All great schools demonstrate a commitment to ongoing improvement whilst respecting and maintaining their core values and important traditions. Wycombe Abbey is committed to providing a world-class boarding education and our new strategic plan – Wycombe 130 – presented here, sets out our vision and our route map for the next phase of the School’s life.
Over the past year, the Executive Leadership Team have been working closely with staff, pupils and the wider School community, with oversight from Governing Council, to make decisions about our future direction. This process has included a review of the broader educational and societal context, an exploration of exciting new opportunities and a consideration of the need to do things differently in a rapidly changing world.
Along with my fellow Council members, I am confident that this bold plan will be realised over the next five years and we will rise to the challenges and possibilities that Wycombe 130 presents.
Peter Warren Chairman of Council
September 2025
Welcome from the Headmistress
This strategic plan – Wycombe 130 –builds on what has gone before and looks to the future with optimism. As we consider the 130th anniversary since our School was founded by the pioneer Dame Frances Dove in 1896, we can be proud of the part that Wycombe Abbey has played in educating past generations of women and of their many extraordinary achievements through the decades.
Our vision is to be at the forefront of girls’ boarding education and to be recognised globally as a world-class school. Our aim is to provide a genuinely holistic education which supports intellectual, physical, spiritual, emotional and social growth. We want our pupils to enjoy every aspect of their years at School, developing lasting friendships and a deep sense of belonging to Wycombe Abbey. We want them to leave us as confident, independent, grounded young women who act with kindness, courage and integrity and who are well-equipped to thrive in their future lives. We are committed to excellence and are ambitious in our desire to prepare our girls for the world of tomorrow – a world in which we believe they will be leaders.
As the foremost girls’ boarding school in the UK, we are excited to be moving into the next phase of our journey. We understand the importance of attracting and retaining the very best staff, working side-by-side with parents and engaging with our Seniors (Alumnae). We have sought input from each of these groups, and from pupils themselves, as we have considered the School’s current position as well as future challenges and opportunities. On the pages that follow we have outlined the roadmap for the next five years under four strategic priorities. Every person within the Wycombe Abbey community has an important role to play in implementing this plan and making the words within it a reality through their attitudes and actions, based on our core values of trust, encouragement and mutual respect.
In Fide Vade
Jo Duncan Headmistress
Our Past
We are proud of our history and our ability to balance tradition with innovation.
When the founder of Wycombe Abbey, Dame Frances Dove, asked if she could go to school, she was told that there was ‘not a school fit to send a girl to’. In response, she resolved to make a difference to this situation and our remarkable founder was instrumental in the establishment of St Leonards School in St Andrews, Scotland and then, 19 years later, Wycombe Abbey. In the 21st century we tend to take equal opportunities for granted, yet it was only 150 years ago that the vast majority of girls did not go to school, were unable to attend university or have a career. We are proud that Wycombe Abbey has played such a pivotal role in the advancement of women’s education in this country.
Our Present
Wycombe Abbey is an exceptional place; it operates as a modern full boarding school for 650 girls, and we are committed to the development of each one. Built on the firm foundation of over 125 years of educating young women, we are committed to encouraging curiosity, bold ideas, innovation, leadership and delight in learning –inside and outside the classroom.
While we support pupils to achieve excellent public examination results and to progress to impressive universities in the UK and overseas, we encourage them to enjoy all that is on offer at Wycombe Abbey and to be fully engaged in the School community. Boarding is at the heart of the Wycombe Abbey experience and pupils live in one of 11 boarding houses – each with their own distinctive history and colour. There are two horizontal houses for our oldest and youngest girls (UIII and UVI) and nine senior mixed age houses for pupils aged 12-17.
This arrangement mirrors a girl’s journey through the School, from the wraparound care of Junior House to the independence of Clarence where the Upper Sixth live in individual ‘houses’ of 10, order provisions using the budget they are given, cook for themselves and do their own laundry, providing them with a pre-university experience.
As a school with a global reach, we are international in outlook and we actively encourage understanding and genuine respect through appreciation of different cultures. Our aim is to enable pupils’ growth and development so that they leave us as confident, articulate, independent young women who are able to navigate a competitive, global, technology-driven world successfully, but who also have the qualities and the desire to make a positive difference through the lives they live.
Vision, Aims, Ethos and Values
Our Vision
To be at the forefront of girls’ boarding education and recognised globally as a world-class school.
Our Aims
Our aims link directly back to our founder, Dame Frances Dove, and to our Church of England foundation:
• 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.
Our Ethos
Wycombe Abbey fosters a culture of excellence underpinned by a strong, supportive, and richly diverse boarding community. We deliver an exceptional experience for girls, enabling them to reach their full potential through the cultivation of academic and personal skills, talents and character. Trust, encouragement and mutual respect, values emphasised by our founder, Dame Frances Dove, are at the heart of our ethos and we promote a sense of belonging through the deeply embedded House system. We believe that Wycombe Abbey pupils will be the leaders of tomorrow who will shape the future through their lives of responsibility and service.
