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Welcome From... Mrs Forster

As we celebrate our Middle Sixth leavers, it marks the end of a happy era at Milton Abbey as they head off on new and exciting adventures The same could be said for the Hospitality department, as we have spent the past week moving out of the kitchen that has been our home for the past 18 years, making way for our brand new kitchen, which will open in September.

With this move comes a tinge of sadness, as the old kitchen has served us so well over the years However, we are incredibly excited to welcome students into our new kitchen and classroom facilities in September. It has been an exciting few months, and work is now well underway The site has been cleared, the plastering completed, the flooring removed, and preparations for painting finished The first phase of the electrical installation begins in the coming days Our Estates team, under the direction of Steve Brown, has been superb, ensuring that every detail has been carefully considered down to the last millimetre We are incredibly grateful for their expertise and support as we undertake this exciting project.

Hospitality has also been exceptionally busy during our final term in the old kitchen Third Form pupils have made the most of their two practical cooking sessions each week, while Fourth Form students have completed some outstanding independent cooking assessments Our Lower Sixth students demonstrated remarkable creativity, showcasing the skills they have developed over the past year by preparing a fabulous Rosette-standard lunch for invited members of staff, a much-coveted invitation!

Over the summer, the new kitchen will really begin to take shape, and we are immensely grateful for the generous donations that have made this project possible The new space will be a versatile, multipurpose facility and an outstanding learning environment that will benefit our students for many years to come We look forward to welcoming everyone back in September to see the transformation.

UpTheAbbey!

Mrs Forster | Head of Third Form and Teacher of Hospitality

and out the

In Classroom

ASDANAwards

Our Third Form linguists have worked hard throughout the year and were proud to receive their ASDAN Languages certificate, a recognised award that celebrates practical language skills, cultural awareness, and communication beyond the classroom

To finish the celebration, our students enjoyed some welldeserved French and Spanish treats!

Well done to all for your enthusiasm, effort, and achievements this year!

A Level Geographers have been bringing the 'Changing Places' unit to life with fieldtrips to Bristol and East London.

Both locations have seen regeneration of areas defined by their industrial past. Bristol Harbourside has been transformed from an industrial wasteland into an economic powerhouse of social enterprise In Stoke's Cross, Bristol and Brick Lane, E1 gentrification is transformational.

Students learn about how this creates benefits and also enormous challenges for residents

DramaWorkshop

We were delighted to welcome guest actor Mr Paul Lawless to the New Barn Theatre for an inspiring introductory workshop with our Drama pupils. The afternoon was filled with creativity and collaboration, beginning with one-word storytelling, introductions and a range of engaging ice-breaker activities that immediately captured the attention of everyone involved Through imaginative exercises focusing on descriptive language, object-based prompts and narrative development, pupils were encouraged to think creatively and build compelling stories together

ChildnetFilmCompetition

We are delighted to announce that our Lower Sixth Film and TV students have been awarded Third Place in the 2026 Childnet Film Competition Their film, Artificial Confidence, received the award at the finalists' event held at Disney's headquarters in London The awards were presented by Emilie Anthonis, President of the Motion Picture Association, who praised their work " an exceptional example of visual storytelling about the important topic of how young people tackle issues with AI."

HospitalityAssessment

Fourth Form Hospitality students recently completed Unit 6, which involved planning, preparing, and cooking a dish of their choice As part of the assessment, students considered the nutritional value of their chosen dish, explaining both their ingredient choices and cooking methods to invited guests

The dishes showcased an impressive range of culinary skills and creativity, including a chickpea curry, freshly made wholewheat pasta with Bolognese sauce, salmon burgers, and steak tagliatelle

MathematicsTreasureHunt

Students recently took their maths skills beyond the classroom and into the Abbey with a mathematics treasure hunt Working in pairs, they followed a series of “loop cards” hidden around the abbey. Each card presented a problem to solve, and the answer led them to the next clue, creating a continuous loop of challenges that kept everyone thinking, moving, and collaborating

From quick mental arithmetic to more complex reasoning, the hunt tested a range of skills in a fun and engaging way

The groups raced to complete the loop, with plenty of satisfaction when everything linked together correctly at the end It was an example of how maths can be both challenging and enjoyable, especially when set against the inspiring backdrop of the Abbey

End of Year Service and Leavers’ Ball

SPORTING NEWS!

