Friday 24 April 2026
Head’s Weekly Update
Best wishes,
Oliver Knight
All Pupils & Parents: Years 7- Upper Sixth
Notices (Please click on the + sign to expand for full information)
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On Monday 27 April Gillman and Soame are visiting the College to take the annual Divisional photographs. Dunbar will need their No. 2 uniform including jumper, whilst pupils in Years 9 to Upper Sixth should be in their full No. 1 uniform including their lid. The schedule is tight but the majority of pupils will be finished before 17.10 and can be collected as normal. It is possible that pupils in the Marching Band and Guard may finish a little later, but we will try to keep this to a minimum.
Mr Martin Palfrey
Network, Systems and Data Manager
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Just a reminder that our whole School Open Morning is taking place next Saturday 25 April 2025.
It is really important to have the support of our students at the Open Morning to showcase the breadth of what Pangbourne has to offer to prospective families. Your child will be advised at the start of next week what job they will be doing or which department their help is needed in.
Please note, students are required to arrive on site between 09:15 and 09:30 to avoid congestion with our visitors. There will be no access to the Parade ground after 09:30. The Open Morning will be running from 09:30 - 13:00.Thank you in advance for your support of this event.
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As part of the academic enrichment programme, lunchtime lectures are taking place every Friday in Nancye Harding Recital Hall at 13:15. This is primarily for the College's Academic Scholars but is open to all pupils and staff to attend.
Lectures are delivered by our amazing staff on a wide range of topics. Last term, we had lectures from Mr Seccombe on why we don't just print more money; Ms Keane delivered a fascinating insight into the fur trade that built Canada and Mr Poynter challenged each of those who attended to think deeply on how a Landscape is created through people and places to name just a few! Mr Allison kicks off this term with his passionate insight into why Proteins are the 'miracle molecules' and we have lectures running up to May Half Term on film, literature and music.
Mrs Elly Hayward, Assistant Head Pupil Expertise
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As per the School Uniform Standards, one pair of discreet earrings is permitted with No. 2 uniform and no jewellery at all with PE kit for all students. If your child has had a recent piercing over the Easter break and earrings cannot immediately be removed, they must be covered with secure tape when wearing PE Kit.
Mrs Elly Hayward, Assistant Head Pupil Expertise
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A warm welcome to the Summer Term from all of us in Dunbar, and we are now finally seeing glimpses of some sunshine here and there. I do hope you were all able to relax and spend time with the family over the Easter holiday, and it is amazing to think that we are only about 100 days away from the end of the academic year - it has really flown past.
I want to take this opportunity to flag up a number of events during the term, some of which are already placed in the calendar, whilst others await confirmation. We have the first College Parade of the term this Sunday 25 April, which is also our first ‘Pangbournian Day’, and as ever, Dunbar pupils and their families are warmly welcomed, but not required. The only exception to this is the small number of Dunbar pupils who are involved in either the Marching Band or the Choisters, who are required, but they all know who they are and should be aware of this already.
The following weekend is Open Morning, and I know that many Dunbar pupils will be involved during the day acting as tour guides, or helping out with activities in Departments, as well as down in Dunbar itself, to meet the prospective families. I would love a Dunbar parent or two to join me in Dunbar for this event, and I know one or two have expressed an interest in helping out. If you feel you could spend some time doing this on Saturday 25 April, then please contact me directly on dunbar@pangbourne.com and I can run through the full details for you.
This term is particularly busy for our Year 8 pupils, and the Year 8 girls have an amazing opportunity next week to attend an inspirational careers day called ‘See What You Can Be’ which brings together women from a variety of non-traditional female careers to show our girls what a huge range of options are open to them when they leave school. We have been taking girls to this event for several years now and it is always a great success, and I believe that Mrs Hayward will be in touch about this more formally.
The dates for the Year 8 Camping Trip have now been finalised, and this will take place on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 June. Full information about this will come out later in the term, but I wanted to make you all aware of the date as soon as possible.
We also plan to run our traditional ‘Dunbar Family Day’ later this term, which involves a social tennis tournament, a BBQ/picnic and a dip in the pool (life-guard permitting!). The date for this has yet to be confirmed as we will need to fit it around any existing tennis fixtures to avoid a clash, and I will let you know when this will be in due course.
One of the final events of the year is the Year 8 Dinner - our formal black tie event for our Year 8 pupils (who will move up to one of our Senior Divisions in September), which again this year falls on the traditional penultimate Friday of the term - Friday 26 June. Formal invites will be sent out nearer the time as well.
With best wishes as always,
Dr Ian Hart
Head of Junior House (Dunbar)
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Next Thursday 23 April, Year 8 girls will have the opportunity to visit RAF Benson to experience and hear about exciting careers both Military and Civilian. 'See What You Can Be’ is a vibrant annual event that never fails to spark inspiration in everyone who attends. Packed with motivational speakers and engaging, hands-on activities, it promises an exciting and unforgettable morning of career discovery for the girls. Please complete the consent form here so that your daughter can attend.
