Friday 6 December 2024
Head’s Welcome
It has been another great week at Pangbourne and a less pressured time for the students who have now completed their trial exams. Our sports teams have also been delivering brilliant performances in all areas, including our England Hockey 1st team who have made it through to the fourth round of the English Hockey Plate Cup - congratulations to all involved.
I also thoroughly enjoyed being able to personally award some of our Dunbar students with their reward cards, earned by scoring 100% on their mastery quizzing this week! It was great to see our students show such pride and enthusiasm in their academic work, and strive for excellence.
On Tuesday, we welcomed Directors of Sport from 15 of our feeder prep schools for a special event to share good practice. They enjoyed a tour of our sports facilities and were able to observe some of our sports sessions in action. Thank you to Sam Hewick for hosting the event.
Weather permitting, we will be welcoming around 500 young people from local sports clubs on Sunday to play in our Hockey and Rugby Tournament. This promises to be a really fun morning and I look forward to meeting with families there.
Tonight we have the highly anticipated annual Divisional ‘Come Dine with Me’ competition, in which I will be taking part in as one of the judges. Each division will be serving one of seven courses including mocktails, a fish dish and desserts. I am very intrigued and excited to see the students’ culinary creativity in action!
Best wishes
Oliver Knight
COLLEGE NEWS THIS WEEK
Mastery Quizzing successes!
Well done to Noah, Hendro, Alex and Maximus in key stage three who scored 100% on their first attempt in their mastery quizzing this week.
Mastery quizzing takes place once a week in class and is based on the cognitive science principles of interleaving and retrieval. The aim is to support pupils with the core concepts in each subject, which are essential for onward progression within the subject.
Students that receive 100% are rewarded with either a ‘jump the queue’ card or a ‘free hot drink and pastry’ at our café. Keep up the good work!
Charlotte Drake Society meeting: A Nutrition talk by Christine Bailey
In our most recent Charlotte Drake Society meeting, we welcomed award-winning performance nutritionist and leading healthy-eating expert, Christine Bailey from Thomas Franks. As well as being a nutritionist, Christine is the author of over 16 incredible recipe and health books! The session was really informative and interesting and the girls really engaged with Christine in an open discussion about what they could do to improve their own nutrition
Our next meeting on the 27 January will be a careers event where we will be welcoming women from a variety of sectors including PR and Marketing, Finance, Well-Being, the Military, Hospitality and Events Management. Our guests will be speaking about how they got to where they are today starting from their studies at school. The girls will be able to have brief one-on-one time with individuals to discuss their career paths and then at the end will be able to informally chat and network with anyone they choose. This event was popular among our students last year so we are looking forward to offering it again.
Friday 6 December 19:00 - 21:00
Divisional Come Dine With Me
Tuesday 10 December 09:30 - 15:30
Year 8 Williams F1 trip
Oxfordshire
Wednesday 11 December 12:00 - 17:00
Dunbar Panto Trip to ‘Dick Whittington’
Newbury Corn Exchange
Wednesday 11 December 19:00 - 21:00
Dunbar Disco
Dunbar
Friday 13 December 12:00 - 13:10
Christmas Lunch
Mess Hall
Monday 16 December
Divisional Ergo
Drake Hall
Monday 16 December 18:45 - 21:30
Dunbar Boarders’ Trip to COSMO
Boarding
Monday 16 December 19:00-21:00
College Disco
Drake Hall
Tuesday 17 December 11:00-12:00 (Y7-10) and 14:00 - 15:00 (Y11-U6)
Carol Service
Chapel
Tuesday 17 December 12:00
End of Term for Years 7-10
Parade Ground
Tuesday 17 December 15:00
End of Term for Years 11- Upper Sixth
Parade Ground
UPCOMING EVENTS
NOTICES
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Just to remind everyone that Pangbourne College is a nut free school. Please can we ask that staff and pupils do not bring any food on site that contains nuts. We do have members of our community with severe nut allergies and unfortunately there has been a student that has suffered two severe allergic reactions at school due to people not taking this policy seriously.
Many thanks.
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Please follow the link here to read about the updates.
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Please may I remind all drivers that the maximum speed limit on campus is 20 mph. However, from the Mess Hall and on the Parade Ground, the maximum speed limit is reduced to 10 mph. Adherence to the speed limits is particularly important in bad weather and when it is dark. Please take great care, especially in the mornings and evenings when you drop off or collect your children.
