Shelburne’s Christmas Blog

15 December 2022 - Shelburne

Christmas is coming and Jack Frost has visited Daws Hill giving it a festive sparkle! The last few weeks of the Autumn Term are always such fun when you are involved in boarding and it has been a joy to celebrate the winter season with the girls and staff of Shelburne.

Our UV pupils have coped admirably with the mock examination period, we are very proud of their resilience and the motivation they have shown. These come at the end of a very successful academic term for all of our pupils – I am sure they will all be glad of a break over the holiday. Outside the classroom Shelburne girls continue to excel. This term we have been really enjoying House Games and the opportunities to come together as a team. Well done to all those who represented the House in our Swimming Funals, what a fantastic event with great support from pupils of all year groups! We all enjoyed seeing some of our musicians perform in the Whole School Carol Prac, they certainly got the crowd going and saw in the final weekend of term in style! Our Daws Hill Christmas Dinner was delicious, and our first ‘normal’ dinner since 2019! We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to socialise with the whole Daws Hill community and it was lovely to welcome members of the wider staff community Ella organised our Secret Santa which was a huge success. It showed the kindness within our pupils and is another wonderful example of girls coming together across the year groups.

The last night of term was a particular highlight, what a surprise to see Mrs Duncan, Rev Penny and a whole host of staff on stage in our staff panto! Under the guise of visiting the Wycombe Swan, pupils were not expecting to see their teachers, tutors and House staff dressed up and treading the boards in a very special Wycombe Abbey version of A Christmas Carol. It was a hugely enjoyable evening and one that will leave many memories with us. I know the staff had a fantastic time taking part, well done to them all for their hard work and dedication.

It has been such a joy to see all the new pupils settle into Wycombe Abbey life, they will certainly feel at home when they return in January. Below we hear from one of our new girls, Zara, about her first term below –

“When I first arrived at Shelburne, I was met with smiling faces and encouraging attitudes. I quickly settled in with so much support and was accustomed to life there within the first week. Everyone was so helpful, and I felt fully informed when my first day of school came about. I absolutely love the freedom and choices we have here, like carving pumpkins at Halloween or putting our chosen toppings on pizza. The Shelburne spirit and community includes anyone and everyone; there are so many happy moments and sweet gestures, for example, filling a bag with chocolate for each member of the House. I wouldn’t trade it for the world!”

Shelburne is, for so many, a ‘home away from home’, the House families and staff network offer support in difficult times, celebration in successful times, and company in quiet times. Spending time together before Christmas has highlighted this family feel and has allowed girls to leave on a positive note. The dorm feasts on the final Saturday of the term involved all dorms coming together to cook for each other and reflect on their time together. New friendships have been made, and I am grateful to the UV in their roles as ‘Head of Dorm’ as they have supported the younger girls and led by example. The new dorms will provide the chance to get to know someone new and to continue to foster those meaningful relationships that exist across year groups. It was a real treat to welcome the Clarence girls back to Shelburne to look at our Christmas decorations, they always speak so fondly of their time with us.

These holidays are a special time to cherish family, friends, pets, loved ones and taking time for yourself. After another busy term, I hope that everyone is able to make the most of some time away, and come back feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!