Friday 24 January 2025
Head’s Welcome
It was wonderful last weekend to be part of another successful College Sunday. Thank you to all parents who supported this important event. Parades are a cornerstone of the Pangbourne experience and although it was a little cold, the students did themselves proud. Colonel Tom Parsons was very complimentary about the Parade and was especially impressed with the Marching Band.
Thank you again to all parents who participated in the Campus 2030 Consultation about the Phase 1 modelling of boarding and divisions last week. Student input is the critical next step and they will be invited to share their views during the week ahead. To ensure that every student has a voice, that sensitive topics can be covered and that students can air their worries freely without fear of reprisal from others in a group, their feedback will be collected via a survey. We would like to invite parents to a Zoom broadcast on Tuesday 4 February at 19:00 to share the consultation findings. The next steps and key dates will be shared with parents before Half Term. As we enter into a period of change, I am keen to create more opportunities for communication so please register for one of our Coffee with The Head events (full details in the notices section).
It was great to have an energetic and full Year 9 Assessment Day on Tuesday where we welcomed students from a multitude of prep and primary schools for a fun morning of activities. The days are designed to elicit three main elements - the things we believe underpin a happy and successful life: passion, hustle-muscle (the ability to work hard and overcome challenges) and positive life-force energy.
Finally, a brief safeguarding reminder from me about parents driving other people’s children during the school day. During the hours when children are under the school's care, even though it will be with the best intention, please don't give other people's children unauthorised lifts in your car. An example of this might be if you happen to see a few of your daughter or son's friends making their way on foot from the Boat Club back up the hill to the College during the timetabled day. Whilst understandably the natural instinct is to be kind and offer them a lift in your car back up to school, in fact by doing so this cuts across the school's safeguarding duties. It is the school's duty to know where your children are at all points of the school day for their own safety.
Best wishes
Oliver Knight
COLLEGE NEWS THIS WEEK
After three exciting rounds we reached the Grand Final of the Senior Div Quiz on Thursday evening. As the two highest scoring teams, our finalists were Port Jackson Division and Macquarie Division, who came into the Grand Final having scored 230 and 310 points respectively during their First Round completions. Tensions were high from the start, and the partisan crowd were energetic and engaged. Port Jackson, led by team captain James, surged into an early 60 points to nil lead, before Rory's Macquarie had a run of their own and started to haul the opposition back in. From there on in it was neck and neck all the way, with neither side pulling out a significant lead. Going into the final seconds a single starter question either way could have made the difference, but Port Jackson were just slightly the faster on the buzzer and managed to hang on, finishing on 265 points to Macquarie's 250. This means that the reigning two time champions, Macquarie, have now been dethroned.
Both sides competed superbly, and handled some difficult and eclectic questions from the Quizmaster, Dr Hart. Thanks are due also to Mr Quinlan for his invaluable tech support throughout, and to Mr Sumner for providing the memorable voiceovers.
SENIOR DIVISIONAL QUIZ WINNERS 2025
COLLEGE SUNDAY #4
On Sunday 19 January 2025 we held our fourth #PangCollCollegeSunday of the academic year and the first of 2025. It was a pleasure to welcome Colonel Tom Parsons MBE, Chief of Staff Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Group as our Guest of Honour and Inspecting Officer this Sunday. Although it was definitely a chilly one, it was a brilliant atmosphere and everyone involved put on another incredible Pangbourne parade
In "Brendon Chase", the author B.B. describes the adventures of three brothers who, tiring of their summer term's education, run away from their home and governess to live in the nearby forest as outlaws. Fantastically, they get on well and are truly ensconced, even seeing out the winter in their hideout. Whilst we do not condone their flight from scholarship, in our bush craft activity we train the pupils in the art of shelter building, fire craft and trapping. Since November's fall of leaves, we have been making leaf litter shelters in the fantastic Hesperus Woods - dark, windproof and well-insulated homes for wannabe Robin Hoods.
