Senior School

‘�Bede’s�inspires�young�people�to�achieve�in�every�facet�of�their�educational�experience.�We�place�the�individual�and�their�passions�at�the�heart�of�what�we�do.’ Dr richard Maloney Headmaster

We place the development of values at the heart of school life. Young people need the opportunity to experiment, embrace responsibility, lead, succeed and, because we learn more from adversity, venture beyond where they are comfortable.

Pupils, teachers and parents all have roles to play in the Bede's community, and we encourage everyone to set their sights high.

Our aim is for each child to make an outstanding contribution in all aspects of their lives: in school, in the local community and the wider world.

We will do everything we can to make that happen.

Bede's inspires young people to achieve in every facet of their educational experience. We place the individual and their passions at the heart of what we do.

Our pupils are encouraged to go beyond their academic successes to develop as whole people. We engage them in pursuits that liberate their creativity and talents, revealing their pathways to future success.

Bede's philosophy of breadth and excellence in the academic curriculum as well as our range of cultural, aesthetic, intellectual and sporting activities outside the classroom serves our pupils' uniqueness very well. Most importantly, these enriching experiences are open to everyone and not just an elite few.

Education, if it is to be truly effective, should encourage every young person to participate and ensure that, as the whole person develops, the efforts of each individual are recognised and celebrated. For this reason, we personalise the educational experience for every one of our pupils, allowing them to pursue their individual passions.

B Dr richard MaloneyHeadmaster

We believe that exemplary schools enable excellence. Children are not made in a factory, and thus they are not all the same. Where one will revel in the study of mathematics, another will be happiest with a paintbrush in hand. A third soars highest when exploring the world of astrophysics. It is a recognition of this endless variety that underpins all we do.

This is a school where we celebrate, first and foremost, the cornerstone subjects. Aside from our very successful english and maths departments, our outstanding science facilities are some of the best in the region, boasting traditional laboratories, modern computer science suites and telescopes for night-time lessons.

We celebrate, too, the esoteric. There is no such thing as a typical Bede's student, for they are typical only in their differences. The creative subjects - art, drama, dance, music

- are not an afterthought, but rather are integral parts of the school curriculum.

At Bede’s, we mould the educational experience to suit children, not the other way around. With over 150 courses available, including Cambridge Pre-U classes, we stretch young people and enable them to develop specialisms, whether that be in practical subjects, languages, the humanities or elsewhere.

W Our ground-breaking collaboration with King's College London reflects the emphasis that we place on innovative, thoughtful teaching, teaching that encourages students at Bede's to be massively ambitious and hold nothing but the highest aspirations. We track and monitor our students in a continual and sophisticated manner, allowing us to set accurate, demanding targets and to strive, always, to raise the horizons of the young people with whom we work.

We believe that Bede's is a school that will help you achieve more, whatever your talent.

We believe that Bede's is an exemplary school.

John TusonDeputy Head, Academic

Physics and Maths are my thing. I want to know why stuff works.

I've always been like this, but my life really changed when one of my teachers was talking about the Large Hadron Collider. I started thinking about a group of people watching something that happened 13 billion years ago. Suddenly, everything I thought was true wasn't necessarily, and me being me I had to know more.

When I was younger, if something didn't interest me I would stop paying attention. I've always liked learning, but a good teacher makes all the difference. Bede's is not all about getting a million A*'s - it's about nurturing you.

There is definitely a focus on academics. After school I learn Latin once a week, but I also play Football and Squash. The main thing is that the teachers let you do what you're good at and always suggest things you hadn't previously considered. I also like the community element. The diversity. There's amazing artists and some of the best musicians I've ever heard here. Not just guys sitting around studying.

This year I helped the First Years during their team-building day. They kept asking questions about what it was like to go to school here, and I remembered that feeling, wondering if Bede's could ever live up to the hype. It felt great to tell them how nice everyone was to me and still is, because let's be honest, at most schools being a physics and maths nerd isn't cool.

