Abingdon School

Newsletter 5/2009-10
February 2010

Dear Parents,

It feels very good for me to have this opportunity to communicate through my first ‘formal’ missive of 2010, the first attempt being superseded by a number of more urgent memos regarding snow, ice and consequent changes to the School routine. So, happy new year to you all. I am delighted to report that after significant meteorological disruption – extremely popular with boys, slightly less so with many parents and staff – we seem to be back to full routine and business as usual.

In fact, I am delighted with the attempts made by all those involved to recover some lost time. As many of you will have experienced, the communication of changing routines can be quite complex. The fact that it has been simply impossible to reschedule some missed events has served to emphasise how busy life at Abingdon is. Nevertheless, I think we survived reasonably intact, largely due to your flexibility and cooperation. The website proved to be an invaluable tool for the passing on of the latest information; what we had not bargained for was that with the combined bus networks, Abingdon and
St Helen’s, our website collapsed under something over 3,000 hits in a very short space of time.

The days away from School did give us the opportunity to trial an electronic distance learning routine that was originally set up in anticipation that the School may be disrupted or even closed through SARS and swine flu. For many boys this system worked well, with relevant work being set and returned to teachers by email. Others seem to have been deluged with an unreasonable volume of work, and a small minority appear to have escaped scot-free. This very valuable experience will allow us to fine-tune our distance learning routines to a greater degree, in preparation for calamities yet to be visited on us!

Notice period. After a series of very successful Open Days and reception mornings, we find the pressure on school places to be more intense than ever. For this reason, we are very keen indeed to have as clear a picture as early as possible of any potential leavers, either at fifth form level after GCSEs or elsewhere throughout the School. May I politely remind parents of the requirement to give a full term’s notice of any intention to change school. Obviously, if you wish to discuss any aspect of this policy, please do not hesitate to come and see me. My PA Mrs Vanessa Fox will be very pleased to make an appointment with you.

Academic matters

Reporting this half term will be organised as follows:

For all years except Fifth Year, the first report of the term will be a quick snapshot comprising subject grades and comments from tutors and housemasters. There will be no subject comments. Full reports will happen at the end of term.

The fifth year will receive full subject reports at half term, along with their mock examination grades, tutor and housemaster comments and a final comment from me. At the end of term the fifth form will have short comment reports, similar to the style used in the first half of the Michaelmas term. All the mid-term reports will be sent to you over half term.

Parents' evening dates are:

Time to choose? Pupils in the second and third years will, this term, be making choices about what subjects they would prefer to study in September.

Fifth year choices for AS level have been completed already but if any boy is planning to leave Abingdon after GCSEs, we should be grateful for as much advance notice as possible, and preferably no later than Sunday 18 April. I am always willing to discuss transfer to the sixth form in more detail if any parent has concerns or questions.

Third year: A letter outlining the GCSE courses studied in the fourth and fifth years has been posted on the Curriculum area of our website, along with the ‘Middle School Curriculum’ booklet giving details of the option courses available. Links to these documents will also be published via the School’s weekly electronic mailing. All third year parents will be separately emailed by Peter Willis, Director of Studies, with a link to an on-line form which should be completed by Wednesday 3 March, a week after the Third Year Parents’ evening. If you have not received this email by the beginning of half term, please email Dr Willis at peter.willis@abingdon.org.uk.

Second year: A letter outlining the courses studied in the third year will be posted to all second year parents by half term. Individual advice concerning your son’s aptitude in languages will be included with this mailing.

The letter and the ‘Middle School Curriculum’ booklet giving details of the option courses available will be posted on the Curriculum area of our website by half term. Links to these documents will also be published via the School’s weekly electronic mailing.

All second year parents will be separately emailed by Dr Peter Willis, Director of Studies, with a link to an on-line form which should be completed by Tuesday 9 March, a week after the parents’ evening. If you have not received this email by the beginning of half term, please email Dr Willis at peter.willis@abingdon.org.uk.

Examinations. To allow summer holiday plans to be finalised, advance notice is given that results for this year’s A and AS examination candidates will be available from 8.30 am on Thursday 19 August, and for GCSE candidates from 9.00 am on Tuesday 24 August.

Given the complexity of the examination programme for GCSE Science, we are including an information sheet in the package of statements of entry from the examination boards. The boys should receive this package shortly after half term. Parents would be well advised to study this carefully.

