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Founders Day 2025
As part of our annual tradition of celebrating the founding of our School, this year our community dived into the fabulous 50’s with costumes, events and overall celebration of our history
The day began with the whole School photo, which gave us all the opportunity to spot the Smurfs, the swing dresses, infamous hairstyles and a few Elvis Presleys With the decade offering a wide range of options, from the glamorous Dior ‘New Look’ of the early ‘50s to the introduction of the poodle skirt, it was wonderful to see the variety of imagination and creativity across the different Year Groups.
50’s-themed lessons followed across the School community, with a special lunch, a lunchtime showing of the Disney classic ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and (a particular favourite) ‘Grease Karaoke’.
A small handful of scholars of the School went to Prestwood Cemetery to lay flowers at the grave of our founder Jessie Cross. During our assembly, our Head Girl and the youngest student in our School, came together to cut the ceremonial Founders Day cake - an annual tradition here at Pipers
On this occasion we were raising money, to be split equally between the charities Scope and Samaritans, both of which were formed in the 1950s
Year 3 Forest School Day
Year 3 enjoyed a full Forest School day this Half-term, dedicated to exploring the outdoors and learning new skills in the woodland environment
Year 6 Team Building Day at Longridge
As has become a much-loved Year 6 tradition, each September, when our Year 5 students move up and new students join us, we split into two forms and spend a day of adventure at Longridge Activity Centre in Marlow, getting to know one another outside the classroom From problem-solving games to confidence-boosting challenges, every activity encouraged teamwork, communication, and plenty of laughter.
Senior and Sixth Form Students attend Model United Nations
During the October Half-term, our Year 11 and Sixth Form delegates attended the Model United Nations (MUN) Conference at Royal Russell School, representing São Tomé and Príncipe with confidence and enthusiasm
The students delivered thoughtful Policy Statements and took part in a range of lively and engaging debates
A special mention goes to Zahra (Year 12), who gave an outstanding speech as our Ambassador at the MUN General Assembly on Saturday, a proud moment for the entire Pipers delegation.
We are also delighted to share that Roisin (Year 13) was awarded the Distinguished Delegate title at the closing ceremony on Tuesday for her impressive contributions in the Social and Humanitarian Committee This iti i ti l l i i it R i i ’
Pipers Community raise over £1600 for Breast Cancer Now
Our first Breast Cancer Now coffee and cake event was a huge success! Sixth Form students led the way with a morning bake sale, raising over £500 on the day and an incredible £1,600 in total
We were delighted to welcome so many parents who joined us and made generous donations The event also encouraged students to think about why supporting charities is important, both personally and as a school community It was a wonderful morning full of enthusiasm, generosity, and kindness, all in support of a very worthwhile cause
Pre-Prep Highlights
Pre-Prep had a magical trip to Waddesdon Manor, where they took part in a special workshop all about adjectives and how to make their writing more exciting The students loved exploring new descriptive words to bring their stories to life! Afterwards, they enjoyed a special storytelling session, retelling the tale of Sleeping Beauty through both words and pictures It was a truly enchanting day filled with creativity, imagination, and plenty of inspiration for their next writing adventures
Smallthorns Farm Partnership
Pre-Preps Half termly meet with Farmer Rachel from Smallthorns This is our link farm and we meet each half term to learn about the changes on the farm The Students found out about barley and what it is used for!
Picaflor House
Pre-Prep enjoyed listening to the highlights of Year 12’s adventure to Peru! They loved learning about Picaflor House and were delighted to receive responses to the letters they sent!
Healthy Eating Workshop
Pre-Prep took part in a healthy eating workshop led by Holroyd Howe’s nutritionist Lots of new vegetables were sampled and enjoyed!
Exploring micro habitats
Year 2 scientists were exploring the Pre-Prep playground and looking for micro habitats! A huge variety of micro habitats were found and the children enjoyed observing them closely!
Waddeston Manor Visit
Healthy Eating curriculum in Food and Nutrition
As part of their healthy eating module and inspired by a recent visit from professional footballer Ellie Olds, Year 3 created their own overnight oats recipes.
Year 6 Swimming Success
Seanna took part in the Harts Swimming Meet during half term, competing in the 400m Individual Medley (one of the sport’s most demanding events) She performed brilliantly, gaining a gold medal
As part of our Harvest Festival celebrations, Prep students learnt about the eight-day Jewish Harvest Festival of Sukkot, remembering the time Israelits lived in temporary shelters while wandering the desert for 40 years Students crafted their own natural shelters to explore this tradition
Young Voices Choir
Year 3 visit Ashmolean Museum
Budding archaeologists of the future? Year 3 became Egyptian detectives at the Ashmolean Museum!
Well done to Annabel in Year 3
Rehearsals are well underway for Young Voices - Year 5 are getting ready for their performance in the New Year.
Come from Away competition winner Annabel enjoyed meeting the cast and receiving her Canadian Moose for her winning artwork
The Jewish Festival of Sukkot
Senior Art and Photography Study Tour to Venice
The Senior Art and Photography Study Tour to Venice gave students a vivid insight into a city with an unparalleled artistic legacy Across four days, they explored significant collections, studied distinctive architecture and produced a strong portfolio of sketches and photographs inspired by the environment around them
A guided tour on the first afternoon introduced key landmarks and provided essential context for Venice’s role in European art Students immediately began observing viewpoints, structures and details to inform their creative work.
A visit to Murano offered the chance to watch traditional glass-blowing a craft for which the island has been known for centuries and to record the processes and forms involved. Time at the Galleria dell’Accademia allowed students to encounter Venetian masters such as Bellini and Tintoretto, while the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Punta della Dogana and Ca’ Pesaro exposed them to major movements of modern and contemporary art.
On the final morning, the group explored the Doge’s Palace, with its grand state rooms and important artworks, before crossing the historic Bridge of Sighs and completing their final studies of the trip
Students approached every visit with real curiosity, maturity and creative focus, making the tour both highly productive and deeply enriching
Celebrating Community and Environment
We were thrilled to welcome the team from Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital to Pipers for a very special moment: the release of several rescued fox cubs who were ready to return to the wild.
More than 90 members of the Pipers community expressed an interest in attending, far more than we ever anticipated. It was wonderful to see such enthusiasm and support for this remarkable event. To ensure the best possible outcome for the animals, the Main School Building was transformed into the biggest “hide” in the School’s history, giving families an excellent view as the Students released the foxes on the Lawn and they made their way into the woodland without being disturbed.
Tiggywinkles, based in Haddenham, is the world’s busiest wildlife hospital, caring for over 12,000 sick, injured and orphaned wild animals and birds each year The fox cubs released at Pipers had been brought to the hospital as orphans earlier in the year and, thanks to months of expert care, were strong, healthy and ready for life back in the wild
After a two-week transitional period during which our students tool on the responsibility of putting food out for the foxes each day, the foxes have frequently appeared on our wildlife cameras near the woodland area and have even been spotted around the grounds in the evenings It has been a heartwarming reminder of how special our natural environment truly is
Green Tree School Award
We’re officially a Woodland Trust Green Tree School!
At the end of last school year, our Pre-Prep and Prep students completed the final stages of the Woodland Trust’s Green Tree Schools Award, earning Platinum status for their creativity, curiosity and care for the natural world
From stunning David Hockneyinspired artwork celebrating our local environment to Year 2’s imaginative nature trails, every student played a part in helping Pipers achieve this accolade
A Special Evening with Tiggywinkles
Year 13 Students raise over £3000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital
Six of our Year 13 Students were among the youngest participants in the Royal Parks Hyde Park Half Marathon back in October
Celebrating Community and Environment
What Makes you Smile?
At the start of the term our HOPE group distributed sunflower seedlings to every student in the School Many went on to reach great heights (some over three metres)
The initiative was "Keep Pipers Smiling" whilst recognising the environmental benefits that sunflowers bring
The HOPE group asked members of our Pipers community "What makes you smile?" with answers ranging from the very popular family, dogs and chocolate to more obscure interests such as 'trombone music'.
Out of more than 16,000 runners, Trixie and Beth completed the course in the top 2,000 finishers, followed closely by our other fantastic runners Evelyn, Zara, Bea and Evie
They had a lot of fun training together, getting ready for this physical challenge, and to have raised over £3000 in the process for Great Ormond Street Hospital is an achievement to be proud of
This year’s Harvest Festival donations supported YMCA Mandeville, Wycombe Homeless Connection, Wycombe Women’s Aid, and the One Can Trust
We were delighted to welcome a representative from the One Can Trust, who joined our students in assembly to share the incredible difference these donations make
A huge thank you to our Pipers community for your kindness and generosity
Apple juice / Harvest Festival
Harvest 2025
Pipers is proud to have been recognised as a LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) Demonstration School a prestigious award given to schools showing exceptional commitment to sustainable farming education and environmental stewardship.
This recognition places Pipers among a select group of schools nationwide leading the way in connecting learning with agriculture, food production, and environmental care. From growing vegetables on site to partnerships with local farms, sustainability is embedded across our curriculum
As a LEAF Demonstration School, Pipers will share best practice with others, hosting visits and workshops to inspire more schools to embrace sustainability
Carl Edwards, LEAF’s Director of Communication, Engagement and Education, said: “Pipers Corner School has shown an exceptional commitment to environmental education. They are nurturing a generation that understands the value of sustainable food and farming.”
This recognition marks an exciting step forward in our ongoing commitment to caring for our planet and inspiring environmentally conscious young people
To help our students build on their drawing skills, we invited multi-award-winning artist Jeanette Barnes to Pipers to give our Textiles students a specialist workshop on 'Urban Landscapes'
Encouraging them to take creative risks, the Year 10 students developed skills that directly supported their GCSE coursework, offering inspiration for repeated pattern designs, printmaking, or as a foundation for final outcomes and any future fashion creations.
This was a valuable opportunity for students to expand their creative skill set and deepen their understanding of visual communication in Textiles.
Jeanette Barnes has over 25 years of teaching experience putting together and leading workshops and courses for a range of different institutions, including but not limited to; the Royal Academy of Arts, the Royal Drawing School, Somerset House, NSEAD and The Big Draw
SPORTING HIGHLIGHTS
Over the half-term break, we were thrilled to see Phoebe L at the prestigious National Schools Equestrian Association (NSEA) National Championships. Competing against 150 entrants, Phoebe delivered a brilliant performance with a double clear round and secured 13th place in the 90cm class Well done Phoebe!
We were delighted to host Ellie Olds, Head Nutritionist at Holroyd Howe. A professional footballer with Fulham FC Ladies and one of the UK hospitality industry’s 30 Under 30 rising stars, Ellie brought her expertise and energy to a Whole School programme, inspiring students from Pre-Prep through to Sixth Form
Her sessions highlighted how nutrition underpins not just health, but also academic focus, sporting performance, resilience and confidence.
Congratulations to our Deputy Head Girl Beth G for recently competing in the Women’s County Finals Week at Selby Golf Club Out of the six counties that made it to the final, Buckinghamshire secured a runnersup finish and we're so proud of Beth for playing as well as she did - even beating an England player in her final round!
Caitlin V, Evelyn H, and Sienna W spent half-term in Tenerife with Wycombe Swimming Club, training at the Tenerife Top Training facility It was a challenging and rewarding week, with daily four-hour swim sessions, strength training, and the chance to swim in a hydrodynamic flume, which captured video footage of their technique below the water, allowing them to analyse their performance in race conditions. What an experience!
Indigo F-T competed at the Gymfinity regional event at Salto gymnastics club. She won the event for her age group and took three golds and one silver on the apparatus. A fantastic result, well done, Indigo!
