All Activities

Aimed primarily at the Lower School, this clubs watches and discusses recent and topical TV documentaries. No one particular genre of documentary is favoured but rather a wide variety – historical, cultural, geographical, economic, natural history and the topical. Hopefully awareness is increased about the world around us.

A student-led ensemble, the Abingdon Academicals are an acapella choral ensemble who perform a variety of choral music. Rehearsed and co-ordinated by a pupil in the Upper Sixth, the Academicals are equally at home singing close harmony arrangements of popular songs and jazz standards as they are performing sacred and liturgical repertoire. Highlights of the concert calendar include the Academicals Christmas Concert and Cabaret in March.

The Abingdon Film Unit was formed in 2003. Since then its members have produced over 200 short films, a number of which have won awards and been screened at the National Film Theatre in London, and at festivals here & abroad. The Unit enables students to make their own films under the guidance of industry professionals. Please note: membership is offered to students in Third Year and above after a process of applications and interviews that take place.

Once accepted, students become members of the Film Unit for the whole year. Films are researched and planned in the first part of the Michaelmas term; shooting usually begins around November; editing occupies much of the Lent term. The finished films are screened the following Autumn.

Members of the Unit can also be invited to make films for others, whether within the school or the wider community. They can also undertake special film projects abroad. AFU members have made films in Cambodia, Moldova, China and Hong Kong, for example.

Trips may also be organised to cinemas, exhibitions or film studios.

The Abingdon School Choral Society prepares for two concerts per year with performance of large-scale choral works supported by professional soloists and orchestra. Alongside pupils, an adult chorus meets on Tuesday evenings in term time and all are welcome to join. Recent concerts include Mozart Requiem (March 2025) and Handel Messiah (Dec 2024).

Abingdon is one of only nine schools nationally to offer the new AFA in Creative Writing, an exciting, two-year A Level style course, which is officially recognised by UCAS. The course, which is offered exclusively to the Sixth Form, is aimed at students who have loved writing throughout their time at school and want to continue and develop into the Sixth Form. In the first year, students are encouraged to write in a range of styles and genres, and in the second, there is the opportunity to specialise in their chosen form, be it poetry, drama, prose fiction or non-fiction. There is one taught lesson per fortnight, and a weekly workshop, which, as a dedicated one-hour session, forms a central part of the course, where students give feedback on each other’s work, under the supervision of a teacher.

Learn how to integrate Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT into your own custom web apps using Python. A strong foundation in Python programming is required.

Members gain experience of all aspects of technical theatre from the design stages to implementation. They are regularly involved in the preparation and running of drama productions, concerts, school events and external hires. Wednesday afternoons are put aside for the main bulk of the work but due to the large number of events, much of the work happens on other afternoons, evenings and weekends and therefore a high level of commitment is required.

This club is for students who have an interest in buildings of any kind, from high-rise skyscrapers to tree houses and sheds! Each term we will look at architecture movements, architects and individual buildings. You will have the chance to design and make buildings in 2D and/or 3D.

• The emphasis in the Michaelmas Term is on you using architecture as inspiration for artwork.
• The emphasis in the Lent Term is following a design brief and coming up with a design.
• The emphasis in the Summer Term is making mini models in 3D.

An opportunity for students in the Lower Sixth to gain valuable leadership and coaching skills before embarking on a short coaching journey with a younger student. This activity is carried out with students from across the town as part of the partnerships programme. It will require a weekly commitment from October until March. It presents a fantastic opportunity for anyone wishing to improve their interpersonal and listening skills as well as learning how to support both their own mental health and others.

There is scope for initiative and leadership. Tell us your special skills and interests: football, computers, music, art, etc. The usual commitment is for the whole school year, though this may be for a shorter time through prior arrangement if other activities clash in one term.

This is an opportunity for anyone from the third year upwards to learn about Astronomy in more detail and to enter for the GCSE exam in the subject if they wish. It is being run through the Abingdon Science Partnership and a number of pupils from other, local schools are also following the course. New pupils should discuss the practical details of taking the GCSE qualification before joining.

The New Views playwriting scheme is a National Theatre programme that guides students through the process of writing their own 30 minute play. A series of eight 2 hour weekly workshops leads to the submission of first drafts of students’ plays and then final drafts. Participants take part in a 2 hour workshop with a National Theatre playwright who returns after the first drafts have been submitted for a series of 20 minute one-to-one appointments with each student to offer feedback and further guidance ahead of the final draft. There is also the possibility of free tickets to a National Theatre production or live streaming.

Once all the plays have been submitted, they are read by NT producers and directors and a number are chosen for rehearsed readings by professional actors at the National Theatre in July. One play will receive a full production.

The scheme is open to students aged 14-19, and there are eight places available. Eligible students are asked to email [email protected] to express their interest.

We are running this programme in partnership with Larkmead School.

The main aim of the Oxford Academy of Broadcast Journalism is to introduce pupils from schools across the town to a range of broadcasting forms and outlets. This is an opportunity to learn how to write a blog post, create your own podcast and delve into the world of presenting. This is an activity that would suit someone who has a story they want to tell or have a particular interest in a career in media, but anyone who wants to learn more about these skills is more than welcome.

Students from Lower Sixth are invited to apply for the role of Peer Support Lead at the start of June. You will be interviewed and may be selected to work in collaboration with students from across the town as part of the growing partnership program. If successful in your application you will be trained in safeguarding, listening and counselling skills before supporting the pastoral care of younger students within the school. You will have the opportunity to work alongside students from Fitzharrys, John Mason, Larkmead, St Helen and St Katharine and Radley College. The aim of this program is to help you to develop your own interpersonal skills, while also getting to know young people from across the town. Your training will then be put to good use supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people.

An opportunity for 5th Year and L6 Science Ambassadors to help run a weekly science club for children from local primary schools.

There are many opportunities to volunteer as a Science Ambassador for the Abingdon Science Partnership, including primary school science workshops; Science Oxford Saturday Science Clubs; Scout and Guide Science Badge evenings and the Abingdon ATOM Festival of Science and Technology.

The aim of the Athletics Club is to produce excellent athletes, providing an opportunity for all those with an interest to learn and to develop new skills. The club achieves this through a structured programme of coaching by a committed staff team and through regular competition.

Competition takes place in the summer term against a large number of schools, at a local, regional and national level.

Coaching is provided in the full range of events on the track and field.

Training takes place at Tilsley Park with superb athletic facilities including an eight lane, floodlit track with steeplechase, pole vault, high jump and long jump facilities, a throws area for javelin, shot put and discus as well as a 300 seat covered grandstand.

Middle School and Sixth Form badminton operates within the core sports and Other Half programme, with Lower School provision covered by the Other Half. Both match players and learners are accepted, although there is often a trial. We have a professional coach who supports the students in every session. Our record against other schools is enviable and we consistently win our fixtures against other independent schools. As the club moves forward, we are looking to develop greater opportunities for our younger players by becoming more engaged in several national competitions.

“The Baker Award” (named after retired teacher, Mr Roger Baker) represents an Abingdon School junior version of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme designed to run over the course of a pupil’s time in Lower School. All Lower School pupils are automatically entered for the award. There are four sections: Skill, Service, Expedition and Sport. Pupils are strongly encouraged to become involved in all sections, keeping track of their participation by using a record book. Satisfactory completion leads to a certificate, presented at the end of the second year.

Our popular music provision is ever expanding and with both a range of technical and practical facilities, our pupils are able to rehearse together in preparation for a number of performance opportunities throughout the year. Across the school, there are between 15-18 bands at any one time and all will aim for performance at the annual Rock Concert (March) and at the Anything But Classical event in June. Alongside this, we have a termly Open Mic Night where all are encouraged to perform whilst pupils are able to use the Music Technology facilities to record their songs and arrangements. 

We are looking to build on our existing squad for the future so any aspiring Kobe Bryants or Michael Jordans are welcome. Spaces are limited to squad players only although if you are a keen basketball player and would like to trial for the squad do come along to practice.