BUSHCRAFT: BUILDING A LEAF LITTER DEN
UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday 24 January, 16:45-20:00
Year 10 Parents' and Guardians' Meeting
Drake Hall
Friday 24 January 16:45
Overnight Leave
Saturday 25 January
Overnight Leave
Sunday 26 January
Overnight Leave
Monday 27 January, 18:30-21:30
Charlotte Drake Society Careers Event Y10-Y13
Thursday 30 January, All Day
GCSE Drama Practical Exams
Thursday 30 January, 19:00
Lower Sixth Careers and UCAS webinar
Friday 7 February, 09:00 - 10:00
’Coffee with The Head’ - Academic Provision
Head’s Study
Monday 10 February, 19:00
College Production: Opening Night
Drake Hall
Tuesday 11 February, 19:00
College Production: Middle Night
Drake Hall
Wednesday 12 February, 19:00
College Production: Final Night
Drake Hall
Friday 14 February, 09:00 - 10:00
’Coffee with The Head’ - Sport & Co-curricular
Head’s Study
Friday 14 February, 16:00
Lower Sixth Parents’ and Guardians’ Meeting
Drake Hall
NOTICES
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New to his role as Head of Pangbourne, Mr Knight is keen to meet and chat with as many of our parents as possible about the key topics and special ingredients that make up a Pangbourne education. He hopes that you will welcome this series of events as a useful opportunity to share your valuable views with him and engage in a focused discussion in a small group setting. Mr Knight looks forward to meeting with you at one of his Lent Term coffee mornings. Spaces are available on a first come first served basis. Please follow the links below to book you space on the upcoming events:
Academic Provision - Friday 7 February, 09:00 - 10:00
Sport & Co-curricular Provision - Friday 14 February, 09:00 - 10:00
Neurodiversity - Friday 28 February, 09:00 - 10:00
Pastoral Care - Friday 14 March, 09:00 - 10:00
Sixth Form - Friday 28 March, 09:00 - 10:00
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We will be hosting a Law and Finance Network Career Event on Thursday 24 April 2025 from 19:00-21:00 and we are looking for delegates who would be willing to give up their evening to talk to our pupils about their career paths from school to the present day.
We are hoping to include a wide range of representatives from across the Pangbourne community, showcasing as many different sectors of both finance and law as possible. Pupils will have the opportunity to chat in small groups to delegates, followed by an open opportunity for more in depth discussion. These events are invaluable to our students and we would be delighted if you could join us.
If you would like to become a delegate at this event, please complete the attached form to express your interest:
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Back by popular demand - Quiz Master Richard Follett will be hosting the Annual PPA Quiz Night on Thursday 6 March.
The event will be a joint fundraiser with all profits being split between the PPA and the Nabugabo Expedition.
Make up your own team (maximum 10 people) or take pot luck on the night and meet new people.
Quiz Entry - £15 per adult
Included in the cost of your ticket is a bowl of tasty chilli (vegetarian option available) there will also be a bar available (card payment only) as well as the opportunity to buy our fantastic Pangbournian Spirit Gin & Rum.
This event is always extremely popular so book your tickets now to avoid disappointment!
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To understand more about the proposed Sport Strategy please see this document and video which summarises the discussion.
We value parental input on the proposal, please share your feedback via this form. Thank you to those who have already. The final plans will be shared ahead of the Summer Term.
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On Monday 27 January, 18:30-21:00, we are holding a Women’s Career Networking Event. There will be an amazing selection of interesting delegates attending to talk to the girls in a 'speed-networking' style event, introducing them to a multitude of career pathways. We hope this will inspire our girls and help them to understand how their programme of study and aspirations for higher education will help shape and support their future careers.
