ENSIGN Issue 1 2017
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: • • • •
P UPILS REACH SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY FINALS ENGLAND LAMBS SELECTION FOR RUGBY PROSPECT INTRODUCING THE NEW MUSIC DEPARTMENT STUDENT INVITED TO DOWNING STREET
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HIGHLIGHTS: FEATURES: 3
Downing Street Visit
4-13 Centenary Year 16-17 Nabugabo Community Learning Centre Partnership 18 Tom Smashes Charity Target, Mathematics Society 19-21 Academic Update 27 Thrilling Medal for Rowing Boys at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park 28-29 Creative Endeavour Excites College Talent 30-35 Music
Contingent Commander Colin Hearn on the OP Centenary Weekend (Pages 4-13)
OP Society President and OP Centenary Weekend Parade taker Mr Richard Shuttleworth (1957-62) (Pages 4-13)
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Pangbourne Equestrian Riding High
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Rugby Update
38 New Artist in Residence Happily on Trend 39
THE PRIME MINISTER WELCOMES STUDENT TO DOWNING STREET
Hockey Update
40-41 Ambitious Spamalot Enjoys Critical Acclaim 43 New Politics Society, Iberian Culture Passionately in Focus 46-48 Boarding News 49 Meet the Scholar, Online Tool Refashions Classroom Experience 50-51 Snow White and the Seven Dwarves 52
Mrs Caroline Bond visits the Nabugabo Community Learning Centre in Uganda (Pages 16-17)
Ailsa Barrie at the Annual National Service for Seafarers at St Paul’s Cathedral (Pages 34-35)
DofE & CCF News
53 Professor Boris Rankov Guest at Scholars’ Dinner, Fearless Mountaineer Captivates Form 5 56-57 Students Turn Back Time on Jurassic Trip 58-59 Asking the Architect
REGULARS:
14-15 Beyond Pangbourne College with Jessie Payne 22-23 Staff Q&A with Jacqui Waller 24-26 Our Junior House 42
Behind the Scenes with Iona Sadler
44-45 Focus on Macquarie 54-55 Sixth Form News 60
Key Dates
Lower Sixth Geography students and staff visit Studland Beach in Dorset (Pages 56-57) Design by Mercer Design mercerdesign.co.uk
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Upper Sixth student Lily Pearce met the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street after raising £2,500 for cancer charity Sarcoma UK. Lily and her brother George, who is an OP (2010-14), were guests at a special reception staged for the charity by Downing Street. Also invited were sarcoma patients, carers, health professionals, scientists, researchers and MPs. Sarcoma UK Patron Mr Richard Whitehead MBE, who won 200m track gold for Great Britain at the 2012 Paralympics, was also present at the reception. Despite the many guests, Lily and George had the opportunity to speak personally with the Prime Minister. Lily (St. George) and George waited patiently to pass through strict security checks before entering Downing Street. Lily said: “Not everyone had the chance to speak to the Prime Minister. We were very lucky. Mrs May was very inspiring to talk to and interested to hear about my family’s fundraising efforts for Sarcoma UK.
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MY PARENTS ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT I HAVE ACHIEVED. BEING INVITED TO DOWNING STREET TO CELEBRATE THAT IS SOMETHING I WILL NEVER FORGET.
Lily was joined on the Color Vibe run in March by fellow College pupils and cousins Liv Harvey (U6, Illawarra) and Freya Harvey (Form 4, Illawarra), and her friend Bex Hadleigh (U6, St. George).
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CENTENARY YEAR …
On Saturday afternoon, OPs were invited to watch the current rugby first XV entertain Portsmouth Grammar School on Bowden Playing Field – and also the hockey first XI tackle Epsom College on the Jubilee AstroTurf.
FORMER PUPILS UNITE IN CENTENARY YEAR A packed two days of events for former pupils marked the College’s second official Centenary year event. Approximately 50 OPs enjoyed the AGM, supper and Quiz Night on Saturday evening before 130 OPs and their families participated in College Sunday activities, including the first OP march-past in 20 years. The weekend of 8-9 October 2016 was a valuable opportunity for people – and for the College – to reconnect with old faces. Director of Development Miss Karen Hartshorn said: “We think, ‘Once a Pangbournian, always a Pangbournian’. In this day and age, it is very easy for people to stay in touch with each other, so our role as a College is to try to keep OPs connected to the physical place and feel that they are a welcome part of the Pangbourne Community.”
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Later on Saturday evening, the OP Society held their AGM and latest Committee meeting before supper and a Quiz Night in the Old Library in Devitt House. Five teams, numbering 50 enthusiastic quiz members, were put to the test by infamously tough quizmaster and current Head of Chemistry, Mr Robert Pickett.
Lots of OPs were interested at the weekend in future Centenary year activity. This is a special year for us. We want to use it to get back in touch with people and show them that modern
Pangbourne is a thriving and happy place.
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CENTENARY YEAR …
On Sunday, OPs proudly took part in Parade. OP Society chairman Mr Merrick Rayner (1968-73) was Chief of the OP division for the occasion. After Sunday lunch, an OP XI faced a College Staff XI in a close fought mixed hockey match on the Jubilee AstroTurf. The OPs prevailed 2-1 in a fierce contest played in a friendly spirit, fittingly encapsulating what the weekend was all about. Miss Hartshorn said: “The Parade was excellent, with over 100 OPs from Commander Keith Evans (1933-37) to 2016 Leavers participating. More OPs were watching on the sidelines and at the end of their marchpast the OPs gave a resounding three cheers for the College. “ OP families then filled the Mess Hall for Sunday lunch, and there was a very friendly atmosphere and lovely buzz. After the success of this weekend we’re hoping to incorporate OP marching into a Parade Sunday about once every five years.”
For more information about the College’s Centenary year, visit http://www. pangbourne.com/CENTENARY-EVENTS
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CENTENARY YEAR … OXFORD PROFESSOR OF POETRY VISITS COLLEGE RENOWNED POET, TRANSLATOR AND BROADCASTER, MR SIMON ARMITAGE, VISITED THE COLLEGE TO SHARE HIS WORK AND EXPERTISE WITH STUDENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE WIDER COMMUNITY. First, Mr Armitage, the current Oxford Professor of Poetry, gave IGCSE and A Level English students a creative writing workshop with a twist. In the words of Upper Sixth student Angus Findlay: “I have attended writing workshops before, but the difference here was Simon’s unique and refreshing approach. He made creating something out of nothing look simple, effortless.”
CENTENARY TEA PARTY FOR PANGBOURNE VILLAGERS The College hosted senior citizens from the local area at a Centenary Tea Party at Pangbourne Village Hall. The event was part of the celebrations associated with the College’s Centenary year. During the tea party, a number of students and staff entertained the audience with musical performances. One such performance which was very well received was Silent Night played by Lower Sixth saxophonist Meredith Wilson. Present also were Pangbourne local residents Mr and Mrs Edward Wardle, who had their own reason to celebrate – they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on 10 November 2016. Mr and Mrs Wardle also received a very special card, signed personally by Her Majesty The Queen, remembering them both on their wedding anniversary.
MATRONS GET CREATIVE FOR ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
BBC RADIO 4’S GARDENERS’ QUESTION TIME COMES TO THE COLLEGE Popular gardening show, Gardeners’ Question Time (GQT) visited the College on Monday 7 November. The College welcomed the team to the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel for a lively debate on all things gardening. Interaction between the panel, consisting of Chairman Eric Robson plus panel members Anne Swithinbank, Matthew Wilson and James Wong, and the audience comprised of College students, staff and residents from across the county made for a highly entertaining evening full of informative debate courtesy of the vast breadth of botanical wisdom provided by the expert panel. There was a broad range of questions picked from an audience of over 400. They ranged from a question from a Form 1 pupil about optimum fertilisation methods for the College’s Smallholding Club, to a question from College Head of Grounds, Mr Ian Osbon, who asked for detailed planting information to assist with increasing the bluebells that sweep alongside the driveway at the entrance to the College. GQT is BBC Radio’s flagship gardening show which has been growing since 1967 and is one of their longest running shows.
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The team of College Matrons – Mrs Dawn Grehan, Mrs Sue Newport, Mrs Helen Pilkington, Mrs Gill Pollock, Mrs Wendy Saddington and Mrs Gail Webb – decided to knit their own poppies to begin their aim of meeting the Headmaster’s target of each person raising £200 in aid of the College’s Centenary Charity. Members of the College community were so pleased with the idea of the poppies that the Matrons made more than 200 and raised £540, which was divided between the Royal British Legion and the Centenary Charity. It was a time consuming project with the Matrons knitting them in their spare time. Headmaster Mr Thomas Garnier said: “I am very proud of this creative venture in aid of such a worthwhile and important charity.” This year, the Matrons are continuing with their fundraising in other ways, such as making bunting and holding hot chocolate, cake and lollipop sales in the Divisions.
Next, a group of Upper Sixth students, who plan to read English at university, had the privilege of dining with Mr Armitage and hearing his insights into the world of literature and publishing. The subsequent reading and Q&A in the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel was enjoyed by Pangbournians, school groups and members of the community. A ‘meet and greet’ followed, with Mr Armitage signing books and posing for photographs with delighted guests. Mr Matthew Coolin, Head of English, said: “ The response to Simon’s visit has been overwhelmingly positive, with many parents and students commenting on the warmth and humour of the reading and discussion in the Chapel. Moreover, our students were clearly inspired by the workshop and have produced some wonderful writing as a result.” Students can read signed copies of Mr Armitage’s Paper Aeroplanes, Pearl, Walking Home and Still in the College library.
Broadcaster Eric Robson at the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel for Gardeners’ Question Time Form 1 pupil Bonnie Jackson tests the GQT panel’s knowledge in the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel A packed Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel enjoy the Gardeners’ Question Time broadcast Guests applaud the performances at a Centenary Tea Party at Pangbourne Village Hall Simon Armitage during his reading at the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel College Matrons (from left) Mrs Dawn Grehan, Mrs Gill Pollock, Mrs Gail Webb, Mrs Sue Newport, Mrs Helen Pilkington and Mrs Wendy Saddington wear their own poppy design in aid of the Royal British Legion and the Centenary Charity
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CENTENARY YEAR … WREATH LAID AT PANGBOURNE VILLAGE CHURCH GRAVE Each year on the day before Founders’ Day, a wreath is laid by the College on the Devitt grave in St James the Less churchyard. In July 2016, significant work in the churchyard meant the grave was inaccessible. So, as part of the Old Pangbournian Centenary Weekend, the Headmaster, the Chaplain, the President of the OP Society Mr Richard Shuttleworth (1957-62), and other OPs laid a wreath. Sir Phillip Devitt, son of Sir Thomas Lane Devitt, is buried in the churchyard of St James the Less in Pangbourne. Not far from his grave, William Montanaro, first CaptainSuperintendent of the Nautical College, Pangbourne, is also buried.
COLLEGE RECEIVES FALKLANDS ENSIGN As part of the Old Pangbournian Centenary Weekend, of 8-9 October 2016, Commander Peter Tambling (1950-53) presented the battle ensign of SS Canberra to the College. This was the ensign flown by Canberra when she returned to Southampton from the Falklands War in 1982. Canberra, one of P&O’s most prestigious liners, served as a troop ship during the conflict. Captain Martin Reed, who was Chief Officer in 1982, is now one of the Trustees of the Chapel and is Chairman of the South Atlantic Medal Association. Commander Tambling presented the ensign to College Chaplain, the Reverend Neil Jeffers. The ensign had been given to Commander Tambling by Captain Peter Love, Marine Superintendent for P&O at the Port of Southampton, who also presented to the College a copy of a choral anthem They That Go Down To The Sea In Ships, written by his son, the late Christopher Tambling FRCO, in 2003 to mark the 50th anniversary of his father leaving Pangbourne.
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GOVERNORS’ CENTENARY LUNCH PANGBOURNE COLLEGE GOVERNORS PAST AND PRESENT GATHERED FOR A SPECIAL CENTENARY LUNCH AT THE COLLEGE. More than 20 former and current Governors, going as far back as the 1980s, attended the event, hosted by current Chairman of Governors, Rear Admiral Roger Lane-Nott (195863), in the College’s refurbished Old Library. Guests on 30 November 2016 first attended a drinks reception in Devitt Hall before being seated for a four-course meal. Everyone gathered for a photo call at the back of Devitt House to commemorate the occasion. Headmaster Mr Thomas Garnier updated all present on the College’s bright plans for the future. He thanked all present for their selfless and often unseen work in support of the College, without which the excellent progress in recent years could not have been achieved. Also in attendance was Mr Robin Knight (1956-61), a long-serving Governor from 19942008 and the author of Pangbourne College: Spirit in Changing Times, a history of the College over the last century. For details on ordering a copy, please visit http://www.pangbourne.com/Centenary-Book. Mr Ron Obbard, the Bursar, said of the lunch: “It was wonderful to see so many past and present Governors at what was a very special occasion. It was a unique opportunity to celebrate our Centenary with so many Governors present.”
PANGBOURNE HOSTS CENTENARY DECLAMATIONS CUP
Seventy students gathered together in the Chapel for the newly resurrected Declamations Cup for the Centenary year. The competition organised by Head of English Mr Matthew Coolin and Assistant Head of English, Ms Vicky Bryan, was comprised of a short listed group of six students from Form 4 (Year 10) demonstrating their oratorical skills, presentation style and persuasive powers in delivering a speech of varying length to an invited audience at the school. The speeches were based on a myriad of topics, with the choice of subjects ranging from Brexit to the legacy of the Olympics.
