Wycombe High School

A mediocre at best 5 years at this school, from Year 7 to Year 11, filled with the constant threats of minor things such as being forced to sit outside in the rain/minus temperatures during breaktimes, behaviour points for coats not being put in lockers before lessons (god forbid!) and uniform checks before assemblies which included checking the waistbands of skirts to make sure they weren't rolled up. These are paired with a general disapproving of any kind of individualism, the shoving of propaganda about mental health down throats (in the form of droning assemblies/PSHEE sessions) without any kind of attempt to actually address the source of the problem (obviously the unbearable pressure and stigma around any grades that don't resemble the likes of 8s and 9s) as well as the bombarding of students by the likes of tests, projects, exams, homework and any other kind of assessment that members of staff could get their hands on, all with the objective of appeasing the fiery inferno that was senior members of staff, who demanded a constant stream of data about student's performance in order to top league tables and the Guardian's best schools guide. Since then, with the departure of the late headteacher, a lot of these members of staff have left the school due to their laughable and undying loyalty to said headteacher. Obviously there are a handful of exceptions to the rule, and I must admit, the teachers that are good are extremely good and pour their heart and soul into their teaching/support for their students. After having survived this hell, I was under the impression that it couldn't get much worse for my last two years in sixth form and that I should stay, as it was the most convenient option - I was wrong. There is a general sense of subpar teaching and numerous teachers simply lack the expertise in their subject to be able to teach it an A Level standard (this is due to them holding degrees in completely unrelated subjects and yet, for some baffling reason, still being in charge of Year 12 and Year 13 teaching). Although it may seem as though such a selective school, enforcing brutal academic rigour on its students, would be able to attract some of the best teachers, however the reality is that periods of substitute teachers/temporary teachers are far too frequent and long - there seems to be a revolving door when it comes to teacher retention. Subjects such as the sciences offer the prospect of a challenging and engaging course, but instead simply offer two years of hell, plagued with teachers that are simply unable to explain concepts in a comprehensible way, an overwhelming workload (where there is no attempt made to make the course slightly more digestible) and just a general over-complication of courses that are already difficult in nature. Of course, any attempt to express concerns over teaching is swiftly disregarded. I don't think I can fully articulate just how pathetic sixth form at Wycombe High School is, the fact that most courses were still teaching up until study leave is just the tip of the iceberg (although I recognise that this year was disrupted due to teaching strikes), but the entire situation is exacerbated by an overwhelming lack of support and the patronising nature of some members of staff who's only purpose is to make your time at sixth form even more agonising than it already is. If you somehow manage to survive all of this, make it to the university application stage and crank out a very rushed personal statement in between your minimum of three A Levels, compulsory extra subject in Year 12 (such as an EPQ, Further Maths AS Level or Gold DOFE) and your utterly pointless CASE programme in Year 12 which demands a very minimum of 100 hours of aimless activities (and which is not recognised by any sort of professional body - it's just specific to the school), congratulations. You will now have to deal with tutors simply refusing to write references and/or having to jump through hoops to get a correction to the under prediction of certain predicted grades, not before your concerns are pushed aside and you are told to aim lower by a school that preaches 'looking beyond'. I think that the overall message is to not be fooled by the shiny exterior projected by the school, a school that is so self-absorbed in its own image that it is actively failing the incredibly bright and hard working students that attend it.

There is too much pressure on the pupil, constantly making sure they get high grades or else they are sent to summer camp or pulled out of lesson for a talk. No indoor seating they are sent outside in the coldest of weathers.

Lack of subject choices, late system is dumb, teachers are rude, students are ignorant, they only care about grades, do not fully care for their students futures past their gcse, teachers favour kids who like their subjects and if you do not want to pursue and academic career you will get on well at the school because there are very few option for you

It is just a rubbish school. Lack of subject choices and so many gay people though it's meant to be a girls school. Strict uniform, teacher shortage and underfunded.