Abingdon Prep News September 2024 • No. 38 BIKE DAY
2 Abingdon Prep • September 2024 It has been another busy summer term with so many exciting and enjoyable trips, balanced with learning and our usual extensive array of Other Half activities. Our Year 4s had a great time camping, our Year 6s thoroughly enjoyed Bushcraft, our Year 7s loved being in France whilst our Year 8s had a fantastic watersports trip in Poole. Pre-Prep were equally busy this term with their summer concert, the Reception and Year 1 trip to Cotswold Wildlife Park and Year 2’s forest school trip to the Earth Trust at Wittenham Clumps. Sports Days were great fun for our PrePrep on our sports field, and Years 3 to 8 at Tilsley Park, with some hugely impressive performances in track and field and a number of school records being broken once again. Years 7 and 8 took on the challenge of staging a musical in a week, culminating in a superb performance of We Will Rock You at the Amey Theatre. We rounded off the term with a lovely prize giving where we celebrated the many achievements of our Year 8s and said goodbye to them as they move across to Abingdon School and other destinations. It is an exciting time for them but I know that they will look back fondly on their time at Abingdon Prep, safe in the knowledge they have been well prepared for the next step in their educational journey. Best wishes Craig FROM THE HEAD The Head, Craig Williams, reviews the summer term at Abingdon Prep. NEWS SCHOOL COUNCIL The School Council met twice this term to discuss the future of colours and cups at APS. This was a very good debate, featuring some very important and intelligent ideas from all the pupils. Several ideas were taken on to be discussed with the reps’ forms. The idea is to revamp our existing programme to ensure that we have a fair system of awarding colours and cups across sport, music and the performing and creative arts. At the final meeting of term, Richard thanked all the pupils for their contribution and their input into the process. Many other things have also changed at school as a result of School Council findings, from changes in the lunch menu to additions to the Other Half clubs programme. The new plan for Cups and Colours will begin in September at the start of the new academic year. HOUSE MERIT CUP With a magnificent tally of 10,495 points, this year’s House Merit Cup was won by PHOENIX BAKE OFF Pupils were invited to submit ‘Summer’ themed cookies in this year’s Bake Off competition. The cookies were nibbled on and judged by staff. Hector was the winner, receiving a laser-cut trophy made by Katy, and he plus runners-up Ben and Rupert all received Star Baker Aprons. HOUSE CAPTAIN ELECTIONS Whilst election fever gripped the nation, it was more exciting in Frilford, as Year 7 candidates across the four School Houses pitched for votes from their fellow pupils. This little known hotbed of political debate witnessed an exciting House Captain election for the coming year. The quality and delivery of their speeches was excellent, they had clearly thought hard about the roles. After a close vote our new House Captains and Vice Captains are in place!
abingdon.org.uk/prep 3 NEWS Renowned for high academic credentials, a formidable cocurricular programme, and a focus on individual care, the Abingdon Foundation continues to be both successful and oversubscribed with the number of pupils having increased by a quarter over the past 15 years. Much of this success is attributed to the delivery of a balanced education, which focuses as much on academics as the development of skills and character. In May 2024, the Abingdon Foundation announced its decision to move to co-education. In this interview, Head Mike Windsor explains more about the rationale behind the decision. Why co-education, why now? “One of our main roles as educators is to ensure our pupils are ready for the world which awaits them. We’ve always worked hard to consider different ways to make sure our pupils are prepared for this. We want the education we deliver to be reflective of today’s modern society - one in which equal opportunity is promoted; and both girls and boys are as ambitious as each other; as well as being in control of their own future success. Our decision to move to co-education has been driven by the belief that the best way to provide diversity of perspective and life skills is to educate our young people alongside one another. “We are really proud of what we offer through an Abingdon education - high academic achievement, formidable Other Half provision and strong individualised pastoral care - and we want to open that up to both girls and boys.” What impact do you believe the move to co-education will have? “We see both girls and boys contributing to all aspects of school life and we do see a stronger, better MOVE TO CO-EDUCATION Abingdon emerging as a result of this move. What we don’t see changing are our core values: our promotion of intellectual curiosity, our commitment to an education that produces well rounded people with a variety of interests and our outstanding pastoral system that ensures all pupils are known individually and have the level of support and encouragement that will best serve them.” Do you see any challenges to integrating girls and boys? “We take our responsibility for pastoral development very seriously - all our students are treated as individuals and all our staff are committed to ensuring this is the case. It is important to us that girls feel at home from day one. Many of my colleagues have taught in a number of different settings so we are fortunate that we have plenty of experience to draw upon. This in turn will help inform and guide our decision making as to what is needed to make this move a success - including a review of our curriculum (both academic and cocurricular), the structure of our day, training, changing rooms etc.” What is the timeline for the move to co-education? “Abingdon Prep School will admit girls to its Pre-Prep from September 2024; and to Years 3 to 6 from September 2025. Abingdon Senior School will admit girls to its First Year (Year 7) and Sixth Form (Year 12) from September 2026.”
