Wycombe High School

Wycombe High School is a girls' grammar school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. It is an Academy, taking girls from the age of 11 through to the age of 18. The school has approximately 1,340 pupils,[2] and became an Academy in 2011.[3]

Wycombe High School
Address
Marlow Road

High Wycombe
,
Buckinghamshire
,
HP11 1TB

England
Coordinates51.6196°N 0.7626°W / 51.6196; -0.7626
Information
TypeAcademy Grammar school
MottoFortiter, Fideliter, Feliciter (Courageously, Faithfully, Joyfully)
Established1901
SpecialistMathematics and Computing College
Department for Education URN136723 Tables
OfstedReports
HeadteacherSharon Cromie[1]
GenderGirls
Age11 to 18
Enrolment1348[1]
Houses
  • Austen
  • Brontë
  • Curie
  • Parks
  • Pankhurst
  • Nightingale
Colour(s)         Blue and Burgundy
Websitewww.whs.bucks.sch.uk

In September 2005, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) awarded the school specialist school status in Mathematics & Computing.[4]

History

The school was the first state grammar school for girls in Buckinghamshire when it opened in 1901 with eighteen pupils.[5]

In 1901, the school was housed in the Clock House in Frogmoor, High Wycombe. At that time, enrolment was 18 fee-paying pupils and three staff. Miss Mary Christie M.A. was the first headmistress.

The school moved to Benjamin Road in 1906 where it remained for 50 years, except for a time during the First World War when it was evacuated to the old grammar school so that Benjamin Road buildings could be used as a military hospital. By 1922 the school had 300 pupils and was rapidly expanding. The school acquired its status as a Voluntary Controlled Girl's Grammar School in 1944. By 1956 the number of girls wishing to attend the school was so great that the school moved again to new premises that were built at the present site on Marlow Hill.

It won the BBC Radio quiz show Top of the Form in 1959.[6]

Over the years, additional buildings have been added to the school - with Technology, Sport and Drama blocks being some of the latest additions. These were built to allow for the extra 300 pupils and staff that arrived when Lady Verney High School joined with Wycombe High in 1993. The most recent addition is a new music centre which opened in the summer term in 2015. The school houses a well-resourced library, conference facilities, and the school archive.[7]

Uniform and PE kit

Wycombe High School has a fairly strict uniform code, consisting of a blue, rever collared blouse, a coloured jumper (cobalt blue for years 7–9, burgundy for years 10 & 11) and either hipster trousers or a box-pleated skirt.

The PE is a black and blue nylon shirt, with a matching skirt/skort. The regulation hoodie is also required. Pupils are required to have black dance leggings, black tracksuit bottoms, black athletic shorts, hockey socks, shin pads, football boots, two pairs of trainers.

The uniform changed from a very traditional pale blue and white striped shirt and pleated navy skirt, to the current uniform in 2002, with a mixed response from pupils.

Curriculum

Subjects taught at Wycombe High School from Year 7 are: English, Maths, Science, Art, Spanish, History, Geography, French, Latin, Religious Studies, Physical Education, Drama and Technology (alternating between Graphics, Textiles and Food throughout the year). From September 2010, Wycombe High School introduced a new scheme where Year 9 pupils begin two chosen GCSEs. The pupils choose four GCSE subjects (two to start in Year 9, two to start in Year 10), as well as studying the compulsory core subjects—English Language, English Literature, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and a short course in Citizenship. In Year 9, pupils also take part in five "Enrichment Courses" of their choice, however this is being phased out so all GCSEs are sat in Year 11.

Notable former pupils
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gollark: A social media site is most useful if everyone you know is on it, or at least a decent fraction. Without people being there it is very hard to switch over.
gollark: Maybe the anticompetitiveness is an inevitable result of the network effects driving these sites.
gollark: Problem is, there aren't any more "public square"-y spaces which anyone actually *uses*, because the giant social media sites have pulled most traffic into their walled garden things.

References
  1. "Wycombe High School". Get information about schools. GOV.UK. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  2. "Schools Directory". Buckinghamshire County Council. Retrieved 2 August 2006.
  3. "Open academies map and schools submitting applications". Department for Education. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  4. "Specialist Schools Home". DfES. July 2006. Archived from the original on 3 August 2006. Retrieved 2 August 2006.
  5. "Project: The Wycombe High School Centre for the History of Girl's State Education". Grants Database. Heritage Lottery Fund. Archived from the original on 20 June 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  6. House, Marilyn. "Nightmares about gym". That'll Teach 'Em : What it was like. Channel 4. Archived from the original on 20 August 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. Slade, Joe (25 June 2005). "Bone has dream Wimbledon date". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  9. "COLTON, Gladys M.", in Who Was Who 1981–1990 (London: A. & C. Black, 1991, ISBN 0-7136-3336-0); online edition by Oxford University Press, December 2007
  10. "JAMIESON, Rt Rev. Penelope Ann Bansall". Who's Who 2008. A & C Black; online ed., Oxford University Press. 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
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