Senior School Newsletter, Summer 2023

Summer 2023

MEET OUR NEW HEADS OF SCHOOL

Our new Heads of School have been appointed for the academic year 2023/2024! Mareike Noon and Max Samland take on the roles of Heads of School, while Mandy Zhang and Charlie Bennett are our new Deputy Heads of School. Here, we ask them a few questions to get to know them as they start their new roles...

Mareike - Head of School

Tell us about your time at Bede’s... I joined Bede’s in the Lower Fifth, in the middle of Covid, so it was quite strange joining a new school along with having all of the other restrictions like masks. But since then I would say that I have had so much fun at school meeting new people and trying out lots of new things, especially in activities.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role? I would say that I am most looking forward to working together as a team with the prefect team to continue improving pupil voice to get a better idea of what they would like to improve and change in the school.

Who is on your dream dinner party guest list?

I would definitely want to invite Emma Thomson for her great sense of humour and to learn more about her life as an actress and writer. Malala Yousafazi to hear more about her activism and charity work. Jane Austen because so much of her literature has been adapted to the modern audience and still remains relevant today. Mo Farah to find out more about his life as an athlete and the struggles he went through to get there.

You have one book, one film and one album to take with you to a desert island - which do you pick?

The film I would take would either have to be Wild Child because it is full of hilarious moments or Pride and Prejudice (2005) as I love a good period drama. If I could bring a series of books it would probably have to be the Harry Potter series as I never seem to get tired of reading them but if I had to choose one book I would go for “A good girl’s guide to murder” as it is full of plot twists. I would also need something to cheer me up and Abba’s album “Voulez-vous” seems to do the trick.

Max - Head of School

Tell us about your time at Bede’s...

Although I have been at Bede’s since Lower Fifth, it feels like time has flown by so quickly. The support and the kindness that was shown to me has been unmatched. Especially during the time it took for me to settle in as a full boarder from Germany. No matter the circumstances, such as online learning during Covid or exam season, it has always been a pleasure and a gift being able to attend this school. I am truly enjoying my time here and I can confidently say that I am making the most of every opportunity, whether that be sporting activities, trips or academic masterclasses.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role?

I cannot wait to work together with Mareike, Charlie, Mandy and this year’s school prefect team. I will be looking to mainly focus on improving the transition period for international pupils, offering

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

additional extra- curricular education, expanding the current school tuck shop, as well as establishing a more inclusive and diverse education.

Who is on your dream dinner party guest list?

On my dream dinner party guest list, I would invite Roger Federer, arguably the best tennis player of all time, for his remarkable sportsmanship both on and off the court. Michael Burry, the hedge fund manager who spotted the 2008 financial crises early, would bring his unique insights into financial markets and his unconventional thinking. Lastly, Marie Curie, the pioneering scientist, would inspire the table with her groundbreaking work in radioactivity. Together I believe that this diverse group of individuals would provide a very interesting and enriching conversation throughout the evening.

You have one book, one film and one album to take with you to a desert island - which do you pick?

For the movie choice I would have to go with the Harry Potter series, simply because this takes me back to my childhood, where I used to be deeply invested into learning every spell. My book choice would be “A song of Ice and Fire”, even though I have been patiently waiting for the sequel book for years, the unbelievable story telling is what keeps me waiting. As for my album choice I would take Queen’s “Greatest Hits”, as that would always successfully distract me from the fact that I am on a desert island by myself.

Mandy - Deputy Head of School

Tell us about your time at Bede’s...

I joined Bede’s in Year 5 and grew up in this compassionate, caring environment. Over the years, I have experienced a series of opportunities and overcome many challenges. If there’s one word that best describes my journey at Bede’s, it’s definitely going to be “resilience.” Bede has helped me develop the ability to endure hardship and overcome difficulties.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role?

I always hear a saying from pupils in previous years at Bedes: “Be sure to leave this place better than it was when you came” and I wanted to continue this initiative this year. I’m looking forward to working with all three of my partners to achieve all of the positive changes and initiatives that will make Bede’s a better version of itself. I would like to raise large amounts of money for Bede’s Foundation with Charlie and am looking forward to the Bede’s Promise Auction at the end of this year. At the same time, I would like to work with Max and Mareike for our new school tuck shops this year.

Who is on your dream dinner party guest list?

My first guest is definitely going to be Catherine the Great. At the same time I’d love to talk to Genghis Khan and if it could be possible then I really want to meet with Mao Zedong, who’s responsible for the disastrous policies of the ‘Great Leap Forward’ and the ‘Cultural Revolution’ in China.

You have one book, one film and one album to take with you to a desert island - which do you pick?

Book: Sapiens: A brief history of humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, because it’s really long and the chance of me forgetting the first few pages from decades ago when I finish the last page is really high. But it’s just a book that will amaze you every time you pick it up.

Film: The Shawshank Redemption 1994, it’s just a fantastic film that makes you learn so much about life!

Album: ‘Happier Than Ever’ by Billie Eilish

Charlie - Deputy Head of School

Tell us about your time at Bede’s...

My time at Bede’s up until this point has been so enriching not just for my classwork but for my personal growth. Bede’s has nurtured and grown me into the person I am today, whilst in any life there are ups and downs, I know I can look back at all my memories and know that so far I have had so much fun with so many amazing people.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role?

Within my role, helping with The Bede’s Foundation with my counterpart Mandy Zhang would have to be what I am looking forward to the most. Whilst I have been fortunate to attend Bede’s, I am hoping to unlock the doors to Bede’s to as many children as possible through The Bede’s Foundation.

Who is on your dream dinner party guest list?

At my dinner I would be surrounded by my favourite visionary in the arts the late Virgil Abloh, and would soak in the wisdom and experience of Henry Kissinger, John Kerry and John Simpson whilst being entertained by the comedian Hassan Minhaj.

You have one book, one film and one album to take with you to a desert island - which do you pick?

To read I would bring Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey to keep me grounded and to make sure I just keep living L- I - V - I - N - G.

To watch I would choose Point Break featuring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves. To listen to, I would choose Born in the USA by Bruce Sprigsteen.

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252

bedes.org

LEAVERS’ BALL

On Friday 26 May, Bede’s hosted their Summer Ball to celebrate the end of the Upper Sixth pupils’ time at the school. Over 200 pupils, parents and staff gathered on the lawn to enjoy an evening of entertainment including a magician, funfair stalls, a karaoke booth and a delicious three-course meal.

There were speeches from the Headmaster, Peter Goodyer, Heads and Deputy Heads of School: Milly, Nicolai, Poppy and Fearghus, and Head of Sixth Form Engagement: Justin Sealey.

Everyone enjoyed a delicious three course meal followed by plenty of fun and entertainment: a live band, casino tables and an ice cream van. Pupils, parents and staff were able to raise a toast to celebrate the Upper Sixths’ time at Bede’s, before gathering on the lawn for a spectacular firework display over the lake.

It was wonderful to see many parents, including some who travelled from overseas, joining their children to mark this special occasion. It was an incredible event that we hope the Leavers will never forget.

PRIZE GIVING

On Friday 30 June we congratulated this year’s prize winners and marked the last day at Bede’s for our Upper Sixth leavers. The morning began with a welcome from Bede’s Chair of Governors, Mrs Geraldine Watkins, ahead of the Headmaster’s review of the year. We were delighted to welcome the high-performance and leadership expert, Floyd Woodrow, to Bede’s as our guest speaker and before giving his thought-provoking address, he presented awards to this year’s prize winners.

There were some wonderful musical performances from Charlie Swan, who performed his version of Try a Little Tenderness before Veronica Travers sang As If We Never Said Goodbye, from Sunset Boulevard. Trinity Gott gave another stunning performance of Time to Say Goodbye, which she first performed at this year’s Cabaret. Thank you to Sam French who opened and closed this year’s Prize Giving with some wonderful piano playing.

BACK TO BEDE’S REUNION

Former and current pupils, staff, and governors of Bede’s Prep and Senior School gathered to celebrate, reminisce and reunite with old classmates and staff at the Back to Bede’s Reunion on Saturday 13th May 2023.

Over 300 alumni and guests attended the reunion from far and wide and were serenaded by violinist, Lizzie Roberts as they filled the lawns overlooking the lake at the Senior School.

Many familiar faces attended the event, both past and present, such as current CEO and Head of the Senior School, Peter Goodyer, Head of Bede’s Prep School, Leigh-Anne Morris and also Founding Head of the Senior School, Roger Perrin. Peter Goodyer gave a wonderful welcome speech before afternoon tea was served on the lawns.

Prefects led tours around the grounds visiting boarding and day Houses, classrooms, the chapel, the cricket grounds and even visiting the zoo, allowing alumni to take a step back in time while also seeing how the Senior School has grown. Alumni also had the opportunity to take a quiet moment to reflect in the memorial garden and remember those who are no longer with us. They also delved into the Trust’s archives which were on display in the Recital Room.

The afternoon was a wonderful occasion for all who attended with alumni commenting:

“Walking through the unforgettable school gates of St Bede’s School, you are instantly transported back down memory lane, no matter which year you left. Having not returned for over 20 years, the fundamental structure of the School I knew was still there. The new additions added over the years are remarkable and show a clear understanding and commitment to the pupils and staff. The emphasis on diversity, equality and camaraderie are clearly a high priority for all within those gates and a clear testament to that ethos is the multitude of long serving staff. It was a wonderful opportunity to be involved in the reunion and to see such familiar faces among the crowd. Thank you!” ~ Louise A Shaw (Alumna Pupil, Senior School, 1995)

“Thank you all so very much for putting on an excellent afternoon. It was so lovely to meet up with so many people. Your grounds looked very good and the refreshments were fantastic. Please thank Mr Goodyer for me. Congratulations to you all.” ~ Lesley Raven (Alumna Staff, Prep School, 1977 - 2009)

“For me to come back and see the new buildings after having been at St Bede’s since 1979 when there were only 78 pupils. There is a huge transformation. The visit was mind-blowing for me and I was nearly totally speechless. It is really wonderful to see the School’s growth. Best wishes to you all for the future” ~ Charles Spanner (Alumnus Staff, Senior School, 1978 - 1982)

“Thank you for putting on such a lovely event. It was great to meet up with so many old friends and colleagues.” ~ Paddy Green (Alumna Staff, Senior School, 2007 - 2017)

CROSS COUNTRY

Senior Girls

Senior Boys

CAREERS FAIR

On 26 April, we hosted Bede’s Universities and Careers Fair! It was a wonderful afternoon and pupils came away excited about their bright futures.

Thank you to the 40+ organisations who came to inspire and inform our Bede’s community!

INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES FAIR

Bede’s was delighted to host its first International Universities Roadshow in partnership with The University Guys.

The event aimed to inform and guide our Sixth Formers who were keen to explore the world of international higher education, and the wealth of options available to them. Over 25 pupils took part in meeting representatives from universities and higher education institutes from the US, Canada, Switzerland, Spain, China, Dubai and Singapore, as well as The University Guys giving advice on studying around the globe. It was an inspiring afternoon to explore exciting opportunities for life after Bede’s.