4 Abingdon Prep • September 2024 Year 6 enjoyed three days away at a wilderness residential run by The Bushcraft Company. From creating their first campfires and cooking their own burgers, to camouflage, concealment and games in the woods, the experience proved to be both stimulating and enjoyable. With the option of creating and sleeping in a den overnight, many took the opportunity to take on the elements and spent time with friends under the cover of tarp and in the company of all that lived under the forest’s canopy. TRIPS YEAR 6 BUSHCRAFT ANCIENT EGYPT AND WWII YEAR 5 VISIT NELSON’S FLAGSHIP Year 5 pupils had a fantastic time bringing their learning to life today aboard the HMS Victory. Before the trip, each pupil was assigned the name and rank of a real life crewman aboard the ship during the Battle of Trafalgar. They independently researched their crewman’s life - from powder monkeys, to able seaman, all the way up to the Vice-Admiral himself! The pupils stunned the volunteers aboard with all their thoughtful questions and background knowledge and behaved impeccably. A real highlight of Year 5. Year 3 had two historical trips this term. At NT Coleshill, their mission was to learn about the world of Secrets and Spies during World War Two. Later in the term came their visit to the Ashmolean Museum to learn about life in Ancient Egypt.
abingdon.org.uk/prep 5 TRIPS What a fantastic week our Year 7s had on their residential trip to Normandy where they greatly enjoyed the French landscape, food and culture. In an action packed week, they visited a caramel factory to see the process; visited a farm where goats cheese is made; and an orchard to find out how apple juice is produced - all tasty products! They spent a day at the UNESCO world heritage site of Mont-Saint-Michel discovering the narrow streets and delicious ice cream of this ancient fort, which could easily give Diagon Alley a run for its money. Being the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings the pupils saw the beaches and the cemeteries of the soldiers all beautifully preserved and a fitting tribute to the many who sadly lost their lives. Our final day found us at the impressive La Cité de la Mer where we looked around the nuclear submarine ‘le redoutable’ alongside a three storey aquarium. It was a wonderful experience and a great way for the children to practise some French. YEAR 7 EN NORMANDIE Camping out overnight at School has become a tradition in the APS summer programme. We moved down the school this year to give Year 4 a small taste of what they can expect at Bushcraft in Year 6, but eating inside and with access to facilities! First task: put up the tents with help from Year 8. Then it was fun all the way, from orienteering and woodland crafts with Nick, more crafts with Katy, plenty of games on the field and forest school with Elizabeth. A huge thank you to all the staff who helped. YEAR 4 CAMPOUT
6 Abingdon Prep • September 2024 Year 8R became journalists in English lessons to report on their experiences. Wet, Wet, Wet! - Rockley Year 8 trip By Benji, travel reporter The Rockley trip started off with a 2½ hour bus journey. When we arrived, we had a tour of the site and lunch. The food was very good: dinner was my favourite because it varied between different hot meals with tasty puddings. We slept in 5-6 man tents on raised beds. It was cold on the first and last nights but the others were fine. We met very friendly people from other schools. Our activities included paddle boarding, kayaking, boating, raft building, climbing, abseiling, jacob’s ladder, crate stacking and team building events. My favourite was paddle boarding as we were in the water a lot! I’d also like to say many thanks to all the teachers that came on the trip and any of those involved with its organisation. Science Week By Will D, science reporter During British Science week, 8R worked with the Pre-Prep classes and carried out three experiments. These were all to do with Science Week’s theme, ‘Time’. THE 8R TIMES THE 8R TIMES With Reception, we made pendulums. The pupils were of great help and enjoyed crafting these. Next Year 1, where we had a lot of fun devising shadow puppet shows. They made some brilliant animals and creatures that were then used to create the stories in shadows. And finally Year 2: here we used three different ways to tell the time, using sand, marble runs and water. The children had to calculate the time of various different amounts. On 25 June, Year 7 & 8 performed We Will Rock You to a packed Amey Theatre. It was excellently cast and acted with some star roles, including Rupert and Joseph as Galileo and Sam as the Killer Queen. The stage was set with a mixture of props and people acting as props. Everyone had a great costume from the Teen Queens’ tutus to the Scaramouches’ funky make-up. Elizabeth and Emma, as director and co-director, did very well convincing all of us to do our best, and it all came together successfully on the night. WE WILL ROCK YOU By Monty J, theatre reporter In rehearsal at the Amey Theatre Making a water clock with Year 2 An unusual pendulum with Reception Earth Science Workshop By Alex, environment reporter Pupils in 8R took part in an Earth Science workshop presented by the Outreach Department from Oxford University Earth Sciences Department during British Science Week. We saw an online simulation of historic earthquakes and the presenters taught us about how earthquakes form and the distribution of the tectonic plates of our planet. For the practical workshop, our job was to build a model of the Nintendo HQ with strands of pasta and marshmallow which could withstand a simulation of an earthquake using an elasticated rolling platform. Some groups managed to build structures a metre tall while withstanding the earthquake! CREST Awards By Joe, technology reporter Following on from the scholarship exams, 8R pupils participated in the nationally accredited British Science Association’s CREST Awards. Participants devise projects to answer a scientific question. We had to pick a question, formulate a hypothesis, then test and present it. Our projects this year were varied: such as how to make a remote controlled car go faster, and what is the best type of crisp. We all enjoyed this activity, particularly the freedom which came from answering your own question in your own way, albeit with clear investigative parameters.