Luckily, at Bede's it genuinely is.

James BaldwinUpper FifthParticle Physicist

What drew me to Bede’s was the opportunity to pursue academic subjects at the highest level while also getting the best cricket coaching possible.

Academically I’m quite strong, and the teachers here are fantastic. They are enthusiastic and extremely helpful. Mr Mpandawana in Science, Mr Jones in History and Mr Oliver in English are very supportive beyond just teaching me. I learn things about life in their lessons, not just the information I need to do well in exams.

When it comes to cricket, the quality of our coaches really sets this school apart. Between expertise, including Mr Wells, who used to play for England, the facilities, the hours of small-group coaching year round and Bede’s relationships with county and national partners, we have every possible chance of success.

Looking ahead, I would like to play cricket professionally, but success in my GCSEs and A Levels is really important to me as support to my cricketing ambitions.

As a Sports Scholar, I already feel like a role model for other pupils in sport and other areas of school life, but while I’m here I would very much like to become a prefect. I’m attracted the idea of embracing responsibility and helping the school. It seems only right, because the school has really helped me.

Joe BillingsLower Fifth Professional Cricketer

If I'm absolutely honest, I didn't want to come to Bede's originally. I thought it was going to be full of posh people, but I arrived and realised I was wrong. Since Riding takes up so much of my time, and because I compete at a national level, people have always wanted to label me a 'horsey girl', and in a way they are right. But my riding doesn't define who I am, and I would hate to be considered 'normal' anyway!

I joined in the Prep School having been riding since I was 9 days old and have been eventing since Year 6. I am currently competing for a place on Team GB for the European Championships, and am one of only two people to have achieved some of the things I have done.

People tell me I am really hard on myself because I'm the kind of person who considers B grades to mean failure. I want A and A* grades in every subject, so balancing my Academic passions with Riding can be very hard. Thankfully, if I miss lessons or days of school then my teachers give me the support I need to catch up afterwards. I have always wanted to be a Veterinary Surgeon, but my Maths was never good enough. Thankfully, since being here, my confidence in Maths has grown massively. Mr Stoneham is to thank for that.

Elsewhere I have had loads of fun doing Drama and Science, and Bede's is a really great school in that sense. There's everything here. Amazing facilities, great Academic results, great Drama department, great Sport, Art, Music.

If you think about it altogether, it's very impressive. I'm very lucky.

Felicity collinsLower FifthEquestrian

I joined Bede's in the First Year after being offered a Music Scholarship. I remember really warming both to the teachers and to the atmosphere of the place just during the audition. I knew from then that this was the right school for me.

Three years on, the school has offered me a great deal. Between the huge number of concerts, the other opportunities to perform and the really great peripatetic staff, I have learned so much. That's just in terms of the Music!

On the Academic side, there are a lot of subjects that I never thought I would be good at. I have proved myself wrong, especially in Maths and Science for example. The teachers here really care and have helped me to discover so many new things, and along the way I have learned a lot about myself. I love English Literature and have enjoyed everything I have done in Drama GCSE, but I'm not sure what I want to do as a career. The possibilities are really exciting. There are so many opportunities in the arts world that I'm really not sure what I would like to do. Thankfully, I think not knowing is a lot more exciting than scary.

I have to say though that the friends I have made here mean more to me than anything else. The people I have met through Music and Drama as well as in the House have taught me a massive amount.

The main thing I would emphasise to someone thinking about coming here is that this school makes you feel like you have a lot of doors open to you. For that, and many other reasons, I am really thankful.

Anna Moody

Upper FifthMusic Scholar

As well as engaging with our Army Cadet Force and Duke of Edinburgh schemes, through our House Charity system and work with local community groups and historical societies every Bede's pupil engages in campaigning and fundraising for a diverse range of very worthy causes.

