Welcome... few years ago, students from Abingdon and St Helen and St Katharine (SHSK) put on an energetic and entertaining performance of The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol. The Mayor and inhabitants of a small town are duped into believing that an itinerant vagabond is, in fact, an inspector sent by the Government to report on the quality of the hospitals, facilities and schools. This heralds much duplicity as the Mayor and his comrades endeavour to conceal their lassitude and corruption. Our recent visit by the Independent Schools Inspectorate in May 2023, could not, of course, have been more different. We welcomed inspectors into lessons, assemblies and Other Half activities, while they scrutinised student work, surveyed parents, staff and pupils, and interviewed pupils and staff. We were delighted with the report, which you can find on the website, which judged Abingdon as excellent in its two overarching categories and reflected the busy, productive and happy atmosphere around the School. The inspectors’ visit coincided with the final day of teaching for the Upper Sixth and so they were able to observe the rituals of the day, including the Chapel service, year group photo and signing of yearbooks. A particular hit with both leavers and our inspectors was the visit of the ice cream van and it was great to see them bonding over a 99, while the leavers reminisced about their time at Abingdon. I hope this year’s leavers, like their predecessors, will make the most of the opportunities offered by the OA Club and that they will enjoy reading this latest edition of the Griffen, which captures a busy year for both the Club and the School. I’m grateful to our dedicated team who support the activities of the Club and who have put so much thought and work into this magazine. ere at the OA Club, our primary purpose is to facilitate the connection and reconnection of Abingdon alumni and to ensure that the OA community has an opportunity to be close to the developments of the School, both academic and non-academic. The OA Club is inclusive for everyone who attended Abingdon. We all change and we have all pursued different paths after School and part of the fun is catching up with your former classmates and learning just what they are up to now. For my part, since becoming Chairman, I am continually amazed by the incredible achievements of Abingdon alumni, whether they have been in the workplace, in the local community, or in other arenas. Throughout the year, events are organised by the team in the OA Club Office and the Committee is very encouraged to see such a healthy level of attendance – from the OA cricket match and Henley Royal Regatta, to the reunion event in Hong Kong. All the while, the Committee is actively looking at options for widening participation at sporting events through the introduction of touch rugby, a festival type approach to hockey and different cricket formats. The Committee is also open to new events and activities. For example, the Club is in its pilot year of the mentoring initiative and discussed options for an DEI themed event, which we are looking to host in the near future. Thank you all for your positive comments on the January 2023 edition of the Griffen and I hope you enjoy this issue just as much. OA Club Committee Chairman: Julian Denée (1991) President: Henry Scarlett (2007) Elected Members: John Rawlinson (1972) Charles Lowe (1976) James Smethurst (1989) Sebastien Wilson (2008) Peter Moore (2013) Ian Fishpool (Hon. OA) Ex Officio Members: Michael Windsor (Head) Simon Bliss (Common Room) Alexa Broad (Director of Development and Alumni Relations) Alison Lester (OA Club Manager) Maddison Plows (Digital Communications and Events Officer) A From the Head From the OA Club Chairman H The OA Club Committee is pleased to hear from OAs interested in getting more involved with the life of the Club by serving on the Committee. If you’d like to find out more, please contact the OA Club Office. [email protected] Michael Windsor Julian Denée (1991) GRIFFEN 2024 | 2
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