Friday 12 June 2026
Head’s Weekly Update
Charitable Merger with Mill Hill Education Group
We have been delighted with the feedback and messages we have received from the community with regard to our charitable merger with the Mill Hill Education Group. This decision was taken over an 18 month period and has been taken from a position of strength. Last year we beat every academic record at the College and had our best sporting season in over a decade. Whilst there is still much to do, the Board were able to take the time necessary to find the very best charity to merge with. The Board considered multiple options but felt that Mill Hill Education Group most closely met the charitable objectives of Pangbourne and would be the unison most likely to safeguard our heritage. The Board were also adamant that they would not entertain a sale to a for-profit organisation as this would likely result in asking a different set of questions.
There seems to be some confusion around what a charitable merger is. A charitable merger is not an acquisition, not a commercial sale and not a profit-driven transaction. This is a values-led charitable merger, sometimes called a 'nil-cost transaction', meaning no money changes hands. Both Pangbourne College and Mill Hill Education Group are long-established educational charities. Pangbourne's assets are gifted to the combined charity to be held for Pangbourne's benefit in perpetuity. The charitable merger is designed to enhance education, opportunity and stability for the long term across the group. It is very common in the sector. There are numerous examples of charitable mergers and for-profit acquisitions in the local market and the sector more widely.
Part of the rationale for merging with Mill Hill Education Group is that they are a highly devolved group, with the vast majority of decisions being made at a local level. Fee level, staffing, sports, student admissions are all determined locally. The extensive FAQs on our website HERE explain this in detail. The other strong driver for the merger is the simple fact that groups of schools are better placed to share expertise, drive up standards and enhance opportunities for students. In an increasingly competitive market, being part of a group gives us access to strong models of practice and enables us to ensure our staff are constantly being developed and invested in. Great staff create great schools.
Pupil numbers
As you know, Pangbourne has always prided itself on being a size where every individual is known. The students arriving into Year 9 in September 2026 and September 2027 are the last cohorts that I am yet to meet or play a role in their journey through admissions. They viewed the school 4 or 5 years ago. In the academic year 2022/23 only 48 parents came to visit the College for Head’s Introductions and so the cohorts arriving are small - but perfectly formed. This is likely to be the bottom of the hockey stick and we have been inundated with parents coming to visit us this year alone, resulting in over 300 enquiries to join the College. These parents are looking for entry in 2028 and 2029 and the cohort sizes are likely to increase from that point on. We will never be a large school, but we do aim to grow intelligently over the next 5 years or so.
We aim to be attractive to current and future parents through our focus on academic rigour and exploration. We have seen over the past 18 months in talking to families that academic results remain a baseline expectation but that an increasing cohort of aspirational families are looking for something more. These families are worried about:
Screen saturation and its effect on attention, confidence, and social skills
Intense social pressure resulting in young people being anxious and hesitant to take risks
The arrival of AI and automation, and what it means for their children's futures
The narrowness of a purely academic education in preparing children for real life.
Pangbourne has a compelling and genuine answer.
Pangbourne Proms
This is a final reminder about Pangbourne Proms on Friday 19 June. This is an event for everyone, not just for families of those performing. It is designed to be a relaxed and enjoyable evening, sipping something bubbly and enjoying a beautiful summer evening on Devitt Lawn. (I can’t yet control the weather.)
Best wishes,
Oliver Knight
All Pupils & Parents: Years 7- Upper Sixth
Notices (Please click on the + sign to expand for full information)
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Join us on Friday 19 June for a relaxed and enjoyable evening of live music performed by Pangbourne pupils. The event will be held on Devitt Lawn with stunning views across the beautiful North Wessex Downs National Landscape.
This family-friendly concert is the perfect way to spend a summer evening: bring a picnic, unwind with friends and family, and enjoy live performances that highlight the musical life of the College. This year we are delighted that some of our Trinity Drama pupils will also be performing as part of this event. It promises to be a fabulous evening.
Tickets are £15 per adult (under 18s free). Doors open at 18:00 and performances start at 19:00. To purchase your tickets please click on the link here.
Mr Don Gillthorpe, Director of Music
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Our Junior School (Years 7-9) Performance of Alice in Wonderland will be taking place on Monday 29 June at 19:00 - 20:00.
