Learning with purpose, leading with confidence, living with joy

A summer of impressive results


60%

of A Level grades are A*/A

Take a look...

84%

of GCSE grades are 9-7

Take a look...

38

The average point score for IB

Take a look...

One of the country's foremost independent girls' schools from 3-18

Latest news from around The Abbey

99.6%


GCSE grades 9-6

40


The Abbey IB average student score
(World average is 30)

94


UK schools (including The Abbey)
offering the IB in Sixth Form

92.2%


A Level grades A* – B

Abbey: Connected

The latest insights from Abbey staff including
Will le Fleming and Nisha Kaura


Only Connect

As an English teacher, I am often brought into contact with perceptions channelled via traditionally-formulated binary oppositions. Is an answer right or wrong? A character good or evil? Should we…

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A state of mind

At The Abbey, we’ve always sought to show the full spectrum of womanhood across age, race, religion and more. Our staff and student community mirrors the diverse world in which girls are rightly…

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Advocating Girls

This week we celebrated the stories, among others, of two brilliant women who helped change their profession forever. Rose Heilbron and Helena Normanton were among the first female barristers and the…

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Remembrance

One of the joys of school is the chatter and laughter as students dart between lessons and activities. So when the school falls silent during a Service for Remembrance, it presents a special moment…

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Remember, remember

We are fast approaching that time of year when our culturally diverse community celebrates significant milestones in their calendar. I may have gone too early for some, whereas others may be well…

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Gateway

News from The Abbey


Gateway 1 December 2023

Bebras Gold, Partnerships, French Food, Hockey Champions and more...

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Gateway 24 November 2023

Maths Week, Autumn Serenade, Textiles London Trip, Taylor Library: 50th Anniversary and more...

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Gateway 17 November 2023

Model UN, UK Space Design Competition, Artist In Residence, The Circuit: Digital Safety and more...

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Gateway 10 November 2023

World Biathle Champion, Kandinsky in Reception, Valencia Trip, National Children’s Orchestra and more...

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Gateway 3 November 2023

Bebras Computing Challenge, Kilimanjaro Update, Naples Trip, Brazilian Samba Workshop and more...

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Gateway 20 October 2023

Dancing Stars, Economics Conference. Senior Maths Challenge, House Music and more...

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Are those jingle bells we can hear? Or perhaps the clip clop of rather a lot of hooves? We have some very special four legged Christmas visitors coming to visit Little Knellies and Reception at The Abbey. Can you guess who they might be?

We have two reindeer (we cannot confirm at this moment whether Rudolph will be joining us as he is getting lots of rest at the moment in readiness for Christmas Eve), two sheep, a donkey and a cow. Yes, a cow!

So bring your child along to this festive event on Tuesday 12 December from 9:30-11:15am, meet the animals, and spend time with our Early Years Team who will also be offering practical advice and tips for anyone who has a child joining Reception from 2024 and beyond.

Register your place now via the link in bio.
It’s already the first day of December, and beginning to look a lot like Christmas around school! So can you guess where this photo was taken?

Comment your answers below! #AbbeyChristmas
Janet Saad-Cook is definitely an inspirational woman you should know!

Janet is a trailblazer in multidisciplinary art. Her works explore the intersection of light, space, and time, drawing inspiration and education from astronomy, engineering, and architecture. She utilises metals and specially coated glass to create images that reflect light. Additionally, she often collaborates with experts in various STEM areas to enhance her artistic endeavours.

Her groundbreaking 'Sun Drawings' are born from the fusion of ancient sun marking techniques and 21st-century technology, emerging as solar sculptures. She has also presented her artwork at numerous scientific institutes, including MIT and the International Astronomical Union (IAU), and has spoken at lectures across the United States.
Happy Saint Andrew’s Day!  Did you know that Saint Andrew’s Day is also called the Feast of Saint Andermas? It is celebrated from the 30 November and on 13 December. It has only been officially recognised since the 18th century and is celebrated in Scotland and the rest of the world.
Have you heard of Beatrice Shilling? She was an aeronautical engineer, motorcycle and sports car racer and our next ‘inspirational women you should know’.