Revision leave:

As in previous years a programme of fifth year tutorials will be arranged for each timetabled period for the two weeks before half term.

All lower sixth return on Monday 14 June at 8.30 am, when A2 courses begin.

UCAS I. This year UCAS I is scheduled to take place on Friday 5 March. The event starts at 6.30 pm and is expected to end at 9.30. A number of speakers will come to talk about the university application process from the universities' point of view. It is an excellent window for boys in the Lower Sixth and an opportunity to begin to see the process in greater detail. All boys in the year group are expected to attend. Parents are warmly welcome and it is hoped that as many of you as possible will be able to make it.

Oxbridge. I am delighted to congratulate the candidates who have been offered provisional places from Oxford and Cambridge colleges.

Chemistry Challenge. On 20 January a team of fourth form chemists travelled to London South Bank University to compete in the South East Final of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s ‘Chemistry Challenge’. Abingdon had won their section in this competition, which is only run in the South East Region. Other section winners invited to the final were The King’s School, Canterbury, Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe and The Tiffin Girls’ School.

A team consisting of Omri Faraggi, Luke Carter, Charlie Hames and Thomas Chan competed over four rounds of chemical multiple choice, a detection and identification practical, data memorisation and interpretation and materials analysis. The Abingdon team won the multiple choice round but overall were pipped at the post by one point by The King’s School, Canterbury. More importantly, the boys enjoyed their visit to London and the opportunity to extend their chemical competence beyond the syllabus.

Schools Challenge. Abingdon's Schools Challenge team, captained by Tom Finch with Alex Davis, Thomas Munro and Omri Faraggi comfortably saw off Radley, Wycombe Abbey and Cokethorpe in the regional semi-finals last Wednesday, and now proceed to the regional final.

British Physics Olympiad. A team of Abingdon sixth formers competed recently in the British Physics Olympiad. Alex Davis win a silver medal, and Daniel Boddington got a commendation. David Choy, Geoff Penington and Joshua Stedman were awarded gold medals, which is a very impressive performance and puts them in the top 5% nationally. They will now be invited to do further tests to see if they can make the British team. After Paper 3 has been marked, the top 15 students will be invited to a 3-day training camp here from 29 March to 1 April. Subsequently, five students will be selected to form the British team to compete in the International Physics Olympiad in Croatia.

Maths Olympiad. Having achieved 100% in the UK Senior Maths Challenge, Geoffrey Penington was invited to take part in this year's British Maths Olympiad, along with 8 other boys from Abingdon School. This is an invitation-only event, taken by pupils from schools across the country. This year there were about 1,300 entries to BMO1, and Geoffrey came tenth out of the whole country, with a score of 50/60. This earns him a gold medal and a prize. He also qualifies for the next round - BMO2 - to be held shortly, and has been invited to train with the UK Maths Olympiad team in Hungary.

On 3 February Joshua Stedman, Geoffrey Penington, Joon-Ho Sung and Thomas Salt represented the School at the final of the UK Mathematics Trust's Senior Team Maths Challenge Final in London. They competed in a variety of mathematical challenges and ended the competition in a very impressive third place out of 70 finalists. The team were presented with their prizes by Professor Marcus du Sautoy of Oxford University.

Careers Convention. This year's Careers Convention is to be held on the evening of Friday 19 March at Our Lady's. This annual convention is run jointly by Abingdon's three independent senior schools: Abingdon School, St Helen and St Katharine, and Our Lady's. The evening will start at 7pm with a keynote speech by John Ryley, Head of Sky News. This is followed by individual consultations with over 60 representatives from different careers. There are also talks throughout the evening on careers in teaching, finance, healthcare (physiotherapy, nursing and occupational therapy), and advertising. The convention is open to fifth year and sixth-form pupils from all three schools.
It is compulsory for Abingdon fifth years. Parents are also warmly invited to attend.

Work Experience. Fifth year pupils are strongly encouraged to arrange their work experience placements as soon as possible. If your son is struggling to find a placement, please do ask him to speak to Dr Gibbs as we have contacts with previous placements, parents and old Abingdonians that will be of interest. Once a placement is arranged, please complete and hand in the three-party agreement form (you do not need to obtain the employer's signature).