Deborah Franks Head of Careers and Employability

Bede’s Senior School Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

SCUBA DIVING

It has been another great year for the scuba divers, this year we have seen five new divers achieve their 18m Open Water PADI Certificate. Congratulations go to Lena Grimmer, Noah de Nassua, Blake Patterson, Michael Thorn and Finn Leatherdale.

Oyster Diving were very impressed with our pupils. Our thanks go to Mark Murphy and his team at Oyster, in Particular to Tom Inett and Kwang Pitcha, who were the dive masters for the open water dives.

Tom dropped me this note after the dives which I think sums it up “Thank you so much for this weekend and thanks to the pupils too. They were awesome and I certainly had a great time teaching them!”

Here are some words from pupil, Lena:

“Over the winter term I was lucky to participate in the Scuba Diving Activity and gain my PADI diving licence. It was an incredible experience for me. We alternated between theory lessons in the classroom and practical lessons in the pool. It was always a lot of fun, even if it took some time to get used to all the new equipment.

In the last lesson before the holidays we did the theory test. In

SOPHY’S PETITION

I recently started a petition for mental health training to be mandatory for all teaching staff. This is a cause that I truly believe in.

At Bede’s, we are very lucky to have support systems such as counselling and our amazing tutors. However, at other schools this is not the case. For example, at my previous school I struggled a lot with my mental health and instead of receiving support, I was instead asked to stay at home for two weeks because my school did not know how to manage my issues such as panic attacks.

June came the last part of the course, the Open Water Dive. For this we were driven to a lake early in the morning on a Saturday and Sunday. Two dives were planned per day, during which we went through all the practical exercises we had practised in the pool. At first I was quite nervous as I thought it would be a huge difference to diving in the pool. But when it came to the descent, all worries were suddenly gone. After Saturday, we had pretty much checked off all the skills on the list, so we hardly had to do anything on Sunday and could just go for a dive. The only new thing was that for the first time we got a dive computer and a compass to navigate. The water was very clear, which is why we kept seeing small schools of fish. At the end you were very very tired and exhausted, but it was still an experience I am glad to have had.”

Many thanks Lena, and to the other pupils, who worked hard and behaved impeccably. Now we look forward to running the dive activity again in 2024.

One in four people struggle with mental health issues. It’s not going to go away without some change. Therefore we need to start being the change that we want to see.

So please do sign the petition. Be that change. www.petition.parliament.uk/petitions/637671

Sophy Edwards Lower Sixth Pupil

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

Chris Betts Scuba Diving Activity Leader

MEET THE CLINICAL SERVICES TEAM

Annabel Hodge - Director of Safeguarding & Clinical Services Manager

I’m Annabel and I am privileged to lead such a fantastic team who genuinely care about the health and wellbeing of our community. I have 25 years of experience of working with children and young adults in different settings. I get to watch our pupils develop and grow and become the unique and incredible individuals that they deserve to be with the support from all the teams across the school. Empowering our pupils to make good decisions about their lives is so important but when they get it wrong, which inevitably all teenagers will do at some point, I hope that the support the team can offer them will enhance their lives going forward.

Shawn Williams - Assistant Director of Safeguarding

I’m Shawn and I am the Assistant Director of Safeguarding. I have dedicated my life thus far to supporting young people in their education and emotional wellbeing. I enjoy being able to provide them with the skills to flourish and live a happy and fulfilling life. I have previously worked for a children’s mental health charity and in various education settings for children with social, emotional, mental health needs and neuro-diversity. I enjoy working at Bede’s as it allows me to work with lots of different people, and I get to make a genuine difference to their lives.

Louise Lister - Lead School Nurse

I’m Louise and I am the Lead School Nurse at Bede’s. My background is in intensive care nursing and I trained in London at St George’s Hospital. I completed my postgraduate PGDip at Kings College University to specialise in Health Visiting and Public Health. I am currently completing an MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice to bring acute and public health skills to Bede’s. I was a pupil at Bede’s myself - from Year 1 right through to Sixth Form! I am so pleased to be back supporting this wonderful school.

Clare Jones - School Nurse

I’m Clare and I am a School Nurse. I have worked in healthcare for over 17 years and have been a qualified nurse for over three years. I love caring for people and making a difference. My first year as a nurse was in the pandemic, which had its challenges. During this time, I saw a lot of young people with a wide range of issues, and provided them with care from a holistic approach. I believe that having support from a young age is so important, and I enjoy helping Bede’s pupils navigate entering adulthood.

Fiona Rush - School Nurse

I’m Fiona and I am a School Nurse. I have been a children’s nurse for over 20 years! I was lucky enough to have completed my training at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where I worked as an oncology nurse, administering bone marrow transplants. I then decided to gain more basic nursing skills and worked at Pembury Hospital on a paediatric ward as a sister. I enjoy working with young people and wanted to change my career to school nursing. The only school I ever wanted to work with is Bede’s. I live close by and often drove past the school, hoping the opportunity would arise - and it did!

Bede’s Senior School

Lynn Mulligan - Medical Receptionist

I’m Lynn and I am the Medical Receptionist at the Health and Wellbeing Centre. I worked in financial institutions in London for 35 years. I decided to take early retirement and work in a role where I could help people. I spent 3 years at a GP surgery in Crowborough, where I enjoyed meeting and speaking to patients and helping them during difficult times of their lives. I then moved to East Sussex and looked for work nearer to my home. I love working at Bede’s, getting to know the pupils and staff and working in such a beautiful environment.

Dr Northway - School GP

I’m Mary and I am the School Doctor. I’m a part time GP working at Quintin Medical Centre in Hailsham. As part of the services that QMC provides to Bede’s School, I come in twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays) to run a clinic for boarding pupils and staff. I previously lived in East Africa for 20 years, in a rural hospital in Tanzania where I helped set up a community health project, in an international boarding school in Kenya where I was the on-site doctor. I work at Bede’s because I think the school is brilliant! I love the variety and energy of a clinic full of teenage health issues. It’s very different from my other work! It is a privilege to see some pupils several times over the years and watch them grow through their Bede’s journey.

James Howes - Physiotherapist

I’m James and I am the Physiotherapist at Bede’s. I have worked here for the past five years and have helped countless pupils and staff recover from pain and return to their activities. I have worked as a specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist for the past nine years in both private practice and the NHS. Working at Bede’s is rewarding as all pupils I see are hardworking and eager to return to their activities and sport. The rehabilitation facilities here are excellent and I enjoy working with pupils and staff in a well-equipped gym as well as numerous high level sports surfaces.

Tara Jasper - Lead School Counsellor

I’m Tara and I am the Lead School Counsellor. I am responsible for the running of the counselling services across the Senior and Prep School. Before coming to Bede’s, I have previously worked in a charity that provides counsellors for schools, GP practices, a local hospice and I have run my own private practice. I have worked with clients from the ages of 7 to 92 - all with an array of issues. I feel that Bede’s places pupils at the heart of it all, and prioritises making their experience both fulfilling and enriching. I enjoy the holistic approach to schooling Bede’s offers, acknowledging our pupils for the brilliant individuals that they are.

Holly Webb - School Counsellor

I’m Holly and I am one of the School Counsellors at the Senior School. I am an Integrative Arts Therapist for children and adolescents as well as a qualified yoga and mindfulness teacher. I have worked in a number of independent schools as a Counsellor and Wellbeing Practitioner, providing both 1-1 therapy and therapeutic group support. I feel very lucky to be a part of the wonderful Health and Wellbeing team here at Bede’s. The pupils are at the centre of our thinking. Our team is always thinking about how we can work together to better support them.

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

GIVING DAY

We celebrated Bede’s FIRST EVER Giving Day on 21 - 22 June! Through the overwhelming support of the Bede’s community, we raised an extraordinary £155,541 from 397 different donors. We cannot thank you enough.

As well as displays of generosity through donations, our incredible pupils, staff and governors from every part of the Bede’s community volunteered across over 30 different projects, completing in excess of 5,000 hours of voluntary work across 36 fun-filled hours for our Giving Day. These volunteering projects were focused on a whole host of different areas including the environment, helping in local primary schools or those with disabilities; supporting people from overseas, the elderly or local food banks.

On Wednesday 21 June, we also celebrated the launch of the Bede’s Development Foundation. This evening presented a unique opportunity for those who attended to hear about the aims and work of the Foundation from the Trustees themselves. The evening included a presentation on the Foundation and an opportunity to hear from current pupils, staff, alumni and Trustees of the Foundation, as well as a Q&A with Pete Goodyer, Charlotte Sutton, Jonathan Northway, Warwick Booth and Simon Cloke, with Simon Smith, the Chair of the Bede’s Development Foundation, presiding over the event and relaying the questions asked by those who attended the event.

The goal of our very first Giving Day and the aim of the Bede’s Development Foundation is to raise vital funds for our Transformational Bursary Fund so that we can increase the number of 110% bursaries on offer at Bede’s, with the goal of having offered in excess of 20 110% bursaries by 2029, the Senior School’s 50th anniversary at the Upper Dicker.

Head and CEO, Peter Goodyer said: “We want to make a difference to the lives of young adults who never ever thought they would be able to access a Bede’s education. Ultimately, it comes down to social mobility, to creating a ripple effect across our school, local and wider communities where every single person is afforded the opportunities that a Bede’s education provides - no matter their background.”

Charlotte Sutton Director of Advancement

CHARITY AND COMMUNITY

MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY

21 June was our first Make a Difference Day since before Covid. This year it was bigger and better than ever, with the Lower Sixth and Year 8 from the Prep School joining us. The school community took part in over 35 different projects across Sussex, including schools, charities, gardening projects and the elderly.The day was thoroughly enjoyed by staff and pupils. We have also received some lovely feedback from various schools and organisations.

“Thank you so much for yesterday. It was such a pleasure to have the Bede’s pupils come in and be part of our Bevern view community, what a lovely bunch and our home looks fantastic thanks to their hard work.” - Bevern Trust

“I just wanted to say a huge thank you for today. The class absolutely loved it and I’m sure they will be speaking about it tomorrow.” - Hellingly Primary School

“I wanted to pass my thanks on to your wonderful pupils for their hard work last week. Having caught up with the volunteers over the last few days, they expressed how grateful we are for getting stuck in, being so mature and trying their hand at all the different jobs. We got a lot done thanks for them and it made a huge difference to us as we are a small team” - Our Community Garden, Lewes

“Thank you so much for arranging for the Bede’s pupils to join us here at CHF yesterday. They were lovely and worked very hard all day in the hot weather. We really appreciate your support and I hope they found the day interesting too” - Chailey Heritage Foundation

STEM AFTER SCHOOL CLUB WITH PARK MEAD SCHOOL

This activity took place every Monday after school in the Summer term. Pupils had the chance to experience STEM activities at the Senior School including pond dipping and observing the Van de Graff generator. It was a thoroughly enjoyable activity for both Park Mead pupils and our own, building on their leadership and confidence skills.

Mary Leggett Head of Partnerships and Social Responsibility

ONLINE TEACHING AND VISIT BY GLADESMORE/ELMGREEN SCHOOL

This year we have been able to continue providing online STEM teaching to gifted Year 10 pupils from Gladesmore school in London. We were also joined by Elmgreen School this year. Bede’s pupils spent Monday activities planning and then offering sessions. In April, we were able to welcome the two schools to Bede’s. Pupils had a wonderful day spending time at the zoo and in boarding houses, before carrying out practical science experiments.

