5 Oct 2018

WEEKLY MAILING

This week's mailing is:

Letters:

Notices:

Abingdon Michaelmas Fair: Monday 8 & Tuesday 9 October and Abingdon Runaway Fair: Monday 15 October – Reminder

Parents should expect that traffic flow in Abingdon will be severely disrupted by the Abingdon Fairs. On Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 October vehicle entry to Park Road and Park Crescent will only be via the gate on Faringdon Road (along from the Coach Park). When leaving the park through the gate into Faringdon Road, please, when queuing, leave the gate clear for incoming traffic. Please see attached map.

Music Notices 

  • Senior Music Competition – Thursday 1 November, CMR at 6pm – Parents and friends are welcome to hear our instrumentalists of grade 8 plus battle it out for this year's prestigious cup. Our adjudicator is Neil Farrow, Director of Music at Our Lady's Abingdon Senior School.
  • Harry the Piano Workshop and Evening Concert  – Wednesday 7 November, Amey Theatre at 7pm – We are delighted to welcome the internationally known artist, Harry the Piano, and his dazzling improvisation and skills of virtuosity. Harry is also leading a workshop for pupils from local schools in the afternoon. Do join us for this unique event – tickets are free of charge. For further information please see the poster and the page on the website.  
  • Solo Concert Platform No 2 – Thursday 8 November, CMR at 6pm – Here is another opportunity to hear some of our solo musicians in performance. Admission is free and all are most welcome.
  • Mozart's Requiem – Joint Choral Society Concert on Sunday 11 November, Yolande Paterson Hall, School of St Helen and St Katharine, 7pm – Our joint School's Choral Society of Mozart's Requiem forms part of the SHSK Festival of Remembrance to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice at the end of the Great War 1914-18. There will also be readings and period popular songs to set the scene.
  • Evensong at New College, Oxford – Wednesday 14 November at 6.15pm – Don't miss Adam Treadaway's first official outing as the new Director of our Chapel Choir at the local medieval chapel – the scene of chorister training for many of our top singers, past and present!
  • Music Society Violin Masterclass with Levon Chilingirian – Wednesday 21 November at 6pm, CMR – We have another welcome return of the famous violinist, Levon Chilingirian, and an opportunity to celebrate the playing of some of our fine violinists. Financed by our Music Society, these are always fascinating events and should be seen as a must for our string players and their families. Please join us.

6th Form Careers Evening with the OA Club

The Old Abingdonian Club, Abingdon School’s alumni association, will host a 6th Form Careers Evening on Friday 16 November 2018, starting at 6pm in the Yang Science Centre and followed at 8.30pm by a networking supper in the Dining Hall. At this event, OAs at early or middle stages in their career will share with 6th Form pupils insights into their current occupation and the choices they have made along their career journey to date. The event helps to inform pupils of options to pursue after leaving Abingdon, as well as gives them insights that might influence longer-term career planning. Please encourage your L6 or U6 son to attend. He will soon receive an email invitation with a request to register for the event with the deadline of Friday 9 November.  Thank you for your support!  Questions? Email [email protected].

Help needed: mock medicine interview

Each year Abingdon offers its Upper Sixth medicine applicants the chance to have a practice interview with someone from the medical profession. We rely on volunteers, parents and OAs to staff this event. This year it will be held on Tuesday 6 November from 6pm to 8.30pm in the Science Partnerships Laboratory.  If you feel you can help out then please email Ben Whitworth.  We aim to run a mock Multiple Mini Interview session (MMI) and any experience of these would be welcome.

High Performance Rugby Camp – October Half Term (Thursday 18 – Friday 19 October 2018)

Due to the success of our July camp, we are running an additional two-day camp this year for boys aged 8-13 years of age. 

This is a high-quality, coaching course led by ex-professional players and current academy and county level coaches. Learn and develop existing and new skills, whilst experiencing the day to day life of a professional. Core skills, such as catch and pass, tackle, breakdown, support, back play and set piece play will be covered in a fun, safe and enjoyable environment. This is aimed at participants who are currently playing, or aspiring to play at first team level at their school and clubs.  

Activities include:

  • Skills workshop
  • Becoming an elite player
  • Injury prevention
  • Sports nutrition
  • Rugby specific physical conditioning
  • Daily post-training hydrotherapy

For more information or to submit the online registration form, please click here. We will then contact you to take payment and to confirm your place on the course.

Chaplaincy Welcome Event  and Parents' Prayer Group Thursday 11 October, 7.45pm. The Atrium, St Helen and St Katharine School, Faringdon Road, Abingdon.

This will be a joint meeting with SHSK, Abingdon Prep and the Manor Prep School. All parents are very welcome to come and learn about the spiritual life of the schools and about various Christian activities. Our guest speaker will be The Reverend Jane Chaffey, Chaplain at Wycombe Abbey School between 2008 and 2018. There will also be a presentation from Anthony Bewes, Director of Lymington Rushmore, an organisation that supports the work of chaplaincies in independent schools and runs outstanding holidays and revision camps. 

This will be the first meeting of the Abingdon Foundation Parents' Prayer group that meets twice a term. The dates for the rest of the school year are as follows:

  • Thursday 15 November,  8pm at Abingdon Prep
  • Thursday 17 January, 8pm at 29 Park Road, Abingdon.
  • Thursday 7 March, 8pm at Abingdon Prep
  • Thursday 2 May, 8pm at Abingdon Prep
  • Tuesday 18 June, 8pm in the School Chapel.

If you would like further information, contact Rev Dr Simon Steer, school chaplain.

Inter School Fixtures

A reminder when planning Saturdays in the second half of this term, and on into the new year….

Boys are expected to be available for matches against other schools unless specific permission has been sought from, and granted, by the Headmaster. Please avoid asking for leave of absence, as it hinders the progress the boys make. Any request should be made well in advance, at least one week before the fixture. The Director of Sport and PE, Pete Bignell, should be copied in on any such leave of absence request.

Horizon Lectures: Richard Parks – 7.30pm, Thursday 11 October

Join us as Richard takes us on his personal journey, from his challenging lows to the summits of peaks around the world. To book tickets, please visit the Horizon Lectures website.

Food Menu for the coming week: Week 3