The traditional English art of bell-ringing requires a combination of skill, musicianship and strength. The club is open to complete beginners and those with prior experience. The club rings in various local churches.

One of the flagship ensembles of the Abingdon Music Department, the Big Band is comprised of the strongest jazz musicians and performs in numerous events across the year.  Particular highlights include Christmas and summer concerts, the annual Cabaret Jazz evening, alongside Open Day and external concert performances.  The Big Band regularly go on tour, most recently to Czechia (2025) and France (2023).  As part of our masterclass provision, the Big Band has worked with professional Jazz musicians and will record an album in 2026.

Due to Covid-19, it is not possible to run the activity at the present time but it will return in the future.

A small number of lower school pupils can get involved in the Biology department helping out with a variety of tasks. Primarily they will be involved with the routine care of the animals in the department and maintenance of the fish tanks. At certain times of year work will need to be carried out in the departmental pond and we would also be looking to set up a wildlife area somewhere on the school grounds.

Lectures are organised to support work being done in the Biology specification, to extend knowledge of the specification and to give students an up to date account of current advances in modern biology. Some lectures may also have a more general “Natural History” theme and be open to Middle School Pupils as well.

A chance for Lower School pupils to play a wide range of fantasy role play games, strategic wargames and boardgames.

The Boat Club has been in existence at Abingdon School for 184 years and goes from strength to strength and never has it been more successful. Students can row from the Third and Fourth Year, in the Lent and Summer terms, and all three terms by invitation in Fifth Year and Sixth Form. Students are expected to commit themselves for both terms since most of the regattas are in the summer. We have around 170 rowers in the Club. Training takes place both in the school gym and at the Boathouse, on Wilsham Road – about a mile from the School. In the Lent term there would be 2/3 rowing sessions and 2 gym sessions per week. Students are expected to participate on Saturdays.

We have a number of aims for the Club, at different levels. The Third Year (J14) is an introductory year where we try to give everybody a fair chance to improve and to see if they like it. We compete in a number of ‘friendlies’ against other schools and later on in the year we compete at some regattas, including The National Schools Championships. The next few years through J15 and J16 are spent developing 1st and 2nd VIIIs, which will compete at external regattas and National Schools championships. The 1st VIII competes at Henley Royal Regatta. The School also participates in the Junior International scheme and pupils have represented Great Britain most years since 1992.

We try to accommodate all abilities and levels of commitment to foster enjoyment of a great team sport. We have an excellent timber boathouse, initiated and driven by parental support. We hope to maintain, and build on, our reputation as one of the most successful school boat clubs in the UK. There is a very active parents/friends supporters club, FASBC.

Subs are paid termly to cover the cost of race fees, repairs to equipment and upkeep of the coaching launches. Subs are currently charged per term, and are £85 for each year group. In addition there is an annual £40 affiliation fee for British Rowing. There is also an annual £35 charge for parents to become members of the FASBC parent volunteer group which helps contribute to catering at regattas, annual events such as the Boat Club Quiz and Dinner.

The game of Bridge is one of the world’s most popular card games. This trick-taking game is played by four people in two competing partnerships. Bridge is an excellent way to stretch your brain, sharpen your maths skills and make new friends. Beginners are welcome and will be taught the basics of contract bridge. Experienced players will be able to enjoy opportunities to play with other players of a similar level.

Do you have creative flair and love art? You will be taught how to draw, research and respond to art. You will go on a trip and create your own piece of work on a theme and your research. At the end of the course you will gain a qualification for your portfolio work. You will set up an exhibition that will display your outcomes.

Note: You will need to dedicate time to this Other Half activity for the whole year.

The Canoe Club aims to introduce students to various paddlesports and currently allows them to specialise in whitewater kayaking, open canoeing and racing. Although most paddlesport sessions take place from the boathouse on the River Thames we also run sessions in the school swimming pool where we can develop key skills, such as rolling, or play canoe polo. We are affiliated to the British Canoe Union and students can obtain various qualifications during training sessions.

Students can also complete their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions at all levels in open canoes. In the past this has involved expeditions to various parts of the UK as well as overseas expeditions.

Open to all Middle School pupils who wish to explore mathematical patterns, investigate new areas of maths and develop their mathematical thinking skills. The group have solved live problems on nrich and have had solutions published. Many weeks the group work through the UKMT Maths follow on rounds and mentoring problem sheets. We have a relaxed atmosphere, enjoy good company and would welcome new members!

Making sculptures from clay.

The Chamber Choir is a smaller group of singers who principally work towards performance of liturgical music for two or three evensongs per year alongside contribution to the annual Cabaret evening in March. Recent evensongs and workshops have included The Queens’ College, Somerville College, Pembroke College and Exeter College, Oxford. This contrasting style of music aims to build skills in both ensemble singing, musical skills of balance, awareness and blend alongside improving sight-singing and wider awareness of choral music. This is an auditioned ensemble with pupils involved from the breadth of the school. 

Alongside the full ensemble provision, the department runs a varied and extensive chamber music programme, encouraging all pupils to enhance their musical skills through smaller ensemble playing. Each year, we hold a Chamber Music concert whilst for our pianists, there is opportunity to be part of the Piano Extravaganza, a concert dedicated to piano ensembles, some which feature up to 24 players. In a typical year, there will be between 20-25 chamber ensembles including String Quartets, Piano Trios and Wind ensembles whilst our Clarinet Ensemble features between 8-12 instrumentalists. Some of these ensembles will prepare for the National Pro Corda competition which takes place during the second half of the school year. 

The Chamber Orchestra is our strongest string ensemble, featuring between 16-20 musicians. This ensemble is auditioned and musicians are of Grade 8 standard or above. Regular performance opportunities enable these musicians to access a broad range of string music including work by Dvorak, Elgar, Tchaikovsky as they perform at the Remembrance Concert in November alongside the usual end of term events.

The Chapel Choir is a vibrant part of our music programme, performing a series of services throughout the term alongside performance of large scale choral works. The Chapel Choir visits a Cathedral each term to sing evensong and recent venues have included Coventry, Salisbury, Winchester, Christ Church Cathedrals whilst the choir is due to sing at Westminster Abbey in May 2026. Aside from preparation for these services and whole school services locally in Abingdon, the choir will give performance of larger choral works at the Remembrance and School Choirs’ Concerts. Finally, the Chapel Choir travels both nationally and internationally.

The Charities Committee organises and co-ordinates the key charity events within the school and is responsible for fundraising. The pupils involved help with the selection of charities to support as well as the planning, organising and promoting of events. Pupils find the work very rewarding and enjoyable.

An opportunity to have another go at some of the practicals required for GCSE chemistry in small groups or individually. You will have the chance to ask any questions about the practicals and perhaps try techniques that are slightly beyond the syllabus. The aim is to improve your confidence in chemistry – and also the quality of your exam answers.

The Chemistry Projects club is an opportunity for students to explore, from an experimental perspective, aspects of chemistry that aren’t normally encountered in school. Previous projects have included ionic liquids, chemiluminescence, antimicrobials, battery storage and the IR spectra of cooking oils.

Joint activity with SHSK

Come along, practise and improve. Pupils of all standards attend, from novice to England squad player. We are happy to teach you to play from scratch and help you to develop your game. We enter county and national tournaments, and we run knockout tournaments for individuals and for house teams. Grandmaster Peter Wells coaches on Wednesday afternoons.

An opportunity for all year groups to explore the Christian faith through discussion, videos, guest speakers and Bible study, with games and food as an added incentive! We’ll be looking at questions like, How does Christianity relate to contemporary issues? Can science and faith go together? Why should we bother with an ancient book like the Bible? What difference does faith make in everyday life?