Mary Leggett Head of Partnerships and Social Responsibility

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

Mary Leggett Head of Partnerships and

Social

Responsibility

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

CHAPLAINCY UPDATE

PUPILS SPEAKING IN CHAPEL

We had our great team of prefects and pupils address their peers in Chapel on topics from social media to sleep. It is always more poignant when it comes from your peers and the pupils were given food for thought. Thank you to those pupils for sharing their thoughts and helping build our community.

THE MATTHEW 25 MISSION AND HARVEST FESTIVAL

It was humbling and an honour to have Peter Thorely, the Chaplain of the Matthew 25 Mission in Seaside, Eastbourne, speak to us in Chapel. His message was challenging and thought-provoking. The mission has its doors open to all people no matter gender, race or religion, providing meals, love and support and working with 50-plus agencies, offering referrals for those who need it. Bede’s has decided to explore ways in which we can help the mission. We have started by donating our harvest festival donations to them. Thank you all for your generosity. It is a blessing.

On Thursday 13 October 2022, seven pupils accompanied me to the Mission in Seaside and we were treated to an inspiring tour by Peter Thorely. Helping the most vulnerable in our community has struck a chord in the hearts of the pupils.

On Bede’s Giving Day this year, twelve pupils gave of their time and talents at the Mission, helping in the kitchen as seen in the picture, packing snack packs and serving the guests food and drink as they arrived. You could see how this moved the pupils in deep ways that stirred compassion in their hearts. It was a powerful reminder that we do not exist just for ourselves.

ENTHUM HOUSE VISIT

In May 2023 we welcomed Lilian Simonssen to the chapel to share with us the great work of Enthum House. Enthum House was founded by Lilian and is home to teenagers who have been forced away from their homes and families. We hope to work more closely with Enthum House in the future on projects such as belonging and identity, by sharing the stories of our lives that make and shape who we are.

THE PUPIL SPIRITUALITY PODCAST

This year we had Shishir from Stud House speak openly and honestly about his beliefs and spiritual practices, which include meditation, silence and mindfulness. He follows in the footsteps of Kush, an exStud boy and Bedian who helped get the conversation about faith and spirituality in pupils off the ground.

Have a listen and if Shishir’s tone does not calm you down I am not sure what will!

FOUR IN OUR COMMUNITY CONFIRM THEIR FAITH

Morty (Camberlot), Johnny (Camberlot), Ejay (Stud) and Nicci (Support Staff) were confirmed in the Chapel on 27 April 2023.

A joyous confirmation liturgy was enjoyed in the @bedesnews chapel which saw three pupils, one staff member and four parishioners being sealed by the Holy Spirit as they made Christian vows.

A lovely reminder that our school is rooted in a shared place and space where life’s milestones can be celebrated together.

Thanks to Father Jeremy and Bishop Will of Lewes.

Jarrod Taylor Chaplain

YEAR 9 CURIOSITY PIP DAYS

The 15 and 16 June saw all of First Year taken off timetable and treated to an innovative approach to learning; to consider ways in which the School can operate a more eco-focused approach and a contrasting day that focused on teaching the importance of 1948: the birth of King Charles III as well as the NHS, the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush, the death of Mahatma Gandhi, the Olympics to name a fraction of the key events.

1948:

After a year of conversations, head scratching, research and planning we invited our pupils to experience making Olympic ‘Art’ in teams, bake wartime cookies, use their ration books to calculate how much they could spend in the ‘Open all Hours’ shop on sweets, which were then dropped from the science block in homemade parachutes, mimicking the ‘candy bombing’ over Berlin and finally, a ‘Windrush Experience’ that featured staff dressed as officers, processing our pupil immigrants who hoped to get their hands on ID cards for entry into the UK. We also created a 1948 museum with the help of some First Year pupils, that was designed with typical furnishings from the period. We enjoyed a street party with traditional food to celebrate the birth of Charles III and clapped along to our Legat dancers in the Lindyhop, before sitting in the Miles Theatre for a ‘cinema experience’ to learn about the technologies of the day as well as how film was used to inform as well as entertain. The day was concluded with ice creams on the lawn (both days were baking so this forward planning was a relief!) whilst listening to wartime songs being sung by our wonderful Maya Goswami (U5th, Dorter) before a medal ceremony sealed the winners of the Olympics! All in all the feedback was marvellous from the pupils as a lot of exciting learning had taken place.

Sustainability Day:

The purpose of Sustainability Day was three-fold: firstly, to introduce pupils to some of the key sustainability challenges that Bede’s is facing, secondly, to share with the pupils some of the initiatives that are currently in place, and thirdly, to ask pupils for their creative solutions to help us become ever more sustainable. Over the day pupils considered the challenges of improving sustainability in relation to water, energy, biodiversity, transport and waste. Pupils grappled with significant issues such as whether, how and when we should be considering electrifying our bus fleet, should we consider more sustainable building materials and design principles when tackling new building projects at Bede’s, as well as how do we embrace a circular economy through our various school waste streams, do we need to further rewild parts of the school grounds to enhance biodiversity, how do we move towards greater levels of energy-saving and reductions in fossil fuel use, and, what are the ways in which we can significantly reduce the school’s water usage? It was emphasised to our First Year pupils that they are key partners in this transformation of the school; a challenge they seem ready to accept.

The School is seeing sustainability as a key area for development so that we can fulfil our responsibilities to the environment and to society and tackle head on the urgent issues of climate change and environmental degradation. We also see it as vital that education for, and about, sustainability needs to be fully integrated into the curriculum so that our pupils develop a capability to play a full role as agents of change both now and in their future careers. Our aim is to use the transformation of the campus as an opportunity for pupil involvement so that they can learn about sustainability in a handson way to integrate theory and practice. There are already many sustainability initiatives underway at Bede’s and these and others will be further developed in the new academic year.

GOLD DUKE OF EDINBURGH

The Gold DofE Team travelled to the Lake District earlier in June, to undertake their Qualifying expedition.

They have been training all year on a Monday activity, have completed two training expeditions in the Autumn Term in preparation. The Peak District training expedition in September saw the pupils undertake a traverse over Kinder Scout and Mam Tor, followed by an introduction to rock climbing near Stanage Edge.

Their second training expedition took them on a north-east to southwest crossing of the Lake District in October, covering Cat Bells, Black Sail Pass and the Wasdale valley. Their final and Qualifying expedition, which they undertook self-sufficiently, saw them tested with some extreme weather and navigationally challenging routes to cover the Borrowdale and Langdale valleys, as well as Grizedale Forest. Both teams planned and carried out their chosen projects of footpath erosion and the impact of tourism in the Lake District, and reported back to staff and the assessor on the outcome, linking in numerous cross-curricular links.

During their time away, they have engaged in a DofE Futures Week build-up, looking at vehicle and trailer maintenance, emergency first aid, cooking and a range of other life skills. Both teams were incredibly successful in their final expedition, demonstrating outstanding campcraft, navigation, teamwork, resilience, initiative, leadership, alongside a vast range of life skills. Overall, the 12 team members covered a distance of 2,086km and ascended 79,688m over the course of the year, without taking into account Monday afternoon training walks. An outstanding effort by all!

Ali Rowsell Head of Physical Education

BSA AWARD WIN

Bede’s School is delighted to have been recognised once again by The Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA), this year for its work with vulnerable children.

Bede’s has been working alongside its local authority offering bursary funded weekly boarding places for Looked After Children (LAC) for over a decade. This significant milestone presented Bede’s Assistant Head: Boarding, Paul Juniper, with the perfect opportunity to undertake a detailed, statistical review of the programme.

Current pupils who are part of the programme were asked to rate their experience across a range of measures. The research indicated that despite the additional challenges experienced by LAC, they felt the same degree of belonging to Bede’s as other boarding pupils. Many of them highlighted their happiness with their choice to join Bede’s as well as how well understood they felt by staff and other pupils.

Bede’s is able to achieve a strong sense of community and belonging by providing pupils with the opportunity to connect with their peers through a varied academic and co-curricular programme, as well as a tight-knit house system. There are a number of events throughout the academic year which raise the school spirit including colour runs, house competitions and house charity fundraising activities.

In the ten years during which Bede’s has been supporting the LAC programme, 22 children have so far joined the school. As well as those who are still currently studying at Bede’s, 14 have already left with the equivalent of three A levels or more and a university offer. The vast majority of pupils also achieved considerable success at university.

WARHAMMER TRIP

Bede’s once again fielded a team of Warhammer players for a national competition this summer, heading up to Warhammer World Nottingham for this exciting event.

Just in case you have no idea what Warhammer is, this is a tabletop wargame. Tabletop games are like board games, but instead of squares you might use a 3-D decorated battlefield. Players bring miniatures that they have assembled and painted (their armies) and “do battle” by measuring distances for movement and range, while using dice to determine their level of success. So, it is a totally safe wargame where the only casualties are small plastic people who I am assured feel no pain. Here are a few images from our club, which runs during the school’s activities programme. We tend to play the 40,000 (futuristic) version of the game. We also occasionally do miniature-painting sessions.

With our team of two, we travelled the impressive journey from Bede’s (at 05:30) to Nottingham and back the same day (returning at 21:00). Despite this massive journey, our intrepid gamers were not to be put off their stride. Our Ultramarines player (Marines in the future, who are very well armoured with huge pauldrons) took a narrow loss against the Adeptus Mechanicus (radioactive martians), but then learned from their defeat and defeated a second Mechanicus player in the next round, followed by defeating Necrons (robot zombie aliens) by strategically challenging all the key objectives. Our Tau player (space commune-members with advanced battlesuits) also won two-for-one, tabling a second Tau player (though making a friend in the process) and defeating the forces of Chaos (mad mutant cultists) despite some deadly enemy shooting. They faced their only loss at the hands of the Imperial Guard (futuristic tanks and regular humans), destroying all enemy vehicles but succumbing to human tenacity in the form of their infantry ranks.

It was a great (if lengthy) day out but well worth it. Pupils got to see the amazing display created and painted by professionals as well as enjoying the hobby and making connections with other hobbyists their age.

Matthew Peattie Maths Teacher

PERFORMING ARTS

An annual event is putting pen to paper immediately after the Legat June Show with a feeling of enormous pride, and this year is no exception. Legat took residence at The Congress Theatre this year with What a Wonderful World and due to the ambition of the Head of Legat, Sherrie Pennington, a packed audience enjoyed performances of 72 dancers from Legat, the Prep School, the Associates and Pre-Associate programmes. Along with her dedicated team, Emma Manes, Amira Kendell, Lucy Nelson, Nicci Ullah and Claire Guntrip; this really was an outstanding festival of dance. Sherrie Pennington offers us more insights in her section of this newsletter but I think it’s fair to say that every parent was bursting with pride and joy in their child performing in a show of such magnitude.

Reflecting back to the start of the term, I am reminded of other considerable highlights from our disruptive Coriolanus to the eclectic Rock/Pop Gig! Across the departments the Masterclasses have inspired and in turn challenged us, serving to demonstrate to the pupils not only the talent and energy needed for longevity in the industry but also, humanity. I was very grateful to have met the renowned Welsh composer, Professor Paul Mealor who was in turn gracious to accommodate us with star studded anecdotes whilst painting a picture of the important works he’s invited to do, including composing for the King’s Coronation. A truly amazing man who anyone would be grateful to work for.