Edmund Society Lectures. All are welcome to attend lectures by two eminent speakers. On Tuesday 2 March in the Amey Theatre, at 5.15pm, The Lord Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE, PC will lecture on ‘Rights and Wrongs in Foreign Policy’ and sign copies of his book, Choose Your Weapons (to be published in February), which you can purchase. From 1979-90 Douglas Hurd served in Margaret Thatcher’s and John Major’s governments as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary. Entry is free but by ticket only. Tickets can be obtained: online (www.abingdon-booking.info), and by email (arts.sec@abingdon.org.uk), by phone (01235 849063) or paper ticket request form.

On Tuesdays at 4 pm in the Charles Maude Room, we have: John Lennox, Professor of Mathematics, Oxford University, on Science and Religion – opposing the views of Richard Dawkins, on 9 March; on 23 March, Emma Williams, Philosopher in Residence, Rugby School, on ‘Are our actions freely willed or determined?’; and on 27 April, Claire Foster of the Ethical Dimension, on ‘How to be a hero – the ethics required’.

Drama

January saw the start of a new activity for Abingdonians in the shape of a weekly dance class that takes advantage of another new feature of the School: the splendid dance studio in the recently-opened Sports Hall. Matthew Hawksworth OA, whose choreography for last term's production of West Side Story won many plaudits, is running the Friday evening sessions this term which have already drawn an enthusiastic and committed following of Abingdon boys and St Helen's girls in fifth year and above. No doubt there will be an opportunity to see the fruits of the dancers' efforts in the not-too-distant future.

Film Unit

We received news of a spectacular double success for members of the Film Unit in the form of awards for both Best Documentary (Tian Ji and Matthew Copson's The Soldier) and Best Animation (Pierre Leveque's Oh No My Dog!) at the Future Film Festival in London. Organised jointly by the British Film Institute and the BBC, the festival sets out to find the best up and coming talent in the 13-25 age category. Tian, Matthew and Pierre attended a special awards ceremony at the National Film Theatre in London on 5 February.

Matthew will be returning to the NFT in March for the premiere of a new film he and fellow AFU members Tom Bateman and William McDowell have been working on since July last year. The film examines the experiences of young people growing up in Moldova, a European country still coming to terms with the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 and struggling to find its own identity in the face of political tensions and economic hardships. The screenings take place on Friday 12 March. Among those present will be the UK's current Ambassador to Moldova, Keith Shannon, together with his predecessor John Beyer OA, and the comedian, writer and broadcaster Tony Hawks, whose best-selling book Playing the Moldovans at Tennis is one of the relatively few sources of information on Moldova available here. The film will also be shown at Abingdon at the AFU's annual screening in May.

Tickets are now on sale for this year's Lower School Drama production, The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew by Robert Bolt. It is a time of dragons and knights, of evil wizards and magic spells, of barons and castles. It is also a time of honour and bravery in the face of corruption and adversity. Our noble hero, Sir Oblong Fitz Oblong, has been sent on a one-man mission to slay a vicious dragon on a far-away island, leading him to face off with the crooked Baron Bolligrew and the evil wizard Moloch in order to restore justice to the Bolligrew Islands. How will this fantastical adventure end? One thing's certain: Dragon is hungry... Bangs, special effects and sword-swishing fun guaranteed for the whole family - for one night only on Thursday 25 February (7:30pm). To book tickets, contact the Amey Theatre box office on 01235 849 063, email arts.secretary@abingdon.org.uk or visit www.abingdon-booking.info.

Music

Oxbridge Music Success. Congratulations to Joe Mason and Caspian Mitchard in the Upper Sixth whose organ scholarship offers at Oxford for music at Lincoln College and at Cambridge for philosophy at Peterhouse have been confirmed over Christmas.

Congratulations to Gerald Chan (fifth year), who has just won Oxford Music Festival's Sidney Harrison Memorial Award, an open piano solo class for the performance of two Chopin pieces. His prize includes bound volumes of Chopin complete works for piano.

Congratulations to Osman Tack (lower sixth) who has won outright the Chandos Symphony Orchestra's Young Musician Competition against stiff competition from a large field of specialist trained musicians. This prestigious competition is set in Malvern and Osman's prize includes a cash prize of £1,000, a concerto performance with the orchestra and a series of recitals.

