Abingdon News No.55

Abingdon News www.abingdon.org.uk 7 Lego Architecture Club During lockdown upper sixth former, James McRae, has taken a leading role in the Club and has been setting the boys’ tasks. Although restricted to Lego builds rather than architecture, due to the limited Lego boys had at home, the builds were nonetheless very creative. Prize Giving and Leavers’ Service On Saturday 20 June we held our annual Prize Giving and Leavers’ Service, which this year merged into one Zoom Webinar, given the current restrictions. Prize Giving is enjoyed by the leavers and prize winners and their parents, the staff and governors of the school, and also many prize donors. We said a final warm goodbye to our upper sixth leavers, and marked their many and varied achievements; this year the leavers have missed many of the traditional end of year events, and so Prize Giving was a very special milestone. Speakers were Professor Mike Stevens, Chairman of Governors; Mr Mike Windsor, Headmaster; the Revd Dr Simon Steer, Chaplain; and the two retiring Heads of School, Jimmy Strainge and Louis Renouf. Mr Dawswell, Second Master, read out the prize winners and their citations. The Chairman of Governors thanked all the staff and boys for their hard work, creativity and resilience in dealing with the very particular challenges of this academic year. He highlighted the importance of courage when faced with difficult times. The Headmaster reflected on the experience of living through pre- and post-Covid, and particularly on the experience of the leavers. He said how he hoped that all our leavers move forward with an optimistic and confident view of their future. He gave thanks to those members of staff leaving Abingdon at the end of term, and particularly to Jenny and Ian Fishpool who between them have given 67 years of service to the School with roles including, between them, Head of Department, Housemaster, Professional Tutor, Senior Teacher, and CCF Officer. Speaking about his time at Abingdon, Head of School, Jimmy Strainge said: ‘I would not change a single thing about my journey through Abingdon - not even the somewhat unfair home straight. Every single achievement, obstacle and relationship has played a key role in who I am today and it’s safe to say I have come quite a way since that first day of Third Year all those years ago.’ And fellow Head of School, Louis Renouf concluded: ‘I have absolutely loved my time at Abingdon. I knew how great it was whilst I was there, but now I have left, I look back with an increasing sense of gratitude and pleasure. Strange as it seems, I would be happy to do it all again so I could do all the things that I didn’t do the first time round.’ View the Prize Giving video . Heads of School with the Headmaster