Summer Success.
3 July 2023 - Barry
It is fair to say that I am one incredibly proud Housemistress. From the very beginning of the year Barry girls have been a bundle of energy. The sound of laughter, camaraderie and joy is forever present throughout the House and I can honestly say that there is a special place in my heart for every Barry pupil. This year, Barry girls quickly found their feet, building on their friendships both within the House and across the wider School. They have worked incredibly hard throughout the year, have thrown themselves into new challenging pursuits and have learnt that sometimes, the thought of doing something is often worse than actually doing it!
It certainly has been a memorable second half of the Summer Term. Funals, Dove Day, GlastonAbbey. Barry House was placed second in House cricket despite a few of our players missing, Second House Tennis team came second and on Sports day they excelled – placed third overall with our Juniors (UIII, LIV and UIV) being outstanding. Notable performances by Flo, Evie C, Tess E, Anna, Ayomide, Clelia, Marta and all the relay teams (UIII, LIV, UIV and LV). All of this recent success was not enough to push us further up the overall sports shield ranking, leaving the girls feeling a little baffled about their 9th place finish and echoes of “we were robbed” being heard throughout the House.
This term we also saw Tess E, Flo, Evie C and Anna participating in multiple Athletics competitions, including regional rounds and regional A finals, where their Junior team came 5th overall. In the regional round, they scored 309 points for Wycombe Abbey, and in the final they earned 314. Some highlights of the season include; Evie running 14.26 seconds in 100m sprints, Tess throwing 23.41m in Discus, Anna running 15.8 seconds in hurdles and Flo throwing 24.27m in Javelin. Well done – girls! The future of athletics looks bright.
Daisy, Tess ML, Morade, Abila, Leanna, Eva, Abbey and Clelia entertained us at GlastonAbbey with exceptional performances on stage. We are looking forward to Rock Soc and Battle of the Bands next year. Well done girls.
LV Play
Our LV House play was the exhilarating culmination of months of hard work and dedication. This was also the first year that House plays had returned following the pandemic and so the anticipation was high.
Our script was researched and written by Leanna, Abila and Estelle and chronicled the life of Noor Inayat Khan, a WW2 British resistance agent, and her partner Virginia Hall, played in that order by Priyasha and Morade. Everyone held a key role in the play with Leanna and Sophie as directors and Tess the producer. Daisy, Chloe, Imogen, Abila, Estelle, Tess and Camille’s supporting roles were also crucial to the plot an performance. Furthermore, although not seen on stage, our play could not have taken place without the diligence (and humour) of our technical crew Annabelle and Sophia. Yet, the final thank you must go to the drama department (especially Mr Harrington and Mr Grace) for organising and managing this and Ms Hurribunce for her continuous support.
This opportunity was a fascinating insight not only into Drama, but also how to work together as a team and overcome disagreements. We hope that the next year’s plays will be just as interesting and that the future LVs will enjoy the experience as much as we did!
Priyasha & Tess ML
UIV Practice DoE Session
On the 28th of June, we had the opportunity to do our DofE practice expedition. Some of us were a bit nervous to embark on the walk but we really started to enjoy ourselves after a few hours. Barry had 2 groups of 5 who were led by Miss Strange and Miss Clarke. I was anxious about going on the expedition as I have not had much experience in hiking, however, I must admit that I had a lot of fun with my group. Although we went a bit off track, we entertained ourselves within our group with activities such as singing Disney songs, stopping at a few playgrounds and even returning 2 shopping trolleys to their homes! This experience really gave us an insight into what the real DofE expedition would be like, and we are all looking forward to it in September.
Abbey UIV
Farewells
Sadly, we will be saying goodbye to Anisiya (UV) and Mrs Clarkes (Domestic Staff). Anisya returns home to Russia after being in England since she was eight years old. We wish her all the best in the Sixth Form and beyond. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for all that she has done for the House and School. She will be missed. Mrs Clarke has been at Wycombe since 2010 and has helped to maintain the upkeep of the House. The girls and staff will miss you. Enjoy the next phase of your life in Norfolk. All the best.
As they finish they look forward to their final year at Wycombe Abbey; Evie, Tilly, Marta, Abigail, Yau Yau, Wei and Honey moving across the bank to Clarence . To each and every one of you I would like to wish you lots of luck and happiness.
It is a real pleasure to me to be able to say a huge thank you to Team Barry, the House would not function without the support of Miss Clarke, Mrs Tarpey, Mrs Couzens, all the tutors, domestic staff, Mr Kermode and Miss Flavin – they are a huge asset to both the girls and me.
Finally – Growth Mindset message continues.
I reminded the girls that their skills and abilities are not set in stone. Just as the mighty oak tree grows from a tiny acorn, their talents will start small but they have the potential to grow huge.
Have a can do, attitude and give every opportunity a go. I have urged them all to learn from their mistakes and practice to get better. ‘Love your mistakes and love yourself.’
Enjoy the summer break with your daughter and if you want to spend a little bit of time thinking about how to prepare for next year, I recommend that you listen to the sleep podcast with your daughter- sleeping habits by Dr Michael Mosley. I have been encouraging the girls to develop better habits, an important way to be our best selves.
BBC Sounds – Just One Thing – with Michael Mosley – Available Episodes
BBC Radio 4 – Just One Thing – with Michael Mosley