Co-Curricular choices are important, particularly for our older students for whom the programme offers the chance to develop the skills and experience they will need to pursue the things which matter most to them, whether that be a passion for additional languages, qualifications in Scuba Diving or experience of breeding endangered species at our Animal Management Centre.

Whatever a young person’s needs, passions or interests, the Bede’s Co-Curricular Programme will truly enable them.

For this reason, it is truly exceptional.

t Bede's it is our goal to ensure that we educate the whole person. Because of this we give equal importance to academic, pastoral and co-curricular aspects of life.

This holistic approach to education is not just an add-on. It is our strong belief that learning takes place beyond the confines of the classroom and, with this in mind, we place creativity, service and action at the heart of the student experience.

Students at Bede's pick from a wide array of over 200 clubs and activities, guided by our fantastic personal tutors, and we have restructured our school days to focus on activities that are targeted, rigorous and prepare them to see life as an educational journey.

Whether in our celebrated Sports Academies, which have seen Bede’s teams in Tennis, Cricket, Football and Hockey building national reputations, our range of additional courses or creative clubs and activities, co-curricular sessions at Bede’s provide opportunities for students to challenge themselves, perform beyond their expectations and work collaboratively with students of different ages and friendship groups.

A rachael WoollettDeputy Head,Co-curricular

Our house designs are very conscious. Spaces bring pupils together, help them not just feel but believe they belong, and the input from the children throughout the process has meant that the houses are bursting with character.

Of course, the other hugely important element to boarding at Bede's is our matrons. They are inspirational, expert people who really understand children. They are supportive but extremely practical. They know when it is the right time to help and what the right intervention is.

Sincerely, it's about a lot more than just fancy rooms.

It's about helping young people to create the very best versions of themselves.

oarding at Bede's has undergone a radical architectural transformation. Our philosophy hasn't.

Across all of our boys and girls houses we have always aimed to provide nurturing environments. Accommodation where students are safe and receive seriously good care. But that is not an end in itself.

We strive to broaden the horizons of our boarders. Many schools focus only on success, but we also want students here to learn to fail upwards. We want them to learn from their mistakes. Develop qualities such as compassion, self-discipline and self-reliance. Acquire a sense of their place in their House, their School and, ultimately, the world.

To do this we have built the finest boarding houses on the planet, and that's not hyperbole. They were designed by the people who live in them, work in them, pay for them and use them. The results are an unquestionable success. What we have done is not just notional.

Blou BelrhitiHead of Boarding

An important part of Bede's is that it doesn't pick people because of grades. It chooses you because of who you are and helps everyone to become an expert in the things that mean the most to them. I joined in the Prep School, during Year 7. I was a boarder there and really enjoyed it so I carried on boarding up here. My House, Crossways, is like a huge family, and that's the best thing about it. You are constantly surrounded by your friends.

I'm dyslexic, which affects a lot of areas of my life. The Learning Support I receive gives me the help I need when I need it and means that I have the time to work on the subjects I find most challenging, and because of this I'm succeeding in lessons that used to seem impossible.

Since coming here my love of Art has just expanded. It used to be more of a hobby, but now I think of it as a serious career option. I kind of live in the Art department, which is like a little bee-hive! I really feel like I have to make use of all the opportunities I have here. It is one of the best places in the country to study Art, Ceramics or Photography, and with the teachers here, and the facilities, I am truly free to develop my creativity. I can wake up in the middle of the night with an idea then the next day go to school and make that idea into a piece of art. Not many places could offer me that kind of opportunity.

Sometimes it seems like the people around me can just get A*s almost without thinking, but I can't. I'm a really happy person, but it can be hard at times. Luckily the teachers here guide me, make me want to work and have helped me to flourish. They save me from day to day life!

rosie StephensonUpper FifthArtist

I grew up in Naples, Italy. Coming to Bede’s represented a massive opportunity. At that time, my English was all theoretical but completely impractical. Six months later it was like I was a new person. I was fluent – almost English.I have always been a very capable mathematician. My brain just works that way. My recent interest in Economics and Politics comes from the fact that we are in the middle of an important time of great change. I want to understand it so I can be involved in it, but it’s almost like you have to draw the map to know where you want to go.

