Airlie – Autumn Term 1

16 October 2026 - Airlie

We started the year with the usual busyness of settling back into the House and welcoming new students into our Airlie family. There is always a wonderful sense of excitement at the start of a new academic year as friendships are formed, routines are re-established, and the House quickly fills with energy and laughter once again. It has been lovely to see both new and returning girls embracing life in Airlie and making the most of all that the term has had to offer.

This term was particularly special as Dr Tsaknaki returned from her maternity leave, accompanied by her daughter, Ismene, who has already won the hearts of the Airlie community. We are all convinced that she is destined to become an Airlie girl one day. It has been wonderful to welcome Dr Tsaknaki back and to share in this exciting new chapter for her family.

This year has also marked the beginning of the School’s 130th anniversary celebrations, an important milestone in the history of Wycombe Abbey. The term began with a moving Service of Thanksgiving at Southwark Cathedral, providing an opportunity for the whole community to reflect on the School’s rich heritage and achievements over the past 130 years. The following day, celebrations continued with the Colour Fun Run, which brought students and staff together for an energetic and memorable event. The atmosphere was fantastic, and it was a wonderful way to launch what promises to be a very special anniversary year.

The girls also thoroughly enjoyed Founders’ Day. The celebrations began with a special Chapel service led by the Bishop, giving everyone the chance to reflect on the values and traditions that continue to shape the School today. This was followed by a traditional fairground and afternoon tea on Midget Pitch. The combination of games, treats, and spending time together outdoors made for a truly enjoyable afternoon. It was wonderful to see girls from across the year groups relaxing, socialising, and embracing the spirit of the occasion.

During the Activity Days, our Upper IV girls participated in a residential trip that provided plenty of opportunities for personal growth, teamwork, and adventure. They took part in a variety of team-building activities, including high ropes challenges, which pushed many of them outside their comfort zones. The girls demonstrated impressive resilience and determination as they tackled each challenge, encouraging one another every step of the way. They also visited the Space Centre, which proved to be both educational and inspiring. The trip was a huge success, and all the girls returned with plenty of stories to share. I was particularly impressed by the way they supported one another throughout the visit, showing great team spirit and bravery while cheering on their friends.

The Lower V girls successfully completed their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze expedition this term. They were incredibly fortunate to enjoy such lovely weather for the occasion, particularly given that the practice expedition had to be cancelled during the Summer Term due to soaring temperatures. The expedition challenged the girls both physically and mentally and required them to demonstrate independence, perseverance, and teamwork. Upon their return, it became very clear just how much energy they had expended over the course of the weekend. They slowly made their way up the stairs and were more than grateful to be reunited with their beds. I do not think I have ever seen a group of girls drift off to sleep quite so quickly. Despite their exhaustion, they were rightly proud of what they had achieved and should be congratulated on their efforts.

One of the highlights of the term was undoubtedly the Upper IV House Dance performance on 9 October. After many evenings spent rehearsing and perfecting their routine in the Airlie Drawing Room, the girls were finally ready to take to the stage. House Dance is always a significant event, requiring commitment, teamwork, and plenty of perseverance, and this year’s group certainly rose to the challenge. I was incredibly impressed by their teamwork, the precision of their formations, and the confidence with which they performed. Special mention must go to Sibella and Inara for their brilliant cartwheels, which certainly added an extra element of excitement to the performance. The rest of the House showed fantastic support by creating posters and cheering enthusiastically throughout. We were all immensely proud of the girls and the hard work they had put into delivering such an entertaining performance.

Weekends in Airlie have been particularly fun-filled this half term. I am always delighted to see how many girls choose to remain in House and make the most of the wide range of activities on offer. Weekend life plays an important role in creating a strong sense of community within the House, and it is lovely to see girls spending time together across different year groups. Of course, the popular weekend hampers continue to be a major attraction. So far this term, the girls have enjoyed ice cream sundaes, charcuterie boards, and popcorn movie nights, all of which have been enthusiastically received.

More recently, we have also settled into the routine of watching episodes of Celebrity Traitors together on Saturday evenings. The suspense has been building with each episode, and the discussions afterwards have been almost as entertaining as the programme itself. Unsurprisingly, this has inspired many of the girls to begin planning for the return of our traditional game of Mafia, which will start again after the Long Leave break. It will be interesting to see who emerges as the most convincing detective or the most successful secret Mafia member.

Our Lower IV Airlie girls have also been extremely busy preparing their Guy for Guy Fawkes celebrations. As in past years, the brief was for the Guy to be themed around the House colour, and the girls quickly settled on the ambitious idea of creating Curious George. Bringing their vision to life has involved large balloons, an impressive amount of papier-mâché, masking tape, paint, and, most importantly, a great deal of creativity and teamwork. I have been absolutely amazed by how well the project has come together so far.

The girls have shown remarkable attention to detail, regularly checking online images to ensure that their Curious George creation is as accurate as possible. They have worked collaboratively, shared ideas, solved problems and have been enjoying the process. Unsurprisingly, they have also managed to create a considerable amount of mess along the way! Watching their enthusiasm and commitment has been a real pleasure, and I am very much looking forward to seeing the finished product.

As we reach the end of another busy and successful half term, I am reminded once again what a special place Airlie is. Whether through performances, expeditions, celebrations, creative projects, or simply spending time together in House, the girls continue to demonstrate kindness, enthusiasm, and a genuine sense of community. I am incredibly proud of everything they have achieved this term and look forward to seeing what the rest of the year has in store for our Airlie family.