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An illustrious history
and a bright future

The Headmistress

Jo Duncan is a graduate of the University of St Andrews where she read for a joint degree in English Literature and Theology. She grew up in Northern Ireland and attended a girls’ grammar school. She undertook her PGCE at Homerton College, University of Cambridge. Her first teaching post was as a teacher of Religious Studies at The Latymer School in North London – from there, she moved to Benenden School in Kent as Head of Department and Deputy Housemistress. She has held two previous Headships and was appointed Headmistress of Wycombe Abbey in September 2019.

Headmistress's Welcome

Much of my career has been spent in schools founded by remarkable, forward-thinking women. I am passionate about girls’ education and the important role which girls’ schools play in enabling young women to reach their full potential.

Wycombe Abbey is an exceptional place; it operates as a modern full boarding school for 660 girls and we are committed to the development of each one. Built on the firm foundation of more than 120 years of educating young women, our vision is to provide a world-class education. We are excited about encouraging curiosity, bold ideas, innovation, leadership and delight in learning – inside and outside the classroom.

Superb academic outcomes are the hallmark of a Wycombe Abbey education and girls regularly secure places at the most prestigious universities globally. However, we understand the importance of looking beyond the narrow confines of excellent examination results to define success. Our rich co-curricular programme includes an array of activities and opportunities, ensuring that every girl develops her passions and explores new possibilities. These experiences, in turn, help to build the skills, discipline and character that will support her future life.

Ultimately, schools are about people and at the heart of Wycombe Abbey’s success is our total commitment to pastoral care through boarding. The values of mutual respect, encouragement and trust underpin everything we do; in this happy and close-knit community everyone is known as an individual, friendships flourish and girls enjoy each other’s company, all within the wonderful surroundings of 170 acres of magnificent parkland.

I hope that girls who are educated at Wycombe Abbey, including my own daughter, will leave school as confident, articulate, independent young women who are able to navigate a competitive, global, technology-driven world successfully but who also have the qualities to make a positive difference through the lives they live. What are these qualities? I believe they are the ability to form meaningful relationships; to display good judgment; to demonstrate courage and integrity; to be emotionally resilient and to have a deep sense of respect for themselves and others.

It is my privilege to be Headmistress of this School and I warmly invite you and your daughter to come to see what makes Wycombe Abbey such a distinctive place for girls to learn and grow.

Mrs Jo Duncan

 Click here for WYcombe Abbey 125 – Strategic Direction 2020 – 2025

A brief history

Heritage

Wycombe Abbey was founded on the day of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, 23 September 1896, by Miss Frances Dove, later Dame Frances, a trailblazer who promoted equal opportunities for girls in the Victorian age. The School was established in Loakes Manor which had been redesigned by the celebrated architect James Wyatt for the first Lord Carrington in 1798.

The first cohort of girls in 1896 numbered only 40 but in just three years, the School was full with 210 pupils. The underlying principle of Dame Frances’ educational thinking was education for citizenship. She argued that women should be taught corporate virtues, and that to be good citizens it was essential to have wide interests and a sense of discipline, as well as an esprit de corps.

After Dame Frances’ retirement, Miss Whitelaw led the School through the difficult years of the First World War. She later pursued her plans for the construction of the Chapel; the foundation stone was laid in 1926.

The School continued to grow in strength through its early years. It hosted lectures on topical intellectual subjects and recitals by celebrated musicians. Girls increasingly won places at Oxford and Cambridge. In 1929, in the time of Miss Crosthwaite, the School purchased the old Carrington family home, Daws Hill, and its 200 acres of land.

All activity was suspended with the arrival of the Second World War. For the next four years Wycombe Abbey became ‘Pinetree’, home to the US Army Eighth Air Force and the largest telephone switchboard in England. ‘Pinetree’ welcomed a number of high profile guests at this time. King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Winston Churchill and Glen Miller and his band all visited the Abbey.

In May 1946 Wycombe Abbey re-opened with 170 arrivals. Of these girls only six were former pupils. After the School received a thorough cleaning it enjoyed a truly ‘fresh start’.

