Friday 20 June 2025

Head’s Weekly Update

Apologies for the longer than usual update from me. Do please read through to the end. 

Academic Rigour

The exam season is drawing to a close and the Year 11 and Upper Sixth can  breathe a collective sigh of relief as they enter the hiatus between sitting the exams and collecting their results in August.  For Year 10 and Lower Sixth the journey is not yet complete and we will be supporting them to realise their full potential through setting some holiday work for them to complete. This will allow them to have a proper break and decompress from the year and ensure they come back in September not having forgotten what they have already been taught. 

We are busy planning for September and are looking forward to opening the new Sixth Form Centre on Wednesday 3 September. This will provide a bespoke space for the Sixth form to socialise and work and start to bridge the gap between school and the outside world. 

I am looking forward to meeting informally with our current Year 10 families on Wednesday 25 June with Ms Kaur to talk about life in the Sixth Form. Some of the recently promoted students will also be in attendance to talk about their experiences.  Please do RSVP via the form here as today is the deadline. 

Adventure & Exploration

On  Tuesday we held an afternoon of fun to begin the process of turning the new Divisions into blossoming hubs at the heart of College life. Mr Hammond and the rest of the staff team put on a fantastic event and the weather was glorious. Volleyball on Devitt Lawn seemed to be a hit and we got to use the new High Ropes course for the first of many times. These experiences are not only fun, they are designed to engender community spirit and sense of belonging.  They add another dimension to life at Pangbourne and help create scenarios where we mix outside our usual groups and make new connections. 

Community 

Situated as we are, on top of a hill in our glorious campus, it is sometimes hard to remember that we are part of a larger community and have a responsibility to those less fortunate.  It was lovely to receive a letter this week  from the Revd Mark Hopkins, Rector at St James the Less in Pangbourne, thanking our Lower Sixth students for the voluntary work they carried out there. Interacting with and being part of the wider community is something I am very keen to grow over the coming years. 

The Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving took place in The Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel on Sunday 15 June. There are few events that speak to our notion of community more than this.  It was very pleasing to have so many students helping at the event to see first hand what we mean when we talk about our Flag Values. 

The Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel is unique and we are blessed to be the custodians of this Memorial. As such, and with the desire for the students to sit at the centre of the college experience, the Prizegiving on Founders’ Day will take place in the Chapel and all students in Years 9 - Upper Sixth  will attend along with any prize winners from Years 7 and 8. This is to enable our students to sit in the Chapel and see their future selves being acknowledged and rewarded. The purpose of Prizegiving is twofold - to celebrate the achievements of current students and to inspire others to want to take their place in the future.  The parents of our leaving year - The Upper Sixth - and parents of prize winners will also be in attendance. The event will be live streamed via our YouTube Channel. 

In our letter to you about the imposition of VAT and again in our latest fee letter we spoke about our continued focus on efficiencies and value for money whilst ensuring the pupils are at the heart of the College. As parents, I want to reassure you that the one thing I am not going to do this year is to spend over £30,000 on a marquee and speaker for one event. I do not believe that this represents good value for money for you all and the experience of a hot marquee with sub-optimal audio is never satisfactory and detracts from the event. I want the students to sit in the Chapel and dream of what the future might hold. 

Following Prizegiving we will have the Founders’ Day Parade  and inspection followed by Beat Retreat and then picnic lunches down on White’s. I am delighted to announce that Mrs Caroline Bond will be taking the inspection. Mrs Bond is a true Pangbourne Pioneer and has served generations of Pangbournians with skill and compassion. As we begin our celebrations to mark thirty years of co-education at Pangbourne there is no one better to lead this than Mrs Bond. 

Leadership 

The first set of promotions for the current Lower Sixth have now concluded.  These are informed using a range of inputs and it is always a tense experience.  I met 1:1 with each of the 19 students who had been interviewed by the team for leadership posts to inform them of the decisions. This is a challenging but informative experience for  teenagers to go through and I was so impressed by how they dealt with the situation.  As with all promotion processes, there was joy alongside disappointment. My message to those of the 19, who were unsuccessful on this occasion, was that the courage to take yourself out of your comfort zone and apply for a role is hugely valuable. We often learn more from our disappointments than our successes and they are a vital part of life and preparing for the world after Pangbourne. Please see here for the 2025-2026 promotions.

I’m really looking forward to seeing lots of you at the Proms event this evening. As a reminder, please see here for some pre-event information.




