was lovely to see the team gel so quickly together and play the ball right through the court. Some excellent interceptions from defence allowed the girls to bring the ball smoothly up the court for a goal.
The B team had 3 great mini games, progression seen from start to finish with some girls never having played netball before. The girls had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon out with constant smiles on their faces.
Miss Izzy Peacock, Netball Coach
National Schools Shooting Championships
Finley took part in the National Schools Shooting Championships where he came a respectable 15th which is pretty impressive considering he is one of the youngest in his category and this is his first competition at this distance. Well done Finley.
SPORT
DIVISIONAL UPDATES
Illawarra
These few weeks have been busy for Illawarra with amazing achievements from Rory in Upper Sixth receiving an offer from Cambridge, many Illawarriors taking part in the Public Speaking Competition at Queen Anne’s and performances at the Live Lounge with great musicality from Year 9 to Upper Sixth. Macquarie may have just edged us this time in the Divisional quiz, but finishing second overall is still a strong result and a real credit to the teamwork and spirit shown across the Division.
Alongside this, a huge thank you to everyone involved in our Flowers for Friends charity initiative which are being delivered in the final week of half term, helping spread kindness and positivity throughout the community.
Many of our Illawarra girls varying from Year 11 to Upper Sixth played in the Bradfield 7-aside football tournament on the weekend making it to the Quarter Finals and having a determined attitude towards the newly introduced girls’ football.
With half term now approaching, it feels like a well-earned opportunity for everyone to take a rest and return refreshed for the next push.
Harbinger
This week in Harbinger, Year 9 completed their first set of exams, approaching them with focus and determination. Extra Parade practice has been underway, with attention on refining the small details to ensure everything is ready for next Parade in March. Meanwhile, Year 11 and Upper Sixth have been cracking on with revision in preparation for their mock exams after half term.
Hesperus
Hesperus Division has been extremely busy this term. Students have been taking part in a public speaking competition, with Otto making it through to the next round, a well done to him. Finley has also represented the Division at a National Rifle Competition, finishing an impressive 15th overall, a massive achievement and well done.
Despite the challenging weather, students are really enjoying sport. Football continues to be very popular, particularly with the girls, and the girls’ first XI had an excellent performance last weekend well done to all involved. The rowers have been showing great commitment, powering through early starts to train hard, achieve personal bests on the erg machines, and look forward to getting back on the water.
I am also very pleased with the noticeable improvement in uniform and Parade standards please keep this up.
Macquarie
Over the last couple of weeks, it has been great to see the Division continuing to get involved in a range of activities. We were really pleased to win the Divisional quiz final against Illawarra, which was a great team effort and something the Division enjoyed supporting. Special mention to the team of James, Immie, Vita and Rory for their amazing efforts and representing Macquarie.
Our Sixth Form is beginning a peer mentoring programme with the Year 9 and 10 which gives the younger years a chance to receive support and advice from pupils in the older years. It is also a great way for the Sixth Form to represent their leadership and mentoring skills. Sixth Form is also going to start offering subject support sessions for the younger students who might be struggling with their prep or exams.
With the start of the Six Nations Rugby, we have started an online fantasy programme which is a fun way to get everyone involved across the year groups!
We hope you have a lovely half term when it arrives.
BOARDING UPDATES
The next Boarding update will be on Friday 13 February.
Boarding House Email Addresses
stgeorge@pangbourne.com
portjackson@pangbourne.com
adelaide@pangbourne.com