Message from the Head
Dear Parents
I’ve enjoyed welcoming students back after half term as we begin to see the signs of Spring around the school. I hope the lighter mornings and evenings are making the school day feel more manageable to everyone.
The Upper Sixth certainly hit the ground running as they completed their A Level mocks this week. They showed great focus and determination in doing so and I hope they will have found the experience useful as they look forward to their final exams in the summer.
I wanted today to draw your attention to the musical treats that await us in this short second half of term. These were kicked off with an informal concert on Tuesday which was dedicated entirely to the double bass – right up my street as I am also a double bass player. It’s great to see good numbers of pupils playing this fantastic and versatile instrument and I certainly enjoyed having the opportunity to join in.
There are concerts to suit every musical taste over the next five weeks. As well as our expanded programme of informal concerts, which are designed to give pupils the chance to perform in a friendly, low-stakes atmosphere, Saturday 2 March will see our first cabaret night in the Pavilion, featuring the Big Band, jazz ensembles and soloists. Then on Wednesday 6 March the Amey Theatre will host the annual Rock Concert while the school’s choirs will be performing in St Michael and All Angels next to Albert Park on Wednesday 13 March. The intermediate music competition takes place on Friday 15 March before we round off the term with the Spring concert in the Amey Theatre on Thursday 21 March.
I’m grateful to my colleagues in the Music department for all the opportunities that they are providing for our students, who are enormously talented and dedicated. I hope you’ll have the chance to come along and support them; there’s more information about all these events on the website.
Best wishes, Mike Windsor
UPPER SCHOOL
- For Upper Sixth Students and parents: Letter from Clare Butcher, Financial Controller re Griffen Ball – BOOKING LINK NOW OPEN
- To parents of Upper Sixth pupils – Yearbook
- For parents of 5th year, L6 and U6 pupils: Abingdon Careers Convention, Thursday 14 March 2024, 6.30-9.00pm at OLA
- The annual Abingdon Careers Convention, jointly run by Abingdon School, Our Lady’s Abingdon, and St Helen and St Katharine, will take place on Thursday evening, 14 March 2024, 6.30-9.00pm at OLA. The event is compulsory for 5th year and optional for 6th form. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend. There is no event booking; just show up. Please note that there is very limited parking at OLA, so you may park at Abingdon School (after 5.45pm) and walk to OLA or use one of the multi-storey car parks in Abingdon town; the event programme will be emailed a week in advance to all 5th, L6 and U6 students so they may plan out how they will spend their time at the event; pupils will be offered a light supper at school before the event (no charge, but booking required) or, alternatively, can go into town and buy food for supper. At the event, there will be hot and cold drinks and a limited selection of snacks for sale. If you have any questions, contact Michael Triff, Head of Career Guidance, at [email protected].
MIDDLE SCHOOL
- For parents of 5th year, L6 and U6 pupils: Abingdon Careers Convention, Thursday 14 March 2024, 6.30-9.00pm at OLA
- The annual Abingdon Careers Convention, jointly run by Abingdon School, Our Lady’s Abingdon, and St Helen and St Katharine, will take place on Thursday evening, 14 March 2024, 6.30-9.00pm at OLA. The event is compulsory for 5th year and optional for 6th form. Parents/guardians are welcome to attend. There is no event booking; just show up. Please note that there is very limited parking at OLA, so you may park at Abingdon School (after 5.45pm) and walk to OLA or use one of the multi-storey car parks in Abingdon town; the event programme will be emailed a week in advance to all 5th, L6 and U6 students so they may plan out how they will spend their time at the event; pupils will be offered a light supper at school before the event (no charge, but booking required) or, alternatively, can go into town and buy food for supper. At the event, there will be hot and cold drinks and a limited selection of snacks for sale. If you have any questions, contact Michael Triff, Head of Career Guidance, at [email protected].
WHOLE SCHOOL
- From the Head of Learning Support: Exam access arrangements – further information
- Safeguarding Bulletin:
- The safeguarding team would like to share this term’s safeguarding bulletin on Sextortion. This is a very live issue for our young people; the Internet Watch Foundation reported an increase of 257% in the number of cases reported in the first half of 2023, compared to the whole of 2022. The bulletin includes useful links for parents and advice for young people on how to report it.
- Music:
- Mark Stone sings Schubert ‘Winterreise’, Monday 26 February, 7pm. Following an afternoon of vocal masterclasses, Mark Stone will join forces with pianist Stephen Barlow to perform Schubert’s evocative song cycle, ‘Winterreise’. With an international career both as an opera singer and lieder recitalist, Mark has performed all over the world with some of the premier ensembles and conductors. Former Artistic Director of the Buxton Festival, Stephen Barlow is in frequent demand as a conductor, teacher and accompanist. As a pianist, he has recorded the complete songs of Butterworth, Delius and Quilter and so, this is an evening performance not to be missed!
- Annual Chamber Music Evening, Tuesday 27 February, 6pm. Do join us for the Annual Chamber music evening on Tuesday 27 February in the Amey Theatre. This will be an evening of performances given by pupils who perform as part of Chamber ensembles. With a range of ensembles including Piano duets, String Quartets, Clarinet ensembles and other smaller ensembles across the breadth of the pupil body, this promises to be an exciting evening of music making.
- Cabaret Evening in the Pavilion, Saturday 2 March, 7pm. Please note that it is no longer possible to purchase tickets for this event as catering requirements have now been finalised.
- Rock Concert – Wednesday 6 March – Amey Theatre, 7pm. Join us in the Amey Theatre for an evening of Rock Music which will blow your mind away! With a variety of bands performing from across the breadth of the school, this will be a fast paced and varied evening of music making. Tickets can be booked, free of charge, at the following link: https://www.abingdon.org.uk/sports-and-leisure/performance/rock-concert/
- See other upcoming Music Events.
- Reminder: Friday 1 March 2024 – In Conversation with Kim Darroch (OA 1972), National Security Adviser 2012-2015, British Ambassador to the United States 2016-2019. The World in Chaos? What Happens Next?
- Kim Darroch will be in conversation on the theme of ‘The World in Chaos? What Happens Next?’ on Friday 1 March 2024 at 7.00 pm in the Amey Theatre, Abingdon School.
- Kim is a retired UK civil servant and life peer in the House of Lords. His diplomatic career spanned over 40 years, primarily focusing on national security issues and European policy, and included roles as the UK’s National Security Adviser and Permanent Representative to the European Union. Kim served as British Ambassador to the United States as the age of Trump dawned and Brexit unfolded.
- Online booking is available via the Box Office here.
- Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the OX14 Learning Partnership.
- OX14 Learning Partnership Upcoming Events
- News from the week
- Food menu for the following week – Week 1
- School calendar
- Weekly mailing archive
- Box Office:
