12 December 2019
Dear Parents
As I write, the term is coming to an end in a crescendo of amazing achievements; the Christmas Concerts, the Middle School play Every Brilliant Thing, a hugely successful season for the Rugby Club, second place for our intermediate team at the English Schools’ Cross-Country competition, the Abingdon Film Academy presentation; all this alongside the stories of academic endeavour and focus that are captured by the boys’ end-of-term reports.
Election fever has gripped us too with representatives of the various parties crossing swords at hustings and assemblies over recent weeks. The school poll took place earlier this week and we look forward to the announcement of the results at final assembly on Friday morning, just as we begin to process the results of the General Election.
Every Brilliant Thing, the Middle School play which I referred to earlier, was an interesting choice for us as it was written by Duncan Macmillan in collaboration with an Old Abingdonian (OA), Jonny Donahoe. We were delighted to welcome Jonny back to the School to lead a workshop with the cast. Our dramatic connection with former students does not end there as two more drama productions this year are also by OAs. Next term our senior production is King Charles III by Mike Bartlett while the Lower School are putting on a new adaptation of Macbeth by Ed Rowett.
The close link between our OAs and the School is certainly worth celebrating. We know that some form of alumni association has been in existence since 1743, when ‘The Gentlemen Educated in Abingdon School’ met that year on 6 August. We are now in contact with more than 6,500 Old Abingdonians.
I met some of them at the Sixth Form Careers Evening, which was held at the School in November. There were over 50 OAs, from a wide range of professions, who had happily volunteered to share their wealth of career advice with the 150 pupils who made the most of this valuable opportunity. I am extremely grateful to all the OAs who supported not only this event but also the Medics and Oxbridge advice evenings held earlier in the term.
I was able to meet a lot more OAs at the Club’s very popular London Drinks Reception. This excellent occasion, with 200 OAs and members of staff in attendance, was held at the Cavalry and Guards Club on Piccadilly. It was great to see so many year groups represented, enjoying one another’s company.
The Club regularly hosts networking events for OAs and current parents, such as a recent event at the National Liberal Club in London which included representatives from the law, investment, financial, environmental, technology and public sectors. OAs generously provide opportunities for our students to undertake work experience at their companies and give small grants to support students who are wanting to travel overseas.
The OA Club will look forward to welcoming all our students in time and I hope they will enjoy being part of the OA community and the camaraderie and fellowship that the Club brings – as well as the opportunity to reminisce about their schooldays.
It’s always a pleasure to welcome OAs back to the School and to show them round. Soon they will be able to visit Faringdon Lodge which remains on track for completion at the end of this academic year. Economics and Business, as well as Computer Science, will be moving into the new building over the summer break, and they will be joined by O’Doherty’s and Donnelly’s who will move out of their current houserooms. O’Doherty’s will be converted to provide further space for the boys to access our catering services at break and lunch time, while Franklin’s will expand into the space liberated by Donnelly’s. I will look forward to showing parents round the new space in Michaelmas term 2020.
As the term comes to an end, I’d like to thank all the boys for their commitment and enthusiasm. I am also grateful to parents for the support that they have shown our students and the School all through this term; I hope you have enjoyed it as much as we have. Do have a look at the news pages on our recently revamped website to see more about recent events.
I hope all Abingdon families enjoy a restful Christmas and I wish everyone all the very best for 2020 – and the new decade!
Yours sincerely
Michael Windsor