abingdon.org.uk/prep 7 THE 8R TIMES Careers Fair By Leo, business reporter In late June, Year 8 pupils were given the opportunity for an insight into possible future careers. Parents from a variety of different work roles gave up their time in the afternoon to inform us about potential choices in the future. From surgeons to car engineers and bioinformaticians, we interacted with interest and curiosity. Year 8 had an excellent time learning and beginning to prepare for their next steps forward. Enriching Oxfordshire By Rahul, local reporter After visiting the Culham Science Centre 8R went on into Oxford and the University buildings as part of our post-exam enrichment programme. After lunch and sweet treats in the Covered Market, we met our guide for a walking tour, passing Balliol College. Our next stop was Weston Library, the second largest in England, only superseded by the British Library. Opposite was the Sheldonian Theatre and Museum of Science History. Then the group visited the Bodleian Library and All Souls College before passing by CS Lewis’ house. For our penultimate stop we visited Merton College, the face of Oxford, and for our final destination we toured St John’s College, viewing the chapel and central main grounds. A Satisfactory Season By Mark, tennis reporter We started our tennis season by playing in a Magdalen College tournament against 3 different schools in some typical British weather. A solid performance there coming 3rd out of 6 teams, just missing the runners up place by a single game. Then we played a friendly against our senior school, Abingdon, where our team of 8 obliterated them. Against our next opponent, Moulsford School, we played very well in this clash, beating them in every match. Then, on a peaceful Saturday at Radley, we played our biggest game of any against tough opponents. We came 4th there as a few of our key players were unable to participate. Sports Day By Will McK, athletics reporter Abingdon Prep Sports Day began with the hurdles and finished with each House Relay races for all the year groups. Alongside many track events taking place from the 60m sprint to the 1500m, multiple field events went on. Three school records were set at this year’s Sports Day. Everyone did extremely well in each track or field event they participated in. However, in the end Dragon house took home the victory. In our penultimate match, against my old school New College in the centre of Oxford, which was played on grass, our team thrashed them in a fun afternoon. And finally, after an eventful term, we went back to where we started playing, Magdalen. After upping their game massively since 12 weeks ago, we unfortunately were not able to win any matches despite Leo and I getting agonisingly close to two chances. U13 XI Trip to Lords By Adhiraj, cricket reporter On Monday July 1, the 1st and 2nd XI cricket teams were given the opportunity to visit the historic Lords Cricket Ground, home of the MCC. Despite some congestion on the M40, we made it to the indoor centre in good time. There, we had a concentrated net session to help prepare ourselves for a fun, timed match. At midday, it was time for a muchneeded lunch, before embarking on a breathtaking tour of the Home of Cricket. Inside Lords, our tour guide showed us the Media Centre, the Museum and the player’s Changing Rooms. He introduced us to a new-to-us but historic racquet sport called ‘Real Tennis’ and gave us information on the MCC Association. It was a great experience for the players and we had an insight into what professionals experience when they come to Lords.
