Message from the Headmaster
Dear Parents
It’s been great to welcome students and staff back to school this week after the half term break. I’ve enjoyed hearing about the various trips that took place over the holiday which covered a broad range of subjects and Other Half activities. It takes a great deal of work to organise these trips and I’m grateful to my colleagues who stepped up to organise, run and support the visits over the half term break.
Yesterday I enjoyed watching the screening in the Amey Theatre of the films produced over the past academic year by the Abingdon Film Unit (AFU). This unit gives students the chance to work alongside professionals from the television and film industry to produce short documentaries and fictional pieces. Its work is inspired by the example of an Old Abingdonian, Michael Grigsby, who went on to become a distinguished film-maker – and captured the only footage of a little-known group called The Beatles performing in the Cavern in Liverpool in the early ‘60s… Last night’s screening highlighted some remarkable pieces of work, combining sensitivity with visual flair and a mature understanding of the language of film. I’d like to express my congratulations to all the students involved and my thanks to Mr Taylor and the AFU tutors.
I hope you and your families are able to enjoy some fireworks over the weekend and I wish everyone all the best for the second half of term.
Best wishes, Mike Windsor
MIDDLE SCHOOL
- For Parents of 5th Year Pupils: Morrisby Profile Programme Interviews
If your child is participating in the Morrisby Profile Programme, they will have received an email from Mr Triff with the date, time, and location of their Zoom online interview with an independent careers adviser from Morrisby. This 30-minute interview will be next week on one of the following days: Monday 7 – Thursday 10 November. Thank you for ensuring your child has put this appointment in their planner/diary and that they set aside some time this weekend (if not already) to review their results and complete some pre-interview questions – all in their online Morrisby account. The Morrisby Profile Programme can help to inform A-Level subject choices from a career planning perspective, so thank you for ensuring your child makes the most of their interview next week. Michael Triff, Head of Career Guidance.
WHOLE SCHOOL
- All Parents: Volunteer Career Representatives needed for Abingdon Independent Schools’ Careers Convention, Thursday 16 March 2023The annual Abingdon Independent Schools’ Careers Convention, jointly run by Abingdon School, Our Lady’s Abingdon and St Helen and St Katharine, provides an excellent opportunity for students (and parents) to gather information about occupations of interest and educational routes into those occupations. It features parents and alumni of all three schools, as well as local employers, representing a wide range of different occupations. Students can meet with ‘career representatives’ one to one, participate in small group discussions, and attend presentations. The next Careers Convention will be on Thursday evening, 16 March 2023 at SHSK, 6-9pm (with set up and buffet supper for career representatives from 5-6pm). To register your interest in volunteering as a ‘career representative’, please complete this online Expression of Interest form. Completing this form DOES NOT commit you to being a volunteer; it only tells us of your interest. We will follow up with you to answer any questions you may have. Thank you for considering being a volunteer at this important annual careers event! Michael Triff, Head of Career Guidance.
- Music. The music department welcomes parents and friends to an action-packed second half of term with much to look forward to – here is a quick resumé of highlights from next week onwards:
- Solo Concert Platform 2, Tuesday 8 November 6pm – Charles Maude Room, admission free. Our second solo platform gives opportunities for solo performances to a range of pupils of different instruments and stages of development. Do come and support them!
- Haydn’s: The Creation with the Joint Schools Choral Society, Friday 18 November 7.30pm – Amey Theatre, Tickets £6.00, £4.00 (concessions), £16.00 (family). Our choral concert is a partnership event this term bringing together singers from schools in the OX14 partnership and Headington School. Staff, pupils and parents will be joined by a trio of professional soloists, all with Abingdon links and accompanied by a joint schools’ orchestra. Please join us for this annual event.
- Choral Evensong – Chapel Choir, Wednesday 23 November 6pm, St Michael’s Church, Abingdon. This is the first opportunity when parents can come and hear the chapel choir under its new director, Mr Alex Fox, and conveniently close to home in St Michael’s Park Road. Do join us!
- Christmas Concert, Wednesday 7 and Friday 9 December 7pm – Amey Theatre. First Year Choir, Symphonic Wind Band, Big Band, School Orchestras, Tickets £6.00, £4.00 (concessions), £16.00 (family). The term’s big musical finale is held over two nights and features all our larger and senior ensembles. The programme is the same for both nights and is given twice in order to accommodate everyone who wishes to attend. Please book early to avoid disappointment.
- See other upcoming Music events.
- OX14 Learning Partnership Upcoming Events.
- News from the week
- Food menu for the following week – Week 2
- School calendar
- Weekly mailing archive
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