This week's mailing is:
Letters:
- To parents of all First Year boys – Parents' Evening
- To parents of all Second Year boys studying History – Trip to Hampton Court Palace and Consent Form
- To parents of all Lower Sixth boys – UCAS2 Arrangements
Notices:
Sleeping well before exams – advice from the Deputy Head (Pastoral)
As exams loom, and the importance of rest and good sleep becomes paramount, can I take this opportunity to reiterate our advice on sleeping and using screens before bed. Talking to Mark Earnshaw (who runs our rowing) the research that the GB Rowing set up did mean that they insisted that there was a “screentime” ban 50 minutes before trying to go to sleep. (Please refer to my earlier mailing with Pastoral Advice to Parents for articles and further research on this.) To reiterate, we would advise no screens in your son's bedroom after an agreed time (I would suggest 9.30pm or 10pm.) The flipside might be that he challenges you to do the same…
Sport priority on a Saturday – reminder
In planning for this term, please observe this extract from the Parents' Handbook:
Boys are expected to be available for matches against other schools unless specific permission has been sought from and granted by the Head. Any request should be made well in advance, at least one week before the fixture and copied to the Director of Sport and PE, Andrew Hall. Abingdon has a strong tradition of participating in interschool fixtures across the age ranges. In recent years we have strengthened our fixture list, and been more ambitious in the schools we have been playing, and we are putting out more teams. Please avoid asking for leave of absence. We are keen the boys practise and play together, that the boys develop an allegiance to the School, and that our opponents have the best opposition we can provide.
Abingdon News
The latest edition of the School's newsletter, Abingdon News, has been given to your son to bring home this week. Boys who are full boarders will have a copy posted home. The newsletter can also be viewed online
Any feedback regarding school publications is very welcome, please to reply email [email protected]
Return of textbooks
Abingdon is keen to ensure that parents are not charged erroneously for textbooks that have in fact been returned. Please assist your son in following the standard procedure we have been operating for many years. Heads of department need to ensure that there are sufficient books for September, so they need to have your sons' books back before the end of this term. Many departments number each book, and record the book number. Boys are encouraged to put their name in the book, too. When the issued copy is returned by your son the head of department then knows not to charge parents for the book. If the pupil returns a copy belonging to someone else then his parents are billed for the 'missing' copy and the original 'owner' is credited with having returned his book. For boys not on revision leave, textbooks are collected by their class teacher during lesson time, but pupils who are absent for any reason need to ensure that their books are returned to their teacher before the term ends. Boys on revision leave (fifth and upper sixth) should return their books directly to the department which issued them at the latest by the Saturday before the term ends (i.e. Saturday 27 June). Some departments have labelled box close to the department office in which books may be left. If there is no area, boys should return the book directly to a member of staff who teaches that subject, and not just leave the book where they hope it will be found. In these circumstances it might be advisable to get a note from the member of staff confirming the receipt of the book(s). Parents should note that returning books after the end of term, including on results day, will not necessarily be sufficient to prevent a charge being placed on the bill – many heads of department will already have incurred a cost by having to reorder books in advance of the new school year.
For parents of boys who have asthma
We are now able to carry a Salbutamol inhaler in case of an emergency in the Health Centre, and for staff to take on trips.Therefore we no longer require parents to provide a spare. But I do need you to sign the attached consent form for your son to be given the inhaler please. Thank you for your co operation in this.
Rugby Tour Dinner – Saturday 23 May 2015
Your chance to either purchase tickets to attend the dinner or indeed to stake a claim for one of the fantastic Auction and Silent Auction items to be offered during the evening. It will be a great event at Balliol College with former All Black Anton Oliver, with various auction items that range from your own flight in a private jet to a Henley package that includes Breakfast & Champagne, and a cruise on a vintage slipper launch. For further information please contact the Director of Rugby, Peter Coke. Funds from the dinner will help to support the forthcoming senior rugby tour to New Zealand, as well as support two great charities, Blue Skye Thinking and The Starship Foundation based in Auckland.
Tennis coaching summer term
Tennis coaching is available throughout the summer term at the following times during the week. £7.50 will be added to the school bill for every session attended. For further information please contact Master in charge of Tennis, Ben Ponniah.
- Monday 4pm to 5pm
- Monday after 5pm
- Wednesday after 5pm
- Thursday 1.20pm to 2.40pm
- Thursday 4pm to 5pm
- Thursday after 5pm
- Friday after 5pm
- Saturday 9am to 11.30am
Food Menu for the coming week – Week 1
