Abingdon News No.49

4 January 2019 Masterpieces of 19th Century Engineering Ten fourth year students joined apprentices from the Atomic Weapons Establishment at the historic Crofton Beam Engine on the Kennett and Avon Canal. The working engines were explained to the students who received glowing feedback from Dr Mike Rodd, Chair of the Avon and Kennett Canal Trust, who commented, ‘I would just like to say a huge thank you for bringing your delightful students over this morning – a really most impressive group of boys. We could not get over how mature and genuinely inquisitive they were. Some of their questions floored us and all our Crofton colleagues, who were running the station, felt that the special steaming was most worthwhile. And how great to see a group like this all most positive about becoming engineers! I hope that this will also be the start of collaboration between your school and Crofton.’ Abingdon News CCF raise money for Parkinson’s UK Sixth form members of the CCF walked, ran, cycled, swam and rowed the 1253km from Abingdon to our sister town of Schongau, Germany. Starting with the whole school sponsored walk then moving into the gym and pool, the boys completed the distance in 24 hours raising £1900 for Parkinson’s UK. Sixteen lower sixth students were treated to an exploration of physics beyond the syllabus at the Physics in Action Event in November in London. The lectures were from leading researchers and topics ranged from the Big Bang to fusion reactors. The boys also heard about what had led the speakers into research, demonstrating the different avenues physics can lead to. Physics in Action First year Oliver Mallinson recited a poem by Roald Dahl to a full house at the Oxford Playhouse’s 80th Anniversary Gala performance. Oliver was part of an all-star cast including two OAs, Toby Jones and Simon Evans. Congratulations to the team of four who came 7th out of 22 schools in the Senior Team Maths Challenge. Senior Team Maths