8 Abingdon Prep • September 2024 AROUND SCHOOL Year 6 pupils were tasked with researching a Great Life from history as part of their English topic on the art of rhetoric. The debating form for this task was a balloon debate in which the speakers needed to persuade the audience as to why they should keep their place in the balloon and not be thrown into the sea (to shed weight). Pupils had to prepare a speech VERSE SPEAKING FINAL The Verse Speaking Competition final followed the class heats, in which every pupil in Years 3-6 had recited a poem they had learned by heart. Class winners went forward to the final, where we welcomed Ben Phillips, from Abingdon School to be the judge once again. YEAR 6 BALLOON DEBATE that gave a voice to the achievements of their character and the finalists were required to perform this to the Middle Section. Many great lives were considered but the overall winners were Graydon (Nelson Mandela) and Noe (Antonie van Leeuwenhoek). The standard of the speeches was excellent and all finalists performed admirably, receiving medals and prizes for their effort. LANGUAGES TASTER SESSIONS INTERNATIONAL WEEK Year 8 pupils were given the opportunity to try the variety of languages – German, Mandarin and Spanish – which they might wish to opt for in Year 9 at their senior schools. We are grateful to Regina, Yi and Alex from the Abingdon School MFL Department for providing them with a dynamic and purposeful taster in their respective languages. International Week included an opportunity for Year 3 and 4 children to taste breads from different countries. These included Scwarzbrot; croissants, pain au chocolat and brioche; and pitta with hummus - the latter being a favourite for many! EMPIRE WINDRUSH In Geography, exploring population and migration, Year 7 looked at the legacy of the Empire Windrush and the ‘Windrush Generation’, which saw half a million Commonwealth citizens settle in Britain from 1948 onwards. The pupils made models of the ship, and leaflets that potential migrants might have been given. In their Forest School sessions this term, Year 3 used dice to decide things to collect. They then made arrangements of their finds. FOREST SCHOOL
abingdon.org.uk/prep 9 AROUND SCHOOL PARENT CAREERS AFTERNOON In late June our annual Parents’ Careers Afternoon took place at Abingdon Prep. Twelve parents from a broad range of careers very kindly gave up their afternoon working commitments to present to pupils in Year 8 and to answer questions about their professions. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed it and had the experience of moving tables to talk to all the parents about their working lives. CREST AWARDS The British Science Association Bronze CREST Award is aimed at 11+ years. Participants devise a project, which they research, experiment, write-up and present to attain their award, typically spending 10 hours on the work. 8R take part after their exams and as the culmination of their projects, the pupils put on an exhibition of their work, to which parents were invited, who asked them some suitably tricky questions! Making an electronically controlled car go faster The best crisp! Keeping your pizza hot Year 6 enjoyed learning first aid from our nurse, Debbie, with a focus on cuts and burns. They practised bandaging an imaginary cut and tying a sling before learning how to treat a burn, gaining excellent life skills. YEAR 6 - FIRST AID One of our parents, Dan, a vascular surgeon, really brought Year 5’s topic on the circulatory system to life. The pupils learned about the conditions that would result in surgery being needed and were in awe at the equipment that would be used and level of precision required. The children got to ‘see’ their pulse rates useing a portable ultra sound unit. Thank you so much to Dan for giving up his time to talk to Year 5 - we may have a few future medics among our ranks! SURGEON TALK YEAR 7 OWL PELLET DISSECTION Year 7 enjoyed getting stuck into their owl pellet dissection in June. We found a record number of skulls along with many other bones, most belonging to voles and shrews. Years 3 and 4 were treated to a session on French playground games run by a team of talented L6 linguists from Abingdon School. The older students taught the younger ones how to play ‘canard, canard, oie’ (duck, duck, goose) and ‘un, deux, trois, soleil’ which is the equivalent to grandmother’s footsteps along with other team games. A great deal of fun was had by pupils old and young who then enjoyed lunch together. Merci beaucoup to Madame Cottrell and her team of students for such a fantastic session and a great way to bring together the French departments of both schools. FRENCH PLAYGROUND GAMES
10 Abingdon Prep • September 2024 SUMMER IN DT ART & DESIGN THE TERM IN DT It has been a very busy and creative term in DT with pupils working incredibly hard in lessons and in clubs too. We were particularly proud to showcase makes from the whole school in the annual Art & Design Exhibition in May. • Year 3 children have been producing products with a seaside theme, including boats and mirrors. • Year 4 pupils have been making some yummy bread and model replicas of the school bridge. • Year 5 showcased their excellent textiles skills making ‘Pugglies’ and their culinary talents making pizzas! • Year 6 made pencil holders, using the laser cutter for the first time. • Year 7 produced some excellent CAD/CAM clocks and packaging for them. • Year 8 produced sling shot games and also took part in a STEM challenge making motorised boats and racing them across the school pool. Year 5 Puglies Year 8 Slingshot Games Year 3 Lanterns Year 4 Bread Year 5 Pizza Year 8 Boat Race Year 7 Noticeboards Year 7 Noticeboards Year 4 Bridges Year 3 Seaside Projects Year 6 Pencil Holders
abingdon.org.uk/prep 11 ART & DESIGN This year’s Art and Design Exhibition was a hive of creativity, with over 170 visitors to the show and every pupil exhibiting at least one piece of art or design displayed around the school. This year we also showcased the work of Abingdon school students, to demonstrate the progression of their creative skills from Pre-Prep, to APS and beyond. Our Art and Design Scholarship candidates, Kian and Sam proudly showed their portfolios in the hall, alongside the three Arts Award students, all of whom passed their Bronze level with flying colours awarded by Trinity College London. From portraits, to clay cakes, wooden sailboats to sculptures there was a cornucopia of creativity on display. Such amazing achievements by our pupils. ART AND DESIGN EXHIBITION ANIMAL EYES WORKSHOP In our Saturday workshop in April, four wonderfully creative Year 6 artists spent the day exploring texture through adding a variety of additives to acrylic paint. Sand, grout, Mod Roc and gravels were experimented with and selected to add just the right texture to their chosen animal eye. This resulted in some fantastic and fun enlargements on canvas YEAR 6 ART Typography inspired by street artist Ben Eine and onomatopeoia lino cuts.
