Friday 23 January 2026

Head’s Weekly Update

Academic Rigour

It feels like this term has only just started and we are already getting ready for the half-term break. For the exam year groups, this term is always over far too quickly and the final run-in to the big exams is upon them before they realise. There are some key academic events coming up in the next few weeks:

  • The Challenges and Opportunities of AI in Education webinar - 28/1/26

  • KS3 (Y7-9) Assessment Week - 2/2/26

  • Y11 trials start - 23/2/26

  • U6 trials start - 23/2/26

The schedules for these assessment weeks have been published to students and they should now be devising their revision schedules. All students have been taught some key revision strategies and these are the strategies we recommend. They are based on some excellent research. For parents and guardians interested in reading further about this, the best places to start are:

  1. Dunlosky, J. ‘Strengthening the student toolkit.’ 2013

  2. The Learning Scientists.

  3. Willingham, D. ‘Outsmart your brain.’ 2024

Exploration

Although we are not yet half-way through the academic year, part of our focus is rightly looking forward to the next year and how we can improve and enhance the experiences we provide. The role of adventure and exploration is not in developing physical toughness or strong leg muscles but in examining your inner self. It is a profoundly Socratic experience and is rooted in the strongest traditions of experiential learning as a confrontation with the unknown. We want to design experiences that place students in new or novel scenarios, where their existing knowledge and strategies won’t work, and help them work through problems and break down their perceived limits. To that end, I am very much looking forward to the launch of our 3 Rivers Challenge. Mr Poynter will be launching this shortly.

Community

It was wonderful to welcome so many current parents, parents of Old Pangbournians and Old Pangbournians to the Parade on Sunday. I want to give a special shout out to the Marching Band, who were fantastic and led brilliantly by Charlie. 

This week we launched Girls on Board. This is a dedicated programme to support girls as they move through adolescence and into adulthood. It is a carefully designed programme and they are very clear on how and when we communicate with parents. So this will require a little distance between College and parents as we seek to implement the programme inline with the guidelines and we won’t be providing regular updates. 

Alongside Girls on Board we are planning for the launch of Working with Boys. This is a nationally-recognised programme to help boys grow into confident, reflective young men. In order for these programmes to work and to create the community we desire, they require careful implementation and sequencing. If we were to try to do both together it would not work. It may look good to parents but it would be failing the students. 

We are looking forward to hosting the Charlotte Drake Society Future Pathways Women's Networking Event on Monday 26 January at 18:45 in The Hudson Room. Thank you to our parents who have volunteered their time to be a delegate - it is wonderful to see our community supporting these events and giving their time to help our pupils. The evening provides the opportunity for our pupils to meet and chat with a number of women from a wide-ranging selection of industries and vocations. I highly recommend all girls in Years 10 to Upper Sixth attend the event on Monday. 

We are very excited to welcome onboard our new Parent Ambassadors in September. You can find further information about becoming a Parent Ambassador and opportunities to become involved in the broader life of the College in the notices below.

Leadership

There seem to be more books written on leadership than any other subject at the moment; which is perhaps not surprising when we look at events taking place across the world. At Pangbourne, we want to design a leadership pathway for students that requires and enables them to have meaningful leadership experiences. Mr Cheney is working hard on this behind the scenes. We want to turn out young adults who are a force for good and have the skills and aptitudes to take others with them as they re-frame the national discourse.

Best wishes,

Oliver Knight

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Notices (Please click on the + sign to expand for full information)

All Pupils & Parents: Years 7- Upper Sixth

  • Pupils selected to represent a College team on a Saturday are expected to honour this commitment. Late withdrawals or non-attendance can have a significant impact on teams and fixtures. We therefore ask parents to plan ahead where possible and to inform the Director of Sport and relevant coaches as early as possible if an unavoidable absence is anticipated. Any request for absence should continue to be submitted via the parent portal, in line with the usual process for school days.

    Director of Sport email: Joe.Mills@Pangbourne.com

    Mr Joe Mills, Director of Sport

  • The first-grade card (GC5) of the Lent term will be available in the College portal from 16:30 today, Friday 23 March. Please click on the ‘Reports’ tile on the dashboard, once you have logged in. The latest grade card or report is always displayed by default in the portal.

    Year 10 and Lower Sixth will not receive grade cards this cycle, because of the Lent Term Assessments. Instead, parents will be provided with a detailed summary of their assessments. These summaries will be visible in the 'My Child's Documents' page on the portal. These reports will be available today for Year 10 and on Monday for Lower Sixth.

