8 April 2025 News Abingdon Ready for the South Pole Lower School pupils had a truly inspiring afternoon in January when they heard from Al Sylvester, who led the RAF's first unsupported attempt on the South Pole. Al spoke about the challenges of life in Antarctica and talked movingly about how he overcame the disappointment of not quite achieving his goal, while also dealing with the impact of frostbite on his return home. He also gave one lucky First Year the chance to dress up as a polar explorer on the Amey Theatre stage! Third Year History and Mandarin students visited the British Museum and Chinatown in February on a rich cultural experience. Students delved into diverse exhibitions at the British Museum including ancient calligraphy, bronzes, sculptures, porcelain, and jade pieces, unlocking the secrets of Chinese characters and history and truly feeling the connection between past and present. Then, they headed to Chinatown for a traditional banquet featuring Chinese cuisine from various regions. This delicious feast was a practical application of their language skills, as they ordered dishes and interacted with restaurant staff using the Mandarin they have learned. To cap off the day, the students enjoyed shopping in Chinatown, using Mandarin to communicate with shop keepers and to make purchases. Over half-term, 16 Fourth Year Germanists stayed with their German exchange partners’ families to experience everyday life in Germany. They attended a variety of lessons in German and also had a good amount of the day at their own disposal for activities and socialising. Other highlights included visits to the Dortmund football museum and Nixdorf computer museum. The students returned home with greater German fluency and range of vocabulary - it was a real success. Work exhibition Lower School pupils enjoyed discussing a piece of work that they feel has gone particularly well in the second Work Exhibition of the academic year. It was great to hear them talking about the hard work they have been putting in and to see the very obvious pride they have in their achievements. German exchange Chinese wonder
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNTM1