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2
January 2016
Simon James - James’s House
Teaches Physics
Music
– Nirvana,
Nevermind
. My
first proper album,
and enormously
evocative. It still
stands up as an
incredible record,
full of emotion
- much like my
house assemblies!
Film
–
Withnail and I -
just superbly
hilarious - it would always bring a smile to
my face. What’s not to love about a film
containing the line “don’t threaten me with
a dead fish”?
Book
–
Blindness
, José Saramago -
Shatteringly powerful, this has really
stuck with me. It would remind me that
as well as being fragile, the human spirit
can be exhilaratingly strong.
And that little luxury
– There’ll be a coffee
plantation on this Island right? Thought
so. So, my AeroPress then. And a kettle
I suppose.
James Golding - Austin House
Teaches PE/Sport
Music
–
The Best
of the Beatles
Film
–
Gladiator
or Top Gun.
I
wouldn’t be able to
decide.
Book
–
The
Dangerous Book
for Boys
, Conn &
Hal Iggulden - would keep me
entertained for a while…
And that little luxury
– James Bond’s
Lotus Esprit from
The Spy who Loved Me
.
New Faces
This term we welcomed two new
housemasters, Simon James who
teaches Physics and has taken over
from Mr Webb and James Golding
(Austin House) who teaches Physical
Education and has taken over from
Mr Davies. To get a small insight into
what makes them tick we asked for
their choice of music, film, a book and
one luxury item for a desert island.
Abingdon
News
Fantastic Facility
Lower sixth former Jonah Walker spoke
of a ‘buzz’ amongst the boys at seeing
the new facilities and how they would help
to bridge the gap between school and
university science.
Speaking about the new building Felicity
Lusk said: “The importance of science in
education is universally acknowledged
and the majority of our boys have a keen
interest, which we have a responsibility
to nurture. The new science centre is
integral to this and will encourage the next
generation of scientists to explore and
innovate. We are fortunate to live in an
area which is recognised by the rest of
the world for scientific excellence and we
hope by investing in science we can help to
inspire the scientists of the future.”
Since the Yang Science Centre, YSC,
opened it has been a hive of activity.
The improvement on the old facilities is
incredible; it’s not until we moved in that it
became clear what a fantastic facility this
is. Science staff have been given a new
lease of life!
Visitors to the new facility so far include an
alligator, a python and giant millipedes and
we have welcomed several new arrivals;
beetles developed from the mealworm
larvae and moths from some of the Wax
Worms. We also said goodbye to some
of the crickets - devoured by the Preying
Mantises who have settled very well in their
new surroundings.
The Physics Department hosted an
exhibition on the Antikythera Mechanism
in partnership with the University
of Birmingham and the Institute of
Physics. The exhibition culminated with
a lecture from Dr Maria Pavlidou in the
Outreach Laboratory where she brought
along a working Bronze Model of the
mechanism. Other events include a
robotics workshop, attended by several
local schools and the Abingdon Science
Partnership held two Science Oxford -
Saturday Science Club mornings for very
enthusiastic 5 - 9 year olds looking at
“Spooky Science” and having “Festive Fun”.
Professor Sir David Weatherall
on a tour of the Yang Science
Centre on the opening day
Top Marks
Jack Dawson (OA 2015) scored the
highest overall mark nationally in A level
History with the OCR exam board and
has been recommended by OCR to
the Royal Historical Society who award
a prize to the top scoring candidate in
History each year.
Science Centre