An innovation that has become very popular with pupils across the school has been our Weekends at the West End Saturday activity. Sachin Choithramani has spearheaded this ‘experiment’ and pupils have been inspired by seven theatre visits in total, including A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic, The Lehman Trilogy and a revival of the dark The Pillowman featuring Steve Pemberton. A regular on these outings is Charis Cheung, who describes the experience for us.

This year alone I’ve spent over three weeks worth of evenings enjoying Music, Dance and Drama performances, not including all of the exam performances and we continue to develop our offer: we are a fortunate Performing Arts faculty indeed.

Karen Lewis Director of Performing Arts

PRODUCTION ARTS

Production Arts this year has continued to go from strength to strength once again. Having supported over 50 performances throughout this academic year, the Production Arts team has expanded to include new talent, some have really taken off and some have just started to dip their toes. Particular highlights this year include Ruby Wells-Bryant stage Managing the superb Cabaret performance, Orlando Ross running the lighting for Coriolanus, Hugo Caradas doing the lighting Studio 2 for Through the Wardrobe and Max Nash’s stunning lighting design for the Legat June Show!

We look to be even busier next year and the Parts Faculty is looking to be even more ambitious, so we will need more people to come and help! Do come and speak to Mr Phelps if you are interested in anything backstage theatre.

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

Ben Phelps Performing Arts Technician

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

For those that were lucky enough to come and see the production of What A Wonderful World at the Congress Theatre on Friday 23 June, I am sure you were also blown away by the talent of every single person on the stage.

It was a testament to the hard work of the pupils involved but also to the fantastic Legat and Performing Arts faculty who work tirelessly to enable our pupils to have these wonderful opportunities that will last with them a lifetime.

Audience members were left enthralled by the athleticism and level of professionalism of the Legat dancers in numbers such as Paint It Black choreographed by Amira Kendall and the thrilling Grand Tarantelle with 30 ballet dancers leaping on stage cleverly put together by Emma Manes. They were mesmerised by the beautiful PreAssociate children in their rendition of Somewhere Only We Know sung exquisitely by Tom Lilley and Brooke Castree as well as our Associate pupils dancing to Jerusalem. It was wonderful to see the Prep dancers shining in their rendition of Jai Ho as well as joining the Senior School pupils in a fantastic tap dance.

And the finale of Chasing Cars danced so beautifully by Heather Gibb and the Legat dancers which moved seamlessly into the bows moved many audience members as the whole show culminated in 73 children smiling in excitement on this iconic stage.

The inclusivity and diversity of the show was truly outstanding and we are very excited to see what we can do next year!

Sherrie Pennington Head of Legat Dance Academy

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

PERFORMING ARTS

MUSIC

What a wonderful term of music making - as I write, the rain has come, but the sun is shining and the Music department is buzzing with ensembles and music lessons on a beautiful summer’s afternoon!

The Summer Term has seen a huge variety of concerts and events from the Bede’s Young Musician, to a one-day workshop and masterclass from Professor Paul Mealor, the world-renowned choral and Coronation composer to the leavers’ recital at All Saints’ Hove, a curriculum day for Year 9 exploring songs from the 1940s, and finishing with an array of Speech Day performances to finish the term off in style.

Our first concert of the term was the much-celebrated leavers’ recital at All Saints’ Hove where parents, staff and pupils were serenaded by performances from Grace Watkins, Flossie Wilson, Elfie Day, Sam French, Jonjo Murphy amongst others. All Saints’ Hove proved to be a beautiful and new venue for us: exploring exciting places to perform in and trying out other performance spaces, enhancing the performances of our own pupils.

Bede’s Young Musician of the Year was another opportunity to showcase the talents of our fantastically talented pupils. Esther Bloom, Maya Goswami, Sam French, Charlie Swan, Josh Ting, Anoushka Beardshaw and Lucy Rose serenaded us with amazing performances of all styles and genres. The evening was adjudicated by Mr Riccardo Simonetti and Ms Jennifer Baillie, both esteemed colleagues on our visiting music teacher team. In the end, the Young Musician was awarded to Sam French for his performance of Mozart’s Adagio in B minor and Liszt’s Sonetto del Petraca 104.

On Thursday 18 May, a group of enthusiastic pianists went up to London to hear French/Canadian pianist Helene Grimaud at the Barbican Hall in London, in what was an amazing programme consisting of Brahms, Beethoven and Bach/Busoni.

As I write, we are deep in preparation for Speech Day, where ensembles will perform on the festival stage on the lawn, and pupils Veronica Travers, Charlie Swan and Trinity Gott will sing a captivating programme of solo repertoire during the speech itself.

We look forward to welcoming everyone at all our concerts next year - next year’s musical is Guys & Dolls in January 2024, and as ever, we are very much looking forward to celebrating the musical achievements of the fantastic pupils at Bede’s.

From everyone in the music department, we wish you a wonderful summer!

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

Robert Scamardella Director of Music

T 01323 843252

bedes.org

PERFORMING ARTS DRAMA

We are thrilled to be returning to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with our Year 12 Drama pupils! It will be an incredible experience, showcasing their talent and dedication on an international stage. This year an abridged version of Shakepares’s Twelfth Night will be presented. Well done to all those involved thus far, including the actors and production team.

Exciting news for the upcoming year as we prepare to launch our new Production Arts course. This course will provide pupils with the opportunity to explore various aspects of backstage work, including set design, lighting, sound, and stage management. We are thrilled to expand our curriculum and offer this exciting new avenue for pupils to pursue their passion for theatre.

In other news, we recently celebrated the achievements of our departing Year 13 A-level pupils. Their hard work and dedication was put to the final test in the recent exams, and as they lay down their quills at Bede’s we are proud to see them embark on the next chapter of their lives. A special mention goes to our Year 12 pupils, whose recent monologue and duologue performance were exceptional. Their performances were a testament to their talent, research, rehearsal and the supporting Drama faculty.

As we look ahead to the next academic year, we are excited to continue nurturing creativity, talent, and a love for the performing arts. Congratulations once again to all our pupils and teachers for their outstanding accomplishments!

Will Rennison Head of Academic Drama

‘THROUGH THE WARDROBE’ JUNIOR SHOW

Through the Wardrobe was a wonderful experience from start to finish and the cast and crew responded to our experimental approach to rehearsals with energy and creativity. Our audiences were treated to a promenade view of the piece that asked them to move around the performance spaces and find the very best angle possible to experience the work. Noah Van Herk shares his thoughts…

“Through the Wardrobe was a thrilling experience that tested what I know as an actor. When I first showed up to rehearsals, I was expecting the ordinary, learning the lines, practicing the movement, but I was very, VERY wrong. Through the wardrobe was a promenade style play, which means that the audience will be moving around, something that can be quite the challenge to actors and directors alike. At the beginning of almost every rehearsal we were forced to move as if we were our characters, improvise as our characters, and even interact as our characters, which afterwards left us exhausted, but as stupid as it seemed, it played a vital role later on in the production stages. In my opinion, I believe Through the Wardrobe was my favourite play I have ever performed in, the play was far from ordinary; from the script (written and adapted by Mrs Lewis), the scenes (which we had complete control over what stayed and what went) and even the make-up! When it came to the start of the third term, that’s when everything really picked up, we got first glimpses of what set would look like, as-well as costume, music and lights, walking into the Miles studio, it was almost as if you were behind the stage of a professional Broadway play, which is definitely the right way to

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252

bedes.org

PERFORMING ARTS

put it, with the running of cast members to give doubles certain props, and the elegant OR hurried makeup artists. I guess what I am trying to say is that this play far outweighs my past experiences, and with the level of effort, dedication and general hard work from the cast, directors, and back stage crew, this play made it clear of what people are capable of when we work together, which is what I think separates this play, from the average, run of the mill junior school play.”

Noah Van Herk First Year pupil (Mr Tumnus)

PERFORMING ARTS

LEGAT

What an incredible year our dancers have had in Legat!

We have seen our dancers shine at Cabaret, Move It, Let’s Dance, Legat Solo Awards and of course What A Wonderful World held at The Congress Theatre on Friday 23rd June. They have taken exams in RAD Ballet and ISTD Contemporary as well as academic exams and assessments throughout the year. The dedication and hard work exuded by the dancers is a testament to their characters and we are incredibly proud of every single pupil.

On top of this we have had theatre trips to see Rambert’s Peaky Blinders, Wicked the Musical and ZooNations Mixtape as well as dance workshops with industry professionals Alastair Postlethwaite, Fiona Chadwick, Katy-jo Murfin, Eugenio Contenti and Winifred Burnet-Smith.

Our annual photo shoot with Drew Tommons from Virtuoso Dance Photography provided our pupils with phenomenal pictures and keepsakes of their time in Legat and Drew commented on the professionalism of every dancer.

We say goodbye to our four graduates who will no doubt continue to shine in their own right and we look forward to following their progress and exciting futures.

Ayaka Amos will be undertaking an Art Foundation at Kingston University whilst continuing her dance training on the Rambert pre-vocational programme.

Heather Gibb will be at University of Liverpool studying Marketing. As this years Dance Captain she has supported the company and we are thankful for her guidance and excellent leadership skills.

Jana Irvine has been awarded a place at the Brighton Academy for a degree in Commercial Dance Performance and we will keep our eyes peeled on her continued success and journey within the performing arts.

Veronica Travers has a place at King’s College London to study Medicine. We hope she will continue to sing and dance and share her extraordinary talent.

A message from this year’s Dance Captain - Heather Gibb:

“I just wanted to say a massive thank you to every single one of you for being so supportive, dedicated and positive throughout this whole year. I feel as a company we have all achieved so much together and made so many unforgettable memories that I will cherish forever. A couple of my favourite moments from this year have been Move it, Cabaret and of course the June show but my top memory was without a doubt the yoga ball competitions which brought out an uncontrollable competitive side of me. I will never forget all the laughs, hysteria and different emotions we have all gone through together as a team. You are all such a talented bunch and every single one of you brings something different that makes Legat so unique and special. I also want to thank all of the teachers for helping bring my passion for dance back and making my final two years of dancing such an unforgettable experience.

A special shout out to Miss Kendall for putting up with me in tap. If it wasn’t for you I never would have had the confidence to perform in a tap number on stage again but I am so glad that I did.

A very special thank you to Miss Pennington for supporting me through every good and bad day and making Legat feel like such a safe place for me.

You really are all like a second family to me and I’m so glad to have met every single one of you. I wish you all the best for the future and I can’t wait to come back and support Legat in every show. A massive thank you to everyone.”

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

Sherrie Pennington Head of Legat Dance

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

Academy

CREATIVE ARTS

As this year draws to a close, we see another cohort of talented artists and creatives producing exceptional work and 15 more Bede’s pupils heading off to study Architecture, Fashion, Costume Design, Fine Art and Photography at some of the leading Art schools. In addition, it has been recently announced Jack White (L6th Deis) has won the PhotoFrome pre-degree Pupil Award for his photographs on the theme of Decolonising Environments.

