3 Dec 2021

WEEKLY MAILING

This week’s mailing is:

Letters:

Notices:

From the Headmaster to all parents:

Dear Parents

Last week in the Windsor household I was accused of grinch-like tendencies when I refused to countenance the playing of a Michael Bublé Christmas album.

I have to admit though that now that the Christmas tree is up in the Chapel and day students and boarders have been busy decorating their houserooms, it is indeed beginning to feel a lot like Christmas at Abingdon.

A Christmas tradition that we are keen to embrace is the need to look out for other people who might be less fortunate than we are. So on Tuesday 7 December we will be holding a home clothes day, where students are invited to contribute £2 (in cash, please, on the day) not to wear school uniform. We know that there are lots of Christmas jumpers out there which have been patiently waiting for the festive season; Tuesday will be a great opportunity to give them an airing. All the funds that are raised will go towards this year’s school charities: SSNAP (Supporting Sick Newborns and their Parents) and Agape.

The Bublé ban remains in force until Christmas Eve but I do look forward to a final festive week of term.

Best wishes, Mike Windsor

 

6th Form Parents: Gap Year Advice Evening Webinar, Thursday 20 January 2022, 6:30-8:00pm, on Zoom

Is your L6 or U6 child thinking – even remotely – about taking a Gap Year? If they are, this is an event they and you will not want to miss. You are both invited to attend a Gap Year Advice Evening Webinar on Thursday 20 January 2022, 6:30-8:00pm on Zoom. The event is being co-hosted by Abingdon School and St Helen and St Katharine and is open to all students in the OX14 Learning Partnership. We will start with a brief presentation on electing, planning, and then managing a Gap Year. This is following by a further presentation from Independent Gap Advice on travel abroad during a Gap Year. Then, a panel of school leavers who took a Gap Year will share their individual circumstances and stories of what they did. This will be followed by a Q&A session for any of the speakers or panellists. To attend, you must register in advance for the webinar using this link.

Second Year HPV vaccinations

Please look out for an email that has been sent to all parents and guardians of Second year pupils this afternoon regarding HPV vaccinations which are currently scheduled to take place on Wednesday 19 January 2022. The email will contain all the information required to give consent for this vaccination. If you do not wish your child to have the HPV vaccination, please still follow the instructions to decline the vaccination. Consent cannot be given after Sunday 16 January for this session.  Please direct any questions to the childhood immunisation team on [email protected]

School bank details:

We will shortly be sending out Lent term invoices to parents.  The ingenuity of cyber criminals and the reality of ransom attacks unfortunately continue to increase significantly, with hackers likely to take particular advantage over the busy festive period. Please be reassured that we continue to work hard to defend the school. However, parents at independent schools are often targeted, and in particular are told that the school’s bank account has changed. To be clear, we have no plans at all to change our bank details. Should you receive any correspondence suggesting a change in bank details, please contact Abingdon School directly by phone and ask to be put through to the relevant member of staff who will be able to guide and advise you on the appropriate next steps.

Hockey pre-season training – Tuesday 4 January 2022 at Tilsley Park

The sessions will run between 3-5pm. Exact timings for each year group will be confirmed once numbers are known.  To book a place on the Hockey pre-season training, click on this link.

Abingdon Box Office:

  • Christmas with André Rieu – Monday 6 December at 7pm.  The King of the Waltz brings you a festive spectacular from his newly created Winter Palace in his hometown of Maastricht. Immerse yourself in the spirit of the season while singing and dancing away to lovely Christmas carols, romantic waltzes and beautiful melodies like Jingle Bells, O Holy Night, Hallelujah, a show-stopping performance of Walking in the Air and many more!
  • ROH Live: The Nutcracker 2021 – Thursday 9 December at 7:15pm. The Nutcracker is a family favourite at Christmas time and is one of the most delightful ways to discover the enchantment of ballet. The story of Clara, a girl on a magical Christmas Eve adventure, is accompanied by sparkling music and even dancing sweets! Please note this will be screening live from the Royal Opera House.
  • ROH Live: Tosca 2021 – Wednesday 15 December at 7:15pm. Into the romantic world of an idealistic painter Cavaradossi and his sensuous lover Tosca comes the malevolence of Baron Scarpia, Chief of Police, with fatal results. Love and evil come – thrillingly – face to face in Jonathan Kent’s intense production. Please note this will be screening live from the Royal Opera House.

News from the Week:

Food Menu for the coming week – Week 3

School Calendar

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

Here is the link to previous weekly mailings.