Confirmation Preparation

For most people, becoming a Christian is like a journey. The journey involves faith but also doubt, lots of questions and some surprising and wonderful answers. The journey is unique to each one of us and yet it works best when we share it with others. The confirmation class is an important part of the journey of faith. It is designed for those considering the possibility of becoming an adult member of the Anglican Church and leads to a memorable confirmation service. The course will consist of three components: What Christians believe, How Christians grow and Living the Christian Life. Food will be provided.

Clash Royale Club is an Other Half option for those looking to enjoy and improve their gameplay with other students. There will be a combination of tournaments, as well as scenario practice and guidance on how to improve. On top of this, there will be ample opportunity to discuss decks, cards, clan wars, and all other areas of the game.

Third Year Classics Club

For all those keen to explore more about the Classical world beyond what they might study in Latin, Greek or Ancient History. Each term has a different focus, ranging through Gods and Heroes, Epic, Daily Life in the cities of Rome and Athens, the greatest plays of Greek drama, the best buildings of the ancient world, and Alexander the Great.

Lower School Classics Club

For all those keen to explore more about ancient language and culture. Each term is different: Gods and heroes, Linguistics (or how language works) and Ancient buildings.

Climbing occupies a special space within the Abingdon community. As well as being a sport that can challenge the bravest and strongest individuals, it also offers huge benefits in terms of psychology and mental focus, strength and skill development, and is a highly sociable activity.

All climbers are treated as individuals within our climbing wall. Whether you need an exciting, adventurous, or a recovery session; we are a community of climbing staff who want nothing more than to see young climbers excelling in a fun, challenging, supportive and safe environment.

Initially, our younger years gain competency in basic rope systems and safe belaying skills, moving into climbing techniques and skill / strength development in the mid-years, and possibly joining a competition team for inter-school events. It does not matter if students are keen to try their first friendly comp, or are competing at national level; all our students who have progressed can find an opportunity to challenge themselves at the right level, whether on a competition team or not.

Where does this take you?…some of our students compete at a national level, some love climbing within their local community and in local and inter-school comps, and some are gaining technical skills for expeditions and personal goals. Whatever your climbing or adventure goal, we will be able to offer you a community with the experience to truly understand your goals, and help you move onwards and upwards towards them.

Without a doubt, the most important thing each student takes from the Abingdon climbing wall is a sense that the community truly values every climber, whatever the skill or experience level. There is no better reward than seeing a young person using a potentially dangerous skill with care, responsibility, and independence; and growing with pride as they do so.

XFMDPNF UP DPEFCSFBLJOH DMVC – Codebreaking Club takes place weekly and teams will be preparing for and taking part in the National Cipher Challenge. This is an annual competition for students across the country to crack ever more complicated ciphers, including simple Caesar Shift Ciphers, Vignere Ciphers and beyond. If you like solving puzzles and reading secret messages then come along – programming and IT skills are a bonus but not necessary.

Membership of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is voluntary and begins in the Third Year. Initial recruit training lasts for two terms, during which cadets are expected to parade weekly in uniform. Pupils are required to commit to participation for a full academic year. Cadets must maintain a smart appearance: hair should be kept neat and off the collar, and those who have begun shaving are expected to remain clean-shaven.

The CCF is a uniformed youth organisation that promotes the development of leadership, teamwork, responsibility, and sound judgement. It provides a structured environment in which cadets can build confidence, discipline, and practical skills.

Activities take place throughout the year and include Wednesday afternoon training sessions, regular parades, field days, exercises, and residential camps. Cadets are expected to attend at least one camp each year; in their first year this will normally be Easter Camp.

Training continues throughout a cadet’s time in the CCF within either the RAF or Army sections. This programme includes academic study as well as adventurous and military training. Cadets may have opportunities to fly, take part in shooting activities, participate in joint exercises, and train alongside members of the regular armed forces in the field. These experiences help develop an understanding of the role of the armed forces and how they operate.

The CCF benefits from the support of experienced ex-service personnel and dedicated volunteers, and Abingdon’s contingent is highly regarded beyond the school for its high standards. A number of cadets go on to pursue careers in the armed forces, mostly as commissioned officers.

For further information, click here.

We will be working on a wide range of communication and presentation skills, including crafting your message, connecting with your audience, and using props or visual aids effectively.

Led by Abingdon Music teacher and composer, Dr Preece, this is a session for budding composers – or anyone interested in the craft of composition – to expand their composing experience and learn about the mechanics of how music works. The sessions will include some ‘taught’ elements where composers’ techniques are introduced and some more improvisatory and exploratory sessions in which students will learn about the essentials of different vocal, instrumental and choral forces and how to write for them. Alongside this weekly workshop, professional composers are invited to work with our pupils on a termly basis, sharing their technique and compositional skills alongside providing further inspiration for the pupil’s creative process.

The Computer Programming activity is intended to provide hands-on experience of the nitty-gritty of computer programming. We use a range of modern programming languages, and develop projects using hardware on which they run. Practical tasks will be undertaken in a dedicated programming environment using the latest interpreted object-oriented languages and application development frameworks.

We support a mixture of students’ own projects and guided investigations into areas covering software, computer science/algorithms and electronics interfacing using Raspberry Pi and Arduino platforms. Examples include smartphone games/apps, real time image capture and processing and even an automatic sudoku solver.

No previous experience is necessary, but an aptitude for logical and analytical thought will be essential. Projects typically run over half a term and are aimed to support the most enthusiastic coders down to those just starting. There is a particular focus on showing students techniques that will help them after Abingdon, be that at university or in the workplace.

Develop your own software and hardware projects with supervision. Learn a new programming language and develop new skills.

The Concert Band encourages all wind, brass and percussion players to participate with a minimum standard of approximately grade 3. Focusing on performance of arrangement of film soundtracks or musicals alongside traditional wind band music, this ensemble prepares for performances at the end of each term. Musicians from this band also support other events such as the Remembrance Parade or CCF events.

Learn to cook essential and economical student meals. Try your hand at making dishes like spicy risotto, spinach and feta frittata and chocolate pudding – not forgetting spaghetti bolognese. Learn the basics of menu planning and budgeting to make a tight student budget stretch. No prior knowledge or skill necessary.

The Cricket Club continues to grow at Abingdon. We currently play block fixtures against a wide range of top cricket schools including Radley, St Edward’s, Berkhamsted, Bloxham, Haberdashers’ and Winchester College as well as entering local county tournaments. Our squads tour regularly at home and abroad. A large number of students are selected for county or regional representation every year.

Following its re-introduction the club has gone from strength to strength. Students from throughout the school tackle the application of the tactics of chess and the physics of snooker. Senior students organise the external fixtures combining the social and competitive elements of the game.

Cross-country running is open to all. Training assumes a motivation for good health, commitment to the values and competition schedule of the club. Competition takes place in both Michaelmas and Lent terms in many prestigious and long standing events.

We start our training in September with very short distances and build gradually and carefully to longer distances of 20k. The season ends in March. Training is a mixture of long slow distances, threshold and speed workouts as well as the introduction of strength and conditioning sessions to help avoid injury.

Runs take in most of rural Oxfordshire and beyond. Past pupils have captained their own club at University and some have competed on the international stage. One of the aims of the club is to build a life-long affinity for running and competition.

Our brand new Dance Club is a dynamic addition to the Other Half programme. This club is dedicated to exploring creative movement, building confidence, and developing technical skills in a supportive environment.

Expert Guidance:

• Ms Marsh is a choreographer, dance teacher, and workshop leader with diverse industry experience as a performer. She also brings a decade of experience as the director and principal of the Marsh Tompsett School of Dance.
• Many of the students know Ms Marsh already, as she is well-known within our drama department, having served as the Movement Director and Choreographer on the highly successful school theatre productions, including A Monster Calls, A Christmas Carol, and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

We are passionate about using dance and movement as powerful tools to unlock confidence and excellence in young people. Our club currently runs on a Thursday afternoon. It is open to all age groups. Whether you are aiming to enhance your performance skills, improve your athletic movement, or simply explore a new creative outlet, the Dance Club offers something for everyone.

From September 2026, dance will be a core sport in the School.

Allegedly Abingdon’s oldest non-sporting society, the Debating Society is the place to argue and form opinions about a variety of topics and motions. If you love an argument, or generally thrive on controversy, this is the society for you.

We have debated everything from the serious politics of the Falklands and the National Health Service to rather more abstract ideas such as whether we should follow our dreams in life, via the thorny issues of organ donation and torturing terrorists. In the open debates on Friday, volunteer speakers put their views across in speeches before the debate gets opened up to the floor, when all the other people who have opinions get their say, and lively disagreement inevitably ensues.

We also enter teams into a number of national competitions in debating and public speaking and run workshops to help you improve your debating skills. Throughout the year, we arrange popular dinner debates with girls’ schools for the senior members of the society. Within the Debating Society there are opportunities for Sixth Form pupils to meet in smaller groups to hold debates – and there is a workshop aimed at Middle School pupils to help them develop debating and public speaking skills.

For the Lower School, there is an opportunity for pupils to hone their public speaking skills while debating topical issues. Joint debates with St Helen’s can be arranged over the course of the year.

The workshop facilities are open to offer the students to develop their design and technology skills. They can either work through some existing project briefs or even develop their own to work on.

Try new approaches and get tips on how to improve drawing.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme is a nationally recognised scheme and is the single most sought after non-academic qualification with UK employers. It consists of three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold and within each level there are four component parts: Skill, Service, Physical recreation and Expeditions. At Gold there is a fifth section, Residential.

Each year approximately 225 students sign up for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Abingdon School. The school run all their expeditions in house using teachers as supervisors to give them the extra support and mentoring that adds value to the experience. By completing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award students demonstrate their team work, commitment and organisational skills; and as a package it gives them the life experiences that develop them into well-rounded young men.

Bronze Award

There are four Sections in the Award: Service, Physical, Skills and Expedition. Participants will need to show commitment and determination to organise their activities, and will need to do two of the first three Sections for at least three months and one for at least six months. However, with the wealth of Other Half activities on offer it is usually possible to complete these requirements in school.

For the Expedition section, initial training takes place in the Fourth Year during the Lent term. Planning sessions and the expeditions themselves follow in the Lent and Summer terms. It is vital that participants attend all these commitments, which are advertised well in advance. The skills covered on expeditions will be learned in real situations and should remain of use throughout life. Students may also complete their expedition phase by canoe or by sailing. Numbers for this activity are limited.

The Bronze level of the award usually takes about a year, but is not time-bound and can extend for longer if needed.

Silver and Gold Awards​

The Silver and Gold levels of the award allow participants to build on the skills and abilities they have gained from the Bronze level and apply them in more challenging situations. At Gold the assessed expeditions are normally run in remote areas of the Scottish Highlands.

At Gold we offer students three methods to complete their expedition: walking, canoeing or sailing. Numbers for the latter two activities are limited.

As for the Bronze level participants will also need to commit to a skill, physical, volunteering and expedition sections but are involved for a greater period of time. They also will need to complete a residential section where they will take part in a worthy activity for 5 days and 4 nights with other young people they have never met before.

Further information

For further information please look at the DofE website. See Canoeing or Sailing (Sports) for details of Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Canoeing  and Sailing expeditions.

Student forum to help green the school and Abingdon. The Eco Committee is open to any student with an interest in sustainability and the environment. We have worked on making Abingdon School more environmentally aware, both in its actions and through raising discussion with the rest of the students.

Students look into waste, recycling, plastic, wildlife, carbon emissions and Global Citizenship, and work with different groups within the school to try and help improve our environmental impact.

The Edmund Society is a club for members of the School with a passion for philosophical discourse and discussion. It is an activity aimed predominantly at sixth formers where a variety of material is covered, including, but by no means limited to, epistemology, symbolic logic and the philosophy of science. On top of regular meetings the Society looks to put on one lecture per term, and guests have included Peter Hitchens, Prof. Michael Lacewing and Prof. Stephen Mulhall, with talks on the political situation of the Ukraine, epistemology and Ludwig Wittgenstein respectively.

Raise insects from eggs and nymphs into glorious full-grown adults. Watch them devour their prey and metamorphose into perfect specimens for the hall of fame.

Explore a range of fascinating and diverse concepts in Physics, including an in depth look at the work on CERN and the LHC and how it is furthering our understanding of the Universe.

Fencing is available throughout the year. All year groups are welcome to come and try this Olympic sport, from beginners to experienced fencers. Full coaching will be given and the School provides fencing kit and weapons for students. A minimum commitment of one session per week for one full term is required, although in practice many students enjoy doing much more fencing than this. Matches are arranged with other schools throughout the calendar year, and keen fencers from our club have competed in and won many national and international competitions in the recent past. There has never a better time to try this popular Olympic sport. En garde!

Learn the basics of operating a light aircraft at an airfield. Progress onto landing challenges in various cities and mountain sites in a variety of aircraft. Compete with your friends to achieve the highest score in the TOP GUN challenges

There is no requirement to be in CCF to join this club.

The Football Club is now well established at Abingdon, with over 19 teams representing the School. The club plays regular fixtures during the Lent term against St John’s Leatherhead , Berkhamsted, St Edward’s, Bedford Modern, Oratory and Radley in addition to other local schools. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd XI, U15A and U14 A all compete in the Thames Valley League that comprises of schools in the Oxfordshire and Berkshire area. Players have also gone on to represent the ISFA side, as well as county and academy squads.

This club is open to anyone who has an interest in French and German cinema and those attending need not have any knowledge of those languages or be studying them at GCSE/A Level.

This club is open to all pupils from 1st Year to Upper Sixth. If you enjoy card or board games, how about playing them using the French versions whilst speaking French? This is a great opportunity to learn idiomatic expressions and to practise your spoken French in a more relaxed and fun environment.

A recent addition to the Abingdon School Football Club is the Futsal Club. This form of the game, originating in South America, aids the developments of the player’s close control, dribbling and game awareness, utilising a smaller weighted ball whilst playing in 5-a-side environment.

The School has a fruit and vegetable garden at the back of Whitefield. There are opportunities to maintain this and develop it as a source of vegetables and summer fruits.

Drawing club is a chance for students to work on quick or sustained drawings. They are free to use a variety of materials and techniques and will be given individual help so that they can realise their intentions. There will be lots of reference materials to inspire new ways of working and we hope they produce work they are proud of.

Learn how to create colourful layered prints using Gelli plates /inks and rollers. This techniques is great for creating surface patterns / textures and giftware.

Think geology is the study of rocks? You’re right. The good news is, rocks are fascinating! This activity is for those in Year 10 (or 9) who would like to work towards taking a GCSE in Geology. It is ideal for those who are interested in the physical processes that shape the Earth, the history of life and rocks. It will require independent work and commitment.

Joint activity with SHSK

Go is a strategy board game that has been played for thousands of years. It has simple rules but takes a lifetime to master. In the club you’ll learn the rules, have a go at some puzzles and play games against each other.

The golf team meets for coaching from a PGA professional at Drayton Golf Club. The team consists of players with, or aspiring to have, single-figure handicaps. During these sessions we work on all aspects of the game including course management, shot shaping and the short game, and there is the opportunity to computer-analyse players’ swings.

The Golf team plays in competitions including the Oxfordshire County Championships and the Independent Schools’ Golf Association knock-out, as well as various friendly fixtures against other school sides. There is a House Golf competition in the summer term.

There are also opportunities for a broader range of players to play and to receive expert coaching. Golf lessons take place as a group on the driving range, but there are opportunities for specialised putting practice as well as visits to the ‘par 3’ course (weather permitting). Places are limited, and are allocated term by term, depending on students’ sports options.