Several key events have celebrated the pupils’ success throughout the year. The return of Bede’s Oscars Night saw the Media Department showcase excellent work including pieces by Jack White and Megan Lilley. Available to see here - https://bedescreativeartsfaculty.org/media

On 22 June we saw the Creative Arts Faculty End of year show including DT, Photography, Graphics, Media and Fine Art. The standard of work was breathtaking and this was the first year of normal exams since 2019. Pupils have been exceptional during the exam period and risen to the challenge – they should be very proud. The selection of work on these pages highlights the quality of work produced. Beautiful delicate drawings, installation pieces, films, stunning wooden benches, steam punk costumes, modernist ceramics, surrealist paintings, and degree standard photography.

Back in February we were visited by Matt Jacques. Matt has worked on the visual effects on films like ‘Inception’, ‘The Harry Potter’ and the Marvel films. It was a great opportunity to listen to somebody working in the industry and get inspired. At the end I took the chance to ask if pupils should be concerned by Artificial Intelligence in relation to the creative industries. Matt said no – it is a new too. He has experimented with a piece of AI software and ‘taught it’ to create an effect in three days what would have taken him three weeks. It is the human aspect and knowledge that will use AI to create things of worth. It is at one scary and fascinating.

David Hockney, the great British Painter, has always been quick to experiment with new approaches – Polaroid Cameras, Photo copiers, IPads etc. These experiments are often about the nature of images – a deconstruction of what an image is. So, it is no surprise that at Glastonbury 2023 Hockney unveiled his first experiment with AI technology – the artist is still the Ghost in the machine.

The elements that make Art, Film, people, places, books beautiful are the flaws – the handmade gesture, the crackle on a record, the wrinkle on the face – they are the elements that give something soul. Embracing mistake and recognising their potential is one of the secret ingredients of great art. It is humans who have the sensitivity to recognise and develop these subtleties, for example, the feedback noise at the start of The Beatles ‘I Feel Fine’ is an element that makes the classic record. We should only truly be afraid if 1, we refuse to use it as the tool it is and 2.Once the machines realise the element that makes us human is our flaws and the recognition and inspiration that come from mistakes.

It is that soul that was evident in the work of the Bede’s pupils work showcased in the end of year show. I think the creatives of the future are quite safe – their work showed the human touch, exceptional skill, unusual juxtapositions and developments and the ability to curate and intertwine their ideas, so they all had a personal response and a pupil voice. A Brave new world indeed.

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

of Creative Arts

Jonathan Turner Head

CREATIVE ARTS

MEDIA & FILM

STUDIES

2022-2023 got off to a great start in August with the announcement of some of the best results in the history of the department. Special mention goes to Eleanor Ffinch-Mitchell and Ella Ballard for their D* grades on the BTEC course in Creative Production. At A2 Level, the pupils also did tremendously well, with 77% gaining A* to B and at GCSE level 70% gained grades 9 to 6 with five pupils (Jack White, Hugh Vickerman, Alicia Yiu, Patrick Flamman and Alfie Kennedy) gaining A* grades. Alfie gained particular recognition from the examiner for his beautiful and sophisticated web design and Jack’s film sequence was commended for its subtle use of lighting, sound design and sci-fi conventions.

Creatively, this has proven to be an exceptional year, with a wonderful array of short films, tv advertisements, film sequences and music videos being produced. The purchase of three new high spec GH5 MK2 cameras, in addition to our very popular Ronin Stabilisers, has allowed the pupils to really experiment with fluid camera moves and shoot in super slow high definition. Emily Scott used our studio lighting and animation software to brilliant effect in her food advertisement and Arthur Lambert, Anoushka Kates and Jonjo Murphy ensured we will never feel quite the same way about isolated country houses again with their beautifully constructed short horror film. Special mention also goes to Josie Tabb for her exuberant music video, Megan Lilley for her powerful and provocative piece about the control of women and Joseph Beesley for his lovingly detailed, genuinely touching and artfully nostalgic television ad. It has been great to see how the pupils have really embraced the potential of the creative sides of our courses and the energy and desire to excel has really shone through.

It was also wonderful to finally be able to stage our traditional end of year Oscar Show for the first time in several years. This year, Miss Logan ran the event and she ensured that it was far glitzier and more glamorous than ever before! It was great to see the pupils dressed up so smartly and also to see how they supported each other and celebrated their success together.

This year also saw a host of visiting speakers and masterclasses, allowing our pupils to get fantastic experience of how the media industries function. We have had inspiring talks about CGI and Visual Effects, making and marketing animated films and how to score films and television shows. The pupils have also really benefited from the launch of our Monday afternoon Film Academy and have used the time to delve more deeply into the technical possibilities of our studio space, cameras and edit software. Next term, we shall be visiting Pinewood Studios whilst also making further plans for the return of our Bi-annual trip to New York in Dec 2024. There are now so many opportunities for media pupils to explore their interests across a wide range of industries and next term will also see the addition of a new

activity that offers the chance to delve into the creative possibilities of artificial intelligence.

2022-2023 was another terrific year in the Media Department. Thanks very much to Mr Hickman, Mr Hopkins and Miss Logan for their priceless hard work, shrewd advice and great ideas and a very warm welcome to our new signing Mrs Niketeas who has run our popular Year 9 programme and brought a great deal of expertise and energy to her GCSE class. But most of all, thanks to all the pupils at Year 9, GCSE, BTEC and A-Level for the seemingly never-ending fountain of ideas and creativity!

Rick Williams Head of Media & Film Studies

ACADEMIC

It has been a rapidly evolving landscape, however in a short space of time, the impact of artificial intelligence on education has been truly profound. In the past 6 months I wonder how many pupils, parents or guardians reading this article will have used ChatGTP – whether to ‘try it out’ or have begun to use it more regularly in their day-to-day lives.

The emergence of ChatGPT and other AI software has sparked both excitement and concerns. However, education is an area that has the potential to be one of the most significantly affected. Pupils can use AI to help them compose essays, answer maths problems and even tackle complex coursework assignments. Will we, in the coming years, need to completely reassess our approach to teaching and learning?

While some schools have opted to ban AI tools like ChatGPT due to concerns about plagiarism, others (including Bede’s) have cautiously embraced the potential of AI to enhance learning. Pupils at Bede’s have been experimenting with ChatGPT over the past few months, and they fully believe that AI is more than simply a method of cheating. They have recognised the importance of preparing for a future where AI is integrated into various aspects of life and work.

The widespread adoption of ChatGPT since its launch has been astonishing. Today, ChatGPT has begun to be tested and used across various industries. Creating code, writing legal cases, customer service, writing copy for websites/newspapers, creating presentations and summarising documents, are just the tip of the iceberg for ChatGPT’s potential.

Universities and schools have also faced a crucial decision when confronted with ChatGPT’s popularity among pupils. While some universities have opted to ban the technology, many universities have acknowledged the futility of doing this and instead sought to establish fair use guidelines. Pupils at university now increasingly rely on ChatGPT to complete their studies, contributing to their degrees and even plan to use it during exams. Many schools are also starting to encourage pupils to use AI software for assignments and projects, recognising that technology is an integral part of pupils’

learning experiences.

While AI tools have demonstrated positive outcomes, there are also significant concerns for the future. Many are fearful about a decline in essential literacy and numeracy skills due to over reliance on AI for day-to-day lessons. Pupils need to be fully aware of both the benefits and disadvantages of utilising AI as part of the learning process and care needs to be taken in ensuring that this powerful tool is used in the right way.

The path forward requires a delicate balance. We must carefully navigate the pathways between the benefits and limitations of AI in the future. AI is going to be a tool in the future so learning how to effectively use it is crucial to helping pupils prepare for life beyond school.

Nicholas Abrams Assistant Head: Teaching & Learning

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

STEM MATHS FEAST

Eight pupils in the Lower Fifth entered the Maths Feast on April 19th - a regional competition run by the Advanced Mathematics Support Program (AMSP), hosted at Ratton School. This was a fantastic event in which pupils were able to showcase their problem solving skills and compete against other teams of four from local schools. Although not winning overall, each of our two teams was the highest scorer in a round, with Nell McLachlan, Devanie Travers, Efe Onofeghara and Skylar Vickerman winning the first round, and Harrison Tradewell, Angel Yuen, Howard Kwok, Matthew Chan winning the second round.

(Hattie Hiscox, Mabel Young, Gonzalo Font Sainz) (Tom Lilley, Pippa Nunn, Harrison Odendaal)

Bede’s then had the opportunity to compete at Mayfield Girls School in a similar event for the First Years on May 9th, working in teams of three, our pupils completely smashed the competition, coming first and second overall, and winning several rounds apiece in the aptly named Bede’s A and Bede’s A* teams (pictured with their certificates).

Freya Price Mathematics Teacher

UKMT MATHS COMPETITION

On Tuesday 23 May Bede’s ran its annual UKMT style team maths competition for budding Year 8 and Year 9 pupils. The event involved 10 teams of 4 competing over 3 rounds of challenging questions which tested their mathematics knowledge and problem solving skills both individually, in pairs and as a team.

It was a fantastic morning and gave the pupils an opportunity to test themselves and work with other pupils. There was just the right

balance between challenge and fun. The event did have a winning team and that was made up of Zac Patel (Y9), Mesha Kyanda (Y9), Martha Williams (Y8) and Oscar Leatherdale (Y8). They beat the opposition by a comfortable margin in the end and received a book of Maths Tricks as their prize. Congratulations to them and everyone who took part.

Stavros Manos Head of Mathematics

CIRCLE THEOREMS SONG COMPETITION

Pupils studying GCSE Mathematics are expected to be able to use and memorise all Circle Theorems. Remembering the exact wording (which is expected for full marks in the exam) can be quite challenging.

Mrs Berryman’s First Year pupils were given the task to design a song with the Circle Theorems. They had to choose their music, create their own lyrics (containing all 8 Circle Theorems and a Chorus), create their Circle Theorem props (on white boards) and create a video.

Noah Van Herk, Aidan Long and Alexa Pettett were the winners of the Circle Theorems song competition! They created a catchy and memorable video which hopefully will help them to memorise their Circle Theorems. It exhibited great team work.

Isabelle Berryman Mathematics Teacher

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

COMPUTER SCIENCEDRONES AND ROBOTICS

At the start of the summer team the First Year and Lower Fifth Computer Science pupils enjoyed programming drones and robotics. This is the second year we have played host to Hyett Education, who provide the equipment and teach the pupils how to write functions in Swift: a programming language predominantly used on Apple devices to create exciting games, mobile and web apps and programmes to control devices such as the drones and robots. The pupils learn how to control the height and trajectory of the drones to control their flight path around an obstacle course. The ptudents love the interactive element and the immediate feedback on their programming skills,

Kash had this to say “First off, I want to thank all the staff members who made it possible for us, the pupils, to have this experience. A chance where we were given the opportunity to see how the topics we cover in Computer Science are used in real life situations, while also incorporating a feeling of curiosity and accomplishment was truly amazing. We even had the chance to learn something different in Swift. Again, I hope to thank all the people involved in the planning of this event; especially Mr Betts, Mr Mutumba and the instructor.”

And Sakura in the Lower Fifth Computer Science class also commented ‘’Through this class, I learned a lot by touching types of code that I don’t usually use, the code was using a language called Swift. Also, I think it was great that I was able to touch a drone, a machine that I don’t often see in my life.’’

Chris Betts Head of Computing and IT

ANIMATION WORKSHOP

Later in the first half of the Summer Term it was the turn of the IT pupils to take part in an external educational experience. As part of their BTEC IT course it is important to introduce the pupils to members of the industry that they are studying. Earlier in the year we were lucky enough to have an online meeting with a graphics designer who specialises in animations, Mr Freddie Woodward. Last week he paid us a visit and spent the whole day meeting pupils who

are working on the Animation course. Freddie reported back “What an absolutely amazing day, I have loved coming into Bede’s today. It has been a wonderful experience, the school looks fantastic and I am absolutely blown away by the efforts shown by the pupils since the first meeting we had online a few weeks ago.” The pupils are welcome to send me any questions and I look forward to seeing their completed animations, well done.”

Many thanks to Freddie for taking the time to join us and I know the pupils enjoyed the visit and got a lot of help with their animations from him.

The summer holidays are almost upon us, we wish the Computer Science GCSE pupils all the best with their exams. They have worked so hard and the BTEC pupils in the Upper Sixth and Upper Fifth are coming to the end of their courses and finalising their coursework.

Finally, special praise goes to Amelia Burden, James Berry and Paddy Rodohan who received Distinctions awards from the Perse Bebras coding competition. This means that out of several thousand pupils who entered they were in the top 20%. Well done!

The Computer Science team are looking forward to a trip to EGX in the Autumn Term with the First Year and Lower Fifth pupils and entering teams into next term’s British eSports Leagues.

Chris Betts Head of Computing and IT

BRITISH BIOLOGY CHALLENGE 2023

Bede’s was one of 621 schools worldwide that took part in this year’s competition. Over 43,685 pupils entered and we achieved a great set of results:

Silver Award - Harrison Tradewell Bronze Award - Efe Onofeghara, Devanie Traver, Harry Ward Highly Commended - Zach Churnside Commended - Catalina Pinchen Morales, Skylar Vickerman, Alessio Fergio, Pippa, Mabel Young, Alfie Burton

Harrison was in the top 10% and our Bronze winners in the top 15%. Congratulations to them all.

Nancy

Morton-Freeman Head of Biology

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH T

STEM

STEM MASTERCLASS

Our STEM Masterclass back in May was a chance to perform some dissections slightly outside of the curriculum. Over 20 pupils stayed late to investigate the anatomy of rats and sheep eyeballs with Ms French. They found it fascinating and it was a valuable experience for any budding surgeons!

But why have dissections been a staple in classrooms for generations? While some may find them daunting or ethically questionable, dissections offer invaluable learning opportunities that truly bring the wonders of the natural world to life. Dissections allow pupils to delve deep into the intricate structures and functions of organisms, unveiling the secrets hidden beneath the surface. By exploring the anatomy of living beings, pupils gain a tangible understanding of biology, physiology, and the interconnectedness of life. They provide a hands-on experience that goes beyond textbooks, fostering a profound connection between theory and practice.

One of the key benefits of dissections is the development of critical thinking skills. As pupils navigate through the dissection, they are encouraged to make observations, draw conclusions, and analyse data. This analytical mind-set enhances their problem-solving abilities and nurtures their scientific inquiry skills. Dissections promote a sense of curiosity and help pupils develop a keen eye for detail, which are essential qualities in scientific exploration. Moreover, dissections foster teamwork and collaboration. Pupils often work in pairs or small groups, sharing responsibilities and actively participating in the dissection procedure. This collaborative environment cultivates communication skills, encourages the exchange of ideas, and fosters an appreciation for teamwork. Pupils learn to respect diverse perspectives, work towards common goals, and value the contributions of their peers.

Another significant aspect of dissections is the ethical consideration they bring. Pupils are introduced to the principles of ethical treatment of animals and the importance of respecting life. Ethical

dissection practices emphasise responsible and humane treatment of organisms, instilling empathy and compassion in pupils while teaching them the significance of ethical research.

Additionally, dissections nurture a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world. By engaging directly with specimens, pupils witness the intricacies of life and fostering a deep respect for the diversity and complexity of living organisms. Dissections can inspire future scientists, veterinarians, and medical professionals, igniting a passion for scientific exploration that may shape their career paths and instil a deep appreciation for the wonders of life.

If anyone is interested in signing up for next term’s dissection club; please email Ms French.

Julia French Head of STEM Faculty

WHAT IS A BANANA?

A slightly obvious question you may answer, but not according to the physical science Oxbridge pupils whom I have had the pleasure of mentoring over the last two terms. This is one of the typical interview style questions we have put our minds to and delved into the depths of physics, chemistry, mathematics and engineering in our pursuit of detailed descriptive answers. We have also designed new ways to generate power from speed bumps and worked out how much carbon dioxide a person actually breathes out in their lifetime. Seeing our pupils get to grips with complex logical problems and apply unique and innovative approaches is a lot of fun. We have also spent time working on personal statements and collating information for interviews. I am excited about what next year holds for our applicants. Oh and a banana by the way - an absorber of electromagnetic waves apart from that in the 570-580 nanometre range, with a radioactive half-life of 1.2 billion years, and the only fruit to have its centre of mass outside of itself - in case you thought it was a mere fruit!

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

Suzanne Carville Science Teacher

STEM

YEAR 12 PHYSICS PHUN BUS

On a sunny Monday in May, the Year 12 A-level Physics cohort enjoyed a lesson in a mobile classroom, namely a Bede’s minibus! The purpose of the session was to experience first-hand the principles of inertia and Newton’s laws of motion, as a follow-up to recent classwork. Consequently, our very obliging driver duly drove the class around the country lanes near Upper Dicker whilst the pupils performed a series of experiments in this rapidly changing reference frame.

The experiments carried out included observing the motion of a helium balloon, flying a drone, launching mini rockets, balancing cups of water and spinning a gyroscope, all with the bus braking, accelerating or cruising at a constant speed. Some counter-intuitive results were observed, including the helium balloon lurching in exactly the opposite direction to everything else in the bus, whenever it slowed down or sped up!

The excursion will return next year, bigger and bolder with some more elaborate experiments!

Julia French Head of STEM Faculty

PSYCHOLOGY

It has been an emotional term! Psychology pupils have been working hard on preparing for assessments - the dedication and commitment to their studies has been overwhelming and we are so very proud of each and every one of them. The Upper Sixth A level pupils bid farewell to us after their final exams (and Ms Stainsby, obviously shed a tear!).

The BTEC pupils made the final hurdle with completing their final

piece of coursework. To see how far these pupils have come in two years is amazing and the level of psychology knowledge they are leaving with will serve them well as they embark on their next adventures - we are or course, already missing them.

Lower Sixth have been busy exploring the brain as we entered the last topic of the year. Their incredible brain hats have helped us consider that actually, the things we do are not our fault… it’s all in the brain! The Biologists among them were very happy with the black and white nature of this!

The pupils have also worked extremely hard in preparation for their summer internal assessments and we are so very proud of them all. We have been particularly impressed with the variety of different revision styles and the collaboration of revision, even taking Psychology revision to the park at weekends, and the amount of Facetime that has involved some aspect of Social Influence or Memory is incredible! We even used the Bede’s goslings to help with revision of Attachment and discussed how the ducks have become so sociable!

We also welcomed over 90 Lower Fifth pupils into the wonderful world of Psychology this term for Sixth Form taster sessions. It was incredible to see so many considering the subject for study at Sixth Form and there are some incredible young budding psychologists in the making. We had sessions looking at the importance of horoscopes on our lives and whether this affects our personalities, how our minds process things so differently to the person sitting next to us, exploration into what our conscious thoughts are when we place bets (with monopoly money!) and how mindfulness really allows our brains to reset. We look forward to seeing you all back in Sixth Form!

From both myself and Mr Collier, we wish all the Psychology pupils, those that are leaving us and those who are still here, a wonderful summer and thank you all for all your hard work this year and for making our jobs so very easy and enjoyable.

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

Yvette Stainsby Head of Psychology

SHAPE

It has certainly been a busy term, with the start of the summer exam season and assessments for Lower Fifth and Lower Sixth pupils; on top of this there have been a wide range of events and trips running, with the intention of giving pupils the opportunity to broaden their understanding of and interest in the wide range of subjects on offer.

It was great to see so many parents and pupils at the recent Sixth Form Information Evening for Lower Fifth pupils and their parents, Mr Jackson ran a cola blind tasting session as an example of market research. Only 27% of people correctly identified drink A as Pepsi, and 18% drink B as Coca-Cola; there was more success with drink C, which 55% identified as the supermarket own brand. Overall, Pepsi was voted for as the favourite cola, under both the ‘first past the post’ and ‘single transferable vote’ electoral systems! Obviously some refinement of the Bede’s community’s palate is required!

Our Model UN team has had an incredible first year, and I would like to thank Miss Webster and Mr McIntosh for their investment in this, it has certainly paid off; indeed, my thanks go out to every individual member of the Faculty staff, as without their hard work and commitment we would not be able to offer such a comprehensive programme to pupils.

Best wishes for the summer holidays!

James Whitaker Head of SHAPE Faculty

MODEL UNITED NATIONS

In May, the Bede’s Model UN team took a trip to Suffolk for the annual Royal Hospital School Model UN Conference.

After having prepared fast-track resolutions for the event, the first day saw current affairs and issues being discussed in each of the delegate’s respective committees. A day of chaos, companionship and compromise, the second day was based on a crisis: the AI uprising and its implications on global governance. It’s fair to say

that Bede’s had a tricky task up their sleeve, sending delegations of Iran, Russia and India, but all did well to defend or attack resolutions, and offer amendments, based on the perspective of the country they were representing. The result of this was an impressive batch of awards for the Bede’s cohort at the end of the conference. Huge thanks to Mr McIntosh and Miss Webster for coordinating the trip: a fantastic activity which has brought knowledge, public speaking, debating skills and diplomacy to a whole new level amongst all that participated.

SHAPE MAGAZINE

We are very pleased to announce the publication of our second edition of SHAPE Magazine, almost entirely produced and written by pupils, and ably led by our editorial team of Jack White (Upper Fifth, Deis), Eddie Rowley (Lower Sixth, Camberlot), Hau Tak Ng (Upper Fifth, Camberlot) and Nina Hryniewicz-Sheppard (Lower Sixth, Dorter). Copies are available online and around Bede’s; do keep an eye out for our next edition, scheduled for the Autumn Term.

James Whitaker Head of

SHAPE Faculty

JUNIOR PHILOSOPHY DAY

In April, Bede’s Religion & Philosophy (RP) Department hosted our inaugural Junior Philosophy Day, which involved First Year RP pupils and pupils from Bede’s Prep, Crookhorn College, Mayfield School and Willingdon School. The day involved a range of interesting yet complex topics, as well as group talks and debates.

Levi Routledge (First Year, Deis) gave this account of the day; ‘We kicked off with a talk on Justice Truth and Beauty, delivered by the high regarded international educator and author, Julie Arliss. We also had the opportunity to divide into small groups to discuss questions like ‘Is diet a free choice?’ I particularly enjoyed being able to talk to people of different ages and from different schools.

