2 January 2024 Fifty years ago the Sydney Opera House was finally completed. It was over ten years behind schedule and a whopping 1,357% over budget. When construction started, the engineering techniques did not exist to cope with such an unconventional shape and the unusual forces that it generated. However, this spurred the constructors to new heights of innovation and the result is a building known the world over, presenting a fresh and memorable symbol of Australian confidence. Earlier this term, I reflected in a Middle School assembly on the construction of the Sydney Opera House and the power of our built environment to inspire us. The topic came to my mind as we have recently seen some significant developments to our facilities at Abingdon. You can read in this edition about the new extensions to Crescent and Austin Houses, which do not just provide vastly improved accommodation to our boarders, including break-out spaces, kitchens and study spaces, but also feature comfortable communal areas where day pupils and boarders can mix and socialise together. These extensions are bright and airy and offer wonderful views across the school. Our new dining space, known as the Pavilion, has relieved the pressure on our existing facilities and cut down the length of queues of pupils waiting for lunch. It is great to see students taking longer over their meal and enjoying one another’s company. The Pavilion has also ensured that we can offer a much more spacious and modern foyer space when the Amey Theatre is in use. It would be grandiose to compare our new facilities to the Sydney Opera House - and we certainly haven’t experienced the same delays and overspend - but we are definitely proud of our new signature buildings and relish the impact they are having on our daily lives in school. Abingdon News Message from the Head Getting ready for a new school year A good number of the pupils joining Lower School this year came into Abingdon for 4 days at the end of August for the annual multisport camp. They enjoyed trying out a wide range of activities in the Sports Centre, while also getting to know some of their new classmates in advance of the start of term. Sailing success Congratulations to Alex who achieved 20th/196 in the recent sailing world championships. He has also achieved 2nd in the youth category.
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