Griffenomics is the Economics and Business magazine for Abingdon and SHSK students. Griffenomics meets weekly to commission and edit articles. Griffenomics also goes beyond the Economic magazine and acts as Economics society, with activities such as organising discussions, guest speakers, competitions and trips.

Joint activity with SHSK

Third, fourth or fifth year? Come along to History and Politics Society to discuss the key issues of the day, watch relevant documentaries, take part in heated discussions and debate, watch films and write the occasional article for our online publication! Politics is current and exciting – whether it is Brexit, Trump, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, Venezuela, terrorism or global warming… we discuss it, watch it, write about it and more!

Joint activity with SHSK

View the History and Politics Society magazine 

Download THE HISTORY AND POLITICS SOCIETY MAGAZINE as pdf

Hockey is a major sport in the Lent term. The Hockey Club fields teams throughout the age groups, with every team from U14D to 1st XI competing in the Independent Schools Hockey League. Abingdon competes against Radley, Bradfield, Wellington, Cheltenham, Marlborough, Eton and St Edward’s and Abingdon teams will play against all the seven other schools over the course of the season.

The Hockey Club has enjoyed a great deal of success in recent years, with a large number of students representing the county and regional squads and some selected to play at a national level.

Inklings is a creative writing group for Lower School, where they can explore different thoughts, emotions and experiences in an imaginative forum. Each week will alternate between constructing a creative piece around a new stimulus (from artefacts to paintings and music) and bringing in some of their own writing to workshop with the group.

The course will give you an introduction to the World of Finance, and provide you with an understanding of the markets that is crucial in the highly connected world we live in.

You will learn how to trade and build financial models, applying your knowledge in a trading room simulation to real-life situations in a competitive environment, with each trader managing a mixed portfolio of $1m from Day 1.

Perks include boosting your CV / Personal Statement through membership, unparalleled access to financial analysis information, learning about work experience/careers in the sector, gaining edge to be employable in the highly competitive job market of today, all while having the opportunity to link in with professionals in the industry.

Our Jazz Band is an ensemble for pupils between grades 3-6 and rehearses once a week in preparation for end of term concerts. This is a feeder ensemble into the larger and more experienced Big Band, providing a transition to this more experienced ensemble as pupils gain more confidence and skill.

The Junior Equality Diversity and Inclusivity Committee will work together to foster an inclusive environment in Lower School where everyone feels comfortable and welcome, regardless of their age, ability, race, cultural heritage, gender, sexuality or beliefs. This will be the first year this committee will run, so the group will decide the areas it wants to focus on – but it is likely the group will research and prepare assemblies and articles to highlight such events as Black History Month, Pride, Women’s Day and religious festivals.

If you are a young person who believes that we can all learn from each other and celebrate our differences and our similarities, the Junior EDIC might be a group you want to consider joining. You do not need to have any particular knowledge or experience, just a willingness to listen to others and share your own ideas.

Performs during the year but especially for Lower School Gala Concert.

For all string players from beginner to about Grade 5 standard. The atmosphere is relaxed and the ensemble progress significantly throughout the year.

In the weekly sessions, Third and Fourth Year students learn how to prepare a language lesson (French, German, Spanish or any other native language), giving each other feedback and working together. They then go to a primary school at the end of each term to teach it to a group of pupils.

At the end of a full year students gain a Language Leader Award, which can count towards the volunteering or skills section of the DoE award. This activity will develop both your leadership skills and linguistic skills.

Law Mooting Society offers insights and training in legal advocacy. It’s for any Fourth or Fifth Year student thinking of applying to read law at university or simply interested in gaining a greater understanding of the principles of law and in learning how to build and defend legal arguments. Members of LMS take part in simulated court cases, often based on real life cases. This requires them to research a legal issue, draft a submission and participate in oral debate against an opposing counsel and before a judge. LMS provides workshops and training sessions to help members develop the skills they need to become confident and competent advocates. An integral part of legal training for centuries, Mooting is intellectually challenging, sometimes nerve-racking, and generally a lot of fun.

The Law Society meets every Monday for Middle School and Sixth Form students where we run mock trials, do presentations on different aspects of the law and legal practice and watch films or documentaries relating to famous legal cases. We also run activities that solicitors do, such as conveyancing for buying a house, probate cases and more.

Each week you will be given a theme and will use the 45 minutes to design and build something that fits the brief. At the end of the session there will be a group critique when you will get the chance to explain your thinking behind your building.

The Library Guild is open to students interested in supporting the running of the school library, increasing their understanding of how libraries work and developing skills in library administration. Regular activities include helping prepare books for the shelves, re-shelving books, tidying the library and discussing ways of improving the library service.

Students commit for a year at a time, at the beginning of their first, second or third year. For 4th Years, 5th Years and Sixth Formers, the Library Guild is limited to students who have previously committed.

Most students who join the Library Team remain with as they move up the school, taking on increasing responsibility for training and managing younger members of the team and developing valuable skills in ICT, information management, marketing and problem-solving.

Linguistics Club is for anyone interested in finding out more about how language works. We share some linguistics puzzles based on questions from the UK Linguistics Olympiad, and this is good preparation for competing in that in the Lent term; but the emphasis is enjoying discovering linguistic principles.

Joint activity with SHSK

The aim of the first year trip is to allow the students the opportunity to experience a wide range of outdoor activities and team building exercises within a purpose-built centre. The activities include abseiling, archery, climbing, a high ropes course and quad-biking.

The second year trip provides the opportunity to take things a stage further and includes similar activities to the first year trip, plus canoeing, gorge-walking and hill-walking – all in their natural environment within the Brecon Beacons. Both trips are residential and are organised with fully-qualified instruction.

A fun introduction to learning to program in Python.

The Lower School Geography Club encompasses a range of different aspects of Geography as well as a multitude of skills. The club will include using GIS, developing map skills, watching a range of Geographical documentaries, blog writing, fieldwork and creative geography alongside potential competitions. It is open to all Lower School pupils.

An opportunity to learn to play Go, a board game that has been around for over 3000 years and is played all over the world. No experience necessary or expected. Students are taught the rules (which only takes 5 minutes) and get to have fun playing against each other. They’re also given the chance to improve their game by completing puzzles and other activities.

This club is designed for those interested in fun activities related to history. Past activities have included the making of helmets and swords, constructing models of castles and battlefield scenes and big screen viewing of history-based movies and favourites such as ‘Blackadder’.

Lower School Lego Mindstorms Club combines programming and engineering/design techniques. Using the Lego Mindstorms technical lego pieces different robots are created and brought to life by using a programmable brick which takes control of its movements. A variety of tasks are set through the year, to stretch and challenge builders to develop their ability to program and problem solve within the Lego Mindstorms environment.

We meet to explore interesting and quirky areas of maths, play mathematical and logic-based games, and pit our wits against puzzling challenges. Everyone is welcome, even if you don’t feel that you’re a maths whizz!

Lower School Open Mic Club is an opportunity for pupils in the Lower School to expand their performing experience of modern musical genres in band settings. All abilities and instruments are welcome to come along, for an enjoyable session of music making.

Our Lower School Orchestra is an extension of the former Lower School Band and includes instruments from the full breadth of the orchestra. More experienced players are joined by pupils who have had several lessons as part of our First Year instrument taster scheme to form a larger ensemble of about 35-40 musicians. Performances take place in the Christmas Concert, Spring Concert and Lower School Gala Concert in June. It is hoped that this ensemble is the first major ensemble experience for pupils on their musical journey at Abingdon.

Lower School Science Club is an opportunity for pupils to partake in science projects and experiments outside of the curriculum. The pupils will have a chance to extend their science knowledge in a fun, hands-on environment.

In this club you will learn how to touch type, which is a method of typing without the use of sight. At the end of term, your fingers will instinctively go to the appropriate key, which is the primary aim of these sessions. Speed will come with practice, and especially to those who practise between sessions. Typing.com is a web-based program chosen for its smooth interface, great games and videos.

