PipersFest 2025
As part of a new Pipers tradition on our penultimate weekend of the term, over 700 members of our community gathered on the Main Lawn for eight hours of family-filled fun, entertainment, food and drink To say the energy was pure joy is an understatement
After the resounding success of last year, this year's event was made even bigger and better We tripled the number of acts to entertain our guests, tripled the food and beverage offering and the number of family-friendly activities on offer. The entertainment on our main stage included ABBA Stars, Grease vs. Dirty Dancing and ending the evening with This is Queen. We welcomed back our Vintage Ferris Wheel, the Silent Cinema and Glitter Bar and also introduced more PipersFest Merch, a Tie Dye Station and VW Camper Photo Booth. Street eats, thirst quenchers and festival feasts were in abundance and we were lucky to have our site engulfed in glorious sunshine to keep our guests summer-enthused.
It was incredible to once again provide an opportunity for the whole School to come together and celebrate the imminent end of term We look forward to doing it again in 2026
Sports Day 2025
With the weather in our favour and the friendly competition between Houses firmly in place, each of our students gave their all in this year's Sports Day, including Track Events, Long Jump, Discus, High Jump and much more Congratulations to Milton for winning Prep House this year, and to our Whole School winner - Penn!
Prep Charity of the Year - Electric Umbrella
Congratulations to our Prep students and our Pipers Community for raising an impressive £3,941 for their Prep Charity of the Year, Electric Umbrella
The funds will go a long way to helping the charity use music to empower learning disabled and neurodivergent people through creativity and connection
Sports Awards 2025
As part of our end of the year events here at Pipers, we invited the Pipers Community to our annual Sports Awards to celebrate the incredible sporting achievements of our students. In our biggest community sports event to date, our calendar has been nothing short of action-packed, with our students taking part in an astounding 250 fixtures, competing in hockey, netball, cricket, gymnastics, football, tennis, equestrian events, swimming and athletics
Awards were given out to individual students and teams from Years 5 to 13 to recognise their achievements and contribution to Pipers Sport We were delighted to welcome guest of honour Georgina Bradshaw, Double European Champion, World Champion and Olympic Gold Medallist Rower
The evening also acted to announce an exciting chapter to the Department, including more external coaches, clubs, enhancements to our fitness suite, introduction of a Student Sports Panel and much more This will ensure students enjoy even more inter-school fixtures, benefit from even higher-quality training on a regular basis, give them the opportunity to flourish and reach their full sporting potential
Celebrating our diverse world in Cultural Celebration Week 2025
To help celebrate and promote cultural diversity and understanding, our students, staff and the wider Pipers community participated in a variety of different activities, events, displays and performances for what was an unforgettable Cultural Celebration Week
Our students took part in a variety of activities, including playing Indonesian and African instruments, cooking international dishes, art workshops, student-led assemblies, tea-making in Forest School and much more.
One of the many highlights saw the community come together on Wednesday 11 June, to welcome back Imad Alarnab, an acclaimed Syrian chef and former refugee who shared his eyeopening and powerful story of building a life in London after fleeing conflict. Imad’s last visit to Pipers was back in 2017, and since then he has become a leading voice for resilience and hope, with his talk offering our students and families a great opportunity to reflect on the challenges faced across the globe and how kindness from others can be enduring Alongside the talk, our community were treated to a cultural marketplace that included cultural dance performances and workshops, a variety of international dishes (including recipes from Imad's new book) prepared by our students, festivalthemed stalls from our Languages Department, Art installations of beautiful Indian folk art, cultural chairs painted by our students and so much more.
Throughout the event, we were also proud to be raising funds for the Wycombe Refugee Partnership.
Year 10 Embark on Sixth Form Experience Day
Towards the end of our Summer Term, our Year 10 students donned their business attire as they took part in a Sixth Form Experience Day
The day began with breakfast in the Arts Centre Café, followed by taster lessons across a range of A Level subjects, including Psychology, Sociology and Photography They were then welcomed into the Sixth Form Centre over the lunch break where they took the opportunity to get to know the current Year 12s and understand what life in the Sixth Form is like They got valuable information about the diverse activities our current Year 12 take part in, from World Challenge, working in Crèche to Gold Duke of Edinburgh (to name just a few!).