Some of the careers include:
Psychiatry
Law
Healthcare
Marketing
Executive Coaching
Finance
Entrepreneurs
Veterinary
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Please can we remind parents who collect their children by car to take care on the Parade Ground during these darker winter months. The speed limit from the Mess Hall is 10 miles an hour. In addition, can we remind parents that there is a crossing near the Mess Hall that pupils will be using and that the white line in front of Illawarra is for pupils to walk safely to their Divisions.
Thank you for your cooperation.
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Tickets for the College Production are free. Please follow the links below to register for your tickets.
Tickets for Opening Night (10 February 2025)
Tickets for Middle Night (11 February 2025)
Tickets for Final Night (12 February 2025)
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24 February - 27 February - U6 Trial Exams Part 2 (A Level subjects only)
24 February - 3 March - Y11 Trial Exams Part 2
4 March - 16:40 - Y9 Parents' and Guardians' Meeting (focus on GCSE choices) - Drake Hall
13 March - Year 9 GCSE Options Submission Deadline
14 March - 16:40 - Y11 Parents' and Guardians' Meeting - Drake Hall
18 March - Y11 Sixth Form Options Submission Deadline
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Pupils in Year 11 will be on study leave after May Half Term but, to make sure that pupils are effectively prepared for their later GCSE papers, we are running structured revision sessions throughout the exam period. The schedule for these sessions can be found here. Attendance at these sessions is strongly recommended as they will focus on the high frequency questions and techniques needed in the upcoming papers. They have been scheduled so that they do not clash with other exams the pupils might be sitting.
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The second set of Year 11 Trials will be taking place after half term (week commencing 24 February). Information on how to support revision at home can be found in this webinar recording from earlier in the year. The timetable will be published next week.
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Study Leave for GCSEs in the summer will commence after Half Term. Lessons will continue and attendance will be expected until 23 May. These lessons will focus on crucial topic revision and examination skills. If a subject completes all of its exams before Half Term then those lessons will become supervised study periods.
Years 9 -11
SIXTH FORM
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Future Thought Leaders is an essay competition and summer leadership programme aimed at helping young people think analytically about the challenges their generation will face over the coming decades. The Patron is Sir Anthony Seldon. The deadline for the essay competition is 1 February.
Both the essay competition and leadership programme is relevant to ambitious STEM pupils who want to think more deeply about the ethical implications of developments in their fields (or who may be asked to do so at university interviews). It would also be relevant to humanities and social science pupils applying to degrees like Law, Politics, Philosophy, Economics, or PPE.Pupils pursuing careers in medicine or law are particularly encouraged to apply, given the technological upheavals that are likely to transform these fields.
For 30% off enter ‘Pangbourne College’ on the application form to be charged the discounted price if your application is successful.
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There will be a parent webinar on Thursday 30 January for parents of Lower Sixth pupils. This will outline the support and guidance pupils will receive in relation to careers and university applications. It will be delivered by Ms Kaur (Head of Sixth Form) and Mr Nel (Head of Careers). Parents can register for this webinar here.
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The second set of Upper Sixth Trials will be taking place after half term (week commencing 24 February). Information on how to support revision at home can be found in this webinar recording from earlier in the year. The timetable will be published next week. Please note that lessons for subjects not being examined in this set of Trials (all BTEC subjects, Art and Photography) will continue during exam week.
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Study Leave in the summer will commence after Half Term. Lessons will continue and attendance will be expected until 23 May. These lessons will focus on crucial topic revision and examination skills.
DIVISIONAL UPDATES
Divisional updates will be fortnightly. Next update on Friday 31 January.
SPORT
Div Netball - Illawarra Take the Win
On Saturday, we had an incredible morning of Division Sport for our senior girls! It consisted of close, competitive, and hard fought matches, with Illawarra emerging victorious. Well done to everyone who played!
U13 Inter-Schools Cross Country Championships Winner
Congratulations to Noah on winning the U13 Inter-Schools Cross Country Championships on Sunday! We are extremely impressed by Noah’s great determination and skill, especially in such challenging conditions. What a brilliant achievement!