This is not a science club, this is a club for scientists. You will start with guided CREST Discovery Award projects, taking one or two sessions to complete, but then move on to design and carry out research projects of your own at Bronze Award level or above. Find out more about the British Science Association’s CREST Award scheme on their website, where you can also find project ideas if you haven’t got one of your own yet.

The Lower School Drama Club gives you an opportunity to be part of a creative ensemble, where playing lots of drama games and having fun is the top priority. You will use teamwork skills to create mini improvisations and sketches each week and gain confidence performing in front of others. Members of the club can audition for a large-scale production at the end of the year on the stage of the Amey Theatre!

Discover the cuisine of our MFL countries! In this club we will cook, bake & eat typical dishes of the countries where German and French is spoken. You will get the opportunity to pick up some French and German words and to take part in the annual Weihnachtsplätzchenbackwettbewerb (German Christmas Cookie Competition). Guten Appetit & bon appétit!

Mahjong is a family friendly game that is much like chess, very commonly played in East Asian households. The game contains 144 pieces with 4 suits and small “pictograms” of sorts that indicate its purpose and use, and in order to win one only has to achieve one of a wide variety of combinations.

The members of this club will consider challenging but enjoyable problems in Mathematics, ranging from UKMT questions, to MAT questions and STEP questions, and other problems on other entrance exam papers. The club is particularly relevant to those considering applying to university for a course with a strong mathematical requirement, such as Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science or Engineering or allied courses. We may also consider university-level mathematics. We have considered the SIR model for modelling the spread of infectious disease, and aspects of multivariable calculus. We have also provided our members with extra opportunities to participate in Mathematics competitions, such as the International Youth Math Challenge, the Ritangle competition and the Princeton challenge.

Come and make a short film in German or French a la Wallace and Gromit using plasticine and your iMotion App. Get creative and develop your languages in a hands-on way. You don’t need to be an artist or an expert in technology – just bring your ideas and enthusiasm and be a team player.

Through the Model United Nations Society we take delegations along to conferences throughout the year at other schools. At these we represent a country’s interest in debates. It’s an excellent way of building legal, political and debating experience as well as broadening knowledge of current and international affairs and socialising with other schools.

As an introduction to MUN, there is a Young MUN for Third Year students.

Since 2000, Abingdon has been supporting the work of AGAPE, a charity working with young people in Moldova, the poorest country in Europe. There is an annual Sixth Form visit to Moldova to run a summer camp for disadvantaged Moldovan children. The project represents an excellent chance to learn about a culture very different from our own – and to provide support and friendship to those in real need of it.

This activity enables a small group of selected students to learn about studio techniques and the history of audio recording, under the guidance of a Music Technologist. Lessons are also offered to students on a one-to-one basis and several students have gone on to forge careers in sound recording.

For those who wish to improve their music theory skills or are aiming to take an exam to progress further with their practical studies.  This weekly class is tailored to the specific needs of the pupils in question and is run by our graduate musician. 

The Abingdon School Netball Club has established itself as a very popular Other Half activity this academic year, promoting fitness, agility, and teamwork. The club is open to every year group.

Growth and Preparation for Competition

Netball has become an instant hit since its launch in the Michaelmas Term. The club is already well-attended, with representation from every single age group. We are proud to have 19 dedicated members developing their skills and love for the game.

• Developing Game Awareness: Our pupils are actively advancing their understanding of the game. Whether brand new to netball or having played before, they are realising how valuable their existing skills from other invasion games are to netball’s quick-thinking strategies and court movement.
• Training: Our sessions are focused on building essential skills, tactics, and communication. We also include Strength and Conditioning training led by our Sports Graduate.

Fixtures and Facilities: The Next Step

• Fixture Planned: We are thrilled to announce that we are finalising plans to play our first senior and junior fixture in the Lent Term. This will be a major milestone and a fantastic opportunity for our players to showcase their hard work.
• New Courts Coming in September 2026: We are eagerly anticipating the completion of the brand new, outdoor netball courts. These facilities will significantly enhance our training environment and provide the perfect home for the club which will only expand further as we transition into co-education.
• Core Sport: From September 2026, netball will be a core sport in the School.

Page to Stage is a chance for students across Third and Fourth Year to really get involved and learn more about the theatre making process. Each term, you will explore the works of a different playwright and focus on bringing key extracts from that writer’s repertoire to life. You will have to work as actors, directors and designers on their chosen scene extract to create live performance.

At a time when science has never been so important, a new magazine has been launched. With a plan of being published once per term, the publication will give students of all ages the chance to write articles on science topics that interest them. Topical, historic or niche, the aim is to reflect the breadth, relevance and excitement of science. It will be of interest to anybody with a passion for the subject and who enjoys writing.

The magazine will be student led, providing editorial and design opportunities.

It is recognised that there is growing evidence to suggest that a strong core and improved flexibility is key to sporting success. The classes focus on delivering a programme which seeks to improve pupils’ core strength in order to assist in keeping them injury free and stronger through their core.

Podcasting at Abingdon is growing in popularity. The Lower School Podcasting Club explores the medium of radio programme production, the most popular format to date is quiz making. In the Third Year Podcasting Club we look at radio programme production, using news casting, sports reporting and possibly even making jingles.

Open to anyone from third year to upper sixth with a love of poetry and an interest in exploring the art of verse speaking. Students learn poems by heart and enter a national competition if they wish. This group also takes part in National Poetry Day activities and helps to promote a love of poetry across the school.

Learn to program in Python.

Joint activity with SHSK

Reading Groups are for students who want to be adventurous in their reading and enjoy wide-ranging discussions of what they like and don’t like in a book. Groups collectively decide which books to read together, typically getting through two or three in a term.

Books and Biscuits – Lower School

The Lower School group focuses on fiction. In the Summer Term, we join with other local schools to shadow the annual Carnegie medal for the best children’s book of the year.

Novels and Nibbles – Third Year
Reading and Refreshments – Fourth Year

The Third and Fourth Year groups cover both fiction and non-fiction. Our discussions are wide-ranging and include the significance of literature and ideas in society.

Pupils may sign up for Rifle Club at the start of the year and are expected to commit themselves to one afternoon weekly. No experience is necessary since training is provided. Those who wear glasses are at no disadvantage (some of our best shots do). There is a trophy for the best beginner. Once at a reasonable standard, pupils are formed into teams and entered for postal competitions against other schools. We now have the opportunity to shoot in international matches against European schools. There is also an opportunity to participate in our annual exchange with the Stade team in Germany during the Easter holidays.

Lower School pupils may sign up for the eight-week Air Rifle Youth Proficiency Scheme. Successful completion of this course allows Lower School pupils to move on to .22 rifle shooting.

Recently, members of the Rifle Club have won County titles, and some have taken part in GB development training.

Learn how to build robots using DT, Electronics and Computer Science. Design and build competition robots.

Rugby Sevens is delivered across all age groups during the Lent Term and forms a key part of the School’s rugby provision. It is offered as a Core Sport and Other Half activity for Sixth Form pupils, and as an Other Half activity for U12-U16 pupils.

The programme is designed for pupils who enjoy rugby and wish to further develop their game in a fast-paced, skill-rich environment. Training places a strong emphasis on core skill development, supported by tactical decision-making, game understanding and spatial awareness, all of which are fundamental to success in the modern game.

Rugby Sevens at Abingdon provides a clear and progressive development pathway, supporting both individual growth and team performance. The combination of high-quality coaching, regular training and progressive competition also plays an important role in preparing senior pupils for representative honours and national selection opportunities.

The majority of major competitions take place after the Lent half-term for age groups. Each year, Abingdon competes at the Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens, with our U14 VII, U16 VII and 1st VII all participating.

In 2025, the 1st VII achieved the best Rosslyn Park National Sevens result in the School’s history, finishing inside the top 20 in the main U18 Cup competition – an outstanding reflection of the strength and progression of the Rugby Sevens programme.