Sport

Badminton. The snow defeated the three fixtures on January’s agenda, with Bruton all but inaccessible, Bromsgrove’s hall being declared unsafe to use and the match against Bradfield struck off because the mock exams had continued to occupy our sports hall. The boarders and some hardy souls who had made it to school got a little practice at the Vale of the White Horse Centre. Once normal service was resumed, the team played Cherwell School in the Oxford Schools’ U19 boys league and hit good enough form to win 7-0. The match ended so promptly that there was time for a new sort of mixed doubles where each player took a partner from the other school: the evening ended in a reasonably cheerful way.

Having met the Millfield/King’s Bruton composite team last term at Millfield, we hosted the return match on 29 January. The doubles results were stronger wins at 8-1 in both the A and B team matches and this time Abingdon managed to prevail in both the singles, too.

Cross-country. On 28 January the Cross Country Club competed at the Vale of White Horse Championships at Radley College with half a dozen other schools. The U13s won their event with Michael Fabes and James Bourdon coming second and third overall in their category. The U15s scored a disappointing second place but continue to gain experience. The U17s provided an excellent spectacle with Alistair Duff, Stuart Jones and Luke Terry placed first, second and third overall, winning their category easily. The Seniors were placed first, second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth overall with Thomas Watkins, Alexander Muir and Joe Kempton crossing the finish line at almost identical times - they too won easily.

On 2 February the Cross Country Club competed at the county championships held at Radley College alongside many other independent and state schools. The U15s continue to gain race experience while scoring some top 20 individual positions. The U17s dominated their race as a team, scoring first position overall with Alistair Duff crossing the finish line triumphantly, closely followed by Stuart Jones. They, along with Luke Terry (sixth), qualify to represent Oxfordshire in the All England race held in March. Most improved and impressive runner was Mathew Hartshorne who is on the reserve list for the All England race, after scoring tenth position overall. The U19s treated the crowds with a brilliant display of teamwork and a devastatingly quick pace to win their age category convincingly. Alexander Muir crossed the finish first first overall with a broad smile and a one-last-time victory salute alongside Thomas Watkins (second); they qualify for the All England race too alongside Joshua Ridley (fifth), Joe Kempton (sixth), Michel Baumgart (eighth), Robin Veale (ninth) and Alexander Veale (tenth).

Fencing. Over exeat weekend, Will Fotherby flew to Bilbao, Spain as part of the Great Britain under 20 sabre fencing team. Eight countries were competing in this world cup competition, and Will did very well, coming twenty-second. The points he won have now moved him to third in Great Britain in the under 20 rankings – and he still has two years left in this age category.

Hockey. After a hugely frustrating start to the term, the hockey club has eventually burst into action with fixtures against St Edward’s, Eton College and Dean Close. It was the Lower School teams that played the first game of the new term, when they hosted Caldicott Preparatory School. The U13 A team played out a thrilling 3-3 draw and the U13 B team got the hockey club off the mark, with a fine 2-0 win.

The block fixture against St Edward’s saw Abingdon only lose 3 of the 9 matches played and there were great starts from the U15A XI in particular. They emphatically won the game 7-1, playing some high tempo, attacking hockey that allowed James Rogers to score 4 of the 7 in some style. The 1st XI travelled to Eton College, where they controlled the game for the entirety of the first half, leading 3-0 at half time. The momentum of the game changed in the second half and although Abingdon continued to create some good chances they conceded three goals to draw 3-3.

The Lower School teams hosted Ashfold Preparatory School for two 7-a-side fixtures. The U13 A team won a tight game 2-1 and the U13 B team drew 1-1. Dean Close were the next opposition for the hockey club and the 1st XI knew they would be up against a strong outfit, with Dean Close retaining many of last year’s National Championship winning side. The 1st XI started the game well, with good intensity from the top of the pitch. They controlled periods of the game and created some excellent chances, but a few highly skilful players on the Dean Close team converted their chances to win the game 4-1. The other fixtures were all very competitive, with half of all the other games played ending in draws.

Rugby: Daily Mail Cup Success. On 15 December the 1st XV Rugby Squad travelled to Sherborne to play The Gryphon School in the sixth round of the U18 Daily Mail Cup Competition. It was a cold and wet day and the playing conditions did not suit open rugby. Nonetheless, the Abingdon side played all the rugby in the opening twenty minutes and scored two well worked tries, through Alex Ward and Tom Hughes; both were converted by James Plumb. A further three points were added through indiscipline by the opposition, who were also hindered by having fourteen players.

