2023/24
This handbook is designed to bring together the information which in our experience parents have most needed to know. It should be seen as a supplement to the standard Terms and Conditions, which parents signed when they accepted a place for their child in the School. If at any time, however, there is anything you do not understand, or anything you are worried about, please do not hesitate to contact us: +44 (0)1235 521563 The School Day Communication Timings Attendance Absence Leave out of school Absence from Sport Fixtures Saturdays Lunch Detentions Philosophy Sources of Information Parents Contacting Staff Staff Contacting Parents Parents Contacting Students/ Students Contacting Parents/ Use of Mobile Phones Students Contacting Staff Visiting School 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 4 4 4 4 5 5 5
3 The Other Half Finance Transport Pastoral Academic Miscellaneous Day Student Coaches Parents’ Cars Bicycles Sixth Formers’ Cars and Motorcycles Curriculum Books and Materials Homework Reports, Assessments and Academic Mentoring Extra Tuition BYOD Fees Notification of Charges Charges Methods of Payment 15 15 15 15 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 11 Houses and Tutor Groups The House Pastoral Coordination After Abingdon - Guidance Housemasters and Tutors Other Pastoral Support Personal, Social and Health Education Chapel 8 8 8 8 9 9 Approach Sport Service Activities Societies Music CCF Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme Voluntary Service Expeditions The Abingdon School Parents’ Association (ASPA) and other Parent Groups Health Centre and School Counselling Service Lost Property Learning Support Medical Requirements Second-hand Uniform Scheme (SUS) Tuck Shop and Café 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 16 16 16 17 12 12 12 12 13 13 13 13 13
Communication Philosophy Staff Contacting Parents Sources of Information Parents Contacting Staff Up-to-date information about school events and activities is provided via: The school website, abingdon.org.uk. It is updated daily and is the principal source of news and information about the School. Weekly mailings are sent by email to parents and nominated guardians. These are an important source of information, containing letters to specific year groups and details of forthcoming events. They should be consulted carefully. School weekly mailings are also found under the ‘What’s On’ tab of the website. The online school calendar is available on the school website under the ‘What’s On’ tab. The school Other Half Activities website pages contain information about both compulsory and voluntary sports, school societies and service activities. School Policies, are available on the school website under the ‘About’ tab. These policies also contain general information for parents. The School is keen to have a close relationship with parents to ensure that there is clear communication about all areas of school life. We welcome parents contacting the School and will do all we can to assist you with your questions and enquiries. Parents of students are encouraged to contact members of staff by email wherever possible. Members of the teaching staff may be contacted through a student's tutor or by using the staff directory in the Parent Portal. General telephone enquiries from parents should be directed in the first instance to the Common Room Secretary ([email protected]; +44 (0)1235 521563). The principal school number +44 (0)1235 521563 will be answered by a receptionist between 8.00 and 17.30 Monday to Friday during term-time and between 9.00 and 16.00 on week days during the school holidays. On Saturdays contact should be made with the Sports Centre receptionist: +44 (0)1235 849062 for matters relating to sport. Outside office hours, messages can be left on the answer machine. The porters’ mobile for out of hours emergencies only is +44 (0)333 0062963. We keep contact information for the purpose of sending reports, fee invoices and so forth and also we rely upon the same information in the case of emergencies. We therefore ask parents and guardians to keep us up to date as and when necessary with any changes of address, email and phone numbers for each contact. This can be done by sending an email to [email protected]. The information supplied is subject to the terms of the Data Protection Act of 1998. 4
Parents contacting students / students contacting parents / use of mobile phones Visiting School Students contacting staff It is not possible for us to bring individual students to speak to their parents on the telephone. Students in the Lower School must hand their phones in to their housemaster on arrival at school, and may pick them up when they are leaving school. They are not allowed to use mobile telephones during school hours. Students in the Middle School may bring phones into school for emergency contact, but may not use mobile telephones during school hours. Students in the Sixth Form may use phones in school, except for in lessons and in the Dining Hall. Phones, or any electronic device, must not be used to send offensive messages nor to access inappropriate websites. The unsolicited taking of photographs or videos, by such equipment, is strictly prohibited. Phones must not be used in a way that inconveniences others. The school telephone number must not be used as a means of sending messages to students, except in cases of emergency. During a normal working day all visitors, including parents, should report to the School Reception, situated in Park