Abingdon News No. 52

12 January 2020 Pupils from Rush Common Primary School’s two Year 3 classes visited the Abingdon Science Partnership Lab to investigate Light and Colour. They enjoyed learning about how shadows change depending on how high the Sun is in the sky and how to mix coloured lights to make new colours. Investigating Light and Colour Abingdon News Second year pupils from Abingdon and St Helen’s met for the first Thinking Supper of the academic year. Inspired by the latest David Attenborough series, they considered environmental issues, researching to find out more about wildlife at risk on the different continents. They continued their discussions over dinner and presented their findings to each other at the end of the evening. Abingdon and St Helen’s ‘Thinking Supper’ The Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, was the guest speaker for the evening, giving a reading of his work and taking questions from a rapt audience of A Level English literature and drama students. This was followed by the traditional literary quiz; a fiendishly difficult round of questions on literary allusions in pop music provided a tense finale to this enjoyable evening. Lower school pupils from Abingdon and St Helen’s joined forces for dinner and to debate the motion, proposed by St Helen’s: “This house believes that only those aged between 16 and 80 should be allowed to vote”. After passionate and well-argued speeches on both sides, the motion was passed. Team Maths Challenge Four sixth form mathematicians competed in the Oxford Regional Heat of the Senior Team Maths Challenge coming second in a very competitive competition. Debating the right to vote Joint Literary Society dinner with St Helen’s Scholars’ trip to Oxford The fifth year academic scholars had an inspiring day-trip to Oxford looking at New College with an OA, and having tours of the Ashmolean Museum and Bodleian Library. The tours were followed by a talk from world-renowned particle physics expert Professor Ian Shipsey at Oxford University’s award winning Beecroft Building.