Join us to jump down the rabbit hole for a magical production of Alice in Wonderland. Join Alice as she meets the delightfully mad Hatter, the grinning Cheshire Cat, and the commanding Queen of Hearts in a topsy-turvy adventure that is sure to delight audiences of all ages. The theatrical treat is free of charge and there is no need to book tickets. Please do just come along for the evening with a picnic blanket or foldaway chairs at hand.
Ms Rebecca Atack, Head of Drama & PSHCE
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You are warmly invited to the Private Viewing of the End of Year exhibition 2026 on 2 July.
Come and view the result of two years of hard work by our talented Year 11 and Upper Sixth Art and Photography and BTEC students.
The Art Department will be open 18:00 to 20:00. There will be live music and refreshments available providing you the opportunity to take in all of the creativity ahead of Founders’ Day. Please feel free to bring family and friends for this very special evening
Mrs Emma Green, Head of Art
All Parents:
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We are looking for interviewers to join us on Thursday 25 June for the Pangbourne Interview Day. This forms part of the Taking Responsibility Week and is an opportunity for the Lower Sixth to be interviewed by professionals to give them the experience and confidence in future interviews.
The day runs from 09:00 to 15:30 and lunch is included! Please fill in the Google Form here if you are able to give up your time to be an interviewer for the day. We would be very grateful for your support. Thank you.
Mr Werner Nel, Head of Careers
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The Hideaways Club is offering one lucky winner a three-night stay in Île Saint-Louis in Paris. You will be staying in a gorgeous two-bed apartment, with beautiful views of the arcade of Hotel de Bretonvilliers and close to some of the city's most important and beloved historical sites, including Notre Dame Cathedral and the elegant Place des Vosges. To enter, simply visit Pangbournian Benefits and claim the prize draw offer!
Follow the link here to access these offers!
Mrs Lucinda Grafton, Director of Development and Community
Year 7 - 8 (Dunbar)
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Please see the letter here about the Residential trip which will be taking place in September 2026 when your child will be in Year 9.
Mr Andy Crossley, Head of Outdoor Education
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This will be taking place from 16:45-19:30 in Drake Hall. You will be able to book your appointments on MySchoolPortal this evening.
Mr Anthony Hammond, Head of KS3
Year 9 - 11
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Exams start on Monday and run through to Tuesday 23 June. See the Year 10 summer exam timetable here.
While exams are going on, tutor groups, sports, activities, CCF etc all continue to run as normal for most students, so they continue to have balance in their lives. During the day if they do not have an exam, Year 10 have time to revise for other subjects so they must ensure they have the right revision materials with them. Most of Year 10 seem focused on the task ahead. This is great news as it will set them up really well for next year.
The all important Parents' and Guardians Evening where the results of these exams (as well as performance through the year) will be discussed, is on Wednesday 1 July. It is vital that both you and your child attend this so targets can be identified and plans can be made for summer work if necessary.
Following the Head's formula of stress+rest=growth, immediately after these exams I have organised a day of rest and fun for all of Year 10 at the Dolphin Centre in Pangbourne. Please complete this consent form by next Thursday 18 June to agree for your child to take part in all the water-based activities as well as for the cost of the day (£37) to be added to the school bill.
As ever, if you have any questions, please do contact your child's tutor in the first instance.
Best wishes for a weekend full of focused revision!
Mrs Abbie Stephenson, Head of KS4
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I cannot believe we are here already! Although in some ways, it has seemed like the last week has dragged on; I have really felt for Year 11 who are hanging on in there for the end. Please do encourage them to have a final, final push on revision this weekend. Physics for all, Spanish and Extended Maths for a few, are all that remain! I know with the prom coming up the temptation to focus on fake tans and outfits is huge, but please don't allow this to distract too much from the last hours of revision: when so much hard work and time has been invested already, they might as well see project GCSE properly right through to its conclusion.
As I said to Year 11 last week, they have been a pleasure and should be very proud of how they have conducted themselves throughout this process. And, as ever, the minute they have put effort in, they have already been successful. I am very pleased to say that every single one of Year 11 without any doubt has already been successful.
Best wishes for the final weekend of revision!
Mrs Abbie Stephenson, Head of KS4
Sixth Form
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The Lower Sixth Trials start on Monday 15 June and this is the updated Trials timetable along with revision guidance here. All access arrangements are in place and students have been informed by email about these and if they have any exam clashes.
