Category Archives: education

Two new Abingdon magazines have hit the streets!


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.)

College Car Repair Shop

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

Learning Garden at Larkmead

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

Carswell School Summer Fete

Carswell School Summer Fete
Not far from the Mayor of Ock Street celebrations, featured yesterday, Carwell School Summer Fete was happening. It began rainy, but soon brightened up.
Carswell School Summer Fete
The Deputy Head was in the stocks, having wet sponges thrown at him by pupils, parents, and in this case by a school governor by the name of Ann Bittleston.
Carswell School Summer Fete
I gambled 50p on the Carswell Human Fruit Machine but an apple and two pineapples was not a winning combination.

The fete is organised by the Friends of Carwell School, formerly known as the PTA, to get extra funds for the school.

St Edmunds also had a fete in the afternoon.