Chapel provides a spiritual element to the girls’ wellbeing both as a physical location, where girls know they can come to be quiet, think or pray in the course of the day or evening, and also as a source of spiritual teaching. The whole School meets in the Chapel twice a week for a short service led by the Chaplain or visiting speakers. The girls themselves also lead services regularly as a House group or society.

We also hold Evensong on Sundays with a range of outside speakers as well as Holy Communion during closed weekends.

The Chaplain is keen to support those of all religious traditions who wish to explore their faith. There are opportunities for girls to do this on a structured basis, including Anglican and Roman Catholic Confirmation, the ecumenical Christian Union, Jewish Society and the Islamic Society. The Chaplain is part of the pastoral provision of the School. He is available to pupils and their families to discuss any matters of concern, irrespective of a pupil’s personal faith.

At Wycombe Abbey, supporting the community, whether globally or closer to home, is an intrinsic part of School life under the Give Back initiative, which encompasses all the charitable activity at Wycombe Abbey. Some of the charities supported have been with us since the School’s foundation in 1896, whilst others are chosen by the girls themselves and co-ordinated by Charity Prefects. Our aim is to integrate charitable activity into the School curriculum, fostering in every girl an awareness of the needs of others.

Our Dove charities include Central Aid, based in High Wycombe; One Can Trust Foodbank, and the Melanesian Mission in the South Pacific. Wycombe Abbey has supported the work of the Melanesian Mission since the School was founded by Dame Francis Dove, working to improve education and access to Christianity in this remote region. Dame Frances Dove was one of the founders of Central Aid, which currently supports the poor in High Wycombe by providing and selling second-hand furniture and electrical appliances.

In addition, girls nominate and vote for School charities biennially. We are supporting Mary’s Meals and the Wycombe Refugee Partnership in High Wycombe between 2024 – 2026. Whole-School fundraising and individual House fundraising are a source of both great fun and donation for the chosen charities

Horizon, a local swimming club for disabled children, provides after-school sports clubs for children with physical disabilities and learning difficulties in the Buckinghamshire area. The weekly swimming sessions, hosted by Wycombe Abbey girls, develop the youngsters’ enjoyment of sport and their physical and social skills.

Our food is attractively presented with a wide range of options throughout the day, and those with special dietary requirements are catered for at every meal. Girls learn about healthy eating habits in the Wellbeing curriculum, and the PE department and Health and Wellbeing Centre advise on sports nutrition. Our Food Committee provides an opportunity for girls to discuss catering arrangements and to feed back on the most or least popular dishes.

Our Main School Dining Room (MSDR) caters for all girls during lunch. For breakfast and supper, Houses closest to the main school eat in the MSDR, whilst Houses located further away from the main school have dedicated facilities.  In Clarence, girls can choose whether they wish to cook for themselves in their house kitchens or eat at The Courtyard Café. Our café is open throughout the day and is a space where girls can eat, work, socialise and entertain parents and visitors.

Every day at break and tea time girls gather in their Houses or in the dining room for home-baked treats and snacks. Tutors share meal times with the girls as much as possible – ‘Tutor Teas’ are always popular. Older girls regularly participate in more formal lunches and suppers with visiting speakers.

Every week there are informal activities such as DVD nights, birthday celebrations and smoothie making. The younger years have ‘Early Beds’ a few nights a week where they spend time before bed with a member of house staff to reflect on the day and enjoy hot chocolate. Each House also has many fun events like ‘Dorm Feasts’ and House outings to the cinema, restaurants and boat trips throughout the term.

The many House competitions develop a vibrant House spirit. Girls learn how to work as a team, overcome differences, develop resilience and ultimately deepen friendships. There’s an inter-house competition for every girl, whether it is the sporting competitions at the end of each term, the music competition, the spelling bee, the debating competition or the Inter-House cup stacking challenge.

The LIV Guy competition for our annual bonfire night is especially popular, as is our UIV inter-house dance competition. Perhaps most popular of all is the LV play competition where the girls are given a theme, and take responsibility for devising the set, producing, directing and marketing.

Two weekends a term are ‘Closed Weekends’ (when girls stay at School), and special events are organised for the whole school community. These have ranged from ice skating with an ice rink brought on-site to outings to the theatre.

Every weekend is packed with leisure opportunities for the girls to relax and enjoy life with their friends. Almost all the activities are included in the school fees and there is plenty of choice for each age group, both on and off site. Some of our recent weekend activities have included trips to Thorpe Park, the Harry Potter Studio Tour, ice skating, an outdoor cinema evening, camping and the annual funfair on-site.

Socials are an integral part of life at Wycombe Abbey and we have well-established links with Eton College, Winchester College, Harrow School and the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe. Dinner parties, discos and informal ceilidhs are regular events. Yearly highlights include the Burns’ Night Ball organised by our Caledonian Society with Eton College and the Summer Ball with the Royal Grammar School, both formal yet fun events.

Wycombe Abbey wants parents to feel part of our School life. There are many whole school activities for parents and extended families to enjoy together with the girls. Annual highlights include bonfire night with fireworks to music, and Dove Day, which incorporates an athletics competition, marquees for picnic lunches by House group, summer concerts and entertaining activities. Parents are invited to attend the Lecture Series curated by the Headmistress, and join us to watch termly concerts, plays, dance shows and weekly sports fixtures, both on and off site. Throughout the year parents and girls are invited to black tie House Dinners, drinks receptions and summer BBQs held in the School grounds.