There is no study leave during the Trials week with only A Level lessons collapsed. BTEC lessons and co-curricular activities continue as normal.
Details for Taking Responsibility Week (w/c 22 June) will be shared next week.
Date for the diary: Parents’ & Guardians’ Meeting will take place on Friday 26 June. Details of how to book will be shared next week.
Ms Indy Kaur, Head of Sixth Form
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With only a handful of exams now left, the Sixth Form is a lot quieter and the Upper Sixth are missed! They really should be proud of how they have conducted themselves during this period.
Upper Sixth are expected back in College on Thursday 2 July to participate in Divisional events and prepare for Founders’ Day and I look forward to seeing them then.
Ms Indy Kaur, Head of Sixth Form
Friday 12 June, 19:00 - 22:30
Illawarra Parents’ Divisional Dinner
Goring & Streatley Golf Club, Community
Sunday 14 June, 09:00 - 14:00
Falkland Islands Memorial Service 2026
Chapel, Community
Monday 15 June - Friday 19 June
Year 10 and Lower Sixth Exams
Academic, Pupil
Thursday 18 June, 14:00 - 17:10
New Joiners 2026 Welcome Event
Admissions
Friday 19 June, 16:45 - 19:30
Year 7/8 Parents’ & Guardians’ Meeting
Academic
Friday 19 June, 19:00 - 21:30
Pangbourne Proms
Community
UPCOMING EVENTS
COLLEGE NEWS THIS WEEK
Englefield Schools Days 2026
On Wednesday and Thursday, groups of our Lower Sixth pupils went to Englefield Estate’s annual Schools Days. This two day event welcomes thousands of children and features over 25 activities and demonstrations. Our students ran an activity all about trees and timber. This is a great opportunity for our students to work in teams and lead an educational session with children from local primary schools.
Year 7 Create Footprint Tunnels in their Adventure Session
This week, Year 7 pupils developed their understanding of our natural environment on campus. Inspired by our recent discovery of 5 Barn Owlets nesting in the fields overlooking Devitt Lawn. Pupils understood how to track and identify local wildlife by their tracks and then constructed their very own footprint tunnels. Using animal safe products, students set three footprint tunnels in Hesperus woods last Friday in the hope to capture the footprints left behind by our local wildlife as they pass through the trails. We are excited to see what we uncover next week when we retrieve the tunnels. To learn more about the wildlife in your garden or local area follow this link provided via the Natural History Museum website to construct your very own footprint tunnel.
Mr Alex Unsworth, Director of Adventure
Riding Success at Rectory Farm
The riders enjoyed a good level of success at the weekend.
There were educational rounds of jumping for our grassroots riders. Lola making her debut for Pangbourne with two super double clears. Lizzie also rode two lovely rounds, both gaining many compliments from spectators. Our team of Sophie, Izzy and Pip took 5th place in the 90cm.
Three of our riders gained their tickets to the National Championships at Addington Manor in October - just the top four riders qualify in each class. Izzy narrowly missed out on the win in the 80cm to take 2nd place, Pip placed 4th, just less than a second separated the top four riders! Olivia placed 4th in the 1.10m class, also qualifying her for the Nationals.
Our senior riders now look forward to the Hurstpierpoint Showjumping Championships at Hickstead at the end of June - the title they proudly won last year!
Mrs Stacey Donnison, Director of Riding
SPORT
Dunbar Compete in District Athletics Event
Last Friday, Dunbar took part in the local athletics event, competing against schools from across Reading and Newbury in the District Championships. With big smiles on their faces and plenty of enthusiasm, the team settled into the stands, ready for an exciting day ahead. After some time practising throws and relay baton handovers, our athletes were prepared to give their best.
Dunbar had an absolutely fantastic day, achieving some outstanding results across a range of events.
In the boys' competitions, Jago F and Alex C delivered an impressive performance in the 600m, finishing 1st and 2nd respectively. Noah M claimed 1st place in the 1000m, with Seb A securing a well-deserved 3rd place finish. Christian had an exceptional day, taking 1st place in the Long Jump and 2nd place in the 100m Sprint. JJ put in a tremendous effort in his long-distance race and also helped secure victory in his relay heat. George K stepped up to compete in both the Shot Put and 100m Sprint, narrowly missing out on a medal position in the Shot Put.
