Our Lady's Convent was found in 1860 by Sister Clare Moore of the Sisters of Mercy, who worked closely with Florence Nightingale. The school's main auditorium is named after her, the Clare Moore Auditorium, known as the CMA. The school began educating boys and girls from the local area, with a boarding school created in 1866. The school was reconstituted independently of the Sisters of Mercy in 2004 as a registered charity in England & Wales, formally titled Our Lady's Abingdon Trustees Ltd. The Sisters have since left Abingdon in 2011 but they maintain a representative on the Board of Governors. In 2009 the school began admitting boys into the senior school. In the beginning, there were almost no boys, but as of 2016, there appears to be a 50/50 split. The school name was changed to Our Lady's Abingdon to reflect the change. Since the 2013–14 academic year, it has been fully co-educational.
Academics
A-level results 2013 Overall pass 100% Grade A* – B 63% GCSE results 2013 Overall pass 100% Grade A* & A 49% Grade A* to B 80% Grade A* to C 98% A-level results 2012 Overall pass 100% Grade A* – B 87% GCSE results 2012 Overall pass 100% Grade A* & A 66% Grade A* to B 89% Grade A* to C 98% A-level results 2011 Overall pass 100% Grade A* – C 95% Grade A* – B 87% GCSE results 2011 Overall pass 100% Grade A* & A 51% Grade A* to B 81% Grade A* to C 98% Pupils attaining at least five A* to C grades 96%
Extracurricular
Extra-curricular music includes choir, orchestra and wind-band. Other activities include Drama, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Greek, Languages, Poetry, Reading, Science and Textiles. Students in Year 11 and sixth Form take part in a team challenge expedition and community work overseas. The PE department run sports clubsMonday to Friday both at lunchtime and after school. Activities include swimming, netball, hockey, cross-country running, trampolining, fitness, football, badminton, rounders, athletics, tennis, basketball, synchronised swimming, dance and gymnastics. Pupils are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular sports clubs regardless of their ability, and they offer a range of after-school fixtures which gives the pupils the opportunity to compete against other schools and take part in county and national competitions. Young Enterprise is a popular activity, which gives students the chance to be a company director for one year. Every year OLA run two companies, one in Year 10, one in the Lower Sixth.
Pastoral Care
As a Catholic school, mass and feast days are regularly celebrated and open to parents and visitors. The school is located within the Parish of Our Lady and St Edmund and is regularly visited by the parish priest, who is also a member of the Board of Governors.
