9 Nov 2023

WEEKLY MAILING

Message from the Head

Dear Parents

Yesterday was an exciting day as students and staff undertook a variety of activities based on the number 110 in support of our Giving Day, which aimed to raise funds to support our ambition to have 110 pupils in the School on bursary places. These ranged from poetry readings to sporting challenges, from artwork to the esoteric, including 2P’s 110 ‘wheelbarrow’ circuits of our Multi-Use Sports Area. I contributed with 110 scales on the double bass – and I can only apologise to anyone who had to listen in. The Giving Day had excellent support and I’m grateful to everyone who contributed. It’s not too late if you’d still like to make a donation; you can find more information here.

There was further excitement yesterday as we hosted our first lunch for pupils in the new Pavilion. Sixth Formers joined me as I cut the ribbon at midday to open the new facility and then enjoyed their meal in the new space. The new building is going to enhance the experience for students at lunchtimes and it will also house a café that they can access for some extra nourishment throughout the school day. It will also provide a much larger foyer space for the Amey Theatre and I hope you will enjoy it when you visit for productions, concerts and so on.

It’s also been great to see students in Crescent and Austin enjoying their new facilities over the past week or so. They now have much improved spaces for study and recreation and they have certainly begun to make themselves feel at home there.

This week preparations have also been underway for our Remembrance Ceremony when we pay tribute to those who have given their lives in conflict, and especially the Old Abingdonians who perished in the two world wars. We will gather tomorrow (Friday 10 November) for an assembly when we will reflect on some of the individual stories of OAs who made the ultimate sacrifice and then the School will gather in front of Big School while the members of the Combined Cadet Force parade. The parade gets underway at 10.45am and you are very welcome to join us. You may also like to attend our Remembrance concert, featuring music and readings, which will take place in the Chapel at 7pm tomorrow.

Best wishes, Mike Windsor

 

 

UPPER SCHOOL

 

MIDDLE SCHOOL

  • For Parents of 5th Year Pupils: Into the Sixth Form Information Evening
  • For Parents of 5th Year Pupils: Morrisby Profile Programme Results
    • If your child is participating in the Morrisby Profile Programme, this week they will have had an interview with an independent careers adviser from Morrisby. By early next week (if not done already), the careers adviser who interviewed your child will have posted interview notes to your child’s Morrisby online account (www.morrisby.com).  If your child has given you read-only access to their online account, you can view these interview notes. If not, please ask your child to give you access to their account (which they can do at the bottom of their Morrisby account home page). Find time over the next few weeks to discuss the results of this programme with your child and how their results might impact post-16 education choices, including A-Level subject choices if entering Abingdon’s 6th Form. Tentative A-Level choices will be due by Monday 27 November. If you have any questions, concerns or requests, contact Michael Triff, Head of Career Guidance, at [email protected].

LOWER SCHOOL

  • For Parents of First Year pupils 
    • On Tuesday next week (Tuesday 14 November), the first-year students will be given a talk (as part of our wider relationships and sex education (RSE) provision) on consent and boundaries within friendships and relationships. The speaker will be Natalie Hunt, the school’s mental health and wellbeing co-ordinator who is also an experienced RSE trainer. Consent is an important topic and we will be tackling this in an age-appropriate way, coming back to it several times as your child progresses through the school. In this introductory talk, students will learn the definition of consent and the meaning of physical and emotional boundaries within a friendship and a relationship. They will also have the opportunity to think about the qualities of a healthy friendship and how we can express our boundaries without upsetting someone, and why respecting someone else’s boundaries is so important. I would encourage you to continue these important conversations from home too. Many thanks Paul Gooding (Head of PSHCE)

WHOLE SCHOOL

  • 2023 Anti-Bullying and International Men’s Day
  • Remembrance Parade – Only the Lower and Upper Sixth pupils in CCF are involved in the Remembrance parade on Sunday at 9am.
  • Abingdon Community Events (ACE) Toy Drive for Abingdon Families in Need – Collection open now to Friday 1 December
    • ACE are looking for BRAND NEW toy donations for children aged 1-12 and teenagers up to age 16 which will be distributed to families in need this Christmas via food banks. If you would like to make a donation please drop it off at Park Lodge or Faringdon Lodge Reception – unfortunately we cannot accept donations after Friday 1 December as we have to deliver them to the elves for wrapping and distribution.
    • **Important Points to Note** ACE are looking for gifts that are brand NEW only. Please do not wrap your gift, please avoid toys associated with violence (guns/swords) due to the various backgrounds of the children. Please avoid anything with reference to Mummy/Daddy as ACE work with children who have suffered bereavement or are victims of abuse. Please do not give video games or DVDs as many children will not have the equipment to play these on. Alternatively items can be purchased on the Amazon wish list https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/BKA6K6MACCG0 or donations can be made via the ACE JustGiving Page https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ace-6 further information and suggested gifts can be found on the ACE event page https://www.facebook.com/abingdonevents/
  • All Parents: Volunteer Career Representatives needed for Abingdon Careers Convention, Thursday 14 March 2024
    • The annual Abingdon 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, 14 March 2024 at OLA, 6.30-9pm (with set up and buffet supper for career representatives from 5.15pm). To register your interest in volunteering as a ‘career representative’, please complete this online form by Friday 15 December. 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: 
    • Remembrance Concert Evening Friday 10 November, 7pm with pre drinks reception in the Charles Maude Room at 6.15pm.  A reminder that this Friday sees our first Remembrance Concert Evening here in the Chapel at Abingdon School.  Do join us for the pre drinks reception and an evening of Music and Readings as the Abingdon pupils reflect at this time of Remembrance.  With a number of varied instrumental and vocal solos coupled with items from the Chapel Choir, this evening will also include a series of readings and memoirs. Tickets are free but need to be booked online here.
    • Choral Evensong, Wednesday 22 November, 6pm – St Michael’s Church, Abingdon.  This term’s Choral Evensong sees the Chapel Choir making a short visit to St. Michael’s Church in Abingdon. Do join us for this reflective service as the day draws to a close. The Chapel Choir will perform a variety of music to support the liturgy of this traditional service.
    • See other upcoming Music Events
  • From the Chair of ASPA, Richard Stone: ASPA Burns Night Dinner and Ceilidh Dance – Saturday 27 January
    • ASPA are delighted to be hosting a Burns Night dinner and dance, with live Ceilidh band, on Saturday 27 January. This will be the first major ASPA event in the new Pavilion dining facility. Tickets are £45 per person and include an arrival drink and three course dinner. These are available now through the school box office. https://www.abingdon.org.uk/sports-and-leisure/performance/aspa-burns-night-dinner-and-ceilidh-dance/ There is obviously limited capacity so book early! We look forward to seeing you there.
  • From the Chair of Touchliners, Mark Noctor: Touchliners Annual Dinner, Saturday 3 February 2024
    • Looking for a great social to add into your diary for the new year? Our Touchliners Annual Dinner has now moved to Saturday 3 February and we’re excited to be holding it, for the first time, in the new Pavilion dining and event space! Touchliners is a parent led support group for the school rugby club and the evening is always great fun, and a vital fundraiser for the Abingdon school rugby community.  Many tickets have already been sold but if you haven’t got yours yet, we would love to invite you along to meet new rugby supporter parents or old friends from the touchline from all age groups.  The black tie evening (for parents only) begins with drinks at 7pm and then continues with a three course dinner.   We’re delighted that this year’s guest speaker is former England international, Mark Cueto MBE.   To reserve places at the price of £75 per ticket, please complete this form https://forms.gle/PyTUx2zCsBiwc8mx9 as soon as possible.
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