18 Feb 2022

WEEKLY MAILING

This week’s mailing is:

Letters:

Notices:

From the Headmaster to all parents:

Dear Parents

We reach today the end of a busy half term. It has been great to see pupils engaged with their studies while also making the most of the opportunities in the Other Half. We have celebrated the return to live theatre with a sequence of joint productions with SHSK and a large number of students have represented the School in a wide range of sports, including rowing, football, hockey, badminton, squash, fencing and rugby sevens.

Last Friday I had my half-termly meeting with the School Council, which is made up of elected representatives from all year groups. Elections will be held for the next generation of the Council shortly after half term and I’m grateful to the representatives who always present students’ perspectives constructively and thoughtfully. My particular thanks go to Oskar Muller, also one of our Heads of School, who has been a stalwart of the Council during his time at Abingdon and who has proved to be a superb Chair over the past twelve months.

I wish all our students and families well as the half-term break commences and look forward to welcoming students back on Monday 28 February when we can look forward to longer days and – hopefully – calmer weather.

Best wishes, Mike Windsor

 

Driving near the School

Parents are reminded not to drop off or collect pupils from the Park Lodge area, or Lower Field car park, please. This is because the area is already busy with pedestrians, pupils and school traffic. We therefore ask that parents drop and collect pupils in Park Crescent, operating a one-way system travelling clockwise past the private housing to the west of Albert Park, and ending up near the boarding houses. The Crescent ends at a cross roads, where halting is obligatory on these private roads. Wheel clamping operates on Park Road and Park Crescent, so you are advised not to leave a car unattended.  Please also be reminded that there is a speed limit of 20mph along these roads.

From the Eco-Committee:

Dear parents,

It is not widely known how difficult it is to recycle empty pill/medicine packets. One cannot recycle them in our home recycling. Pharmacies have joined with the TerraCycle company to achieve 50% less environmental impact of hard-to-recycle packaging. As an Abingdon Eco-Committee initiative, we have decided to collect empty pill packets in order to bring them to these pharmacies, such as Superdrug, where they can be recycled.

We would appreciate parents supporting this initiative by helping students gather or collect empty pill packets around the house to bring into school. Boxes will be placed around the school site, in common rooms and house rooms for students to deposit the empty pill packets.

Thank you for your support.  The Eco-Committee

Music:

  • Congratulations to Oliver Simpson (cello), whose latest success saw him winning the Oxfordshire Senior Concerto Competition on Sunday. Sixteen year old Oliver was competing against two soloists from Oxford University who were several years older than himself. His performance of the finale of Elgar’s cello concerto was magnificent! He will now go on to play a concerto with the Oxford Philharmonic.
  • Annual Chamber Music Evening – Wednesday 2 March at 6pm. One of the highlights of our musical calendar, this event occurs just two days after we return from half term. We are delighted to share the programme for the concert and hope very much that you will consider joining us – admission is free.

Abingdon Box Office:

  • ROH Live: Rigoletto – Thursday 10 March at 7:15pm – In his first work for his own Company, Mears brings Verdi’s masterpiece into the modern world. Verdi’s thrilling Rigoletto pits power against innocence, beauty against ugliness, conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano.
  • Stephen Venables – Life After Everest – Wednesday 16 March at 7:30pm – “What on earth do you do after that?” is the usual question once you climb a new route up Everest, reaching the top alone and without oxygen. In this enchanting slideshow, Stephen will share the fun, excitement, beauty – and the personal tragedies – that make his life a continuing adventure.

Boatclub Dinner

Booking is now open for the Boatclub dinner on Saturday 19 March. This year’s speaker is Tom Digby, an accomplished OA rower who has recently returned from study and rowing at Yale University in the US. He was winner of The Grand Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta in 2021, and is currently part or the Great Britain Olympic training group. Booking can take place using this link: https://www.abingdon.org.uk/sports-and-leisure/performance/boat-club-annual-dinner/  Tickets are £40 for adults £25 for students

Early Careers Webinar Masterclass with John Madgwick (OA 1979)

The Old Abingdonian Club is hosting a Careers Webinar Masterclass with John Madgwick (OA 1979), Head of Finance Careers at Saïd Business School on Monday 7 March at 6.30 pm. This event is perfect for undergraduates, graduates and anyone considering further study or a career in finance. The webinar is open to everyone in the Abingdon community, please sign up here.

OX14 Learning Partnership Upcoming Events 

SuperCamps at Abingdon School – discounts for parents

We are pleased to announce that we are now working with SuperCamps throughout the school holidays, and parents are entitled to an exclusive 10% discount upon booking. SuperCamps will be running daily and weekly multi-activity camps which offer a variety of fun, age-appropriate activities designed to fuel imagination and encourage learning. Pupils aged 4-12 can experience a stimulating mix of sports, games and arts and crafts. These camps are an excellent alternative to childcare and are available to book by day, or discounted when you book the whole week, with extended hour options available. Childcare vouchers are also accepted.

SuperCamps are currently offering a 15% early bird discount for the Easter camps, available to book by Monday 28 February (this discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount). For further information and to book, please click here. An electronic information flyer is also attached here.

News from the Week:

Food Menu for the week after half term – Week 2

School Calendar

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

Here is the link to previous weekly mailings.