    Mr Mark Seccombe, Senior Deputy Head Academic

  • The Pangbourne Drama and Music departments are delighted to be performing The Addams Family as our College Production this year. There will be three showings taking place on Monday 9 February, Tuesday 10 February and Wednesday 11 February 2026.

    Tickets are free and are available now. We politely ask for everyone to book a ticket before attending so we know how many people to expect on the night. There will be no walk-ins available.

    Doors will open at 19:00 with the show starting at 19:30 and finishing at around 21:45. There will be a 15 minute interval and refreshments will be available to purchase.

    Monday 9 February - Book your tickets here.

    Tuesday 10 February - Book your tickets here.

    Wednesday 11 February - Book your tickets here.

    Ms Rebecca Atack, Head of Drama

  • The College’s internet services are monitored to help safeguard the well-being of the young people within our care. Attempts to bypass the content filtering system with, for example a VPN, prevent us from fulfilling our statutory duty and contravene the Pupil Acceptable Use Agreement available here, and also on the portal under ‘College Information’.

    We have taken steps to limit the use of VPNs on our campus and continue to improve our network security so that internet access is used in a safe way and for educational purposes. Pupils using or attempting to use a VPN will encounter network and internet access issues, possibly resulting in no service. The use of a VPN in a public space is a legitimate one but any pupil with a VPN used for that purpose must ensure it is disabled when on campus.

    Mr Martin Palfrey, Network, Systems and Data Manager

  • Following the success of the 2024 Washington D.C. trip, we are delighted to offer a new history themed residential visit to Berlin.

    The proposed dates of the trip are Thursday 15 October 2026 - Sunday 18 October 2026. The trip will be available to all pupils in Years 9-Upper Sixth in the next academic year, so the current Year 8-Lower Sixth. The History and Politics residential trips aim to strike a balance between historic and cultural learning, exploration and recreational activities. Full details will be sent directly to eligible year group families during the week beginning 26 January. 

    Mr Anthony Hammond, Head of KS3 & Teacher of History and Politics

  • Students are excited to be running Flowers for Friends, a charity event that’s all about spreading kindness and appreciation across our community.

    For just £1 (card only), students and staff can purchase a flower and card and write a heartfelt message to someone special – a friend, colleague, teacher, or anyone who deserves a smile.

    How it works:

    • Cards will be available to purchase in Divisions from Monday

    • Write your message and return your card to your Pastoral Divisional Lead by Friday 6 February

    • Flowers and cards will then be delivered to recipients the week commencing 9 February

    All proceeds will go to Transforming Futures and the Pangbourne Community Fund.

    It’s a simple way to brighten someone’s day while supporting two fantastic causes. Let’s fill the school with flowers, kind words, and positivity.

  • If you are interested in entering this year’s photography competition, please see here for more information.

    The deadline for submissions is Monday 23 February (first day back after the February half term).

    All submissions must be submitted as a JPG file to Mr. Unsworth by email alexunsworth@pangbourne.com

  • There will be a golf day for parents, pupils and staff on Friday 29 May at The Springs Golf Club. The day includes a light breakfast, 18 holes, and lunch with presentation and prizes for £65 per head. Proceeds will go to Transforming Futures. You will need to enter as a pair (a great opportunity for parent/child partnerships) and we have tee times booked for 20 pairs (40 players). Booking will open on this link on Monday 26 January at 18:00 . We expect spaces to go quickly! 

    If you would be interested in sponsoring elements of the day for charity, please get in touch with neil.jeffers@pangbourne.com

  • Throughout the year, Pangbourne College is fortunate to host regular bird surveys conducted by Ailsa Claybourn, a volunteer with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). Ailsa follows a consistent survey route that begins on the College grounds and extends into the surrounding countryside, carefully recording the birds she sees and hears. These surveys contribute to national data used to understand bird populations, migration patterns and the health of our natural environment.

    Ailsa’s work details the rich and diverse wildlife that thrives at Pangbourne, from winter visitors arriving from Scandinavia to familiar native species preparing for spring. We are delighted to share her latest newsletter which captures the highlights of a recent winter survey and offers a fascinating insight into the birdlife many of us may pass every day without noticing. We hope you enjoy reading it and feel encouraged to watch and listen for birds around the College.

    Read the report here.

  • The Parent Ambassador role is a new opportunity for parents and guardians to become more involved in the wider life of the College. Parent Ambassadors will represent families across all year groups and Divisions and may also support key community events throughout the year.

    On Monday 9 February at 08.15 in the Sixth Form Café there will be an informal session that will provide an opportunity to learn more about the Parent Ambassador role, to hear about the work of the Pangbournian Community Advisory Board and to ask any questions you may have. The session will last no longer than 30 minutes.

    We would welcome your support. If you are interested in getting involved, please sign up here by midday on Thursday 5 February.

    Mrs Lucinda Grafton, Director of Development & Community

  • AI is going to have a substantial impact in education. In this webinar, Mark Seccombe (Senior Deputy Head) will outline expectations around pupil use of AI and the ways in which the College is intending to harness its potential. The webinar will be taking place on Wednesday 28 January 18:30-19:15 and you can click here to register.

All Parents:

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  • I would like to formally invite all Dunbar parents to join us for the Dunbar Family Quiz on Friday 6 February. The doors open at 19:00 and we will aim to start at around 19:30. There will be a number of rounds of questions, you can pre order cheeseboards via the google form below, and a cash bar will be open all evening. The sign-up form is HERE and do bring along any other members of your family who enjoy a good quiz. Grandads, aunties and siblings are most welcome.

    Dr Ian Hart, Head of Junior House

Year 7 - 8 (Dunbar)

  • This event is for all girls in Years 10 to Upper Sixth and it is highly recommended that everyone attends. The evening will be an inspiring and informative opportunity to meet and chat with a number of women from a wide-ranging selection of industries and vocations.

    In the past, we have had women from the police, film and television, medicine, military, media and communications, hospitality, finance, law, both large and small business owners and many, many more. Very often, these amazing women from across our Pangbourne community, work in careers that you may never have heard of and their pathways there have rarely been linear! 

    Come along on Monday 26 January in Devitt to find out more. 18:45 - 20:45.

    Mrs Elly Hayward, Assistant Head Pupil Expertise

  • We would like to remind parents to complete the consent form for the tetanus and meningitis vaccines by Sunday 1 February. This email was sent to all Year 9 parents on Tuesday 13 January. Please contact me at sue.smith@pangbourne.com if you did not receive the email. Thank you.

    Mrs Sue Smith, Senior Nurse

  • I hope the conversations you had at the parents' meeting have been productive. These first assessments for Year 10 are very much a benchmark for where they are currently and the most important thing the students can learn from them is the next steps they need to take to secure their knowledge and understanding. Flashcards and quizzing are a great way for them to do this. 

    Mrs Abbie Stephenson, Head of KS4

  • I am delighted to introduce myself as the new Head of English. I am very much looking forward to working with your children and continuing to build on the excellent work already taking place in the department.

    I would also like to thank Mrs Hayward for her ongoing commitment to the English Department. We are extremely fortunate that she remains a valued and experienced member of the team, and I am delighted to be working alongside her.

    Please ensure you read our English GCSE Coursework Guidance Sheet, which outlines how coursework is completed, supported, and assessed in line with Pearson Edexcel International GCSE regulations. We would encourage all parents to read this carefully and discuss it with their child.

    Mrs Sarah Kiernan-Webb, Head of English

  • Year 10 pupils will begin writing their first English Language coursework piece next week. This 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 by Friday 30 January to acknowledge you have done this. If you have any questions, we would be very happy to discuss these with you at Parents’ Evening this week.

    Mrs Sarah Kiernan-Webb, Head of English

  • Year 11 pupils have now completed their English Literature coursework.
    This week’s Grade Card will show the grade your child has achieved for this component. This represents 40% of their final English Literature qualification.

    Mrs Sarah Kiernan-Webb, Head of English

  • The trials 2 timetable was shared with students on Wednesday. Please see it here.

    Please print a copy out and put it somewhere prominent, the kitchen fridge would be a great place!  Please also note that these trials finish on Monday 2 March. Tutors will be working with tutees over the coming weeks to design revision timetables. Please remember the three key revision techniques - flashcards, quizzing and past papers (in that order!) and if possible please support your child at home with the quizzing element.

    Mrs Abbie Stephenson, Head of KS4

Year 9 - 11

Sixth Form

  • Rather than receiving a Grade Card in this cycle, Lower Sixth pupils will have a detailed performance report uploaded to the portal. This is driven by the tracking platform which is being rolled out across the College. So that the report can be interpreted properly, here is a summary of the content and vocabulary.

