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| Boarding at Wycombe |
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Girls who enter at 11+ have their own Junior House but are integrated into the life of the rest of the School.
From the age of twelve to seventeen the girls live in Senior Houses which accommodate around 45 pupils. The nine mixed-age Houses provide a secure framework, in which everyone has her own area of responsibility and a very real sense of being an important part of a supportive community. Each House is run by a Housemistress who is also a member of the teaching staff; this dual role ensures excellent communication in all matters concerning the girls.
In the last year of schooling the eighty or so Upper Sixth girls move into Clarence House, a study bedroom complex run on student lines. The girls benefit from specialist support and preparation for the next stage in their lives.
The role of the House
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| Butler |
It would be hard to over-emphasise the significance of the House at Wycombe. The Houses are small enough for each girl to know she is a vital part of the community; it is much easier for her to contribute to House life, to make her mark, to hold responsibility, to measure her impact in this microcosm of the whole school - it really matters how she behaves towards others. The intimacy of the House ensures she knows what girls in other years are doing, so she feels an essential part of their activities too and thus connected to events in the school outside her immediate age group.
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| Pitt |
There is, however, more to House life at Wycombe than activities; the whole ethos of the School depends on the way the older girls look after the younger ones, the real friendships which are made, regardless of age (frequently, girls are friends with others two years older or younger than themselves). The warmth and support engendered is almost tangible, and is central to the girls' happiness. The Housemistress, with her overview of pastoral and academic development, gains an exceptional insight into her girls.
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| Cloister |
There are several built-in checking systems: House Order (regular whole House meetings) is a major factor; it is very definitely not just for notices, it is a cherished contact time for girls with their Housemistress and thus invaluable. Bed-time routines and meal-times ensure further contact, in addition to the casual contact during the day.
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| Campbell |
At regular intervals throughout the year your daughter’s Housemistress will see her about her progress; this is a precious and guaranteed time with each girl, where academic progress is only one of many aspects of each girl's development covered; it is an excellent opportunity both to praise and guide.
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| Rubens |
The Housemistress has a remarkable understanding of both the pressures which may weigh on individuals, to a greater or lesser extent, and the joys which are special to each girl in her House. Matron, with her ready listening ear, will bring other perspectives on how each girl in the House is progressing.
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| Shelburne |
The Housemistress and Matron work very closely to help each girl. It is significant that Housemistresses are all on the academic staff and teach in the School. It gives each Housemistress further insight into school life. She really knows what the sharp end of the classroom is like - from the challenges to the excitements - for both student and teacher. By being part of the academic staff the Housemistress is the link between academia and boarding, the interface which makes the whole communicate and work together.
So where do week-ends fit in?
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| Wendover |
At Wycombe the week-ends are an integral part of the pattern of the whole. They are part of the balance of the week. Activities at the week-end - from Chapel and shopping trips to Marlow or Windsor, to going to the Art studios, ice skating, "vegging out" with a video/DVD, or going off to tennis or squash with a friend - bond the community. There is a full programme of socials with leading Boys’ Schools. Rehearsals are divided between mid-week and the week-end, as are educational trips, musical, sporting and dramatic events. The themes of Sunday Services are picked up in the week adding to the sense of community and purpose. Week-end time consolidates friendships on which the girls rely through good times and bad. A sense of belonging which comes through shared experience is deeply imbued. The special community spirit, mutual support and intimate knowledge of each other gained through diverse shared experience are treasured.
Our Community Values
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| Barry |
For such a community to succeed in its aims all must accept and embrace the same values. All girls and the whole staff were consulted about what our three core values should be. After considerable discussion, we decided that mutual respect, encouragement and trust encompass our beliefs and are at the heart of our relationships and actions.
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