7 A legacy of learning: Supporting families at Abingdon School Rob Duncan (1995) Whilst I was hardly the most diligent pupil and, to my eternal regret, didn’t leave Abingdon with the sort of qualifications I was certainly capable of, I am reminded almost daily of the breadth of education the school afforded me, whether through appreciation of languages, literature, theatre, music, art or sport. Despite my lack of application, staff including MacDonald, Barratt, Soper, Wilmore, Pope, Mitra, Revill, Fishpool (neé Chapman), Henderson, St John Parker, Oxlade, Derek Jones and others all left me with gifts I treasure today. I know my parents were acutely aware of the importance of this “wider” education, and keen that we kids should benefit. To do so, they stretched themselves hugely, forgoing all manner of niceties they might have otherwise enjoyed - a bigger home, fancy foreign holidays. I am forever in their debt. When this Labour government levied VAT on school fees, I knew there would be parents in the same position as my own - for whom even a little extra might be the deal breaker. If my modest contribution allows any hard working parents to continue sending their child to Abingdon to enjoy the opportunities I was afforded, I should be very happy.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNTM1