Abingdon is a leading independent day and boarding school for boys aged 11-18. Full and weekly boarding is available from age 13.
The School is situated on 35 acres of beautiful grounds in the center of Abingdon, just south of Oxford. There are around 1000 boys at Abingdon.
Abingdon enjoys the very best in academic standards, music, sport, and the arts in a caring and supportive environment. The health and wellbeing of our boys are paramount and the School has a comprehensive pastoral care system centered around a boy’s tutor and housemaster.
We are one of only a few schools to have physical house rooms for both dayboys and borders, so there is lots of space for boys to be able to relax and unwind. Equally, we are proud of the fact that although we are a big school, the pastoral care breaks down into small units, with tutor groups of between 10 and 12 pupils per member of staff, so that every boy is known and cared for.
The School combines over 750 years of history and tradition with a modern outlook. As well as encouraging academic achievement, with impressive results at GCSE, A-Level and Oxbridge and university entrance, the School provides extensive extra-curricular opportunities, encouraging pupils to try something new, to develop existing talents, and to ‘give something back.
We aim to ensure each boy thrives at Abingdon and, through challenge and opportunity, achieves the most from his potential. Our pupils come from a wide range of social and geographic backgrounds, creating a lively and tolerant mix of cultures. Boys of all faiths are welcome.
The majority of our pupils are dayboys although boarding plays an important part in the character of the School. Close ties with the nearby girls’ school of St Helen and St Katharine add a co-educational feel, especially to our Sixth Form, where some subjects are taught jointly and there is much collaboration with drama productions, musical activities and, of course, socially.
Abingdon is divided into the Lower School (aged 11-13), Middle School (aged 13-16), and Upper School or Sixth Form (aged 16-18). Pupils spend two years in Lower School, three years in Middle School, and two years in the Sixth Form.
Entry to the Lower School is mainly from maintained primary schools and independent schools which finish at the age of eleven, while the Middle School intake is predominantly from preparatory schools. In the Sixth Form, there is a further intake of boys from the maintained and independent sectors.
The school day starts at 8.35 am, lessons finish at 3.40 pm and school buses depart at 5.20 pm. Homework is set each day and the amount gradually increases as pupils move up the school. Wednesday afternoons, lunchtimes, and 3.40 pm to 5.20 pm each day are devoted to ‘Other Half’ activities – our extensive extra-curricular program.
Every boy has his timetable of work and activities which are supervised by his tutor.