COLLEGE NEWS THIS WEEK

Sport Celebration Evening

Last Friday was a fantastic evening celebrating Pangbourne sport!

All of our athletes came together to reflect on an incredible year of commitment, teamwork and achievement across all sports. From personal bests to team triumphs, it’s been a year to remember. Thank you to all our athletes, coaches and supporters who made it possible! Looking ahead to next year we can't wait to get started and to build on the successes of this year.

Falkland Islands Memorial Service 2025

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the 60+ pupils and 30+ staff who generously gave their time on Sunday to support the veterans and families of the 1982 Falklands War during this year’s Falkland Islands Memorial Service.

Over 600 guests were welcomed to the College for a moving service in the Chapel, enriched by outstanding music and followed by a beautifully prepared reception. Glorious sunshine and blue skies added to the occasion, making it a truly memorable day for all involved.

The event was a powerful reminder of the special role the College plays in caring for the national Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel. We are incredibly proud of our community’s commitment to service, so clearly demonstrated by those who gave up their time in support of this important occasion.

Divisional Team Building Afternoon

On Tuesday, our current students as well as new joiners for September got involved in a jam packed afternoon of fun activities in their new divisions. Everyone got stuck into every activity despite most of them never having done them before. Some of the activities included tug of war, our new high ropes course, low ropes, obstacle course, volleyball, football rounders, congers, escape rooms and more! We hope the afternoon has made everyone excited for September and we look forward to more divisional activities in the final week of term!

Scholars’ BBQ

On Wednesday, Pangbourne College celebrated the success of all the Scholars across our school at our annual Scholars' Dinner. This year we decided to make it a bit more casual and launched our first official "Scholars' BBQ'". The weather up on Big Side was stunning, the summer outfits were dapper, the food was (of course) excellent, and the mojito mocktails were a sensational hit across the board. The party was hosted by our fantastic Senior Scholars - Nino and Freddy - who had planned an incredible event and gave a motivational speech to the rest of the Scholars. We can't wait for the next Scholars' BBQ next year and are already planning how to make it even bigger and better (if that’s possible) - stay tuned.

Year 10 RS Trip to Oxford

Thanks to Christ Church Cathedral and the Central Oxford Mosque for their hospitality on Wednesday. Year 10 RS students loved seeing both places of worship, as well as Christ Church’s academic life, Harry Potter connections and some beautiful private gardens.

Lower Sixth Volunteer at Englefield Estate’s Schools Days

Some of our Lower Sixth students volunteered at the Englefield Estate’s annual Schools Days event on Wednesday and Thursday this week. The estate transforms into an outdoor classroom for primary school children, focusing on themes like sustainability, food, farming and the countryside, the event offers interactive activities and demonstrations led by estate staff, local organisations and our students. The event is free for Berkshire primary schools and aims to educate children about the estate's history, activities, and the importance of the countryside. The estate is hugely appreciative of the support given by Pangbourne students at the event, and the visiting children really benefit from engaging with our pupils. 

Trinity Drama Exam Success

The Drama department continues to return outstanding results with another successful round of Trinity Drama exams.

Last month, our Trinity Drama pupils undertook their solo Communication Skills or solo and paired Acting exams with a combination of classical pieces and contemporary monologues. Some of the assessed work was devised by the pupils, some of which worked hard on constructing poignant presentations. Under Mrs Fallon’s excellent guidance and teaching, a significant amount of preparation and rehearsal goes into these dramatic programmes and the performance, communication and presentation skills learnt are invaluable.

The external Examiner and professional Actor stated on some of the pupils feedback reports that they thought performances were ‘insightful, compelling, physically expansive and dynamic’, there was ‘slick, energised interaction’ in the pair work and that ‘strong emotional engagement’ was demonstrated through their challenging monologues. Among our 21 students who undertook the exam, 90% achieved at least high Merits with 76/100 or above and 10 pupils achieved outstanding Distinctions. A special mention to Oscar (Year 7) who achieved 95/100 in his Grade 3 Communication Skills Solo exam, Freddie and Leo (Year 8) and David and William (Year 10) who all achieved 93/100 for their Grade 3 and Grade 4 Acting in Pairs exams and Cameron (Lower Sixth), who achieved 90/100 for his Grade 7 Communication Skills Solo exam.

