Weekly Newsletter
10 September 2026
Students that bring packed lunches into school should avoid bringing in foods containing nuts and sesame products (e.g. hummus, seeded rolls). We have a student in year 7 who has a severe reaction to nuts and sesame products, including airborne particles. Thank you.
Sustainability – good news!
Cheney is again a finalist in the sustainable school of the year awards (naturally); here’s why:
Even more exciting than the progress we have made so far are the plans for the coming year or two. We have started a trial for infrared heating in two sets of classrooms; if it works, we will be able to replace the old gas monsters with a 100% electric solution (the old gas monsters, one of which is known as Grendel’s Mother, are well over 40 years old), which will be cheaper, greener and give teachers more control over their classroom temperature.
The next stage of the Greening Cheney project will provide flood protection, greater reuse of rain water, seating in the playground, shading for classrooms and will also look good. And will hopefully be at least partly paid for by someone else.
Several more solar arrays are going to be installed on our roofs, via the Low Carbon Hub, and we are exploring building batteries linked to some of our own solar panels. We are also replacing gas water heaters with electric systems, hopefully all also linked to building batteries and solar arrays in due course.
For cooling (exam rooms definitely by next summer), we need to do more work (mini-splits?) to see how they could link with the solar and battery solutions just mentioned.
Reduction and adaptation (also cost saving, and looking better): if we can do it in a comprehensive school with some pretty ‘tired’ buildings, everyone can do it. The world is not doomed.
Alumni
We are doing lots of work behind the scenes to build our present Cheney School community and link up with students who used to attend the school. If you or any member of your household went to Cheney—we would love you to get in touch alumni@cheneyschool.org. We plan to send a mailshot three times a year with news of how the most recent students are getting on and pictures and stories from the past.
Alumni Event Saturday 3rd October
We are pleased and excited to announce that we are hosting a Cheney School Alumni event on Saturday 3rd October. The event includes a tour of the school, a catch up with old friends over a cup of tea and a chat with Mr Pavey. Please spread the word if you know of anyone over 60 who attended Cheney. Kate Lagden and Hannah Cabral – alumni@cheneyschool.org
Event Details. A further date for your diaries Saturday 24th April for ex students from the 80’s.
Cheney Friends is Cheney’s Parent Teacher Association.
Our first meeting is on Thursday 8 October 6:30pm in the school library.
Joining the committee or helpers’ group is a great way to meet other Cheney parents and get involved in school life. We keep meetings short and light-hearted; we laugh a lot, eat more chocolate digestives than we probably should, and don’t pretend to know everything – we simply give things a go.
So please do come along on Thursday 8 October. Whether you have lots of time to give or can just help out occasionally, the committee would love to see you.
Penalty Notices for term-time holidays
Your child is a valued member of our school community and every day missed is a day lost without them. It is the policy of this school not to authorise absence for holidays during term-time. Please read this letter about penalty notices for unauthorised absence from the County Council Attendance Team.
Our Open Events for year 6 families start on Tuesday 22nd September! Please do share!
A date for your diaries
Year 7 Parents’ Evening – Thursday 15 October
Year 10 Parents’ Evening – Thursday 10 December
More information about Parents’ Evenings and all year group dates for this year.
Year 7 Meet the Tutor and Extracurricular Evening, Thursday 10th September
We look forward to seeing all our year 7 students and parents later today!
Year 7 Mathematics Baseline Assessment, Tuesday 15th September
Year 7 parents were sent an email from the Head of Maths yesterday, to inform parents and for them to share with their children, that the upcoming maths assessment is nothing to worry about.
Year 7 SEND Coffee Morning, next Thursday 17th September, 9:30-11am
Parents and carers of year 7 SEND students, will have received an email this morning about next Thursday’s coffee morning. Please drop in at anytime to the Community Hall next to Reception. We look forward to seeing you!
Year 8 Youlbury Presentation
Please find here the presentation from Monday night’s Youlbury presentation.
Year 9 and 10 Cheney School Cadets
Latest News
School News
Victorian Fest! Thursday 22nd October
We are delighted to announce our Victorian Festival!
The festival will include a wide range of performances, stalls, activities and workshops themed on the Victorian era, and aimed at all ages. Highlights include a Blacksmith Forge, Walking Forest Suffragettes, Penny Farthings and Victorian Magic Shows. There will be a number of local museums and organisations, as well as creative activities and stalls run by Cheney’s Museum Council students.
Date: Thursday 22nd October
Timings: 3:30 – 5:30pm (opens at 3pm for Cheney students)
There will be three repeated Victorian Magic Shows at 3:05pm, 4pm, and 5pm.
The event is free and aimed at all ages. To book places, please fill in this form.
Please email lro@cheneyschool.org with any questions.
Ovid-inspired Story and Postcard-making Drop-in
Magical realist novel The Birder imagines an alternate Oxford where people transform into birds, and features linocuts of birds in Oxford locations. It was inspired by the poem Metamorphoses written by the ancient Roman poet Ovid.
Make your own postcard imagining a transformed bird in Oxford, and write a story about your bird in our group storybook!
This activity will be led by Dr Lorna Robinson, author of The Birder and director of classics charity The Iris Project. It is aimed at all ages.
The session will run on Saturday 12th September from 10-1pm at St Alban’s Church, Charles Street, Oxford, as part of the Oxford Open Doors programme.
There is no need to book; you can email lro@cheneyschool.org with any questions.
FUTURE NETBALL STARS WANTED!
Following a massive 2025/26 season, Abbey Netball Club’s Junior Section is growing, and we want YOU to join the club for the upcoming season! Our junior section is thriving, coming off the back of an amazing season where our U15s secured league titles and our U13s finished as runners-up.
We are also thrilled to announce a BRAND NEW U11 section for this year!
Whether your daughter is a seasoned player or looking to start her netball journey, here is where you can find us each week:
U11 Squad (Year 5/6) : Wednesdays | 6:30pm – 7:30pm | Headington Senior School
U13 Squad (Year 7/8): Thursdays | 5:30pm – 6:30pm | Swan School
Our U11 and U13 squads play their matches on Sundays.
U11’s Training starts on Wednesday 2nd September at Headington Rye Senior School from 6:30-7:30pm.
Trials will be taking place for U13s on Thursday 3rd & 10th September at Headington Rye Prep School. All trials start from 6:30-7:45pm.
Want to bring your daughter along for a session or find out more? Email us today at abbeynetballoxford@googlemail.com
Years 10-13: Oxfordshire Schools STEM Forum, Thursday 17th September, 16:15- 17:15.
First speaker of Autumn 2026 is Tim Harford of Radio 4’s “More or Less” fame! https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qshd. Perfect for those interested in numbers and Social Sciences. This talk is entitled “How To Make The World Add Up” . In a world where we are endlessly presented with confusing statistical claims, Tim Harford explains why we need to be sceptical – but not too sceptical – and offers three hard-won rules of thumb for thinking clearly about numbers. This talk is likely to be of interest to students, staff and parents! Please could all concerned sign up using the following form. The more accurate information I have about numbers the more likely I will have enough cake!
Parental permission and emergency contact: OSSF Event Thursday 17th September 4:15 – Fill in form
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