Head’s Letters

Friday 6 July 2018

Dear Parents

It seems like only yesterday that I stood outside the front entrance welcoming the boys into school on the first day of term in September, rather conscious of the fact I did not know any boys’ names, let alone parents’ names! The year has simply flown by, and I certainly feel far more comfortable standing outside welcoming you all into school now!

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year here at Abingdon Prep, and feel very fortunate to be part of this warm community with such delightful and talented boys. It has been a very special year for me with the birth of our first child coinciding with becoming Headmaster here. I think I can safely say that I am looking forward to a more restful first week of the holidays, if Quinn shows willing…

Yesterday evening’s Summer Concert was an enchanting way to wrap up such a busy term. It was lovely to see all of the boys involved and showcasing their musical talents. We are very fortunate to have so many outstanding musicians in school.

Our end of term Prize Giving was a splendid way to celebrate the achievements of the year and to recognise our impressive cohort of Year 8 boys, many of whom have been with us since Reception. They have distinguished themselves in so many different areas over the years and I hope they will look back in years to come with fond memories of their time here and the friendships they have made. I know they will be moving on to their new schools well prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

On Tuesday this week three of our boys travelled to the Alexandra Stadium in Birmingham to compete in the National Prep Schools Athletics finals. Rather impressively, all three won medals so we now have the U11 High Jump champion, the U13 Long Jump Champion and the second fastest U13 1500m runner in our midst. I have never before worked in a school where such results have been achieved at this event. The boys should be immensely proud of their efforts.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of those involved with our Abingdon Prep community a very enjoyable and relaxing summer holiday and I look forward to welcoming the boys back in September, hopefully knowing a lot more names this time around! I try not to tempt fate by mentioning the World Cup but we can live in hope. Too late – I have mentioned it!

Best wishes

Craig

Friday 29 June 2018

Dear Parents

Summer feels like it is well and truly upon us. The boys have been in shirt sleeve order all week and the sun cream has been a necessity. The boys have continued to be busy and working hard in the lead up to the end of year celebrations.

We welcomed our Year 8s back from France with sun tans topped up and plenty of stories to tell. The theme park rides after a heavy lunch seem to have been a highlight, or lowlight, depending on who you talk to! It was a wonderful way for them to celebrate the end of their school careers at Abingdon Prep and create lasting memories of their time here with us.

Perhaps my highlight of the week was the unbelievable performances at the house music competition. The standard was remarkable and it proved that Music is flourishing here at Abingdon Prep, from the youngest boys right through to the Year 8s. What heartened me further was the obvious appreciation of the musical talent on show from the boys watching. The Summer Concert next week is not one to be missed, judging by the performances this week!

There have been cricket matches aplenty this week with close matches against Pinewood last Saturday and equally good games for our U8s and U9s against MCS. It was a pleasure to see so many boys playing on Wednesday and I took the 7ths across to St Hugh’s where we succumbed to a 6 run defeat. We have six matches this Saturday against Cothill so I look forward to seeing many parents on the boundary.

On Tuesday it was Move Up day and we were delighted to welcome 42 boys into Abingdon Prep. It was a great opportunity for them to meet our boys again and the start of many new friendships were formed, as well as a chance for our boys to meet their new form teacher for September.

Year 7 have had a very busy week. Yesterday saw them taking part in a Courtroom Experience and today they are visiting the High Ropes and Laser Tag centre. I think the boys were quite surprised by the procedures in the courtroom, especially when it was our very own French teacher, Lynne, who was sat before them in the dock! It was certainly a great learning experience about the justice system in this country and I would like to thank all those involved for bringing this experience to life.

Today, Reception and Year 1 have visited Cotswold Wildlife Park and I will look forward to hearing all about the animals they have seen when I visit their forms later on. There may well be some tired boys after walking round on such a hot day. Our Year 8s may be just as tired as they have also been out today, walking along a section of the Ridgeway. If you have never done parts of this walk before then I would recommend you try it out over the summer as some of the views are simply spectacular.

Last Saturday evening we had a wonderful time at the Summer Ball. The whole evening was fabulous with some rather impressive 80s outfits on show and an impressive band playing covers of every 80s song you could wish to hear. Thank you to the wonderful team for organising it and to all those who attended. I thoroughly enjoyed the night and I know those I spoke with felt the same.

