After a fact finding visit to Abingdon Community Hospital, a group of Year 5 children from Thameside Primary School have produced “Thameside Tiger Hospital Care“, a fully-illustrated introduction to the staff they met during their visit, and what services the hospital provides … including podiatry, where they look after your feet, and Radiographer, the person who does X-Rays. This is a great introduction to the hospital!

Meanwhile, Thomas, Oliver, Miya, Harry, Jamal and Phoebe, from Year 6 at St Nicolas C of E Primary School, interviewed Councillor Lesley Legge, from Abingdon on Thames Town Council, and Heather Brown from The Choose Abingdon Partnership. Their magazine St Nicolas world of Abingdon explains some of the ways in which Abingdon caters for tourism. They had some interesting questions and answers. For example

“We wondered why Abingdon changed its name to Abingdon on Thames.”

“They replied that technically it has always been known as Abingdon on Thames. The Thames is a high profile marketing name which is good because if someone types Thames in to Google it will come up with Abingdon..”

Both magazines, and a good number before, are the result of workshops run by TrinityLearning, with the help of The Community Covenant. The project enables forces and local children to find out about their community and work together as a team. Thanks to the help of Welfare Officers at Dalton Barracks, every family stationed there will receive a copy of both magazines. (The magazines are quite big and take time to fully download from the links provided above.)

Back in July, when students went on holiday, there was the beginnings of a building at Abingdon & Witney College.

We are now well into the new term and the students are back. There is now a purpose built car repair shop to help train our future mechanics and engineers. I wonder if they need cars to practice on.

Steve Relston, gardening expert on BBC Radio Oxford visited Larkmead School and used garden shears to formally open the Learning Garden today.

Over the last two years, students, staff, parents and other volunteer helpers have developed a purpose-build, bedding area. Local businesses have given materials and help. Jane Barnard, Special Educational Needs Coordinator, led this project and explained that since gardening was introduced attendance and enthusiasm for school has increased among her students.

(Thanks to Pauline and Cliff for the pictures.)