Further expansion took place in the 1950s with the addition of the Walpole Wing and the furnishing of the Dove Library. In the 1960s and 1970s the School launched a number of building projects including the gymnasium, the art block and the front wall and gates, as well as a separate house for the UVI, Clarence House. Thanks to numerous generous donations in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, the Lancaster Arts Centre and Archer Recital Hall were built and The Davies Sports Centre opened in 2004. More recently, in 2017 the School opened an atrium café, named The Courtyard, and two new Boarding Houses for Pitt and Rubens.

Experience and insight

Executive Leadership

The Executive Leadership Team works with the Headmistress in the implementation of the School’s vision. Its members have a detailed knowledge of the School and a wide range of experiences.

Jo Duncan

Jo Duncan
Headmistress

Leading the School

Protecting our resources

Mark Mackenzie Crooks is responsible for everything from repairing the staffroom coffee machine to developing the School’s multi-£m estates masterplan and everything in between. Before taking up his role at Wycombe Abbey, Mark spent 7 years as the Business Director at St Helen’s School in Northwood. He holds an MBA from Cranfield University and previously enjoyed a 19-year career in the Army. He was privileged to lead organisations up to 500-strong in various interesting places around the world and he spent considerable time juggling resources in the MOD’s procurement organisation.

A keen sportsman, Mark is chairman of a local cricket club and a rugby referee.

Enabling staff and pupils to flourish

James Mercer-Kelly has a first-class Masters degree in Chemistry from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.

A passionate educationalist following his degree, James completed a PGCE and postgraduate diploma in Education, also at Oxford. Having worked in a variety of senior academic and pastoral roles at Headington School, James joined Wycombe Abbey in August 2017 as Senior Deputy Head with responsibility for staffing matters. As well as deputising for the Headmistress, James ensures that Wycombe Abbey is a place where all staff and pupils flourish. Beyond school, James is a Duke of Edinburgh expedition leader and a keen amateur astronomer.

Inspiring academic success

Emily read Theology at Worcester College, Oxford. In her nine-year career at Wycombe Abbey, she has held a variety of leadership positions including Director of Higher Education and Director of Studies. She is now responsible for all aspects of the School’s academic life. Previously Emily was Head of Department at Cheltenham Ladies’ College.

Leading pastoral excellence

James Jones has a Masters in History from the University of Sheffield. He developed his expertise in pastoral care at Brighton College and Bromsgrove School where he held a number of leadership roles. Since joining Wycombe Abbey in September 2017, James has been developing a new pastoral care programme, “Flourishing at Wycombe”, to enhance the wellbeing of pupils and staff at the School. James is also a fully qualified ISI boarding team inspector, and regularly contributes to education journals and publications, writing on pastoral care issues.

James is the father to two young boys and enjoys hiking and scuba diving in his spare time. He is also a black belt in Tae Kwon-Do.

Fulfilling aspirations

Dr Carrier read for a BA in Philosophy at University College London and an MPhil in Politics at the University of Oxford. He was then a Jane Eliza Procter Fellow at Princeton University, where he was affiliated primarily with the Department of Philosophy. Dr Carrier returned to the United Kingdom and gained a PhD in Philosophy at the University of Cambridge as an Arts and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Scholar, spending a semester as a Visiting Student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Prior to Wycombe Abbey, Dr Carrier was Head of Religious Studies and Philosophy at Hampton School, where he was also Assistant Head of Higher Education.

Safeguarding our community

Vicky Fawkes read for a BA (Hons) in History at the University of Wales, Swansea, and then completed her Teacher Training through the Graduate Training Programme at the University of Reading.

Having joined Wycombe Abbey in January 2014 as Housemistress of Junior House, she then moved on to be the Housemistress of Shelburne House in September 2017. Vicky was appointed as the Designated Safeguarding Lead in September 2019 and is responsible for ensuring that Wycombe Abbey has a whole-School approach to safeguarding members of our community.

