View from the Abbey Magazine | Thursday 12 March by Milton Abbey School

Welcome From... Ms Hindle

It has been a vibrant and busy few weeks here at Milton Abbey since our last magazine, and I am delighted to share some highlights as we head into the March Exeat Weekend. One of the great privileges of my role is connecting with our wider community, and our recent trip to Dubai offered exactly that opportunity It was wonderful to meet so many friends of the School, including previous Headmaster Jonathan Hughes D’Aeth (HM 1995-2010), as well as prospective families excited to learn more about life at Milton Abbey Hot on the heels of this, the Headmaster travelled to Abuja and Lagos, where he enjoyed meeting a large number of our current parents and many enthusiastic students considering joining us in the future It is great to see how far and wide the message of our wonderful school is getting, thank you to all of you who continue to spread the word

Back at home, our Open Morning at the end of February was a bumper occasion, welcoming over 25 families and a great many energetic young children who brought a real buzz to the campus Our Parent Masterclass series also continues to thrive, with a personal training session in the gym led by Mr Strong proving particularly challenging The Jurassic Coast swim challenge saw 41 students tackle their135km target and the moving production of Private Peaceful have added further richness to school life this half of term

A heartfelt well done to all Middle Sixth and Fifth Form students for the mature and determined way in which they approached their mock examinations after half term And finally, we send our very best wishes to all students heading off on the Fashion Trip to Paris; we hope they have a truly inspiring time and look forward to photos

Ms Hindle | Deputy Head Development

In The Classroom

PRIVATEPEACEFUL

Well done to the cast and crew of Private Peaceful, Michael Morpurgo’s powerful anti-war story The cast were superb, fully inhabiting their characters and bringing the narrative vividly to life They were ably supported by props generously provided by The Tank Museum, including five replica rifles, helmets, and uniforms Meanwhile, the The New Barn Theatre stage was transformed into a wartime setting, scattered with coils of rubber barbed wire, tank traps, sandbags, and corrugated iron fencing Thank you to all our parents, staff, and friends of the school who came along to support and enjoy the performances

HABITATMANAGEMENT

Fourth Form Land-Based Studies students have been completing practical habitat management as part of their course, coppicing one of the farm’s hedgerows to support healthy growth and biodiversity.

BIOLOGYTRANSPIRATION

The Lower Sixth A-level biologists investigated the movement of water through plants, known as transpiration

To ensure accurate results, the students cut the plant stems under water to prevent air bubbles from entering the xylem The plants were then exposed to a range of environmental conditions in order to determine which factors had the greatest effect on the rate of transpiration. From their observations, the students concluded that hot, sunny, and very windy conditions create the optimal environment for maximum transpiration

UKYOUTHPARLIAMENT

Students have been voting for the next Dorset Representative in the UK Youth Parliament

With real ballots, a voting booth, and all the trappings of an official election, many are experiencing democracy first hand The elections give young people a platform to raise issues that matter to them and their communities

By voting, students learn the value of their opinions, the importance of representation, and their power to shape society, building confidence and a lasting belief that their voices count

MATHSCHALLENGE

Congratulations to Elliot B, Third Form, and Fourth Form students Gabe D-B and Keenan P on being awarded certificates for their success in the UK Maths Trust Challenge.

The UK Mathematics Trust Challenge is a 60 minute, 25 question multiple choice competition designed to promote mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency.

Their achievement reflects both their dedication and their strong problem solving skills.

AT R

Fourth Form photographers have been experimenting with image transfer techniques onto wood, exploring how photographs can move beyond paper and exist as physical objects.

By transferring their images onto wooden surfaces, students are able to introduce texture, grain, and materiality into their work, allowing the natural patterns of the wood to interact with the photographic image This process encourages students to think about photography in a more experimental way, combining digital imagery with handmade processes

The results often create a slightly distressed or tactile aesthetic, where the imperfections of the transfer process become an important part of the final artwork.

Artistof the month

Vira S, Third Form, has shown impressive progress in her portrait work this term, particularly through her careful use of the gridding technique.

She has demonstrated strong observational skills and patience, using the grid method to accurately map out proportions and facial features. This approach has allowed her to produce portraits that are both detailed and well structured Vira has worked with great focus and determination, and the quality of her finished drawings reflects the time and care she has invested in the process. Her self portrait using the grid system stands out for its precision and attention to detail, making her a very deserving choice for Artist of the month.

Fourth Form Fashion with Textiles students have been investigating consumerism as part of their Level 2 BTEC course.