12 Abingdon Prep • September 2024 PERFORMING ARTS Years 7 and 8 enjoyed their production of We Will Rock You. They took on the challenge of staging the majority of the musical in a single week, culminating in a stunning performance at the Amey Theatre. All pupils were involved in different capacities, making props, constructing costumes, providing the tech crew, dancing, singing and acting their way through numerous Queen hits with a singalong finale of Bohemian Rhapsody as a colourful and energetic end to the year. WE WILL ROCK YOU
abingdon.org.uk/prep 13 PRE-PREP TRIPS At the end of April, Year 2 pupils went on an exciting journey to Oxford Castle and Prison, immersing themselves in the sights and stories of the past. The day began with a hands-on workshop where we got to experience the ins and outs of castle life. From trying on knights’ helmets to sniffing medieval scents, they YEAR 2 AT OXFORD CASTLE AND PRISON were fully engaged in the medieval world. The highlight of the castle tour was the climb up 101 stairs to the top, where we enjoyed stunning views of Oxford. The prison visit was equally fascinating, as we learned about its famous former residents and the harsh realities of confinement. What an interesting day we had! Reception and Year 1 enjoyed a fabulous visit to the Cotswold Wildlife Park, as a part of their science and topic focus. Reception’s favorite animals were the roaring lions, while Year 1 was fascinated to learn incredible facts about rhinoceroses and giraffes with Abi, the African animal expert. The children were astonished to find out that giraffes only sleep for ten minutes at a time! After our lunches and a tasty ice-lolly, our next stop was a train ride around the park, with the children treating us to an impromptu performance of ‘Yellow Submarine’. It was an unforgettable day filled with learning and laughter! COTSWOLD WILDLIFE PARK VISIT FOREST SCHOOL TRIP Year 2 had a fabulous all day Forest School trip to Wittenham Clumps at the Earth Trust. Carrying 'vital' equipment and backpacks full of 'survival rations', the children set off into the woods. The weather looked changeable, so all quickly got busy building sturdy dens, before heading out to explore. After lunch we began our hike up the hill. At the top we paused to admire the view and identify some local landmarks. Once down the hill, the children settled down to listen to the Legend of the Green Man and talked about how, as Forest Schoolers, we were also custodians of the forest. Inspired, the children made Green Man clay sculptures, which they hid in the trees, to watch over the woods. All too soon, it was time to go!
14 Abingdon Prep • September 2024 PRE-PREP RNLI VISIT Reception rounded off their topic on water safety with a visit from Gareth, a volunteer with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The children were very quick to remember their flags. We all know how to stay safe around lakes, rivers, canals and the sea over the summer. BIKE DAY After a safety talk and cycle helmet check, Reception and Year 1 children were off on their bikes and scooters, honing their control skills around a course of cones requiring focus, agility and balance! POETRY IN THE WOODS In their English lesson today Year 2 began a new topic on Poetry. We learned all about syllables and the importance of choosing the best words in preparation for writing haikus next week. We went outside to get some inspiration for our poems and used our senses to help us think of lots of really exciting words we could use in our haikus. BUZZING PRE-PREP It was a hive of activity in Year 1 and Year 2 as we welcomed David from Busby’s Bees. He kindly brought in one of his display hives, allowing the children to see the bees at work. David, brimming with knowledge, talked to the children about the different types of bees in the UK, the threats to the bee population, how to stay safe around bees, and many other fascinating facts! DRAMA WORKSHOP Pre-Prep had a magical time at a drama workshop. Set in a fairy woodland, the children embarked on a quest to retrieve the magic book from the red witch. With determination and teamwork, they successfully accomplished their mission! It was a delightful session enjoyed by all
abingdon.org.uk/prep 15 PRE-PREP SPORTS DAY PRE-PREP PRE-PREP SUMMER CONCERT The weather was perfect as our young athletes took part in a range of activities from sack racing and target throwing to relay races and hurdles. Pre-Prep celebrated the end of an amazing year with a seaside themed concert. The children performed many songs from the past from our own version of, In The Summertime, to the Mary Poppins classic, Let’s Go Fly a Kite. There were incredibly professional solos from our Year 2 children. Now we are truly set for fun in the sun.
