22 Jan 2021

WEEKLY MAILING

This week’s mailing is:

Notices:

From the Headmaster to all parents:

Dear Parents

Ofqual, the organisation which oversees public examinations in England, has launched a consultation in response to the government’s announcement that GCSE and A Level examinations will not take place this summer.  As it stands, IGCSEs are due to go ahead, while we await confirmation as to whether Pre-U exams – taken in Modern Foreign Languages – will happen or not.  We are preparing our response as a school but students and parents are also invited to respond on an individual basis.

A reminder that next Friday, 29 January, will be a half day, with lessons finishing at 1.15pm. I hope this will give students and staff an afternoon away from screens and I encourage everyone to spend the afternoon getting some fresh air or reading a book. If anyone is not sure what to read next, there are excellent recommendations from Dr Gardner, the School Librarian, available on the Library Firefly pages, and specific suggestions for Lower School readers were shared in last week’s Weekly Mailing. I’m currently trying to see if I can glean some leadership tips by reading Barack Obama’s latest book, A Promised Land. Key worker provision will remain open for those who require it.

I hope you are looking forward to the weekend and the chance to go for a longer walk, run or bike ride, although it looks like we’re due some cold weather here in Oxfordshire, so wrap up warm.

Best wishes

Mike Windsor

OA Wellbeing webinar recording 

For those who missed our OA wellbeing webinar, ‘Managing the mind in uncertain times’, you can watch the webinar in full here. For more information and access to our wellbeing toolkit (with links to resources, useful organisations, apps and more) please contact [email protected]  or [email protected].

Music:

  • Lent Term Music Calendar adjustments.  There have been some slight adjustments to a couple of timings of our music events this term – on Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 March. Both begin at 6pm. Please consult the revised Lent Term calendar here.
  • Next week’s Solo Concert Platform – Wednesday 27 January at 6pm.   Next Wednesday we are streaming a good number of solo performances from pupils who have submitted their own recordings for the evening’s streamed solo concert. There is plenty of first class playing from a range of musicians of different ages and at different stages of their development. To join this event, please be in touch with the Box Office who can provide you with the link.

Abingdon Box Office:

We are happy to be able to share with you the recorded performance of Pink Mist by Abingdon 5th Year which took place in November last year. If you would like to book a ‘ticket’ to view this online, please click here.

News from the Week:

School Calendar

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

Here is the link to previous weekly mailings.