This week’s mailing is:
Letters:
- To parents of all Third Year pupils – Parents’ Evening
- To parents of all pupils – Child’s Mental Health Week
Notices:
From the Headmaster to all parents:
Dear Parents
I am sure that you are aware that in the House of Commons on Wednesday the Prime Minister announced that schools would not start reopening until Monday 8 March at the earliest. As we face at least another four weeks working remotely, we are keen to gather feedback to ensure that our provision is as good as it possibly can be. I would be grateful if you could complete this very short ‘pulse check’ survey by 9am on Monday 1 February.
We all recognise the challenges that young people face in having to work remotely for such a long period of time. We have encouraged our students to break down these periods into bite-sized chunks. Hopefully they will enjoy the early finish to lessons today and the opportunity to get away from screens. There are then just the two weeks until the February half term. After a week off, there will be two weeks until 8 March and hopefully schools will then begin to reopen. I’ve recorded a brief message for the students to help them put the latest announcement into perspective.
On Wednesday and Thursday next week, we will be holding our first-ever Giving Day. We mark in 2020-21 the 150 years that the School has been situated on its current site (previously it was next to the Abbey Gate by the river in Abingdon) and so we want to celebrate what the School is all about, while also raising funds to ensure that pupils of any background are able to benefit from an Abingdon education, regardless of their financial circumstances. Lots of the students and staff will be involved in various 150-themed challenges during the course of the two days and we hope that this will be a great way to bring the community together, despite the current circumstances.
In my assembly this week, I described the incredible achievements of the Nepalese climber, Nirmal Purja, who not only climbed all 8000m+ mountains in just over six months but was also recently a member of the first team to reach the summit of K2 (aka ‘the savage mountain’) in the midst of winter. Although many of us are currently limited to the less obviously savage environs of southern England, I hope that his example can inspire us all to cope with the challenges we are currently facing.
Best wishes
Mike Windsor
Developing Leadership Programme
Abingdon School’s Developing Leadership programme encourages all our pupils to be leaders, both in formal ways and also informally through Other Half, Partnerships and all aspects of school and community life. To highlight examples of great leadership and to encourage those who might want to take the lead in a new or existing activity a new page has been opened on the school website: https://www.abingdon.org.uk/other-half/service-activities/taking-the-lead/. Anyone wanting more information or who can offer advice on leadership opportunities is welcome to contact Mr Jeremy Thomas, Developing Leadership Coordinator; Mr Henry Morgan, Director of the Other Half or Mr Robin Southwell-Sander, Director of Partnerships.
All Parents: Volunteer Career Representatives needed for Abingdon Careers Convention, Friday Evening, 12 March 2021, on Zoom. From Michael Triff, Head of Career Guidance
I am looking for parent volunteers in several key career areas for the upcoming Abingdon Independent Schools’ Careers Convention in March. If you work in one of the following career areas, and can volunteer as a career representative the evening of Friday 12 March (via Zoom), I would love to hear from you!
Accounting, Actuarial Science, Architecture, Aviation (Piloting), Business Operations (any industry), Charities + NGOs, Civil Engineering, Human Resources, Local Government, Management Consulting, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Nursing, Doctor/Surgeon, Solicitor/Barrister/Judge, Theatre & Film (Acting/Directing), Pharmaceuticals, Psychiatry, Journalism, Publishing, Property, Veterinary Medicine.
Please email [email protected] or register your interest online as soon as possible. Thank you!
Giving Day:
Abingdon 150 Giving Day starts at 10 am next Wednesday, 3 February and will run for 30 hours across many time zones. We’re celebrating 150 years on this beautiful site next to Albert Park. We’ve tasked the school community to think up 150 themed activities – we have had some fantastic suggestions and look forward to sharing these throughout the day on our social media accounts. Do look out for them. Please feel free to take part too if you wish! This is a great way of bringing the whole school community together during the day whilst we are all remote learning and working from home, We know that the students are looking forward to taking part. We hope you enjoy following the day’s activities and progress – follow here.
Music:
- Wednesday’s Solo Concert Platform is now available for all to watch and hear. Fifteen solo performances, all recorded at home by students from a wide range of age and ability and sent to music teachers have been put together by our Amey Theatre technical team. It lasts about 50 minutes and we are delighted with the results. The video can be viewed on Youtube following this link. Our thanks to the boys and to their instrumental teachers. We hope to have something similar to offer you from the Sixth Form musicians on Thursday 11 February.
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.
