This week, St Helen’s Church has been a hub of activity as local schools bring in large groups of students for their Carol Concerts. These gatherings attract up to 700 young people at a time, filling the church with all the additional chairs.

The services are primarily led by the schools’ own chaplains or teachers and St Helen’s staff play a supportive role. The majority of the organisational work, including managing the large groups of children, is handled by the school staff. On Monday was the Abingdon Prep School Carol Concert; on Tuesday Our Lady’s Abingdon Carol Concerts (there were two); today, Thursday, the Manor Prep School has a day of Concerts; and tomorrow is the Abingdon School Carol Service.

It will then be the end of term for all these schools, which are not in the state sector. The state schools have another week to go. Their carol concerts are next week.

One unique aspect of St Helen’s preparations is the Jesse Tree, a Christmas tree that depicts the lineage of Jesus Christ. Each day, additional figures are added to the tree.

An Arcadian Christmas Concert is at St Helens Church on Saturday. The Arcadian Singers are a student-run chamber choir based in Oxford.