As we move into the final week of the school year, may I remind you that on the Friday, for those boys in the Pre-Prep and with siblings in the Pre-Prep and boys who use the mini-bus service, term ends at 12 noon. For all other boys in Years 3 to 8, parents can collect between 12.15 and 12.30, with Year 8 leavers joining their parents for a reception straight after Prize Giving.

This final week is a great opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the year and even to set goals for next year. Before then though, we have our final week of term which will be busy and full of celebration.

Best wishes

Craig

Friday 22 June 2018

Dear Parents

It is hard to imagine a busier week at Abingdon Prep than the one just past. So much has been happening and the boys are certainly enjoying being outside in the warm weather.

On Monday Year 7 visited Sutton Courtenay Environmental Centre where they launched themselves into a range of environmental activities and gained so much knowledge about a topic that will be very important to them as they move through their lives. Taking care of our environment and endeavouring to leave it in a better state for the next generations is something towards which we should all be trying to work. After all, we only have one planet and we should be looking after it.

Our matches this week saw us take on a very strong set of teams from The Oratory Prep School and some of the cricket on show, batting in particular, showed our boys what can be achieved. The 100 not out from an U11A player was an exhibition of impressive batting and our boys will have learnt from watching it. We also participated in an U12 and U10 cricket tournament where shorter games were played and we acquitted ourselves well at both events. Tomorrow we have fixtures against Pinewood and I look forward to taking our U10s over there for their games.

Today, Pre-Prep held their Summer Concert and Teddy Bear’s Picnic. The standard of music and performance was very high and I think it is very clear that we have some excellent musicians coming up through the school. It was a pleasure to celebrate the end of the year in such a way.

Pre-Prep have had a very busy week with their Sports Day taking place on Monday. The weather was kind and all the boys ran, threw, and jumped their way around different events. Unicorn ended the day victorious and certainly enjoyed their victory lap of honour. It was delightful to see the boys enjoying each and every event.

Yesterday we held our Year 3 and 4 House Swimming Gala. Although I was unfortunately unable to attend, I have heard great reports about it and have been told that we have some very talented swimmers in the junior section. It was a very closely contested event but the eventual winner was Phoenix.

For Years 3 to 8, last Saturday was a great highlight in the sporting calendar with Sports Day taking place at Tilsley Park. We are extremely lucky to be able to host this event at a real athletics track and stadium, and the boys certainly rose to the occasion. There were a number of school records and some outstanding performances. It was very rewarding to see the boys supporting each other and their houses with such enthusiasm. Again, an extremely close event saw Phoenix as the victorious house.

Athletics also took centre stage on Tuesday with the Mercia Regional qualifiers at Tilsley Park. Our boys performed admirably in an event for over a thousand participants and three of them have qualified for the National Athletics Finals at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. This is a fantastic achievement, and I look forward to seeing them compete against the very best in the country in their respective age groups.

Our Year 8s have been having a wonderful time in Normandy this week and will return at midnight tonight. Lynne has been keeping me updated with their sandcastle building exploits and talent show mishaps! I look forward to hearing all about it directly from the boys next week.

Our annual Book Swap took place this week too, and it has been encouraging to see so many books being taken to new homes and enjoyed by their new owners. Thank you to our library staff for organising this.

The Verse Speaking Competition took place this week for Years 3 to 6, and again I was full of admiration for the boys’ clear and confident delivery of their chosen pieces at such a young age. I know that I would certainly have struggled to do that back in 1985!

House Captain hustings took place yesterday and I am looking forward to announcing the names of the new house captains and vice-captains for next year, to the respective houses. I was thoroughly impressed by the thought and preparation that had gone into the boys’ speeches, and they certainly had some interesting ideas for next year.

Finally, I would like to thank the JPA, and Susie in particular, for all their work in organising the Summer Ball tomorrow. It will be a very enjoyable evening and I am looking forward to seeing many of you there. I have opted for black tie rather than the 80s outfit, but I cannot wait to see what some have been able to find at the back of their wardrobes!