Our Values
Trust – We foster strong relationships built on trust through good communication, willingness to listen and honesty.
Encouragement – We promote a positive atmosphere where all members of the community are supported to develop and fulfil their potential.
Mutual Respect – We seek to understand and embrace differences in people, ideas and experiences with tolerance and understanding.
Excellence – We believe in the importance of striving to be exceptional in whatever we do through the setting of ambitious goals and taking ownership of our decisions and actions.
Balance – We understand the importance of supporting staff and pupils to thrive by maintaining a healthy mind and body.
Dynamism – We are a forward-thinking school that nurtures the leaders of tomorrow for a global workplace.
Innovation – We are excited about creating the future through being openminded, curious and embracing change.
Service – We recognise the great rewards that individuals reap in helping, supporting and giving to others both within the School community and beyond it.
Our Strategy
To achieve our vision we have identified four strategic priorities: 2025 – 2030 1 2 3 4
World-Class
Boarding Education Community and Culture
Global Impact and Future Focus Stewardship and Growth
World-Class Boarding Education
What does success look like:
To be the leading girls’ boarding school in the UK and recognised as one of the top boarding schools in the world based on the outstanding, holistic education we offer where each girl is known, guided, cared for and encouraged as an individual.
Priorities
• Deliver excellence through inspirational teaching and enrichment opportunities inside and outside the classroom within an outstanding physical environment.
• Provide individualised care which supports and promotes physical and mental health and wellbeing, enabling every girl to flourish and fulfil her potential.
• Develop our cross-curricular and co-curricular offer further with a focus on adapting the timetable to enable pupil choice and meaningful engagement.
How will we achieve these?
We will:
• share and develop best practice within and across academic departments based on current pedagogical research, with specific reference to how girls learn;
• encourage critical thinking, complex problem-solving and development of communication skills;
• redefine and enhance the roles of Housemistress and Tutor to ensure that every girl is known as an individual at each stage of her School life;
• engage in frequent and meaningful communication with parents about their daughter’s progress and development;
• improve use of data to inform how staff support each pupil inside and outside the classroom;
• devise a programme of electives in curricular and co-curricular programmes at all key stages;
• extend academic reading and enrichment in all subjects, supported by ongoing investment in library spaces across the School;
• improve Sixth Form study and social spaces;
• continue to ensure the highest standards of safeguarding across the School;
• enhance wellbeing spaces and develop links across key areas (sport, health, Learning Enhancement, nutrition, counselling, PSHE teaching, Chapel) so that pupil needs are met effectively;
• introduce formal weekly staff/pupil meals in the Main School Dining Hall to develop relationships across year groups and provide additional opportunity for personal interaction;
• strengthen opportunities for pupils to develop fluency in oracy including dialogue and debate via participation in MUN, Debating Society, LAMDA lessons and other initiatives;
• complete Phase One of the Estates Masterplan and continue to improve other spaces across the School, including two significant capital projects – the Innovation and Design Centre and the new Junior Boarding House;
• develop a comprehensive programme to support neurodiverse pupils and staff to enable optimum performance in all aspects of School life; and
• engage in regular self-assessment, benchmarking and environment scanning to support good decision making at all levels.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 2
Community and Culture
What does success look like:
A highly supportive school community rooted in our stated values with involved pupils, staff, Seniors, parents and former parents who are actively engaged with the School’s vision, aims and ethos and who contribute to it in meaningful ways.
Priorities
• Promote a culture of service and contribution across the School, fostering cohesiveness and bringing people together to build a strong, respectful, positive community.
• Proactively communicate the character and distinctiveness of the School internally and externally, highlighting the value of a Wycombe Abbey education in its broadest sense in addition to academic achievement.
• Encourage an ongoing culture of learning and development through a wide range of professional development opportunities for staff.
How will we achieve these?
We will:
• deepen links between the Governing Council and departments across the School through Link Governors and increase other opportunities for regular, informal contact with Council members;
• create a parent network through a series of well-planned events which span year groups as well as the Houses and continues beyond their daughter’s time at Wycombe Abbey;
• focus on Alumnae engagement and connecting the global community of Wycombe Abbey Seniors to each other and to current pupils;
• continue to develop relationships with local primary and secondary schools and extend opportunities for service available for pupils at all stages of their School life;
• improve awareness of our bursary programme proactively celebrating the positive impact of a diverse pupil body in the School community;
• further enhance engagement through wellwritten, targeted communications that are informative and relevant for their audience;
• ensure that Chapel remains at the heart of the School, physically and metaphorically, and is a warm and welcoming space for those of all faiths and none;
• develop the School’s archive material and celebration of the School’s history and heritage with a particular focus on the 130th anniversary;
• introduce an annual pupil survey led by the Head Girl Team to ensure pupil voice is heard and valued and further develop pupil-led initiatives;
• adopt a recruitment approach which attracts staff who clearly share the School’s values and stated ethos and contribute positively to it;
• develop career ‘pathways’ for teaching and support staff and offer a wide variety of opportunities for professional development;
• readily recognise staff and pupil accomplishments and celebrate these internally; and
• continue to embed a coaching culture where autonomy and responsibility are encouraged among staff and pupils.
