Friday 13 November 2026
Head’s Update
Best wishes,
Oliver Knight
Notices (Please click on the + sign to expand for full information)
All Pupils & Parents: Years 7- Upper Sixth
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Come along and support our Girls’ 1st XI as they take on St Edward’s at home under the lights on the Jubilee Astro.
Pushback is at 18:00 and refreshments will be available. It promises to be a great occasion, so do come along and cheer the team on! All parents and pupils are welcome to support - it should be a lovely community event.
Mr Joe Mills - Director of Sport
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On Tuesday 1 December the College Christmas Lights will be turned on at 16:45. Parents are warmly welcomed to join us for this event from 16:30 onwards. Please fill out the Google form here if you would like to attend.
We will also be collecting any donations for Reading Family Aid’s ‘Toys For Teens’ gift appeal so please do bring any toys with you that you wish to donate.
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The Christmas Carol Service will be taking place on Friday 11 December at 11:15 - 12:30. Please see the link here to book tickets. Tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis and are limited to two tickets per family. All students are expected to attend the Carol Service in the Chapel.
We kindly ask that parents only book tickets if they know they are able to attend to avoid disappointment for other parents.
The service will also be livestreamed on YouTube for any parents unable to attend and the link will be shared closer to the event.
Term will finish straight after the end of the Carol Service at 12:30. Shuttle buses to the station will leave at 12:40. Please note: there will be no other return buses operating at the end of term. Please ensure parents make the necessary arrangements. If there are any issues, please contact bursaryadmin@pangbourne.com before 30 November.
Mrs Nichola Graham - Director of Music
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Tickets are now available to watch our upcoming College Production of The Three Musketeers. You can book your tickets here.
The performances will be taking place at 19:30 in Drake Hall on the following dates:
Tuesday 9 February
Wednesday 10 February 2027
There will be refreshments available before the performance and during the interval. We look forward to welcoming you!
Ms Rebecca Atack - Head of Drama
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2025-26 was a remarkable year for the College and its community. Read the brand new edition of The Pangbournian, celebrating stories from inspirational Old Pangbournians, such as Jess Rowe’s Pacific odyssey, to stories that honour tradition, embrace change and celebrate all of the Pangbournians who inspire us.
The 2026 edition shines a light on the people, stories and shared spirit that make our Pangbournian Community so special.
View The Pangbournian Magazine 2026 here.
Mrs Lucinda Grafton - Director of Development & Community
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Break the Silence – Anti-Bullying Week at the College
Next week, our College is proud to join schools and communities across the country in marking Anti-Bullying Week (16–20 November). This annual event is a vital opportunity for us to reinforce our core values of kindness, inclusion, and mutual respect, ensuring every student feels safe, heard, and supported throughout their time here.
Secondary school and college years are a pivotal time for social development, and while friendships evolve, bullying - whether face-to-face or online - is never acceptable. Throughout the week, we will be running a dedicated programme of events and discussions designed to push the anti-bullying message across every year group.
Kicking Off with Odd Socks Day – Monday 16 November
Organised in partnership with the Anti-Bullying Alliance, this light hearted event carries a serious and powerful message: it is a chance for students and staff to celebrate what makes us all unique and send a clear signal that individuality should be respected, not targeted.
How to Get Involved: We encourage all students and staff to wear their brightest, boldest, or most mismatched socks to college on Monday alongside their normal uniform or dress code.
No Donations Required: Odd Socks Day is purely about awareness and expression -there is no need to bring in money, just plenty of enthusiasm!
To ensure the conversation extends well beyond Monday morning, we have planned a series of targeted activities throughout the week:
Divisional Kindness Walls: Each Division will host its own Kindness Wall, giving students and staff a dedicated space to post positive messages, shout-outs, and pledges of support for their peers.
Divisional Human Anti-Bullying Sign Photo Competition: Divisions will go head-to-head in a creative photo challenge, working together to form a powerful human anti-bullying symbol or message to show unity across the college.
Divisional Short Video Competition: Students will be invited to collaborate within their Divisions to produce impactful short videos promoting respect, inclusion, and standing up against bullying.