Year 9 Students Explore Film in One-Day Workshop
On Wednesday 2 July 2025, our Year 9 students were off timetable for the day as they explored life as Hollywood filmmakers! Working with One Day Film School, part of the Young Film Academy, the students were taught the intricacies of modern film making, exploring camera angles, creating clear narrative, character development and film editing
The first action of the day was learning the art of fighting. Fight choreography is an important skill in the performance industry and Year 9 were naturals Working on how to not only deliver a punch safely, but also, how to make a fake punch look real on screen They then learnt about the history of film, from the Lumiere Brothers' first film of a train arriving at a station, to how they created blockbusters like Jaws, the Marvel franchise and Lord of the Rings
They were tasked with creating a simple ‘3 Shot Challenge’, using one wide, one medium and one close-up shot, and still be able to tell a story, and engage the audience This then fed into the main event; the ‘10 Shot Challenge’ This task was focused on a given narrative, whether it was a revenge story, or a classic love story The groups worked very hard to create hilarious, moving or dramatic short films, which led to the final award ceremony
Grace C and Amelie M were awarded Best Individual Performances, for their moving 'almost' love story The film 'A Promise Too Late' was awarded Best Technical Achievement, created by Charlotte D, Florence R, Tess M, Brooke W, Tabitha A, Seraphina F and Beatrice F The overall winner of Best Picture, which will be put through to the National Final and be judged by Disney Executives, with a chance for a private screening in Disney Studios was 'Forgotten Love' This film showed the heart-breaking story of a couple separated after an accident caused the young women to forget her partner, and they were unable to remain together. Well done to Mia M, Aleena S, Daisy G, Evie G, Kate H, Evie M and Alice W, and we hope to share positive news about further success in the future.
Speech Day 2025
Speech Day is always one of the most anticipated events of the Pipers’ calendar, providing a chance to reflect on the School as a whole - where students are encouraged to thrive, explore their passions, and follow their interests, whatever they may be
After a moving Leavers’ Service held in the Meadow, Year 13 students and their families gathered for a celebratory lunch on the lawn, a fitting way to mark the end of their time at Pipers and the beginning of exciting new chapters ahead
This year we were delighted to welcome keynote speaker Shivvy Jervis, futurist, broadcaster, and leading voice on “technology for good ” Named one of Britain’s Women of the Year, Shivvy shared her inspiring mission to ensure we are as prepared as possible for the pivotal changes technology brings to our lives, both on and offline
The afternoon also showcased the breadth of talent across the School, with captivating performances from our recent productions of The Lion King and Legally Blonde We then marked an important moment of transition as we said goodbye to outgoing Head Girl, Lottie H, who spoke with warmth about her time at Pipers, reflecting especially on the enduring power of kindness throughout her journey The baton was then passed to the newly appointed Head Girl, Lily McPhee, who first joined Pipers in Prep, embodying the values and spirit of our School
Our sincere thanks go to everyone who joined us for this special occasion Speech Day 2025 was a true celebration of our community, of achievement, kindness, and the bright future that lies ahead
Year 7 Students Become 2025 Pasta Champions in Jamie Oliver World Record Attempt
As part of an official World Record Attempt run by much-loved chef Jamie Oliver, a group of our Year 7 students joined other amazing cooks to take part in the largest cookery lesson in the world
In a live stream hosted by Jamie and the best chefs at his cookery school, our students had one hour and 30 minutes to make a delicious dish of homemade pasta with a tasty tomato sauce Once the attempt had been made, the students were able to sit down and enjoy their meal for lunch
The aim was to break the current record of 6,778 participants achieved by the Partnership for Health in Poland, with 89 schools taking part back in November 2015 This year, the record was officially broken with 10,515 cooks, across six continents and 42 countries
This was a chance for our students to be part of something big, bold and record-breaking, so many congratulations to our team for enhancing their culinary skills, their hard work and, undoubtedly, delicious food
Pipers Students Embark on Expeditions to Peru, Eswatini and South Africa
Over the last weekend in July 2025, we were delighted to welcome back our Senior students from two remarkable summer expeditions.