Lodge at the entrance to the School on Park Road, or Faringdon Lodge by the coach park. Visitors will be requested to sign in upon arrival, and sign out when leaving. Visitors must wear a visitors’ badge. Visitors will be asked to wait in the reception area until the member of staff has been notified of the visitor’s arrival. Visitors wishing to meet individual members of staff are requested to make appointments beforehand. Students wishing to contact members of staff will usually find it easiest to do so by email, or enquiring for them at the Common Room, or calling at their individual offices. Students who wish to see a senior member of staff will usually find it most convenient to ask their Tutor or Housemaster to make an appointment for them. They may however, if they wish, ask the Common Room Secretary for an urgent appointment – and the Headmaster may always be approached directly by any student who needs to speak to him. 5
The School Day Absence Attendance Timings Day students should normally arrive between 8.15 and 8.35 each morning. Considerable importance is attached to punctuality and registration is an integral part of school administration as well as a legal requirement; the School’s registration procedures are inspected regularly. We ask for parents’ co-operation, therefore, in ensuring that their child arrives on time. Late arrivals are required to report in person to the Attendance Office in Room B210, by the Chapel, to register there. If parents know their child is going to be absent they must let the School know by telephoning the Attendance Secretary on +44 (0)1235 849031, or by emailing: [email protected] (and copy the email to their child’s tutor) by 9.30 each morning. Parents should give their child’s name and tutor group. If a student fails to register, the School is obliged to ring the parents to ascertain the whereabouts of their child. On Saturdays if an unplanned absence arises for a sporting fixture or another activity (such as a rehearsal) contact must be made with the teacher in charge of the team or activity either by email or phone call. The Sports Centre reception is on +44 (0)1235 849062. The school main number +44 (0)1235 521563 will be manned for Open Days and similar events. Below is an outline of a typical day at Abingdon. Timings do vary across year groups and from day to day – more specific templates for each year group are downloadable from the school website. 8.35 Students meet with their tutors 8.45 Assembly or Chapel 9.00 – 9.50 Period 1: Lessons for all 10.00 – 10.50 Period 2: Lessons for all 10.50 – 11.15 Break 11.15 – 12.10 Period 3: Lessons for all 12.20 – 13.10 Period 4: Lunch/activities/tutorial/ assembly for some, lessons for others 13.10 – 14.00 Period 5: Lunch/activities/tutorial/ assembly depending on year group 14.00 – 14.55 Period 6: Lunch/activities for some, lessons for others 15.05 – 16.00 Period 7: Lessons for all (except Wednesdays when after school activities take place for all) 16.05 – 17.15 Period 8: After school activities After school activities are normally over by 17.15, except sometimes in the Lent and Summer Terms. Day students should normally leave school premises by 17.20, unless specially required to stay behind or arrangements for this have been made. 6
Absence from School Fixtures Leave out of School Lunch Saturdays Detentions Students are expected to be available for matches against other schools unless specific permission has been sought from, and granted by, the Headmaster. Any request should be made well in advance, at least one week before the fixture and copied to the Director of Sport and PE. Requests involving the absence of any student for more than a day of school time should be made in writing to the Headmaster. Their housemaster may deal with requests involving absence of a day or less. Parents are strongly requested not to take their child out of school for any but the most pressing reasons. It must be said that we object strongly to applications for leave that have the effect of extending the already generous school holidays. On Saturdays large numbers of students will be required to play school games as well as being involved in other school activities, such as Open Days. (Please see above for expectations about students’ attendance on Saturdays.) All students, except those in the First Year and Third Year who are only required if involved in a specific activity e.g. orchestra, are expected to attend our main school Open Day in the autumn. School buses will run on the Open Day. All students (day and boarders) are required to have lunch, which is provided in the Dining Hall. A choice from a variety of hot, cold and vegetarian dishes is available, with filled baguettes as a regular option. Sample menus are available on the school website. There is no additional charge for this meal, and no refund can be made if meals are not taken. Special dietary requirements (for medical or religious reasons) can usually be accommodated. We attach considerable importance to the social aspect of lunch. School lunch is therefore compulsory and we ask parents to support this stance. Detention is a penalty imposed by the School in cases of misbehaviour or if the School considers that a pupil’s academic progress has been below standard and that the pupil would benefit from a period of quiet, supervised study. It is for one or two hours after school on Fridays. Headmaster’s Detentions, for more serious offences, are held on Saturdays from 09.30 to 11.30. Students may appeal against detention, using the procedures set out in the School Rules and Regulations, but parents are requested to support the School in imposing the detention. 7