Daily Messaging & Celebrating Kindness: Throughout the week, tutor time and college announcements will feature daily anti-bullying themes alongside a deliberate focus on highlighting and celebrating everyday acts of kindness and positive behaviour across the community.
How Parents and Carers Can Support at Home:
Tackling bullying works best when college and home share the same clear expectations. Here are a few ways you can reinforce this week’s message:
Start the Conversation: Ask your child what they discussed in their tutor sessions or took part in with their Division this week. Keeping dialogue casual and regular makes it much easier for them to open up if they ever experience or witness an issue.
Address the "Bystander" Effect: Remind your child that laughing along, forwarding a cruel meme, or staying silent in a group chat gives bullying power. Encourage them to check in on peers who seem isolated and to speak up to a trusted adult when something isn't right.
Know How to Report: If you or your child ever have concerns about bullying, please encourage them to speak to their Tutor, Head of Division, or our Safeguarding and Pastoral team immediately. Early intervention allows us to resolve issues swiftly and protect everyone involved.
Mr Mark Skidmore - Deputy Head Pastoral & Designated Safeguarding Lead
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This Christmas, we are once again supporting Reading Family Aid’s Toys and Teens Christmas Gift Appeal, helping to bring a little festive joy to children and young people across the local community.
We are inviting parents and families to donate new or good-as-new toys and gifts for children of all ages. This year, around 50% of requests received by Reading Family Aid are for young people aged 10–16, so gifts suitable for teenagers are particularly needed.
All donations should be new or as new, complete and in good working order. Please deliver them to your Division - or they can be dropped at reception, or to the Christmas Lights Switch on, which takes place on Tuesday 1 December.
Donation deadline: Friday 4 December.
For ideas and full guidance on suitable donations, including suggestions for older children and teenagers, please visit the Reading Family Aid website.
Thank you for helping us make Christmas a little brighter for local families who need it most.
All Parents:
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Join us for the Pangbourne College 110th Anniversary Community Ball on Saturday 5 June 2027 - a landmark celebration bringing together our vibrant College community. Enjoy an unforgettable evening of drinks, dinner and dancing while helping us raise vital funds for the Transforming Futures Bursary Programme and the Pangbourne Community Fund, creating life-changing opportunities for young people.
Tickets are at a cost of £130 and can be purchased as individuals, pairs or tables of ten. Please note - ticket sales close on Thursday 17 December.
Get your tickets here.
Mrs Lucinda Grafton - Director of Development & Community
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Visit our Pangbournian Benefits page for more details.
Mrs Lucinda Grafton, Director of Development and Community
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As part of our merger with Mill Hill Education Group, we will be changing our bank details. The new details are as follows:
Account Name: The Mill Hill School Foundation Pangbourne College Business Current Account
Account Number: 60862653
Sort Code: 60-14-27
Please pay any funds for school fees or other payments into this new account. Our old account will remain open for a short period of time, but will be closed as a normal part of the merger process, so it would be much appreciated if you could start using the new account for payments going forward.
We are aware of various scam emails that circulate pretending to be from a school asking parents to pay into a new bank account, so please call us on the normal school number should you wish to verify any bank details.
Thank you to all parents who are already using this new bank account.
Mr Jamie Morton - Director of Finance
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Dr Ian Hart - Head of Junior House (Dunbar)
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The School Immunisation Team will be visiting Pangbourne on Monday 30 November to offer the flu vaccination to all students from Year 7 to Year 11. Please see below further information on the vaccination with a link to the electronic consent form, the Immunisation Team would be grateful if you could complete the form whether giving or refusing consent so they are aware of your preference.
If you have any queries or questions please call the Immunisation Team on the telephone number included in the information below.
Please view the consent form here.
Mrs Sue Smith - Senior Nurse
Year 7 - 9
Year 10 - 11
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Thank you to so many of you who have engaged with us over the course of this week, whether by webinar (thank you for your patience with our IT issues), or at the drop in session at the Cafe on Wednesday morning. We shall be hosting another drop in, this time based in the Sixth Form Centre, on Friday 20 November, from 16:00-17:00. Please come along if you have any questions regarding the Sixth Form. Mrs Hayward, Ms Kaur, Mr Skidmore and I will all be there.
