The Abbey

Prospectus

Senior School

theabbey.co.uk

The next exciting step This is an exciting stage in your daughter’s life; she will join us ready to enjoy new experiences and face new challenges. By the time she reaches the Sixth Form, she will have become a confident young woman, sure of her strengths and considered in her beliefs, poised to take her place in the world. The transition is wonderful and it is a joy to share her journey. There will be much laughter along the way, lasting friendships created and a myriad of enriching opportunities taken. Care for the girls underpins all we do and we build strong links with you as parents too. So when the tricky teenage moments occur, as they will, there is all the support you and your daughter need. Above all, The Abbey is about creating happy, balanced pupils who relish their school days.

Far from being a blank canvas, your daughter joins us with a rich palette of her own colours. We recognise the unique qualities of each of our girls and we celebrate their individual talents. Abbey girls are reflective thinkers, creative problem-solvers, curious learners and energetic performers. Our exceptional co-curricular provision sets us apart: whatever your daughter’s enthusiasm, there will be an activity just right for her and lots of new things to try.

An open door and a warm welcome await you.

Jan Cresswell, Head of The Abbey Senior School

WelcomeIt is my privilege to lead The Abbey School, a rich and vibrant community in

which enthusiastic girls, dedicated staff and hugely diverse alumnae all play an energetic role.

The Abbey is a warm and welcoming community of individuals with each girl bringing her unique talents, interests and character to build an environment

that is diverse, inclusive and energetic. There is a genuine desire to strive for the best intellectually and personally and we celebrate achievement in

all its forms from the Nursery to the Sixth Form and on into life.

The school has a 130-year history at the forefront of women’s education and we continue to pursue our goal of empowering girls

to become outstanding women who contribute positively to the world we live in. Our girls are given the chance to excel and they

do so with an inner confidence built through understanding the need for balance as well as independence.

We are a world-class school that delivers a unique and exceptional opportunity for any girl who loves to learn. We

very much look forward to meeting you.

Rachel Dent, Head of The Abbey School

“ Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.”

Oscar WildeThe Abbey: Senior School 3

Lifelong learning Joining the Senior School is an exciting time for your daughter. It’s a big step onward and upward.

There are new friends to meet, new subjects to try and new experiences to embrace. The independence and confidence nurtured during her time at Junior School are put into practice as she becomes responsible for her own learning and organisation. She will find inspirational teachers with a genuine enthusiasm for their subjects and an expertise in education that leads to innovative and engaging lessons. She will discover how to make connections between subjects and apply her knowledge in new situations. She will pursue her strengths and interests as she chooses from the wide range of subjects offered, honing her skills as she moves towards public examinations.

We offer outstanding facilities for both curricular and extra-curricular learning. Well-equipped science laboratories, bright, airy art studios, excellent music facilities, an astro-turf and a swimming pool inspire the girls to exceptional achievement. We encourage our girls to aim high and aspire to exciting and fulfilling careers that they pursue with knowledge and awareness of what lies before them.

Our Aspire careers programme gives girls the opportunity to benefit from real-world experience and advice by meeting former pupils and experts who have built successful careers in a multitude of fields.

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Ethos We provide an exceptional education that empowers girls to lead successful,

happy and fulfilling lives. Our commitment to nurturing aspiration, whilst at the same time equipping our pupils with the resilience and skills to

balance their busy lives, ensures that girls grow to become outstanding young women.

At the heart of The Abbey lies a shared enthusiasm for lifelong learning, an intellectual curiosity and a spirit of discovery that our

dedicated teachers encourage at every stage of your daughter’s education. Founded on Christian principles and with an

emphasis on self-awareness and reflection, the School enables girls – of all faiths and none – to develop the positive values

that build a strong society.

As each girl makes her individual contribution to the very special Abbey Community, she is building on a heritage

that has seen the School at the forefront of women’s education since its foundation in 1887.

The Abbey Learner Profile

Reflective

Caring

Balanced

Open-Minded

Creative

Communicator

Inquiring

Informed

Independent

Resilient

The Abbey Learner Profile brings together ten key attributes that we encourage students throughout the school to recognise and develop. It is not an inflexible framework, but instead drives deep connections which help girls to think creatively about what they are learning on academic, social and pastoral levels. The development of these attributes equips girls to seize the opportunities that life puts before them with intelligence, enthusiasm and perspective.

“ For bright girls, this is a fun, supportive and motivating place to be, providing

excellent preparation for the modern world.”