Academic Curriculum Books and Materials Homework Details of each stage of the curriculum are given to parents as their child progress up the school. Booklets describing the curriculum at each level of the school may be accessed from the school website and are also available on request from the Curriculum Director. Choices of subjects have to be made from time to time in a student’s school career, and at these points the parents can exert a major influence; however, we are obliged to make it clear that the composition of a student’s timetable, and the arrangements made for teaching the student (e.g. by setting) must ultimately be at the School’s discretion. Curriculum arrangements are made by the Curriculum Director to whom enquiries about the curriculum and subject choices should be addressed. The School is always willing to consider special timetabling or curricular arrangements for individual pupils. Textbooks and stationery are at present issued, generally speaking, without any separate charge. Books remain the property of the School and a charge is made for any unreturned, damaged, or defaced. Books should be returned promptly as requested, to avoid charges. A small number of necessary items (e.g. mathematical instruments, etc.) are normally bought by students. There are also charges made to students in the Fifth Year who choose to take advantage of the optional careers profiling and interviews that are run through the Morrisby Profile Programme. Homework that is properly done is the corner-stone of most subjects. As a rough guide, students in the first two years should do about one hour each evening (Mon to Fri), rising to two hours each evening by the fifth year (also Mon to Fri). Homework time-tables are published for Years 1 to 5, and parents of day students are asked to ensure that their child complies with these programmes, and that they carry out the assignments recorded on Firefly, the School’s virtual learning environment. Parents may raise questions about their child’s homework at any time, with the Tutor or with the subject teacher concerned. Reports, Assessments and Academic Monitoring a parents’ evening; a settling-in report with comments from Tutor and Housemaster; a self-reflection report with academic and Other Half goals; three “attitude to learning” reports written by subject staff, with Tutor and Housemaster comments, which focus specifically on students’ attitude towards their class and homework (one of these reports will comment on progress towards the students’ self generated goals). A student’s progress is monitored, and reports are made to parents, by a variety of means both formal and informal. Subject teachers and tutors consult regularly, and tutors are primarily responsible for bringing to the attention of parents any special problems that may arise during the course of a term. Reports and Parents’ Evenings The pattern of these reports varies by year group but in essence there will be a reporting point for each half term. The reporting points include: For Summer Term, in the Fifth and Upper Sixth Years, reports comprise just Tutor and Housemaster comments. Achievement grades are given for external examination subjects with a potential grade linked to the examination. 8
BYOD Extra Tuition Parents of each student will be invited once in the course of a year to meet the student’s teachers online. These “parents’ evenings” are organised on a year group basis, and interviews are arranged by appointment. Senior staff address parents shortly before these appointments on matters relevant to the year group. Assessment-internal examinations Alongside the on-going monitoring and assessment that naturally takes place during lessons as well as in the report sessions outlined above, all students have one formal internal examinations session during the year quite apart from any public examinations for which they may be entered. For the Fifth Year, this takes place at the beginning of Lent Term (‘mock’ GCSE exams), for the Fourth Year in the first half of the Summer Term and for Years 1 to 3, just after the Summer half term. The Lower Sixth has a set of ‘tests’ in November and in June and the Upper Sixth have a similar set of ‘mocks’ that take place after the Lent half term. On each examination occasion the results are analysed and reported home (often via the next reporting session) and if performance in the exams raises a concern then contact will usually be made aside from the normal report, for example via a letter from the Academic Deputy Head. Monitoring – the Lists system For students in the Third Year and above whose academic progress causes concern during the year, Abingdon has a ‘Lists’ system to look more closely at them for a period of time to help them to put things right. The first level (the Tutor’s List) highlights a student to their Tutor and their teachers, who will keep a closer eye on them and encourage them to address the specific issues that have arisen. Tutors will usually contact parents via email or phone to let them know this is happening. More serious cases are elevated to the Housemaster’s List and then the Middle Master’s (Years 3 to 5) or Upper Master’s (Sixth Form) List, which involves a more formal reporting back from teachers to the Tutor on a regular basis and a letter home. The most serious level of monitoring is the Deputy Head Academic’s List, which will usually involve a letter