Jacky Tidbury read Classics and completed her PGCE at Queens’ College, Cambridge. She has held a variety of academic leadership positions in high achieving schools over the past fourteen years and completed the National Professional Qualification in Senior Leadership in 2014. Jacky joined Wycombe Abbey in September 2014 as Head of Classics, a role she continues to hold, and acted as Overseas Pupil Coordinator from 2020 to 2021. As Senior Researcher – International Schools, she is working with Wycombe Abbey International Schools to analyse and share best practice across our global network.

Governing Council

The Governing Council works in partnership with the Headmistress to achieve the purpose and mission of the School. It is the Council’s responsibility to ensure continuity and plan for the future.

The Chair of Council can be contacted via post to Mr Peter Warren, Wycombe Abbey, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP11 1PE or by emailing clerktocouncil@wycombeabbey.com.

Chairman of Council

Peter studied Modern History at Oriel College, Oxford. He has had a 25 year career in finance and is currently a partner, and sits on the management board, of Capula Investment Management. Peter has a special interest in education and has 15 years’ experience as a school governor in the state maintained sector. He is a Trustee of the Connection at St Martin’s, one of London’s largest homeless charities. Peter has a close connection with Wycombe Abbey as both his wife and daughters attended the School.

Richard went to the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College gaining a BSc in Mineral Engineering and subsequently to Reading University for an MSc in Land Management. He is a Fellow of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Richard worked for several major corporates providing in-house property management before taking up the role as Managing Director of a city commercial property investment and development company, from which he is now retired. Richard’s particular skill set at Wycombe Abbey is in taking a lead role in the redevelopment and expansion of the School's built estate.

Jeremy qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young and has been an Investment Banker for the last 37 years: 15 years with S.G. Warburg & Co and 22 years with Deutsche Bank. Jeremy is a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers and a Trustee of the UCL Cancer Institute Research Trust. Education and Health are two issues he strongly supports. Both of Jeremy’s daughters are former pupils of Wycombe Abbey.

Louise studied at University College London and then at St Antony’s College, Oxford. She began her career working for the BBC before taking on a permanent academic post at the University of Oxford, where she remains today. Louise is currently Professor of International Relations, Fellow of St Catherine's College and Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations. She has a keen interest in the Middle East and her edited volume on international relations in the region is already in its fourth edition. Louise has four children and brings a wealth of academic experience to Wycombe Abbey.

Amanda read PPE at Magdalen College Oxford before training as an accountant with Coopers & Lybrand and then spending a period as a corporate financier at Morgan Grenfell. She has strong links to the school being not only a Senior herself but the mother of two Seniors and the grand-daughter and great niece of three further Seniors. She chaired the Wycombe Abbey School Seniors Association for many years and was a Trustee of the Dove Bowerman Trust. She remains a Trustee of the Wycombe Abbey School Foundation. Beyond Wycombe, Amanda has a wide portfolio of roles covering a broad range of interests but with a particular focus on healthcare. In addition to being involved in organ donation and biobanking, she is a Non-executive Director at Whittington Health NHS Trust, chairs RareCan, a start-up company which aims to increase access to research for people with rare cancers. She has also recently completed two terms as a Member of the Human Tissue Authority.

Caro studied at University College, London and Trinity College, Cambridge before qualifying as a doctor in 1981. She has worked as a General Practitioner at Summertown Health Centre in Oxford for the last 28 years, recently being appointed the senior partner. Caro helps to mentor local doctors and is the first woman to have been elected to the Oxford Medical Club in its 125-year history. She has three children and joined Wycombe Abbey’s Governing Council in 2017.

Chair of Staff Development and Safeguarding Committee

Patrick holds a law degree from Oxford and has an MBA from INSEAD. In his early career he worked for Bain & Company and P&G before joining John Lewis Partnership – after 15 years of operational leadership he is now Group Finance Director. Patrick is also a Mutual Ambassador for the Cabinet Office and Chair of the first local authority mutual spun out of the public sector – 3BM. He has four daughters, three are former pupils and one is still at the School. As a parent and recruiter of talented individuals, he has a keen interest in girls’ education and setting up the next generation for success.

