Abingdon News No.53

Abingdon News Middle school volunteers visiting Old Station House were challenged by the Entertainment Coordinator to a pancake race. The residents found the boys’ pancake throwing skills highly entertaining. ASiP goes to the House of Commons Director of Partnerships, Rob Southwell- Sander, represented Abingdon at the Independent Schools Council ‘Celebrating Partnerships’ event at the House of Commons. Speakers included MP Andrew Lewer, Lord Agnew and our own MP Layla Moran. Abingdon School in Partnership was recognised by Layla Moran, who commented on the breadth and variety of partnership activities on offer and she mentioned her visit to speak at this term’s AbingMUN2020. Sixth former and England Rugby Under 18 Fly Half, Charlie Atkinson, was among the students from Abingdon and other local schools, who welcomed the England team to the School to train ahead of their match against Wales in the Six Nations. Charlie joined Abingdon at age 11 and has progressed through the pathway the School has in place for talented players. This pathway, working together with club academies, has produced several successful professional and national team rugby players in recent years. Chess Grand Final The Grand Final of the annual lower school inter-tutor group chess tournament saw first year champions 1H (Xien Hu, Gleb Kuprin and Dhruv Lakhani) taking on second year winners 2P (Aluinn McDonald, William Sue and Harry Vinall). Congratulations to 1H who won 7 of the 9 games. Poetry by Heart Lower sixth boys have been learning and performing a range of poems from the literary canon. Mr Hindley was very impressed by the standard of recitation and, ultimately, judged Kit Matthews’ performance of a section of Paradise Lost Book 1 to be the overall winner. Kit has continued to the National Poetry by Heart Competition. Fly Halves, George Ford (England) & Charlie Atkinson (England U18, Wasps & Abingdon School) Headmaster Michael Windsor meets Eddie Jones England Rugby Stars Inspire Next Generation www.abingdon.org.uk 7