home and a regular meeting between the student and the Deputy Head to encourage specific improvement in agreed areas. In Lower School, a modified version of the above system is operated, with just two levels of monitoring. At each stage of this process a student's background and specific needs are considered alongside the potential involvement of the Learning Support department. Often students will appear on the Tutor’s List only for a brief period before putting right whatever has led to the concern. It should be emphasised that the system is designed primarily to be supportive, to give students the chance to recognise, articulate and address their problems. At Abingdon we are constantly thinking about how we prepare our students for life beyond school and over recent years it has become even more evident that developing a proficiency for the use of technology in and out of the classroom is an extremely important part of a student’s education. We know that teachers will enhance the teaching and learning of students by utilising the best tools around them and that it is therefore important that we enable teachers and pupils to harness the power of technology for educational purposes. With this in mind, all Abingdon students in the Lower School are provided with a device for their studies and we have adopted a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approach for students in the Third Year and above to bring in suitable devices for use in lessons. Extra tuition is normally necessary only in special cases (e.g. where a student starts a subject late). N.B. arrangements for extra tuition require written permission from the Headmaster. Special arrangements apply if a student needs help with English as a second language, payment for which is made separately. 9
Pastoral House and Tutor Groups The House Lower School Day students entering the Lower School (First and Second Years) are allocated to a tutor group, looked after by a Tutor who is responsible for their general wellbeing, and who deals in the first instance with problems connected with work, attendance or discipline. The Lower School comes under the general supervision of the Lower School Housemaster. Middle School On entering the Middle School (Third, Fourth and Fifth Years), whether as a new student or from the Lower School, each student is allotted to a House; allocations to the nine Houses are made by the Middle Master, Lower School Housemaster and Director of Admissions & Marketing. Siblings usually join the same House. There is no separate scholars’ house. Students transferring to another House, for example in order to board will, in normal circumstances, transfer to the new House tutor group. Upper School or Sixth Form New students entering the Sixth Form will be allotted to a House; the Director of Admissions & Marketing in consultation with the Upper Master, boarding Housemasters and other staff concerned makes allocations to the Houses, taking account of preferences expressed by parents and students. Allocations Allocations to Houses must be at the School's discretion. It may be necessary from time to time to rearrange House allocations in the interests of administrative convenience or for social reasons. A student usually remains a member of their House throughout their time in the Middle and Upper School, and during that period the Housemaster exercises a general responsibility for their wellbeing and development. In particular, the housemaster and tutor will want to get to know the parents of the students in his/her House, and to ensure that there is a harmonious relationship between them and the School. The tutor is in a position to deal with the majority of parental enquiries and worries, at least in the first instance, and it is hoped that parents will quickly come to regard their child’s tutor as someone with whom they have a close and confidential relationship. Housemasters and tutors comment on students’ reports during the term, write general reports from time to time, and write references for students leaving at the end of their GCSE year. 10
Chapel Pastoral Coordination Other Pastoral Support Housemasters and Tutors After Abingdon - Guidance Personal, Social and Health Education Pastoral coordination across House lines is provided by the Middle Master for the Middle School, and the Upper Master for the Upper School. Personal Development Education is coordinated by the Head of Wellbeing. The Housemaster stands “in loco parentis” to the students in their House, while they are on school premises – and they will try to help them outside the school as well, with the cooperation of parents. The Housemaster has overall responsibility for the wellbeing of your child during their time at Abingdon. The Housemasters are assisted by teams of tutors, who look after tutor groups within the houses. The tutor is primarily responsible for getting to know your child and looking after their academic development. At the beginning of the year, the tutor will check that timetables are in order, and, where necessary, will advise on courses and options. The tutor will monitor your child’s academic progress, and will write a general academic summary when school reports are issued. All tutors see their tutees for a brief period every day. Tutor time for each student amounts to at least one hour a week, in which tutor groups discuss topical issues, choices, progress and current affairs. We regard this time as a crucial part of a student’s educational experience at the School. Lower and Middle School year groups