Abingdon News No.50

6 April 2019 Abingdon News Chess fever has swept through Lower School this year following the creation of a new board gaming area in the refurbished houseroom. In the inter-tutor group chess tournament. Six teams of three players faced each other in a series of high intensity matches. Congratulations go to 1M and 2H, the two year group winners, who did battle in the grand final where, despite some close matches, the second years proved too strong for the younger boys and 2H were declared the champions. Sixth form mentor primary schools Sixth form mentors, trained by experts from the Royal Institution, have been running a series of maths masterclasses for pupils from schools in the Ogden Trust Abingdon Primary Science Partnership. Each week, one of the mentors plans and runs the activities, extending the mathematical skills of the primary children in fun and challenging ways. The masterclasses have become an established feature of Abingdon School’s Partnership programme over the past three years giving all the mentors excellent opportunities to develop leadership, planning and teaching skills. England Bridge Selection Congratulations to Freddie Beneat who has been selected for the England Under 16 Bridge Squad. An impressive achievement, especially as Freddie is only in the Second Year. Sixth form history students were treated to a fascinating live web-video seminar with eminent historian Orlando Figes. Professor Figes fielded a range of questions on 19th and 20th century Russia, helping boys with their wider knowledge and understanding, as well as their course work. Orlando Figes talks 19th and 20th Century Russia OA Drama Masterclass Having just finished playing Malcolm in Macbeth at the Globe, actor Kit Young (OA 2013) came back to Abingdon to do a masterclass on rehearsing monologues for performance as preparation for Component 2 monologue exams in March. Chess fever!