Very well done to all pupils for their consistent hard work and efforts leading up to the exam. We are very proud of them!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Friday 20 June, 16:30 - Sunday 22 June, 19:00
Overnight Leave
Boarding

Friday 20 June, 16:00 - 20:00
Year 7 & 8 Parents’ and Guardians’ Meeting
Academic

Friday 20 June, 19:00 - 21:30
Pangbourne Proms
Devitt Lawn

Saturday 21 June, All Day
Rock Climbing Trip
Co-Curricular

Sunday 22 June, 10:00 - 18:00
Junior Production Technical Rehearsal
Drama

Monday 23 June, 19:00 - 20:30
Junior College Production - Wind in the Willows
Piggeries, Drama

Tuesday 24 June, 13:50 - 14:35
Year 7 Public Speaking Competition
Academic

Wednesday 25 June, 17:00 - 18:00
Year 10 Parents: Introduction to Sixth Form
The Old Library, Devitt House

Thursday 26 June, 08:30 - 16:00
Year 10 Flag Values Day
The Dolphin, Activities

Thursday 26 June, 09:30 - 11:15
Prospective Parents: Head’s Introduction to Pangbourne
Old Library

Thursday 26 June, 19:00 - 21:00
Year 8 Dinner
The Old Library, Pupil

Friday 27 June, All Day
NACE Conference
Drake Hall, Academic

Friday 27 June, 08:30 - Saturday 28 June, 17:30
Year 9 DofE Bronze Assessed Expeditions
Co-curricular, Trip

Monday 30 June, 08:30 - Wednesday 2 July, 17:30
Year 11 DofE Silver Assessed Expeditions
Co-curricular, Trip

Monday 30 June, 18:30 - 21:00
Dunbar Boarders' Cosmo Trip
Boarding, Trip

Tuesday 1 July, 08:30 - 17:45
Divisional Drama
Pupils Only

Wednesday 2 July, 19:00 - 21:00
Dunbar Disco
Pupil

Wednesday 2 July, 19:00 - 21:00
Charlotte Drake Summer Formal
Old Library, Pupil

Thursday 3 July, 14:30 - 17:00
Divisional Athletics Competition
Sport, Pupils Only

Thursday 3 July, 17:30 - 21:30
Boarders Divisional BBQ
Pupils Only

Thursday 3 July, 20:30 - 22:30
Upper Sixth Evening Event
Pupils Only

Friday 4 July, 09:30 - 12:10
Divisional Swimming Competition
Sport, Pupils Only

Friday 4 July, 18:30
Upper Sixth Divisional Meals
Pupils Only

Friday 4 July - Sunday 6 July, All day
Rowing: Henley Royal Regatta
Sport

Saturday 5 July, 08:30 - 12:30
College Founders’ Day
Parade Ground, Community

Saturday 5 July, 19:00 - 23:30
Leavers’ Ball
Drake Hall, Community


NOTICES

  • The Junior College Production will be performed from 19:00 - 20:30 on Monday 23 June 2025 at Piggeries (behind Dunbar). It is BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic). If you would like to sit on blankets, this area will be closer to the stage, but those that would like to sit on chairs will have to sit slightly further back, behind those on blankets. You can enter the performance area via the entrance to Dunbar and feel free to park on the grass behind the DT department, left of mini-roundabout. Should you attend and BYOP, please could we kindly ask that you dispose of your own rubbish and do not bring dogs to the performance.

    Many thanks and we look forward to seeing you then.

  • On Wednesday 2 July, 19:00 - 21:00, we will be hosting our annual Charlotte Drake Summer Formal.

    This event is for any female students from Years 10-13 and will take place in the Old Library and weather permitting will also be on the terrace. We will be welcoming guest speakers to this event and there will be canapes and drinks throughout the evening.

    Any student that is interested in attending must complete the Google Form they have been sent via email from Mrs Hayward. They may bring a +1 female friend, family member or supporter.

  • Gillman and Soame would like to remind all parents that all group photographs taken this year are online and available to order with delivery direct to your home address.

  • All parents and staff are warmly invited to the Private View of the End of Year Art Exhibition on Thursday 26 June, 18:00 - 20:30.

    This will take place in the Art department and will include work of Upper Sixth and Year 11 students. There will be live music and refreshments available throughout the event.

    We hope to see many of you there.

  • Parents and guardians attending HRR on Thursday 3 July are invited to join the College at the Pangbourne College gazebo in Lions Meadow from 12:30 - 14:00.

