30 March 2017
Dear Parents, Colleagues, Governors and Boys of Abingdon,
It has been great to see pupils and staff out and about enjoying the warmer weather recently. A particular highlight this week was the annual Road Relay, which saw a huge number of teams racing round the School and Albert Park. I was delighted to see so many pupils volunteering to take part and the remaining boys voicing cheerful and enthusiastic support. It was a terrific whole-school event and a fine example of the strength of the Abingdon community; do have a look at the photos on the website. I was able to withstand the pressure to compete this year and, having seen the quality of the runners, I think I’ll try and retain my position as starter in future years too…
The Road Relay comes at the end of a short but successful term and I hope parents will enjoy reading about the many highlights via the links below and in the next edition of Abingdon News. I’ve been particularly pleased to see Abingdon boys prepared to look outside our own community and commit themselves to other causes. It was impressive to see so many pupils signing up for a night in the cold as part of the Charity Sleep-Out, which did an excellent job in raising funds for local charities as well as building awareness of the issue of homelessness. It was also good to see pupils and staff taking part in the Reading Half-Marathon to raise money for the charity Blue Skye Thinking. On both occasions the participants seemed remarkably fresh and cheerful the next day in school.
I am keen to do my bit too and have therefore joined a team that will be abseiling down the 100ft tower of Dorchester Abbey on Saturday 29 April at midday. I am not overly keen on heights but I hope not to let the School down… The abseiling is part of the Dorchester Festival and we will be raising funds for the Abbey and also for Sue Ryder in Nettlebed. If you would like to support these causes, please follow this link.
I am grateful to the many parents who responded to the parental questionnaire earlier this term. I have just received the final analysis of these responses and I hope to share this with parents early next term. Do please get in touch directly if you have any matters that you would like to raise with me in the meantime.
Contractors are making good progress with the enabling works for the Beech Court project, which is scheduled for completion in September 2018 and will provide a new Sixth Form Centre, library and Art department. This very week, the former Geography department is being demolished as we clear the site for the new building; I will keep parents updated as the new building takes shape.
I am conscious that a good number of our pupils will be using this Easter break to prepare for public or internal examinations. I hope that they will make sensible use of their time, and also make sure that they get some fresh air and exercise alongside their studies. I wish them all the very best with their revision.
I would like to wish all our parents and families a restful and refreshing break over Easter. I look forward to welcoming the boys back to school in time for registration at 8.35am on Tuesday 25 April.
Best wishes
Michael Windsor
Abingdon School News: 9 – 29 March
Please follow the pink links to read more:
- Nearly 600 boys, OAs and staff compete in 2017 Road Relay
- Good performance for French debaters in Joutes Oratoires
- Physicists enjoy the House of Lords
- Excellent results in Physics Olympiads: GCSE, AS
- Success for the Film Unit
- Sobell House film premiere with the AFU
- Mathematics feast for the Fourth Year
- Latin comes alive at Aquae Sulis
- Abingdon sleeps rough
- YE teams through to county final
- Community Service Easter Tea Party
- Warm welcome for French Exchange
- Austin boarders enjoy paintballing
- Energy Quest Workshop
- Prep Schools compete in business challenge
- ATOM Science Festival intrigues
- Skydiving physicists
- 13 boys receive Headmaster’s Praise
Sport
- Hockey – unbeaten season for 1XI and U14A. Week 8: MCS, Wellington, Week 9: Cheltenham, St Andrew’s, Shiplake, Week 10: Marlborough, Thorngrove
- Football – Week 8: Bedford Modern, Week 9: Reading Grammar, Shiplake, St Hugh’s, Week 10: Berkhamsted
- Rugby 7s: Queen Elizabeth’s, Barnett, John Fisher, Berkhamsted
- Swimmers impress at Bath and Otter Cup and Bromsgrove Relays
- U16 badminton team win silver
- Cross-country Club runs well at St Edward’s
- Rowing update
- Golfers take on Reading Blue Coat
- Oxfordshire Schools' Golf Competition
- Tennis success v Radley
- Southern Regional Fencing Championships
- Emphatic squash victories at St Edward’s and Radley
Music
