APS News 23

abingdon.org.uk/prep 15 AbingdonPrep Sport plus Team Most Most Improved Outstanding U8 Alex Max U9 Isaac James U10 Finn Paul U11 Willem Charlie U12 George Luke U13 Scott Alex Full and half colours were also awarded for football, hockey, cross country and swimming. Spring Term Football Awards This term, football is our major team sport, and the Games Department recognises the sporting endeavour of many of its pupils. The ‘Most Outstanding Player’ naturally comes from the 1st XI. The ‘Most Improved Player’ can come from any team in each age group. Hockey: U10s v The Dragon The Dragon Swimming Gala What is a Bench 2020? Many of you will have heard about the new seating area by the MUSA which was the inspiration and design of the Year 8 boys. It took two years to complete the project. Although some summer planting is still planned, the communal bench, based on a tree design, will be a permanent reminder that good design is all about establishing a ‘need’ and/or a ‘want’ . Phoebe Gresford, the parent architect, worked with Katie in CDT to provide a series of workshops for the then Year 6 boys. We needed more seating in the playground and the boys set to work creating a perfect bench in their groups. Due to the ingenuity and collaboration of the boys, the designs, plans and models came together to form a cohesive all-inclusive design which valued the smallest to the largest of ideas. Construction via Paul Wentworth and Alastair Blackmore took over a year with the boys acting as consultants. Getting past the H&S requirements was an unforeseen task for them! The end product is outstanding - not just a bench but a place to relax and chat with friends under the shade of a huge metal tree. It can hold up to 30 pupils as an outside classroom and can be used as a viewing gallery for sports events on the MUSA. Not only that, but there are music soirees being contemplated and community sports projects being planned with teas under the shade of the unique structure. I could not be more proud of the Year 8 boys for their ingenuity, their ability to collaborate, their patience and their ability to reflect and learn from this massive project. Katie Smith