  • Year 9 Bronze DofE Assessed Expedition will depart on Friday 27 June.

    Year 11 Silver DofE Assessed Expedition will depart on Monday 30 June.

    Year 12 Gold Assessed Expedition will depart on Sunday 6 July.

  • Year 11 and Upper Sixth Students

    Year 11 and Upper Sixth students are expected back in College by the following dates:

    • Monday 30 June 08:15 - Year 11 Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award pupils

    • Wednesday 2 July 19:00 - Year 11 and Upper Sixth boarders to return

    • Thursday 3 July 08:15 - Year 11 and Upper Sixth day pupils to return

    Arrangements for the afternoon of Friday 4 July:

    • Prize winners' rehearsal will take place in Chapel at 16:00 - 17:50. All prize winners are expected to attend.

    • Any other pupils (excluding prize winners) may leave College at 16:00.

    • Buses will depart at the usual time 18:00.

    • Any pupils who are unable to leave at 16:00 will be supervised in College until buses depart.

    • Upper Sixth Final Service will be taking place in the Chapel at 18:00. Parents are warmly invited to attend. Students are expected to wear suits or No. 2s uniform.

  • On Sunday 28 September, Pangbourne College will be hosting a series of races for the whole family to get involved in including an adult 10k, kids 2k and a toddler dash.

    This event will be raising money for Basildon Primary and the Pangbourne College Community Fund.

    The 10k race will be a beautiful offroad trail run around our college site. The event is being run by our very own member of staff, Ben Mcleod. Ben is a keen runner and has much experience in hosting events like this, having organised the very successful Chariots of Fire beach race for multiple consecutive years.

    If you would like to support this event, please get in touch with Ben Mcleod via email here.

    Tickets for this event will be released shortly and the link will be available in the parent newsletter.

  • On Wednesday 3 September, 08:15 - 08:45, we will be hosting an Open House event with light refreshments for our current Year 11 and 12 parents (who will be Year 12 and 13 in September respectively) to visit the new Sixth Form centre.

    If you would like to attend please complete the google form here.

  • Please view the Summer Term Library Newsletter here.

  • During the summer holidays, a group of Lower Sixth students are going out to Uganda to work in Nabugabo, our partnership primary school. They will not only be taking out teaching and learning resources which they will make as part of the Taking Responsibility course, but other donations as well. This year we are focussing on collecting boys' boxers and girls' pants, ages 6 - 14. Please can they be new and in their original packaging. Your donations will make a huge difference to the children. Mrs Bond will be collating the donations, so please leave them in Reception or give them to your son or daughter to give to her. Thank you very much to everyone who has donated so far. 

  • Please see the rugby and hockey pre- season training dates in the letter here.

  • The Junior College Production will be performed from 19:00 - 20:30 on Monday 23 June 2025 at Piggeries (behind Dunbar). It is BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic). If you would like to sit on blankets, this area will be closer to the stage, but those that would like to sit on chairs will have to sit slightly further back, behind those on blankets. You can enter the performance area via the entrance to Dunbar and feel free to park on the grass behind the DT department, left of mini-roundabout. Should you attend and BYOP, please could we kindly ask that you dispose of your own rubbish and do not bring dogs to the performance.

    Many thanks and we look forward to seeing you then.

Years 7-8

Years 9 -11

  • The Year 10 Flag Values Day is taking place at the Dolphin Centre in Pangbourne on Thursday 26 June.

    Students should come to school as normal at 08:15. During the day students will take part in a variety of activities to include kayaking, paddleboarding, climbing and canoeing so they should wear Pangbourne PE kit, lightweight shorts, sports T shirts and leggings are best.

    Pupils should not wear tracksuits as they get too heavy when wet. Hair should be tied up and no jewellery at all please (this is a request from the Dolphin Centre).

    They should wear trainers or water shoes for the water and a spare pair of trainers for land and climbing.

    Please note Dolphin do not allow sandals, open toe shoes or crocs. Bring an entire spare change of clothes even down to underwear and a towel. Hopefully the weather will be as glorious as today!

    At the end of the day we shall walk back to school as a group and students should be free to be picked up from school at 16:00. Mrs Stephenson has emailed a fully functional permission form to you this morning.  Please can you complete this form before 16.00 on Monday 23 June to enable your child to attend. It promises to be a great day for all!

  • Congratulations to Year 11 who have now completed all their GCSE examinations.