    • The first page of the report gives an overview of pupil performance. It shows the minimum target grade, average unit grade and Lent assessment grade in each subject (apart from those where there was no Lent assessment). The minimum target grade is the minimum standard we feel that the pupil should be working towards. The average unit grade is the average performance across all assessments entered into the system. The Lent assessment grade shows their performance in the recent assessments.

    • After the top sheet, there is a summary report for each subject. The top of the subject report shows the same information as the top sheet with the extra detail of a breakdown per component of the qualification. Underneath is a Red/Amber/Green rated table which shows the individual topics or skills needed in this qualification. Please note that not all topics will have a score at this stage in the course. After the topic summary, there are tables which show performance in the assessments for each component.

    We hope that you find this detailed information valuable. It is being analysed by teachers, tutors and Heads of Department to identify trends and areas which might need some additional attention. The reports can be discussed in more detail at the parents meeting which takes place at the end of the half term (Friday 13 February). Booking for this event will be released at 18:00 on Friday 6 February.

    Mr Mark Seccombe, Senior Deputy Head Academic

  • The second set of Upper Sixth trial exams will be taking place in the week after half term (w/c 23 February). The timetable is here.

    Mr Mark Seccombe, Senior Deputy Head Academic

  • This event is for all girls in Years 10 to Upper Sixth and it is highly recommended that everyone attends. The evening will be an inspiring and informative opportunity to meet and chat with a number of women from a wide-ranging selection of industries and vocations. Once confirmed, keep an eye on social media channels for biographies of some of our delegates.

    In the past, we have had women from the police, film and television, medicine, military, media and communications, hospitality, finance, law, both large and small business owners and many, many more. Very often, these amazing women from across our Pangbourne community,  work in careers that you may never have heard of and their pathways there have rarely been linear! 

    Come along on Monday 26 January in Devitt to find out more. 18:45 - 20:45.

    Mrs Elly Hayward, Assistant Head - Pupil Expertise

  • As part of the Geography A Level course we endeavour to take our students out on several days of field work over the two years. For the Lower Sixth this will take the form of a one day field trip in London on 26 February and a trip to the South Coast in Upper Sixth.

    The trip on 26 February 2026 will take place during the school day with a departure time of 08:30. The day will provide case study evidence for the Settlement Dynamics section of the course and allow the students to encounter the changes taking place in inner city London that we have discussed in class. 

    From our parking spot at Barons Court we will travel by Underground to Westminster and on to the Thames River Services boat bound for Greenwich. From Greenwich we will take the DLR North through Canary Wharf and return to Barons Court via The City. At each stop the students will take part in activities that will better inform concepts from the course.

    The school will purchase TFL travel cards and boat tickets and a recharge of circa £30 will be made to the end of term bill. School packed lunches will be provided but there will also be an opportunity to visit a café or sandwich shop so they may wish to bring some money for that. 

    We will return for the end of the school day at 17:30. Students may wear home clothes and should ensure they are wearing sensible footwear and have a coat to hand if it is cold or wet.

    To confirm you are happy for your son / daughter to attend please could you respond via email to james.capel@pangbourne.com by Friday 30 January.

    Please do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns.

    Mr James Capel, Head of Geography

Friday 23 January, 16:30 - 20:00
Year 10 Parents’ & Guardians’ Meeting
Study Block, Year 10, Academic

Monday 26 January, 18:45 - 20:30
Charlotte Drake Society - Women’s Career Networking Event
The Hudson Room, Year 10, Year 11, Sixth Form, Community

Monday 26 January, 18:00 - 19:30
Andrew Simpson Society
Sixth Form Centre, Year 9, Year 10, Year 11, Sixth Form, Staff

Tuesday 27 January, 16:40 - 17:10
Senior Divisional Quiz - Semi-Final (Year 9 - Upper Sixth)
Chapel, Co-Curricular

Wednesday 28 January, All Day
Intermediate Maths Challenge (Year 9 - Year 11)
Drake Hall, Academic

Wednesday 28 January, 18:00 - 20:00
Rotary Speaks Competition: Round 1
Queen Anne’s School, Academic

Wednesday 28 January, 18:30 - 19:15
Webinar Wednesday - The Challenges and Opportunities of AI in Education
Parents’/Guardians’

Thursday 29 January, 19:00 - 21:00
Recital: Café Live Lounge
Sixth Form Café, Music

