Bedford School

“At Bedford School, we seek to raise good people first and foremost; and then to allow them to flourish as academics, as sportsmen, as artists and above all as themselves, in a supportive and ambitious atmosphere.”Dedicated to nurturing a wide variety of individual interests and to developing them as far as boys can take them, the school is devoted to ensuring the boys love their childhood. They aim, for balanced, outward-looking, forward-thinking, kind and sociable young men who are comfortable in their own skins. In this all-boys environment, boys can develop without inhibition and awkwardness, and feel able and keen to participate to the fullest.

Boarding lies at the heart of the school’s warm and inclusive community. In the Prep School, Eagle House caters for the youngest boarders (aged 7-13), while six Victorian villas, each with a character of its own, offer Upper School boys a true ‘home from home’. Day and boarding houses are paired, and participate jointly in house activities and competitions, ranging from singing to water-polo; adding to the camaraderie and sense of community that so many visitors comment on and admire.

All boys are able to take a full and active part in the opportunities that this large and thriving boarding school offers. From their earliest years, boys are encouraged to become independent and lifelong learners, who understand the need to work hard, to take risks, be resilient and constantly strive to be the best that they can be. With a curriculum that extends well beyond national requirements, boys enjoy a balanced and varied choice of subjects. Academic success is demonstrated by a long history of impressive examination results at GCSE, A-level and in the International Baccalaureate Diploma. In 2020, 87% of boys went on to Russell Group and/or Times Top 30 universities, with many more taking up places at leading universities across the world and on degree apprenticeships.

Beyond the classroom, the school’s diverse programme of extracurricular activities includes the CCF (Combined Cadet Force) conducted at Bedford School in conjunction with Bedford Girls’ School, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, fundraising groups, and more than 120 clubs and societies, from astronomy to Young Enterprise. The school’s Community Partnership Programme in the Sixth Form, ensures that all boys, wherever in the world they are from, play a meaningful part in the local community while they are at the school. Boys engage in local partnerships, learning to become responsible citizens, helpful to the community in which they live.

Recognised as an outstanding school for sport, Bedford School aims to inspire a lifelong interest in sport in all boys, promoting teamwork, wellbeing, fitness and, most of all, enjoyment. Bedford School also has a long-established reputation for excellence in music, drama and art. With its state-of-the-art music school, it has one of the largest music departments in the country and a high proportion of boys learn to play one or more instruments. Drama and theatre studies thrive in the school’s stunning Quarry Theatre at St Luke’s and first-rate art studios are available to everyone to explore sculpture, print-making, photography, fine art and design.