Best wishes

Craig

Friday 15 June 2018

Dear Parents

I would like to begin my letter this week by congratulating our Year 8 boys who have received such impressive Common Entrance results this week. They should be very proud of their achievements and also now be looking forward to the new challenges and opportunities which will present themselves at senior school in September. There is no substitute for hard work and these boys are proof of that. They now have three final exciting weeks to look forward to, starting with their visit to Normandy next week. I wish them all a wonderful time, and hope that the weather is kind. The Year 8s were also introduced to the Head of Career Guidance at Abingdon School this week, who gave a very informative talk about careers in general and the choices that the boys have ahead of them. It was a very thought-provoking session, and many of the boys will undoubtedly be spending time with Mr Triff when they are at Abingdon School.

Sports Day for Years 3 to 8 takes place tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing the boys competing at Tilsley Park and hope to see many of you there supporting them. The Pre-Prep boys will have their chance to shine on Monday on Cox’s Fields across the road. The boys have been practising hard for these two events and I am sure they will thoroughly enjoy the occasions.

Grandparents’ Afternoon for Years 3 to 6 takes place later today and I am looking forward to watching the boys proudly show their grandparents the work they have been doing this term. It is always a delightful occasion bringing the different generations together and sharing experiences of school life, past and present.

International Day took place for boys from Reception to Year 4 yesterday, with costumes and activities themed around the countries of Australia, Gambia and Japan. The boys wore colourful and eye-catching outfits and they certainly learnt a lot about the cultures and lifestyles of each of these countries. It is wonderful that we live in a multicultural society where we can enjoy finding out so much about other customs and ways of life.

Griffin House also held their ‘Wear a nasty tie to school’ day yesterday to raise money for their chosen charity, Great Ormond Street Hospital. Some of the boys had certainly taken the title of the day to heart judging by the ties on show. The staff too worried me a little that they still had such ties in their wardrobes!

On Tuesday the U8s and U9s all played cricket against strong Oratory Prep School sides, and whilst they may not have won, there were certainly some much improved performances from many of the boys. On Wednesday our U11s and U10s played St Andrew’s Prep and once again there were some strong performances with bat and ball in close matches. Our seniors were playing their Abingdon contemporaries and the highlight result was a great win for our 1st XI in the final over of the match.

I look forward to seeing many of you either on Saturday or Monday, and fingers crossed for some sunshine to accompany those popular events in our calendar.

Best wishes

Craig

Friday 8 June 2018

Dear Parents

For thirty of our Year 8s, this week has been the week they have been working towards throughout their school careers to date. They have been sitting their Common Entrance exams to their chosen senior school. They were all in good spirits at the start of the week and did not seem to flag. I have no doubt that their hard work will be rewarded with excellent results next week. I commend them all on their positive approach to these exams and know that they will enjoy the final four weeks of their time here at Abingdon Prep.

On Wednesday, 8R gave their Crest Science presentations to their parents. I was fortunate to be able to watch most of them and I cannot describe how impressive the boys were. The investigations were fascinating and the topic matter ranged from sound wave patterns to toothpaste quality to cricket bat design to power station electromagnetic coils! The designs of the experiments were extremely inventive and showed the adaptability needed to produce scientific data which they could analyse and then draw their conclusions. I shall be changing my choice of toothpaste having seen one presentation and learnt all about the use of microbeads in certain brands. The boys really demonstrated their understanding and knowledge of scientific experimentation.

Cricket matches resumed this week with our U11s and U10s playing Moulsford Prep School. Every boy in these year groups competed and it was wonderful to see so many boys out on the cricket pitch testing themselves against strong opposition, with the U10Cs one run victory perhaps being the highlight. On Thursday our U8s and U9s played Christ Church Cathedral School. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the U8s in their two wins with some impressive catching and bowling. Our U9s were also victorious and can be delighted by the progress that they have made so far this season.

Thursday also saw Year 5 visit Portsmouth Dockyard to spend the day on HMS Victory. The boys had an unforgettable time viewing Nelson’s ship at close quarters and experiencing the conditions on board first hand. If you have never visited, I can thoroughly recommend a trip in the summer, to see not only HMS Victory but also the Mary Rose Museum and HMS Warrior. Our boys were lucky enough also to see the newest addition to the Royal Navy’s fleet, the aircraft carrier The HMS Prince of Wales, in port whilst they were there. The size of it was something to behold by all accounts.

