Students are nominated to receive a Head’s Praise for exceptional achievements and contribution to school life.
Head’s Praise – 13 September 2024
13 September 2024
Today seven pupils received praise:
- Callum (Lower Sixth) for voluntarily coming into school for the 1563 Society lunch to be a tour guide, one day after his final GCSE exam and arriving promptly in school uniform with a welcoming smile. His tour group felt so well looked after and were impressed with Callum and his attitude.
- Oscar’s (Upper Sixth) short film, A Place in Time, has been shortlisted for the international photography competition Earth Photo.
- Isa (Fifth Year) for chairing the Security Council and General Assembly at the OX14 Model United Nations conference with aplomb, leading all the delegates through demanding discussion and debate. He also did an excellent closing speech which was delivered with charisma, passion and thanks. In addition, he wrote several of the briefing papers in advance of the conference which required extraordinary amounts of research!
- Alex (Fifth Year) for chairing the Disarmament & International Security Committee and the General Assembly at the OX14 Model United Nations conference. This was Alex’s first time chairing at conference and he rose to the challenge with so much confidence and energy. In addition, to prepare for the conference, Alex wrote several briefing papers which were highly detailed and professional in standard.
- Eric (Fifth Year) chaired the Disarmament & International Security Committee and the General Assembly at the OX14 Model United Nations conference. This was Eric’s first time chairing at conference and he rose to the challenge with so much confidence and energy. In addition, to prepare for the conference, Alex wrote several briefing papers which were highly detailed and professional in standard.
- Elon (Fourth Year) has made a fantastic contribution to History.
- Justin (Fifth Year) has made a fantastic contribution to History.
Head’s Praise – 2 July 2024
2 July 2024
Today four pupils received praise:
- Alex (Lower Sixth) for being an outstanding ambassador for the school as part of the OX14 Learning Partnership Support event.
- Anthony (Third Year) for illustrating the Multilingual Children’s book The Magic Tooth.
- James (Lower Sixth) for showing true initiative in surveying the whole boarding community about how they found it joining the school and setting in. James has done this off his own bat and spoke openly about it all with staff. Really inspiring individual.
- Louis (Third Year) for receiving the Academic Award.
Head’s Praise – 28 June 2024
28 June 2024
Today five pupils received praise:
- David (First Year) for qualifying as one of four national finalists in the German spelling bee.
- Ben (First Year) for participating in the Regional Finals of the German spelling bee.
- Quinn (First Year) for participating in the Regional Finals of the German spelling bee.
- Mark (Second Year) for writing a very good personal history for the Abingdonian magazine and archive.
- Finn (Fourth Year) for good citizenship and reporting an incident in town.
Head’s Praise – 21 June 2024
21 June 2024
Today 15 pupils received praise:
- Sam (Lower Sixth) for taking part in the OX14 Learning Partnership Academic Coaching program and for showing real thought, leadership, reliability and support for their coachee over the course of this half term.
- Kevin (Fourth Year) for getting a Gold (top 5% in the country) in the UK Biology Challenge.
- Gordey (Fourth Year) for getting a Gold (top 5% in the country) in the UK Biology Challenge.
- Mark (Fourth Year) for getting a Gold (top 5% in the country) in the UK Biology Challenge.
- Kwame (Third Year) for playing some background music at the O’Doherty’s House Parents’ Social and for dealing with a flying pigeon with calmness!
- Philip (Lower Sixth) for winning the OxBright Geography essay competition.
- Calum (Upper Sixth) for being awarded the Rowing Cup.
- Alexander (Upper Sixth) for being awarded the Drama Cup, Subject Prize for Drama and David Taylor Drama Prize.
- Harish (Third Year) for being awarded the John Rayson Award.
- Toby (Upper Sixth) for being awarded the Hester Tankard.
- Samson (Upper Sixth) for being awarded the Economics and Football Cups.
- James (Fifth Year) for being awarded the John Roysse prize.