Our Sixth Form students travelled with World Challenge to Eswatini and South Africa on the trip of a lifetime. Set against the backdrop of Eswatini’s unspoilt beauty, the expedition included camping throughout, undertaking treks across varied terrain and contributing to a local community project where students helped with the construction of a new building, adding brick laying and plastering to their skill set While staff were present, students were expected to manage all aspects of daily life from budgeting and logistics to group decision-making showing impressive leadership, resilience, and teamwork throughout
Meanwhile, a group of Year 10 d 11 students travelled to Peru they volunteered at Picaflor a community project just out Cusco which supports childre education They supported le and led activities for local ch and also had the opportunity explore the region’s rich cult heritage, including the Sacre and an unforgettable visit to iconic Machu Picchu.
The group took with them a donation of laptops which ha organised by ex-Pipers paren following their own visit to th project earlier in the year Th chosen to visit because their daughter had been one of th students on Pipers
A Level Results 2025
Results day at Pipers is always a special occasion, with students celebrating their successes together with ice creams While the School emphasises that examination statistics are only one part of each student’s story, this year’s results were a real cause for celebration
Almost a third of all A Levels achieved the top A* or A grades, with over half of the year group securing at least one of these highest marks In a record eight A Level subjects - every student achieved between A*-B, including Politics, Pipers newest A Level option. The vast majority will now progress to their first-choice universities in the UK and overseas, either this autumn or after a planned gap year.
Amongst the School’s top students this year is Martha, who will study Human, Social and Political Sciences at the University of Cambridge, Emma, who will be reading Veterinary Science at the University of Liverpool and Elizabeth who is off to study Medicine
Other students who have excelled both in and out of the classroom include Head of House Isabella, recently returned from volunteering and trekking in Eswatini, who will be studying Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Warwick, and fellow Head of House and National Youth Theatre member Rosie, who will be studying Acting at the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts Isabella and Rosie joined Pipers in the Pre-Prep and Prep Department and have been at the heart of numerous School productions.
Also just back from Eswatini is award-winning golfer Emily, who will be exploring new horizons again as she takes up a golfing Scholarship at a US university in the autumn. School Sports Captain Danella achieved straight A*/A grades and will be studying Psychology at university Several other students receiving their results this morning have also achieved their Gold DofE awards whilst in the Sixth Form
Other degree destinations for the Class of 2025 include Law, Veterinary Economics, Japanese Studies, International Relations, Business and Marketing, Modern Languages, Fine Art, Fashion Design and Anthropology.
GCSE Results 2025
Our students celebrated another year of excellent GCSE results, achieving highly across the full range of subjects. A quarter of the year group achieved straight 7–9 (A*/A) grades in at least eight subjects, while over half of all results achieved grades 7–9
Strong performances were seen across traditional academic subjects and in the creative and practical disciplines that are a hallmark of a Pipers education In Art, 93% of grades achieved 7-9, while Drama and Food saw over two thirds of students awarded these top grades. English results were excellent, with three quarters of the year group achieving 7-9 in Language with similarly high numbers in Literature and in History a remarkable 90% of candidates secured 7-9.
The results reflect not only academic excellence, but also the confidence, resilience and ambition that Pipers girls develop skills for life that we know go far beyond exam certificates
Headmistress Helen Ness-Gifford said: “We are delighted with the success of this year’s GCSE students. These outstanding sets of top grades across so many subjects are the perfect complement to the considerable achievements our students already enjoy in the arts, sport, leadership, enterprise and service this year What makes us most proud is that this success is not limited to a narrow few, but reflects our philosophy of high expectations for every student, not only the most able within our community. In an area where some schools define success simply by selective entry, our results demonstrate something different: that with the right teaching, support and belief, every student can achieve and thrive.
After watching them approach their examinations this summer with such maturity and focus, it was fantastic to celebrate with them as they have came in to get their results
Pre-Prep Highlights
Pre-Prep w donate pla Abbeyfield Missenden Abbeyfie
Making Fruit Kebabs!
Year 1 had a sticky afternoon making the fruit kebabs they had designed in DT! We had to taste them afterwards (purely in the interests of evaluation!)
Going on Safari!
Lots of fun was had as our Pre-Prep students saw lots of exotic wildlife at Woburn Safari Park
Year 2 Reflect on their year
Year 2 had a wonderful afternoon Tea celebration. They invited their families to share some of their favourite memories of their final year in Pre-Prep.
ts and crafts ngoli patterns collaborative painting of a flag to celebrate one of our friends!
