Abingdon School

Sixth former and karate black belt Alexander Jeffreys has sent me an invitation to visit a very special karate seminar. I’m happy to accept it, it’s a wonderful event. Three of the top karate teachers in the country are here to work with 11 boys – what a session. I am mesmerised by the skill and stamina required, but also how graceful the boys’ movements are and the high degree of control.

Karate is a young club at Abingdon, a sport just two years old, so it’s great that the club is recognised in this way – and I’m given a karate team T-shirt, always handy for trekking!

Later I’m at “ICONS”, the Abingdon Dance Project, a joint enterprise with SHSK. OA Matt Hawksworth choreographs many of the items, the variety of skills and styles are wondrous to watch. How can you feel anything but uplifted after watching that, and as we left the Amey Theatre the sun shone.

This weekend was spent going from one thing to another and seeing Abingdon at its best.

The cricket, tennis and athletics may be cancelled but the CCF Easter Camp Passing Out Parade is very much on despite being truncated because of the rain. Proud parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters sheltered under brollies to watch the boys parade. Later, certificates are gathered and records signed and plates of cakes devoured to mark the occasion.

Everything came together perfectly for the Dedication of the new Chapel windows. Every now and then something happens which becomes etched on the memory and the Dedication of our new windows was just such an occasion. Nicholas Mynheer’s beautiful designs are now a reality and grace the Chapel with shards of light, colour and symbolism. The eye courses through the school year, pretty much everything is there, chess, rugby, rowing, a cricket ball soaring to the heavens, interspersed with the Church calendar. Most moving perhaps is the Forces window, a single red poppy is the only touch of colour – a symbol of life and new growth. Through the window we see Abingdon’s playing fields and the April sky. The skills of Daedalian Glass Design, using the process of glass fusing, made the designs a reality. The Right Reverend John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford, officiated. Simon Whalley’s commissioned anthem “For Now We See” rang to the rafters, with Humphrey Thompson as soloist, along with fantastic singing of the hymns from the congregation, with John Cotton directing the musical proceedings. The whole glorious event was brought together by the Revd. Paul Gooding, Sam Roberts and Alison Lester, and the windows made possible through many generous donations. And last but not least … Mark and Elizabeth Turner were in attendance. Welcoming them back to their previous home, Lacies Court, was a very happy occasion. Any boy who finds his attention elsewhere during chapel, or who simply wants to think on life, will find much in these windows on which to reflect.

First official day of term. Boys trip off the coaches optimistically carrying cricket kit. Looks as though play scheduled for Wednesday will be cancelled despite the drought.

Signed a letter offering a place to a worthy boy which I swear I’d signed before. Turns out, I had indeed signed the letter but, somehow, paw prints had found their way to the original … I really can’t explain this, although I am in the habit of placing letters I’ve signed on the floor of my office … Fortunately Marilena (Admissions Secretary) likes dogs, indeed all my work companions in this building do, which is very fortunate indeed.

First day back for colleagues, for the boys the last morning before the alarm goes off regularly, although many are in flight mode and will be in tonight. The new Nicholas Mynheer windows are going into the chapel this week, hopefully all will be ready for this Friday’s dedication, so our first chapel service was held instead in the Sports Centre. And on to my meeting with Common Room, news, views, announcements, Second Master David Dawswell tells us we’ve only just enough prep diaries to get through the term, a sign of how many the boys have “lost” (or were they eaten by the dog?) over the last two terms. The day pans out shaped by meetings for colleagues, EpiPen update, things pastoral, departmental and HR.

Speaking of dogs, Dudley my new puppy has arrived at Lacies Court. Communications Manager Jane Warne has already said he can only feature in 1 in 4 blogs; he will be out and about a bit in due course enjoying school life and the cricket season. It will be interesting to see things from Dudley’s perspective considering he’s very much at ground level. I thought I’d been sent tins of dog food this morning … two large “Hot Cans” arrived, “Beanz with Balls” and chicken curry. I struggle to comprehend the instructions, no microwave or kettle needed, which is a relief if they are destined for DofE trips, one can is inside the other with a water sachet and granular limestone and somehow it all heats up on its own. Miraculous! I guess that there’s only one way to find out how it all works and prove that there is such a thing as a free lunch after all! - so will invite the Bursar in to sample said victuals.

Last day of term and from the start it was all a bit of a whirl. Assembly was a speedy event, lots to get through, boys up and down to the stage, thunderous applause for Matt Perriss, Geography, off to Stowe. Quick turnaround and we’re off to St Helen’s Church for the Commemoration and Passiontide Service, music including “Easter” from “For Now We See”, composed by our own Simon Whalley. Was congratulated on the way out by local Abingdon resident on how well behaved the boys always are (always…?) but I’m always up for a compliment! The highlight of the day, indeed the term, was the Foundation Dinner – Finlay Garland piped us in and the Prefects acted as hosts with Joe Hogan and Matt Landells greeting guests. Tom Earl et al jazzed things up, Henry Binning tinkled the ivories, and Abingdon Academicals set the victuals off with sung grace. Guest of Honour was OA Professor Christopher Dobson, John Humphrey Plummer Professor of Chemical and Structural Biology and Master of St John’s College, Cambridge, a most welcome guest, Joe Hogan doing his bit with the “Loyal Toast”.

So many to thank from Ken and Shirley Kerby on cloaks, Nick Barnard on behind the scenes stuff and Peter Hadfield for the splendid catering – but the biggest thank you goes to Samantha Roberts and Alison Lester for organizing such a happy and memorable Foundation Dinner.

It’s glorious here. The magnolias are the best across the UK in decades apparently and they’re certainly beautiful here. Stepped out into the sunshine to find what I thought might be the latest garden sculpture, boys’ blazers hanging from the apple trees. Hadn’t at first seen Henry Morgan’s class engrossed in their Maths at the picnic tables, a bucolic scene amongst the daffodils, with their blazers artfully hanging from apple tree boughs.

The clocks haven’t yet gone back but early evening is alive with a steady flow of Abingdon boys and St Helen’s girls walking between the schools. Some are dressed up and off to the dinner for future medics, others en route to the annual Careers Convention.

Some have been enterprising and are having a picnic in the park just to break the journey. Next year the L6 from both schools will do General Studies Critical Thinking as a future joint enterprise.

Election time at School Council. The 17 members have been elected and the time has come to elect the Chairman. The two candidates give speeches, Second Master gives out the ballot papers, the votes are returned. We count them, two even piles, 8 votes each – it’s a tie (one council member is absent). Mr Dawswell asks for a coin, neither of us appear to carry money, but a coin is found and tossed. It falls to Charlie Roberts, Chairman, Henry Sensecall Vice Chairman. All a frisson of anticipation at the first meeting of the new cycle. Michael Bicarregui steps up as Secretary and the meeting continues.

The Modern Languages Dinner certainly went with a hum – linguists amongst the boys, OAs, colleagues current and former gathered to hear guest speaker the Rt. Hon. David Lidington MP. He kept us mightily entertained while also a fount of information, responding with alacrity to the boys’ probing questions. His early experience as captain of his college’s University Challenge team, and all that debating skill honed over the years, made for a richly informative evening. It had all been Andy Loughe’s (MFL co-ordinator) brainchild and with 90 guests in attendance, the evening was undoubtedly a success.