UPCOMING EVENTS

School Calendar
Term dates and College parades

COLLEGE NEWS THIS WEEK

Upper Sixth Geography Trip to the Coast

On Friday, Upper Sixth geographers visited the Hampshire/Dorset coastline to put their classroom learning into practice, observing 5 sites around the Christchurch sediment cell. At Taddiford Gap, we measured rapid cliff erosion following heavy winter rains the day before. At Milford-on-Sea and onto Hurst Spit, a cost benefit analysis was undertaken, balancing up the cost of protecting the coastline with land values of properties and a future of climate change with rising sea levels. Finally, we saw another dilemma between two neighbouring county councils, protecting their own coastlines but with differing results at Chewton Bunny. 

Many thanks to Mr Poynter and Dr Hennah for their expertise and teaching which we hope will translate into excellent A Level essays this summer.

Mr James Capel, Head of Geography

Senior Divisional Quiz Semi-Final

The first semi-final of the senior Divisional quiz took place in the Chapel on Tuesday afternoon. In this competition we saw Illawarra go against Hesperus. Both teams did a great job especially considering the difficulty level of some of the questions, however, the winners who scored 325 points and are now through to the final are Illawarra. Well done to Hesperus for scoring 165 points. The next semi-final will see Macquarie go up against Harbinger on Tuesday 27 January.

Two exciting trips to London for the Art department

It's been an exciting week for the Art department. We have run two successful trips to London's city centre. Art students had the opportunity to explore the Tate Modern gallery for artist inspiration. Photography students were taken on a street photography tour of London's Southbank and BTEC Art and Design students attended the Design Museum and Natural History Museum to kickstart their new projects. All round a week of Arts and inspiration.

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1st XV Rugby Night Game

In a clinical end to the rugby 15s season, Pangbourne 1st XV overcame an early deficit to secure a dominant 22-5 victory over Newbury RFC. Despite going down a try early on, Pangbourne responded with aggressive defence and fluid attacking play to keep the visitors at bay. The momentum shifted fully in the second half as the team hit their stride, combining resilient tackling with purposeful execution to pull away and seal the win. It was a superb collective effort, but special recognition goes to Oscar T, Alex D, Zak L, Max W, Alex M, Jude R, Cam M, and Bertie D who all signed off their final 15s game for the college with a hard fought and well deserved win.

Mr Ben Sainsbury, Director of Rugby

Boys’ 1st XI Football

The 1st team played a very strong Shiplake team who have previously beaten a lot of local opponents. We did not start as well as we played in our previous game and found ourselves 2-0 down at half time. We rallied very well in the second half and created several chances and played with much greater intensity. Although the full time result did not reflect the improvement in performance it gave us great confidence to take into next weekends fixture. Full time Shiplake 4-0 Pangbourne.

Mr James Purdue, Head of Football

Girls’ 1st XI Football

The Girls’ 1st XI started off their season with a top display away to Lord Wandsworth. Fresh in the brand new first team kit, we started the game well - dominating the ball and conceding few chances. After only a handful of training sessions our shape was organised and we progressed the ball really well to wide areas. The girls raced into a 3-0 lead and went into half time 4-1 up. The second half was a bit less controlled then we would’ve liked but the attacking threat was still on great form with Laurel and Lillia leading the forwards fantastically with the latter bagging a hattrick! Final Score 8-3 to Pangbourne in a great first game of the season.

Mr Frankie Rogan, Football Coach

Boys’ 2nd XI Football

Another good game and some good football played against Shiplake in which we were good moving the ball wide with some really effective one touch passing. We were missing the clinical finishing and desire/strength up front. The opposition scored one goal when we did not switch on from losing possession. We lost the first half 2-0 but drew second half 1-1. We scored a good goal from a free kick and everyone put in a good shift especially with no subs!

