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__TOC__ HISTORY Abingdon School is thought to have been founded prior to 1100 by the Benedictine monks of Abingdon Abbey , and the original school used a room in St. Nicholas's Church , which was built from 1121 to 1184. The school itself takes its anniversaries from the earliest surviving reference to the school - 1256 - a charter of Abingdon Abbey recording an endowment by Abbot John de Blosneville for the support of thirteen poor scholars. The school had now moved to a couple of rooms in Stert Street with a house for boarders at 3 Stert Street under the charge of Dionysia Mundy. In 1563 John Roysse re-endowed the school which then moved to a site south of the abbey gateway. The name Roysse's School was still in use well into the 20th century. Roysse was a prosperous mercer in the City of London, and through this association the school has received substantial benefactions from the Worshipful Company Of Mercers . After the dissolution of Abingdon Abbey (1538) the school passed through a difficult phase: the sixteenth century endowments by Old Abingdonians attempted to overcome the loss of monastic support. Thomas Tesdale , who had been a pupil in 1563, made provision for an Usher to teach six poor scholars from the Borough of Abingdon and offered support for thirteen Abingdon students to study at Oxford . This benefaction eventually developed into Pembroke College in 1624 by the re-foundation of Broadgates Hall. The six poor scholars, know as Bennett Boys, or colloqually the Gown Boys from their dress, were financed by another Old Abingdonian, William Bennett. Between 1609 and 1870 the school maintained a dual management: the headmaster, appointed by the mayor and corporation, and the Tesdale Usher and Bennett Scholars appointed by the master and governors of Christ's Hospital of Abingdon. The Old Abingdonian club was inaugurated in 1743, during the headmastership of Thomas Woods, and is consequently one of the oldest such organizations in the country. In 1854 Pembroke College used legislation to distance itself from the school. The current school site away from the town centre, designed by Edwin Dolby , was developed from 1870 in the new Victorian quarter of Abingdon adjacent to Albert Park. Extensions to the 1870 buildings were added in 1880. In 1901 a chapel and gymnasium were built. The adjacent Waste Court property was acquired in 1928. The Science School came in 1952. In 1963, to mark the Quatercentenary of re-foundation the big schoolroom was re-ordered as the Grundy Library (opened by Princess Margaret) together with erection of further buildings east of the science wing, the whole now known as Big School. In 1980 the Amey Theatre and Arts' centre was opened and the sports' centre in 1984. Mercers' Court, comprising a sixth form centre was opened in 1994 by the Chancellor of Oxford University and Visitor of Pembroke College, Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, the whole now called Little School. The school is celebrating its 750th anniversary this year, with a commemorative calendar. STUDENTS AND HOUSES The school currently has around 800 pupils aged 11-18 of which about 135 are boarders. The school is split into 10 houses, 3 of which are solely for boarders, 7 solely for day boys. These are:
These houses have all the middle school boarders (aged 13-16) and the majority of the sixth form boarders (aged 17-18).
This house has the remainder of the sixth form boarders and all of the lower school boarders (aged 11-12).
These houses have middle and upper school day boys. Day boys from 11-12 belong to the Lower School. With the exceptions of School, Crescent, Waste Court and Lower School all the houses take their names from the current housemaster. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Abingdon is notable in the region for its extensive dedication to extracurricular activities, dubbed the "Other Half" (of the syllabus). Abingdon has a strong sporting tradition, especially in Rowing . Documentary evidence indicates rowing was a school activity in 1830. Roysse's School Rowing Club (1840) became Abingdon School Boat Club. The 1st VIII won the "triple" in 2002: the Schools' Head of the River, Queen Mother's cup and Princess Elizabeth cup. , eminent Polish historian and master i/c Debating Society, with three small debaters, at the Balloon Debate, 1 July 2005.]] The Debating Society is the school's oldest non-sporting society, founded in 1904. A wide range of motions is debated, from humorous to serious, dealing with the great issues of the day. There are dinner debates with girls' schools such as The School of St Helen and St Katharine, Wycombe Abbey and St Mary's, Wantage . Abingdon's Combined Cadet Force is nationally acclaimed, with the cadets in the contingent's Royal Air Force section winning the 2002 Ground Training Competition ( South East ) at RAF Uxbridge , Middlesex . ACADEMIC Section of Abingdon School Combined Cadet Force on parade.]] Abingdon is also academically a very strong school: the students regularly achieve good results and a significant number progress to such venerable universities as St Andrews , Cambridge and Oxford . Subjects taught to GCSE and A-Level are English , History , Geography , French , Russian , German , Religious Education and Religious Studies , Mathematics , Biology , Chemistry and Physics , Drama , Music , Art And Design , Latin , Greek and Classical Civilisation or Ancient History . Subjects taught to GCSE only are Spanish and Italian . Subjects taught for A-Level only are Government And Politics , Economics , Business Studies and Art History , often taught in conjunction with the neighbouring girls' school, The School of St Helen and St Katharine. Its Russian department is notably strong and was determined the best in the country by a major national newspaper. HEADMASTERS
TESDALE USHERS
NOTABLE OLD ABINGDONIANS See Also: List of notable Old Abingdonians REFERENCES
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