The Unicorn School, Abingdon, has acquired the former Premier Inn and Ock Mill on Marcham Road, enabling it to double its pupil enrolment from 120 to 240 over the next few years. With over three decades of experience, the school specialises in supporting students with neurodiversity challenges, including dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, and speech and language difficulties. The new facility will allow the school to offer a sixth-form program in the future.

The school will operate across both sites, with the new location requiring planning permission to transform the existing buildings from a hotel and restaurant into a school. The car park is already being utilised by parents for drop-off and pick-up.

For more details, please visit the Unicorn School’s website: https://www.unicornoxford.co.uk/news/?pid=0&nid=1&storyid=179.

Hugo sent me details of a new art school that opened in Abingdon at the Northcourt Centre.

Cygnets Art School has opened in Abingdon and offers art classes for children aged 5+. The franchise business has been popular over recent years since starting in 2012. They have holiday and term time courses.

Cygnets use a step-by-step method to teach students art techniques. If you think that art is under-taught in UK schools, then Cygnets is filling the gap. The company believes that creativity plays a vital role in children’s development and that art classes can help children with mental health, imaginative thinking, and fine motor control.

If you are interested in finding out more, visit www.cygnetsartschool.com/abingdon where you will find more about the classes and contact details.

Pupils received some useful things for their Forest School at Rush Common School.

Forest School is all about learning and having fun outdoors. Annington, the company that makes ex-army homes energy efficient, gave them bug pots, binoculars, magnifying glasses, pond nets, a hedgehog house, bird boxes, and feeders.

Thank you to Kyle at Annington for sharing pictures and info with the blog. He sent a press release where Rebecca Strugnell, Chair of the Friends of Rush Common, said, “Our Forest School at Rush Common teaches pupils how to respect nature and to grow up with a better understanding of where we fit in with the natural environment. We were in desperate need of some new resources, so the donation from Annington couldn’t have come at a better time! The pupils, parents and teachers are very grateful for the kit, which will put to great use by children of all ages in the school.”

Did you know that Forest School started in Denmark in 1953? Now it’s a popular thing in the UK too. Pupils who go to Forest Schools are great at making friends, working together, and feeling good about themselves. The Rush Common Forest School is part of it too!

As part of National Careers Week 2021, Abingdon and Witney College‘s careers team is offering out its services to the wider public as well as the College‘s students. They are  running a FREE drop-in service during lunchtime (12 – 2pm) and later in the afternoon (4 – 5pm) everyday between 1st – 5th March. See https://www.abingdon-witney.ac.uk/national-careers-week-2021 for more information. There are also webinars that can be watched at anytime.

Earlier in February they had a Virtual Open Day for anybody interested in courses at the college. Since the open day was virtual the webinars can still be viewed by visiting https://www.abingdon-witney.ac.uk/college-guide/past-events/february-virtual-open-week-2021-start. They use Microsoft Teams.

I walked round the college this morning and took pictures of the trees in blossom.

There did not appear to be a lot of cars or students about. The college is closed for face-to-face learning except to vulnerable students and the young people of key workers, where appropriate. It is open to all students for remote / online learning. The college are reviewing the latest government advice before telling students about any face-to-face reopening.