attend one service a week. Sixth Formers alternate weekly between Chapel and AltChapel, a secular thought for the day. Details of chapel services for boarders are published in the website calendar. Parents of boarders are warmly encouraged to join their child at chapel services when they come to visit them. Students may be prepared at school for confirmation. If parents have conscientious objections, they may ask for a leave of absence from chapel or religious studies lessons for their child, by requesting this from the Headmaster in writing. It should be noted that chapel seeks to be an ecumenical experience. All members of the Sixth Form have access to an experienced team of staff who specialise in providing guidance on possible next steps after school. The UCAS Office has dedicated staff who advise on UK university applications, degree courses and personal statements, while the Head of Career Guidance provides a comprehensive career programme and advises on overseas university applications, gap years and alternatives to university: abingdon.org.uk/academic/career-guidance. The School recognises that education in the fullest sense means that it has a responsibility to convey information and provoke discussion on important ethical issues and matters of personal morality and public duty. All through school, students are made aware, in both a structured and an incidental way, of these and related matters through the contributions of tutors and housemasters. The Head of Wellbeing and team specialist teachers have developed a full programme of education, details of which are available under the pastoral care section of the website and also by writing to the Head requesting them. However, the School does not, and cannot, pretend to offer students all the good advice and information that they require. The efforts of parents are at least as important as those of teachers in this field, and the School wishes to see its function as that of supporting the parental lead in fostering sound values and behaviour. Students may make arrangements to see either the School Chaplain, the Senior Nurse or School Counsellors if they wish. Contact details are on the website and posted around school. 11
Societies Approach Sport Service Activities For matters relating to absence from fixtures please refer to that section of the Handbook. Responsibility for the purchase of sports kit and equipment (such as tennis racquets or golf clubs) is the responsibility of the individual, and all items must be clearly marked with the owner’s name. Sport is provided as part of our service to our pupils. It should be noted that it is, in general, against school policy that a student should concentrate on any particular sport, to the exclusion of others, during all three terms of the year. In certain sports, for example rowing, specialist equipment and/or coaching results in small additional charges. The school policy on students’ sporting commitments is set out in the Homework Diary and on Firefly, the school’s virtual learning environment. All students who are medically fit are expected to play school sport at least twice a week, in proper kit, as a normal part of their education. Requests for leave ‘off games’ on any occasion will only be granted if supported by a note from parents, brought beforehand. We assume, in the absence of written instructions to the contrary, that every student has parental permission to use the swimming pool, under proper supervision. Abingdon has a strong tradition of participating in inter school fixtures and we have a comprehensive fixture list for all the major school sports across all age ranges. The Other Half Activities booklet and webpages are available on the website and give details of the over 150 extra curricular activities available as part of the Other Half programme. They also describe the philosophy which animates our approach to the students’ activities. We expect them to take the fullest possible part in all out-of-school activities. Of course we are happy that a student should continue to help others by membership of local groups, but the student who confines their attendance to taught periods is missing many of the best things this school can offer. We refer to non- timetabled activities as the ‘Other Half’ of the curriculum, and urge parents to give their utmost support to this part of their child’s education. Day students are welcome to take their evening meals in the school providing this is arranged in advance through their tutor. A small charge will be made. All students are encouraged to join one or more of the officially sponsored societies of the School. Certain societies may be given permission to levy personal subscriptions. It is considered important that every student should undertake a period of service-type activity during their time at Abingdon School, and it is therefore a requirement that all students should at some stage pass through one of the following units or organisations: the CCF, an accredited First Aid course, the Voluntary Service Unit, the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme, the Amey Theatre technical crews, the library team, the Abingdonian editorial team, or an agreed equivalent organisation. There is a compulsory service activity for third year students on Tuesdays from 4.00pm until 5.00pm. The Other Half 12