At half term two of our Year 5 boys joined forces with two girls from The Manor Prep School and played in the U11 IAPS tennis finals at Millfield Prep. Our boys acquitted themselves extremely well, especially as they were playing a year young. I know they are looking forward to returning next year again.

Today has been Home Clothes day for Griffin House after they won the house points competition last half term. The boys certainly made the most of the warmer weather today with shorts almost mandatory. A well-earned treat.

Tomorrow, eight of our boys will be representing Abingdon Prep in the relays and individual races at the IAPS swimming finals at the London Aquatics Centre. Qualifying for the finals is a very impressive achievement and I wish all the boys the best of luck.

My wife Hannah and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all so much for your kind wishes and messages of support following the birth of our son, Quinn, in the week before half term. Hannah and Quinn are both doing very well and I hope that we will be able to bring him in to School next week to say his first hello to the Abingdon Prep community. A lack of sleep is rapidly becoming normality so I apologise if the bags under my eyes seem to be getting larger when I greet you in the mornings!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Best wishes

Craig

Friday 18 May 2018

Dear Parents

I would like to start my letter this week by expressing my admiration for all our boys who gave up their free time on Sunday last week to do a sponsored swim in the pool at Abingdon School. Every one of them swam to help raise money for our School charities, covering a staggering forty miles between them! For some, six lengths were a huge effort and achievement, whilst other more regular swimmers managed forty lengths. The quantity of lengths, however, is irrelevant, as it was the sense of camaraderie and the importance of fundraising for charity which shone through, and I extend my sincere thanks to all the boys.

Exam season has begun with Common Entrance French Orals and Maths listening tests this week for our Year 8 boys. Next week sees the start of the Year 3 – 6 exams and I know the boys are working hard in the run-up to these. A calm sense of purpose is needed, as well as a determination simply to do the best that one can. Some revision would also be of great benefit at this stage.

The start of the week saw an enormous variety of cakes coming through our doors, with the Pre-Prep and Phoenix House cake sales. Some of our boys and parents had clearly spent hours producing some delicious bakes, and again I thank them for all their efforts with this. The money generated will again be going to our School charities.

Class pairings took place yesterday, with a theme of the Royal Wedding. There were some expertly designed castles, colourful flags, bunting and numerous dragons appearing, all in royal colours, with our older boys supporting and assisting the younger ones. Listening to some of their thoughts about what might happen at the wedding was certainly very entertaining, and we all wish the happy couple the very best for their wonderful day tomorrow. Having been at Eton College yesterday for a meeting, I was not surprised to find a great many road closures in the area, in anticipation of the big day at Windsor.

The weather was kind to us again on the cricket field this week. Our U8s and U9s all participated in their first cricket matches of the season, and the U8s enjoyed their first ever school cricket match. I have heard that the boys thoroughly enjoyed their debut, and as an avid cricketer myself, hope that this is just the beginning of their journey with bat or ball in hand. Before our baby arrives, I have agreed to play a ‘doubleheader’ this weekend, with a game on both Saturday and Sunday. This may not happen again for a while!

Our senior teams all managed to secure good victories over Crosfields this week with our U11s and U10s sharing the spoils with results. I wish the 1st XI the best of luck on Monday, when they will be journeying to Gloucestershire to play Beaudesert Park School for the third round of the IAPS Cup.

I was delighted to see so many of you this morning for coffee and a catch up, and I was very impressed with the restraint shown by so many when it came to the pains au chocolat. Sadly, I was not quite so abstemious with the leftovers.

I know many of you will be attending the whole school concert platform this afternoon and I look forward to seeing you. These are always most enjoyable events with the boys showcasing their talent, and most importantly, their love of music.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend, and that you enjoy the continuing pleasant Spring sunshine.

Best wishes

Craig

Friday 11 May 2018

Dear Parent

What a difference a few days of warm sunshine make. Abingdon Prep feels so welcoming with the wisteria blooming, and the smell of freshly cut grass pervading the School. The boys have certainly enjoyed their break times with the warm weather and shirt sleeve order, not to mention a four day week!