Abingdon School Rugby is one of the school’s flagship sport programmes, combining breadth, performance and ambition. In 2025, more than 360 pupils from U12 to U18 represented the school across 20 teams, supported by a dedicated and experienced staff group of 26 coaches and teachers. Building on this depth, the 2024 season ranked as our seventh-best in the past 27 years, and in 2025 the 1st XV delivered the highest season win percentage in the school’s history.

Abingdon consistently competes against the leading rugby schools in the country, including Radley College and Eton College, and continues to perform with distinction on the national stage. Recent achievements include the U15s reaching the National Plate Final in 2022, alongside the 1st XV progressing to the last 16 and quarter-finals on two occasions in the past six seasons, underlining sustained competitiveness at the highest level of schools rugby.

The rugby sevens programme is equally strong. The U14, U16 and 1st VII teams regularly impress at the Rosslyn Park National Schools 7s, with the 1st VII finishing in the top 20 of the main Cup competition in 2025, competing against the very best school sides in the country.

Tours are central to the club’s ethos and player development. Middle School teams take part in annual UK tours, with recent highlights including the U14 tour to Bath and the U15s competing at the Langley School National Festival in October 2025. In July 2025, 56 Sixth Form pupils toured South Africa, playing nine fixtures and supporting a chosen charity – an outstanding experience that combined elite rugby, cultural immersion and meaningful social impact.

Player development is a core priority. Currently, 15 pupils are on academy and representative pathways, including four players involved at U17/U18 academy level. For the third consecutive year, an Upper Sixth leaver secured a rugby university scholarship in summer 2025, reflecting the strength of the programme’s performance and support structures. The pathway is exemplified by Charlie Atkinson (OA 2020), now a regular starter for Gloucester Rugby, who made his England Rugby debut in July 2025.

The programme is further enriched by our parent group, The Touchliners, who play a vital role in strengthening the rugby community through social events and shared experiences. Highlights include a November social, a trip to Twickenham for England v Japan last season, and a planned visit to a Premiership Rugby fixture in March 2026. In addition, the annual Touch Rugby Tournament, bringing together current pupils, parents and Old Abingdonians, remains a much-anticipated fixture in the calendar, with this year’s event taking place on Friday 19 June.

We mainly sail at Farmoor Reservoir, with beginners using boats owned by the Oxford Sail Training Trust and more advanced sailors making use of our extensive school fleet, which includes eight Standard Lasers, four RS500s, two 29ers and two SB20 keelboats.

Opportunities for sailors at Abingdon are varied and include learning to sail from scratch, developing racing skills in single handed, double handed and multi-crew boats and working towards RYA qualifications.

Abingdon’s sailing club has an active DofE program with expeditions offered under sail at Bronze, Silver and Gold Level. As an RYA recognised training centre we supplement the yachting side by offering and delivering RYA theory courses up to and including yachtmaster theory as well as the Diesel Engine course and RYA VHF radio course.

Highlights for the sailing club over the past few years include competing at Cowes week, competing in the SB20 World Championships and students passing their Day Skipper, Dinghy Instructor and Yachtmaster Qualifications (run in association with partner organisations).

Train to communicate your love of science through presenting, performing, writing, YouTubing, comic books or any other way you can think of.

This is an activity for anyone from 4th year upwards with a love of science and related subjects, especially those who want to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with others in a whole variety of different ways.

Flexible sessions will allow you to work on your own, in small groups or larger teams. Different methods of communicating will be developed to suit your own interests. Some expert help will be available from members of the Abingdon ATOM Festival team, producers of the Young Scientists Journal and Famelab judges among others. You will be supported to develop whichever style of communication interests you most or to develop new ideas of your own.

Scribble is a weekly creative writing club for the third year run in collaboration with SHSK. Whether you have ambitions to be the next Charles Dickens or whether you simply want to improve your creative writing and have the chance to share it with others in a constructive and congenial way, then you should seriously think about joining Scribble. The sessions cover a wide range of exciting and stimulating writing tasks in a range of forms and genres. The two terms culminate in the production of a publication which anthologises the work of the group.

Are you into fire and metal? Would you like to make your own copper and silver rings using raw materials and tools, sawing, filing, soldering? Then join the silversmiths. You will get to learn basic metal skills such as sawing, filing, bending and soldering before making a final piece for yourself or another person.

The Sinfonietta are our largest string ensemble, comprising of pupils from the full breadth of the pupil body. This large string ensemble has a weekly rehearsal and performs in the large-scale end of term concerts.

The Sixth Form Debating group meets every Thursday, principally to discuss ideas related to the weekly motion to be debated at the full Debating Society on Friday, although depending on the wishes of the group we also debate separate motions, practise speechwriting, hold balloon debates and even teach the basics of debating etiquette for beginners. Whether you’re a debating novice or seasoned expert, you’ll find something for you here.

An opportunity to listen to talks from distinguished visiting historians – and to discuss historical topics, informally. A range of topics will be addressed, often tied to the A level syllabus – but also designed to broaden historical perspectives. The society also stages a Christmas Quiz and end of term social gatherings.

Sixth Form Law Society is for anyone interested in Law, whether that’s because they’re thinking of applying to read Law at university or for pure enjoyment. Core activities include ‘Moots’ (mock trials) and debates on varied aspects of Law, in which everyone takes an active part; other activities include occasional outside speakers plus workshops supporting university applications.

If you are currently studying Spanish in sixth form, or speak some Spanish and are interested in learning about Spanish culture, this will be the club for you! The Spanish department’s purpose is to provide this weekly chance to have a deeper experience of the Hispanic world, that is, Spain and Latin America. A programme that includes movies, series, comedies, sports, and music is already in place, however, suggestions will be welcome.

The superb courts in the sports centre provide a focus for home matches and training. We have a highly promising squad of talented players throughout the school, trained by a Squash England coach.

Squash is available as a sports option to selected squad players in the Third Year and above, but other students will have opportunities to play at various times as an activity. Senior students and boarders are also able to play in their free time when the courts are not being used.

We had successful fixtures last year against Radley, St Edward’s and Stowe, and we will be selecting teams for more matches this year.

Try your hand at developing marketing strategies and collateral for different businesses across a variety of sectors.

Our 8 lane 25m swimming pool provides the ideal environment to develop swimming technique throughout the year. The squad train at allocated times within the sessions above and cover up to 10000m a week, with the possibility of dry land training during the Wednesday session. The majority of the galas are held in the Lent term, but we also enter swimmers for the English Schools National Championships in both the individual and relay events. It is recommended that the serious swimmers join the local club which uses the Abingdon School pool. For those that wish to swim recreationally there is space to swim within the allocated sessions and a program to improve fitness is provided.

The Symphony Orchestra is the school’s largest ensemble with 65-70 pupils, exploring a range of orchestral repertoire from symphonic works to stand alone orchestral pieces whilst in the summer term, the repertoire focuses on a theme. In the past two years, these have been concerts of World Music and Film Music. Each Michaelmas term, the Symphony Orchestra plays a complete symphony with performances of Dvorak 8th Symphony in 2024 and Dvorak 9th Symphony in 2025. A separate concert is scheduled for performance of Concerto movements for those pupils given experience to play a solo work accompanied by an orchestra comprised of professional and student musicians.

The Symphony orchestra is an auditioned ensemble with the string players being of a minimum of grade 6 level whilst the wind and brass parts are covered by pupils of grade 8 level. The Symphony Orchestra has a strong history of touring with recent visits to Czechia (2025), France and Belgium (2023), Japan (2019) and Germany (2017).

An opportunity for players of all abilities, but numbers are limited to about 20, so places are based on a first-come-first-served basis. At the top end the standard is very high and this year we aim to further develop our limited fixture list. To qualify for this sport you must be prepared to play every week.

