Abingdonian 2020

75 www.abingdon.org.uk House Reports the Fencing Club having won medals at multiple national and international competitions in his time at the school, but is followed by talented fencers such as Nicholas Chan and Isaac Ip. In the Michaelmas inter-house sports we won the badminton event overall through consistently high placing across all year groups. Addison Hill was the best performing cyclist from the third year (or fourth year for that matter) in a new team cycling event that the boys enjoyed. In the Summer Term a virtual sports day replaced athletics at Tilsley Park for third and fourth year students. The best individual performances were from Max Struthers in the fourth year and Jim Allen in the third. Both teams competed in exactly the right spirit and finished second overall in their respective competitions. Heads of House Jack Ellard and Jacob de Jongh were excellent ambassadors for the other pupils and were great in their leadership to the younger boys, particularly in very uncertain times. They were particularly supportive in House Singing, but also in helping raise support for teams in the termly sporting events. We wish all of the Upper Sixth leavers well as they go off to university or a gap year - unfortunately they didn’t experience the usual end of school final exams and leavers’ celebrations. It is notable that a high proportion of them are going off to top courses at highly competitive universities, including an impressive four who will be studying medicine. Particular praise goes to Peter Wan, who won both physics and chemistry prizes at Prize Giving as well as awards for his physics factors work. He is now heading to Cambridge to read Natural Sciences. The new third years were tutored by Mr McDonnell, who leaves School House after three years tutoring and helping with boarding to join a day house. He did an outstanding job with these boys after taking sole charge of the tutor group around Christmas - they were very fortunate to have his energy to help them through a difficult time. Thanks go to him from everyone for all the work he did in three years in the house and we wish him good luck in the years ahead. Finally congratulations go to Mr Johnson and his wife who became parents during lockdown to a healthy son, Freddy. Mike Litchfield