The cricket season is finally underway too. Our 1st XI have started strongly with a final over win against St Hugh’s in the national knock out cup, and a convincing win over Cricklade Manor. The warm weather training camp in the holidays clearly has been paying dividends. U11 teams shared the spoils with Cothill on Wednesday with impressive bowling performances but work required with bat in hand, whilst the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th teams all performed well against Cothill and Caldicott, despite not quite being able to register a win.

On Thursday evening I visited the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford to see the wonderful artwork produced by children in Oxfordshire Schools, on the theme of ‘Journeys’. Abingdon Prep boys had numerous pieces exhibited and they should be immensely proud of their work. Hundreds of people were touring the galleries and all appeared to be extremely impressed by the standard of art on show. Artweeks at Abingdon Prep is almost upon us and I would encourage you to drop in for tours at the given times if you possibly can, to see work produced by our boys.

Year 5 have been away this week on their PGL residential in Liddington. I called to see them yesterday, and saw some very brave abseiling, aeroball and kayaking, all undertaken in glorious sunshine. The boys were relishing the challenges, and it was heartwarming to see them shouting encouragement to their peers at the top of the abseiling towers. Bringing people closer together is something that can never be undervalued.

Some of our Year 7 and 8s competed earlier in the week at Tilsley Park for an Abingdon School Athletics event. There were strong performances in the sprints and the relays which bodes well for Sports Day later this term.

3L gave a delightful personal message about May Day and traditional activities like Maypole and Morris dancing, in their whole school assembly this week. So many of the boys had spent Bank Holiday Monday outside in the beautiful weather playing games and visiting friends and relatives. A few boys had even seen some Morris dancing!

The Life Education Bus is visiting Abingdon Prep today, and again early next week, with year groups taking turns to have sessions learning about a variety of life skills and choices that we make which affect our bodies both positively and negatively. This sends a really important message to our boys about the importance of making good choices.

I hope you all have a good weekend and may I take this opportunity to remind you about next Friday morning’s Coffee and Catch Up with me. It would be lovely to see some of you in the Drama Studio between 8.15-9.15am for a hot drink, pastry and a chat.

Best wishes

Craig

Friday 4 May 2018

Dear Parents

Another week has flown by here at Abingdon Prep. On Tuesday, Year 6 visited Oxford Central Mosque to support some of their learning in RE this term. The boys were stunned by the beauty inside the Mosque and were able to see for themselves what they had previously only seen in textbooks or photographs. Firsthand experience is an exciting way to learn.

Wednesday brought the rain again, but it did not dampen spirits at our Open Morning. It was a warm and friendly event with some more prospective families able to see for themselves what Abingdon Prep has to offer. Our Year 7 tour guides acquitted themselves admirably again, and were excellent ambassadors for Abingdon Prep, receiving compliments from many a guest.

As is so often the case, the weather was not ‘playing ball’ for the first cricket matches of the season, which sadly had to be cancelled. However, if forecasts are to be believed, drier weather is on its way over the next few weeks, so I look forward to seeing our boys play in their first matches very soon. I know they are desperate to get out onto our beautifully prepared squares. My game was also sadly rained off last week, so I, too, am looking forward to starting the season this weekend.

Yesterday evening, the Year 5 parents and I were treated to an outstanding Year 5 Soiree with music, public speaking and drama taking centre stage. It was a delightful event, with informal picnics being taken in the Hall whilst our boys performed poetry, sketches and a medley of songs from the musical, ‘Oliver’. The standard was superb, and I commend all the Year 5 boys for their excellent production.

I would like to finish my letter this week with congratulations. Last Saturday we sent four Year 7 boys to compete in the IAPS U13 Table Tennis Championships at Edge Grove. All four boys were a great credit to school playing some exciting matches but Todd managed to defeat all who came before him to become National Champion (a year young!). A fantastic achievement indeed, and one of which Todd and the School should be extremely proud.

I hope you all have a great Bank Holiday weekend and enjoy the sunshine and warm weather that is predicted.