During World War II, pilots were experiencing issues with their jets, such as the engine cutting out when doing manoeuvres, or they would lose power entirely. So Beatrice designed the RAE’s (Royal Aircraft Establishment) Restrictor Modification - also known as Miss Shilling's Orifice, which solved the problem.

After the war, Beatrice worked on many other projects ranging from creating a bobsled for the Royal Air Force Olympic team to looking into the effects of a wet runway upon braking. She received an OBE in 1949 but never reached a top post in the RAE, since such promotions were only offered to men at the time!
Yesterday, Hannah Cooney of Laternasome shared valuable insights into the International Baccalaureate , which will most definitely help our senior students when it comes to making their own choices about IB!

As a former IB student at St. Leonard’s School, Hannah's chosen IB subjects included higher level History, English, and Theatre, along with standard level Biology, Maths, and Spanish. This is what she had to say about her experience with IB.

Did you know we are one of the world’s top performing IB schools? To know more about the IB Diploma and what we offer here at The Abbey then head on over to https://theabbey.co.uk/sixth-form/international-baccalaureate-diploma/

#AbbeySixthForm #AbbeyIB
This week's theme on @thewellbeinghubteentips is #Friendship, to read about Dr Amanda Gummer's article head on over to The Wellbeing hub website.
Every month we will be sharing with you a book that has been influential in the world of Economics. If you would like to understand economics more, read books that Governments themselves have used ideas from, or just understand why things are the way they are, then look out for our book recommendation every month. The list has been compiled by recommendations from the Economics department, ‘best’ lists and various awards.

Narrative Economics: How stories go viral and drive major economic events by Robert J. Shiller

“In a world in which internet troll farms attempt to influence foreign elections, can we afford to ignore the power of viral stories to affect economies? In this groundbreaking book, Nobel Prize–winning economist and New York Times bestselling author Robert Shiller offers a new way to think about the economy and economic change. Using a rich array of historical examples and data, Shiller argues that studying popular stories that affect individual and collective economic behaviour—what he calls “narrative economics”—has the potential to vastly improve our ability to predict, prepare for, and lessen the damage of financial crises, recessions, depressions, and other major economic events.”
What a day! First thing this morning, The Abbey opened its doors to students looking to join in September 2024. And they arrived in their droves!

A packed day included fun, inventive lessons including The Abbey does Countdown, a lunchtime quiz, a drama and music production in the afternoon, and it concluded with a magnificent pizza party. Who knows…today they may have met a friend for life. 

We hope so. #AbbeyFamily
How artsy are you feeling? Because we only have two weeks to go till #HouseArt!
Wishing you a Happy Guru Nanak Jayanti to all those who celebrate! 
This Sikh festival commemorates the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. #Celebration
Our next ‘inspirational women you should know’, doesn't just write about History - she makes it!

In 2018 Olivette Otele was the first black woman in Britain to be made a Professor of History, and she continues to open doors for women in academia. Her world-class research and writing on black history has now earned her the role of the first Professor of the History of Slavery. 

Olivette worked with Bristol University to explore the cities links to the transatlantic slave trade and the research was intended to be a “landmark in the way Britain examines, acknowledges and teaches history”.

She has also researched into many other areas, including Afro-European identities, the African Diaspora, Citizenship and how Africans changed early modern Europe. You can listen to her on many Podcasts and TV and Radio programmes or read some of her published works.
Has anyone seen Rudolph? Whispers suggest he may be present at The Abbey Junior School on 12 December, along with other four-legged friends. It will be like a scene from the nativity…two reindeer, two sheep, a donkey and a cow (we are sure they were all in or near the stable in Bethlehem all those years ago!), as we host families soon to embark on their journey into Reception.

Whether your child is starting Reception in 2024 or 2025, come along to enjoy the festive fun as well as listen to our Reception teaching team share practical tips and guidance, and explain what makes The Abbey particularly special, as you look ahead to your child’s school journey.

To register for a place, please click the link in bio.