There were two winners this year: Cameron Moorcroft-Towers (Port Jackson) and Damilola Bamgbowu (St. George), as the judges were impressed with both the quality of the delivery and content of their speeches. Four fellow pupils – Lucy Riley, Maddy Sawbridge (both Illawarra), Harry Skinner (Macquarie) and Sam Ward (Hesperus) – also addressed an audience of their peers and impressed the four judges. The winners of the Pangbourne College Declamations Cup for the Centenary year, Cameron and Damilola now look forward to spending a day shadowing journalist – and competition judge – Mr Patrick O’Hagan on a press assignment for BBC Radio Berkshire.
Commander Peter Tambling (left) presents the Reverend Neil Jeffers with the SS Canberra battle ensign Former and current College Governors at Devitt House for a special Centenary Lunch OP Society President Mr Richard Shuttleworth (left) and Headmaster Mr Thomas Garnier lay a wreath on the Devitt grave in St James the Less churchyard Declamations Cup finalists Harry Skinner, Lucy Riley, Cameron Moorcroft-Towers, Damilola Bamgbowu, Sam Ward and Maddy Sawbridge
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CENTENARY YEAR …
Remembrance Sunday Remembrance Sunday is always a very special occasion at Pangbourne College and in the village of Pangbourne. As one new member of staff was heard to say: ‘At Pangbourne they do it properly’.
In the afternoon, the Marching Band, led by Upper Sixth student and Drum Major Sasha Pokrovskaya, gathered with Bandmaster Mr Jeremy Clack, Director of Music Miss Ellie Calver and Contingent Commander Colin Hearn to lead the village uniform groups, such as Brownies and Cubs, as well as the Royal British Legion in their parade through the village to the War Memorial and service at the church of St James the Less.
At the morning service in the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel, the Chamber Choir, conducted by Miss Calver, sang a cappella Sir Hubert Parry’s rousing My Soul, There is a Country prior to the Service of Remembrance. During the service wreaths were laid by Rear Admiral Roger LaneNott (1958-63), Chairman of Governors, the Headmaster of Pangbourne College Mr Thomas Garnier and Mr Merrick Rayner (196873), Chairman of the Old Pangbournian Society. Contingent Commander Hearn led the congregation in the Act of Remembrance and, as an RAF Chinook and Puma flew overhead, Mr Clack played the Last Post.
Over 1,000 people, including parents, grandparents, Old Pangbournians, Parents of Old Pangbournians and former members of staff, joined the College community in the morning for a service, led by the Chaplain the Reverend Neil Jeffers, and parade taken by Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, former First Sea Lord (2009-13), to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
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Following the service, the Marching Band led the Remembrance Sunday parade at the College at which Chief Cadet Captain of the College (Head Boy), Fred Taucher, introduced Guest of Honour Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope to the College. The afternoon parade and service in the village was supported by over 300 members of the local community.
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BEYOND PANGBOURNE COLLEGE
JESSIE PAYNE (1997-2002)
What type of person would excel in a career in Medicine? Current Job Title and Employer:
Specialist Registrar in Emergency Medicine and Intensive Care Medicine by The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, London.
Why did you choose Medicine as a career?
Medicine offers such a great mix – you get to work with people from all backgrounds and cultures, academically you are on the cutting edge of science and research and daily you are a member of an expert team faced with the challenges and problem solving that disease and illness present. In addition to this you can mould your career to take you wherever you want to go – surgery, health care policy, management or overseas!
What positions have you held?
I have been a junior doctor since qualifying from Imperial College in 2009 and have had jobs in a range of medical and surgical specialities as part of my general training. I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie and whilst working overseas in Australia I developed an interest in Resuscitation Medicine. As a result on returning to the UK in 2013 I chose to subspecialise in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine. I am now a Specialist Registrar in Emergency Medicine and Intensive Care Medicine in London and will probably be training for another six years as a junior doctor before I eventually become a consultant! Along the way, in addition to my London-based training posts, I have taken some time out of training and worked for an Ethiopian NGO (NonGovernmental Organisation), a Ugandan charity and in a small hospital in an Australian surfing town!
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What training do you need to complete to enter Medicine?
Applying to medical school is competitive: you often need sciences such as Chemistry and Biology at A Level and in addition to these it is worth showing commitment to the field with work experience placements and, as best you can, a passion for the subject. There is also a compulsory UK Critical Aptitude Test also known as UKCAT which focuses less on academics and more on exploring the attributes thought to be valuable for health care professionals.
How do you achieve this?
Showing commitment to the speciality and a passion for Medicine is gained by doing voluntary placements at GP surgeries, in care homes and hospitals; it is worth asking your parents if they have any friends who are medical professionals who may be able to help out. But, if there is no one in the family who is or knows a doctor, fear not – it is often about using what you have done by showing how this relates to the field of Medicine and what attributes you have gained. You may have spent the summer working in Sainsbury’s but in doing so you improved your time management skills, gained an understanding of the challenges faced when working anti-social shift patterns and your communication skills were tested. And when you worked on the customer service desk you were interacting with people from all walks of life! Think of what you have done, whether it is being captain of the rugby team, climbing Kilimanjaro, or running the 100%, then think about what it took to achieve the goal, what you learned about yourself and use it to prove that you would be an excellent choice for medical school!
Anyone! It is important to remember that Medicine has lots of disciplines, there is something for everyone and whilst you may not be the extrovert surgeon you might just be the insightful good listener that would be perfect for psychiatry or general practice – so do not be put off by the personalities of other people applying! A word of warning: it is also important to remember that Medicine is about the long haul. The degree is five to six years of intense learning and assessments (often double the time that some of your friends will be at university) and this does not stop once you qualify. The exams and assessments continue! Medicine is often described as a vocation. I would probably go further and describe it as a life choice, a great life choice but it takes commitment, passion and enthusiasm to keep yourself going because it can be hard emotionally, intellectually and sometimes physically. (Not fainting at the sight of blood is a bonus!)
What one piece of advice would you give to someone aiming to enter Medicine?
Remember there will be a lot of driven and capable students applying, so it is worth thinking about what makes you stand out from the crowd and how this will make you a great doctor. Do not be put off by what others say: if you want it, commit to it and achieve it!
What was it like appearing on 24 Hours in A&E on Channel 4? A little nerve-racking! I am not an extrovert and it was not my first instinct to agree to filming. However, after giving it a bit of thought I decided that after a turbulent 18 months for the NHS it would be a good way to advocate for Emergency Medicine as a medical speciality and for junior doctors as a professional body.
Why are television programmes like 24 Hours in A&E important? I like to think they bridge the gap between patients and medical professionals. It is often a very intimidating and emotional experience walking in to an emergency department. Hopefully the programme helps you see that even though everyone looks busy and a little stressed they are working as hard as possible to help people and that they are human too! How did Pangbourne help prepare you for the world of work? I am so lucky to have studied at Pangbourne. It provided me with such a strong foundation to move on to medical school and then the world of Medicine. The ethos of the College is one that supports people’s strengths and encourages individuality whilst instilling discipline and drive. The quiet confidence in myself, team working and leadership skills that I learned over the five years, particularly with Mr Hills’ adventure training, are put in to practice daily on the shop floor in the emergency department.
What A Levels did you study at Pangbourne?
Biology, Chemistry and History A Level; Maths and Physical Education AS Level.
What are your fondest memories of Pangbourne?
There are so many, but the highlights were probably the adventure training weekends away and the nights gossiping in St. George!
In your time at Pangbourne which teacher inspired you the most?
I will always be extremely grateful for the support and encouragement Mr Brodhurst gave me as my Sixth Form tutor. He had such unwavering belief in me that it was difficult not to be inspired to believe in myself!
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MRS CAROLINE BOND VISITED UGANDA TO WITNESS HOW THE COLLEGE’S INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP COMMUNITY IS BENEFITTING FROM THE RELATIONSHIP. The Deputy Head Pastoral was making her third trip to the Nabugabo Community Learning Centre (NCLC) in as many years. It followed 32 students and five staff members spending 17 days there last July.
they have made in their reading and writing skills. That is hugely rewarding and tangible proof that all the money the College raises for Nabugabo goes to a very worthwhile cause.” She added: “People within the community have very little, but they have a tremendous sense of well-being and happiness. Visiting Nabugabo is a potent reminder that we do not need material wealth to be happy.” Mrs Bond said: “We took out a lot of educational equipment and items of clothing and shoes. Mr Philip Bates (College Charities Co-ordinator) asked Pangbourne parents to donate pairs of socks for the pupils in Nabugabo. We took out more than three hundred pairs and were able to give every pupil three pairs of socks, which was wonderful. The children were incredibly appreciative.”
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The school – not far from the town of Masaka near the Equator – first opened in 2013 to provide access to education for local children aged three to nine years old.
Last July, students from Pangbourne were involved in a number of vital local building projects, including the construction of five new latrines and washrooms, helping to create colourful classrooms and working with the pupils themselves.
Mrs Bond said: “I have noticed huge changes in Nabugabo since I first visited three years ago, particularly in the confidence and wellbeing of the children, in their nutrition and the enormous progress
Mrs Bond said: “One of the highlights of the trip was not only seeing what staff and students had achieved in a very short space of time, but how the community are currently using the facilities
and the value they place on them. We also saw the beautiful mural students painted in one of the classrooms. The children at Nabugabo were frequently asking me when the Pangbourne students would be returning!” The College has supported NCLC since 2014 and plans are already underway to return in summer 2018.
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OT H E R N EW S F R OM PA NG B OU R N E …
I N B R I E F… Headmaster Mr Thomas Garnier helps shave Tom Wright’s head for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
STUDENTS PASS PSYCHOLOGY STRESS TEST
Frankie (left) and Ollie Rogers (right) and Tom Wright in the Port Jackson Gunroom
A Level Psychology students had a taste of university-style learning in a lecture from a visiting speaker. Dr John Eaton, a London and Newbury-based psychotherapist, spoke to Sixth Form Psychology students about the effects of stress in contemporary society and about how the term is typically understood today. His delivery adopted a university seminar-style approach.
MATHS SOCIETIES INSTIL ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
TOM SMASHES CANCER CHARITY TARGET Tom Wright (Form 4, Port Jackson) successfully galvanised the whole College community to back his bid to raise money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Tom raised £2,135.26, a spectacular 142% of his initial £1,500 target, in memory of Mrs Stephanie Rogers, whose daughter Frankie (St. George) is also in Form 4. Tom said: “I have known Frankie since Junior School. Mrs Rogers battled cancer with such bravery and such strength that it inspired me to do something. She was one of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet.” Tom had his head shaved to attract sponsorship, in front of his entire Division. The Headmaster Mr Thomas Garnier, Port Jackson Housemaster Mr Joe Lewis, Frankie and Mr Frank Allan – of Frank’s Barbershop, Pangbourne – all helped cut Tom’s hair for the occasion. Tom designed and distributed posters promoting his campaign around the College. He also set up a www.justgiving.com page to allow people to donate online. Tom said: “Raising more than £2,000 massively exceeded my expectations. I thought £500 would be good at first; then I thought maybe we could exceed £1,000 – then we beat that. It felt amazing to see the amount rise and rise. It just shows how loved Mrs Rogers was. “ Royal Marsden were thrilled with the amount we raised. In some small way I was glad to be able to do something positive.”
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The Euler Society welcomed four newcomers to Further Mathematics to tackle the challenges set by teachers Mr Fergus Yuille and Mr Mark Woodcock. The Society’s latest members were Matthew Bunce (L6, Harbinger), Ed Digby (L6, Hesperus), Philip Garnier (L6, Hesperus) and Jake Rogers (L6, Harbinger), who paired off into a Harbinger/Hesperus divide. The classic dice game Pig was new to the students. Teams took it in turns to roll dice, add the scores onto their total and continue rolling until either they chose to stop or they rolled a six, whereupon their turn ended. A winning total was 100. If a six was thrown, a team’s score was zero. Hesperus reached a century first before both teams considered strategy – namely, how many rolls should you take before finishing your turn? Hesperus suggested three whilst Harbinger plumped for five. In a joint Abelian Group and Euler Society meeting before Christmas, three Upper Sixth Further Mathematicians captained three teams – Donner (Captain Tony Siu, Alex Zenda and Jason Griffin), Blitzen (Captain Nick Muir, Matthew Bunce and Jack Rogers) and Rudolph (Captain Becky Crossley, Philip Garnier and Ed Digby) in a Race to the Pole. Each team had to answer five questions correctly to collect clues. A tie-break was finally required to decide the winners, Rudolph. But great enthusiasm was shown by all teams.
PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS CREATE KEY RINGS IN DT CHALLENGE Teams of Year 4 pupils were invited from six local primary schools to the College for a Design Technology (DT) morning to design and make a pewter key ring and its packaging. The theme chosen to inspire their designs was ‘winter’. During the morning pupils used a range of processes from sawing an MDF (mediumdensity fibreboard) template to casting pewter. They also learnt about quality control and filing metal down to produce a desired finish. At the end of the morning, all pupils had successfully made key rings and packaging. The range of products on display demonstrated pupils’ high level of creativity.