Mr Andy Sumner, Football Coach

Boys’ 4th XI Football

The mighty 4s took to the pitch against Shiplake this week in conditions that were bright and cold. What followed was a classic nine-goal rollercoaster defined by grit, improved chemistry, and a frantic finish. With the familiar duo of Archie and Albert bolstered by several new additions, the team showed a marked step up in cohesion. The defence held its shape with discipline, communication was purposeful, and the attacking phases flowed with newfound rhythm. Despite this, Shiplake’s clinical long ball game allowed them to claim a 2-1 lead heading into the break. The drama intensified through the standout efforts of Will P, who remained a constant threat up front. In a pivotal moment after half time, Will broke clear for a one on one with the keeper, only to be brought down from behind. Charlie stepped up to the spot, maintaining a perfectly composed demeanour to slot the penalty into the bottom right corner, well beyond the keeper's reach. The second half was a whirlwind of shifting momentum. Pangbourne surged ahead to a 4-3 lead, but Shiplake fought back to level the scoring at 4-4. With the clock showing just 20 seconds remaining and a draw seemingly inevitable, a late break in the line allowed Shiplake to snatch a final, decisive goal. While the result was narrow, the performance was a testament to the boys' competitive spirit and evolving teamwork.

Mr Joe Mills, Director of Sport

Boys’ U15A Football

Pangbourne put in a proper team performance on Saturday, cruising to a fantastic 4-1 win over Shiplake after a dominant start. Pangbourne came out flying, with Adam and Max pulling the strings in midfield to set up two clinical goals for Archie, Jack and Joseph were a constant handful with their runs in behind, helping us go into the break with a 3-0 lead. Shiplake didn't go down without a fight and put us under real pressure with an early goal in the second half. Charlie and Seb were rocks at the back, while Dan H put in a massive shift, looking sharp at right back before moving into a holding midfield role to help steady the ship. Even while defending the lead, Pangbourne kept looking to move the ball forward and managed to grab another goal to kill the game off. It was a brilliant display of grit and quality from start to finish.

Mr Ben Sainsbury, Football Coach

Girls’ U15A Football

This was a tremendously exciting and well-matched game, although Lord Wandsworth College only had 10 players at the start of the match so Thea kindly agreed to start the match for the opposition. Lord Wandsworth were competent throughout their team, and they possessed a strong goalkeeper and an outstanding centre forward who we struggled to contain at times. Our first goal came from Chloe who played extremely well and always looked a threat going forward. Annabel and Ori combined well with Chloe, and Ori was awarded the player of the match at the end of the game. Our second goal was a ‘worldy’ from Amelia who hit the ball from outside the box on the right-hand side into the top-left corner. The final goal came in the dying seconds to level the game at 3-3, and was a clinical short-range finish from Genny. Special mention must go to Annie who came directly from having played another match that morning and went straight into goal, where she was immense all game. Although normally an outfield player she was happy to play where she was most required and we certainly wouldn’t have drawn this game without her. 3-3 was a fair result overall, and initial signs bode well for this team who will only improve as they hone their shape, and work on their mid-range passing and close control.

Dr Ian Hart, Football Coach

Boys’ U14A Football

The U14A team worked hard on their passing game and communication in the week preceding the Shiplake match but found it hard when met with a team that was well motivated and very strong in defence. The opposition dominated possession which meant that Freddie was kept busy in goal. Had It not been for his efforts, the losing margin could have been higher. Towards the end of the second half, Pangbourne made a few good plays and came close to scoring a goal but unfortunately it was not to be. The final score was 4-0 in Shiplake’s favour.

Mr Werner Nel, Football Coach

Equestrian Update

Emily produced two good rounds of jumping at the Eventers Challenge Qualifiers at West Wilts. An unfortunate rail (4 penalties) in the 80cm class prevented a podium finish despite being close to the optimum time. 2 rails in the 90cm but again, very close to the optimum time. Having sustained a significant riding injury outside of school at the tail end of last year, Emily held her nerve superbly, making a good comeback.

Ms Stacey Donnison, Director of Riding

Rowing Update

The rowers have completed their move into Hut 6. We now have dedicated spaces for ergometers (both fixed head and dynamic), and bikes.

The space makes it possible to utilise coaching resources such as video analysis and linked machine training.

On Saturday, the J14s completed their first full weekend session and posted impressive scores while demonstrating a superb mentality.


Noah and Maisie Compete in Berkshire Cross Country Trials

Congratulations to Noah and Maisie who both competed for their respective age groups in the Berkshire Cross Country Trials. The trials are famous for being a "true" cross country race and very demanding given the recent weather. Noah was in a commanding position throughout the race looking like he was destined to qualify for the next stage but due to circumstances out of anyone's control it was not to be his day. We look forward to seeing him in future events.

Senior girls ran 3.8km, Maisie in her first race of the year managed to achieve an incredible 12th place finish qualifying her for progression to the next round representing the South East Schools in the Inter County X-Country Championships.