Global Impact and Future Focus
What does success look like:
A future-focused School whose pupils are well prepared for, and excited about, making a positive difference through global opportunities, innovative use of technology and a dynamic approach to careers and higher education which is tailored to meet the individual aspirations of each girl.
Priorities
• Provide outstanding higher education support which dovetails with our School-wide careers programme.
• Establish an exciting Global Links Programme to give staff and pupils meaningful opportunities to develop global perspectives and cultural understanding.
• Further embed existing technology in all areas of School life and harness the benefits of emerging technologies.
How will we achieve these?
We will:
• provide a best-in-class higher education offer through staff expertise, specific tailored advice for pupils and parents, and strong relationships with institutions, tracking pupils through their journey and beyond;
• implement a specific leadership programme for girls throughout the School;
• create a new Careers Hub in the heart of the School and unify careers under a single umbrella brand which is integrated across the curriculum and includes work experience/shadowing opportunities which are bespoke to each girl;
• equip girls with practical skills and financial acumen to prepare them for later life through a series of formal and informal lessons and provide opportunities to study and exercise entrepreneurial leadership;
• further expand real-world opportunities for girls through trips, business competitions and other experiential learning opportunities;
• utilise the wealth of experience and knowledge across our community, including that of our Governing Council, our parents and Wycombe Abbey Seniors, to strengthen the global network for the benefit of our pupils now and in the future;
• network with schools worldwide and build a specific programme of visits, exchanges and secondments for pupils and staff;
• achieve Microsoft Showcase Status and increase the number of Microsoft Innovative Educators in all teaching departments;
• explore the effects and advantages of machine learning and establish and embed a clear AI approach which is flexible and can adapt to the fastpaced, constantly evolving digital environment; and
• continue to embed digital skills and promote healthy technology habits with a focus on social media and emerging research on its relationship to wellbeing.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 4
Stewardship and Growth
What does success look like:
A thriving UK school with a growing family of Wycombe Abbey schools internationally, underpinned by good stewardship of resources and a strong culture of philanthropy which supports our strategic aims, assisted by excellent internal and external communications.
Priorities
• Continue to attract able girls to Wycombe Abbey with a highly compelling educational offer supported by an outstanding admissions process.
• Increase the number of Wycombe Abbey campuses overseas and build an interconnected family of Wycombe Abbey schools internationally.
• Effectively steward our relationships and develop and grow alternative streams of income through greater utilisation of the School site.
How will we achieve these?
We will:
• develop strong relationships with a wide range of prep schools through visits, networking events and activities for prospective pupils and parents;
• create a new website that captures the spirit of Wycombe Abbey and effectively shares relevant information;
• work with our current partners and seek new partners as appropriate to develop the Wycombe Abbey family of schools globally;
• ensure our operational model is cost-effective, efficient and makes the best use of resources;
• grow our endowment fund within the Wycombe Abbey Foundation so that we can sustain our bursary provision and other strategic objectives over the long term;
• broaden access to Wycombe Abbey through a long-term bursary programme which supports 10% of the pupil body;
• embed a positive approach to philanthropy and development of a donor stewardship programme which recognises all donors appropriately;
• increase non-core income through increased lettings and on-site commercial activity;
• ensure consistent branding and messaging across and within the Wycombe Abbey community and emphasise the part that all staff have to play in marketing the School;
• develop a philosophy of sustainability founded on our values to help guide future decision-making; and
• continue to pursue our ambitious long-term masterplan to deliver a truly world-class campus;
A La st Word
“Miss Dove, her supporters in founding the school, Lord Shelburne, and the outstanding members of the Carrington family have fundamentally much in common. They had each [a] vision far ahead of their time and they were moved by an idealism which was expressed in public service. Their legacy to the school of the present and the future is to be seen in the grounds and buildings; their legacy is also in the realm of the spirit – an example set in originality and vigour of mind, unshaken courage, and high principles. A goodly heritage has been handed on from one generation to another.”
Extract taken from ‘From One Generation to Another’ written by Miss Walpole Headmistress of Wycombe Abbey (1948-1961)