Acting Head of Psychology Miss Letitia Rizan said: “Dr Eaton was an inspirational speaker. He spoke to students about the history of stress and what we term ‘stress’ in society today. He argued we should not incorporate the term so freely into everyday vernacular and instead spoke of how we should concentrate more on how we deal with events in life.” Miss Rizan continued:
On the day, visiting pupils were judged on their ability to work in a team, safe working practices, on quality of manufacture and on their creativity. The winning team were from Garland Primary School. Other participating primary schools visited from Birch Copse, Pangbourne, Bucklebury, Long Lane and Yattendon. DT Teacher Mr Will Ogilvie-Jones said visiting pupils were very well behaved and a credit to their schools.
GCSE SCIENCE
GOES LIVE!
Form 4 pupils heard some of Britain’s top scientists speak at GCSE Science Live! at the New Theatre Oxford. The entire cohort made the trip and listened to lectures from academics including television presenter Professor Lord Robert Winston, BBC Radio broadcaster Professor Jim Al-Khalili and best-selling author Dr Ben Goldacre. During the day pupils also received practical advice from GCSE examiner Mr Stewart Chenery.
“
DR EATON BELIEVES THE WORD ‘STRESS’ IS COMMONLY USED OUT OF CONTEXT, WHICH DOES NOT HELP PEOPLE OVERCOME PROBLEMS THEY EXPERIENCE. IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING TALK AND VERY MUCH LIKE A UNIVERSITY LECTURE. STUDENTS HAD TO REALLY THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, WHICH SOME FOUND CHALLENGING, BUT IT IS ALWAYS USEFUL FOR STUDENTS TO HEAR A DIFFERENT VOICE TACKLING A SUBJECT FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE.
”
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OT H E R N EW S F R OM PA NG B OU R N E …
I N B R I E F… Hamish McNaught (centre right) and Charlie King (right) with their Downe House School team-mates at Queen Mary University of London
STUDENTS AT HOME ON UK MATHS STAGE The College achieved some very encouraging results from this year’s UK Senior Maths Challenge.
chool hard
e Primary S Pangbourn
PUPILS CONTROL ROBOT
PIONEERS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE
IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SHOWPIECE
The extraordinary challenges behind building a Mars Rover was the subject of one lecture heard by Computer Science students during a day at University College London.
Charlie King (Form 4, Hesperus) and Hamish McNaught (Form 4, Harbinger) pitted themselves against some of the country’s brightest young minds in the MCS Projects Science and Technology Challenge Southern Regional Finals.
Members of Form 5 and the Sixth Form travelled to the capital for Pioneers in Computer Science, a series of lectures aimed at A Level students. Other subjects covered included Algorithm Complexity, Functional Programming and, capping the annual Training Partnershiprun event, Artificial Intelligence: Fact and Fiction.
The duo ranked in the event’s top 1.4 per cent and were two of only 36 pupils, from an initial 2,500-strong entry, to reach the event at Queen Mary University of London. For it, Charlie and Hamish were paired with pupils from Downe House School in Thatcham, in one of nine, fourstrong teams. Head of Design Technology Miss Emma Patton said: “Teams had to master a piece of computer software to programme a robot to navigate it safely around a maze without hitting obstacles. It was an extreme test of both pupils’ ability, but Charlie and Hamish worked intelligently and impressively with their team-mates from Downe House.” Miss Patton added: “The competition promotes Science and Technology in schools and gives pupils a tangible taste of what it feels like to study the subjects at university.”
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The national Maths Challenge took place on 8 November 2016, inviting thousands of students across the country to test their numerical ability, in what is a highly demanding paper and a real test for the very best mathematicians.
at work
Last year, 600,000 students from 4,000 schools tackled the UK’s biggest national mathematics competition’s three individual challenges. Mr Andy Codling, Assistant Head of Mathematics, commented: “The Senior Maths Challenge was, once again, a huge success with 30 students battling against the brightest mathematicians in the UK. A superb effort from Philip Garnier earned him ‘Top in the School’ honours, narrowly missing out on a Gold Medal.
St Piran's Pre
p School wo
rking out th e num
bers
“ The other Form 5 students, Kenny Xu and Andy Cui, were both awarded Bronze medals, which in itself is a fantastic achievement. Chris Batchelor earned a Silver Medal and was top of the Upper Sixth students. Whilst these were the top performing students, 11 others were awarded Bronze medals.
Speakers included author and BBC journalist Gordon Corera, University of Oxford Professor Leslie Goldberg, and Abigail Hutty, Senior Spacecraft Structures Engineer from the ExoMars Rover Project. College Head of Computer Science, ICT and Systems Mr Martin Palfrey said: “It was an extremely interesting and engaging day for students. All the talks engaged the students in arguments which feed into wider moral and ethical questions that both GCSE and A Level students must consider as part of their studies.” The ExoMars rover, by the European Space Agency and Russian space agency Roscosmos
“ Particular praise must go to Madelaine Hart, who was one of three Form 5 entries, finishing second in the school and also earning a Silver Medal. This is a truly superb effort against many students with two additional years of maths experience.
inners of the ary School w e im Pr 's an ni Fi ng The three St. y Schools Maths Challe ar Prep and Prim
“ The Senior Maths Challenge is a great event that the students really enjoy and is a rare opportunity for our students to pit themselves against other budding mathematicians nationwide.”
PRIMARY & PREP SCHOOLS MATHS CHALLENGE ON 2 DECEMBER 2016, THE COLLEGE HOSTED A PREP AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS MATHS CHALLENGE. The programme is run by the Mathematics Department at Pangbourne and involves a series of challenging yet fun mathematical activities aimed at the top four student mathematicians in Year 5 from junior schools in the local area. Winners of the event were St Finian's Primary School and the runners-up were St Piran's Prep School and Falkland Primary School.
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ile Fact F
STAGE Y E K F HEAD UOI WALLER JACQ
3
Why did you join Pangbourne?
As a Head of Department (HoD) at The Hurst, I felt that there was not enough challenge and I wanted to get back to teaching A Level Mathematics.
Describe your role currently at the College:
I am Head of Key Stage 3 (KS3) which means I oversee the academic progress of all pupils in Forms 1, 2 and 3. I also organise entry testing and scholarship assessments into my Key Stage. In the Michaelmas Term and Summer Term I timetable and arrange invigilation for the internal College exams. For several years I have taken on organising the academic side of Open Days. Each year I have the task of writing the Prep Timetable, which can be tricky if the actual timetable gives me too many constraints. Of course, all that is on top of teaching Maths to all year groups and Further Maths to the Sixth Form.
What other roles have you held here?
When I joined the College initially I was just a Maths teacher across all age and ability ranges. I also coached hockey, netball, swimming and rounders. I have been Wardroom President; I was the first College Charities Co-ordinator and then I became second in the Maths Department before becoming Head of KS3. I did take on the Head of Maths job at the same time as being Head of KS3, but stood down from Head of Maths after a while because I simply found there were not enough hours in the day to develop both the Maths Department and KS3.
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Waller Jacqui sex Name: am, Es er’s Dagenh . Palm School Born: l l f a o H rsity Gable ion: lege. Unive Educat Col outh Portsm s: ematic f Math o omsey. R r e , h Teac School : n g e n t i ment: t h t a Teac Depar Mountb . ad of e bridge H n o y T t Depu , Head ademy, t c n A e m s t l r y Mascal f Depa mmunit Head o rst Co u H Deputy : t artmen of Dep ley e, Tad g e l Col
Q&A What challenges does a Head of KS3 face?
Trying to organise entry assessments and scholarship interviews whilst minimising disruption to teaching. Keeping academic momentum, whilst also trying to support colleagues who want to take pupils out of lessons to sports events or educational trips. These extracurricular activities are very important but the challenge is to keep a balance.
What was it like being a parent and a staff member concurrently?
I must say it never was too difficult having my children at the College. Staff were good enough not to really discuss either child with me. They would sometimes ask if I wanted to know what was going on. My response was, ‘If you would phone home to speak to a parent, then speak to me’.
What is it like now your daughter Miss Harriet Waller has joined the teaching staff?
I think we have both found it quite easy. We see very little of each other during work hours. I am very proud of how hard she works and how well she has taken to teaching.
Does your husband participate in College life with you?
He hasn’t really had an option – working at Pangbourne takes over your life, particularly if your children attend the College. Michael attends a lot of events with me. We both come to all the Parades, at least one night of each College production and numerous dinners, all of which we both very much enjoy.
What do you like most about working here?
The fact that everyone knows everyone else; the fact that all pupils will look me in the eye and greet me with a big smile and, ‘Morning Miss’; and the fact that they all sang Happy Birthday to me and it felt as if they truly meant it!
What do you consider are your key achievements here?
I really value the ‘light bulb’ moments that you get when teaching Maths – a pupil who has been struggling to grasp a concept suddenly looks at you with wide eyed excitement and you know it has suddenly clicked. I have been part of several College initiatives but I am a great believer in keeping teaching central to all I do. I don’t dwell on results but thinking back, I have got lots of children good GCSE grades and A Level grades. Although the A* grades are great, there is probably more joy from getting the C/D borderline pupils a C or a B.
What is the highlight from your time here?
The highlight would be the very kind letters I have received from pupils who have since left the College. A pupil may think you are being tough on them when they are in Form 4 and 5, but after they have left they appreciate all you did for them and they respect you for it. One of my proudest moments as a parent was when both my children received Headmaster’s Prizes for being a credit to the College and its Flag Values.
How are you looking forward to the College developing in the future?
I would never want the College to get too large – and it has so many fantastic things in its favour. But it would be wonderful to see the Study Block and the Science Department redeveloped and a new indoor swimming pool built. One of the many things I value about the College is the pastoral care it gives to pupils and to staff, so whatever happens we must protect that aspect of what we currently do so well.
When you are not busy at Pangbourne, what do you enjoy doing?
There is not much time during term when I get to do anything but watch an old Cary Grant or John Wayne movie or even a Basil Rathbone version of Sherlock Holmes. I do enjoy cross stitch, reading Agatha Christie books and Sudoku style puzzles. And, as my Sixth Form will tell you, I actually do Maths questions for fun. Am I the only person to take a Maths question book on holiday instead of a puzzle book? During holidays, my husband and I enjoy driving our Morgan Plus 4 to rallies – even if we end up getting drenched in the rain because it has no roof.
Tell us something few people know about you.
Pupils I teach know that when I sneeze there are a prime number of sneezes – usually 11! Some people know that, as a teenager, I wanted to be a lorry driver. Some also know my dream car is a yellow Morgan three wheeler.
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our
Junior House
I N B R I E F… POWERFUL ISSUE GRIPS JUNIOR HOUSE The College welcomed the UK Chairman of Operation Smile, Dr Maria Moore, to give a powerful presentation to Form 1 and 2 pupils. Operation Smile provides life-changing and in some cases life-saving cleft lip and palate repair surgeries to children worldwide.
CHILDREN’S AUTHOR INSPIRES PUPILS IN CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP
a, Mettaw , Zinnia nd s r ie p S n lla Camero Ben Ho om left) olly Upton and fr ( ts c Prefe s, M Dunbar mphreys-Evan u H ia r a M
Form 1 pupils enjoyed a creative writing workshop led by children’s author S.Y. Palmer. She visited the College during the last academic year to teach Form 2 pupils in a collaboration between the English and Science departments. This year, the focus was on English and creative writing. Head of English Mr Matthew Coolin said: “It is vitally important for us as a department to allow our students to hear both a different voice in the classroom and a valuable new perspective. S.Y. Palmer, through her work, is keenly attuned to pupils in Key Stage 3. Visits like this can be transformative for their development in English.” S.Y. Palmer signed copies of her book May’s Moon, published in December 2015, for pupils during her visit and urged them to throw off any inhibitions during the creative writing process. Pupils are now busy producing their own fictional pieces. The College hopes to welcome S.Y. Palmer back in 2017-18.
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“
Dunbar Housemaster Mr Will Ogilvie-Jones said:
DUNBAR HOCKEY TEAM DISPLAY REAL SPIRIT The Dunbar B Girls’ Hockey team enjoyed a fantastic campaign. Results might not always have swung their way, but, in a wonderful endorsement of the positive spirit in the camp, morale remained unequivocally high. Dunbar B Coach Miss Harriet Waller said: “There was such a great atmosphere amongst the team this year. Playing seven-a-side hockey on a half pitch is really good for their development before they hit Form 3 and play on a full pitch. We had a fantastic result against Lord Wandsworth College. They are so strong at hockey that to win against them (2-0 on 28 September) at any level is brilliant. “ Individually, team captain Jemma Humphreys had a great attitude and worked so hard for the team during matches. Rosie Hart was probably the team’s most improved player. She listened to everything we said to her and carried it forward into matches.”
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The organisation was Junior House Dunbar’s chosen charity for the last Summer Term, when pupils pulled together to raise more than £800. The decision to support Operation Smile was inspired by Edward Butterworth (Form 2), who, when he was a baby, underwent a cleft lip procedure himself. In the Summer Term, he completed a 125km sponsored bike ride and raised more than £800.
DUNBAR’S CHAUCER DELIGHTS AUDIENCE THE DUNBAR PRODUCTION OF CHAUCER’S THE CANTERBURY TALES WAS A REAL HIT ON EVERY LEVEL, BOTH ENGAGING PUPILS AND ENTERTAINING AUDIENCES.
