A Week in the Life of Abingdon School In Partnership: Empowering the Future
“At Abingdon School, partnerships are more than just collaborations; they are opportunities for growth, learning, and community engagement” says Rob Southwell-Sander, Director of Partnerships at the school. Abingdon has had its own Partnership programme for a number of years now and is also a founding member of the OX14 Learning Partnership – a formal collaboration between six state and independent schools in the town. “A case in point” says Rob, “take last week”, and he points at a week in March “Abingdon was involved in dedicating 2,500 hours to partnership events involving 1,600 students from across the town, including state and independent secondary schools, as well as primary schools.”
For those who question the role of partnerships in these challenging economic times, Rob is confident the benefits of partnership work helps prepare students more fully for what lies ahead. He says: “These experiences are designed to foster leadership, teamwork, empathy, aspiration, and civic pride, bringing young people together to develop vital life skills. When schools work in partnerships it brings together a diversity of teachers and students with different life experiences and outlooks. Collaborating on a shared goal helps to instil in young people essential skills they will need to get along in life.
The type of academic skills Rob is talking about includes the provision, by Abingdon teachers, of GCSE Latin and Astronomy which are delivered to schools which currently don’t offer those subjects as part of their curriculum. Another would be the science workshops and clubs which the school delivers to local primary schools. These hands-on activities help to further inspire budding young scientists by learning through experimentation. Workshops are run by enthusiastic staff and the clubs by student science leads from across all year groups who hope to instil their own love of a subject to the next generation. In the words of one of the primary students: “The STEM club was creative, fun and interesting; it’s the best club I’ve done”. Leah Kendry, Deputy Head, Rush Common Primary adds: “It has been something that our pupils look forward to every week. The activities have been fun and engaging and the Abingdon pupils have been positive role models”. It is a similar story with Mandarin students who enthusiastically visit primary schools to provide lessons in language and culture in a fun and engaging way. For those who are looking for practical advice on areas to improve in their studies from peers who have been in their shoes recently, our Academic coaching program pairs Lower Sixth coaches with students from across the partnership to further support their learning. Aside from these more personal areas of partnerships, Abingdon also helps to facilitate other beneficial activities, such as a partnership film academy and a recent screening of Macbeth at its theatre, bringing Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy to life to the over 600 local students who are studying it as part of their GCSE set text; and the international Naboj Maths Challenge where teams of students tackle and solve mathematical puzzles.
It isn’t, of course, entirely about the academic side of life, the partnership programme contains a diverse range of activities and clubs to help students learn new skills and develop self-confidence. At the Primary Sports Club, Abingdon students plan and run sessions on various sports skills, enabling 25 primary aged children from across Abingdon to hone their physical abilities, and learn about teamwork and perseverance. One of our Lower Sixth coaches says of the club: “I feel like I have learnt how to work with the children and how to handle different situations. I have understood what sort of activities grasp their interest more than others, and that we have to give motivation and encouragement to them through the sessions.”
Whilst the Motor Sport Club offers a unique experience combining engineering and racing. Students from multiple schools get to learn about vehicle dynamics, safety, and the technology behind motorsport, gaining practical skills and teamwork experience. Much of the work undertaken by partnerships also focuses on supporting young people – whether that’s about wellbeing or equipping them with the necessary tools to embrace the future. Events such as the annual Abingdon School Careers Convention, held at Abingdon, saw over 800 young people find out about different professions, the best routes into them, and gave practical advice on things like CV writing.
Events on offer also grapple with challenging and relevant topics. Student Peer Support Leads from across the OX14 Learning Partnership receive training on suicide awareness, for example, which is crucial for equipping them with the tools and knowledge to support their peers and to further foster an environment of empathy and care within the school community. And, it’s not just about the children – parents are supported too through online and in person talks – on topics including how to approach difficult conversations surrounding drugs and festivals, helping them engage openly with their children about this important topic.
Rob concludes: “These events, and all the many others we and our colleagues throughout our partnership facilitate, are a testament to the dedication of the staff and students who make our partnership programme possible. Each initiative showcases the power of collaboration, where skills are developed, and futures are shaped. I am so grateful to everyone involved both within our school and across our partner schools for creating an environment of shared learning, aspiration, and community pride.”
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