16 Abingdon School • September 2024 ABINGDON NEWS NATIONAL SCHOOLS REGATTA HOUSE CHALLENGE At the start of the half term break, 11 crews from J14 up to J18 travelled to Dorney Lake for the National Schools Regatta. One of the highlights of the season, it provided fierce competition and super tight racing. With some really good performances, the standout results went to the Fourth Years who came home with bronze medals in both the J15 1st and 2nd eights events, placing them top three in the country. The House challenge is a general knowledge competition based on the long running TV series University Challenge. Throughout the competition the standard was very high and following some tense knockout matches the two teams left standing were Stockdale's and O'Doherty's. Halfway through the final the scores were level but, following some high scoring sets of bonus questions, Stockdale's ended up winning by 22 to 10. Congratulations to them. SCHOLARLY LEARNINGS In June, Fourth Year scholars' visited the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, where they visited the world famous Mary Rose museum, had a boat trip around the harbour and toured Nelson's flagship HMS Victory. A favourite exhibit was the full skeletal remains of a dog that was present on the Mary Rose when it sank. In May, our Fifth Year students participated in an afternoon designed to enhance their understanding and application of leadership skills. Students were divided into groups and took part in a number of activities. These included decision-making tasks, organisational tasks, public speaking, and teamwork exercises. Each task was specifically designed to improve different aspects of leadership, helping to build confidence and teach how to lead and collaborate effectively with others. LEADERSHIP AFTERNOON
abingdon.org.uk 17 ABINGDON NEWS STUDENT ROBOTICS In May, all Third Year students took part in our first Sustainability Day. Activities included a talk from One Planet Abingdon and Enso Energy; tours to the key areas of sustainability around the school; a number of decision making and investigation activities which gave students a different stance on what can be done to improve sustainability on both a local and global scale. Overall, the day was a success and fostered a deeper understanding and commitment to environmental stewardship among the students. SUSTAINABILITY DAY EVENSONG AT WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL In May, members of the Chapel Choir sang evensong at Winchester Cathedral. Following a brief tour of the magnificent 14th century Cathedral and a rehearsal in the Quire, the Choir opened the service with Ayleward Responses, then singing the psalm with great clarity and diction. Wood in Eb, No. 2 were the chosen canticles for the service whilst the choir sang Ireland's Greater love hath no man with wonderful intensity and nuance. Special mention to Luca (Second Year) and Ed (Upper Sixth) for their excellent solos. NATIONAL HOCKEY U16 PLATE FINAL The U16s capped off a successful season with a trip to the Lee Valley Hockey Centre to play against Bedford School in the Plate final. After a terrific start, Abingdon took the lead through a goal from Casper. Bedford rallied and equalised before half time. Towards the end of a close 2nd half, Bedford scored again and, despite sustained late pressure and a couple of great opportunities, Abingdon couldn't find the equaliser and eventually lost 2-1.
18 Abingdon Prep • September 2024 SPORT In an action-packed summer term of Sport, here are some of the highlights. CRICKET: Lords Trip Pupils in Year 8 1st and 2nd Cricket XIs had a wonderful time visiting the home of cricket. In the morning they enjoyed a training session with coaches from the MCC, in the state of the art indoor centre. In the afternoon pupils were treated to a fascinating tour of the ground, receiving some behind the scenes access and learning about its rich history. ATHLETICS: James competed at the National Prep Schools Athletics Final. Held in the Alexander Stadium, James soaked up the fantastic atmosphere and toed the line against some of the best 800m in the country (the best 2 athletes from each region). He was able to secure 8th place and run a personal best time of 2m 20s. A huge achievement. BIATHLE: Huge congratulations to Leone who represented Team GBR at the European Biathle Championships in Madeira. Leone came 12th in only his second biathle race in a crowded field SUMMER SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS with 18 nations competing. Meanwhile, Arthur travelled to Dorset and backed up his strong swimming with an impressive 5th place in the National Schools Biathle Competition. SWIMMING: In June, 8 pupils travelled to the London Aquatics centre to compete in the National IAPS Swimming Finals. The U12 and U13 teams did tremendously well to qualify amongst the fastest 20 schools in the country. Both teams had a fantastic finals day, knocking 6 and 7 seconds off the qualifying times, with the U12s finishing in 13th place and the U13s finishing in 15th place. Satoshi also reached the final of the U13 50m butterfly, placing in a remarkable 5th place in a time of 30.79s. Leone reached the final of the U12 50m freestyle and placed a superb 6th place in a time of 29.57s. A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this summer term one full of sporting opportunities and experiences for the pupils. We look forward to welcoming you all back to the rugby touchline this autumn. Malvern Cross Country Lords Trip U11s at Cothill National Prep Schools Athletics Finals European Biathle Championships House Cricket APS v. Moulsford IAPS National Swimming Finals
abingdon.org.uk/prep 19 SPORTS DAY SPORTS DAY Tilsley Park once again played host to the annual APS Sports Day. It was a fantastic event, bringing the whole community together to celebrate the pupils’ hard work in athletics over the course of the year. Inspired by the forthcoming Olympics being just a month away, it was wonderful to see so many pupils giving their all in their respective track and field events. Incredibly five school records were broken on the track and three were broken in the field. Huge congratulations to all involved! (Photos by William Wrench Photography.)
