Abingdon News No.51

Abingdon News International Physics Olympiad Congratulations to upper sixth former Ollie Breach who was selected to represent the UK at the International Physics Olympiad in Tel Aviv in July. Ollie was selected from over 2000 candidates across the UK and he was awarded a silver medal at the event. The 5 person UK team enjoyed a very successful final with around 80 countries taking part. Thinking Supper with St Helen’s The final Joint Thinking Supper of the year saw first and second years from Abingdon and St Helen’s discuss the idea of protest, looking at various groups including Extinction Rebellion, the Suffragettes and the gilets jaunes. A warm welcome for UK Universities Beech Court opened its doors for the School’s inaugural Futures Fair when 30 of the UK’s leading universities, as well as UCAS and some degree apprenticeship schemes, exhibited at the School. The fair gave lower sixth boys and parents, plus students from other schools in Abingdon, an opportunity to discover the wide range of degree courses on offer and to learn about universities, the application process, student life and related topics including accommodation and finance. First and second years joined forces with more than 80 students from six other local schools at the annual Abingdon Schools Joint Carnegie Forum to decide the best children’s book of the year. Judges from the local literary community awarded a range of prizes, presented by the Mayor of Abingdon. Sam Siriwardene received an award for best individual contributor to a group, and Harry Vinall (pictured) was highly commended for his review of A Skinful of Shadows by Francis Hardinge. Ten third year cadets took part in the CTT Range Weekend at Longmoor and all achieved the Marksmanship Badge with Cdt Keighley and Cdt Sutton receiving Marksmanship Crowns. The cadets competed against nine other schools and academies and won the competition. Marksmanship Crowns Lower School Assistants organised a range of outdoor activities for the lower school boys during their Tuesday lunchbreaks. As well as the more conventional sports of softball, tennis and volleyball, the boys tried out spikeball, bat and trap, and even kubb, which was allegedly invented by the Vikings! 4