David was called to the Bar after taking a law degree at Exeter University. In a business career, he held advisory, management and Board roles in global manufacturing companies. He has a special interest in education, and not just for the young: he is a former Chair of Governors at Abingdon School, and recently completed an MA degree at King’s College, London. David holds numerous charity trusteeships and currently chairs Chiltern Arts and the Wycombe Abbey School Foundation; he is ‘Lay Chair’ of Aylesbury Deanery Trust. His daughter is a Senior.

Jane studied Medicine at Newnham College, Cambridge and trained mostly in London. She is now a Consultant Gynaecologist and Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine having been appointed to Cambridge University Hospitals in 1994. She has since gained a Masters in Education and has held a number of local, regional and national roles in medical education. Jane is keen to foster a love of learning and help girls and young women to reach their full potential. She has six children and in her spare time she enjoys polo and is a qualified riding instructor.

Chair of Education, Pastoral and Boarding Committee

One of the first women to graduate from King's College Cambridge in History and Social & Political Sciences and a former Schoolteacher Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, Diana spent 15 years in Bucks Grammar Schools before joining the independent sector. Diana has been Deputy Head of Oxford High School and Head of The Royal Masonic School for Girls in Rickmansworth, retiring from the latter role in December 2016. She chairs the Education, Pastoral & Boarding Committee at Wycombe Abbey and also sits on the Boards of two leading London day schools. Formerly an ISI Inspector and currently a Quality Assurance Officer for IStip, Diana now works as an Educational Consultant. She has been a member of the Schools' Panel of the Wolfson Foundation for over 20 years and is a mentor for the Sutton Trust University Access Scheme.

Alan studied at St John’s College, Cambridge and Balliol College, Oxford. He has been ordained 37 years in the Oxford diocese working in rural, suburban and urban settings and has been Area Bishop of Buckingham since 2003. Alan is Chair of the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education, which serves 285 state schools and 56,000 children in the Thames Valley. He is also a founder trustee of an education development charity that works in Andhra Pradesh, India. Alan is passionate about equality and human rights.

Chair of Finance and General Purposes Committee

Richard studied Philosophy and Economics at UCL before joining PwC in 1985. He was admitted to partnership in 1997 and is on the firm’s Assurance Executive. Richard’s international experience includes leading projects in Europe, the USA, Brazil, Japan, India and Hong Kong. Outside of work he has been a Chair of Merlin and a Trustee (Treasurer) of Save the Children – in 2016 he received a CBE for voluntary services to international development in recognition of his charitable work. Richard has four children and is a parent at Wycombe Abbey.

Strength and success

Our Vision

Wycombe Abbey is looking to the future with a clear vision which is to be at the forefront of girls’ boarding education and to be recognised globally as a world class school.

Our 2020 – 2025 Strategic Plan can be found below or by clicking here for a PDF version.

Our Aims

Wycombe Abbey’s aims were established by our founder, Dame Frances Dove, and remain the same today:

• the pursuit of academic excellence,

• the development of each individual’s talents in creative, physical and social skills, and

• the encouragement of faith in God and service to other people, all in a happy, fulfilling and caring community.

Challenging the status quo

Wycombe Women

Wycombe Abbey provides a world class education. The School’s alumnae push the boundaries within their chosen professions and are often at the top of their field.

Scroll through the timeline below to find out more about our notable alumnae. The date shown is when they left Wycombe Abbey to pursue their life path.

1890

Ethel GabainPainter and Lithographer

War artist and founding member of the Senefelder Club (1909) with her husband John Copley and others.

1890

Joan Hodgson RivierePsychoanalyst

Founding member of the British Psychoanalytical Society (1913). An early translator of Freud and an influential writer in her own account.

1890

Lady Winifred Frances PeckAuthor

Wrote more than 25 books in a career that spanned four decades.

