Pangbourne College
Pangbourne College | |
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File:Pangbourne College.jpg | |
Location | |
, , RG8 8LA England | |
Information | |
Type | Independent day and boarding school |
Motto | Fortiter ac fideliter ("Bravely and faithfully") |
Religious affiliation(s) | Church of England |
Established | 1917 |
Founder | Thomas Lane Devitt |
Head | Mr Thomas Garnier |
Gender | Co-Educational |
Age | 11 to 18 |
Enrollment | 400 |
Houses | 7 |
Colour(s) | Navy Blue, Red and White |
Former pupils | Old Pangbournians |
Boat Club | |
Website | http://www.pangbournecollege.com/ |
Pangbourne College is a coeducational independent day and boarding school located in the civil parish of Pangbourne, just south-west of the village, in the English county of Berkshire. The headmaster, Mr Thomas Garnier, served in the Royal Navy before switching to a career in teaching. He taught physics and was a housemaster before becoming headmaster in 2005, after Dr Kenneth Greig.
The College is renowned for its traditions and holds a parade on the first Sunday of every month, throughout the academic year. These parades culminate in 'Founders Day' on the last Saturday of the year. Pangbourne has its own distinctive vocabulary, much of it nautical. A pupils' study bedroom is called a 'cabin', house common rooms are known as 'gunrooms' and home clothes are referred to as 'scruff'. The Good Schools Guide describes Pangbourne as "a modern and successful school which concentrates on bringing the best out of each pupil."[1] The College has a very strong boarding culture with sixty per-cent of the pupils living at the College. The Independent Schools council described Pangbourne as "a highly distinctive school where developing individual talent and fostering a real enthusiasm for learning, is a key priority."[2]
History
The college was originally founded by Thomas Lane Devitt in 1917 as The Nautical College, Pangbourne with the purpose of preparing boys to be Officers in the Merchant Navy through the shipping company, 'Devitt and Moore'. In 1969 the College became "Pangbourne College" in a move that saw a shift in focus to the provision of a traditional academic programme. Many of the founding traditions of the College continue to reinforce the values that lie at the core of the College today.
Academic
Pangbourne has students with a range of academic abilities: the students achieve good results and almost all who study at A-Level go on to a variety of universities, including Oxford and Cambridge. Students can chose to study from a wide variety of subjects at both GCSE and A-Level.
Subjects taught to GCSE and A-Level include: English, Business Studies, History, Design Technology, Geography, French, German, Spanish, Physical Education, Religious Studies, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Drama, Music, Art and Design.
Subjects such as: Mathematics, English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Religious Education are all mandatory at GCSE level.
Subjects taught at A-Level are: Art, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Design Technology, Drama & Theatre Arts, English, Economics, Film Studies, French, Geography, German, Spanish, History, Information & Communications Technology, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Music, Music Technology, Physics, Physical Education, Religious Studies.
Divisions
The boarding houses at Pangbourne are known as Divisions. They are:
- Harbinger
- Port Jackson
- Macquarie
- Hesperus
- Illawara
- St.George
- Dunbar
All of the divisions are named after ships operated at various times by the Devitt and Moore Line, and all contain roughly 60 pupils. Every Division has its own Kitchen, IT facilities, TV room and Gunroom. Pupils from 11-13 years old belong to Dunbar.
Uniform
Pangbourne has a very distinctive uniform which includes part of the Royal Navy uniform and is a matter of great pride to the pupils, with huge care taken over the state of their dress.
No 1's
On the first Sunday of every month the students have a parade. For this, Royal Naval No 1 Uniform is worn; Double-breasted, navy blue jacket (with cadet badges), matching trousers; white shirt and black tie, peaked cap and Sanders shoes (black leather). The black leather shoes are expected to have a very high polish, which the students are required to do in their free time throughout the weeks leading up to parade. Turnout is expected to be immaculate.
No 2's
Normal day to day uniform is referred to as No 2's and is the Royal Naval blue No 4 Action working dress (AWD) shirt and black trousers, with a blue belt. The woollen jumper (sometimes referred to as a woolly pully) with cadet epualettes is worn depending on the weather. Doc Marten shoes are worn in the 3rd and 4th form, with most upper years wearing Sanders shoes as their No 2 footwear all shoes are expected to be polished. Royal Naval berets are worn when raising and lowering the flag, in parade practice and Divisions.
Divisions occurs on most Wednesdays and is when the whole college turns out for a march, inspection and the raising of the flag. In accordance with the naval traditions which are at the heart of the school, turnout is expected to be very good.