Congratulations to everyone recognised at our Years 3 and 4 Sports Awards 2025! Our Sports Captains were delighted to hand out trophies in all categories
Year 3 student Lux H, was proud to represent England in the Dance World Cup over the Summer Ccongratulations Representing England in Dance
Learning about the Muslim faith
Year 3 visited Wycombe Mosque. The Imam showed the class around the beautiful holy building and taught them about the Muslim faith
As part of Cultural Week, Year 6 made some bush tea using raspberry leaves, rose petals, mint and lemon balm all sourced from the school grounds.
Year 5 hosted a wonderful French Café event for their parents. The whole class worked together, meeting and greeting, taking orders, waiting on tables and even singing - all in French of course! Bravo!
Culture Week
Year 3 and 4 Sports Awards
French Café
Q&A with Jo Selleck, Head of Careers
At what age does Careers education start at Pipers?
It has long been felt that the start of secondary school is a good age to start careers education At this age, students are beginning to think more seriously about their futures, and careers education can help them connect school subjects with real-world opportunities We believe that it should feature from an earlier age, allowing students to develop learnings and interactions to refer back to If the foundations are established in this in Prep we are opening students' eyes to possibilities and helping them develop curiosity, confidence, and transferable skills
How is it delivered and when?
Prep: Build aspirations, broaden horizons | Middle School: Connect learning to careers | Senior and Sixth Form: Provide tailored advice and insight into different pathways Through activities that raise aspirations, by introducing students to a wide range of jobs, and challenging stereotypes At the top end of school, careers education then naturally becomes more structured, including workplace visits, encounters with employers, and guidance on qualifications and pathways The beauty of Pipers is that we have students from Reception through to Sixth Form, this enables us to link initiatives and incorporate younger students at different stages Starting careers education early ensures that young people make informed choices about subjects, they avoid closing doors too soon Gradually, they begin to develop the skills and mindset needed for future work
What about connections with Alumnae
Connecting with alumnae can be a powerful way to help students learn about careers, build networks, and find mentorship opportunities Our alumnae offer direct inspiration to our students The School fosters a strong sense of community between past and present students, encouraging ongoing relationships and shared experiences When students leave us in Year 13, many choose to keep in touch and return to tell us about their achievements We also ensure connection through an active presence on networking platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook Alumnae are regularly invited back to events that support our current students, to give talks or to work on projects The key is the mutuality of this relationship, by staying in contact our alumnae feel connected and can see the difference their support makes to our current students
What project are you most excited about this academic year?
I am excited to be involved in a potential project that aims to secure a link with Oxford University which in turn will provide an opportunity for students to develop key skills These include research, problem solving and datahandling skills All of which will be invaluable for their future careers It will also demonstrate the range of STEM careers available to students This is a great way for the school to foster a long-term working relationship with STEM professionals I am also proud to be working with the Women of the Future Programme which is a vibrant and impactful community that connects women across all industries on a global scale Its many initiatives seek to burst open the female leadership pipeline, celebrating success but also creating a collaborative global community that can share expertise and facilitate collaboration Part of the programme aims to provide students with mentors and role models, thus strengthening the pipeline of talent among Britain’s younger women
My ultimate project this year however is to continue to expand the network here at Pipers Corner Our volunteers whether they are alumnae, family or industry contacts make all the difference to our students and the experiences they can gain and learn from If you would be interested in getting involved with our careers programme through talks, events or mentoring for example, please do not hesitate to reach out to me on jselleck@piperscorner co uk
What experience led you to your role here?
My background in talent management and recruitment helped me to identify that I take great energy from coaching and supporting people through the process of identifying and securing their dream role Early Careers (people at the start of their career journey) and Future Talent (the pipeline of people who will lead and innovate in the future) for me are the really exciting aspects of talent management This is where I felt I could make the most difference to the individual Having also worked previously in education, careers offered me the ideal opportunity to combine my interest in future talent with working alongside young people
Tell us something about you that we may not know I have two sons, one is taking GCSEs and the other A-Levels this year I am perfectly placed to empathise with any students or parents/carers feeling the pressure! I genuinely look forward to getting to know the students and supporting them on this exciting chapter in their career journey
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