Trials start on Monday at 09.30 after assembly and continue to the following Tuesday (24 November). I do hope you are seeing plenty of evidence of flashcards and maybe even past paper practice at home. Hopefully you are being allowed to be involved with the quizzing element too. After all this effort and hard work, I have organised a day of relaxation in Oxford on Wednesday 25 November, following the formula of stress+rest=growth. We shall depart school at 09.15 after a brief reflection on Trials and travel by coach, returning to school in order to take part in afternoon activities ( by 15:45). While in Oxford we shall visit the Illusion Museum (your child should bring £7 to pay for this on entry), plus the Christmas market. They’ll also have time for some Christmas shopping or to get some lunch so please ensure they have enough money for this too. The cost for coach travel will be around £20 which will be added to your school bill. Please may I ask that you complete the form here by next Friday 20 November to confirm that you are happy for your child to attend the trip.
Finally a reminder of the parents' evening on Wednesday 2 December which is vital for post-Trials reflection and next steps.
Good luck to all with revision over the weekend.
Mrs Abbie Stephenson - Head of KS4
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Please see Wednesday’s webinar recording here. Passcode is
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Thank you to all the parents who attended the session on Wednesday. If you missed it, you can still join us at our next session.
We are very keen to provide support to our Year 11 pupils regarding their plans for their future post GCSE. We want to ensure that your child is well equipped for their choice of Sixth form programme of study as well as looking beyond Pangbourne to ensure they are set up well for the future. In the last few weeks, all pupils in Year 11 have had a careers and future pathways interview with one of our senior members of staff. You should have received an email summarising the key points from the meeting with your child (please contact elly.hayward@pangbourne.com if you have not received this). We would now like to invite you to come in person and talk to senior members of staff informally as well as the option to make an appointment to talk at the Parents meeting on Wednesday 2 December. We will be holding some drop in coffee sessions on the following dates and times:
Afternoon:
Friday 20 November 16:45 - 17:30 (Sixth Form Centre)
We would love to answer any questions you may have and to discuss your child's plans further so that we can ensure we are supporting them through this process. I hope to see as many of you there as possible.
Please register your interest in attending via the Google form here.
Mrs Abbie Stephenson - Head of Key Stage 4, Mrs Elly Hayward - Assistant Head, Pupil Expertise and Ms Indy Kaur - Head of Sixth Form
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It’s been a busy week for Year 10 with rugby matches and hockey tournaments for some on top of an increasing focus on their imaginative writing for English coursework. In tutor groups this week, Year 10 have thought about Fundamental British Values (e.g. democracy, the rule of law) as well as continuing with thinking about flashcards. On Thursday, I spoke to the whole year group about what being ‘ready to learn’ looks like. Most are excellent at this, but a few have some work to do. In the same session Mrs Kiernan Webb explained how AI can be used in coursework in English (it can’t!). All pupils in Year 10 have successfully completed a quiz about this to show that they understand this important point.
Mrs Abbie Stephenson - Head of KS4
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We are keen to begin conversations with our Year 10 students and parents regarding their Future Pathways into Sixth form here at Pangbourne College. During this Half Term, senior members of staff will be meeting with Year 10 students 1:1 to discuss their future pathway at Pangbourne. In addition to our Year 10 Parents Introduction to Sixth Form event on Tuesday 16 March, we would like to extend an invitation to parents to discover what Pangbourne Sixth Form has to offer.
We will be available on the below dates to answer any questions you may have and to discuss your child's plans further so that we can ensure we are supporting them through this process. I hope to see as many of you there as possible.
Morning:
Wednesday 18 November 08:00 - 09:00 (Café)
Afternoon:
Friday 20 November 16:45 - 17:30 (Sixth Form Centre)Please register your interest in attending by using the Google form here.
Mrs Abbie Stephenson - Head of Key Stage 4, Mrs Elly Hayward - Assistant Head, Pupil Expertise and Ms Indy Kaur - Head of Sixth Form
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The School Immunisation Team will be visiting Pangbourne on Monday 30 November to offer the flu vaccination to all students from Year 7 to Year 11. Please click below for further information on the vaccination and also includes a link to the electronic consent form. The Immunisation Team would be grateful if you could complete the form whether giving or refusing consent so they are aware of your preference.
If you have any queries or questions please call the Immunisation Team on the telephone number included in the information below.