Joseph S m during so ith (left) and W illia me free ti me in Du m Somers socia lise nbar
Every Form 1 and 2 pupil was involved in the performance in Drake Hall at the climax of the Michaelmas Term. Drama Teacher Mr Joe Burston – new to the College in September 2016 – selected and directed the play. He said: “I thoroughly enjoyed studying The Canterbury Tales in English and performing it for Drama GCSE. I wanted the pupils here to have as much fun studying it as I did.” An audience of College parents and staff were enchanted by Dunbar’s version of The Canterbury Tales and charmed by humourfilled performances from pupils, many of whom were untested in a production on such a scale. Feedback from parents praised the production’s total inclusivity.
OPERATION SMILE TRAINS LOCAL DENTISTS HOW TO CARRY OUT CLEFT LIP AND PALATE PROCEDURES. FOR £150 AND IN 45 MINUTES, A CHILD CAN HAVE THE OPERATION AND SUBSEQUENTLY HAVE THEIR LIFE CHANGED.
”
MAX PICKED FOR FOOTBALL’S WORLD YOUTH CUP
p to see Form 1 on their tri West End
ical in London’s
Wicked the Mus
College pupil Max Horwood will fly the flag for England at this summer’s Gothia World Youth Cup in Sweden. Max (Form 2) has been named in a 16-strong under-13 Prep Schools’ Lions squad, selected from independent school footballers from across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey.
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Dunbar
Talking Heads Which Prep / Primary school did you come from?
Michaelmas Term Head Girl Ellen Moffatt: Falkland Primary School Head Boy Edward Butterworth: Goring Primary School What responsibilities in Dunbar do the Head Boy and Head Girl have?
EM: “We had to help hold Friday’s assembly in the house and introduce, for example, pupils reading sports match reports out. We also had to make other announcements during assembly. (Dunbar Housemaster) Mr Ogilvie-Jones might write us a few notes beforehand to help us, but he would keep them deliberately brief to see how we would interpret them.” EB: “We both had to make presentations and speak in front of the house every week in assembly. And we had to do readings at the Christmas Carol Service in Chapel at the end of term.” How has being Head Boy and Head Girl helped you develop personally?
EM: “It has definitely helped me improve and develop my presentation skills. The more you speak in public, the easier it becomes. It has also helped me think on my feet more. Mr OgilvieJones would only tell us what was going to happen in assembly on the morning itself. At the end of term, I then read in Chapel at the Dunbar Christmas Carol Service.”
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EB: “The Head Boy and Head Girl are expected to set an example to other pupils. That responsibility can be quite daunting, but once you become used to it, you realise it is a good thing. It helps you mature.” What has been most fun about being Head Boy and Head Girl?
EM: “It’s fun having some authority in the house! And everyone respects you. I was asked to look after two new girls in Form 1, Bonnie and Megan, on the school bus and make sure they got off at the right stop. There was also a time once when someone couldn’t help being late for the bus. I had to make sure the driver waited.” EB: “We helped organise a mock US presidential election in the house. We had 16 votes for Hillary Clinton and I think it was four for Donald Trump!” Favourite subject?
EM: PE. EB: Science. What do you think is the thing that sets Dunbar apart from other schools in the area?
EM: Dunbar is different from other schools in that everyone knows each other and you know your teachers and are not just seen as another face in a crowd.
EB: The fact that it has a different boarding house to all the other Divisions. What do you look forward to in the senior school?
EM: I am looking forward to the marching and being more involved with the rest of the school. EB: I am looking forward to getting out on the river and rowing. What would you change if you were Headmaster for a day?
EM: As Headmaster, I would make fifth period shortened to 50 minutes instead of an hour because by that point everyone is getting a bit tired and we still have to do sport later on in the day and should save our energy for that. EB: I would change the Dunbar uniform to the senior school uniform. What do you want to do when you leave Pangbourne?
EM: I am not sure about what I would do as a profession but I know that I would like to travel the world shortly after school and see other countries and cultures. EB: I want to be either a blacksmith, a cyclist or a scientist.
...
The College clinched a bronze medal in a nailbiting boys’ relay at the 2016 British Indoor Rowing Championships at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. The quartet of Ed Digby (L6, Hesperus), Louis Ellis (U6, Hesperus), Archie Anslow-Wilson (U6, Macquarie) and Philip Garnier (L6, Hesperus) competed against 21 crews in the relay, which turned out to be a titanic struggle with holders Bedford Modern School and last year’s runners-up The King’s School (Worcester). Meanwhile, the College enjoyed four wins, despite being depleted by illness for the Head of the Nene competition in Peterborough. In the first division, the two Novice fours placed first and second, with last minute substitute and under-16 Louis Winter (Form 5, Hesperus) rewarded with a tankard, as were stroke Charlie McManus-Burke (U6, Harbinger), Alex Zenda (U6, Harbinger), Oliver Jones (U6, Macquarie) and cox Nick Muir (U6, Harbinger).
This year’s College-run Pangbourne Junior Sculls attracted more than 400 crews nationwide to Beale Park on the Thames, as the only exclusively junior sculling head race in the rowing calendar continues to thrive. Eton, Radley, Shiplake and Headington School, amongst others, all entered. College Director of Rowing Mr Mark Woodcock said:
“ DESPITE IT BEING WET AND MISTY, CONDITIONS WERE NEARLY IDEAL FOR ROWING: VERY FLAT AND CALM. THE WHOLE EVENT WENT PARTICULARLY WELL THIS YEAR.” 27
Creative Endeavour Excites College Talent The Moonlit Galleon by Bastien Hamilton
The English Department set pupils a challenge in the Michaelmas Term to write a poem of any length and style based on the theme of water. All year groups at the College were invited to enter and the winning entries are below:
As raging white horses strike her sturdy bow, And a silver orb shines right above the storm, While the furious winds run amok in her sails, The sea is pulling her down whilst she’s in the gale, And still she stands strong.
(Form 4, Port Jackson)
When asked which poets inspired and influenced his work, Bastien said: “ I have some experience of writing poetry previously. I also enjoy reading the work of famous poets like the First World War poet Wilfred Owen. One of the first poems I ever read was The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes. The influence of enjoying that work really rubbed off on me. I particularly like the poem’s opening lines and all the metaphors the poet includes: ‘The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas’. “ I like creative tasks like this. They give you the opportunity to let your imagination run riot and I have always found a good imagination is a great asset when you are writing. I am bilingual and speak English and French, so I have always been fortunate enough to have a talent for languages. My mother is French and my father is Scottish. “ I have always liked and enjoyed using metaphors. They can create such powerful images for the reader. For this poem, I liked the idea of combining the themes of conflict and water. I was very surprised to be named as one of the competition’s winners. I did not expect it at all. I enjoy writing and hope to continue to write poetry in the future.”
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She strides down a blue carpet, nothing’s in her way, And she won’t go down till she’s had her say, It’s a moonlit galleon, resisting the waves, She’s a princess, the sea’s nothing but a knave, And still she stands strong. Then ropes start to snap and timbers start to creak, The moonlit galleon, she lets out a shriek, The waves make the sea like a roller coaster She’s on the door of Davy Jones’ Locker, And still she stands strong. She rises from the sea like the ocean queen, And she looks as brilliant as she’s ever been, But then a golden flash comes down from the sky, The ship’s ablaze, tons of flame licking her dry, She’s no longer strong. The funeral’s held after too many long weeks, And everyone’s sorrows are long past their peaks, The galleon’s down, her crew their soul smitten, But on their many graves these words are written, They still stand strong.
I can be seen and not seen, Felt and yet no feeling or texture, Defined without definition. I am everywhere, I watch everything. Summers passing, children splashing, A refreshing, long anticipated Break from the sun. Cold in winter, Biting hard at the dismal grass. When skies are blue, and I am away, You are happy. When skies are grey, and so is your day, You wish your day would end. How foolish you are; I give you life, I give you food.
I am a superpower, I can be anything I want to be; I can hide in the tiniest of cracks. I can dance in drains Or on windows of trains As you go to work, So oblivious to me. I am the most powerful thing you can meet. I am small, But add me up and I am greater Than your imagination. After all, you can call me what you want, You are right; you are wrong. I am big, I am small. I am weak, and powerful. I choose who to serve. I can do the impossible. No human can control me. I am almost invisible to you. Almost.
“ Water is such a common substance and an integral part of the universe. It makes up more than half of an average human body. I think there is an irony that we can easily manipulate water, but yet also have no control, for instance, over how much of it falls in the form of rain.
The Science of Water by Cameron MoorcroftTowers (Form 4, Port Jackson)
When questioned on his own creative writing process, Cameron said: “The competition was quite open-ended. Poems could be of any type and any length. I enjoy the freedom of simply writing what comes to mind. I did not start off with a plan in this instance. found some rhythm with the repetition of the word ‘I’. I used the first person because I like the context it provides.
“ You can enjoy a summer’s day in a swimming pool, but yet you can also drown in water. That’s such a big contrast for this one thing: water. It is always there in our lives and in the line, ‘I give you food’. We need it.”
Glistening in the moonlight, A mirrored image in its droplets. It laps at the shore Rushing in until it crashes. Repeatedly it rolls round itself lulling me to rest. Helplessly entranced by its myriad of colours: Royal blue, navy, aquamarine. Slowly it snakes, slipping through the shallows until Ripples and ridges rise to the surface. While mountains climb the vast pool’s edge, Below the moonbeams dance throughout, Twirling in the depths so blue To the rhythm of the water’s lullaby.
Water by Bethan Smith (Form 5, St. George)
When asked about the process of writing the poem, Bethan said: “ I enjoyed the experience of producing something creative. I used a lake I have visited in South Africa as inspiration for this – it reminds me of being there. It is one of the favourite places I have visited. “ I find water quite calming and it evokes that feeling in my mind whenever I think about it, so I went with that theme and mood for my poem. I was quite shocked when it was announced that mine was one of the winners. “ I have done lots of song writing previously, which is similar to poetry. I used that process to create this work. Alongside singing, song writing is something which interests me and maybe something I will pursue more in the future.”
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�
INTRODUCING
OUR NEW MUSIC DEPARTMENT
THREE NEW MEMBERS OF STAFF JOINED THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT IN SEPTEMBER 2016. HERE, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC MISS ELLIE CALVER, HEAD OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC AND BANDMASTER MR JEREMY CLACK AND HEAD OF ACADEMIC MUSIC MR LUKE WYNELL-MAYOW TALK ABOUT WHAT ATTRACTED THEM TO THE COLLEGE AND HOW THEY PLAN TO DRIVE THE DEPARTMENT FORWARD.
What attracted you to Pangbourne? EC: “Pangbourne struck me as a very happy community, where people care about one another and where staff put the individual needs of students first. This appealed to me far more than a very large school where people could get ‘lost in the crowd’. The music facilities here are excellent, and I could see the potential of both these and the students using them. The prospect of heading up an entirely new team and creating the character and ethos of the new department was an exciting one for me.” LWM: “I have always been interested in the classroom-based aspects of music teaching, which often do not get seen as much as the public-facing performance aspects. Pangbourne offered me a great opportunity to develop the academic potential of the Music Department in the newly created position of Head of Academic Music. I also really enjoy working in the boarding environment.”
