Message from the Headmaster
Dear Parents
It has been a day of nostalgia and sentiment today as we have said farewell to our Upper Sixth Leavers as they start their study leave for their A Levels.
The departure of this year group prompts a range of emotions. There is sadness that this fine group of students is preparing to move on, having made an excellent collective contribution to the School, while we also share their excitement as they describe the adventures that await them on Gap Years, at university and in the workplace. I feel great pride in the way that these students have committed themselves to Abingdon and have supported one another through some significant challenges, including two spells of remote working.
I look forward to celebrating their achievements with them at the Leavers’ service, which will take place at St Michael’s Church on Park Road at 9.30am on Saturday 25 June, which is followed by Prize Giving in the Amey Theatre at 11am. After the ceremony, I look forward to welcoming Prize Winners, Leavers, staff and parents to a reception in the garden at Lacies Court. I also know that those who will be attending the Griffen Ball on 2 July will celebrate the end of their time at Abingdon in style.
I am sure you will join me in wishing these students all the very best with their exams and beyond.
Best wishes, Mike Windsor
UPPER SCHOOL
- For Lower Sixth Parents: The latest report you received, last half term, was a student self-reflection report, guided by members of academic staff and discussed with tutors. In order to give some sense of feedback on the end of year assessments after the half term break and a reference to how well students are doing in response to their goals, the “response to goals” report will be published along with potential grades and attitude to classwork and homework in the second half of the Summer Term (not this half term as previously published). To replace this, there will be a snapshot report at the end of this half term, with short comments from academic subject teachers, tutors and housemasters. As always if there are further concerns about your child’s progress, please contact the relevant tutor.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
- Third Year letter to parents on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
- Fifth Year letter to parents on STEP: Summer Term Extension Programme. All 5th Year students were sent the following letter earlier this week regarding STEP, the voluntary Summer term academic extension programme. Since it began, we’ve had some excellent projects over the past two years and we hope many 5th Year students will consider it this year.
WHOLE SCHOOL
- Residential Trips for the first half of 2023:
- With a sustained low number of absences of staff and students so far this term, planning for more trips in 2023 has become realistic.
- Next Friday the updated trips matrix will be attached to the Weekly Mailing, though it will be more provisional information than in pre-covid times, and may be less exhaustive than in earlier end-of-term issues.
- As usual, regrettably, with a plethora of trips available, avoiding clashes between trips is not always possible for each student, as there are many constraints to work with. Enquiries should be addressed to [email protected] please.
- Music: Tour (First Orchestra and Big Band). We are nearly in a position to clarify whether we are able to go ahead with our music tour to our twin towns in France and Belgium and we hope to be able to do so next week, though we are still waiting for a dozen or so replies from parents, please.
- Music Events for your diaries after half term:
- Wednesday 16 June at 6pm – Lower School Gala Concert (all lower school pupils will be performing)
- Friday 24 June at 7pm – Summer Concert
- Friday 1 July from 6-9pm – Music Society Musical Riverboat Cruise on the River Thames from Abingdon Bridge
- See other upcoming Music events.
- Abingdon’s annual ATOM Festival of Science and Technology starts on Wednesday 1 June with events spread over the following weeks until Tuesday 21 June. These include a wide variety of talks by high profile speakers at the Unicorn and Amey Theatres, family events at the Jubilee celebrations at Rye Farm Meadow and the ever popular Science Market in the town square on Saturday 11 June. Details of all events can be found here.
- OX14 Learning Partnership Upcoming Events – no new additions.
- News from the week
- Food menu for the coming week – Week 2
- School calendar
- Weekly mailing archive
- Box Office – no new additions. See other upcoming Box Office events.