The afternoon talk on Quantum Mechanics was challenging but fascinating. We finished the day off with a debate, trying to answer the question ‘Is free will an illusion?’ Mr Costi gave the argument against, whilst Julie argued in favour. Both gave strong, persuasive

Charlie Swan Lower Sixth Pupil

SHAPE

and well-presented arguments. We took a vote at the end and decided that Mr Costi had just edged the debate! Overall, I really enjoyed this event. It helped deepen my knowledge of the subjects covered, but also by talking to others it helped to challenge my own thinking. Huge thanks to Mr Costi and everyone involved for a great day.’

Savvas Costi Head of Religion & Philosophy

LOWER SIXTH POLITICS TRIP

Lower Sixth Politics pupils had an interesting day visiting the Houses of Parliament, visiting the Commons and the Lords, and seeing a working day in action. The pupils met with a representative of Nus Ghani MP, had a tour of the wider Parliamentary estate and engaged in a political workshop run by the Parliamentary Education Team. Lily Dale (Dorter) said ‘the trip to parliament was such an amazing experience - being able to sit in the Lords chamber and observe peers debating migration was of real interest’. Lily Klassen (Charleston) added that ‘the trip helped reinforce my understanding of the role of parliament - going into the House of Lords and listening to debate showed the process of how peers scrutinise bills before they become law.’

James Whitaker Head of SHAPE Faculty

LOWER SIXTH

HISTORY WAR TRIP

The Lower Sixth historians visited the Churchill War Rooms in Whitehall, from which the defence of Britain was directed during WWII. Pupils had an audio tour of the war rooms and visited the Churchill Library, which is packed full of information and resources relevant to the study of our Y113 Britain unit. Callum Hall (Dicker) saw the benefits of our visit; ‘the depth of information provided was brilliant and gave me a real understanding of Churchill as a leader. The information given will be a massive help towards my studies at A Level.’

A LEVEL GEOGRAPHY COASTAL DEFENCES TALK

The Geography department recently hosted a visit from Mr Brian Waters, the civil engineer who project-managed the design and installation of Eastbourne’s upgraded sea defences between 1996 and 2000. Brian delivered a presentation to our A Level Geography pupils about the project; pupils gained a new understanding of the complexity and magnitude of the process and were fascinated to see footage of the beach engineering work taking place.

Helena Worrall Head of Geography

Bede’s Senior School

James Whitaker Head of SHAPE Faculty

LOWER FIFTH GEOGRAPHY

FIELDWORK

The Lower Fifth Geographers undertook a day of fieldwork in Eastbourne in May to research two enquiry questions. They collected data on Holywell Beach to discover how effective the groynes are in preventing erosion. This involved measuring the height of groynes, collecting data on the sediment and studying longshore drift. The pupils also researched inequality within Eastbourne, comparing the quality of the living environment between Meads and Seaside. They completed an Environmental Quality Index, an Index of Decay and surveyed car number plates. The weather was very kind to us throughout and the pupils had a great time being Geographers “in the field”.

Helena Worrall Head of Geography

LOWER SIXTH GEOGRAPHY FIELDWORK

Geographers spent the day in Eastbourne learning about how the town’s identity has changed over time and been shaped by various factors. We visited the sites of the four original villages that have come to make up Eastbourne: Meads, Old Town, Sea Cottages and Southbourne. Eastbourne is a case study for the A Level “Changing Places” unit and the trip really helped bring it to life.

Helena Worrall Head of Geography

LOWER SIXTH BUSINESS TRIP

Lower Sixth Business pupils took the opportunity to visit Rathfinny’s Wine Estate in Alfriston, to see how the theories they have been studying are being put into practice at a thriving local business.

Thomas Brookes-White (Dicker) said that ‘The main thing I learnt from the Rathfinny Wine trip was that the production of wine in the UK is such a vast process that requires an incredible amount of capital to run. I also learnt about how the climate in the UK can support the production of these sparkling wines. What surprised me was the size of the production; Rathfinny has multiple different warehouses in which they use for the production of their wine. These warehouses are all full of very helpful employees who have quite clearly found success in their wine making. I was also very surprised to find out that the owners of Rathfinny have not broken even yet with their project. I am able to use the information I have learnt from this trip in the classroom, as I can now relate my newfound knowledge to help me better understand business scenarios and questions. Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Rathfinny Wine estate and would recommend it to other business pupils who would want to gain a better understanding of modern business and how they run. This trip also introduced me to the wine making culture in the UK. I enjoyed the tour around the estate the most, the views of the land were incredible and are definitely a site to see.’

Barry Jackson Head of Business & Economics

SHAPE

BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

REFLECTIONS

Members of the Department spoke with the Upper Sixth prize winners and asked for their reflections from across the two year course.

Gautam Girish

Why did you choose to study Economics?

I chose to study economics as it is a very versatile subject that can be applied to multiple career paths and it equips you with important skills such as essay writing, critical thinking and other analytical skills.

What were the elements of the courses that you found most interesting?

I found the topic on different market structures very interesting, as well as the section on the measurement of living standards as it explains the complexities of acquiring accurate data.

What tips would you provide for someone who is about to study A level Economics?

The most important tip would be to plan your essays before you start writing them. This will help you link your points and give the examiner a clear view of what each paragraph is talking about. Also, ask for regular feedback on your work and write essays on topics you may not feel comfortable with.

Where are you going next and to study what?

I am planning to go to the University of Bath to study Economics.

How will the course complement this, set you up for the future/your career?

Studying Economics at A Level has given me a strong foundation of knowledge of the various concepts that I will study in more detail at university. It has also taught me how to present my ideas and views in an organised manner in the form of essays which will be highly beneficial in the future.

Mitra Dhanraj

Why did you choose Business?

I chose Business because it helped to balance out the other mathematically intensive subject options of maths and physics.

What were the elements of the courses that you found most interesting?

I really enjoyed the finance module as it entailed quite a bit of calculations which play to my strengths, as well as the human resource management chapters.

What tips would you provide for someone who is about to study A level Business?

I would advise them to summarise their notes down as much as possible as the course entails much content; a strong understanding of the content is essential for writing essays as well as practising the right technique of the essays through using mark schemes.

Where are you going next and to study what?

I am planning on studying Economics and Management at Loughborough University.

How will the course complement this, set you up for the future/your career?

As Business Studies has always come naturally to me, I think this will put me in a strong position to take on the management side of my university degree. The course will also help me in everyday life in aspects such as budgeting and understanding pricing strategies in order to get the best deals as a customer.

ECONOMICS COMPETITION

Both Economics courses (GCSE and A Level) that the Department offers entails a multiple choice paper and, although this may sound appealing to many pupils, for most this exam presents a significant challenge. As with all exams, demonstrating good examination skills and fitting in lots of practice can really help with this; to encourage pupils, mini-leagues have been running across the Department, with pupils competing both individually and as teaching sets. This element of competition has been catching, and indeed has caused some rivalry between the various teachers, as Tameka’s Tigers try to outdo Barry’s Bruisers and Dr O’s Outlawz challenge Jackson’s Jaguars. Below are a few medal winners from across the Department: Tristan Cheng, Amelia Burden and Max Samland.

Barry Jackson Head of Business & Economics

INQUIRY LEARNING

We have had a super busy Summer Term with a plethora of different activities, tasks, assessments and events happening once again. The pupils have been showcasing their incredible skills in both their commitment in and out of the classroom and we are beginning to finalise the end grades for pupils as I write. As the academic year draws to a close we have begun saying our goodbyes to the outgoing Upper Sixth and some Upper Fifth pupils and preparing the Lower Fifth and Lower Sixth for their next years’ of study.

The Sixth Form taster evening, attended by pupils and their parents in the Lower Fifth, was a big success and the faculty put on an excellent display, showcasing some of the wonderful activities that pupils can be involved in during their Sixth Form studies. Mr Juniper and Mr Jones showcased their zoo-keeping skills, bringing along the Macleay’s stick insect, hissing cockroaches and Herman’s tortoise; Ms Rowsell tested the grip strength of pupils and staff; Mrs Leggett made some scrumptious focaccia, and brownies for display; Ms Hartery must have spoken to around 50 people with regards to the Business course; Mr Collier conducted psychological tests; Mr Rennison demonstrated what could be the next big thing - the introduction of the BTEC in Production Arts; whilst a plethora of pupils represented various other subjects - Media, Music and IT. A superb team effort!

Georgina Wainwright Head of Inquiry Learning

BTEC ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Bede’s Zoo has had a busy term, welcoming a number of new species to the collection. We have added Neumann’s Grass Rats and Acacia Rats, two African species of rodent, both of which are rarely seen in captivity. Another addition this term was an Axolotl, a salamander species which is currently only found in Lake Xochimilco, in Mexico City. Although somewhat common in the pet trade, their wild habitat is damaged by water pollution and invasive species, leading them to be categorised as critically endangered. There are believed to be fewer than one thousand individuals currently in the wild. The zoo

is also now home to a Lesser Madagascan Tenrec (pictured). These are an interesting species, with spines like a hedgehog, but are completely unrelated. This nocturnal species spends the majority of its time hiding from predators in tree hollows, and feeds on a diet of insects and fruit.

Recognition Awards have been achieved by Maddie Hutchison, Lower Sixth - Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and Esther Bloom, Lower Sixth (Animal Management)

Paul Juniper Head of Animal Management

BTEC APPLIED SCIENCE

The Upper Fifth have been incredibly busy this term. Pupils have finished their Chemistry assignments as well as receiving the results of the exam - all passed with several achieving high Merits and one Distinction!! In Chemistry they were exploring the bonds of chemical elements as well as becoming material scientists - why do engineers use the materials they do - and what has this got to do with chemical bonds?

The Lower Fifth have completed the space exploration assignment, covering in depth topics - is the Big Bang theory real? We are in

Bede’s Senior School Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

INQUIRY LEARNING

the midst of resubmitting the electricity assignment as well as beginning our chemistry journey. I have been impressed with how the pupils have improved in their independent thought processtrying things for themselves as well as being able to research more accurately. Onwards and upwards into the Upper Fifth where we begin work on the examined unit!

The Recognition Award this term has been awarded to Josh Hammond Lower Fifth - BTEC Applied Science.

Kathy Clark Science Teacher

BTEC BUSINESS

The Lower Fifth have been nearing the end of their unit three Business Model and are getting ready to pitch to the ‘Dragon’s’ for funding. They have been looking into small and micro businesses and researching every area and potential constraint that they could encounter. Molly Jones achieved the recognition award for her hard work and dedication to her studies this term.

The Upper Fifth have now all signed off their last assignment which was working on the promotional plan for their business idea. It is great to see everyone achieve a Pass or above once more this year.

The Lower Sixth have been working on personal and business finance and have started working and presenting ideas in groups. They appear to have enjoyed being involved in different activities following their recent exam. The Lower Sixth Diploma pupils has started working on their pitch for their micro-business idea and have been making steady progress. Sophie Edwards has achieved the recognition award this term for her commitment and hard work both in and out of class.

Finally, it is time to say goodbye to our Upper Sixth and we eagerly await the results in the summer to see how they have all done.

Georgina Wainwright Head of Inquiry Learning

BTEC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Later in the first half of the Summer Term it was the turn of our BTEC IT pupils to take part in an external educational experience. As part of their course it is important to introduce the pupils to members of the industry they are studying.