20 Abingdon Prep • September 2024 SPORTS SPORTS AWARDS The following awards were made at the School Prize Giving and the Cups and Colours Assembly: Prior Cup for Sportsplayer of the Year: Noah and Josh H Anderson Cup for Cricket: Adhiraj APS Athletics Award: Emanuel APS Basketball Award: Herbie and Noah APS Cross-Country Award: James APS Football Award: Josh H APS Golf Award: William D APS Hockey Award: Dewi, George B and Jamie APS Swimming Award: Satoshi and Leo H APS Table Tennis Award: William D and Joe APS Tennis Award: Mark Belvedere Shield for Rugby: Will D Cricket All-Rounder Cup: George M Junior Sportsplayer of the Year: Dhiren Junior Young Blades Fencing Award: Horace Full and half junior and senior colours and individual awards were presented for summer term sports. In cricket, awards were made to each year for ‘Most Improved Player’, ‘Player of the Year’ and ‘Clubman of the Year’. Awards were also given for junior and senior tennis and junior and senior ‘Athlete of the Year’.
abingdon.org.uk/prep 21 Destinations: Abingdon School (33) Harrow (1) Magdalen College (1) PRIZE GIVING AND FAREWELLS YEAR 8 SPECIAL AWARDS AND SUBJECT PRIZES Special Awards: The Governors’ Prize - for Cooperation and Kindness: Will M The Savin Cup - for academic achievement in the AP+ exams: Rupert The Abingdon Award - for most outstanding academic results: Joe Peer Cup - chosen by Y8: Leo Vaux Cup for personal progress: Joseph Z APS All Rounder Award: Joshua Subject Prizes and Awards: The Music Award: Vincent and Arjun The Drama Award: Monty J and Joseph Z Chess Award: Albert Art: Kian and Arjun Computing: Kian and Rahul DT: Samuel G, Benji, Josh and Edward English: Satoshi, Samuel C, Matthew and Vincent French: Rupert, Noah and Albert Geography: Leo and Henry History: David, Monty M and Rupert Latin: Monty M and Rahul Maths: Joe and Tommy Music: Arthur RE: Alex and Tommy Science: Alex, Dewi, George B and Monty J YEAR 8 LEAVERS Destinations: Abingdon (37); MCS (1); OLA (1)
22 Abingdon Prep • September 2024 PEOPLE - FOND FAREWELLS LOUISE BATHO When Louise was just about to start at Abingdon Prep, I remember Rachel saying, ‘I know Louise - she’s good’. Well, that has turned out to be a huge understatement! Louise has proved herself to be an amazing teacher and an immense asset to the school. Louise joined Abingdon Prep in September 2012. Some quick mental maths will tell you that she has been here for 12 years. In that time she has held many roles and contributed to many aspects of the school. Louise has been a wonderful form teacher for both Year 4 and Year 5, teaching maths and English and a range of other subjects. She has also held the position of Section Head and went on to be a very caring Assistant Head Pastoral. But the list does not end there. Louise’s talents have enabled her to take on yet more roles within our school. Her artistic flair was evident when she was Head of Drama and designed super stage sets and directed plays. She also taught Drama to Reception for several years - which is very impressive! Louise also ran an Art and Craft Club for many years, and more recently has run Well-Being Clubs and workshops, which every child has benefitted from. Not to waste her sporting talents, Louise has been teaching PE to Pre-Prep right up to this year. She has the ability to connect with all ages of children in the school. Louise has shown great commitment, wanting the best for the children in her care. Her classrooms have been inviting for the children with lovely displays and a calm and purposeful atmosphere. She has superb organisational skills and the ability to think ahead. Louise is a thoughtful and considerate person, always willing to help her colleagues any way she can. It is for these reasons that she has been so successful with each position held. JACK FOSTER (Front: Andy, Steve, Back R: Robin) Three of our minibus drivers retired or moved onto other things this term. After 14 years of daily runs and countless trips, Steve Spencer finally hung up his keys, remembering his young passengers, and many of their parents, with huge affection and not a few comic stories! Tony and Robin may have only been with us for 4 and 1 years respectively, but have played their parts in our minibus offering with equal dedication to their passengers, Tony also taking on the thankless task of managing our buses. We send all three our very best wishes. ANDREW HAWKESWORTH, STEVE SPENCER and ROBIN HOWARD He may only have been with us for two terms, but Jack has been a super gap student, popular with the children and staff alike and so helpful to all. He also introduced APS to Aussie Rules Football in an Other Half Club. Jack is returning to Australia to study Business at Perth University and we wish him all the best with his studies. You may not know this, but Louise is an incredible athlete. She has run marathons and regularly goes wild water swimming. She is also an intrepid traveller and loves exploring different countries, experiencing different cultures. We are sad that she is leaving but I know she will be able to spend a little more time doing the activities she loves so much. I will miss our morning chats in the staff room where we talk about the day ahead, amongst other things. She has been and will continue to be a much valued friend to so many here. Lenka Sowter