As a reminder, there is a zebra crossing on the entrance to the Parade Ground and drivers should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross.
Thank you for your cooperation.
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On Tuesday 10 December, all of Year 8 will be attending a trip to Williams F1 HQ in Grove, Oxfordshire.
A reminder that pupils will need to come into school wearing smart casual clothing, and bring a water bottle and method of carrying their packed lunch which will be provided to them immediately after house registration in the morning.
Pupils will return for Period 8 of the school day, therefore they need to ensure that they have all required equipment once they arrive back at school.
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The National Literacy Trust's recent report, Children and Young People’s Reading in 2024, highlights concerning trends in young people’s reading habits. The report revealed that only 1 in 3 children and young people enjoy reading in their free time, and just 1 in 5 read daily outside of school—a decline that has continued since 2016. However, the findings also underscore the benefits of reading: children who enjoy it tend to have stronger reading skills. Additionally, those who read at least once a month said it helped them to relax and feel happy and more confident. They also gained knowledge of new things and improved their ability to understand the views of others —essential skills for a child’s development, wellbeing and future opportunities
The good news is the College library is full of books tailored to spark every student's imagination and curiosity! With a diverse collection of genres, including adventure, mystery, fantasy, non-fiction, and more, there's something to suit everyone. The library is designed to inspire a lifelong love of reading by providing access to age-appropriate and engaging materials.
With some downtime coming up over Christmas, please encourage your child to visit the school library, explore the endless possibilities waiting on its shelves, and choose a book to enjoy over the festive season!
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At the end of term, we will be hosting our annual charity head shave. There are ten Upper Sixth boys who will be shaving their heads in aid of the Oddballs Foundation, raising awareness of testicular cancer.
Please do follow the link here if you wish to donate. All donations are much appreciated.
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For more information on the trip please click here.
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Readifood
With the rising cost of living, the need for food banks is more important than ever with many people in our local community constantly worried about where their next meal is coming from. With Christmas around the corner, Pangbourne College would like to donate to those less fortunate. Any donations of food items to go to our local area would be much appreciated. Visit the Readifood website to see what food items are needed.
Toys and Teens
We are also looking for donations for the charity ‘Toys and Teens’ which supplies Christmas presents for children who are otherwise unlikely to receive any. Please see their website for more details.
Please could any donations be made by Friday 6 December to divisions.
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Pangbourne College Sixth Form students are raising funds for Young People and Children First, known as Bridge for Young People. The charity provides a home and support to young people (aged 16-25) who are leaving care, or who are homeless. Our fundraising efforts will go towards furnishing one of the flats at Wessex House in Newbury, which will be named 'Pangbourne'. Our Sixth Form students will be taking on various challenges, including a skydive to raise the much needed funds. We are hoping to raise a total of £3,000.
Donations can be made through our Just Giving page. Any donations are much appreciated.
Years 9 -11
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It is highly recommended that our students ‘read around their subject’. The Pangbourne Reading Canon has been compiled based on teacher recommendations so there is something for everyone!
SIXTH FORM
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This is a reminder that all Sixth Form students who have permission to drive to the College should turn left at the mini roundabout on the drive, parking in the allocated space for Sixth Form, near the Works Department. At no time should any pupil drive up beyond this point, or towards their divisions.
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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.
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.
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Explore a range of upcoming career tasters and employability skills workshops for students and parents.
Click here to view their website.
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As we continue to build our Careers Programme to be able to provide the best advice and guidance to our Sixth Formers, please do have a look at the following opportunities that are currently available:
These links will also be shared with the pupils. We look forward to sharing more opportunities over the academic year.
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Dunbar parents will already have received information about the two events happening next Wednesday - the Pantomime trip in the afternoon and the Disco in the evening, but we also have the exciting trip to the Williams F1 HQ for the Year 8 pupils next Tuesday, and Dunbar will be hosting the first course of this Friday’s ‘Come Dine With Me’ - the mocktails.
Dunbar pupils also have the opportunity to take part in ‘Secret Santa’, with the presents to be unwrapped at the end of term. All the children are welcome to take part in this, and will receive the information on which of their fellow pupils they will be getting a present for on Friday. Secret Santa presents should cost no more than £5. Please remember that we are a nut-free school, so please be careful with boxes of chocolates.