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New Music teaching staff (from left) Head of Instrumental Music and Bandmaster Mr Jeremy Clack, Head of Academic Music Mr Luke Wynell-Mayow and Director of Music Miss Ellie Calver with Music Administrator Mrs Trish West
JC: “I was attracted to Pangbourne because of its naval tradition and the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel. The ceremonial aspects of College life and a connection with service to others was something I really wanted to be part of.” Where did you arrive at the College from and what did you do there? EC: “I was Director of Music at Wycombe High School, a large girls’ grammar school in Buckinghamshire, nearly three times the size of Pangbourne. There I was in charge of Academic Music as well as the outward face of the department. My primary cocurricular involvement, as at Pangbourne, was with the choirs. It was a pleasure whilst there to take the school’s top choir to perform in both the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and Carnegie Hall in New York.” LWM: “I was previously teaching at Blundell’s School in Tiverton, Devon. It is similar to Pangbourne in many ways, being a rural boarding school, although it is a little bit larger. I was Assistant Director of Music there for nine years.” JC: “I grew up in Kent and was a Music Scholar at Tonbridge School where I had many opportunities to develop my trumpet playing. Following my graduation from the Royal Academy of Music, I played the
trumpet with numerous orchestras before serving for five years as a musician in the Royal Air Force.” What are your musical aspirations for the area you are responsible for at the College? EC: “My main aim is to put Music at Pangbourne firmly on the map. I hope to reach a point where it will be possible to obtain high calibre performance alongside travel opportunities for Pangbourne’s groups. I hope for us to be known as a place that young musicians at prep schools aspire to attend because of the opportunities on offer. Internally, I hope to make Music something for everyone in the College community.” LWM: “I would like to see Music becoming a wider and more accessible subject, particularly at GCSE and beyond. There can be a lot of preconceptions as to what being good at Music looks or sounds like. Enthusiasm and a passion for the subject are most important. In line with that, we are expanding our post-16 offering here next year to include a BTEC in Music. We are also developing a wide range of practical activities in the lower years, which are focused on developing a greater sense of musical inclusion.” JC: “My aspirations are to see Instrumental Music grow at Pangbourne. I am
particularly excited about the junior brass programme that has been running since September and I am looking forward to encouraging many more young musicians to come and enjoy playing in the various ensembles now rehearsing each week. I am also keen to see the Marching Band develop into a versatile musical ensemble that is able to switch genres from classical and jazz to current popular music.” What instruments do you play? EC: “I started as a pianist, aged five. I also took up the recorder. Most people will have spotted that my primary discipline these days is singing, but I didn’t actually start taking this seriously until I was 16. I am additionally a terrible cellist and since starting at Pangbourne, I have taken up the trombone. I feel that it is important if I am to be Director of Music in a school with such a strong brass playing tradition that I understand the challenges of a brass instrument first hand.” LWM: “Piano, organ, clarinet, saxophone, double bass, bass guitar and also guitar.” JC: “I am a classical trumpet player but over the years I have had to turn my hand to many different styles. I also play the drums which is very useful in my role as Bandmaster.” What are your pastimes? EC: “I enjoy running. Mr Clack has set up a cross country club and we go for a run every Wednesday and Saturday with a group of students. I also enjoy swimming and when I get the chance, cooking and reading.” LWM: “Marathon canoe racing, although I haven’t had a chance to paddle for a while, despite being so close to the river!” JC: “I enjoy spending time with my family; I have two young boys, Peter and Daniel, who are great fun. I also enjoy golf, football and making model aircraft.” Tell us something interesting about yourself. EC: “I have completed the Devizes to Westminster kayak marathon twice and am currently training to be a Powerhoop
instructor in the hope of running an evening activity in the future!” LWM: “Despite being trained in a professional kitchen, I’m still a terrible cook.” JC: “I always enjoy cross country running and find it a great way to keep fit both physically and mentally.” What are the challenges you see for Music at the College - and how are you overcoming them? EC: “We are keen to have even greater numbers of pupils and students involved and to further strengthen positive links with local prep and primary schools. Ultimately, we want to make the department an approachable and friendly area of school life for the entire College community.” LWM: “Like many boarding schools, pupils have a huge number of commitments and it can be a challenge for them to prioritise. Flexibility and communication are key.” JC: “At Pangbourne there is the motivation of regular public performances to prepare meticulously for. Every September the Marching Band undergoes a natural transition in the wake of senior musicians leaving the College and Form 3 and 4 pupils then have the opportunity to confidently step into their shoes and take the band and department forward. As a teacher, it is always an exciting period in the calendar.” How will new CJM Software aid pupils’ musical development at the College? EC: “The new software will not only facilitate smoother operation of the Music lesson timetable, but will allow staff to track student progress very efficiently, producing a CV of their involvement in concerts, rehearsals and trips at the touch of a button. This will enable us to more closely meet the needs of every student.” JC: “The new music manager software is a very exciting development in the department. It will enable us to track and monitor individual pupils’ progress and to tailor a learning programme for each student. Pupils will also be able to receive
a music progress CV at the end of each year with a full repertoire of what they have performed. It will hopefully give pupils a real sense of achievement.” What do you think of Music facilities at the College and what they can provide for pupils’ musical development? EC: “The College has excellent facilities. We are very lucky to have so many top quality pianos for students to play on, allowing for expressive use of the instrument to be trained in at a very early stage. We also have great technology and are continuing to expand upon this.” JC: “We have excellent facilities in the department. There are a number of practice rooms and the building is open for practice most evenings. Our team of Visiting Music Teachers are all experienced professional musicians who have worked with a number of the country’s top choirs and ensembles. The opportunity to develop your music making to a high level is definitely there at Pangbourne. Making music should be fun and being part of an ensemble that performs regularly is one of the best ways to develop quickly.” How are you going to outreach to the local prep and primary school markets? What can you do for them? EC: “In the new Music outreach programme, prep and primary schools can use an online form on the College website to book my services and those of other members of the team in three ways: we go to them to offer workshops with groups of students on musical skills; they come to us for workshops and to use our facilities; we offer training to their staff in delivering a specialist Music curriculum.” JC: “I would love to visit local prep and primary schools and to play live music to pupils there. Although many people know about music at Pangbourne College, they often have not heard us perform. When people see how smart the pupils look in uniform and also hear them play, that is the most impressive and enduring advertisement of all for Music here.”
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CHRISTMAS CAROLS
DIV
MARK FITTING END
MUSIC ROCKS
OF MICHAELMAS MICHAELMAS TERM ENDED ON A MUSICAL AND SPIRITUAL HIGH AT A SERVICE OF SEVEN LESSONS, ANTHEMS AND CAROLS IN THE FALKLAND ISLANDS MEMORIAL CHAPEL. There was a combination of brilliantly sung traditional carols by the whole of the senior school (Form 3 to Upper Sixth), parents and family members, staff and Governors. The occasion followed a moving Dunbar Carol Service in Chapel a day earlier.
by Director of Music
Miss Ellie Calver IT WAS A REAL PLEASURE IN MY FIRST TERM AT PANGBOURNE COLLEGE TO WITNESS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY ACTIVELY MAKING MUSIC IN THE DIVISIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION.
During the Dunbar Service, the house’s Head Boy Edward Butterworth and Head Girl Ellen Moffatt both commendably completed readings alongside Dunbar’s four Watch Captains Inès Braithwaite, Myles James, Verity Szala and Liam Turnbull. Following the service, families were warmly invited to enjoy a sociable mince pie and glass of mulled wine back in Dunbar.
The first three weeks of term saw a hive of industry from all six Divisions, as Whole Division Songs, Vocal Ensembles and Instrumental Ensembles were arranged and rehearsed, entirely led by students. The culmination of weeks of work took place when these were performed in front of parents, staff and an external adjudicator in Drake Hall. Highlights of the evening included Harbinger giving a superbly varied and well controlled performance of Shawn Mendes’ Stitches in the Vocal Ensemble and, under the direction of house Chief Matt Atkins, a rousing performance of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida in the Divisional Song class, resulting in a win for Harbinger and a joint win with sister Division St. George, which gave a well harmonised and accurate performance of Best Day of My Life by American Authors led with authority by their Chief Ailsa Barrie. Adjudicator Mr Tom Primrose, an accomplished British piano accompanist, choral conductor and organist, was impressed with the standard of performances so early in the academic year and also the leadership given by this year’s Upper Sixth. He encouraged students to continue seizing the opportunities on offer for group music-making at the College.
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PANGBOURNE VILLAGE CAROLS The Chamber Choir, including Choir Captain Upper Sixth Former Charlie Wooding, the Headmaster and the Chaplain, led the singing at Pangbourne village Advent Carols Service at St James the Less Church on the final Sunday evening of November. The service was led by the Rector of St James the Less, the Reverend Heather Parbury. Under the leadership of College Director of Music, Miss Ellie Calver, the choir sang a cappella Advent Prose, Morten Lauridsen’s moving anthem O Magnum Mysterium, Benjamin Britten’s A Hymn to the Virgin, Charles Wood’s Ding Dong! Merrily on High, and Jacques Berthier’s The Lord is My Light.
At the senior Service of Carols, the Choir sang Advent Prose by candlelight and processed via the first floor of the Chapel to their positions at the front of the Chapel – and the Chamber Choir sang beautifully Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium and Benjamin Britten’s Hymn to the Virgin. Head of Choir, Charlie Wooding, sang solo the first verse of Once in Royal and he and Finley South-Klein sang a duet of the first verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. The lessons were read by Emily Greenwood (Form 3), Hamish McNaught (Form 4), Amelia Catton-Wretham (Form 5), Josh Orton (Lower Sixth), Becky Crossley (Senior Scholar), Mrs Jacqui Waller (Head of Key Stage 3) and Mr Thomas Garnier (Headmaster).
Charlie Wooding represented the College in giving one of the readings and Upper Sixth Former Andrej Ivanovic played the organ. Amongst the congregation were parents and former parents of the College. The collection was given to Street and Rail Pastors, trained volunteers from local churches who patrol areas at night to care for people out on the streets. Members of the Street and Rail Pastors attended the service.
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Sing
THE PRINCESS ROYAL HEARS CHOIR
EVERY YEAR, PANGBOURNE COLLEGE IS ONE OF FIVE SCHOOLS WITH NAUTICAL TRADITIONS WHICH PROVIDE THE CHOIR FOR THE ANNUAL NATIONAL SERVICE FOR SEAFARERS AT ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL IN LONDON.
As Sir Thomas Devitt was the first chair of the committee which organises the service back in 1905, it is a valued fixture in the Pangbourne year. In the Michaelmas Term, the College Choir and colour party, supplemented with a number of staff, made their way up early one day in October for a rehearsal. A substantial uniform party followed later in the day. The service was as grand as usual, with Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal in attendance. The choir, led by the Royal Hospital School (Ipswich), sang anthems by Parry and Cantrill and led the hymns. At the beginning of our Centenary year, Chief of College Ellen White (Illawarra) led the Prayer for the Queen and Commonwealth – after a four-hour coach journey from Pangbourne! After the service, Bastien Hamilton (Form 4, Port Jackson) was presented with one of five annual music bursaries. At the Annual National Service for Seafarers in October 2017, the College will be the lead choir and colour to mark our Centenary, with Director of Music Miss Ellie Calver conducting.
(top right) The then Lord Mayor Alderman the Lord Mountevans (1961-66) (left) with Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal (bottom right) Bastien Hamilton (right) receives The Gosling Music Bursary 2016 from Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal at St Paul’s Cathedral
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OT H E R N EW S F R OM PA NG B OU R N E …
I N B R I E F…
ENGLAND LAMBS SELECTION
RIDING HIGH
FOR ALEX
PANGBOURNE EQUESTRIAN WITHSTOOD HUGE PRESSURE TO REACH THIS YEAR’S ROYAL WINDSOR HORSE SHOW. THE TEAM DRAMATICALLY CLINCHED ONE OF ONLY TWO PLACES UP FOR GRABS AMONGST A 33-STRONG FIELD AT THE WEST WILTS EQUESTRIAN CENTRE IN JANUARY. A thrilled Head of Riding Miss Stacey Donnison said: “There was relief afterwards, knowing that we’ve qualified, but there also was a great sense of excitement. The competition at Windsor will be the best of the best, the course will be testing and the atmosphere electric.” The quartet of Jamie Grant (U6, Port Jackson), Lily Pearce (U6, St. George), Meredith Wilson (L6, Illawarra) and Lucy Perring (Form 4, Illawarra) sealed the second qualification spot in the National Schools Equestrian Association (NSEA) 90cm Show Jumping event for Royal Windsor (10-14 May). Miss Donnison added: “The riders felt the pressure, but handled it brilliantly – and if there had been an individual category Lucy would have won it, out of 125 riders, which is extremely impressive. Her performance was poetry in motion – seamless.”
Joint team captain Lily won an individual event to reach this year’s NSEA Eventers Challenge Final at Hickstead (28-29 May). She won a 1.05m Arena Eventing competition at the West Wilts Equestrian Centre to qualify. Miss Donnison said: “Lily has been in great form this year and her performance to reach Hickstead was true to that. She produced a very neat and calculated round.” Earlier this year, the team were crowned Berkshire champions at an NSEA County Championships qualifier at Cherwell Competition Centre in Oxford. Underlining the College’s strength in depth in riders, Meredith, Harry Goodenough (Form 3, Port Jackson) and Emily Collings (Form 3, St. George) took the title in the 80-85cm Team Show Jumping category.
PANGBOURNE COLLEGE STUDENT ALEX ZENDA TOURED CANADA IN APRIL AFTER BEING NAMED IN THE ENGLAND LAMBS’ UNDER-18 RUGBY SQUAD. Miss Donnison said: “It was a big ask coming back in January for the first competition of the year, but it was a really strong starting point in 2017 for us.” Jamie clinched a coveted spot at the 2016 National Schools Equestrian Championships in Buckinghamshire in October. Jamie was competing in the individual Show Jumping class. Miss Donnison said: “Qualifying individually for the Nationals is ridiculously tough and always a big ask, because there are so many other riders trying to achieve the same thing.”
The 18-year-old prop from Thatcham, Berkshire was included in the 38-strong touring party after impressing in trials in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. The England Lambs offer top prospects at independent schools – outside Premiership Rugby Academies – a chance to play representative rugby and to shine in an international shop window. College first XV coach Mr Charlie Sutton said: “It is a massive achievement for Alex to make the Lambs’ National Squad. He is a dedicated and talented boy and he always wants to improve his game. He deserves his selection.” Alex said: “I was really excited when I received the email from England Lambs. Past Lambs players have gone on and done so well in rugby. This is a great opportunity for me to do bigger things in the game.” Alex believes his broader Pangbourne College experience paved the way positively for Lambs recognition. He said: “Pangbourne finds a way to include everybody here. The College feels more like a family than a place of education. I do not think I would have had the drive and the confidence to go for something like this if I had not come here.”
Jamie and Lily are new joint captains of Pangbourne Equestrian this year. Miss Donnison continued: “We are coming off the back of a fantastic year for Pangbourne Equestrian and are all more motivated than ever to see what we can achieve in 2017.”
THE RUGBY CLUB CONTINUED TO ENTERTAIN THIS SEASON.
uestrian gbourne Eq rant, an P e h T ) ft (From le n, Jamie G edith Wilso ng er M f o am te erri and Lucy P Lily Pearce
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(From left) L Jamie Gran ily Pearce, Lucy Perr ing t Centre in Ja at the West Wilts Equ and estrian nuary 2017
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The first XV sealed a famous triumph at Seaford College in West Sussex. Trailing 7-3 late in the contest and having defended desperately for most of it in late November mud, a try from Benjamin Jenkins (U6, Macquarie) dramatically stole an 8-7 success. It was the only occasion Seaford – a 60-plus mile road trip from Pangbourne – lost at home in 2016/17, prevailing in all their other home matches by an emphatic average of 32 points. Head of Rugby Mr David Metcalfe said: “The win at Seaford was the first XV’s best result this season. I don’t think Seaford had lost at home for a couple of years. It is a long way to go and we defended for most of the match, but we hung on in there with our fingertips and Ben just sneaked over the line late on to grab the decisive score.”
