Autumn Term 2
11 December 2025 - Shelburne
Encouragement
Encouragement is strong among the Shelburne girls. They build each other up and push one another to try new things and grow their comfort zones. This half term has provided many opportunities for House Spirit. The UIV worked brilliantly as a team in preparation for the annual House Dance Competition, and our musicians came together to form a band for the House Ensemble competition, showcasing their exceptional talent and musicianship across an eclectic range of instruments.
“In the months of October and November, we (UIV Shelburne) had six weeks to prepare for the house dance competition, including choosing and choreographing to a song of our choice. Our theme was ‘movies’ and we all decided on doing ‘I wanna party’ from Rio. We had rehearsals on Monday and Friday evenings, where we practiced and came up with new choreography. We all enjoyed the performance (and preparation) thoroughly, having fun dancing together and supporting the rest of our year group. Overall, this was an amazing bonding experience for us, showing that if we all worked together, we can do great things. In the end, our hard work paid off as we ended up placing third overall!“ – Muji
Mutual Respect
In a close-knit boarding environment, creating an inclusive community where every girl feels accepted and valued is central to our work. In Shelburne this half term, the LVI pupils have introduced several initiatives and activities to promote kindness and mutual respect.
“For Anti-Bullying Week, every dorm was matched up with one of a similar size and given the task to write a kindness note to each person in the other dorm. There were some really lovely and creative messages with drawings and jokes. The Prefect Team also organised a Candy Cane initiative, where you write a message on a candy cane to someone and it is delivered to them. Every girl in School was randomly allocated another girl to write a candy cane message to, and received one in return. I am very excited to go around delivering each note in my Christmas outfit!”- Zara
Trust
In a boarding environment, where girls live, learn, and grow together away from home, a strong sense of trust ensures that every individual feels safe, respected, and supported. This half term, Prim, Ameera, Ava and Lydia have represented the views of Shelburne pupils and their respective year groups at School Council.
In September, I was honoured to be elected by my peers as the LVI School Council Representative for 2025-2026. This responsibility has allowed me to express the ideas and aspirations of my year group whilst also contributing my own thoughts and concerns to our School community. Throughout this first academic term, many students have approached me with their ideas and suggestions, and I have listed down every comment ready for our termly school council meeting. I have really enjoyed this role as it strengthens new relationships and encourages communication, responsibility, and accountability, whilst also developing collaborative skills with staff and other representatives. I value the trust my peers have placed in me, and I will make it a priority to ensure everyone’s voices are heard. – Prim
Excellence
The Shelburne girls are encouraged to set ambitious goals, hold themselves to high standards and take ownership of their actions. Their achievements across a plethora of skills inspires them to strive for excellence in all that they do. For the UV, this half term has been dominated by mock exams. Their positive attitudes, thorough preparations and encouragement of one another has blown me away. The week before the exams took place, the girls enjoyed a takeaway treat and film evening in House.
In total, the Shelburne girls have achieved 907 commendations for their hard work in their subjects. This puts us in a strong position to finish in podium position for the Commendation Shield again this year! Huge congratulations to Alexandra, who is one of only a handful of pupils to have received a Head’s Commendation this term. This is a prestigious award granted for outstanding work.
Service
I have been repeatedly struck by the selfless instincts of the Shelburne girls to look beyond themselves and consider how they can give back to the community. As we approach the Christmas season, a time of giving, it seems fitting to reflect on their acts of service this half term. At the beginning of November, we celebrated Bonfire Night with the annual firework display and charity stall fair.