- Freddie (Fifth Year) for being awarded the Tony Edwards Travel Award.
- Tom (Upper Sixth) for being awarded the Griffin Cup for Craftsmanship.
- Jai (Upper Sixth) for being awarded the Wheeler Cup for Outstanding Academic Effort.
Head’s Praise – 11 June 2024
11 June 2024
Today two pupils received praise:
- Alex (Lower Sixth) saved the day for his crew at the National Schools’ Regatta. His rudder wires snapped while waiting for the start of the race. Without the ability to steer, the crew would have not been able to race and their competition would’ve been over. Alex, with a great sense of calm and ingenuity, took the string from a bit of equipment in the boat, opened up the stern, and used it to fashion a working rudder for the boat. The day was saved, and they qualified for the A final!
- George (Third Year) for playing some background music at the O’Doherty’s House Parents’ Social and for dealing with an unexpected flying pigeon with calmness!
Head’s Praise – 23 May 2024
23 May 2024
Today eight pupils received praise:
- James (Lower 6th) for designing a JBS charter for behaviour.
- Clement (Lower 6th) for helping run the German lesson at Let’s Communicate.
- Pranit (Lower 6th) for helping run the German lesson at Let’s Communicate.
- Henry (3rd Year) for creating and delivering their own Italian lesson with no teacher assistance at Let’s Communicate and super participation in Language Leaders group.
- Freddie (3rd Year) for creating and delivering their own Italian lesson with no teacher assistance at Let’s Communicate and super participation in Language Leaders group.
- Vito (3rd Year) for creating and delivering their own Mandarin lesson with no teacher assistance at Let’s Communicate and super participation in Language Leaders group.
- Aidan (3rd Year) for creating and delivering their own Mandarin lesson with no teacher assistance at Let’s Communicate and super participation in Language Leaders group.
- Owen (2nd Year) for achieving 96% in the Year 7/8 BPhO Physics Challenge and placing joint first in the whole competition, which included UK and international entrants.
Head’s Praise – 8 May 2024
8 May 2024
Today two pupils received praise:
- Leo (Lower 6th) for taking part in the OX14 Learning Partnership Academic Coaching program and for showing real thought, leadership, reliability and support for their coachee over the course of this half term. An excellent ambassador for the school.
- William (5th Year) for excellent effort as part of the H&P Society Magazine.
Head’s Praise – 1 May 2024
1 May 2024
Today six pupils received praise:
- Gordey (4th Year) for being nominated for Student Leader of the Half Term for relentless support of his Young Enterprise team. Gordey has been involved in product production, supporting sales events and organising the teams finance. He is a true pillar of the team.
- Freddie (Lower 6th) for taking part in the OX14 Learning Partnership Academic Coaching program and for showing real thought, leadership, reliability and support for the coachee over the course of this half term. An excellent ambassador for the school.
- Barney (Lower 6th) for taking part in the OX14 Learning Partnership Academic Coaching program and for showing real thought, leadership, reliability and support for the coachee over the course of this half term. An excellent ambassador for the school.
- Jimmy (Lower 6th) for taking part in the OX14 Learning Partnership Academic Coaching program and for showing real thought, leadership, reliability and support for the coachee over the course of this half term. An excellent ambassador for the school.
- George (5th Year) for excellent effort as part of the H&P Society Magazine.
- Max (5th Year) for coping amazingly well with disappointment. Max has has been working on a very skilful and tremendously ambitious sculpture for his art coursework for a number of months. He finally assembled all the pieces on a large wooden board, stood it up and moved it outside to spray paint it. Then the wind blew it over and it smashed. Some of the sculpture is salvageable, though probably not as he originally conceived. Max dealt with this pretty disappointing turn of events wonderfully. He looked a bit upset very briefly, and then immediately started to think of ways he could adapt. His attitude was just amazing and I am so proud of his resilience and positivity.
