Mentoring at Wycombe Abbey

In October 2020 we launched a new alumnae-pupil mentoring programme. Via this scheme, pupils are invited to connect with alumnae from around the world, accessing a variety of knowledge and experience. Mentoring sessions are offered to Sixth Form pupils as part of the School’s Carrington Award, and are designed to help pupils prepare for the broader challenges of life and work beyond School.

26 pupils are being mentored currently by 22 alumnae. Senior mentors taking part offer a diverse set of experiences gained from successful careers within industries ranging from engineering, medicine, performing arts, science, law and social media. Mentoring sessions are conducted virtually, enabling Seniors to connect with Seniors across time zones. In addition, we have been able to provide 14 business mentors to guide Lower Sixth pupils taking part in the Tycoon Enterprise competition throughout the development and growth of their start-up businesses.

Pupils have found their mentoring sessions invaluable for seeking support from mentors who, not long ago, were going through similar choices that they are facing now. Sessions have been used to discuss university application and degree subject choices, plans for work experience and internships, and how to enter the workplace and making the transition into early careers. Discussions have covered many other subjects and resulted in fun anecdotes shared between Wycombe Abbey pupils past and present. One mentee said, “I very much enjoyed and appreciated the insights and advice my mentor shared with regards to my upcoming university interviews as well as the possibilities for my degree beyond a traditional engineering career. I hope to keep in touch!”

A mentor commented, “It was a pleasure to talk to my mentee. I was very impressed by her sense of purpose and commitment to reaching her long-term career goals, and equally impressed by her articulacy and clarity of self-expression.”

Another mentor said, “Congratulations to School for creating this mentoring initiative, I enjoyed the discussion with my mentee very much.”

The 2020-2021 programme draws to a close in May but, due to the popularity of the scheme, plans are underway to widen mentoring opportunities to a greater number of pupils from September 2021. The School has been delighted with the offers of support from Seniors, with over 140 signing up to become a mentor. The future is exciting for the development of mentoring programmes within the School, and we look forward to offering pupils the opportunity to connect with a wider network of mentors alumnae going forward.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor for our current pupils, please email [email protected].