Abingdonian 2018

3 www.abingdon.org.uk A year in the life of a school encapsulates so much. The arrival of new pupils and staff, the seasonal rituals and celebrations at the start and end of term, our fortnightly routines of lessons and activities, the challenge of exams and the exhilaration of results, the adrenalin rush of sport, performances, trips and expeditions. In leading Abingdon, it is such a great pleasure to be able to witness the life of a busy community, committed to opportunity for all while achieving the exceptional. I savour the chance to see what our pupils are up to, to drop into lessons or stand on the touchline, to listen to concerts or eavesdrop on debates. A great strength of our school is the space it affords pupils simply to be themselves. This is achieved through the scale and ambition of the Other Half as well as the breadth and range of the curriculum but the quality of relationships is also key; not least the respect that Abingdonians show to their schoolmates whatever their preferences or particular abilities might be. This makes Abingdon a special and rewarding place to be and we are fortunate that this latest edition of The Abingdonian captures the rhythms and routines of 2017-18, as well as the triumphs and successes that pupils and staff have enjoyed together. I am grateful to Mr Jenkins and his editorial team for all the work that they have put in to produce this magazine. I very much hope you enjoy reading it. Michael Windsor Head’s Foreword