“At the Shelburne stall, girls participated in face painting, darts, and the classic ‘guess the number of sweets in a jar’ game. Preparation was challenging, but support from other girls in the community was invaluable. The enthusiastic volunteers ensured the stall ran smoothly, making the night a memorable success, and we raised approximately £370 for our school charities. Young Deaf Activities supports young deaf and deafblind people, while Build on Books is a volunteer organisation in Sierra Leone focused on community development through borehole construction and education. I offer a large thank you to the following girls for volunteering and helping with the setup, running, and closing the stall: Flora, Milly, Isabella, Neeva, Angela, Kata, Carolina, Alexandra, Clara, Viki, Chrissie, Penney, Jennifer, Veeva, Monique, Zara, Ameera, Essie, Annabelle, Anjola, Belle, Isolda, Emilie, Prim, Midge, Nate, Ava, Nelly, Zoe and everyone who contributed.”- Stella
Read about the charity work that Claire and Izzy have been involved with:
“This half term I’ve been volunteering remotely with Girls in Motion, a charity dedicated to creating opportunities for women and girls of all abilities to participate in squash. My work has included producing graphs and visuals from survey data, as well as helping to design posters and flyers for events. A highlight was joining one of their Girls Meets in person, where I took part in a variety of activities and matches. It has been a rewarding experience, allowing me to develop new skills in Excel, data analysis, and social media, while contributing to a cause that empowers young women through sport.”- Claire
“Every Saturday I go to Gerrards Cross to volunteer in the local Oxfam shop. I usually help out with displays and sorting donated items such as clothing and books. I really enjoy it because it gives me a sense of accomplishment knowing that I’m supporting a charity and a good cause. It is also really nice to work with and meet new people every time I’m there. I think volunteering is a great experience and a really good way of contributing to your local community, and I would really encourage everyone to do this if they have time!- Izzy
Balance
Taking time to relax and pursue co-curricular pastimes is an important part of boarding life. This half term the school enjoyed a period of no prep to mark Reading Week. Girls were encouraged to use their additional time to get lost in a new book and attend workshops from visiting authors. Some of the Shelburne girls enjoyed rediscovering their favourite classic bedtime stories. They read ‘Each Peach Pear Plum’, ‘The Tiger that came to tea’, ‘Giraffes Can’t Dance’ among others!
“Reading Week was filled with creativity and fun across Shelburne House and the school. The UIVs enjoyed inspiring author talks and workshops with Sue Wallman, while quizzes in tutor time and in Shelburne tested girls on everything from poetry to opening lines of classic novels. Libraries hosted craft sessions for bookmark making and cosy reading in Fisher Library with hot chocolate. In House, we held cosy reading and bobble hat making nights, and members of Shelburne delighted everyone by reading favourite childhood classics aloud before bed.”– Claire
Our budding chefs enjoyed baking and decorating cookies for the Inter-house competition led by the Cookery Department. The judges graded the entries on appearance, taste and texture and our submission (pictured) won first prize! Thank you to all the girls that got involved and helped us win the £50 voucher to spend on baking equipment for the House.
Alexandra competed in her first Junior Polo tournament this half term. It was a close fought match but her team came out victorious with a 7-6 win.
Dynamism
Dynamism is about embracing new opportunities with courage, energy and initiative. This half term there have been countless examples of Shelburne girls putting themselves out there and embracing opportunities for growth.
Public speaking is a skill that many of the Shelburne girls have been keen to develop this half term. Seven Shelburne girls have started attending the Debating Society this year, and Veeva, Jennifer and Iris took part in their first competition last week. Penney and Chrissie have started attending Model United Nations Society this term. Simulating the United Nations, this club requires pupils to complete a deep-dive into geo-politics and debate from the perspective of the delegation they represent.