Thank you also to all the parents who were able to join us for our Dinner on Saturday. It was a lovely evening, and I was delighted with both the food and the venue.
Friday 13 December will be a Christmas Jumper day, so dust off those yuletide woollies, and we will raise a little money for charity whilst brightening the College at the same time.
One more small reminder - all planned absences, including medical and dental appointments, should be requested via the ‘absence request’ form on the Parent Portal, where they will be considered by a member of the SMT. Illnesses and absences on the day should still come direct to the Dunbar House team as usual, and the best email address for this is dunbarhousestaff@pangbourne.com which can be seen by Georgina, Jehan and me.
Best wishes as always, Ian
Dr Ian Hart
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The boys have been very industrious these past few weeks with Trial Exams and internal assessments. It is really important that they all reflect honestly on their results and make best use of the teachers to maximise their improvement in the Summer. I have been really impressed with how they have coped with the workload and expectations.
It has been good to see a number of the Harbinger boys involved in sports fixtures these past couple of weeks, some really good performances representing the College - well done!
Preparations are going well for Divisional Come Dine With Me this Friday, thank you to everyone who has volunteered to take part.
The end of term is fast approaching - please remember that at Christmas ‘everything must go’ from the Division ready for a deep clean of the boarding house. The boys have been informed and will hopefully start to get things organised over the next few weeks.
The last few days are always good fun with activities such as Div Ergo, Div Rugby and Christmas Congers taking place. It is Christmas Jumper Day on Friday 13 December, along with Christmas lunch. On Monday, before the College Disco, we will have a Pride Games competition organised by Ed. Term ends on Tuesday 17 December, after the Carol Service. Please note that Years 9 and 10 finish earlier in the day. Year 11 and Sixth Form have a later Carol Service.
Finally - Save the date ! - this year’s Harbinger Dinner (open to parents of all year groups and students in the U6) will be held on Saturday 7 June 2025 at Goring and Streatley Golf Club.Andrew Sumner
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The boys have all been very busy and studious these past two weeks with exams and assessments. As they start to receive the results the all important thing is to identify where improvements can be made and this is something that I have been getting all the boys to focus on.
The end of term is fast approaching us. There is quite a lot going on for the boys, we have Christmas Jumper day and Christmas Congers on Friday 13 December, and Divisional Rugby on Saturday 14 December On the evening of Monday 16 December, we have the end of term house parties followed by end of term disco for all of the boys, which finishes at 22:00.
Just a reminder that as we enter the final weeks, we will be getting pupils to start to pack belongings and take them away as the house will be deep cleaned over the Christmas period. Full borders will be able to store items as a trunk leaver with Mary.
Lastly, save the date for the Hesperus Divisional Dinner which is open to parents in all years in the house, as well as the current Upper Sixth pupils. It will take place on Saturday 8 February. This year the dinner will be held at Goring and Streatley Golf Club.
Tom Cheney
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The Christmas spirit has arrived in Illawarra, transforming the windows with snowflakes and adorning the Christmas tree with sparkling baubles. I am looking forward to seeing how the girls will collaborate to create Christmas-themed petite fours for Friday's Divisional ‘Come Dine With Me’ competition' As always, I am confident that they will work together to produce some high-quality treats.
I would like to congratulate Year 11 and Upper Sixth on completing their trial exams. This is a time for reflection on the effectiveness of their revision and to develop strategies for improvement. The Christmas period will be an excellent opportunity not only to catch up on important revisions but also for the girls to relax and spend time with their families.
A quick reminder that as we approach the final weeks, pupils will start packing their belongings and taking them home. Jackie will also be on board to assist, as the house is scheduled for a deep clean during the Christmas break. The final days of term are always full of fun, featuring activities like Div Hockey and Christmas Congers. Don’t forget, Friday 13 December is Christmas Jumper Day, accompanied by Christmas lunch. Term concludes on Tuesday 17 December following the Carol Service. Please note that Years 9 and 10 will finish earlier in the day, while Year 11 and the Sixth Form will attend a later Carol Service.
Looking ahead, save the date! This year’s Illawarra Dinner, open to parents of all year groups and Upper Sixth students, will take place on Saturday 1 March at Goring and Streatley Golf Club.