Amelia’s Cricket Success

Amelia (Year 9) finished the Michaelmas Term on a high after she discovered that she had been selected for the Berkshire County Cricket U14 girls’ shadow squad. In addition to 1.5 hours weekly coaching with the Berkshire Performance Coaches, Amelia will play County District games. Amelia now has her sights on reaching the next rung in the County U14 age group.

SPORT

SPORTS CALENDAR
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DIVISIONAL UPDATES

Illawarra

Since coming back, the last couple of weeks have been really busy for Illawarra. In our second week back, we played in a rugby night match against Newbury Rugby Club and lots of the players were from Illawarra, which made the 22–5 win even better. We’re really proud of everyone who played and represented the house so well.

That same weekend, we had our first College Parade of the term. It was cold, but we still managed to come second in the Parade rankings, which isn’t bad, even though we definitely want to win next time. We know we need to work on things like shoe polishing and keeping our arms at shoulder height. Yesterday, we had our first Divisional quiz against Hesperus. It was a close battle, but Illawarra came out on top, beating Hesperus by almost double their points. Overall, it’s been a great start back for Illawarra and a really strong few weeks for the house.

Kamran, Chief Cadet Captain Illawarra

Hesperus

Hesperus Division are well and truly back in the swing of College life. Photography students recently enjoyed a trip to London, while BTEC students explored the Tate Modern, the V&A, and the Natural History Museum. The students thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The Girls on Board programme received very positive feedback from the girls. There has also been plenty of enthusiasm and conversation around rowing, rugby, and football across the Division. As the days grow longer, the whole Division is looking forward to lighter evenings and saying goodbye to the grey winter days.  

Mrs Laura Besley-Piggott, Pastoral Divisional Lead Hesperus

Harbinger

This week, Harbinger is breathing a sigh of relief with the recent bout of exams, trial exams, and assessments now behind us. It was great to see our families come together for last weekend’s College Parade, and watch their children take part in the fourth Parade event of the year. With each College Parade, we see year groups progress in their marching technique and discipline, and take greater pride in wearing their No.1 uniform and representing their Division.

The heavy fog that engulfed the College on Sunday morning would have made for an interesting marching and inspection experience due to the reduced visibility, but had thankfully lifted in time for everyone to enjoy the morning. We are looking forward to the second Divisional round of the College quiz which we will be competing in next week, and are in the process of finalising our quiz team. This week rounds off with the Year 10 Parents’ Evening, and the prospect of a more relaxed weekend ahead.

I would also like to remind you that all students are expected to attend College Parades as part of the term, and that parents need to submit an absence request form on the Parent Portal if their child is unable to attend. We would also like to remind parents to communicate with the Divisions and Boarding House staff via the generic Boarding House or Division email address rather than the personal emails of staff. Please see below a reminder of the email addresses to use. Thank you.

Miss Jehan Dyer, Pastoral Divisional Lead Harbinger

Macquarie

We have really enjoyed seeing the Division come together this term and settling back into routines. We have been building on our Parade skills with extra practice sessions for the Year 9s and regular shoe musters for the whole Division. It has been great to see everyone’s effort and commitment for the recent Parade but there is definitely still room for improvement. Following the comments from Mr Radford after College Parade, our focus for the next parade will be better polished shoes and arms raised to shoulder height when marching. With only one point currently separating us from Illawarra in the Parade Cup, we are keen to keep pushing forward and closing the gap. 

Everyone is also very relieved that BTEC and trial exams are now over, and it’s great seeing everyone relax. Lower Sixth have started their peer mentoring programme this week which is an exciting new step into their future roles and is a great way to step up for promotions. 

The rugby night game against Newbury RFC has been a real highlight for the start of the term with the majority of our Sixth Form boys and a boy in Year 11 taking part in a well-deserved win. It was also great to see many students coming to watch and support the game. We are also looking forward to the Divisional quiz against Harbinger and hoping for a great performance from our team of Max (Y13), Rory (Y12), James (Y12) and Immie (Y11). 

Emily and Cam, Chief Cadet Captains Macquarie



Day Division Email Addresses:

Harbinger@pangbourne.com

Hesperus@pangbourne.com

Illawarra@pangbourne.com

Macquarie@pangbourne.com

BOARDING UPDATES

The next boarding update will be on Friday 30 January.

Boarding House Email Addresses

stgeorge@pangbourne.com

portjackson@pangbourne.com

adelaide@pangbourne.com