abingdon.org.uk/prep 23 LAURA FORMAN GEORGE MOORE Above all, George has combined his IT wizardry with a kind and caring manner, a willingness to get involved in wider school life, a patience beyond words and good humour. George, you will be sorely missed on the other end of the radio, but thank you for all you have done and we wish you every success in your exciting new IT role. Rachel Pairman Very sadly, George (or to give him his full name‘George-are-you-on-your-radioplease’) has left us after four years. Craig and I first met George when we interviewed him via the ether at the end of the first lockdown when Zoom was still relatively new to all of us. It wasn’t just Zoom but all of our other IT skills which improved exponentially over the coming years and George was at the forefront of patiently showing us, as staff, how to click, switch on, download, upload, connect and, if in any doubt, unplug at the wall, for a variety of devices, apps and programs. George has been heavily involved in supporting pupil learning through IT and helping us introduce and integrate a larger number of iPads and chrome books. He has run the ever popular 3D printing club, supported in speed typing club, helped out in lessons and offered his infinite wisdom in safer internet week. Laura has been with us on a year’s contract as a Junior Section TA, confidently turning herself to any task which is asked of her. She has run groups for Maths and English, she has taught Phonics, handwiriting and times tables. Laura is sensitive, thoughtful and intuitive, calm and organised, and always on time for her countless playground duties! Laura has been an outstanding TA this year, and we’re very sorry to say goodbye. We are extremely grateful to the families of our departing Year 8 pupils for their generous leavers’ gift. Basketball is an increasingly popular break time activity thanks to our keen Year 8 players, and the gift of a new mounted hoop will keep interest high in coming years. THANK YOU! YEAR 8 LEAVERS’ GIFT FROM RECEPTION TO YEAR 8 After Prize Giving, Year 8 parents joined governors and staff for farewell drinks.
24 Abingdon Prep • September 2024 AbingdonPrep News is the newsletter of Abingdon Preparatory School, Josca’s House, Kingston Road, Oxford OX13 5NX Tel: 01865 391570 www.abingdon.org.uk/prep Editor: Annabel Gaskell Abingdon School is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England and Wales Company No. 3625063. Registered Office: Abingdon School, Park Road, Abingdon, OX14 1DE Registered Charity No. 1071298 CHARITIES Pre-Prep held a craft sale, selling items they had been making over the past few weeks. This was our final charity event and raised a significant amount, to be donated to the Oxford Food Hub. This, added to our incredible total for the sponsored read and summer concert donations means that we raised over £1000 this half term. PRE-PREP CRAFT SALE We have had a great year raising funds for our amazing local school charity, the Children’s Diabetes Education Fund, part of the Oxford Children’s Hospital at the JR and provides invaluable information and support for children diagnosed with diabetes and their families. APS events have included ‘Wearing Blue’ for World Diabetes’ Day, a Silver Coin Trail, Year 7 Tycoons’ enterprises, Chinese New Year Envelopes, an amazingly successful Pre-Prep sponsored read and generous collections at events and concerts to name but a few, raising over £3200 for the Children’s Diabetes Education Fund! In addition to our main fundraising efforts, pupils raised £180 selling poppies for the Royal British Legion and a PrePrep summer craft sale raised over £200 for the Oxford Food Hub. Around the Houses, a competitive fundraising spirit resulted in Dragon’s Bake Sale raising £215 for Sobell House Hospice; Unicorn and Phoenix Tuck Shops raising £328 and £334 for George’s Rockstars and The Oxford Animal Sanctuary, respectively. There was even a Griffin ‘Beat the Goalie’ challenge, which raised £109 for the HEG Community Larder! An enormous thank you goes to all those involved in organising and taking part in these activities throughout the year, as well as to all the wonderful parents, who have brilliantly supported their children with these important community projects! CHARITIES ROUND-UP GRIFFIN PENALTY SHOOT-OUT PHOENIX TUCK SHOP During the Summer Term, the children in Pre-Prep undertook a sponsored reading fundraiser. The children were challenged to read as much as they could while supporting the Children's Diabetes Education Fund. Many children participated in the event, which raised over £900! When asked about the event, Orin in Year 2 said, "I thought it was a really good event because I like to raise money for charity and help people." Leonardo in Year 1 said, "I wrote letters to my friends asking them to sponsor me and in the cards I said that I love reading!" Hugo in Reception added, "My favourite book to read was Pet Rat! It's a funny book because he eats all of the birthday cake! I love reading!" (Text from the pupil newsletter ‘Making a Difference’.) PRE-PREP SPONSORED READ A MESSAGE FROM YOUR JPA Thank you to everyone that came to our first, but by no means last, Summer Picnic. Around 200 people enjoyed the glorious sunshine along with strawberries and cream. Also a massive thank you to the Class Reps and all the helpers, who have volunteered to make all of our events over the last 12 months such successes. We hope you enjoyed your summer holidays!
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