Meanwhile, sister Emily G (Pipers Alumnae 2024) has also been following her Golf passion; overseas in her first year at Lenoir Rhyne University in North Carolina on a Golf Scholarship Emily was part of the women's golf line-up in the NCAA Division Two - South Regional preview back in September and continues to be selected to represent her university in elite competitions
Q&A with Philip Chryssikos, Head of Pipers Radio
What first sparked your interest in radio, and how has your career led you to your new role here at Pipers?
My interest in radio was sparked early in life by a fascination with how voices and stories connect people and bring events to life Over the years, this passion has grown through practical experience presenting music and rolling news programmes on some of the UK’s top radio stations I’ve been with Global now for 10 years, working across Capital, Capital Xtra, Classic FM, LBC, LBC News, Radio X, Heart, Gold, and currently I present network music shows on Smooth Radio Before this I was at Capital Radio Group for a decade as a news broadcaster and music DJ on Capital FM London My journey has been shaped by a love of storytelling, technical skill, and a desire to help others find their voice in broadcasting At Pipers, I’m excited to bring that experience into education, inspiring students to develop their confidence and creativity through radio as part of their learning journey. The role perfectly combines my professional broadcasting background with my commitment to nurturing the next generation of communicators.
How will radio and broadcasting fit into the Careers and Enrichment opportunities available to students?
At Pipers, we’re launching a new radio strategy designed to give every student the chance to develop their voice, creativity, and technical skills through broadcasting. Pipers Radio is evolving beyond an after-school club it’s becoming a living, learning platform where confidence, communication, and collaboration meet real-world media experience. From Year 2 students presenting their first live show about their Waddesdon Manor trip to Sixth Formers leading interviews and features, radio is set to play an increasingly important role in careers and enrichment at Pipers Students can get involved from Prep right through to Sixth Form, building their skills as they move up the school starting with storytelling and teamwork, then progressing into producing, editing, and running live broadcasts from our fully-equipped professional radio studio Our goal is to make sure Pipers Radio connects learning across subjects English classes might record dramatic readings or debate segments, Geography students could host environmental features, and Wellbeing Prefects might run their own content on topics that matter to students We’re planning more live broadcasts, podcasts, and even outside broadcasts (OBs) that bring classroom work to life
How do you see radio connecting with the wider Pipers community, including Alumnae and external guests?
Beyond the School, Pipers Radio will strengthen our connection with the wider Pipers community Alumnae and guest speakers will be invited to share their stories and insights on air, helping students explore career pathways and gain advice from real-world professionals It’s a space where our students can ask questions, learn from experience, and grow in confidence
Real-world experience is such a key part of learning at Pipers, are there any exciting radio-related projects or events planned for 2025/26? Looking ahead, 2026 promises exciting developments We’re reviewing our technical setup and licensing to ensure the station operates to industry standards. We’re also exploring a partnership with RCS UK, whose Zetta broadcast suite is used by stations around the world potentially giving our students access to industry-recognised RCS Academy training and certification. Joining the Student Radio Association is another goal, offering access to national events and a network of peers from across the UK. This year, I’m most excited about shaping a station identity that feels truly “Pipers” complete with new jingles, programmes, and a refreshed schedule balancing student voice with great music. Ultimately, the vision is simple: every student leaving Pipers should have the confidence to express themselves on air and beyond backed by real broadcasting skills that will benefit them for life.
Finally, tell us something about yourself that the Pipers community might not know! Something the Pipers community might not know about me is my passion for modern classic cars, especially Mitsubishis I’m a proud owner of a 1990 Galant 2 0 GLSi that has won awards at car shows I’ve taken it to I also have a rare 2000 Ralliart Galant 2 5 VR4 Twin-Turbo estate one of only 200 officially sold through Mitsubishi dealers in the UK at the time Although my Mitsubishis aren’t used as daily cars, just on dry spring-summer days for enjoyment, its cars like these that also connect me to a community outside of broadcasting, and I enjoy maintaining and showcasing these unique Mitsubishis whenever I get the chance 14