1900

Mary Pickford CBEPolitician, Historian and Industrialist

Elected as a Member of Parliament (1931).

1900

Lady Jessie StreetReformer and Activist

Australian social reformer, recognised internationally for her activism in social justice and women’s rights.

1910

Florence NagleTrainer and Breeder of racehorses and pedigree dogs

Bred 21 UK champions, including Crufts ‘Best in Show’ (1960). Described as the ‘Mrs Pankhurst of British horse racing.’

1930

Elsie BowermanBarrister

Survived the sinking of the Titanic. Became the first Female Barrister at the Old Bailey (1924). Led the status-of-women section of the United Nations in New York (1947).

1930

Mary Edith HideSportswoman

Played cricket for England in the first women’s test match (1934). Captained the team for 17 years, later becoming President of the Women’s Cricket Association (1973).

1930

Penelope FitzgeraldNovelist

Awarded the Booker Prize (1979) and The Golden PEN Award (1999) for a 'Lifetime’s Distinguished Service to Literature’.

1930

Freydis SharlandPilot

Joined the elite female pilots of the Air Transport Auxillary during World War II. Delivered 110 new Spitfires from factory to airfield.

1940

Florence TemkoAuthor and origami pioneer

An origami pioneer and one of the most prolific writers on the subject. She founded Origami USA in 1994.

1950

Elizabeth Butler-Sloss GBEJudge

The first female Lord Justice of Appeal (1998). Appointed President of the Family Division of the High Court of Justice (1999), the first woman to hold the position. Independent Peer in the House of Lords.

1960

Katy Haber MBEInternational Community Activist

Founding member of BAFTA Los Angeles (1987) after a successful career in the British Film Industry. International Community Activist. Founded the Compton Cricket Club (1995) with homeless activist Ted Hayes in one of LA’s most notorious neighbourhoods. Awarded an MBE for services to her community (2012).

1960

Delphine Gray-FiskPilot

One of Britain’s first female airline pilots, flew commercial jets for Dan-Air.

1960

Dr Kathy WilkesPhilosopher and Academic

Involved in rebuilding the education systems of former Communist countries after 1990. Awarded the commemorative medal of the President of the Czech Republic (1998).

1960

Dame Rosalind Savill DBECurator and Ceramicist

Director of the Wallace Collection then Curator at the V&A. Awarded a CBE for services to the study of ceramics (2000). Named as Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2009).

1967

Dame Elizabeth Slade DBEJudge

Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford 1968-71. Called to the bar at Inner Temple in 1972, Bencher 1990. Took Silk in 1992, recorder and deputy judge of the High Court from 1998 to 2008 and judge of the High Court of Justice (Queen's Bench Division) since 2008. Author of Tolley’s Employment Handbook. Member of the Administrative Tribunal Bank for International Settlements 2000-2008 and European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) 2008.

1970

Stella KenrickPrivate Detective

Managed the Oxford Detective Bureau (2002-2012). Voted ‘Investigator of the Year’ (2011).

1970

Caroline BanszkyBusinesswoman

CEO of The Law Debenture Corporation (2002).

1970

Professor Sarah Springman CBEEngineer and Sportswoman

Competed in the 1990 Commonwealth Games Triathlon. Awarded the OBE (1997) and the CBE for service to Triathlon (2012). Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sunday Times and Sky Sportswoman of the Year Awards (2013).

1980

Rosie AlisonFilm Producer and Author

Credits include Testament of Youth, Paddington and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. Winner of the 'Orange Prize for Fiction' (2010) for novel The Very Thought of You.

1980

Professor Gemma CalvertNeuroscientist

Founder of Neurosense Limited (1999), the world’s first neuromarketing agency. She is a Visiting Professor at the Nanyang Business School and Fellow of the Institute for Asian Consumer Insight at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

1980

Jo HilditchEntrepreneur

Founder of White Heron Drinks – producer of an award-winning range of British Cassis – and manager of large agribusiness.