At Bede’s I feel that the teachers have really fought for me. Mr Costley in Science, Mr Bioletti and Mr Wilkinson in Maths. People with needs or talents get special attention, whether that’s EAL, learning support or extra lessons to push you. The teachers love to see that extra bit of effort and will always make time for you after school.

People think that boarders study more, but although you have that opportunity you’re given the responsibility to organise your own affairs. Since I joined though, the boarding houses have only improved. It’s like a family living here, and I can’t see what more they can do to make them better. It’s not just about ticking boxes at Bede’s. It’s genuinely about what will help the students.

I’ve always been ambitious, but being here has given me all the tools I need to achieve something remarkable. I have the feeling that everything and everyone here is on an upwards trajectory.

Marco iurzaUpper FifthEconomist

I joined Bede's in the First Year, having previously been at Marella International School in Nigeria. I've always been ahead and have an Academic Scholarship, which brings with it quite a lot of pressure. Since coming here I have developed a real passion for essay writing and badly want to go to Cambridge to study English and Drama. I love debating the meaning and the significance of events and I like the idea that, if I explain things well, I can't be wrong.

What absolutely makes this school is the teacher-student relationships. Mrs Lambeth, my Housemistress, Ms Turton, Mr Wilkinson, who teaches me Maths. They have all made such a difference to the way I think. I'm taking Maths for A Level for example, and Mr Wilkinson is responsible for that. He's a really great teacher.

Since I was a child I always used to sing and now I take lessons in voice and guitar. In terms of sport, I used to be Basketball obsessed. I still am in many ways, but I've also started playing Football quite seriously too. There are so many girls at Bede's who play at such a high level and we've won the ISFA 6-a-side trophy for the past 3 years, which everyone is really proud of. Next season I'm hoping to start playing for a local club team.

The thing I'm most passionate about here is Drama. I get to be myself completely but also explore the lives of others. The training I have received has really helped me to understand other people, their life situations and challenges. It has made me a better person. I had a completely different idea of what Bede's would be like compared to what it is, and soon realised that this was the school for me. It gets people where they want to go.

laura AdebisiUpper FifthAcademic Scholar

With dozens of children involved in the Student Councils in every year group, the pupils can shape everything within the school, from the menu to strategic choices for Bede’s as a whole. This two-way dialogue is important as it engages students in the delivery of their own schooling and helps us, as teachers, to adopt the most effective approaches to our work.

Elsewhere, we run a peer mentoring programme through which any pupil can receive mentoring and be trained as a mentor. This allows them to develop capacities for helping themselves and one another.

Combined with industry-leading approaches to welfare management, these kinds of initiatives place both Bede’s and its pupils way ahead of the curve.

reparing young people for a complex and challenging world is a multi-faceted task. For this reason, we do all that we can to help the young people in our care to develop the emotional intelligence, resilience and sense of responsibility crucial for their success.

Ensuring pupil welfare is the most important thing we do. For this reason, we work to make sure that Bede’s students are healthy and happy while also seeking out opportunities for each individual to develop inner resources.

The House system at Bede’s is the backbone of our pastoral provision. Within their House, each pupil is allocated a personal tutor with whom they meet on a one-to-one basis as well as in groups. Tutors keep parents informed of pupil progress in every aspect of school life and are in constant dialogue with their tutees’ teachers.

Elsewhere, our Student Council is anything but tokenistic. Children learn responsibility by being given it, so we involve pupils in decision-making at every possible level. As a result, Bede’s pupils are enabled to assess risks, project manage and make wise choices in safe, supported ways.

P Jerry lewisPrincipal Deputy Head

Bede’s Senior SchoolUpper Dicker, HailshamEast Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252F 01323 442628bedes.org