Music Voluntary Service Expeditions CCF Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme We encourage all new students to consider learning a musical instrument or taking singing lessons at school. Normal arrangements provide for 11 half-hour individual lessons each term, taken once a week; in long terms, extra lessons may be available. Details of charges are available from the Director of Music. All charges connected with music tuition are made in advance by the teacher concerned. A full term’s notice is required for lessons to be terminated; such notice must be given in writing to the Director of Music and a term’s fees may be charged in lieu. A group of students work towards bronze, silver or gold medals in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, which is designed to develop self-reliance, dedication in acquiring skills, a sense of social and community spirit, a taste for adventure and physical fitness. Small charges are made for enrolment and expeditions are charged in addition to this. The Combined Cadet Force currently operates both Army and RAF sections and offers a full range of activities. It makes a valuable contribution to a student’s education, and parents should consider their child joining in the Third Year. The annual camps for RAF and Army Sections are held close to the beginning of the summer holiday. The main camp for the year The School organises a wide variety of expeditions, to places within the British Isles and abroad, with a view to supplementing the teaching activity, and broadening a student’s experience. When attendance on such an expedition is compulsory, charges will be made on the school bill, or by special arrangement with the parents concerned. A child should consult parents or guardians before putting their name down for any voluntary expedition. In cases of financial hardship, where a student might be prevented from going on an expedition that could be educationally of great importance, certain discretionary grants for aid may be available on direct application made by parents to the Headmaster. is in the first week of the Easter holidays so this should be kept clear by all members of the Contingent. There is an initial charge to cover boots and tee shirts, and thereafter a termly subscription. The cost of camps is heavily subsidised. Details of charges are available from the Contingent Commander. Students wishing to join the CCF are given a detailed set of joining instructions via the New Parent Mailing and a copy of these instructions is also available on the CCF page of the school website. The School has a contingent of volunteers, who give service in the local community to elderly people and in local schools. Students may join the Voluntary Service Unit at the end of the Third Year or at any later stage. 13
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Transport Bicycles Parents’ Cars Day Student Coaches Sixth Formers’ Cars and Motorcycles It is parents’ responsibility to arrange transport for their child to and from school. Our school bus service (JBS), transports students to and from our school site safely. Managed by specialist school transport management company, Vectare, the service offers families great flexibility, allowing travel to be booked up to midnight before the day of travel and 24/7 from any location. All bookings, whether ad-hoc or as a new passenger, can be made via the JBS online booking system at jbs.vectare.co.uk. The website also incorporates an interactive journey planner, allowing passengers to enter their post code to find their closest bus stop, as well as accessing the JBS Travel Guide which includes further details of the service, payment and our terms and conditions. The routes available are continually being updated, so it is always best to check the most up to date routes by visiting jbs.vectare.co.uk. Please note that it is compulsory for all students who utilise this service to wear seatbelts. We thank parents for their continued support in this matter. If you are bringing children to school by car, please drop them outside the school grounds, in order to minimise congestion on the drives and reduce the risk of accident. Students should be dropped in Park Crescent where traffic circulation can be free flowing and not in the cul-de-sac of Park Road by the school Open sheds are provided for day students coming to school by bicycle. For security reasons, bicycles should not be left at school over half term or during holidays. Day students are recommended not to leave their bicycles at school overnight. Parents are asked to make sure that their child is aware that, for the benefit of pedestrians, cycling is not allowed on the site and that the use of safety helmets is compulsory when riding to and from school. gates. If the Christ’s Hospital gate across Park Road is closed, please do not enter the school grounds at all unless it is absolutely essential to do so. You should note that Christ’s Hospital does not allow cars to be parked in Park Road or Park Crescent (unless you are collecting your child and remain in the vehicle). Clampers operate in Park Road and Park Crescent throughout the day and night. Christ’s Hospital strictly forbids the parking of cars on the grass verges. Cars may not enter the coach park at any time between 8.00 – 9.00am and 4.00 – 5.30pm. The School strongly discourages students from using their own cars or motorcycles for travelling to school. Limited parking in the Lower Field Car Park is available to Prefects at the discretion of the Upper Master. School grounds are available only for members of staff and visitors. 15