Rosie Jewell
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It has been a busy few weeks with Trial Exams and internal assessments. I’ve been mightily impressed with the effort on show. Clearly the aim of the game is to show continuous improvement, so it is important that lessons are quickly learned in preparation for the next round. Away from lessons, sport and other activities have been full on and, again, there has been significant representation by the boys in Q - well done.
The end of term is approaching quickly - please remember that at Christmas ‘everything must go’ from the Division. The boys have been told and will hopefully start to get things organised over the next few weeks.
The last few days are always good fun with activities such as Div Rugby and Christmas Congers taking place. It is Christmas Jumper Day on Friday 13 December, along with Christmas lunch. Term ends on Tuesday 17 December, after the Carol Service. Please note that Years 9 and 10 finish earlier in the day. Year 11 and Sixth Form have a later Carol Service.
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.
David Metcalfe
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I have been impressed with how well the boys have applied themselves recently during the Trial Exams, and already the hard work for these has paid off for quite a few. Although these are important, the aim now is to reflect on them and go again at the start of the Lent Term. Hopefully providing the best foundations they can for the Summer.
The end of term is fast approaching. There is quite a lot going on for the boys, we have Christmas Jumper day and Christmas Congers on Friday 13 December and then Divisional Rugby on Saturday 14 December. On Monday 16 December we will have our PJ party of fancy dress indoor football, followed by the College disco. Plenty for the boys to get themselves into the festive mood if they haven’t already.
Then finally, fast approaching is the Port Jackson Dinner which is taking place on Friday 21 January 2025. This is open to all parents and is a wonderful occasion to celebrate everything that is Port Jackson. The Upper Sixth pupils are also invited to attend this event.
Steve Thompson
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By the time you read this we will be well into the ‘Come Dine with Me’ experience. Presents are being wrapped, the elf toy factory is well underway and hopefully the festive cheesecake will be a hit. Christmas is approaching fast. Next Friday 13 December, we have Christmas Jumper day and Christmas dinner. There are a few charity events as well if the girls want to buy candy canes or sponsor a head shave. Div Hockey is on Saturday 14 December and we should have all the girls who do hockey as their sport present to take part.
Rooms need to be completely emptied over Christmas except for the trunk leavers rooms so please encourage your daughters to start taking things home.
Looking ahead, save the date! This year’s St George Dinner, open to parents of all year groups and Upper Sixth students, will take place on Friday 2 May at Goring and Streatley Golf Club. I hope that lots of you will be there to celebrate the end of the year.
Jenny Jones
DIVISIONAL UPDATES
SPORT
Girls 1st XI vs Wimbledon High School
The 1st XI Girls Hockey team advanced to Round 4 of the English Hockey Plate with an impressive 7-3 win away at Wimbledon High School.
Pangbourne came out strong, racing to a 2-0 lead within the first ten minutes. Despite a determined fightback from Wimbledon, the team held a narrow 3-2 advantage at half-time.
In the second half, Pangbourne dominated with outstanding attacking play and clinical finishing. Mia and Molly led the charge with hattricks each, while Tabitha added a goal to complete the scoring.
Grace I and Lucy were key in driving the attack, while Grace W, Faith, and Amy provided a solid defensive foundation with excellent distribution. Flo, Emilie, Amelia and Mia linked up superbly, creating several goal-scoring opportunities.
A special mention goes to Isla, in Year 10, who made her 1st team debut and delivered a composed and confident performance, proving she was more than up to the challenge. Goalkeepers Emily and Imi were also instrumental, making crucial saves to keep the team in control.
An outstanding all-round performance from the squad sees them progress to Round 4 of the England Hockey Plate which will be played next week.
Boys U13 Rugby Union Fixtures
On Wednesday afternoon both the U13A and U13B teams played against Brockhurst and Marlston House School. The A team put up a good fight but unfortunately lost by 2 tries to 4, whilst the B team drew 4 tries each. Well done boys!
Boys U16A Rugby vs The Oratory School
The boys put on a dominant display of attacking rugby this weekend, fully embodying Team Pangbourne values - teamwork, determination and sportsmanship. A huge congratulations to the team for conceding zero points with a 36-0 win!
Girls U16 Hockey Fixtures
The 2nd Hockey team showed incredible determination and commitment in their latest fixture, securing a well deserved 4-1 victory! Every player gave it their all, demonstrating teamwork and resilience throughout the match.
