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Abingdon
News
Young Bridge Star
Cameron Butcher, and his partner from
the European School, came first in the
English Bridge Union’s Simultaneous Pairs
Competition. They beat 99 other pairs from
all over England. Cameron’s achievement
is particularly impressive as he is only in the
First Year.
This term the School launched a new publication, ‘The Abingdon Anthology’; a collection
of 37 short stories inspired by the School and the town. The stories are written by pupils
and staff with the help of the School’s Writer-in-Residence, Jason Hewitt, who also wrote
a specially commissioned story for the anthology. The stories are wide-ranging: some
humorous, others thrillers, there are detective and ghost stories, historical and dystopian
tales plus fantasy. Some are from a child’s perspective and others an adult’s. It is a lovely
legacy for the School; made possible from donations to the Annual Fund.
Olympiad Champions
Sixth former Anthony Bracey was one
of the four students making up the UK’s
first ever winning team at the International
Linguistics Olympiad held in Bulgaria
in July. The UK team were up against
43 teams from 29 countries. Anthony
also achieved an individual silver medal
in the competition, which was the most
successful yet for the UK.
Earlier in the year, Anthony and Sebastian
Mulford were awarded gold medals in
the first round of the UK competition and
Anthony went on to the second round
and then to be selected for the UK team.
Congratulations also to fifth year Robert
Harris who was awarded a Gold in the
Physics Olympiad GCSE challenge and
to sixth formers Jack Bowen and Adam
Al-Yousuf who were both awarded Silver in
the AS Physics Olympiad.
Anthony Bracey
Abingdon welcomes Michael Windsor
I am delighted to have been given the
opportunity to be the next Head of the Abingdon
Foundation and I am very much looking forward
to starting next September. During our seven
years at Reading Blue Coat, my family and I have
become accustomed to life by the Thames, and
we are now looking forward to moving upstream
to Abingdon.
I was attracted to the position of Head at
Abingdon for a number of reasons. Both the
Senior School and Prep School value scholarship
and achieve high academic standards while also
understanding the importance of music, drama,
debating, sport, CCF and so on in developing pupils’ confidence, resourcefulness
and independence. When I visited both schools, I was struck by their powerful sense
of community and camaraderie and my family and I are looking forward to being part
of this. It was apparent that pupils enjoy their time at school and that they commit
themselves to making the most of their experiences. The schools have a strong
sense of tradition of course but this is evidently allied to excitement about the future
and the Foundation is clearly forward-thinking and not afraid to innovate.
When I arrive in September 2016 I aim to get to know the pupils, staff and parents
of the Foundation and to achieve a deep understanding of the schools and their
ethos by observing lessons, activities and daily school life. I believe that only with this
understanding in place will it be possible to build upon the impressive programme of
innovation and development that has unfolded in previous years. I am also looking
forward to building powerful and effective partnerships with other local schools and
the town of Abingdon.
I am sure the coming twelve months will give me a chance to start this process but I
will also be focused on ensuring that I leave Blue Coat in the best possible state – in
the firm knowledge that the schools in the Foundation will continue to thrive under
Felicity Lusk’s leadership.
Talented Writers
in Print
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