Head’s Praise – 26 April 2024
26 April 2024
Today 11 pupils received praise:
- Charlie (Lower 6th) for an outstanding contribution to our partnership program. For planning and delivering a weekly primary sports club with students from out partner primaries. Showing excellent leadership and teamwork each week.
- Tom (Lower 6th) for an outstanding contribution to our partnership program. For planning and delivering a weekly primary sports club with students from out partner primaries. Showing excellent leadership and teamwork each week.
- Eric (Lower 6th) for demonstrating passion, commitment, cooperation, and leadership skills while leading and assisting in the dumpling workshop. Not only did he help set up the event, but he also patiently taught younger students and staff how to make dumplings. He even went out of his way to help tidy up and wash up afterwards. We appreciate his devotion, given the busy schedule of a 6th former.
- Shaun (Lower 6th) for being nominated for Student Leader of the Half Term by leading Architecture Lego Club. He has planned and led this club for the past two terms and is doing brilliantly. He has a great rapport with LS but can take a lead if needed. He is punctual and reliable.
- Alfie (Lower 6th) for being nominated for Student Leader of the Half Term as a Partnership Primary Sport Club lead. Alfie has been a real leader this term is helping to organise and run our new ASiP primary school sport club which has run every Thursday at Tilsley Park. He has planned and led sessions with peers creating varied and well organised activities and the atmosphere has been brilliant. The students have clearly gained a lot from the process as has Alfie.
- Jim (Upper 6th) for being nominated for Student Leader of the Half Term as a Peer Support Lead. Jim managed the relationships workshops for the Middle School, where he took his initial idea to HEK and masterminded a presentation and tutor period activity which he had all the PSLs deliver. They spoke with the 3rd and 4th Years about how to manage relationships of all sorts from a grassroots level.
- Zaki (3rd Year) for leadership shown within the U14A football team. Zaki has shown highly impressive, yet quiet, leadership skills within the U14A football team from the very first training session. He was selected as Captain for the first game for the way that he contributes constructively on the pitch and in team talks. The Captaincy has been rotated as planned, but he has continued to lead by example in the way that he plays and the way that he encourages others on and off the pitch. He regularly collects equipment without being asked and is highly respected by his peers. He would play any position if asked. Most of all he has gone out of his way to look after and extend friendship to a pupil who joined Abingdon in January and who is part of the team.
- Pranit (Lower 6th) for taking part in the OX14 Learning Partnership Academic Coaching program and for showing real thought, leadership, reliability and support for their coachee over the course of this half term. An excellent ambassador for the school.
- Alex (Lower 6th) for taking part in the OX14 Learning Partnership Academic Coaching program and for showing real thought, leadership, reliability and support for their coachee over the course of this half term. An excellent ambassador for the school.
- Deniz (Lower 6th) for taking part in the OX14 Learning Partnership Academic Coaching program and for showing real thought, leadership, reliability and support for their coachee over the course of this half term. An excellent ambassador for the school.
- James (Lower 6th) for taking part in the OX14 Learning Partnership Academic Coaching program and for showing real thought, leadership, reliability and support for their coachee over the course of this half term. An excellent ambassador for the school.
Head’s Praise – 19 April 2024
19 April 2024
Today 5 pupils received praise:
- Jack (Lower 6th) for hosting the Easter tea party for the first time.
- Tino (5th Year) for running a chess club at Carswell school for 2 years. Tino plays chess each week with a Year 5 pupil who has autism and finds it tricky to play chess with other pupils. He has shown great sensitivity and been very supportive so this pupil has a really good time.
- Ethan (Lower 6th) for an outstanding contribution to our partnership program. For planning and delivering a weekly primary sports club with students from our partner primaries. Showing excellent leadership and teamwork each week.
- Jack (Lower 6th) for an outstanding contribution to our partnership program. For planning and delivering a weekly primary sports club with students from our partner primaries. Showing excellent leadership and teamwork each week.
- Thomas (3rd Year) for helping to search for a missing person in his village.