TENNIS

Tennis remains one of our most popular summer sports, with students making the most of both the picturesque grass courts by the Abbey and the Astro courts near School Farm

With opportunities to play during evenings and weekends, it has been wonderful to see students' skills develop and their confidence grow throughout the term

AWARDS:

Senior Boys Player of the Year – Hannibal V-C, Middle Sixth

Senior Boys Most Improved Player - Sihle M, Middle Sixth

Junior Boys Player of the Term - Leonard K, Fourth Form

Junior Boys Most Improved Player - Emanuel Fourth Form

Senior Girls Player of the Season - Eliza GDC, M Sixth

Senior Girls Most Improved Player - Olivia B, M Sixth

Junior Girls Player of the Season - Chanah L, Fifth

Junior Girls Most Improved Player - Clemmie W, Form

GOLF

The golf team secured an impressive 4-1 victory over Forres Sandle Manor in a friendly home fixture Led by Fourth Form captain Alfie C, who won his match, and supported by Ben B, Lower Sixth, who was narrowly defeated on the final hole, the relatively inexperienced team produced an excellent all-round performance to overcome their opponents

Fourth Form pupils Johnny L and Cameron T, together with Sam A, Lower Sixth, all played superbly to earn valuable points for Milton Abbey School Special mention must go to Alfie C, Fourth Form, Zach J, Fifth Form, and Rocco T, Middle Sixth, who completed an extraordinary 72-hour golf challenge to raise funds and awareness for Cardiac Risk in the Young, a charity that held special significance for Alfie’s late father

AWARDS:

Player of the Term - Alfie C, Fourth Form Most Improved Player - Keyhan E, Lower Sixth

- 08

CRICKET

Congratulations to our cricket award winners following an outstanding term:

AWARDS

1st Player of the Season: Euan J, Middle Sixth

1st XI Most Improved Player: Sam M-A, Middle Sixth

Junior Player of the Season: Austin N, Fourth Form

Most Improved Junior Player: Cameron T, Fourth Form

Well done to all our players on a superb season, and special congratulations to this year ' s award recipients

SAILING

Our Third Form Adventure took pupils to Portland for an afternoon of sailing, where they developed resilience, confidence and teamwork on the water Despite a few pre-sailing nerves, everyone embraced the challenge and thoroughly enjoyed the experience

AWARDS:

Sailor of the Year: Freddie H, Fifth Form

Most Improved Sailor: Ferdie R, Lower Sixth

OTHER SPORT AWARDS:

Swimming:

Swimmer of the Term: Sidonie R, Lower Sixth

Cycling:

Mountain Biker of the Term: Jake S, Fourth Form

Most Improved Biker of the Term: Elliot B, Third Form

Athletics:

Athlete of the Term: Flea B, Third Form

Most Improved Athlete: Lucinda R, Fifth Form

Clay Pigeon Shooting:

Shot of the Term: Rosie W, Lower Sixth

Equine:

Horse Rider of the Term: Juliet VDB, Lower Sixth

Polo:

Player of the Term: Tima T, Fourth Form

Girls’ Football:

Player of the Term: Juanita S-M, Lower Sixth

Most Improved Player: Ruby R Fourth Form

MIDDLE SIXTH SPORT COLOURS:

Three Sports – Name on Honours Board, Tankard and Scarf

Neo T (Cricket, Hockey, Rugby)

Sammy O-C (Tennis, Football, Basketball)

Olivia B (Tennis, Swimming, Hockey)

Two Sports – Tankard and Scarf

Euan J (Cricket, Football)

Sam M-A (Cricket, Football)

Conor B (Tennis, Rugby)

Hannibal V-C (Tennis, Football)

Sihle M (Tennis, Football)

Eliza GDC (Tennis, Hockey)

Iman T (Girls’ Football, Badminton)

Teresa K (Girls’ Football, Hockey)

Elena T(Netball, Hockey)

Phoebe K (Netball, Hockey)

Estee V (Netball, Hockey)

Fran P (Netball, Hockey)

Leila P (Swimming, Hockey)

Aziz A (Football, Basketball)

Charlie H (Rugby, Clay Shooting)

Geordie M (Rugby, Clay Shooting)

One Sport

Rocco T (Golf)

Grace L (Equestrian)

Gaëtan B (Hockey)

Gio M (Hockey)

Egor S (Hockey)

Rathani M (Hockey)

Theo S (Football)

Oliver W (Football)

Aleksei D (Football)

Max C (Rugby)

Max H (Rugby)

Milo V-S (Rugby)

Claudia B (Hockey)

Wilf W (Running)

Will W (Badminton)

Harry M (Badminton)

Ollie S (Basketball)

Yuya Y (Basketball)

Kweku O-D (Basketball)

Student Commendations

Poppy W | Academic

Poppy W, Third Form, has been recognised as a Pupil of Praise for achieving the highest number of Academic Awards during the Summer Term. This outstanding achievement reflects her exceptional commitment to learning, consistent hard work, and dedication to her studies.

Rory S and Gus C | Athelstan

Rory S and Gus C, both in Lower Sixth, have been recognised within House for their outstanding helpfulness During the House weekend, they took the initiative to organise and run a range of games and activities, ensuring everyone had the opportunity to join in and enjoy themselves. Their enthusiasm and leadership made a real difference to the weekend

Ila K | Damer

Not only has Ila been appointed as our Deputy Head of School, but she has also consistently gone above and beyond in her commitment to the House Her enthusiasm, positivity, and sense of humour are infectious, and she has been an invaluable support to staff throughout the past term

Ila has played a key role in bringing the House together, fostering a strong sense of community, and she is an outstanding role model for our younger students

ACTIV WEEKEND

Residentials

Our annual end-of-term residential trips were once again a highlight of the year Third Form embraced the challenge of their Bronze DofE expedition, while Fourth Form headed to the Purbecks for an action-packed adventure, including coasteering and a visit to Dorset Adventure Park's water park and mud trail Meanwhile, Lower Sixth travelled to Cornwall for our much-loved annual surfing trip, making the most of the waves and the beautiful coastline

VITIES!

