12 Nov 2021

WEEKLY MAILING

This week’s mailing is:

Letters:

Notices:

From the Headmaster to all parents:

Dear Parents

Yesterday the School came together to remember the 125 Old Abingdonians who gave their lives in the two World Wars and indeed all those who have perished in the cause of the preservation of freedom and justice. Our Remembrance service is always a moving and poignant occasion, especially when you consider how young many of those Old Abingdonians were. At our service we heard the stories of three OAs who died in the Second World War; you can read more about them here. They displayed astonishing heroism and valour but their stories also underline the desolation and horror of conflict and remind us of the imperative to continue to strive for peace and reconciliation.

Best wishes, Mike Windsor

 

For Parents of 5th Year Pupils: Morrisby Profile Programme Results

If your child is participating in the Morrisby Profile Programme, earlier this week, they will have had an interview with an independent careers adviser from Morrisby. By early next week (if not done already), the career adviser who interviewed your child will have typed up and posted interview notes to your child’s Morrisby online account (www.morrisby.com).  If your child has given you read-only access to their online account, you can view these interview notes. If not, please ask your child to give you access to their account (which they can do at the bottom of their Morrisby account home page). Please find time over the next few weeks to discuss the results of this programme with your child and how their results might impact on A-Level subject choices (from a career planning perspective). Tentative A-Level choices will be due by Wednesday 24 November. If you have any questions, concerns or requests, contact Michael Triff, Head of Career Guidance, at [email protected].

“Navigating the Teenager years” webinar recording, from Paul Gooding, Head of Wellbeing

A recording of the above pastoral webinar held on Thursday 11 November can be found here.

Weather – snow

Parents are reminded that, should travel be affected or the school has to close for day pupils, we aim to send a text message, and an email, to parents by 6.45am.  There should also be a message on the front page of the website.  We would aim to remain open, where possible, so that parents who need their child to be supervised can send them in.  Work will be put on pupils’ Firefly accounts, for the lessons they would usually have on that day.   Some lessons might be conducted on Zoom.  The status of the Joint Bus Service might also be a useful page.  In recent years we have, on occasion, delayed the morning buses, which has enabled more buses to run.

Updates will be sent by text message and by email to parents if arrangements for afternoon bus departure need to alter.

Covid-19 Lateral Flow Testing Kits

Stocks of lateral flow testing kits are not currently being delivered to school.  We have some stock remaining, however, in the meantime, if parents could please replenish their ‘testing at home’ stocks for pupils by ordering directly with the government, it would be greatly appreciated.  The link to order kits is here.

Music:

  • Sunday 21 November at 7pm at St Helen’s School, Faringdon Road – Joint Choral Society sings Pirates of Penzance.  The link for booking tickets is available here.
  • Friday 3 December at 7pm Christmas Concert – We are delighted to give advance notice of this year’s Christmas Concert where there will be appearances from First, Second and Chamber Orchestras, Concert and Big Band, a complete 1st Year Choir, Gospel Choir and Abingdon Academicals. We are giving just one performance this year and we will be expecting a full house – please apply early to the Box Office for tickets as we expect to sell out.
  • Parents’ Carol Service – All parents and pupils are warmly invited to the carol service at St Michael’s Church, Park Road on Thursday 9 December at 6.30pm.  The service will be a shortened form of the traditional lessons and carols from King’s College, Cambridge.  The boarding community will be in attendance and the outstanding Chapel Choir will sing.  Do join us for this delightful and inspiring occasion.

Playful banter or hurtful jibes?

Hot on the heels of the School Chaplain’s interesting blog on Chapel last week, Mark Hindley, Deputy Head (Pastoral), now takes the opportunity to remind us to think carefully before we try to be funny at someone else’s expense. It’s a fine line between being witty and clever and causing offense.  A pertinent blog, please follow this link to read.

Abingdon Box Office:

News from the Week:

Food Menu for the coming week – Week 3

School Calendar

Please continue to consult the School Calendar for up to date information.

Here is the link to previous weekly mailings.