Extracurricular Activities
Sport
Pangbourne has a strong sporting tradition and offers students a wide range of sports to participate in alongside professional coaching and well-resourced facilities. Despite the size of the college, the performance of its rowing crews towards the upper years is exceptional. The school has won the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup four times at the Henley Royal Regatta, a record exceeded only by Eton. The College held the record for the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup from 1992 to 2011, when the record was beaten by Abingdon.
Non-sporting activities
The College is renowned for having an exceptional CCF Contingent consisting of all four sections: Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Marines. The Royal Marines Section are annual competitors in the Pringle Trophy Competition and every year travel to Lymphstone, in Devon, to compete in the Competition of which the College has a formidable reputation at. All students who join the school in Third form participate in the Duke of Edinburgh award at bronze level and attain their award. This has proven popular with the students, many of whom continue through, completing their silver and gold awards.
Leadership
Pangbourne place huge importance on developing leadership qualities throughout the pupils' time at the college and particular emphasis on the members of the 6th form (year 12 and 13) with a peer mentoring course for the Lower 6th and the opportunity to be promoted in the Upper 6th form. Promotions are as follows:
CCCC - Chief Cadet Captain of College (Head of College, one male, one female. They are effectively the Head boy and girl)
CCC - Chief Cadet Captain (Head of a Division, one in each of the six divisions)
CC - Cadet Captain (Deputy Head of a Division, one or two in each house)
CL - Cadet Leader (As of September 2013 all Upper 6th are made Cadet Leaders to encourage leadership)
The Upper 6th have a significant say in the college and are responsible for; teaching their 3rd form to march, the quality of dress in their Divisions and helping the younger pupils. There are also many Inter-Divisional activities that the 6th form organize, which all work towards the awarding of the Headmaster's Cup at the end of the year.
Leadership is also widely encouraged in Sport, the DofE schemes and also the CCF sections where Combined Cadet Forces ranks are awarded due to merit of the individuals concerned.
Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel
The Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in March 2000. It was built to commemorate the lives and sacrifice of all those who died during the Falklands War of 1982, and the courage of those who served with them to protect the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. The shape of the building was designed to resemble that of a ship, reflecting the college's naval history. It was due to this history that the college was chosen as the site for the Chapel. The Queen returned to the college in 2007.
The Memorial Chapel cost a total of £2.3 million and was opened in March 2000 by Her Majesty The Queen. The chapel seats 580 within the ground floor area and gallery. The design, which came about as a result of a nation-wide competition won by Crispin Wride Architectural Design Studio, is reminiscent of the shape of a ship – almond or ‘mandorla’ shaped – denoting hands ‘cupped’ in prayer. Natural light flows down the pale coloured walls from the clear glass surrounding the curved roof and diffuses through its focal feature at the north end where there is a memorial window with stained glass depicting the Falkland Islands within Christ’s Cross surrounded by a lively sea in vibrant shades of blue, green, yellow and grey – designed by John Clark[3]
Visitors experience a feeling of calm and comfort within the body of the church and gallery area – created by the soft ash & neutral colours surrounding them. There are also some beautifully engraved clear glass panels within each of the main internal and external doors which take them on a journey from the turbulence of war to the tranquility of peace.[4] Each seat has been donated by an organisation or individual and under each seat is a kneeler with the name of one of the casualties. Special care is taken by the pupils to care for the chapel and it is always kept in an impeccable condition.
Notable Old Pangbournians
- Jeffrey Bernard, journalist
- Beverley Cross, playwright
- Hon Jeffrey Evans, Past Prime Warden Shipwrights' Company
- Sir Robin Gillett, 2nd Baronet, Lord Mayor of London
- Jefferson Hack, journalist and magazine editor, co-founder of Dazed & Confused
- Sir William Garth Morrison - former Chief Scout
- Mike Hailwood, motorcycle racer
- Rodney Pattisson, yachtsman and Olympic Gold medallist
- John Ridgway, yachtsman and rower
- Ken Russell, director
- Andrew Simpson, sailor and Olympic Gold medallist
- David Smiley, Army officer, SOE and MI6 Agent
- Frederick Treves, actor
- Very Rev Richard Shuttleworth Wingfield-Digby, Dean of Peterborough
- Ewen Southby-Tailyour, Royal Marines officer, writer
References
- http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/schools/102931/pangbourne-college#results Good Schools Guide
- http://www.falklands-chapel.org.uk/about-the-chapel/
External links
- Pangbourne College Website
- Pangbourne Intranet
- Berkshire History: Pangbourne
- City of Adelaide Clipper Ship Website: Devitt and Moore
- Good Schools Guide
- Designers of Falklands war memorial gardens at Pangbourne