13 December 2018
Dear Parents
This has certainly been a busy half term for the School and I am very grateful for the fantastic support that you have given us over the past few weeks.
As ever, it’s been a great privilege to witness boys hard at work in lessons and to see their involvement in the many activities and trips that you can read about by following the links below. It seems unfair to mention only one particular item but I would like to emphasise the success of our first ever Abingdon Model United Nations conference, which took place in early December.
This event brought about 150 pupils from nine different schools to Abingdon in order to follow and enact the procedures of the United Nations, and in doing so discussing and debating the key global issues of the day. Different factors combined to make this such a satisfying event. Its planning and organisation were largely driven by Abingdon and St Helen’s students, with the support of members of staff, and pupils chaired the various committees through the day. The level of debate was highly impressive as delegates wrestled with complex issues such as disarmament and the environment and I would like to pay particular tribute to some of our international boarders who spoke with great erudition and fluency; no mean feat in their second language. It was immensely uplifting, at a time of political turmoil and uncertainty, to see young people come together to spend a day engaging with the challenging and controversial issues which face us all.
Congratulations are due to upper sixth former, Alasdair Czaplewski, a founder member of the Model United Nations at Abingdon when he was in the 2nd Year, whose brainchild ‘AbingMUN’ was and who acted as Secretary General for the whole event with great sophistication and clarity.
There were many different ethical issues up for discussion at the Model United Nations conference and everyday school life is full of opportunities to explore our values and discover what is right and wrong. Our programme of assemblies, PSHCE lessons, chapel services and sixth form Mindset lectures and lessons are designed to explore different values and virtues and to emphasise the importance of respect, kindness and courtesy.
By and large, our pupils nurture and embody these values and I am proud of the way they conduct themselves around school and especially when we have visitors, for instance when our Community Service team recently welcomed some older local residents to their Christmas party. From time to time though, young people will, of course, get it wrong. In these cases, it is important that we act with compassion as well as clarity. We need to give pupils the chance to make mistakes – as we all do – as well as the chance to put things right. It is not only events like the Model United Nations or Community Service Christmas Party that gives me faith in the kindness and generosity of spirit of Abingdonians but also the response I see from pupils who might have made a mistake but want to get it right next time.
As part of the reshuffle of departments that was made possible by the completion of Beech Court, my study has moved into Big School and is right next to the chapel. This has meant that I have become increasingly imbued with Christmas spirit as I have heard Advent hymns and choirs rehearsing for our end-of-term services, which promise to be a wonderful way in which to round off the term, along with our traditional dinner for boarders on Thursday night. I also got to see some quite extraordinary Christmas jumpers on Tuesday as part of our fundraising efforts for The Magic Breakfast, a charity that delivers nutritional breakfasts to schools across England and Scotland, ensuring that ‘no child is too hungry to learn’. I’m sure these pullovers will be making an appearance in your homes over the festive season…
Finally, I wish all our families a happy and peaceful Christmas and all the best for 2019. I look forward to welcoming the pupils back to school on Tuesday 8 January.
Best wishes
Michael Windsor
News
Outstanding Economics success
Four Arkwright Scholarships won
Senior Team Maths Challenge
Sixth formers lunch with the lords
Physics in Action
Academic scholars visit Oxford
MFL debate at Cheltenham College
ASP shortlisted for Tes Independent School Awards 2019
Lower School: Scrapheap Challenge, Casper Craven, Thinking Supper with St Helen’s, Backpack Challenge, Lunchtime Concert, Inter-tutor group competitions
Beech Court opened by Will Gompertz
Community Christmas Tea Party
Primary Schools’ Business Challenge
CCF: exercise griffens attack, adventure training
MUN at Malvern St James, AbingMUN
Young Enterprise trade success
Last Year’s 2M meet the Cure Parkinson’s Trust
Sixth form mentors – ASiP
Abingdon and the Great War
To our Brothers – a memorial to the fallen
Trips
Silver DofE canoe practice expedition
Spotlight on Languages – University of Bath
Spanish exchange
Classics trip to Italy
China – Beijing and Xian
Art trip to Compton Verney
Bellringing Club outing
Geology Day at the Natural History Museum
Sport
The Dark Blues train at Abingdon
Boat Club: training in Banyoles, 4’s Head & GB Trials
Cross-country: ESCC Championships Round 1, Abingdon Vale Biathlon, St Albans, Oxford City Schools Championships, ESAA Cup
Rugby: Langley School Festival, U14 tour to Worcestershire, Eton College, U18 NatWest Cup Plate Competition, RGS Guildford, RGS High Wycombe, Senior Rugby Club Dinner
Fencing: International success, Berks, Bucks & Oxon Epee
Rifle Club: Marlborough, Long Range Championship, Small Bore Rifle Competition
Squash: St Edward’s, Radley & National Schools Competition
Sailing: Match racing championships
Canoe polo
Futsal
Music
Christmas concerts
Chapel Choir sing at the Royal Albert Hall
Festive Music in the Community
Levon Chilingirian masterclass
Joint Choral Society Festival of Remembrance
Senior Solo Instrumental Competition
Solo concert platform 2
Harry the Piano workshop
Drama
Lord of the Flies from the Middle School
Aaron Sidwell coaches Loserville cast
Boarding
Christmas decorations
SS Great Britain
Making mince pies
Stonehenge
Abingdon Science Partnership
Primary Science Club
The Science of Viking ships
Plan-et B
Saturday Science Clubs
Exhibiting at the Royal Society's student conference
Badger watching
Greg Foot