RFU SOUTH WEST AND BERKSHIRE RUGBY HONOURS
RUGBY CLUB HEADS UP
t-captains Pangbourne Equestrian’s join and Lily t) (lef nt Gra ie Jam 7 for 2016-1 Centre in ian estr Equ Pearce at Bury Farm 6 201 ber Septem
FIRST XV DIG DEEP
The club’s two stand out squads in 2016/17 – the first XV and U15A – kick-started the campaign like a train, combined clinching 12 wins from 15 opening contests. Teams further down the age groups, meanwhile, like the U14A struggled for results, but focused on a confident and expansive playing style, which will hopefully bear richer fruit in the future. Head of Rugby Mr David Metcalfe said: “Our teams always look to move the ball
The College’s Ethan Walters (Form 5, Harbinger) and Louis Ellis (U6, Hesperus) earned county and regional rugby call-ups this season. and use the full width of the pitch and not simply carry the ball up into contact. The Under 14s this season are a good example of that. Yes, they did not get the results, but they learnt a lot and they developed their skill level a lot. That will improve them massively moving forward.” Mr Metcalfe continued: “I think it is important to remember that rugby is just a game. It is part of a bigger picture here at Pangbourne and about building young people’s character, playing sports like rugby well and showing good sportsmanship. That is really important for us. Results then look after themselves.”
Head of Rugby Mr David Metcalfe said: “Ethan is a very good player and has had to handle being switched around positionwise. Being picked for Berkshire Under 16s is good and deserved recognition for him. Louis is doing very well right now and has developed his game an awful lot in the last couple of years. The competition for the RFU South West Under 18s is very stiff, so Louis’ selection is great representation for him.”
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on Trend
new artist in residence happily
New Artist in Residence Miss Veronica Bex is enjoying collaborating closely with pupils and students. She has previously taught Art in colleges in West and East Sussex and Somerset and has more than 20 years’ experience developing her own practice. Artists in Residence are becoming increasingly common in independent schools, because of the value they can add to students’ work. Miss Bex’s own interests lie in experimental photographic techniques and drawing the subject from natural forms, both ideal for engaging with students.
Miss Bex said: “I am enjoying hugely passing my knowledge on to students here. I can show them how to experiment with processes in Art and how one idea can lead into another. A Level Art students are assessed on how they do that, which they sometimes can find a challenge.” Miss Bex continued: “One idea is to work with small groups of students and show them a mapping almost of where my work is going. Students can then adopt that process to develop their own work, but also in that arena feel confident enough to start to critique and explore how they talk about and discuss art.”
A N O L E C BAR
HOCKEY TEAMS
I N B R I E F…
EXPERIENCE LIFE IN
THE GIRLS’ U18 AND U16 HOCKEY TEAMS ENJOYED A WONDERFUL FIVE-DAY TOUR OF BARCELONA. Twenty-eight girls were accompanied by Director of Sport Mr Terry Walden, Head of PE Miss Liana Smith and Head of Girls’ Games Miss Lucy Hamblin-Rooke. They played matches against local clubs and experienced the unique sights and sounds of the famous province of Catalonia.
“ The Royal Polo Club of Barcelona was amazing. The facilities were phenomenal and the prestige of the place left the girls in awe. We had the once in a lifetime opportunity to play there. The girls travelled with exactly the right attitude and immersed themselves in the whole experience.”
Miss Hamblin-Rooke said: “It was an amazing tour – the best I have ever been on with the College. The tour guide we had was exceptional. He put on a fantastic array of activities for us, so whilst the hockey was why we were there, the girls felt they had really experienced Barcelona as well.
FIRST XI ENJOY HIGHLIGHTS This has been another successful and enjoyable season for the girls’ first XI due to the continued motivation shown by every player to improve. Individually, Form 5 Illawarra girls Alex Barnes, Sophie Harrop and Lily-May Howe were selected to represent Berkshire U16. The trio successfully stepped up to play for the first XI. At the club’s annual dinner, Sophie was recognised by her peers as first XI Players’ Player of the Year; Becky Crossley (U6, St. George) was named Most Improved Player of the Year; and team captain Emily Page (U6, St. George) was Coaches’ Player of the Year. First XI coaches Miss Liana Smith and Mr Terry Walden said of the season:
“
GIRLS MUSCLE IN ON HOCKEY GIANTS The Girls’ Hockey first XI finished joint-third at the 2016/17 Berkshire Girls’ Outdoor Championships. They reached the tournament’s semi-finals at Bradfield College before cruelly falling to eventual runners-up Wellington 3-1 on penalty flicks after a 0-0 draw.
WE HAVE HAD MANY MEMORABLE MOMENTS. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE GIRLS FOR SUCH AN ENJOYABLE TERM AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT SEASON.
”
Bradfield and Wellington, both larger schools, have dominated recent Berkshire Hockey Championships, contesting the final in 2014/15 and again in 2015/16. Earlier in the pool stage, Pangbourne met St Mary’s School Ascot. Director of Sport Mr Terry Walden said: “The game against St Mary’s was effectively a quarter-final. We played the best 20 minutes of hockey I’ve ever seen a girls’ team play here to progress.”
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SPAMALOT Ambitious
Enjoys Critical Acclaim
THE COLLEGE’S ANNUAL PRODUCTION, MONTY PYTHON’S MUCH LOVED SPAMALOT PROVED A ROARING SUCCESS.
Weeks and months of rehearsals were poured into three riotous performances in front of a full house in Drake Hall. Audience reaction on the nights and in the aftermath of the run was enormously positive. People loved it.
A delighted Head of Drama – and Production Director – Ms Rebecca Atack said: “Putting on an annual production for the College is a huge responsibility: we want to be known as somewhere which puts on fantastic shows. This year it was also the Centenary College Production, so we really wanted to challenge and stretch pupils as performers.” Spamalot was a successful collaboration between Drama and Music and witnessed a live band, conducted by Musical Director Miss Ellie Calver, confidently accompany the high energy and famously surreal humour on stage. The large cast numbered 38, almost twice the size of previous annual productions. Ms Atack said: “We had never performed a musical of this scale before. In Spamalot, there is underscoring of music to dialogue before songs, so pupils had to keenly focus in rehearsal to get their timings absolutely right.” Enormous work went into sourcing Spamalot’s impressive stage, complete with castle, lighting, costumes, choreography – the list continues and was only outnumbered by the sheer amount of laughs which kept audiences entertained across the week. Memorable individual performances also stood out. Ms Atack continued: “I want pupils to have a positive experience from being involved in a College production and I want them to achieve something they did not previously think they were capable of. You can see pupils’ performances and confidence improve year on year at the College.
“
PUPILS HAVE THAT WONDERFUL SENSE OF BEING PART OF A TEAM WHEN THEY COME TOGETHER AS A COMPANY FOR A PRODUCTION THIS BIG. IN SPAMALOT, IT WAS SO LOVELY TO SEE - JOYOUS.
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ile Fact F
URSAR B C I T DOMES SADLER IONA What career path have you followed prior to Pangbourne?
I always had a keen interest in the arts and joined youth theatres in addition to taking and later teaching dance classes to children and to adults.
Where did you work prior to coming to the College?
Pursuing a career in the arts, I moved from arts administration to publicity and marketing, then to venue and events management. In 2001 I moved to Sweden and began working at the International School of the Gothenburg Region as Admissions and Development Manager. On returning to the UK in 2012, I thought long and hard about my next step. Would I go back to the arts? But I quickly discovered that once you have worked in schools, their vibrancy is hard to give up.
Why did you join Pangbourne?
One of the big things that attracted me to Pangbourne and my role was the many and diverse events the College stages – particularly this year with the Centenary celebrations. Also, the College support staff are a fantastic team and very committed to providing the best possible service.
How is Pangbourne different from where you worked previously?
There are two things that stand out to me about Pangbourne: the traditions and the beautiful site. The pupils are polite, confident, at ease with themselves and others and always seem to be enjoying themselves. Spending some time in two of the Divisions has allowed me to witness the interaction of the pupils with one another. The College can be proud of how it is helping shape young people.
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adler Iona S rshire : e m a iceste N e L , y Rothle chool. Born: High S llege. ehill n ity Co o n t u S m m : o n C o sity i e t e ad Univ r Educa Longsl Trent m a h g n Notti nd ager a re Man t ger: n a e n C a Arts ents M v E : , r ct l e i a Care Distr Festiv teven s e K t n h e Sout elopm l. Dev ager: Counci ns Man o i s s i m d ol of A o and l Sch rsar: ationa ant Bu t s i s Intern s A rust . T g bur ional Gothen Educat k r a P Prior
Q&A
Meeting of Minds A thriving new College Politics Society is successfully engaging with the next generation of voters. Form 3 pupils through to students in the Upper Sixth meet every Monday and Thursday to debate and discuss burning issues which have grabbed their attention in the media. Tolerance and respect for other members’ political views is paramount in the Society’s constitution. Mr Matthew Eagers, who graduated in International Relations from the University of Exeter in 2015, leads and chairs Society meetings. Mr Eagers said: “Students are really engaged with the Society, which is attracting more and more members. I t is a great medium for them to really broaden their political horizons.”
Describe your role currently at the College?
Society President Ollie Newcombe (U6, Hesperus) said:
What is the biggest challenge today in the role you face?
Engaging young people positively in politics bucks national trends. In the 1990s, more than 60 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds voted in UK general elections. However, that proportion has dipped significantly to 40 per cent in the UK’s last four general elections. Last June, in Britain’s referendum on European Union membership, only 36 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds voted.
My current role as Domestic Bursar involves making sure that the school environment is clean and that our Divisions are comfortable and meet the needs of pupils. Food is extremely important to all of us and I work very closely with the Catering Department and College Food Committee to ensure that the food we provide in Mess Hall is nutritious and plentiful.
One of the biggest challenges, but also one of the most enjoyable things, is getting to know all the members of the College community and how things work Pangbourne style!
What are your pastimes outside of College?
When I am not at Pangbourne I enjoy walking, taking my flat coated retriever, Hector, along with me. Having been a keen cyclist in Sweden, I intend to brave the English traffic and begin road cycling again soon. Cooking is also a passion. I like discovering new recipes and trying different styles of food.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
In 2012 I was invited to join the Council of International Schools and New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation team, which has given me the opportunity to visit schools in Belgium, Uzbekistan, Russia, Egypt, Japan and Dubai.
“ WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT THE POLITICS SOCIETY IS THAT PEOPLE ARE THERE FOR THE SAME REASON: TO LEARN AND TO DISCUSS. I HAVE LEARNT A LOT ABOUT DIFFERENT POLITICAL THEORIES THIS YEAR AND HOW TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND CONSIDER HOW DIFFERENT FACTORS AFFECT THE STATUS QUO. I HAVE LOVED IT.”
Society Vice-President Charlie McManus-Burke (U6, Harbinger) said: “I think the Society creates the kind of environment Pangbourne wants to nurture – a place where you can be yourself and find yourself and consider ideas. The Society’s ethos to respect other people’s opinions only encourages more students to come.”
I N B R I E F… IBERIAN CULTURE PASSIONATELY IN FOCUS by Libby Whiteley (L6, Illawarra) and Joelle Meier (L6, St. George) We were delighted to have the opportunity to see Bodas de Sangre (Blood Wedding) performed in Spanish at a new theatre in London, the Teatro Cervantes, a beautifully renovated small theatre constructed in one of the railway arches in Southwark. The audience came from different parts of Spain and South America and there were also Spanish A Level students from the UK like ourselves. The actors were all native Spanish speakers and although the language was spoken fast, we were able to pick up the majority of the words and their meanings, having previously analysed the script in depth with Mrs Davies. Both the costumes and the make-up were simple yet effective and we really appreciated how they were a true representation of the Spanish culture we have been studying. Although Bodas de Sangre is not a musical, it does include traditional song and dance, making the overall performance vibrant, lively and as though teleported to Andalucia where it is set. The play is based on a love triangle between a bride, her fiancé and her childhood sweetheart Leonardo, whose family have waged a bitter feud over many years with the bridegroom’s family. We follow the lives of these two conflicting families and a young Spanish girl’s romantic emotions that come between them. Not only was the play beautifully blocked and choreographed, but it connected with the audience and made every one of us feel part of this tragic love story from the rural countryside of early 20th century southern Spain.
Mr Eagers said: “The first thing we say to students new to the Society is, ‘There is no right answer in politics. The only wrong thing is to not be engaged’. It is about getting people involved.” In future, the Politics Society plans to welcome guest speakers, including MPs and members of think tanks, to meetings. A trip to the Houses of Parliament in London is also on the agenda.
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PUPIL COLLABORATION
SPEAKING OPPORTUNITY GALVANISES MINDS
PRODUCES FIRST
PUPILS HAVE GRASPED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARPEN THEIR PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS ON TUESDAY MORNINGS IN MACQUARIE.
MACQUARIE CHARTER Macquarie has produced and introduced its own 10-point Charter this year. Points for pupils to follow include, ‘Display the highest standards of manners’, and, ‘Be five minutes early to all (College) commitments’. ON
Housemaster Mr Chris Sutton said: “The Charter is very much like the College’s Code of Conduct. However, the boys in the Division have developed it themselves to give them that sense of ownership of the Macquarie experience.”