“Recently, I’ve had the chance to attend MUN conferences at RGS Guildford and Benenden Schools. My committee was DISEC (Disarmament and International Security) and we tackled topics like private military companies and cyberwarfare. After researching how my assigned country would realistically respond, and taking into consideration their political stance, I had to defend that position in debate while also negotiating with others to amend and pass resolutions. MUN is intense at first, but once you get into the rhythm, it becomes challenging and exciting. Through participating in MUN, I have picked up skills that go beyond the classroom. Public speaking is the obvious one as I had to stand up and argue my points in front of a room full of people, which pushed me out of my comfort zone. I also learned how to negotiate and compromise, since passing resolutions depends on building alliances and finding common ground. Research and critical thinking were huge too, as cyberwarfare is a complex issue that made me consider political, technological, and ethical aspects all at once.”– Chrissie
“Model United Nations has been such an eye-opening experience. Walking into my first conference felt daunting, but very quickly I realised how supportive and collaborative the atmosphere is. I have to say, I haven’t always managed to keep up with global news as much as I would have liked, so MUN has been a brilliant way to change that. Instead of just reading headlines, I’ve had to research issues in depth, debate them with others, and learn how decisions are shaped on an international scale. Preparing resolutions, negotiating in committees, and representing different countries has pushed me to grow in confidence and think critically under pressure. I’d definitely recommend MUN to anyone curious about international affairs or simply wanting to challenge themselves in a new way. It’s not just about debating – it’s about building friendships, learning diplomacy, and discovering how young people can engage with the world. The conferences were intense but extremely rewarding, and I’m already looking forward to the next one!”- Penney
In 2024, Wycombe Abbey launched an exchange programme with schools in Sydney and Perth, Australia. This Academic Year, the programme has been expanded to include an opportunity with Greenwich Academy, Connecticut. These incredible opportunities enable pupils to immerse themselves in a new education system and culture, and to expand their network of friends across the world. The trip is open to Lower V pupils and involves a rigorous application process. Pupils are required to complete a detailed application form, and following this, those shortlisted are interviewed by senior members of staff.
We are so proud of Emmy and Nelly, who have both been selected for exchange programmes this year. Emmy is currently out in Connecticut with her exchange partner, Charlotte, and we look forward to hearing all about it when she returns. Nelly will be heading off to Perth in March, and we will have their partners over to stay with us in June!
Innovation
This half term, Anjola, Eloise and Ivanka have all shown innovation in their learning and embraced opportunities for new experiences and skills. Anjola has been designing a car!
“In STEM Racing, formerly known as F1 for Schools, we’ve been having sessions every Tuesday evening to design our brand and car. My brand is called InterEngine. We came up with this name in the second session and aimed to combine connectivity and teamwork with the physical aspect of building the actual car. Within our team of five we have different roles, and I am co-Manufacturing Engineer, which means that I work mainly with CAD (Computer Aided Design). Recently, we have been learning how to use Autodesk fusion to build a typical F1 Race car. The teachers have been very helpful within the past few sessions because this software is quite new to most of us so it’s always nice to have some help. Next, we will be working on how to personalize our cars with our logos and brand colours, modify them so that they stand out from others and make sure that they line up with the STEM Racing regulations.“- Anjola
“In Long Leave, I was offered a three-day work experience opportunity with Euronext, a European stock exchange. I learnt about financial markets, visited various financial global companies around the City of London, and held an interactive panel with female high-profile industry professionals. I was struck by the variety of roles that finance has to offer, and the diversity of backgrounds that the people we met had. I also enjoyed experiencing the London work environment and have taken away a lot of knowledge about the world of finance, as well as useful CV and career advice. I am very grateful for this insightful experience and would highly recommend any sixth former who is curious about finance to apply for it.”- Eloise
“I have applied for the Pioneer Research Program, which is a highly selective research program that connects students with university professors across a wide range of research areas. The application process was rigorous. I had to write ten short essays and an attend an interview to demonstrate my academic motivations. It was a valuable experience in preparation for university applications. I am excited to hear back from them after Christmas!” – Ivanka
“Zara, Candice and I are taking part in the Tycoon Competition, an entrepreneurial challenge that allows LVI to build and run their own business. This is a very rewarding chance for me to unravel the workings of a real business, giving me a first-hand understanding of all the operations. As an aspiring economics student, this event has taught me leadership, communication, and teamwork, which are key factors. This also bridges the gaps between theoretical economics textbook knowledge and real-world decision-making. With the help of my other teammates, we helped each other brainstorm ideas, conduct research on current market interests, and find potential suppliers. Further on in this project, we will start analysing cost payments and revenue streams, which are relevant skills linking to my interest in business strategies. This is an excellent experience for interested students to strengthen confidence and adaptability whilst working in timed conditions, and I am genuinely very excited to launch our product into the Wycombe Abbey market and beyond.” – Prim