Using the consumer culture they see around them as inspiration, they are now designing and creating their final textile products

Classical Civilisation students in Fifth Form enjoyed visiting Fishbourne Palace, looking at the Mosaics and gardens, linking their Roman Housing aspect of their GCSE course.

Students have been working on lino printing in art; Sienna G, Fourth Form, has created a reduction lino print which involves layering to create an image.

SPORTING NEWS!

FOOTBALL

First XI:

The First XI continued their outstanding run of form with a dominant 9–2 win over Corfe Hills, making it four consecutive victories, scoring 28 goals and conceding just five during this period Goals came from: Phanuel A, Lower Sixth, Theo S, Middle Sixth, a spectacular 30-yard strike from Sean U, Fifth Form and hat-tricks from Khalid A, Lower Sixth and Zach A, Lower Sixth

2nd XI:

In extremely windy conditions, the 2nd XI showed real character against Clayesmore. After going 2–0 up, including a brilliant solo goal from Oscar H, Lower Sixth, the match became a battle of resilience in the second half. Clayesmore fought back to level the game, but our team defended courageously throughout A special mention goes to Oliver M, Middle Sixth, who stepped in as goalkeeper after an early injury

U16:

What a performance from our U16 Football Society of Heads quarter-final against Warmin Milton Abbey School took the lead in the second to a brilliant goal from Keenan P, Fourth Form. started extra time strong, but Keenan curled the corner of the goal resulting in 2-2 and extra time.

James SV, Fourth Form, produced two fantastic s allowing Harry R, Third Form, the chance to s secure the win for Milton Abbey, resulting in P Match!

GOLF

Milton Abbey faced Canford School in a friendly match and emerged victorious, winning 2½ – ½ after three closely contested matches.

Leading the charge, Rocco T, Middle Sixth and Zach J, Fifth Form, delivered a commanding performance, winning their match by two holes Their success was built on excellent ball striking and an outstanding short game, highlighted by Rocco’s remarkable 40-foot putt for birdie on the sixth hole, which proved decisive against the Canford pair

In the second match, Pablo J, Lower Sixth and George R, Middle Sixth, battled back impressively over the final three holes to secure a halved match, demonstrating resilience and composure under pressure Finally, Sam M-A and Sammy O-C, both Lower Sixth, completed the day with a strong showing, overcoming their opponents 2 & 1

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HOCKEY

The annual MAA fixture once again lived up to expectations, delivering a thrilling contest from start to finish The match ended 5–4 in favour of the Old Boys and Girls, who just edged a relentlessly competitive encounter It was end-to-end from the first whistle, with both sides showcasing quality, commitment, and real attacking intent The game swung back and forth throughout, keeping spectators fully engaged in what proved to be one of the most exciting editions of the fixture to date

Congratulations to our Junior Hockey team who won 8-0 against Sherborne School, followed by our U18A team, who won 4-1, showing fantastic teamwork and spirit throughout

Before Exeat, we hosted our annual Inter-House hockey tournament between Athelstan, Hambro and Tregonwell

Game 1: Athelstan 2 - 1 Hambro

Goals from Rathani M, Middle Sixth and Freddie S, Fourth Form (Athelstan) and Arthur H, Fifth Form(Hambro)

Game 2: Tregonwell 3 - 0 Hambro

Goals from Gaëtan B, Middle Sixth, Billy H, Fifth Form and Freddie L, Fifth Form

Game 3: Tregonwell 2 - 2 Athelstan

NETBALL

U15A:

Milton Abbey opened strongly, leading 6–2 after the first quarter, but Canford fought back to take an 11–6 advantage by half-time The second half was closely contested, with Milton Abbey holding firm, finishing 18–12 to Canford Strong performances throughout, withFifth Form students, Chanah L, and Lissy A, being awarded as well deserved Players of the Match

CROSS-COUNTRY

Well done to our cross-country runners who had a wonderful event at Sherborne Castle The runners faced stiff competition from some very strong schools and gave it their all Highlights included Immy C, Lower Sixth, placing 7th in her category, and Wilf W, Middle Sixth, Tevin N, Middle Sixth, and Zac G, Lower Sixth, all performing highly in the Senior Boys event

We hosted our Senior Cross-Country event before Exeat Well done to all our runners, but a special mention to Wilf W, Middle Sixth, above and beyond in a moment of kindness to a fellow cross-country runner. When hearing that a boy from another school had lost his show in the muddiest section of the course, instead of going to get chicken and chips with the rest of his team, Wilf ran over 2k back into the woods and dug around in the mud until he retrieved the shoe from the muddy ooze He then got it back to the boy before his bus left !