MACQUARIE
PUPILS HAVE ENJOYED TESTING THEIR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE EVERY FRIDAY EVENING THIS YEAR IN MACQUARIE. VISITING TUTOR MR BEN MCLEOD HAS BEEN OUR RESIDENT MR JEREMY PAXMAN FOR THE OCCASIONS.
Mr Sutton added: “All I want is for the boys to give their best in all they do here. It is key for me that pupils continually display the College’s Flag Values and help maintain a happy atmosphere in the Division. As Housemaster, I can give them the tools to develop independently at the College, so they can then fulfil their potential.”
Boys have been challenged to address the Division on a chosen subject for three minutes. Topics have focused on current affairs and dominant issues of the day like Donald Trump and Brexit – but pupils have also spoken about their personal Pangbourne experience, including, for example, competing in the Sir Steuart Pringle Trophy in CCF. Housemaster Mr Chris Sutton said of the Division initiative: “The boys have really warmed to it – and they have taken a huge amount of confidence into other areas of College life from it.” Former Macquarie boys too have been invited to return to the College and address the Division. For example, Mr Alexander Osborn-King (2007-12), who graduated from university with a degree in building surveying in 2015 and is now a successful surveyor in London. Mr Sutton said: “Alexander really embraced the chance to come back and see the Division. He has very fond memories of his own time in Macquarie. His talk focused keenly on life skills and about how Macquarie prepared him so well for university and the world of work. It was really beneficial to the boys and is something I would like to see happen again in future.”
Housemaster Mr Chris Sutton said: “Fierce but friendly rivalry has built up between the teams. And Mr McLeod is an ideal quizmaster. It could not have gone better.” Mr Sutton added:
“
INTRODUCING THE QUIZ ON FRIDAY EVENINGS HAS BEEN A GREAT SUCCESS AND MADE SUCH A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE DIVISION. YEAR GROUPS SOCIABLY SPLIT INTO TEAMS AND LOOK FORWARD TO COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER. WE HAVE ALSO PUT IN ‘SOCK GOLF’ AND THE USUAL PREPARATION FOR UNIVERSITY EVENINGS, WHICH ALWAYS PROVE TO BE A GREAT EVENT.
Adam Collings (Form 4) triumphed in his class at the 2017 Hawkstone International Motocross competition in Shropshire. Adam is an international level rider and competes all over Europe in the spectacular sport. At Hawkstone Park he hit speeds of over 40kmh on his 125cc machine
”
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B OARDING NEWS…
I N B R I E F… Mr Thompson’s
PORT JACKSON DEFEND DIVISIONAL QUIZ CROWN PORT JACKSON COMPLETED A HAT-TRICK OF DIVISIONAL QUIZ WINS IN THE ANNUAL UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE FORMAT COMPETITION. The team of Peter Bezant (Form 5), James Matthewman (U6) and Izzy Woodhead (U6, Illawarra) beat Hesperus in the semi-finals before overcoming Macquarie in the Harding Communications Centre in the final. Dr Ian Hart was quizmaster. Port Jackson Housemaster Mr Joe Lewis said: “It was great to see and hear 80-90 per cent of the Division watching and cheering the team on this year. It is a really strong competition at the College and provides a platform for role models we have here to showcase the real range of knowledge they possess.”
CLOSE DINNER PARTY CALL Upper Sixth students in Port Jackson mastered how to prepare food fit for a black tie dinner party. Housemaster Mr Joe Lewis said: “The boys cooked a three-course menu after Mrs Lewis had taught them how to make it one evening earlier. We had staff serving and the boys invited girls across from our sister Division Illawarra to attend. They just about got there with the food! Overall, the evening was a great success.”
Weekly Tips Weekly Musters (Division assemblies) in Port Jackson are helping pupils prepare for life after Pangbourne. Topics of talks – Tommo’s Tips – Assistant Housemaster Mr Steven Thompson has given to boys have included nutrition, cutting down on sugar in your diet, male grooming, money management, staying safe online and limiting your daily screentime. Housemaster Mr Joe Lewis said: “Mr Thompson’s tips are fun but also educational. They ultimately aim to inspire the boys to better living.”
HEALTHY BENEFITS HARBINGER IS POSITIVELY PROMOTING A MESSAGE OF ‘HEALTHY LIVING EQUALS HEALTHY MINDS’ THIS YEAR IN THE DIVISION. Mrs Debbie Atkins, the mother of current Harbinger Chief Matthew Atkins, has visited the Division to reinforce the idea. Mrs Atkins is a qualified personal trainer and successfully runs her own business, DA Fitness. Housemaster Mr Charlie Sutton said: “Debbie has kindly come into the Division and given me some excellent advice. We had one of her friends come in and teach the boys how to cook a healthy curry and give the Upper Sixth some tips on cooking healthy but cheap meals at university. She is a lady called Kran who runs her own successful company, The CookCurry Club. We have also changed things like the bread in the Galley and put out healthy snacks for times like morning Break.
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Quiet time’ Introducing ‘academic
Boys in Harbinger have been given time before Supper to reflect upon a busy day of work and activities at the College.
Housemaster Mr Charlie Sutton said: " Something new we have introduced this year is that between 5.00pm and 5.45pm boys must be in their cabins for ‘academic quiet time’ to do whatever they need to do – be that extra work or simply recharging their batteries. It has taken the Michaelmas Term to really introduce that culture of ‘quiet time’ at 5pm.”
CLOSE SUPPORT NETWORK KEY IN HESPERUS
ILLAWARRA UPPER SIXTH LEAD BY EXAMPLE The positive bond between year groups in Illawarra has never been stronger. Housemistress Mrs Nicky John said of the Division’s 2016/17 intake: “This year’s Form 3 are a fabulous group and have settled in extraordinarily well. The Upper Sixth are showing tremendous leadership. The whole house feels like a family more than ever.”
Kind and close relationships have created an uplifting atmosphere in Hesperus. New Housemaster Mr Tom Cheney said: “The boys really make the house and create a great family atmosphere and have made my family and me feel so welcome this year. They wear a smile on their faces; they look out for each other; and they knuckle down and get some serious work done. “ The Upper Sixth set a really strong example for lower years to follow and there is fantastic integration between year groups within the Division. That is a real strength right through Pangbourne College and it is great to witness.” Mr Cheney has overseen small but elegant improvements to the Galley and Gunroom in Hesperus. He said: “We have reorganised the Galley this year and put in a new breakfast bar. We have also refelted the pool table in the Gunroom with maroon, our Division colours. The boys notice those little touches hugely.”
GIRLS REFLECT ON LIFE IN MORNING MUSTER WEEKLY MUSTER ASSEMBLIES HAVE GIVEN GIRLS IN ST. GEORGE FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
Assistant Housemistress Miss Liana Smith said: “The mood in the Division is great this year. We all get together, for example, on Friday nights and cook food in the Galley and chat about what has been happening at College or just relax and watch a film. It is a good opportunity for us and for girls in different year groups to get to know each other.” Mrs John said: “Friday nights in the Division are very sociable. We pride ourselves on being a happy house and a contented one. The girls know exactly what is expected of them. Illawarra is a really positive place to spend time.”
Housemistress Miss Lucy Hamblin-Rooke said: “We always have a Thought for the Day. I think it is important that Muster is a time for the girls to sit and reflect, but is also a forum for them to develop their public-speaking skills. I have told the girls they can come to me and ask to speak in Muster about something important to them. “ One of the first Musters we did was about confident, powerful women in the world – so we looked at role models and icons from CEOs of major corporations, right through to Beyoncé. The message to the girls was how confidence and self-esteem is absolutely key to success. “ In another Muster we looked at the theme of inspiration: how do you find it; where from; and what inspires you? I’ve tried to pick topics that are very current, but also very relevant and something that the girls can really benefit from.”
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B OARDING NEWS…
MEET THE SCHOLAR ST. GEORGE WARMLY WELCOMES
Music Scholar Andrej Ivanovic (U6, Hesperus) joined the College in the Lower Sixth and is from Belgrade, Serbia. His A Levels also include Classics and German. His ambition is to read Music at the University of Oxford after leaving Pangbourne.
NEW HOUSEMISTRESS New Housemistress Miss Lucy Hamblin-Rooke has immediately felt right at home in St. George. Miss Hamblin-Rooke took over the reins in the Division at the beginning of the Lent Term in the New Year after six years as Assistant Housemistress in Macquarie. She is also Head of Girls’ Games at the College and a former Chief Cadet Captain of the College (Head Girl) from her time at Pangbourne as a pupil (2001-08). Miss Hamblin-Rooke said: “The girls have welcomed me into the Division superbly. I had the added advantage of knowing a lot of the girls and their parents already and I am hugely enjoying my first term as Housemistress.
Upper Sixth St. Ge orge students on a Parade Sunday in the Lent Term
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I WAS MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT IT WAS A SENSITIVE TIME FOR THE GIRLS. MANY OF THEM HAD TRIAL EXAMS AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY. I HAVE DELIBERATELY BEEN VERY MEASURED TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. (ASSISTANT HOUSEMISTRESS) EMMA PATTON, (MATRON) SUE NEWPORT AND (HOUSEKEEPER) SHEILA CONROY HAVE ALL BEEN BRILLIANT AND HELPED KEEP THAT CONSISTENCY IN THE DIVISION.
PUPILS SAVOUR WEMBLEY OCCASION The trip to the Super 6s national indoor hockey finals, held at the SSE Arena, Wembley was nothing short of superb. Featuring England and Great Britain internationals, Premier League players and an Old Pangbournian, Tommy Alexander (2003-08), the day had plenty in store for College students and staff. The day kicked off with the two ladies’ semi-finals: Slough versus Sutton Coldfield followed by Bowdon Hightown versus Canterbury. Students were surprised by the high ball pace, close stick skills and quality of the hockey played. Despite a fairly one-sided first semi, a close second semi got the crowd going.
y finals oor hocke
d
national in e Super 6s th m o fr n o Acti mbley Arena, We at the SSE
Next up were the men’s semi-finals and tournament favourites Surbiton versus Sevenoaks. As expected, Surbiton dominated, putting eight past Sevenoaks. Reigning champions East Grinstead were up next aiming to make it nine Super 6s championships in a row. Opponents Reading started without a goalkeeper, instead opting to have an extra player outfield. A classic ensued. Every time East Grinstead scored, Reading pulled one back before East Grinstead finally prevailed 5-4. Overall, it proved a phenomenal day of hockey and it was great to see so many youngsters watching and enjoying the sport.
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How has the College helped him develop? “Coming here has been wonderfully cathartic,” said Andrej, who is also an HMC (Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference) Scholar. “ It has taught me valuable life lessons and it keeps teaching me valuable life lessons. It has changed me and my view of the world in an enormously positive way.” Andrej Ivanovic plays the organ at St James the Less Church in Pangbourne village
ONLINE TOOL REFASHIONS CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE Online educational tool Quizlet is helping shape how Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) is being taught through smartphone technology. Through their phones, pupils can learn independently in the classroom or collaboratively in groups. Head of MFL Mr Robert Kirby said: “Quizlet allows pupils to work on their smartphones individually through various games which help them learn vocabulary. Quizlet Live puts pupils into teams, racing against one another to try to be the first to spot the right answer. “ Pupils love it and find it tremendous fun, but also they speak very positively about it. Quizlet and Quizlet Live lend themselves particularly well to learning languages, because it really reinforces what you are learning in the classroom. As a teacher, you can choose to use it either to introduce new vocabulary or to consolidate it.”
Tia Duff y utilise sm , Elisabeth Johan n artphon e techno es and Adam C ollings logy in M FL
students nabling s e is y g chnolo n Language hone te Smartp Modern Foreig in to learn
access Isla Nelson (left) and Elisabeth Johannes Languages gn Forei ern Mod in ology smartphone techn
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snow white
& the seven dwarves -
FAR FROM GRIMM Head of Drama Ms Rebecca Atack, who, alongside Drama Teacher Mr Joe Burston, co-directed Snow White, said: “ Every pupil has a speaking part, so they all feel valued and they all have a shared experience. In Form 3, pupils new to the College have perhaps had a very different experience of Drama compared to pupils who have already been here for two years in Dunbar. FORM 3 DRAMA PUPILS TOOK REAL CONFIDENCE FROM SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMING SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARVES IN THE ANNUAL COLLEGE PANTOMIME. EVERY MEMBER OF FORM 3 WAS INVOLVED IN THIS YEAR’S PRODUCTION.
“ It is the second year we have performed Snow White. We tweaked the production this year and it worked better. Classes performed consecutive scenes and felt more of a sense of ownership and an understanding of the process. In that respect, this year’s performance was more cohesive and that is what we strive for in Drama: improvement. If we can better last year, both in our teaching and in our performances, we can feel happy.” The annual Form 3 production deliberately adopts the form of pantomime and a popular genre pupils new to Drama – and parents in the audience - can enthusiastically embrace.
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THE AUDIENCE FOR SNOW WHITE COMPLETELY HAD A PANTOMIME MENTALITY. IF ANY OF THE PUPILS GOT A LITTLE BIT THROWN, THE AUDIENCE IMMEDIATELY HELPED THEM OUT WITH A, ‘HE’S BEHIND YOU!’ IT REALLY HELPED PUT PUPILS AT EASE. THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE WAS HUGELY POSITIVE.”
