Abingdon News No.58

2 September 2021 Having navigated the twists and turns of the pandemic over the previous year or so, we certainly embraced the standard pleasures of the summer term: cricket, tennis and athletics, expeditions and educational visits. I’m sure the experience of being deprived of many of the normal features of school life during the periods of remote learning ensured that we appreciated the events of the summer all the more. Our Inter-House Athletics competition, held at Tilsley Park, is always a personal favourite. This year, it was particularly good to once again see students from different year groups and different houses taking part - and social distancing was no problem in the wide open spaces of Tilsley. This event in many ways captures the essence of the Other Half and its blend of elite performance and wide participation. There were some dazzling performances on the track and in the field from hugely talented athletes but also great encouragement for those for whom athletics is a once-a-year pursuit, with large numbers involved in the relay events in particular. As the new academic year comes into view, I hope that it will offer a return to normality for everyone. I’m certainly confident that we will cherish those events that we can all too easily take for granted. Abingdon News Message from the Headmaster Bronze DofE Seventeen teams completed their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s expedition to the Wiltshire Downs. The conditions were wet but the students tackled the challenge in good spirits and enjoyed the neolithic monuments at Avebury and the famous white horse.