1980

Her Honour Judge Juliet Mary May QCJudge

Justice of the High Court since 2015. She was called to the Bar in 1988 and took Silk in 2008, being appointed as a Circuit Judge later that year.

1980

Charlotte MooreTelevision Producer

Director of Content for the BBC.

1980

Wendy Outhwaite QCWine Producer and former Barrister

Founder of Ambriel Sparkling Wine (2013).

1980

Clare Pillman CBCivil Servant

Director at Department for Culture, Media and Sport (2011).

1980

Sally PhilipsActor

Best known for her role as Tilly in the BBC comedy Miranda. Starred in the Bridget Jones’s Diary films. Plays the title role in the BBC Radio 4 comedy show Clare in the Community.

1980

Merryn Somerset WebbEditor

Editor in Chief of the popular personal finance magazine, MoneyWeek, writes for the Financial Times, The Sunday Post and Saga Magazine.

1990

Francesca DonnerJournalist

Editor of The Wall Street Journal (2011). Director at The New York Times (2015).

1990

Georgie FienbergFounder and Director

Established AfriKids, which won the Charity Times International Charity of the Year (2015).

1990

Angharad FitzwilliamsHedge Fund Director

Head of Hedge Fund Capital Group, Asia, at Deutsche Bank.

1990

Naomi FrederickActor

Selected theatre work includes Mrs Affleck at the National Theatre, As You Like It and The Heresy of Love at Shakespeare’s Globe and The Winslow Boy at the Old Vic Theatre.

1990

Professor Angelica RonaldResearcher

Director of the Genes Environment Lifespan Laboratory (GEL) and a Professor at the Department of Psychological Sciences at Birkbeck University. Awarded the Thompson Award (2005) and the prestigious Spearman Medal (2012).

1990

Tabitha Somerset-WebbFashion Designer

Launched the clothing line, ‘Project D’ (2010) with Dannii Minogue and launched her own brand, ‘Tabitha Webb’, in 2003.

1990

Clarissa WardJournalist

CNN Senior International Correspondent. Covered the early days of the Syrian Civil War, receiving the Peabody and DuPont Awards (1998). Also received two Emmy awards and honours from the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association.

1990

Francesca ZinoAthlete

Represented Team GB in the rowing squad at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

2000

Roxane HeatonEngineer

Head of Technology-Innovation, Morrisons. Won FDM Everywoman in Technology Awards (2015). Nominated for driving business change throughout training and operational systems in the Royal Navy.

2000

Nikki EmersonAthlete

Qualified as a wheelchair racer in the 2012 Paralympics and works in the Commercial Team for a Premier League Football Team.

2000

Natalie SimpsonActor

Appeared in King Lear, Cymbeline and Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Won a BroadwayWorld UK Award for Best Supporting Actress as Ophelia (2016).

Outreach

We are committed to numerous and varied outreach initiatives which give girls and staff the opportunity to engage and collaborate across communities.

Wycombe Abbey has a long and established relationship with Cressex Community School, a secondary school in High Wycombe. Girls visit weekly to help students with literacy and other skills. A number of staff provide support by volunteering as governors and trustees. We also host a Summer School for those identified as ‘gifted and talented’, organising workshops in Drama, English, Music, Science and Sport.

There are links to a number of other local schools with whom we organise joint ventures, such as our annual Management Conference, our Women’s Leadership Conference, Careers Fair and annual debating competition.

We greatly value the links we have developed with local schools through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. Wycombe Abbey is a hub school for the Bucks and Chiltern Ogden Schools Partnership. We regularly take science workshop activities into a number of local primary schools with our Sixth Form girls.

Girls and staff volunteer their time to support a wide range of charitable organisations, assisting local playgroups, retirement homes, secondary and primary schools for disabled children, riding for disabled people and the local hospice and elderly persons’ home.

The School also makes its facilities available to local schools and community groups. We are particularly proud of our partnership with Horizons, a local sports club for young people with a range of disabilities. Horizons meets at our swimming pool on a weekly basis. Both staff and girls volunteer.

Learn more about our outreach activity on the Schools Together website.