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Mastery quizzing continues this term for Key Stage 3. This programme uses the science of learning to reinforce the key, foundational concepts from each subject area and trains the pupils in effective revision techniques. The Core Knowledge Booklets for the Summer Term can be found on the College Portal here.
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I have been very impressed with the start the Year 9s have made to the Summer Term, especially how our pupils have been so welcoming to our new joiners from Shanghai. This week, I briefed all of the pupils on both our expectations and the exciting opportunities in the Summer Term. We have a wide range of Divisional sports events taking place, including Athletics, Swimming and Tennis as well as the '100%' colour run and of course, the fantastic trip to Llangorse from 17 May.
Mr Anthony Hammond, Head of KS3
Year 7 - 8 (Dunbar)
Year 9 - 11
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Mastery quizzing continues this term for Key Stage 3. This programme uses the science of learning to reinforce the key, foundational concepts from each subject area and trains the pupils in effective revision techniques. The Core Knowledge Booklets for the Summer Term can be found on the College Portal here.
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It has been lovely to see Year 10 again after the break. They seem in good spirits and ready for a busy and action-packed term. They are starting their first piece of English Literature coursework at the moment with some preparatory work over the next couple of weeks and then the writing itself will start in a couple of weeks time. Geographers will be out for a day next week to do their fieldwork which is essential for their exams. I will be encouraging Year 10 to sign up for clinics again on Tuesday afternoons - they should be diligent about attending these as we enter into exam season.
Mrs Abbie Stephenson, Head of KS4
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This term, Year 10 students are beginning work on their first English Literature coursework component, focusing on modern drama through An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley.
As part of their preparation, all pupils have been given access to the BBC adaptation of the play via Digital Theatre. Login details have been shared with students on Google Classroom, and we strongly encourage them to make full use of this resource to consolidate their understanding of character, theme, and dramatic methods.
The assessed writing will take place in class during the week beginning 11 May. This will be completed under controlled conditions to ensure it reflects each student’s independent understanding and progress. Following this, students will have the opportunity to reflect on feedback and complete a redraft during the subsequent week.
Pupils and parents are also reminded to re-read the coursework guidelines carefully, particularly those relating to academic integrity and the appropriate use of AI, to ensure all work submitted is their own.
This coursework forms an important foundation for their Literature studies, helping students to develop analytical writing skills and a deeper understanding of how writers construct meaning in dramatic texts.
How parents can support at home
Parents can play a valuable role in helping students feel confident and prepared. You might support your child by:
Encouraging them to re-watch key scenes from the play and discuss characters’ motives and changes
Asking them to explain a theme (e.g. responsibility, class, generational divide) in their own words
Testing their knowledge of key quotations and who says them
Prompting them to talk through “why” Priestley presents characters in certain ways, helping to deepen analysis
Ensuring they are keeping up with notes and revising using materials shared on Google Classroom
Supporting good study habits, including completing work independently and following the coursework guidelines
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Mrs Sarah Kiernan-Webb, Head of English
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It's been lovely to welcome Year 11 back. They seem positive, energised and (in most cases) nearly ready to go! This is fortunate as MFL orals and Art GCSE are all next week. Everything rolls on pretty quickly from there - the first full cohort exam is English Literature on Monday 11 May.
The student feedback I've had on the revision camp over the holidays has been encouraging. It has been described by those I've chatted to as: 'really helpful', 'I liked working through a past paper together', 'good for helping me get work done', 'nice to be somewhere peaceful to work' and 'school lunch was good!’. Hopefully all this hard work which the students are putting in will reap its rewards. The mood within the whole year group is positively purposeful - everyone seems to be embracing what lies ahead. Good news!
Mrs Abbie Stephenson, Head of KS4
Sixth Form
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It has been nice to have the Sixth Formers back after a restful and hopefully productive Easter break. With exams now starting in less than two weeks, the focus is on ensuring that all students are supported with their revision.
The Upper Sixth have also been reminded about making their firm and insurance decisions on UCAS with Student Finance applications also now open.
I would like to congratulate those students who were recently promoted and I look forward to supporting them in their positions of responsibility. The Lower Sixth also have their Core Maths BTEC and Geography exams this Half Term with their Trial exams w/c 15 June. Further details will be shared about both their Trial exams and plans for Taking Responsibility Week (w/c 22 June) over the coming weeks.
(The link for Student Finance can be seen here.)
Ms Indy Kaur, Head of Sixth Form
Saturday 25 April, 09:30 - 13:00
Whole School Open Morning
Whole School
UPCOMING EVENTS
COLLEGE NEWS THIS WEEK
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DIVISIONAL UPDATES
The Hesperus Divisional Dinner will be taking place on Friday 5 June at Goring and Streatley Golf Club. This event is for all parents of Hesperus pupils and for Upper Sixth students. Please book your tickets here.
The next boarding update will be on Friday
BOARDING UPDATES
Boarding House Email Addresses
stgeorge@pangbourne.com
portjackson@pangbourne.com
adelaide@pangbourne.com