BlackandGoldDay!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Black and Gold Day - welcoming all our confirmed September 2026 starters to Milton Abbey School! Students enjoyed a range of activities from tug of war, tennis, volleyball, treasure hunt, fitness challenge, cooking, croquet, filming and much more!

Life in Boarding

Life in boarding is always a busy one, with our evening and weekend activities programme.

With the start of a new year comes new, exciting activities for our students to get involved with

The Summer Term brings open swim, tennis, public speaking, touch rugby, cricket, chat and relax, as well as our much loved classics

As a full boarding school with students from across the globe, the World Cup has been a fantastic opportunity for students to come together and bond over their shared love of football

Athestan’s Matron, Mrs Birch, provided a wonderful spread to mark the end of another great academic year

Over the Ineat weekend, those who chose to stay took part in a range of planned activities. This time, the group enjoyed a trip to Weymouth, where they spent time at the arcade.

Q &

W I T H M R K E N N A R D

Q Who are you, what do you teach and how long have you been here?

My name is Jacob Kennard, and I am the Senior Groundsman at Milton Abbey I qualified as a Sports Turf Groundsman at Kingston Maurward College and have been part of the Milton Abbey team for the past nine years The beautiful grounds and outstanding sports pitches that everyone enjoys are the result of the hard work, dedication, and expertise of the entire grounds team, whose efforts ensure the school looks its very best throughout the year

Q Favourite memory of Milton Abbey?

Some of my favourite memories at Milton Abbey include taking to the skies in a hot air balloon during a previous Speech Day and spending a fascinating day at Lord’s Cricket Ground, gaining an insight into everything that goes on behind the scenes

Q Best and worst subjects when you were at school?

My favourite subjects at school were PE and Product Design All the rest were not my favourites!

Q What advice do you give to our students?

My advice to our students would be to get involved and to not be afraid to ask questions

Follow your gut feeling on what career you may want to pursue as this is a big aspect of your life

Q What book, play or film would you recommend on every student’s bucket list?

I would recommend ‘It’s Always Summer Somewhere’ by Felix White It highlights the ups and downs of life following cricket, reminiscing, heartache and resilience

Q What don’t we know about you?

Before starting at Milton Abbey School, I started training to become an Engineer but after discovering I wanted a career outdoors and to be involved in sport, I left after qualifying to pursue a career as a groundsman

Outside of work, I love spending time with my family and playing cricket and golf You’ll often see me involved in the staff cricket matches against other schools and our students!

MrKennard

Senior Groundsman Page - 15

Fourth Form English students said farewell to Mia E!

Special mention to Ben B, Lower Sixth, who has been our in-house DJ for activities on-site

Hughie’s Fifth Form students celebrated the end of their exams with a take away of their choice!

News & Updates

HEADS AND DEPUTIES OF SCHOOL 2026/27

REWELL MR DRAKE!

After 20 wonderful years of dedicated service, Mr Rob Drake has retired from Milton Abbey School

As Health and Safety Officer within the Operations Team, Rob has been an invaluable member of the school community Reflecting on his retirement, Headmaster Mr Watson said: "Rob has been a calming presence within the Operations Team and has always had a smile on his face " Rob described Milton Abbey as his "second family" and assured colleagues that this is not a final farewell, as he plans to return to visit

We wish him every happiness and success in his retirement.

School Community

Colour Run

Deputy Head Co-curricular, Mr Fraser, organised a fun colour run for all our students to get involved in to end their House Weekend With powdered paint at the ready, students ran around the school grounds and were faced with buckets of paint!

eacher Marathon

Mr Treadaway, Mr Barnes and Mr Le Gassick completed the Ham & Lyme Ultra Marathon on Saturday 4 July, raising funds and awareness for the Forest Holme Hospice Charity.

“We'll be running the Ham & Lyme Ultra Marathon on Saturday 4th July, and would love to take this opportunity to raise money for the Forest Holme Hospice, a charity that gives incredible palliative care to families across Poole, Wimborne and the Purbecks We would be very grateful for any support you could give thank you. ”

They are nearly at their goal of £1,000, and would be grateful for any support to reach their target To donate, please see their GoFundMe page here.

Or scan the QR code here

DATES F YOUR

The Milton Abbey Story

diary

Mr Ratcliffe’s book is available to purchase on Amazon, the only illustrated book that tells the story of Milton Abbey, blending history with a light touch suitable for younger readers from age seven through to the history curious adult. Written and illustrated by James Ratcliffe, a teacher at Milton Abbey School, this book promises an engaging journey through history.

Monday 7 September

Tuesday 8 September

Wednesday 9 September

Thursday 17 September

Saturday 19 September

Monday 21 September

Thursday 24 September