The Tennis Club runs teams across the age groups, with coaching sessions and matches being held on the school hard courts, the MUSA, and the courts at Tilsley Park. Each age group has a significant number of coaching sessions per week in the Michaelmas and Lent Terms if they would like it and in the Summer Term tennis is offered as a core sport option for all Middle and /sixth Form students. All sessions are with Martin Butler, our tennis professional, and academic staff.

We hold block fixtures on Saturdays in the Summer Term and this can often see 60-70 students out playing tennis. Parents are warmly invited to attend fixtures, which are well supported, and this invitation comes with the added bonus of a match tea. We also have a number of fixtures during the week and these are mostly part of national competitions. The Club takes part in the Independent Schools League, Oxfordshire Independent Schools Competition, the Aegon Cup and the Independent Schools Tennis Association Tournaments held at Eton at the end of the Summer Term. There have been a number of unbeaten teams over the last few years and many players go on to gain county and even National honours.

All players in the club are eligible to sign up for a free British Tennis Membership, offering them a rating, free entry to the Wimbledon ticket ballot and other LTA membership offers.

The Abingdonian is an annual publication that provides a review of a year’s events at Abingdon. Those joining the editorial team will be responsible for commissioning and editing articles and designing the magazine layout with the aim of publication at the end of the Michaelmas Term.

The Axiom is the philosophy publication for Abingdon School with contributions from the pupils themselves. We meet once per week to critically discuss articles, works of philosophers and explore philosophy through film, art, music, science fiction and any other genre where philosophy is present. The Axiom gives the students the opportunity to write their own articles, submit creative contribution, edit the publication and design the layout. The Axiom is published at the end of each term. We aim to spark interest in the popular subject of philosophy and develop the creative juices of those already inspired.

‘The Blazer’, launched in 2011, is a magazine designed by Lower School pupils for Lower School pupils. Members of the editorial team write articles and conduct interviews with the aim of producing four issues a year.

Geography encompasses a range of hotly discussed topics in society today including inequality, climate change, environmental sustainability and the shrinking of our global community. There are so many topics to discuss and share opinions and thoughts on. The Geog Blog aims to give budding Geographers, writers, politicians and campaigners a platform to share thoughts and ideas as well as their research on contemporary topics across not only the Abingdon platform but the wider online community. The Geog Blog will also seek to work with other local schools.

‘The Martlet’ is Abingdon’s student newspaper, covering both school news and features, as well as national and international stories. If you are interested in journalism, creative writing, photography or working on the design side of the newspaper, please contact the team.

‘The Polyglot’ is a termly, student-led Modern Foreign Languages journal, which will cover the large and popular areas of languages, linguistics and foreign affairs. It comprises a variety of essays, reviews and interviews written in French, Spanish and German – in addition to a number of more meaty articles in English incorporating politics, opinion and history. The magazine is open to article proposals from all students and staff interested in languages and foreign cultures, and is looking for 4th/5th/6th formers to join the production and design team.

Take a trip into the unknown; as a wise man once said, ‘writing is exploration; and most of the time, I’m surprised where the journey takes me.’ Visit aspects of character, genre, setting, mystery and metafiction as we create our own pieces and publish our work. In the steps of Brin’s postman we walk through the harsh landscapes of reality and deliver the impossible.

The Third Year Service and Citizenship Scheme was set up to help pupils to develop a broader understanding of their place in the wider community (local, national and global) and to encourage them to make an active contribution to the society in which they live. All pupils in the Third Year who are not involved in CCF participate in the scheme.

A range of different activities is available for which students are invited to express their preferences at the beginning of the school year. They are then put into groups, which will change on a termly or half-termly basis.

In some cases students will go out into the local community to undertake activities ranging from visiting residential homes and entertaining the residents, to offering ICT help in the Abingdon town library. In other groups students will be acquiring life skills such as managing personal finance or touch-typing. Contemporary global issues will be covered by activities such as Environmental Service, Leadership and Politics and Citizenship.

Within the scheme, pupils will have the opportunity to do a basic First Aid course or some expedition training that will be particularly useful if they are thinking of participating in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme in the 4th year.

With such a wide range of activities on offer, students are able to gain experience of different aspects of service and citizenship and many choose to continue serving the community higher up the School.

Timeline is a history magazine which is written and edited by students. It comes out twice a year. Articles are on subjects the students are interested in and anyone can submit work.

Touch Rugby is a fast paced and energetic game that removes the physical nature of the 15-a-side game, focusing on skills and game awareness. Four small sided games are played on Upper Field outside the front of Big School each team being led by an older student from either the U16A XV or one of the Senior XVs. With between seven and ten on a team there is much more time on the ball and the removal of the contact allows a more level playing field. It provides an excellent opportunity for students of all years to mix and for younger pupils to learn vital skills from those older than themselves.

Volleyball provides pupils with the opportunity to engage in a fast-paced, technically demanding and highly tactical team game. The School currently fields one senior volleyball team, open to students in Fifth Year and Sixth Form, with structured weekly training in our sports hall delivered as part of the Other Half programme.

The senior team compete in the Independent Schools National Volleyball Competition. This significant achievement reflects the dedication, discipline and ambition of the players, as well as the rapid and impressive development of volleyball at our school.

With strong foundations firmly established and enthusiasm for the sport on an upward trajectory, volleyball at Abingdon is well positioned for further success and provides an exciting opportunity for senior pupils to represent the School in an emerging competitive arena.

At Warhammer Club Lower School pupils will have the opportunity to build and paint miniatures and then battle it out with each other in games of Warhammer: Age of Sigmar.

Water Polo is a fast-paced and physically demanding hybrid of swimming, basketball and rugby. The students train together on Fridays. The teams compete against Eton and Stowe (for example) and often as part of a ‘double-bill’ with swimming competitions. Matches and training with the Oxford University Men’s team takes place on an ad hoc basis. New players are always welcome to come along for a trial. No previous experience is necessary but being a confident swimmer is essential.

Words & That is a collaborative student-led literary publication. It combines the best of Abingdon’s talent and showcases all forms of art, music, cultural debate and creative writing.

Students work together to produce an innovative and dynamic publication each term.

It’s a great opportunity for those of you with imaginative flair, an interest in design, art, poetry, fiction writing and current affairs.

The School has a strong tradition of embarking on challenging and adventurous trips and expeditions to various parts of the globe. They are for anyone interested in trekking and experiencing new cultures and climates. Trips have included: expeditions to Nicaragua and Costa Rica, Madagascar and throughout Europe. Students have also experienced dog sledging and cross-country skiing in the Arctic and cosmonaut training in Russia.

In a recent trip to Madagascar students spent one week in the jungle working with research scientists to study jungle species and record ecology data. The second week was spent learning about coral reef ecology and studying the species that make up the coral reef while scuba diving.

The trips are designed to be challenging, both mentally and physically, with students taking responsibility for much of the organisation themselves (both before and during the trip). It is hoped the students will develop their leadership skills and ability to work as a team during the expeditions. With many trips students are asked to raise a substantial portion of the cost of the trip themselves.

Yoga is all about bringing greater attention and appreciation to the present moment, to give you “brain space” if you like, as well as time to get away from, and take control of, the stresses and strains of everyday modern, sedentary living. With practice it can also help you to cope with challenges to both your physical and mental health and wellbeing in a proactive and pragmatic way. Yoga teaches this by focusing your mind and body on the practice in the present moment itself, holding and relaxing into poses, and recognising the physical stresses and strains on the body as you strengthen your core and limbs, as well as increase flexibility along the way.

The Other Half activity looks at four main yoga focus threads throughout the term:

The breath, and focus on the present moment
The poses (asanas)
The transition between asanas
The concept of bandhas and incorporation of other ancient, Eastern philosophies

Young Enterprise provides the opportunity to set up and run your own company. You will sell shares to raise capital and elect directors to manage the day-to-day running of your business. You will be part of a national competition and you will need to sell your goods or service in the real world to customers who demand quality and competitive prices. This is an activity for highly motivated individuals with entrepreneurial instincts.