Best wishes

Craig

Friday 27 April 2018

Dear Parent

Welcome back to the Summer Term. I hope you all managed to have an enjoyable Easter holiday, whether you stayed at home like me or you managed to go further afield for some sunshine or snow in the mountains. The boys certainly seem to have returned with renewed energy, ready to throw themselves into the activities of the busy term ahead. A couple of lovely warm days have certainly been most welcome this week, despite writing this with rain currently cascading down the windowpane.

In the final week of the holiday, nineteen of our Year 7 and 8 boys attended a pre-season cricket camp in Murcia, Spain. Four beautifully warm and sunny days provided perfect conditions for our boys to train hard and improve their cricketing skills vastly in a short space of time. The wonderful swimming pool and resort may also have helped to make their trip such a successful one. It was very pleasing to hear that our boys were excellent ambassadors for Abingdon Prep whilst they were away, and I am looking forward to watching plenty of cricket in the coming months.

At school we also ran a pre-season training session for the Year 5 and 6s, and a smaller group of Year 7 and 8s who were not in Murcia. It was lovely to see their enthusiasm for a game very close to my heart! Sadly both of my own pre-season cricket matches have been rained off so far this month but I am hoping finally to play tomorrow in Berkshire. 50 overs keeping wickets may lead to some aching muscles for me on Monday!

I have been very impressed with the extremely imaginative designs and creations that so many of the boys have produced for the CDT recycled bottle challenge over the holidays. If you haven’t yet seen some of them on display in the foyer, do take the opportunity to come and look. There have been some extraordinary designs and ideas from all year groups, including ships, garden planters, flamethrowers, planes and robots!

Term has started at a pace, with our Year 7s already off on their three day residential trip to Whitehaven this week, where they have been undertaking adventure activities and team building exercises. I am looking forward to hearing their stories on their return and seeing the photos of them in action. Residential trips are an enjoyable way to reinforce and develop team building and leadership skills, and to create memories that will stay with the boys forever. I see them as an invaluable part of education. I certainly still remember my trips as a child, as I am sure many of you will too.

Other Half has started this week and I am delighted to see so many boys seizing the opportunity to try new activities or hone their skills in others. All we now need is some consistently warm weather and sunshine for the term ahead. We can but hope!

Best wishes

Craig

Thursday 29 March 2018

Dear Parent

We have reached the last day of the Spring Term and I am greatly looking forward to delivering the Easter service to the boys later this morning. It has been an eventful term with everything from a snow day to a visit from the Easter Bunny.

On Saturday last week I was lucky enough to attend the Pre-Prep and Year 3 Easter Eggstravaganza. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, as did the boys, especially with so much chocolate around. There were craft stalls, treasure maps, chick racing (the wind-up variety, of course), an Easter egg hunt and the ever popular chocolate tombola. The Easter Bunny was hopping around doing high-fives with the boys and there was a wonderful sense of fun and camaraderie. The hardest part of the morning was trying to judge the magnificent Easter bonnets and Easter gardens. The boys had produced so many superb designs and I know that everyone who saw them was impressed. Many of them were back on show for the Easter Parade in Pre- Prep and the egg painting and rolling down the mound later in the week. With the lighter evenings and the warmer (I think) weather, this is a lovely time of year.

On Tuesday a guest presenter came to run three separate Architecture Workshops for Year 2, Year 4 and Year 6. The boys had to plan, design and create bridges, Viking longboats or octagonal bird houses. The finished products were very impressive and the boys had great enjoyment experiencing something completely different. CDT is thriving at Abingdon Prep.

During the holidays, nineteen of our Year 7 and 8 boys will be flying off for five days to Spain for a warm weather pre-season cricket camp. I’m sure they will have a wonderful time and benefit enormously from the cricket training. They are very much looking forward to the Summer Term and all of the exciting events ahead, as am I. I would encourage you all to look at the calendar online and see what your son may be involved in.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the boys for their efforts this term. It has been a very busy and very successful one in so many different areas of school life. I hope that you all have something nice planned for the break, and I wish all of the Abingdon Prep community a very Happy Easter. Please do access our website (in latest news) to see a slide show of events from the term which I shared with the boys in our Easter service today.

Best wishes

Craig

Final Thunk – if I borrow every single book from a library, is it at that point any less of a library than when it was full of books?