The Good Schools Guide

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The Abbey: Senior School 9

Learning and Teaching Balance and Understanding If we can say anything about the future with any certainty, it’s that it will astound us. The 21st century has brought with it a world where the only constant is change, where innovation is part of everyday life, and it is likely that our children will have careers in fields that didn’t exist when they were born.

The skills needed for future success will not be based on the regurgitation of factual knowledge; but more subtle skills will be the cornerstones of achievement and happiness: interpretation, flexibility, intellectual curiosity, lateral thinking, social and self-awareness and imagination. Exceptional teaching, delivered by subject specialists, brings out the best in each of our pupils.

We aim to support girls to become caring, active and responsible members of their school community, so that they may reflect these values in the wider world.

Our values permeate every aspect of school life and are championed by our teachers, whose deep experience of educating girls enables them to guide your daughter as she navigates the challenges

of growing up.

We are preparing your daughter to enter an adult world that is diverse, exciting and full of opportunity.

Many of the skills that she will need are grounded as deeply in emotional intelligence as they are in academic excellence. For that reason our exceptional academic reputation goes hand in hand

with a focus on enabling every girl to develop the self-awareness and sense of balance that will lead to a natural confidence and resilience.

We place the well-being of pupils at the heart of our community as we guide girls through the challenges of growing up in the twenty-first century. Our approach to pastoral care is

proactive and compassionate, with formal and informal support from teachers and peers creating a caring community that values and supports individuals.

“ The school fully meets its aim to empower girls to become confident, successful students equipped to lead fulfilled and productive adult lives in a rapidly changing world.” Inspection Report

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Beyond the Classroom The Edge Whether your daughter enjoys reading or rock-climbing, singing or sailing, cooking or coding, dance or debating or all of the above, she will be able to develop her talent – or discover a new one – at The Abbey. Our wide-ranging extra-curricular programme is designed above all to offer opportunity.

Opportunity to try new things, to take risks, to find like-minded friends and to embrace the world as widely as possible.

From trekking in Ecuador, to building a robot or running a micro-business, making the most of all these experiences is what makes our girls the unique, diverse and dynamic individuals they become.

The extra-curricular opportunities available at The Abbey are wide-ranging, offer great variety and are enthusiastically embraced by the students. The name given to the programme represents our ‘edge’ – the

added value of an Abbey education. It is one which gives all our pupils the opportunity to try out new activities and to develop interests and skills which will stand them in valuable stead for the future.

Whether it is learning a new skill at Chess Club, or hiking through the countryside on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, there is something here to interest and inspire everyone. All girls are

strongly encouraged to take part in some activities outside the normal academic part of a school education and our dedicated team of staff ensure the highest possible quality of provision.

Sports, crafts, music and much more are represented here and we hope that parents, pupils and prospective pupils alike will enjoy finding out what is available at The Abbey.

“ Atmosphere is active, busy and buzzy – never silent. ‘I don’t like it when the school is too

quiet,’ laughs the head. It’s about learning through doing here, she explains, with girls

expected to try new things throughout their time here.”

The Good Schools Guide

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“ Small tutor groups have allowed me to get to know my teachers really well and they have inspired and nurtured my engagement with my subjects.” Upper Sixth Student

The Abbey Sixth Form Your daughter will find a unique environment where she is both inspired and inspirational. She is at the head of the school and has many opportunities to lead both her peers and younger girls, through school officer roles and by organising interest clubs.

The Sixth Form is consciously different from the rest of the School, while retaining The Abbey ethos at its heart. As she embarks on A Levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma, your daughter will be treated as an adult, learning independently in the tutorial style which she will find familiar by the time she reaches university. The relaxed and genuine rapport between students and staff, and lack of daily uniform, create a lively and inclusive atmosphere that is highly valued by the girls.

There are many opportunities for girls to learn essential life and business skills. Our popular and successful Young Enterprise programme, Debating Society and the chance to complete the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award all contribute to the development of confident and articulate individuals with an abundance of ideas and the tenacity to see them through. As your daughter makes important decisions about the next steps on her journey she will be supported by a dedicated team with profound experience in this educational stage. From applying for prestigious university courses in the UK and overseas, to researching career options and GAP year programmes, tailored support is provided to every girl to ensure that the next stage of her journey is as rewarding as the last.

The Abbey: Senior School 15

Kendrick Road, Reading RG1 5DZTel: 0118 987 2256Email: schooloffice@theabbey.co.ukwww.theabbey.co.uk