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Head of Drama Ms Rebecca Atack
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OT H E R N EW S F R OM PA NG B OU R N E … DofE AWARD LEAVES LIFELONG LEGACY Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Bronze Award pupils are learning lessons which will benefit them for a lifetime. College DofE Co-ordinator Mr Andy Crossley said: “Pupils doing their Bronze Award are learning vital life skills. When they are all in the woods, they are working together in teams and are constantly communicating with each other.
Olly Poole (left) and Luca Kennedy help clear College woodland as part of their DofE Bronze Award
PUPILS PERFORM VITAL CONSERVATION WORK Pupils have been busy maintaining woodland around College grounds for their Volunteering section of the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Bronze Award. The College is set within 230 acres and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Berkshire. Every Form 3 pupil undertakes the Bronze Award, which sees them undertake activities in four core areas: Volunteering, Physical Recreation, Skills and Expedition. Helping conserve College woodland for future generations fulfils the award’s Volunteering section. College DofE Co-ordinator Mr Andy Crossley said: “The Head of Grounds, Mr Ian Osbon and I walk around the grounds every week and talk about his long-term vision for the site and how we, through DofE, can help him achieve that.” Combined, Bronze Award pupils contribute 40-60 man hours to maintaining College grounds every week. Mr Crossley continued: “This year, there has been an emphasis on pupils on clearing cut woodland. “ Where trees have been cut down or cut back, we have been in with pupils and recycled logs for use elsewhere on site – for example, to provide boundaries for footpaths. Smaller branches are gathered and wood chipped to form a foundation for footpaths around the College. We are continually recycling materials.”
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“ They are learning to work selflessly and for the benefit of others and for the wider community. Volunteering is a great thing to do in life and pupils here are at a young age learning the value and developing the habit of doing that.”
CCF CADETS HONE ESCAPE
PROFESSOR BORIS RANKOV IS SPECIAL GUEST
& EVASION SKILLS More than 100 CCF cadets from the College completed a successful Field Day at Bramley in Surrey. Cadets were allied with pupils from nearby Luckley House and Denefield School, with whom the College has a CCF affiliation. Contingent Commander Colin Hearn said: “ We took the whole contingent out for five different activities: clay-pigeon shooting, archery, orienteering, first-aid and escape and evasion. The idea of the day is to get pupils outside to complete a varied range of activities. The facilities we use at Bramley are excellent. “ The cadets really enjoyed escape and evasion. They were blindfolded at the start and taken to another location. They then had to evade a team of Sixth Form cadets, who were chasing them down whilst they tried to reach a final rendezvous point. Everyone really enjoyed it. We had prizes for each exercise, which we gave out at the end.”
This year’s Scholars’ Dinner welcomed six-time winner of the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, Professor Boris Rankov, as guest of honour. Professor Rankov teaches Roman history at Royal Holloway, the University of London and, as guest of honour, made an engaging and thought-provoking speech on the evening. It instilled the importance of tempering pride at personal academic achievement with humility and deference towards previous contributions from others. The dinner celebrates the scholars’ richly diverse contribution to College life across the fields of academia, Art, Design Technology, Drama, Music and Sport.
FEARLESS MOUNTAINEER CAPTIVATES FORM 5 This year’s Form 5 Dinner helped prepare pupils for a pivotal two terms in their time at the College. Mountaineer Mr Joe Myers was guest of honour and speaker for the black tie occasion in Mess Hall. Oliver Newbery (Form 5, Port Jackson) said: “It was great to hear Mr Myers speak. The stories he told were incredible. He described how he climbed the seven highest mountains on each of the seven continents. He likened our mock GCSE exams to only one peak scaled this academic year - and one we have to build on now.”
Oliver added: “The Form 5 Dinner is a special occasion in the College calendar and something that as a pupil you look forward to. It feels like a nod to the College’s great heritage. From your first years at the school, you see photos every year of the Form 5 Dinner and pupils celebrating a landmark in their time here.” Port Jackson Housemaster Mr Joe Lewis said: “Everyone there on the evening agreed Mr Myers was a brilliant speaker. He spoke for quite a long time – about an hour – but all of Form 5 were enthralled. It made for a lovely atmosphere.”
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STUDENTS EXAMINE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS FROM NEW TESTAMENT
BROADENING HORIZONS ON SPACE & TIME
Mrs Caroline Bond and Reverend Neil Jeffers took the Lower Sixth Religious Studies (RS) students to London for a whirlwind day.
Sixth Form Physics students enriched their understanding of the universe at a talk on gravity waves. The monthly Café Scientifique event was held at the Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot and featured guest speaker Mr Justin Greenhalgh of the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council.
Starting in the British Library’s Treasures Gallery, they examined a number of second, third and fourth century New Testament manuscripts, which highlight the historical reliability and trustworthiness of the biblical text. There was also free time to enjoy the many exhibits not related to RS: original manuscripts of music by Bach, Handel, Elgar and the Beatles; some of the earliest European printed texts; and handwritten letters between the Cambridge Five and their Soviet spymasters. After lunch, the party moved on to the British Museum, home to one of the oldest public collections in the world. The British Museum has an absorbing room of medieval and modern artefacts from the Islamic world, though Head of Classics Mr James Bamforth would have been pleased to hear that some of his Classicists managed to make time to view the Elgin Marbles and some of the other Greco-Roman sculpture and architecture.
Gravity waves – ripples in space-time – were first detected earlier this year, making headlines 101 years after Albert Einstein predicted their existence in his general theory of relativity in 1915. Head of Science Dr Ian Hart said: “Gravity waves are so small and so hard to detect, we have not had apparatus sensitive enough before now. To put it into context, the change in length gravity waves cause is equal to the distance from the Earth to the Moon changing by one atom. It is unbelievably sensitive.” Mr Greenhalgh’s talk exposed students to some of the latest developments in Science and Technology and how they relate to the Physics A Level curriculum.
Lower Sixth Religious Studies students outside the British Library in London
BIOLOGISTS WITNESS WORKING LABORATORY A Level Biology students visited the Diamond Light Source, at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Didcot. There, they undertook a series of workshops, toured the campus and learnt about techniques employed to reveal protein structure. The Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron science facility and used by more than 3,000 academic and industrial researchers. Students were able to witness work being undertaken in a real laboratory setting and experience techniques in action. Becky Crossley (U6, St. George) said: “Trips like Harwell make everything you have learnt in the classroom come to life. It worked really well. We watched experiments live before learning the theory back at College.”
(From left) Lucy Reynolds, Sophie Seager, Ellie Moran and Meredith Wilson at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Didcot (From left) Lucy Reynolds, Emily Page and Charlie Wooding at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot
(From left) Christopher Heathwood, Dr Ian Hart, Mr Justin Greenhalgh, Nick Muir, Becky Crossley, Matthew Bunce and Philip Garnier at Café Scientifique, Cornerstone Arts Centre
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GEOLOGY SPANNING 185 MILLION YEARS WAS THE ABSORBING FIELD TRIP FOCUS FOR LOWER SIXTH GEOGRAPHY STUDENTS. Twenty-five students travelled back in time to Swanage, Dorset one weekend in the Michaelmas Term. They took in the dramatic Old Harry Rocks before experiencing Lulworth Cove along the 96-mile English Jurassic Coast, one of fewer than 500 World Heritage Sites across Europe and North America.
Head of Geography Mr Fred Tao said: “Lulworth Cove boasts astonishing geology. Essentially, this unique landscape has been twisted, moved and compressed. The trip allowed students to see such distinctive and incredible features for themselves first-hand.
STUDENTS TURN BACK TIME ON
“ Students studied coastal systems and landscapes, the formation of coastal features, the effect processes have on features and how we manage those processes today to try and limit erosion.” The cohort also visited Studland Beach to analyse the development of sand dunes.
Lower Sixth Geography students sketch Old Harry Rocks in Dorset
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Asking
the Architect
MARLOW-BASED ARCHITECT CRISPIN WRIDE DESIGNED THE FALKLAND ISLANDS MEMORIAL CHAPEL, WHICH FIRST OPENED ITS DOORS IN 2000. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT UNTIL 16 YEARS LATER, IN THE MICHAELMAS TERM AT THE COLLEGE’S INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SERIES THAT HE RETURNED TO HEAR THE SPACE IN FULL VOICE. HOW DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT? “My design, from approximately 70 entrants, was one of six shortlisted. It was actually quite a low-cost building surprisingly. When you consider it is a potential concert venue for 580 people, it is amazingly good value. Although I work independently now, when I designed the Chapel, my practice, Crispin Wride Architects Design Studio, was part of a large engineering company, Jacobs. The Chapel project took about three years in total – about a year to design it and two years to build.” HOW PROUD ARE YOU OF THE CHAPEL? “It was one of the most enjoyable projects I have ever worked on. Given it is now 17 years old, it has lasted extremely well and obviously it is very well maintained. The finishes in the build were very simple, but they still look as fresh as they did on the first day. “The Chapel was a beautiful scale building to design. Most of the other projects I have worked on are very large, so there is less opportunity to get involved in the detail and to really explore what ideas you have for finishes and materials. With the Chapel, I was much more involved from beginning to end. When I sit here now and look around, I can still remember the thought process behind each detail and why we selected each component, the handrails I chose and so on.” WHAT WAS YOUR THINKING BEHIND THE CHAPEL’S SHAPE? “I obviously know the history of how the Chapel’s design came about, so you become interested in how it turns out and how other people interpret it. I initially had this idea for a square shaped building with a U-shaped balcony around the edge. That then evolved into a more circular space and into this idea of gathering people together. “I extended that circle into an ellipse to provide additional space for the dais at the front of the Chapel and also for the hall at the entrance. A lot of people make reference to the fact the Chapel is boat shaped, but the original intention was a shape called a mandorla, of hands in prayer, which also has connotations of protecting people. We only later realised the design had those very appropriate nautical connotations. “It is really rewarding returning to a space and to see people enjoying it and appreciate what you have tried to do, not only in terms of architecture but also as a reinterpretation of what a chapel in the modern age should be.” HOW DO THE ACOUSTICS WORK IN THE CHAPEL? “The Chapel here serves lots of purposes. It is not only a chapel, but it is also used as a concert venue and for a myriad of other events. We knew when we were designing it that the space had to be flexible. The two levels allow it to function well for small gatherings and larger congregations by using either just the ground floor area or using the balcony as well. We were concerned that it had concave walls and that it might have areas where the acoustics were strong but others where they were weak.
Architect Crispin Wride outside the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel
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“In the end it worked out very well because the Chapel’s ceiling, like the underside of a ship, tilts down quite deeply towards the centreline forming two convex surfaces. Although there is a structural logic to the shape – the roof being deeper at the centre where the forces are greater and where the span is longest – this also works well acoustically, because when sound bounces off the concave side walls, which focuses sound, it then gets dispersed again by the convex ceiling. “I have been back a couple of times since the Chapel was first opened, for Falklands Remembrance services, but this was the first opportunity I have had to come back and see a concert. There is lots going on in the College’s Centenary Year. I hope to return very soon.”
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ISSUE ONE 2017 K EY D AT E S : OP WEST COUNTRY CENTENARY LUNCH Friday 7 April 12.45pm OP CENTENARY DINNER Friday 21 April 6.45pm SUMMER TERM BEGINS FOR BOARDERS Monday 24 April 9.00pm SUMMER TERM BEGINS FOR DAY PUPILS Tuesday 25 April 8.15am MAY REVELS Friday 28 April 7.00pm – 10.30pm WHOLE COLLEGE OPEN MORNING Saturday 29 April 9.30am CENTENARY SERVICE Tuesday 9 May ROYAL WINDSOR HORSE SHOW Wednesday 10 – Sunday 14 May COMMUNITY BRASS DAY Sunday 21 May 9.00am – 4.30pm NATIONAL SCHOOLS’ REGATTA Friday 26 – Sunday 28 May HALF TERM Friday 26 May – Sunday 4 June CENTENARY CLASSIC CAR SHOW Saturday 3 June 10.00am – 4.00pm DUNBAR NEW PARENTS’ RECEPTION Friday 9 June 7.00pm FALKLAND ISLANDS SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE AND THANKSGIVING
Sunday 11 June 12noon ORCHESTRAL FUN DAY FOR PREP SCHOOLS Tuesday 13 June 9.00am – 4.00pm FORM 3 NEW ENTRIES (2017) MEET THEIR HOUSEMASTER / HOUSEMISTRESS
Friday 16 June 7.00pm HENLEY WOMEN’S REGATTA Friday 16 – Sunday 18 June PREP & PRIMARY SCHOOLS’ SPORTS MORNING FOR AGES 8-12
Saturday 17 June 9.00am – 12noon HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA Wednesday 28 June – Sunday 2 July GLORIANA QRB ROW PAST Sunday 2 July 3.30pm FORM 3 NEW ENTRIES (2018) BBQ Friday 30 June 7.00pm CENTENARY BALL Saturday 1 July UPPER SIXTH LEAVERS’ SERVICE Friday 7 July 6.30pm CENTENARY FOUNDERS’ DAY Saturday 8 July THE FIRST DAY SERVICE Friday 1 September
Pangbourne College Pangbourne Reading Berkshire RG8 8LA +44 (0)118 984 2101 www.pangbourne.com
For more information on these and other upcoming events, please contact Head of Marketing, Mariana Jackson on 0118 976 7416 To send your feedback on this magazine, please email mariana.jackson@pangbourne.com