Open Day 2015
A new format and a glorious success: The Abbey started the ball rolling in fine style on Saturday morning, passing the baton to a bursting Queen’s House which in turn handed over to the Senior School for an afternoon of breathless activity for a host of current and prospective parents and pupils. So much to enjoy, so much to be enthralled by, inspired or amazed by.
Science – outdoors in the morning; contained, but only just, in the afternoon as budding experimenters jostled (safely!) for the chance to make the next great discovery; drama – stunning and full of vitality, beguiling one and all; languages bursting at its internationally woven seams; music – wonderful music – and in particular the Swing Band’s performance, brilliantly reprising and expanding upon its repertoire so wonderfully delivered and enjoyed just the weekend before at the OW dinner. Yes, it’s a busy time of year for our Swing Band: first playing upliftingly to the thousands at Speech Day, then delighting the more intimate gathering of a hundred OWs the weekend after, and rounding off with its Open Day set which brought resounding further applause from an enthusiastic rolling audience. Fantastic.
And in amongst the informality of rehearsals, displays, pupil speeches, CCF activity, zip wire, quizzes, problems and puzzles, sport in all its guises – putting guests to the test… but only if willing (‘go on Dad, go on Mum…’), was the rather more formal interlude of the Headmaster’s address to a packed theatre hall, with Maddy Chan and Callum Askins as head girl and boy adding expert insider depth to the broad canvas under review. Oh, and the food! Don’t forget the
wonderful picnic lunches, and the glorious tea to help the flow of conversation and the restocking of energy for the next challenge…
What a day – our thanks go out to all the staff and pupils for providing such riches, and to the parents, guests and visitors for joining us in their hundreds to revel in the excitement and joyful sense of camaraderie, curiosity, fun and discovery at the heart of the School.