The girls also represented Dunbar brilliantly throughout the day. Ruby worked incredibly hard in the 1000m, finishing just outside the medal positions. Yaz, Ruth and Alexa all competed in the sprint events, with Ruth and Alexa progressing through their heats to reach the finals. Although they narrowly missed out on medals, they should be very proud of their performances.
To round off the day, both the girls' and boys' relay teams qualified for their respective finals, finishing in 4th and 6th place and bringing an exciting conclusion to a successful competition.
A huge thank you to all the parents who came along to support the team. Your encouragement throughout the day was greatly appreciated. Well done to all our athletes for their effort, determination and excellent sportsmanship.
Miss Izzy Peacock, Teacher of PE
Annie’s Football Team Crowned Berkshire County Girls’ Football League Champions
Well done to Annie W and her team, the Thatcham Tornadoes Lionesses, who were crowned Berkshire County Girls’ Football League Cup Champions after beating Henley Lionesses in the final. They also won their U15s Division 1 League Cup and on top of this, Annie was voted players player for the season at the awards ceremony.
Mr Joe Mills, Director of Sport
DIVISIONAL UPDATES
Harbinger
It’s been another quiet two weeks for Harbinger since coming back after Half Term. Ms Dyer would like to thank everyone who came to the Divisional Dinner last Saturday. It was an amazing evening of celebrating the current Upper Sixth and their successes. This week Year 9 have been focused on their exams, approaching them with maturity, they should be proud of themselves for doing so. Year 10 and Lower Sixth are currently working towards their exams next week and we wish them all the very best of luck. Now we are looking forward to the events of the final few weeks of Term.
Clara, Chief Cadet Captain of Harbinger
Hesperus
As the academic year progresses, Lower Sixth students will begin their exams on Monday 15 June, while Year 11 students continue their exam period; we extend our best wishes to all candidates for success in their exams. Last Friday, Hesperus held our Divisional Dinner, a memorable occasion marking an important milestone for the Upper Sixth students who will leave later this year following their final parade on Founders’ Day. In addition, Hesperus is currently preparing for the Divisional Drama production, which will feature performances inspired by Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia. Pupils and staff alike are looking forward to the event with great excitement. Finally, the Falkland Islands Service will take place this Sunday 14 June, and we would like to thank all pupils that are helping in this event.
Phoebe, Chief Cadet Captain of Hesperus
Illawarra
Illawarra has had a very busy week packed with both academics and co-curricular activities, highlighted by our amazing parade practice where everyone’s energy and coordination really shone through. Special thanks to Ronan (Lower Sixth) for mentoring the younger years in Division with marching.
In addition to that success, the final team selections for the Three Rivers challenge have now been made, and we want to extend a massive thank you to all of our Falkland Islands Memorial volunteers who are helping out this Sunday, especially the Year 9 pupils, who have done a brilliant job preparing and setting up Drake Hall behind the scenes.
As we come towards the end of a crucial academic period, we wish Year 11 and Upper Sixth the best of luck with their final upcoming GCSE and A Level exams and I hope they are looking forward to the long Summer that awaits them. Furthermore, we wish everyone with exams next week, a restful weekend alongside revising.
Amelia, Chief Cadet Captain of Illawarra
Macquarie
As we approach the end of the exam season, the Division has been especially quiet with lots of Upper Sixth and Year 11 students finishing or coming to the end of their exams. We are so proud of them as they have all tried so hard. We are all excited to see them back in Macquarie when they return at the end of term.
Although the external exam season is coming to a close, internal exams have just begun for our remaining years in Macquarie with our Year 9 pupils having done theirs this week. Next week we have the Year 10 GCSE and Lower Sixth A Level Trials, with all our students working really hard in the run up to them. We wish everyone good luck!
It has been fun and lively in house this week. We have started our Macquarie sweepstake for the Football World Cup with people in all years picking a team and adding it to the list.
Grace, Chief Cadet Captain of Macquarie
Boarding House Email Addresses
stgeorge@pangbourne.com
portjackson@pangbourne.com
adelaide@pangbourne.com
The next boarding update will be on Friday 19 June.