View the full gallery here

Goals from Billy H, Fifth Form and Gio M, Middle Sixth (Tregonwell) and Seth B, Lower Sixth and Freddie S, Fourth Form (Athelstan)

The Jurassic swimming challenge was a success, with 41 students and three staff members coming together for a day full of energy, teamwork and some seriously impressive swimming the 135km target. A special mention goes to Kobi C, Lower Sixth, who swam an incredible 500 lengths (12.5km).

Student Commendations

A | Maths

Kobi C | Football Ambassador

Kobi C, Lower Sixth, was asked to assist with the football trial gym assessment, during which he went above and beyond expectations He volunteered to lead the warm-up and resistance band exercises, delivering these with excellent subject knowledge, clear demonstrations, and confidence. Throughout the session, Kobi supported and coached students who required additional guidance He also offered valuable insights into the trial and scholarship process, helping students understand what to expect. Kobi made the students feel at ease throughout the session with his calm, relaxed, and professional approach.

Over the past few weeks, Lissy A in Fifth Form has made excellent progress in her Mathematics lessons She consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to her work, often putting in exceptional effort to complete tasks to a high standard Lissy has also regularly attended the Maths clinic to further develop her understanding and deepen her knowledge Well done, Lissy!

Henry B and Ben R | Digital Leaders

Ben R, Middle Sixth and Henry B, Fourth Form, have been committed Digital Leaders this year, and both showed extra commitment and bravery in the production of the school Safer Internet Day video on ‘Safer Use of AI’ They are always prepared to step-up, and their contributions enhance the quality of everything the digital leaders have done this year, especially this video The video was played in a whole school assembly and shared via school media and feedback has been fantastic

Lissy

ACTIV WEEKEND

“CASINO”NIGHT

Lower and Middle Sixth students put their poker faces to the test at a glamorous black-tie Casino Night, held as part of our weekend activities programme

The evening offered students the chance to experience the excitement of classic casino games in a relaxed and sociable setting With professional tables and guidance from experienced croupiers, students tried their hand at games such as blackjack and roulette, using fun money in a completely risk-free environment

Our thanks go to Absolute Fun Casinos, whose team provided authentic casino tables and shared their expertise throughout the evening, helping to create a lively and memorable event for everyone involved

TENTORS

Our students recently completed their Ten Tors practice walk on Exmoor, showing great determination and team spirit

Despite challenging conditions of wind and rain, every participant performed exceptionally well The sense of achievement at the finish was fantastic to see, and everyone should be very proud of their effort

VITIES!

WATERPARK

Some of our Lower School students had a fantastic day out at Splashdown Waterpark Bournemouth.

With a variety of exciting flumes and rides to enjoy, there was plenty of fun and laughter throughout the day, and everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable time

ROCKTHE90S!

Saturday night saw us welcome the “Rock the 90s” for an awesome retro night of dance classics. The whole school partied to classics such as “Rhythm is a dancer” in our Abbott’s Hall. The night was punctuated by visits to the bouncy castle.

The band loved the energy of the crows and a super night was had by all!

Life in Boarding

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

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

The Lent Term brings Craft Club, 5-a-side football, Model United Nations, indoor hockey, as well as our much loved classics

As part of our routine inspection, the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Department came to Milton Abbey, and were kind enough to allow some of students to get up and close with the truck, uniform and equipment!

Hughie's spent evenings in House turning words into watercolours. Now they’re all hanging in the common room, and the fun part begins: stopping, looking and asking “What word is this?”

The Climbing Club have been enjoying spending their evenings. spending time with friends, building confidence, and developing their climbing skills in an enjoyable and supportive environment.

Q &

W I T H L U C Y PA R K E R

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

My name is Lucy Parker, and I am the Matron in Tregonwell House and this is my fourth year at Milton Abbey School

Q Favourite memory of Milton Abbey?

I have so many fond memories, but the one that stands out most is our Tregonwell cricket match A lovely, sunny summer afternoon was spent with as many members of the house as were available (exams and other commitments aside) playing cricket, with our giant house speaker and some excellent tunes I remember feeling so fortunate and very grateful to be in such beautiful surroundings with so many special people

Q Best and worst subjects when you were at school?