    I am so impressed with the way in which they all conducted themselves throughout the process.  A definite sense of calm purpose kicked in and it was really good to see so many students attending extra revision sessions and the exam walkthroughs. Massive thank you to all their teachers who provided such incredible support at all stages of the process. I would also like to say a huge thank you to Mrs Haigh who kindly (and bravely!) hosted the Year 11 prom on Wednesday evening and Mrs Neeson and all the parent helpers who made the evening such a great success. 

    It was wonderful that almost the entire year attended this celebration.  We look forward to seeing all of Year 11 back at the College either on 30 June (DofE students) or 3 July (everyone else). 

  • Year 11 pupils who are involved in the DofE Silver Expedition must be in school at 08.15 on Monday 30 June in order to head off. Anyone else in Year 11 not doing DofE is expected to be in school at 08.15 on the morning of Thursday 3 July (Boarders may return from 19:00 Wednesday 2 July). They will then be in school until the end of term culminating with Founders' Day on Saturday 5 July.

  • On Wednesday 25 June 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, sharing plans with you about the new Sixth Form Centre and you will also hear from pupils about their experiences in Sixth Form.

    Please fill out the Google Form here to register your attendance for this event. The deadline closes today.

SIXTH FORM

  • As the Lower Sixth have now created their online UCAS accounts, they are encouraged to:

    • Do research on university courses

    • Do online MOOCs, virtual webinars and work experience

    • Do wider reading around their interests

    This will help them when drafting their personal statement. A first draft is to be submitted on Google Classroom by 2 July.

    Please see the UCAS Official Parents’ Guide here.

  • See here for the link to the seminars given at the Oxford Brookes University fair that the students attended earlier this week.

  • Applications are open for a 2 day residential summer school. Priority places are given to those meeting certain criteria but an application should still be submitted if interested.

    Please find more information here.

  • Norwich University is an exam free university with all courses 100% assessment based, offering a range of options for those students who are looking at creative subjects to study.

    Please see more information here.

  • Another university to consider for those who are looking at the creative industries and wanting to work with industry experts. Please see more information here.

SPORT

U15 Girls Crowned Plate Champions at YOU HQ 5-a-Side Tournament

Congratulations to our U15 girls’ football team, who delivered an outstanding performance at the YOU HQ 5-a-side tournament and were deservedly crowned Plate Champions.

After a strong showing in the group stage - recording three wins, two draws and just one loss, the team finished second in their pool. In the final, they faced familiar opponents in St Joseph’s, a team they had already beaten 2–0 earlier in the day.

With soaring temperatures and limited rest, the rematch proved far more demanding. The girls showed impressive endurance and determination, pressing hard and challenging the opposition goalkeeper right up to the final whistle. With the match ending 0–0, the title was decided by a tense penalty shootout.

Yella was outstanding in goal, saving St Joseph’s first two penalties with remarkable composure. Laurel and Harriet stepped up confidently to convert theirs, sealing a dramatic and well-earned victory.

It was a fantastic display of teamwork, resilience and competitive spirit from the whole squad. Well done, girls!

Gracie Crowned Berkshire County Champion in 300m

We’re delighted to share that Gracie (Year 9) delivered an exceptional performance at the Berkshire Schools Athletics Championships this weekend in Bracknell, winning the U15 Girls’ 300m final in a time of 42.3 seconds. This outstanding run earned her the title of Berkshire County Champion for her age group.

Following her success, Gracie has now been selected to represent Berkshire at the English Schools' National Championships, taking place at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on 11 - 12 July.

This is a tremendous achievement and a reflection of Gracie’s hard work, talent and dedication. We look forward to cheering her on at the national stage next month. Congratulations, Gracie!

A TREMENDOUS READING REGATTA WIN!

On Sunday, the Year 9 girls won their J14 coxed quad finals at Reading Regatta. They won their semi final against Henley and progressed to the final against Surbiton High School. They all did a fabulous job and walked away with the win. Well done to Bunny, Caitlin, Eva, Sophie and Annabel!

CRICKET WIN AGAINST NEW DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL

On Wednesday we had the pleasure of welcoming the touring side from Delhi Public School for a brilliant game of cricket with our 1st XI. A competitive and spirited match all round, with Pangbourne coming away with the win! Standout performance from George with a superb 48 runs and 4 wickets!

DIVISIONAL UPDATES

Divisional updates will be fortnightly. Next update on Friday 27 June.