7 Dec 2018

WEEKLY MAILING

This week's mailing is:

Letters:

Notices:

Parents of 6th Form Students: Gap Year Advice Evening, Thursday 17 January, 6.15-7.45pm, CMR, Abingdon School

Abingdon will host a Gap Year Advice Evening for Sixth Form pupils and parents on Thursday 17 January 2018, 6.15-7.45pm in the CMR at Abingdon School. The event will feature a presentation about the reasons to take a Gap Year; the pros and cons of a Gap Year; setting goals and finding relevant experiences during a Gap Year; the likely costs of a Gap Year; and the transition following return from a Gap Year. In addition, there will be a panel of Old Abingdonians on hand to share their own Gap Year story and insights. No booking is necessary; just show up on the night. Pupils can also download (from the University Admissions page of Firefly) the Abingdon School Gap Year Guide, which is intended to help pupils think carefully through all the considerations involved in electing, planning, and managing a Gap Year.

Summer 2019 GCSE and GCE Exam Timetables

Please be aware that these are correct timetables as is and any clashes shown are yet to be resolved. Also your son's personal timetable has now been released via parent portal: however, will be subject to change due to clashes (yet to be resolved) and access arrangements. All candidates will receive a personalised exam pack after the February half-term break. All candidates must be available on Wednesday 26 June as this is the JCQ Contingency day for GCSE and/or GCE examinations should sustained national or local disruption arise during the June 2019 examination series (GCSE, GCE, June 2019).

Music Notices

Key Musical dates for next term for your diaries:

  • Piano Masterclass with Yekaterina Lebedeva – Wednesday 16 January
  • New Year Japan Tour Benefit Concert – Thursday 24 January
  • Menine Brass Quartet – Workshop and Evening Concert – Wednesday 13 February
  • Gloucester Cathedral Evensong with Chapel Choir – Thursday 14 February
  • Annual Chamber Music Evening Wednesday 27 February
  • Singers' Platform – Wednesday 6 March
  • School Choirs Concert – Thursday 21 March

Tuesday 11 December – Christmas Jumper Day

Students and staff are invited to put on their festive knitwear for a good cause. A suggested £2 donation will be paid to the Magic Breakfast which delivers nutritional breakfasts to schools across England and Scotland and ensures that ‘No child is too hungry to learn’. Students are expected to be in normal school uniform with the addition of a jumper, it is not a full home-clothes day.

A prize will be awarded to the best jumper on the day!

Dropping off and collection of pupils by car: not on Faringdon Road

Please do not park on Faringdon Road close to the coachpark over the cycle lane, as this hampers cyclists and car drivers.  Also, the pavement is needed for pedestrians.  Parents are reminded not to drop off or collect boys from the Park Lodge area, or Lower Field car park, please. This is because the area is already busy with pedestrians, pupils and school traffic. We therefore ask that parents drop and collect boys in Park Crescent, operating a one-way system travelling clockwise past the private housing to the west of Albert Park, and ending up near the boarding houses. The Crescent ends at a cross roads, where halting is obligatory on these private roads. Wheel clamping operates on Park Road and Park Crescent, so you are advised not to leave a car unattended.

Ultimate Activity Camps at Abingdon Prep and Sports Centre for ages 4-14 in Summer 2019 – From the Commercial Director, Kieran Henderson

We are delighted to let you know that we have chosen to partner with Ultimate Activity Camps to run their fun and engaging holiday programmes at Abingdon Prep and Abingdon School Sports Centre next Easter and Summer! They have already been successfully running their camps this year at Abingdon School Sports Centre and have a strong reputation for their quality holiday programmes.

Ultimate Activity Camps offer exciting holiday day camps with over 40 activities every week delivered by engaging and enthusiastic staff who will instruct and encourage children aged 4 to 14 years to try new activities and make new friends – and naturally have lots of fun!  They have a very special Christmas Offer starting on Tuesday 18 December (when bookings are live to book) until Friday 4 January  visit www.ultimateactivity.co.uk for details or you can call their friendly team on 0330 111 7077 (local rate).

Abingdon Box Office

Everest Lab with Greg Foot – 7.30pm, Monday 10 December

Thames Vale Youth Orchestra Christmas Concert – 7.30pm, Wednesday 12 December

School Notices

We are pleased to be a Member School at School Notices, a digital noticeboard for independent school parents that raises funds for schools. Free to join and free to buy and sell goods, rent houses and find work for gap year students. Exciting offers given by advertisers and new notices posted daily from a wide range of independent school parents, whilst also benefiting some of our school causes through the sharing of advertising income. The School Notices website is accessible to all parents at www.schoolnotices.co.uk and please follow this link to register.  You can also browse their Winter magazine here: http://magazine.schoolnotices.co.uk/

Food menu for the coming week – Week 1