Please view the consent form here.
Mrs Sue Smith - Senior Nurse
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It has been a fantastic start to the term, and I have been so impressed by how well Year 10 pupils have engaged with their summer reading, and have now completed studying Of Mice and Men for the Literature GCSE.
This term is a key milestone for our pupils as we begin preparing, planning, and writing our first piece of English Language coursework: an imaginative writing response comprising the first 800 words of a novella of their choice. We will begin writing the first draft Tuesday 24 November.
Please note that AI tools are strictly prohibited at any stage of the coursework process. To ensure all academic standards are met, pupils will be completing a short lecture and quiz on plagiarism and AI use in class. We kindly ask all parents to read through the attached coursework guidelines carefully, sign the confirmation form, and help reinforce these rules at home.
Coursework drafting will be completed in class, under teacher supervision and must be entirely the pupil’s own work.
Please take a few minutes to familiarise yourself with the guidance and talk through expectations with your child and complete this form to acknowledge you have done this. If you have any questions, we would be very happy to discuss these with you at Parents’ Evening next week.
Many thanks for all your support.
Mrs Sarah Kiernan Webb - Head of English
Sixth Form
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Please see here for the revision guidance and Trials timetable (w/c 23 November). There is no study leave this week: all students expected at College as normal. BTEC lessons will continue as normal with A Level lessons collapsed. Students will be using their time to revise and access support from teachers. All co-curricular activities will be running as normal and all students will be expected to attend.
Ms Indy Kaur - Head of Sixth Form
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Newdays Pharmacy will be offering a private flu vaccination service for all Sixth Form students on Monday 16 November.
Please note that the recommended nasal spray flu vaccine for under-18s is only available through the NHS school immunisation programme and cannot be provided privately. Newdays Pharmacy can instead offer an injectable, inactivated flu vaccine as an alternative.
The cost is £20 for the standard egg-based vaccine or £28.50 for an egg-free, cell-based vaccine. This charge can be paid directly by credit card on the day or by adding to the school bill.
Parents should be aware of the difference between the two vaccine types when deciding whether to proceed with private vaccination. Any preferences should be communicated to the Health CentrePlease could you return the consent form to the Health Centre by Friday 13 November and indicate how you would like to pay for the vaccine. The Health Centre email is: hc@pangbourne.com
Please see the consent form here.
Mrs Sue Smith - Senior Nurse
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Please view the letter here with more information regarding the proposed trip to Uganda in July 2027.
Mr James Capel - Head of Geography
Saturday 7 November, 10:00 - 15:00
Community Christmas Market
Community
Sunday 8 November, 08:30 - 12:00
Remembrance Sunday Service & College Parade
Community
Sunday 8 November, 14:00 - 15:00
College Marching Band in Village for Remembrance Parade
Marching Band, Community
Wednesday 11 November, 08:00 - 09:00
Year 11 Parents Careers and Future Pathways Interview Follow Up
Parents, Year 11, Cafe
Wednesday 11 November, 19:00 - 19:45
Wednesday Webinar for Parents: The Sixth Form Choices Process
Parents, Year 11, Academic
Thursday 12 November, All Day
A Level Chemistry Live
Sixth Form, London, Academic, Trips
Saturday 14 November, 08:30 - 13:30
Year 7 2027 & Year 9 2029 Assessment and Activities Day
External, Admissions
UPCOMING EVENTS
COLLEGE NEWS THIS WEEK
Christmas Market
Remembrance Sunday Parade
Our Marching Band had the pleasure and privilege of leading both the College Remembrance Parade and the Village Remembrance Parade this year. It was a wonderful opportunity to represent the College within the wider community, and the students did so with great professionalism and pride. They played superbly, looked smart, and were excellent ambassadors for both the Music Department and the College. Well done to everyone involved, and thank you for your commitment and hard work.
Two members of the Marching Band have kindly written about their experiences of these events. We hope you enjoy reading their reflections below.
‘This was only my second and third parade ever and it being Remembrance Sunday, I was quite nervous but also very excited. I am still quite new to the flute and I haven't had many lessons but I managed to complete all the pieces and it sounded great in the end. Everyone seemed quite nervous on the day but with everyone's help and support, we pulled through and delivered a great performance.
