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Friendship
You will find that living in close proximity with other pupils
creates the conditions in which strong bonds of friendship
develop. Your room and housemates will quickly become
some of your best friends. Our current boarders feel that
one of the best things about boarding is making friends
for life.
Time
The school day at Abingdon starts at 8.35am and ends at
5.00pm. During that time most pupils are very busy with
their academic lessons and “other-half’ (extra-curricular)
commitments. When you add a bus journey of, for some
pupils, over an hour, to the beginning and end of the day,
time becomes a highly valuable commodity. As a boarder
you will live in school so have a much more relaxed pace
of life. It also makes it much easier for you to attend the
many evening lectures, classes, rehearsals and sports
training sessions that take place. This is especially
beneficial if you are someone who is serious about art,
drama, music, rugby, cricket and rowing or about getting
the best possible grades.
Independence
Over the course of your time as a boarder you will learn to
organise yourself and become far more independent. You
will be responsible for managing your own time, work and
commitments. As a result you will develop self-reliance
and learn to motivate yourself, valuable attributes once
you move on to university and the world of work after
school.
Abingdon School
We believe Abingdon provides its pupils with a fantastic
education. Any one who meets an Abingdon pupil is quick
to recognise this. Please browse our website, visit us
for an open day or arrange a tour if you don’t believe us.
The only problem is that not everyone lives close enough
to Abingdon to join us as a dayboy. Boarding allows you,
where ever you live in the world or the UK, to benefit
from an Abingdon education either as a full boarder,
staying in school seven days a week, or as weekly
boarder, who can arrive on Monday morning and leave
on Friday evening staying just 4 nights in your boarding
house. As a weekly boarder, however, you are always
welcome to stay until Saturday afternoon and return on
Sunday if you prefer.
Facilities
As one of the 150 boarders at Abingdon you will also
benefit from being part of a much larger school. In the
evening and over the weekend you have access to
fantastic facilities designed for 900 pupils! The swimming
pool, sports hall, fitness suite, music school, library, tennis
courts, squash courts, climbing wall and dance studio, are
all available for your use. In addition you have access to
the facilities of Crescent House, which include a kitchen,
a Games room, a TV room, and a Computer room.
What are the benefits of boarding?
The Internet
In the Crescent House
computer room you will
have access to desktop
Mac computers on which
you can access the
Internet. There is also
wireless access to the
Internet throughout the
house. However, you will
not be allowed to set up
your own private Internet
access.
We recognise that the
Internet is a wonderful
resource as a means of
communication and a
source of information. We
encourage you to make
responsible and safe use
of it. You will have regular
education about how the
get the best out of the
Internet and how to avoid
the potential dangers. You
will also need to read and
agree to our acceptable
use policy before you are
allowed on the school
network and we expect you
to be sensible and sensitive
towards others when you
are using the Internet.
Email
You will be keen to stay
in touch with your family
and friends outside school
and the school will provide
you with your own gmail
account. Your teachers will
also communicate with you
through this account so it
is really important that you
check it regularly and use
it for your schoolwork. Of
course you will also be able
to access and use your own
personal accounts as well.
Skype
You will be able to use
Skype while in Crescent
House. You can use the
school computers in your
house or the wireless
network to Skype family
and friends.
Telephones
Crescent House has a pay
phone that you will be able
to use. Mr Kendry will give
you the number so that
your parents can call you
on it.
Most boarders also have
their own mobile phone.
We believe it is a very
important communication
device so that you can stay
in touch with your friends
and family. You will also
find it useful for contacting
the member of staff who
is on duty in your house.
Crescent House has a
mobile number, which
you can find towards the
end of this handbook. You
will be given the number
to store in your phone on
your first day in Crescent
House. In addition, you will
need to give your number
to Mr Kendry so that he
How will I be able to contact home?
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