In the second half the weather and playing surface deteriorated, which affected the quality of the play. James Plumb added a further three points, which decided the game. It was the best-ever performance from our U18 sides, to reach the last 16 of the competition.

Rugby Tour to South Africa July 2011. I am delighted to announce that the Rugby Club intend to tour South Africa in July 2011. The trip will be for those boys who are currently in the fourth and fifth year of the school and who intend to strive to play 1st XV or 2nd XV Rugby in September 2011(it is our intention to take a squad of 44 players). There may also be an opportunity for a small number of current lower sixth pupils to travel, which will be dependent on ability and availability.

The main focus of the trip will be to provide the players with an opportunity to prepare for a memorable rugby season ahead, to enhance their knowledge of a foreign culture and its way of life, and to meet new friends with whom they will keep in contact in years to come. This trip will also provide the pupils with an opportunity to visit one of the most exciting tourist destinations in the world. It is known for its enviable climate, natural wonders, beautiful coastline, numerous unspoiled beaches and incredibly diverse marine life.

I do hope that your son will be interested by this opportunity.

Medical Dinner. Parents and boys in the lower and upper sixth are warmly welcomed at our Old Abingdonian Club professional networking events. These events are a wonderful initiative which allow current boys, with an interest in a particular profession, to learn more by meeting undergraduates and experienced practitioners. The next in the series takes place on Thursday 25 March 2010 and will provide a networking opportunity for OAs, current pupils, parents and governors with an interest in the field of medicine. The dinner will be held at Oriel College in Oxford and will be hosted by Professor Mike Stevens (OA 1968), who is the CLIC Professor of Paediatric Oncology at the University of Bristol. Please do support this event if you can. Further details can be obtained from Jan Glover in the Development Office.

Abingdon School Parents’ Association (ASPA) - for all parents. The ASPA committee has been working hard over the last eighteen months to promote networking among parents in their year groups, creating the Year Group contact lists and introducing the ASPA Suppers for parents with boys in Middle School. If you would like to find out more about ASPA’s activities and perhaps contribute to this vibrant parent community, come along to Meet ASPA at 7.30 -9.30pm on Monday 8 March. You are welcome to ‘turn up’ but if you can confirm in advance it would be appreciated for catering purposes. Contact aspa@abingdon.org.uk.

ASPA Fifth Year Supper Friday 5 March 2010. The first ASPA social for parents with boys in fourth year took place on 29 January, and was a great success with over a hundred parents enjoying a wonderful curry supper. The fifth year social will be in the Hospitality Suite of the Sports Centre starting at 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm. Ticket orders should be received by 23 February using the booking form on the ASPA pages of the School website.

ASPA - Paul Tappins Memorial Travel Awards. These are monetary awards made by ASPA and Tappins Coaches to any member of the sixth form of Abingdon School who is undertaking some form of travel and activity either during the summer holiday between his sixth form years or in his gap year. They are awarded annually and the value can be anything between £50 and £500 depending on the activity and its benefits. There are conditions attached to the Awards and the pupil has to complete a detailed application, as well as take part in an interview process. Full details of the travel awards can be found on the web site. The deadline for applications is Tuesday 20 April.

Internet Safety. On 4 February Dr Denise Carter, a social anthropologist from Hull University whose research is based on the transformative effects of the internet, gave a presentation on Internet Safety to an audience made up primarily of Lower School parents. Issues discussed included the pros and cons of the internet, social networking sites, and how parents can help their children use the web safely. Since the presentation Lower School boys have discussed internet safety in tutor periods. They have been directed to the excellent CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre) website at www.thinkuknow.co.uk which contains lots of useful advice for pupils, parents, and teachers.

One of the challenges facing me in 2010 will be the Blenheim triathlon. When I mentioned to Jan Glover, our Development Director, that I would be happy to do anything to support our bursary fundraising during my last year I'm not sure that swimming 400 metres, cycling 10 kilometres and then running 2.5 kilometres would have been top of my list of ideas! However, Jan has entered me and I am in training. If anyone would like to join me in this challenge and help raise funds for bursaries please let me know. Or, if you would like to sponsor me then that would be wonderful. Please visit our website http://shaping.abingdon.org.uk where you can make your donation online - just tell us your donation is sponsorship for the triathlon. We will be setting up a triathlon page on this website in due course so you can find out how my challenge is progressing - and any others who may decide to join me!

Yours sincerely