27 Apr 2023

WEEKLY MAILING

Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents

For over 20 years now, Abingdon students have travelled to Moldova to support the work of the charity Agape. Moldova is the poorest country in Europe and its position on the western border of Ukraine has meant that it has had to support a large number of refugees since the onset of the war.

Ten Abingdon Sixth Formers will be travelling to Moldova this summer where they will be running activities for children living in the town of Ialoveni, which is situated not far from the capital, Chisinau. To support their activities, they will be taking on a fundraising challenge this Saturday as they row, run and, if necessary, cycle the length of the Dniester river, the 398 km-long river which flows through Moldova.

If you’d like to back their campaign and help raise funds for this important project, please have a look at their fundraising page here. I certainly wish them all the very best.

Best wishes, Mike Windsor

 

UPPER SCHOOL

  • Parents of Upper Sixth pupils: Book Collection.
    • The final deadline for U6th book returns will be Saturday 24 June (Prize Giving).  Books not returned by that date will be charged to bills.  Many departments will already have made clear to their students how and when to return books and it would be sensible for pupils to plan to bring in any remaining loan texts on the day of their final public exam to save having to make a special trip.  Books must be returned to the relevant departments and not, for example, simply left somewhere on site in the hope that someone else will get them back to their rightful homes.  Much unnecessary chasing and unwanted charging of extras to bills can be avoided by students being properly organised.  Please note in particular that it is usually not possible to waive charges for books returned after the deadline as Heads of Department will spend part of the final weeks of term ordering replacements for missing text books for the new school year and the money will therefore already have been committed.
  • From the UCAS Office:
    • This is a key term for students to progress with their university intentions. Over the next couple of months, there’s a range of events and sessions to help students prepare a strong UCAS application in the autumn. Below is a list of the main activities: note all L6th are expected to attend all sessions (aside from the Student Loan webinar which is optional) and sessions are open to U6 who may wish to attend if they are expecting to apply through UCAS next year.
      • UCAS Masterclass, Wednesday 26 April (in school hours) – a presentation discussing personal statements and our top tips to help students navigate the UCAS application process successfully.
      • Student loan webinar, Thursday 27 April 7- 8pm – a virtual session on student loans, how they work and how to apply for them (optional session, but encouraged), register here to attend.
      • University panel talk, Thursday 4 May (in school hours) – UCL, Durham and Bath will present as part of a panel and answer questions about their admissions, courses, campuses and being a student at their universities.
      • Futures Fair, Thursday 4 May 4pm-6pm – 40+ UK and international universities will be on-hand to talk to students about what they have to offer so they can start thinking about what’s important to them when looking at universities and start narrowing down where they might apply. This is a drop in event and we suggest attendees plan to attend for an hour. Compulsory for L6 (no need to book) and open to 5th Years and U6 (please book here). Parents also welcome to attend with their students.
      • UCAS registration, Wednesday 24 May (in school) – all L6 will register on UCAS in their tutor groups and will receive step by step guidance for completing the application.
      • 360 Degree event, Thursday 22 June 7-9pm (Zoom) – an event for students and their parents to find out more about studying different subjects at degree level and discuss university aspirations and academic evidence with their tutor. Full details to follow.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

  • Parents of 5th year pupils:
    • 5th year pupils depart for study leave at 5.00pm on Tuesday 9 May and are not expected back into school from that point apart from to sit their exams. As mentioned at the 5th year parents’ evening last term, we offer a programme of subject clinics and supervised silent study for the first three weeks of study leave (up to half term). Students may wish to take part in this programme to provide a structure for their day and to receive help from their teachers in subject clinics. Please note that this is entirely voluntary and students should use it according to how they feel it might support their revision. All students have been shared the timetable of supervised study sessions and clinics by email.
  • Parents of 5th year pupils: Book Collection.
    • The final deadline for 5th year book returns will be Saturday 24 June (Prize Giving).  Books not returned by that date will be charged to bills.  Many departments will already have made clear to their students how and when to return books and it would be sensible for pupils to plan to bring in any remaining loan texts on the day of their final public exam to save having to make a special trip.  Books must be returned to the relevant departments and not, for example, simply left somewhere on site in the hope that someone else will get them back to their rightful homes.  Much unnecessary chasing and unwanted charging of extras to bills can be avoided by students being properly organised.  Please note in particular that it is usually not possible to waive charges for books returned after the deadline as Heads of Department will spend part of the final weeks of term ordering replacements for missing text books for the new school year and the money will therefore already have been committed.
  • Parents of 5th Year Pupils: Next Steps with Summer Work Experience:
    • Earlier this week, all 5th year pupils received an email asking them to report their summer work experience placement using this online form; once a placement is confirmed, students must report their placement to the School. Placements can begin any time after the GCSE exam ‘contingency date’ of Wednesday 28 June 2023 and should be completed by the last Friday of the summer holiday, 1 September 2023. Students involved in sports at Abingdon in the summer term are expected to attend all training sessions and fixtures until the end of summer term, Friday 7 July 2023; students should  not schedule a work experience placement on any date that may clash with a sports training or fixture commitment. Students should confirm all the details of their placement with their host employer (start/end date, work hours, dress code, lunch options, and whether they will be reimbursed for travel expenses) and find out if the host employer wants them to bring a photo ID (such as a passport) on the first day of the placement or to have a meeting or phone call before the placement starts. Abingdon School does require students to submit to the School any forms regarding a work experience placement; however, if the host employer requires any forms to be signed by Abingdon School, please forward them to Mr Triff, Head of Career Guidance, as soon as they are received. If parents have any questions about work experience, please download the checklist from the web page linked to in the 2 March 2023 – Weekly Mailing or email Mr Triff at [email protected].

WHOLE SCHOOL

  • From Paul Gooding, Head of Wellbeing:  Exam Stress
  • Music:
  • Abingdon School Reception, Hong Kong, The Apex (75/F), Central Plaza, 18 Harbour Road, Wan Chai: 6.30-8.30pm (Hong Kong time).  On Friday 23 June 2023, a drinks reception will be held at Central Plaza for all members of the Abingdon community who live or work in the surrounding area.  This will be an opportunity to come together in Hong Kong once again and to celebrate the strength of our Abingdon network as well as hearing news from Abingdon, including the current boarding and dining pavilion projects.  Abingdon is grateful to the owners of Central Plaza for their generosity in supporting this Abingdon reception in Hong Kong.  Please reply to this invitation here.
  • OX14 Learning Partnership Upcoming Events
  • News from the week
  • Food menu for the following week – Week 3
  • School calendar
  • Weekly mailing archive
  • Box Office:  
  • Rugby Performance Camp with Elite Rugby Academy,  Tuesday 30 May and Wednesday 31 May.  Bookings open for the May half term Rugby Performance Camp, welcoming children aged 11 to 16 years.  This bespoke performance camp has been designed to assist a wide variety of players in developing to their full potential, optimising players’ skill sets in a dynamic, safe and professional environment. The camp is led by Elite Rugby Academy, who strive to make each camp purposeful, educational and enjoyable, focusing on world-class fundamentals while teaching players adaptability and creativity.  The camp includes a pro player appearance with Ollie Hassell-Collins, and a Q&A session. Ollie Hassell-Collins is an English professional rugby union player who plays wing for London Irish and has over 100 caps in the Gallagher Premiership. He has also represented England at international level, having made his test debut against Scotland during the 2023 Six Nations Championship.  If you require further information, please email [email protected].