The Village parade went really well too, it was an incredible experience to be a part of. Everyone watching were all very supportive and it gave me a great confidence boost. We marched from the Police Station to the church, had a short service in the church then marched from the church to The George pub. Without Mr Nicholls and Mrs Graham, we wouldn't have been able to do this so we are all very thankful to them and I will definitely remember this day for the rest of my life. ‘ - Elizabeth (Year 9)
‘Being Drum Major for this year’s Remembrance parades was particularly special, especially as it is my final year at the College. Leading both the school and village parades was a great responsibility, and although I was nervous beforehand, it was a really rewarding experience, especially successfully completing the mace toss. The village parade was a particular highlight, with a great community atmosphere. It was lovely to lead the veterans through the village and bring together different generations to remember those who have served. Hearing the applause at the end was a very proud moment, and being Drum Major for such an important occasion is something I will always remember.’ - Leo (Upper Sixth)
Mrs Nichola Graham - Director of Music
SPORT
Hockey Girls’ 1st XI LWC Super 7’s
Hockey Girls’ 1st XI Lord Wandsworth College
Hockey Girls U15A Lord Wandsworth College
Rugby Union Boys U15A Embley
Golf Fixture vs Claire’s Court School
Well done to Finn, Tom and Alex on a very close match against Claires Court in the first round of the ISGA golf tournament. All three played against golfers with significantly better handicaps. It came down to the last hole of the last match, with Pangbourne missing out by one putt and an unfortunately placed bush! We now move into the plate competition, in which we reached the regional final last year.
Rvd Neil Jeffers - Golf Coach
Divisional Updates
The next Divisional Update will be on Friday 20 November.
Heads of Divisions and Email Addresses:
Harbinger: Mrs Candice Greenly - harbinger@pangbourne.com
Hesperus: Mrs Laura Besley-Piggott - hesperus@pangbourne.com
Illawarra: Mrs Dona Poitrat Rachmaninoff - illawarra@pangbourne.com
Macquarie: Mrs Steph Kingsland - macquarie@pangbourne.com
Dunbar: Dr Ian Hart - dunbar@pangbourne.com
Boarding Updates
Adelaide
It’s been a busy and positive start to the second half of term in Adelaide, with plenty to celebrate, some fantastic sporting performances and a good dose of house spirit!
We start by looking back on the closing days of the first half of term in order to congratulate Charlie S on making his 1st XV debut against Claires Court in the cup match. Unfortunately, the victory wasn't to be on this occasion, but for Charlie to gain exposure to first-team rugby whilst still in Year 11 is a fantastic achievement and something he should be very proud of. Well done, Charlie! There has also been time for a little adventure, on the final evening with Luca ST and Henry W joining the boarders' inaugural trip to the bouldering centre in Reading. It was a great deal of fun, although, I suspect there were a few aching arms and legs the following morning. Hopefully, this will be the first of many such trips which more of the boys will sign up to.
Our focus for the new Half Term, as for the first, has been very much about getting off to a positive start. Two motivational messages have been setting the tone around the house: "Start as you mean to go on", alongside our reminder of “Right Place, Right Time, Right Kit, Right Thing”. We have also been reminding the boys that "Motivation is the fuel necessary to keep the human engine running." A couple of good reminders as we head into the second half of term, and in particular for those in Year 11 and Upper Sixth who have Trials looming before the run into Christmas.
A particularly special highlight was celebrating Adelaide's first birthday! With our theme of "We Are One", it was lovely to mark this milestone together as a house. Naturally, no birthday celebration would be complete without thinking of ‘fuel’ and a rather substantial order of Domino's pizzas and, of course, a Colin the Caterpillar cake! Alongside Colin, there were plenty of happy faces, full stomachs and a lovely atmosphere as we celebrated being part of Adelaide.
The end of the week brought a rather more sombre occasion, with our annual Remembrance Parade. As always, it was a wonderful spectacle, with all the boys looking incredibly smart and a particular highlight being the leadership roles three of our boys play. Leo R and Charlie S in all their glory in the marching band and Alex O in the Guard. The band were absolutely outstanding, both at the College Parade and at the village service in the afternoon. A huge thank you to Mr Nicholls and the Music Department for all their hard work in preparing the boys and bringing out the very best in them. It was also lovely to welcome back some of our Upper Sixth leavers, including Jack H, Ollie G and Louis VDM. Always a pleasure to see familiar faces returning to the house! There was also recognition for Henry W, who received a polished shoes commendation from Mr Radford. This was particularly pleasing, earning him some valuable Division points and a complimentary trip to the tuck shop as his reward. A win all round!
On the sporting front, our Under 14A side, featuring Eddie T and Hugo R, and the Under 15A team, with Ben B, Ted M and Arki T, travelled to Embley. Unfortunately, the Under 14s came away without a win, but the Under 15s produced an excellent performance to secure a fine away victory. They followed this with another strong display midweek at home against Reading Blue Coat. This time the result went narrowly against us, losing 19–17, but the quality of rugby on show was excellent. Plenty of positives to take forward.
Away from the sports field, this week's activities included a house quiz at St George, which proved to be great fun and a welcome opportunity for everyone to get involved. A big thank you to Miss Young for organising a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Finally, as we sign off for the week, we wish Leo R the very best of luck this weekend in the south of France, where he will be competing in the first round of the Asian Le Mans Series. Good luck, Leo!
All in all, a really encouraging start to the second half of term. Let's keep that momentum going – start as we mean to go on!
Mr Ed Williams - Head of Adelaide
Port Jackson
It has been a busy and enjoyable start to the second half of this term as the boys returned from their October long leave, settling back into the routines and rhythms of boarding life.
Much of last week was focused on preparations for the College Remembrance Sunday Parade. The boys were putting in plenty of effort to ensure their No.1 dress uniforms were looking smart and their shoes were polished to perfection. It’s important that they take pride in their appearance when we come together as a College community to mark this significant occasion.
On Saturday evening, the boys enjoyed heading into Pangbourne village for the fireworks celebrations. It was a lovely opportunity for everyone to get together, enjoy the festivities and make the most of the village atmosphere.
After what has been a full and productive week, the boys will undoubtedly be looking forward to a slightly quieter weekend. There will be time to relax, enjoy the Autumn rugby internationals and, perhaps most excitingly, begin getting into the festive spirit by decorating the boarding house with Christmas decorations.
As always, it’s lovely to see the boys back together, making the most of boarding life and looking out for one another.
Mr Paul Radford - Head of Port Jackson
St George
The girls returned from their Half Term break in good spirits but did say the two weeks went very quickly. Last week was the preparation for the Remembrance Service and hockey matches against Lord Wandsworth College (LWC). Not games resulted in wins but what I did hear when speaking with the coaches was how well the girls had played and how determined they were – it is always great to watch the girls' play and to see how much everyone puts into their game. The U15’s had a great 5:1 win.
On Saturday, it was the Christmas Fair which had lots of lovely things to purchase and so much time and effort goes into organising such an event so thank you to all the parent ambassadors who worked so hard to put this together. On Saturday evening, Mr Radford and myself took the boarders to the village for the Pangbourne Primary School fireworks. We walked there and back even though there were numerous requests to take the mini buses. A visit to The Co-op was had on the way home…..bought a couple of pizza’s which the girls cooked when they got back. Thank you to Mr Cheney for booking the tickets! Remembrance Service is always very poignant and then Parade with a flypast. There is a lot of time taken to practice and prepare for such days. Then the Marching Band representing Pangbourne College in the afternoon at the Pangbourne Remembrance Service – very proud of all the students taking part. There are exam Trials coming up for Sixth Form and Year 11 in the next few weeks – lots of focus needed and revision to be done. On Tuesday, we hosted Quiz night for all of the Houses – thank you to Ms Young for organising this. The next round is going to be on the last week of term which will involve plenty of Christmas themed questions. We’ve got more birthday celebrations at the end of the week so lots of baking to be done!
Mrs Debbie Atkins - Head of St George
Heads of Boarding Houses and Email Addresses:
Adelaide (boys) - Mr Ed Williams - adelaide@pangbourne.com
Port Jackson (boys) - Mr Paul Radford - portjackson@pangbourne.com
St George - Mrs Debbie Atkins - stgeorge@pangbourne.com