APS News 16

2 January 2017 Abingdon Prep News It seems like only yesterday that I was welcoming parents and pupils into school on my first day of term. Time has flown by and I feel very much a part of the Abingdon Prep community, especially now I know what people are talking about when they mention ‘Firestorm’ and ‘The Bazaar’! Prep schools are notoriously busy places and Abingdon Prep is certainly one of the busiest I have ever worked in, and that is no bad thing. It simply means that in addition to the high standards of the academic curriculum, the boys get to experience so much more. This term alone has seen residential trips to The Ridgeway for Year 4 and Cornbury Bushcraft for Year 6. As day trips, Year 4 have visited Christ Church in Abingdon, Year 5 the Black Country Museum, Pre-Prep have been to Cogges Farm and Roves Farm, Year 8 to the Natural History Museum in Oxford, along with pantomime trips for several year groups. These visits help make education real and are vital to ensuring the development of a life-long love of learning. Our other half program continues to thrive with over fifty clubs on offer in the Michaelmas Term. Music, Art and Drama are huge strengths at Abingdon Prep with all boys involved in one way or another. Every boy has represented school in Rugby matches this term. We have some fine sportsmen coming From the Headmaster up through the younger years and the facilities in place to support them. Being Headmaster of Abingdon Prep is a very fulfilling role, as I have the pleasure of overseeing and encouraging the growth of each and every child in the school. I hope all my terms here are just as rewarding as this one has been. Craig Williams Meeting Year 4 boys on Craig’s first day OPEN MORNING Tuesday 27 February 9:30am Prospective parents are warmly invited to our Open Morning on Tuesday 27 February. Tours start at 9.30am and you will have the opportunity to tour the school with our senior boys and to see us ‘at work’ on a normal day. Following the tours, the Headmaster will address parents and there will be plenty of opportunity to talk to staff and boys and for the Admissions team to answer any questions you may have. This year pupils and staff joined together at 11am on Friday 10 November to commemorate those who have fought and those who have given their life or limbs in conflicts to help defend our country, democracy, values and way of life. A two- minute silence was observed and the Last Post was played by Ruairi in 7A. This followed an assembly the day before, presented by boys in 5S, in which they told the school about key events from 100 years ago, in 1917. This included some personal stories from their own families which told of relatives who had served in different theatres of operations around the world, including in the armed forces of allies such as France, Italy and India, as well those of We shall remember them Britain. It also included reference to ex-Abingdon pupils who had fought and died at the Battle of Passchendaele, which came to symbolise the horrific conditions and sacrifice encountered on the Western Front during WWI. Stefan Gerrard Gardening and Eco Club (Thursdays after school) had a bumper harvest of beets, marrows and squashes this autumn (left). The boys really relish digging their patches down in the garden. We also took part in the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize for the first time this year, with a panel of boys from Years 5-7 looking at the shortlisted science books in summer term, before agreeing a winner this autumn. The boys chose Home Lab by Robert Winston (right) - and enough of the other school panels agreed as it went on to win this year’s prize.