This week's mailing:
Letters:
- To all parents – Ski Trip to the Alps
Notices:
Internal exams
- 4th year exams week will take place from Friday 27 April – Friday 4 May (not on Monday afternoon due to Foundation photograph or Thursday morning 3 May as non CCF will be in revision).
- Lower Sixth exams will take place from Monday 4 June – Thursday 7 June.
- Lower School exams will take place from Thursday 7 June – Monday 11 June.
- 3rd year exams will take place from Wednesday 19 June – Friday 22 June.
Presentation from the 2nd year Parents’ evening
Bedtimes…. (from Mark Hindley, Deputy Head Pastoral)
We have recently been asked by a number of parents about prep and sleep, and were a bit perturbed that a significant proportion of Third Year parents said that their sons were going to bed at 10.30pm or later most nights. For growing teenage boys, ensuring quality sleep is imperative, both for their academic progress and for their well being. We would advise the following bedtimes…
- 3rd Year – up to bed at 9.30ish, 15-20 minutes of reading (so no screens or TV!) and then lights out at 10pm.
- 4th Year – up to bed at 9.45ish, 15-20 minutes of reading (so no screens or TV!) and then lights out at 10.15pm.
- 5th Year – up to bed at 10ish, 15-20 minutes of reading (so no screens or TV!) and then lights out at 10.30pm.
- Sixth Form – more flexible, but again aiming for a period before sleep without screens or TV and aiming to be going to sleep by 11pm.
These are the routines that we aim for in our boarding houses and that would be advised by most schools. If your son is struggling to make these times due to pressure of work, then I would ask you to contact his tutor, and to encourage your son to chat to his tutor about managing his workload and commitments. As ever, please do feel free to discuss any concerns with his housemaster as well. If your son feels these timings are harsh or overly restrictive, do feel free to blame me – I am happy to discuss with him in person the rationale behind these routines!
Lost Property
Thank you for all your support with the Lost Property, and for encouraging your sons to pick up their possessions. We started the week with around 150 items of named, unclaimed kit – ranging from complete bags of games' kit down to odd socks. We reduced this to around 30 items of named kit and 15 items of unnamed kit. The named kit went to housemasters for one final chance to be reconnected with their owners, and we have sanctioned those pupils who failed to collect items, despite being emailed and chased. For your info, those boys have had to do time helping sort out Lost Property. To clarify, if your son loses kit, he should go to Lost Property to collect it, but he will be emailed, and you will be copied in, to let him know if Lost Property have a named item.
Please can you ensure that ALL items are named, even non-standard items such as coats, and that this is on the fabric itself, not simply on a label that could potentially be cut off. Name labels are invaluable, but I would advise you to use a permanent marker as well.
Music
- Solo Concert Platform No 4, followed by the Music Scholars' Dinner – Wednesday 14 March at 6pm in the CMR. This concert, the week after next will be the last solo concert of the term. Please do join us!
- Intermediate Solo Competition with adjudicator, Dr Tom Edwards, who is Director of Music at Rendcomb College, Gloucestershire – Thursday 15 March at 6pm in the CMR. Do consider coming to hear our intermediate musicians (grades 6 to 8) battle it out for this year's prize!
Musical Riverboat Cruise – An important date for your diary
Parents are asked to carefully reserve Friday 22 June, 6-9pm for a musical riverboat cruise from Abingdon. Please see a special message from the chair of ASMS.
Reminder: Abingdon School Football Club End Of Season Dinner
A few tickets are still available for this year's Abingdon School Football Club End Of Season Dinner to which all Middle and Upper School players and parents are invited to attend on Friday 23 March. The evening will start at 7pm with a drinks reception followed by dinner, presentations and speeches. It is hoped that ex England Assistant Manager and current Oxford United Caretaker Manager Derek Fazackerley will be able to join us as the special guest for the evening, and more information can be found here. Tickets can be purchased here at the school Box Office.
Abingdon ATOM Festival of Science and Technology 2018
Tomorrow sees the start of the Abingdon ATOM Festival of Science and Technology 2018. As well as an extensive programme of talks by eminent scientists, there will be the Science Market on the town square on Saturday 10 March, a seminar on Immunology for sixth formers on Wednesday 14 March, the Primary Science Fair on Friday 16 March and the Family Science Fair in the Yang Science Centre on Sunday 18 March. Popular talks in the Amey Theatre this year include Marcus du Sautoy on Thursday 15 March and a double bill of Professors Frank Close and Chris Lintott, Presenter of BBC Sky at Night, on Friday 16 March. All details and ticket sales can be found online.
Parents of Lower Sixth boys: link to UCAS Advice for Parents and Guardians
As promised during the UCAS1 evening, here is a link to a section of the UCAS website specifically directed to parents and guardians of UCAS applicants.