My favourite subjects at GCSE, and also the ones I was best at, were French and Art I took them both at A level and have been passionate about them ever since, including studying Renaissance Art in Florence I love languages and wish I were multilingual I am in awe of the talent of so many of our pupils who have the ability to switch between languages effortlessly My least favourite subject was Maths, which I had to resit, though thankfully I did eventually pass it I still find it really difficult

Q

What advice do you give to our students?

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

Too many books to choose from I recently really enjoyed, and would recommend, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig It’s a thoughtprovoking celebration of life’s possibilities and how different life might be if we chose different paths

I love the stage show of Matilda The book by Roald Dahl is well worth a read: very amusing and a great story. The addition of Tim Minchin’s clever lyrics makes the play an unforgettable experience.

My film choice would be Lion Wow! A true story and a must-see!

Q What don’t we know about you?

I have watched Chariots of Fire with Prince Charles, now King Charles!

Never forget how amazing and unique you are, and always be true to yourself. You will never be as good at being someone else as they are, so don’t bother trying Equally, nobody will ever be as good at being you as you are Recognise your abilities and embrace your strengths Music is so evocative Make playlists often, whatever you ’ re listening to at the time When you listen in the future, you’ll be transported right back to the time you made them, and they’ll evoke all sorts of memories (hopefully good ones that will make you smile!) The sea is magic Get in it, on it, or beside it as often as you can Above all else, please always be kind

Tregonwell House Matron

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News & Updates

Keep up to date on school news by visiting our news page on the website

SPORTSCHOLARSHIPASSESSMENTDAY

Sport plays an important role in school life at Milton Abbey All students take part in a sport programme that promotes health and wellbeing, competition, challenge, and the myriad of benefits that being part of, and leading, a team offers

Children aged 10-16 are welcome to attend Milton Abbey School to be assessed in Dance, Rugby, Tennis, Football, Swimming, Clay Pigeon Shooting, Riding and other sports of their choice

Our upcoming sport assessment days is Saturday 16 May. To register, please scan the QR code here

UNIVERSITYOFFERS

Our Middle Sixth students have already received an incredible range of university offers, showcasing their ambition, talent and dedication With over 230 offers so far across the year group (including some unconditional ones!), for the students who have opted to go on to university rather than apprenticeships, industry and other pursuits, the breadth of subjects reflects the remarkable diversity of their current subject choices at school as well as interests and aspirations

From Law with International Relations, Architecture, Real Estate and PPE to Marine Biology, Event Management, Wildlife Conservation Biology and Audio and Music Technology, our students are pursuing pathways that inspire them They have also secured offers for History and Politics, Criminology, Equine Performance and Coaching, Sport Management, Viticulture and Oenology, Filmmaking, Industrial Design, Automotive and Motorsport Engineering, Furniture and Product Design, International Business as well as Animation Production

We are immensely proud of all of our Middle Sixth students and look forward to celebrating even more university offers as the year continues and seeing where they choose to go!

WORLDBOOKDAY-EXTENSION

Mrs Baney has extended the World Book Day competition for Houses until the start of the Easter Holidays to allow students enough time to complete their graphic novels

Please email/hand in to Mrs Baney with your name and House Good luck!

School Community

As a small by choice school, we take time to make sure that every student is known, noticed and nurtured.

Prep Cross-Country...

We were delighted to welcome over 150 students from seven prep schools to our annual Prep CrossCountry event

It was a pleasure to see students from Years 6–8 arrive full of energy and enthusiasm, who not only brought the sunshine, but were ready to take on the challenge of our course. Their determination, team spirit and smiles made for a fantastic afternoon of sport

A particular highlight was the contribution of our own Milton Abbey School students, who demonstrated our school value of kindness Acting as ambassadors throughout the day, they warmly welcomed visitors, ran as “hares” to guide runners around the course, marshalled key points to offer encouragement, and captured the event through photography

A special mention goes to Ben B, Lower Sixth, who kept the atmosphere lively as our very own Milton Abbey DJ for the afternoon.

House Rugby...

Well done to Athelstan House who won the Inter-House Rugby 7s for the boys, and Damer, who won for the girls in extra time with a golden try!

Mr Peel’s standout players: Lissy A, Fifth Form, and Middle Sixth students, Tessa MW, Fran P, Estee V and Phoebe K

For the boys: Freddie L, Fifth Form, Geordie M, Middle Sixth and Lower Sixth students, Seth B, Rory S and Kobi C

DATES F YOUR

The Milton Abbey Story

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 16 March

Wednesday 18 March

Thursday 19 March

Friday 20 March

Saturday 21 March

Monday 23 March

Tuesday 24 March

Thursday 26 March