Our Lady's Abingdon - Present School

Present School

Pupils take nine or ten subjects at GCSE, and normally between three and four AS/A2 subjects in the Sixth Form. Exceptional students at both GCSE and A-level have been known to take extra examined subjects out of normal curriculum time, such as Classical Greek studies. Sixth Form students also take part in an Enrichment Programme Course which is non-examined. Pupils achieve good examination results and almost all go on to Higher Education.

Out-of-school activities complement the curriculum. Extra-curricular clubs are on offer and pupils also participate in both the Duke of Edinburgh Award and Young Enterprise Scheme. There is a strong link with Maryhill School in Uganda and students and staff from both schools have visited each other. In addition, students from Our Lady's Abingdon – more informally known as OLA – have opportunities to take part in language exchange visits abroad, annual ski trips, water sports activities in France every other year and expeditions (with a community work element) to countries such as Kenya, China, Patagonia, Peru, and more recently to Nepal and a trek to Everest Base Camp. In April 2010, the choir and musicians from both the Junior and Senior Schools also performed in France.

Each student and member of teaching staff belongs to one of four houses, named after figures key to the genesis of the school: Bowyer, Rich, More, and Challoner. There is a House Prefect from the UVI who organises house events, and two House Captains for each house from the LVI. Though a member of staff is Head of Houses, they often encourage the Sixth Form to lead activities by themselves. House activities range from sporting events to drama competitions. The 2011-2012 academic year welcomed the advent of two new inter-house competitions: the House Shout, a Glee-style group-singing competition; and House Challenge, OLA's version of University Challenge.

Building programmes over recent years have provided teaching facilities for subjects across the curriculum. A Sixth Form Centre and a second computer room equipped for subject-specific classes are recent additions and interactive whiteboards have been installed in key areas of the School. A major building programme was completed in September 2006. This includes a new auditorium, drama studio, science laboratory, exhibition and reception area, teaching space and library/resource centre. In 2008 the Sixth Form Centre was extended and a new science laboratory added to the main building.

Our Lady’s Abingdon Junior School, which takes boys and girls from the age of three, is on the same site and shares some of the Senior school's facilities. Almost all of the Junior School pupils move on to the Senior School at the age of eleven. The rest of the Senior School intake is drawn from a range of State and Preparatory Schools, some a considerable distance away.