ASiP Newsletter: Volume 1

11 10 Abingdon School in Partnership Abingdon School in Partnership Design and Technology This is the fourth year of developing and delivering Design and Technology projects to Rush Common Primary School pupils, either in the Rush Common classrooms or in the Abingdon School workshops. Most terms, a project has been taught to the two classes of a year group. The lead year teacher requests a topic and an age-appropriate project is developed within that context, for example, last year the Year 4 summer topic was ‘Animal Habitats’, and the pupils made Bug Hotels that resembled a bird box without a front or back but rather an internal divider and then filled them with sticks and small branches cut to length. For this year’s project the year group was divided into 4 groups of 15 and each group was brought into Abingdon’s workshops for 2 practical sessions. Each pupil used saws, drills and screwdrivers to shape and join the pieces of timber together and each pupil, regardless of ability finished their own Bug hotel. This project, being in the Summer term also lent itself to allowing some of our lower sixth pupils to help as workshop assistants, they all got involved and did a great job and really seemed to enjoy the experience. For the younger groups resources are generally taken to them and projects are developed so they can be delivered using basic classroom tools, such as saws and drills that can be used on tables with protectors. For the first time this year a project was delivered to Year 1 pupils and that was based on cutting card with scissors. Discussions are also in progress with the DT Coordinator at Dunmore Primary School with the aim to deliver a similar programme there, starting in this Lent term. ~ Mike Webb Schools Together Conference Tuesday 26 March, 5–7:30pm, Abingdon School The Schools Together conference is taking place at Abingdon on Tuesday 26 March from 5-7:30pm. The Schools Together Group is a nationwide group of those in state and independent schools with an interest in inter-school partnerships: “Harnessing the power of partnerships for the benefit of children”. The conference will welcome guest speakers from different school partnership programmes from around the country to come and discuss and share best practice. We hope to welcome 60–70 delegates. Colleagues are warmly invited to attend. Futures Fair Monday 29 April, 5–7pm, Beech Court, Abingdon School We are delighted to announce that at our inaugural Futures Fair, 28 of the UK’s leading universities, UCAS and 7 representatives from apprenticeship schemes will be joining us. This presents lower sixth students and their parents from Abingdon and our partner schools with a fantastic opportunity to learn about the range of degree courses on offer and to talk first-hand to representatives and students about what life is like after school. Sixth Form Science Mentoring Lent term 2019 Sixth Form Pastoral Mentoring Summer term 2019 Sixth Form Study Skills Conference Summer term 2019 Rugby and Hockey Partnerships Summer term 2019 Primary School Mini Olympics Summer term 2019 Abingdon Festival of Sport Summer term 2019 Coming Up... Working with ASP The ASP has been supporting the National STEM Learning Centre’s Polar Explorer Programme for the past two years in local primary schools. The programme’s activities are all linked to exploring and understanding aspects of the polar oceans and the ice caps. The DT department’s expertise was called on to help develop the Ocean Grabber activity, where pupils work in teams to design and build a sampling arm for a remotely operated submersible. This was successfully piloted at Botley Primary School with the Year 6 classes. The pupils themselves then led the same workshop for the Year 5 pupils, developing teamwork and leadership as well as technical skills. The Ocean Grabber activity has since been used at a number of other schools, including Rush Common, Hagbourne and Chilton.