Finance Notification of Charges Fees Charges The School charges tuition fees and other costs in relation to the educational provision to its pupils. The contract between parents and fee-payers is governed by the School’s Terms & Conditions. In this section we provide you with some brief information about payment methods and payment timings and advise you who to contact should you require further information. Registration Fee to confirm a parent or fee-payers interest in a pupil being assessed for admission to the School. The School charges parents and fee-payers such amounts as are reasonably incurred in the provision of an Abingdon School education. These include: Tuition fees and sundry charges are usually raised through a termly fee bill which is sent to parents and fee-payers shortly after the end of each term. Fee bills are emailed to your nominated email address. Other charges may be raised on an ad-hoc basis. If you have questions about the amount being charged you should contact the Finance Office. 16
Methods of Payment Acceptance deposit being an amount to confirm the parents and/or fee-payers have accepted the offer of a place for a pupil to Abingdon School and have entered into a contract for the education of that pupil at Abingdon School based on the Terms & Conditions. The acceptance fee is refunded on the pupil’s final termly bill, issued at the end of the pupil’s final term. Tuition fees are set annually by the Governors of Abingdon School and usually notified to parents by the end of the Lent term in the academic year preceding. The provision of school lunches for day pupils and of school breakfast, lunch and supper for boarders is included within the Tuition Fee. Examination fees for public examinations are a chargeable extra. A list detailing the most common extras is included with the termly bill. Where possible these are notified to parents in advance. A list of the current fees and additional charges can be found on the website under Fees and Insurances. The standard method of payment is by direct debit. A form can be obtained from the Finance Office. For overseas parents, payments may also be made by electronic transfer. In exceptional circumstances after discussion with the Finance Department parents and fee-payers may organise a direct bank transfer. Payments by cash, or by debit or credit card are not accepted. 17
Miscellaneous Lost Property Medical Requirements Health Centre and School Counselling Service The Abingdon School Parents’ Association (ASPA) and other Parent Groups Tuck Shop and Café Learning Support Second-hand Uniform Scheme (SUS) The Health Centre is manned by a Senior Nurse and a team of Health Care Assistants. They can be telephoned on +44 (0)1235 849059 during the school day. Day students who are taken ill during school hours rest in the Health Centre until they can be collected. The School also has a group of four professional counsellors who provide students with a counselling service. They can be contacted on [email protected]. Details of the various parents’ associations are available on the website. All parents are automatically members of ASPA, the principal parent group in the School. The main focus of ASPA’s activity is to provide networking and social opportunities for parents. There are also a number of special interest parent support groups, principally the Abingdon School Music Society, the Friends of Abingdon School Boat Club (FASBC), the Friends of Abingdon School Rugby Club (Touchliners), the Hockey Griffens and the School Football Club (The Boot Room). Property found around the School campus is returned by the cleaners to Lost Property in Boarders’ Hall. Children will be sent an email (with a bcc copy to you) to let them know if Lost Property has a named item. Please ensure that ALL items are named, even non-standard items such as coats, and this is on the fabric itself. Unnamed items are, eventually, given to the Secondhand Uniform Shop for sale. The Tuck Shop is open during morning break. The Barn is usually open at morning break and the café is usually open throughout the day during term-time selling a range of hot snacks, homemade cakes, soft drinks and fruit. The Second-hand Uniform Scheme is run by members of ASPA, and is used by some parents. A list of dates is available from the website abingdon.org.uk/sus/ Abingdon is committed to ensuring all our students, whatever their individual learning profile, are supported throughout their time at school in order for them to thrive academically. Our dedicated Learning Support Department is staffed by our full-time Head of Learning Support, two full time teachers and a department administrator who work together with teachers, our pastoral team, our students themselves and their parents to ensure our students' strengths are understood, and their needs are met (within reasonable adjustment), during their time at Abingdon. We tailor our approach to each student's level of need. There is no charge for Learning Support lessons which mostly take the form of targeted, short-term interventions. It is strongly advised that if your child has a formal SEND assessment, a copy is sent to the School. The parents of each pupil entering the School are asked to complete a form detailing their child’s medical history. Please bring any special requirements to the attention of the School Nurse before your child joins the School. 18
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Abingdon School Park Road, Abingdon Oxfordshire, OX14 1DE Tel: +44 (0)1235 849041 Last updated: March 2023 independent day and boarding school for boys aged 4 to 18 years
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