APS News No. 17

abingdon.org.uk/prep 3 Abingdon Prep News British summer time is finally with us. The winter has seemed especially long this year but with the Spring bulbs surging upwards, and the colours of joy reaching for the sky, there is a definite sense of both joy and relief among our 2018 scholarship cohort. This year twenty boys applied for scholarships to senior schools, across all disciplines, and we are very proud to report that APS pupils were awarded eight scholarships across the spectrum of assessed areas. The first news to break of scholarship success was in Music. Josef was delighted to hear that the Music department at Abingdon were very impressed with his bassoon, saxophone and piano playing. He received the news via a telephone conversation with Craig, and I know that he was very pleased that his hard work over many years had been recognised. The strength of Art at Abingdon Prep is extremely high. It is always such a joy to see the changing vistas in our hall as new art displays are added each term that showcase the work of our budding young artists. Xander is one of many pupils who has enjoyed the opportunities available here, and as a result of his exceptional portfolio and assessment pieces, has been awarded an Art Scholarship at Abingdon. In his usual, understated fashion, he received the news with humility and good humour. Farewell to Jennifer This Easter we bid farewell to Jennifer Brown, whose commitment to teaching English and Drama has been unfailing. In lessons the boys have benefitted from her creativity and drive, and as staff our delivery of the English curriculum has been enriched by her expertise and willingness to share ideas. Without a doubt, the memory that will endure will be the fabulous production of Smike that we enjoyed watching a few weeks ago. As director she had very high expectations of the boys and was not afraid to demand high standards! We would like to wish Jennifer the very best of luck in her new role at Sherborne Prep, where we have no doubt she will continue to flourish. Roger Owen Scholarship Success Hugo, who played the role of Mr Squeers in Smike , auditioned for a Drama Scholarship in February. He attended a full day of auditions, delivering pre-rehearsed material and taking part in group activities as part of the day. He has always loved the stage and has developed a commanding presence in front of an audience. He was duly awarded a Drama Scholarship and we will look forward to seeing him in future productions at Abingdon School. The first to learn of academic success was Tom, who undertook scholarship exams at MCS in February. He performed admirably, learning of his successful outcome the following week. He reported to me that upon receiving the letter he was incredibly scared, but upon reading of the outcome, was slightly overcome with emotion! Tom’s result came first, but was swiftly followed by a string of academic successes as results from Abingdon School were released, with four further scholarships being awarded. Johnny, Thomas, Alexander and Freddie were offered scholarships, with each attaining high grades across the examined curriculum. Looking ahead, each of our boys who put themselves forward for a scholarship has every reason to be very pleased with the effort they put into the process, and the results they generated. We are incredibly proud of their efforts and will look forward to hearing about their progress as they move into their senior schools. Roger Owen Class Pairings House Paper Aeroplane Challenge