Earlier in the year we were lucky enough to have an online meeting with a graphics designer who specialises in animations Mr Freddie Woodward. Last week he paid us a visit and spent the whole day meeting pupils who are working on the BTEC Level 2 Animation unit. Freddie reported back “What an absolutely amazing day, I have loved coming into Bede’s today. It has been a wonderful experience, the school looks fantastic and I am absolutely blown away by the efforts shown by the pupils since the first meeting we had online a few weeks ago. I am impressed by every single pupil and it is hard to pick anyone out, but special mention goes to Benji in Mr Mutimba’s class, whose message on anti-drugs showed great animation skills and did make me laugh out loud - an important aspect when considering target age groups for the animation audience, well done Benji! The pupils are welcome to send me any questions and I look forward to seeing their completed animations, well done.”

Many thanks to Freddie for taking the time to join us and we look forward to having Freddie visit again. I know the pupils enjoyed the visit and got a lot of help with their animations from him.

The summer holidays are almost upon us, we wish the Lower Sixth BTEC Level 3 Pupils all the best with their exams in Unit 1, Information Systems, and Unit 2, Databases, they have worked so hard. And the BTEC pupils in the Upper Sixth and Upper Fifth are coming to the end of their courses and finalising their coursework. Well done to everyone for completing the six units of the National Foundation Diploma over the two year course.

Chris Betts Head of Computing and IT

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

INQUIRY LEARNING

BTEC PERFORMING ARTS (DANCE)

On Thursday 4th June we held our BTEC showcase, when the pupils perform their final devised pieces in front of an audience which is videoed for evidence.

It is also a fantastic opportunity for each year group to see what the next units look like and be inspired by their choreographies.

The Upper Fifth had to work together to explore, develop and shape ideas to the stimulus Inside Out. They took inspiration from the animated movie and took us on a journey of emotions.

The Lower Fifth were completing their dance skills unit and performed Dances des Cygnes, a beautiful piece of repertoire from the ballet Swan Lake.

The Lower Sixth group were completing the unit Performing as a dancer as part of an ensemble. Their stimulus was “Read All About It” and they took on the roles of iconic Disney Princesses and the hidden strength each character embodies.

Lastly, our Upper Sixth dancers had the task of choreographing on other people to the stimulus Within Their Eyes. Ayaka Amos managed to combine her two passions of art and dance and she chose for her talented dancer Katrina Cheung to draw a Picasso inspired piece with chalk through movement.

Bravo to all pupils and I wish you luck with your final results. The final Faculty Recognition Awards go to Devanie Travers in the Lower Fifth and Lily-Baya Tucker in the Lower Sixth for their superb effort, commitment and dedication.

Sherrie Pennington Head of Legat Dance Academy

BTEC MARKETING

This year has been a huge success for our Upper Sixth Marketing pupils. We have been extremely fortunate with such a lovely group of pupils who not only completed in a year, but some also did so early! The final marketing plan presentations have been completed and careers interviews have all been filmed. We are delighted that all pupils have achieved either a merit or above for their hard work and commitment this year and we are immensely proud of what they have accomplished.

Georgina Wainwright Head of Inquiry Learning

BTEC MEDIA

This term has been wonderfully busy as the Upper Sixth completed their horror films and the Lower Sixth began shooting their music videos. Special mention goes to Arthur Lambert, for his beautifully shot and edited Gothic Horror and also to Anoushska Kates for being such a willing, patient and versatile performer. The Year 12 pupils have been working hard on learning our Adobe edit software and there are some wonderful music videos in the pipeline. It was great to see the BTEC films screened at our annual Oscar Night, with the work of Will Craggs and Emily Scott really standing out and showcasing a broad array of technical skills. We have also hosted some fascinating talks on film production and visual effects, giving the pupils a priceless insight into the media industries. Overall, a great effort from all the pupils this term. Well done!

The final Recognition Award this year goes to Ron Sweerts-Sporck for his amazing passion and commitment to the course! Well done.

Rick Williams Head of Media

INQUIRY LEARNING

BTEC MUSIC

In BTEC music the Upper Sixth have been reflecting on the success of the BTEC gig last term. They have been busy working away on their evaluations and wrapping up all of their work as they finish the course. We are sad to see Sophia, Josie and Jonjo leave us at the end of this term as they have been an absolutely fantastic group of pupils who have worked so well together. Sophia is leaving us to enter the world of work. Both Josie and Jonjo are continuing their studies within music, we wish them all the best for the future and look forward to hearing of all the exciting things they are getting up to. As we send off the Upper Sixth it means that it is time for the Lower Sixth BTEC band to step up to the plate. This term they have been busy preparing a number of songs to perform on the lawn at speech day as well as looking ahead to September where they will be headlining at Bede’s Fest. We look forward to welcoming you all to Bede’s Fest in September. It is a wonderful occasion where the whole community gets together to enjoy good food, warm fellowship and great music.

James Aburn Music Teacher

BTEC PSYCHOLOGY

The Upper and Lower Sixth pupils have had an incredibly busy end to their respective academic years, where they have completed external examinations on the topics of Health Psychology and Psychological Principles, as well as the Upper Sixth pupils finishing off their Sports Psychology topic. I have been blown away by the discipline and determination of the pupils to achieve the highest grades possible, with many of them leaving no stone unturned in their preparations for their exams.

Those in the Upper Sixth, in their Sports Psychology studies, have delivered presentations to me on their chosen sports performers and how psychological theories can account for their motivation, confidence and control of arousal levels, which was then followed by presentations on how their performers could benefit from psychological interventions. The presentations were some of the best that I have seen in my teaching career, and some images below from the slideshows indicate the levels of work put in by the pupils. Presentations covered performers from sports such as windsurfing,

tennis, ice skating, basketball and football to name a few, and many of the programmes of intervention designed by the pupils could be used to good effect by those athletes in the real world!

The Lower Sixth pupils are now commencing their studies of Health Psychology which will explore addiction, stress and the treatments for these. They have been looking at advertising campaigns and analysing how successful they might be in explaining behavioural choices of individuals who view them. All of the Psychology pupils thoroughly deserve to have a lovely break when it arrives, and I look forward to seeing some of them in September, and hearing from the others as they embark on their next steps beyond Bede’s. They will be missed!

The final recognition award of the year goes to Victoria Taylor for her hard work and dedication to her studies. Well done!

PHYSICAL

EDUCATION

The Academic PE Department has had a busy term preparing for coursework deadlines, assessments and exams. Additional weekend, evening and lunchtime sessions have taken place to further support all pupils. IGCSE PE and Sport Science pupils in the Upper Fifth have worked hard throughout the term and should be proud of all they have achieved.

Lower Fifth pupils have been focused on preparing for upcoming in-class assessments as well as practical filming. On Monday 22nd May the cohort travelled to Eastbourne Sports Park to undertake their Track and Field Athletics assessments.

Senior School

Laurence Collier Psychology Teacher

INQUIRY LEARNING

The Sports Leaders Level 2 pupils have completed their course successfully, culminating in a local area primary school swimming festival for 4 state schools and Bede’s Prep. Sports Leaders, alongside BTEC Sport pupils, planned, organised, lifeguarded, officiated and delivered the event with minimal teacher support.

The Sports Leaders and BTEC Sport pupils were so inspirational in how they led. It wasn’t just about the swimming; at the halfway interval all primary school pupils took part in an aqua aerobics session as a fun break from the competition. An outstanding end to the Sports Leaders course, and great application of BTEC Sport Coaching skills learned this year by those who volunteered to support. BTEC Sports pupils helped support the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Department as part of a French exchange with a school from Toulouse. The Lower Sixth pupils introduced the sport and basic skills of the game of rounders. Progressive drills took place to provide the exchange pupils with knowledge before applying these into a competitive game.

Recognition Awards were awarded to Jack Ford and Chloe Bremer, both Lower Fifth (accompanied here by Immy Pateman) for their hard work and dedication in Physical Education and Sport.

BTEC LEVEL 2 IN COOKING

I am delighted to announce that all pupils have passed their qualification at Level 2. Pupils were required to plan and cook a two course meal taking into consideration the nutritional value of the meal, the cost, the sustainability of the food as well as the taste, texture and appearance. Please see examples of the finished dishes below.

Mary Leggett Food and Nutrition Teacher

PSHE

Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education supports pupils to develop knowledge, skills and attributes needed to stay healthy, safe and prepare them for life and work in the modern world. PSHE education helps pupils to achieve their academic potential, and equips them with skills they will need in the future.

Core themes;

Ali Rowsell Head of Physical Education

• Health and Wellbeing

• Relationships

• Living in the wider world

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

INQUIRY LEARNING

PSHE at Bede’s is delivered across all areas of the school including tutor time, in lessons, assemblies, workshops, chapel, in the Medical Centre, signposting to online resources, and more. Parents can find advice and guidance linked to PSHE topics on the school website.

In May each year, the Mental Health Foundation hosts Mental Health Awareness Week and the theme this year was anxiety. It is really common to develop anxiety at some point, and we wanted pupils to find out what causes it and what they can do to feel better. We shared resources on our PSHE website on defining anxious feelings and symptoms, as well as signposting to support areas and strategies to cope with anxiety. This topic was also highlighted to pupils with posters around the school and in house assemblies that week.

As you may have seen in recent news, cases of sexually transmitted infections are reportedly hitting record levels according to latest figures, particularly in young people. We are extremely grateful to East Sussex Sexual Healthcare for visiting us on two occasions this term, offering information and guidance to pupils in lunchtime drop-ins on the lawn, and talking to our Sixth Form pupils about the importance of looking after and protecting our sexual health. Our fantastic Senior Medical team also joined us for these events. Our Lower Sixth pupils took part in a sexual health workshop, competing in a true/false quiz, a condom instruction game & scenario discussions. We signposted pupils seeking further guidance to visit the Medical Centre or speak to Mrs Nikiteas. We’ve also shared various helpful websites including www.sexwise.org.uk and www.eastsussexsexualhealth.co.uk

Pamela Nikiteas Head of PSHE

EPQ AND HPQ

As the year draws to a close we are beginning to see many projects finalised and presentations being undertaken. The project qualifications pupils have been on a big learning curve and have learnt how to research and reference and how to draft and redraft their work to secure higher marks. There are some fascinating projects that have emerged this year such as Jack White’s Dissertation into ‘Norwegian Cultural Success: Analysing the Contributing Elements and their Impacts’ and Charlie Bennett’s Artefact on ‘The need for a new medium in the British press; The Grey Area Post’. Some presentations have begun, but we are not entirely there yet, so some may spill over to September.

Georgina Wainwright Head of Inquiry Learning

FINANCIAL EDUCATION

This term, Financial Education pupils spent time preparing for the written exam, focusing on a small entrepreneur, learning about the financial rewards and challenges faced by a start-up t-shirt business, as well as the implications and importance of using sustainable raw materials in a manufacturing business. All pupils performed very well in the written exam. Well done to all!

Jane King Business & Economics Teacher

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252

bedes.org

LANGUAGES

Even though the first stirrings of summer herald the start of exam season at the Dicker, it is necessary to ensure that during this busy term providing opportunities for independence and enrichment remains at the heart of all we do in languages; for every Upper Fifth pupil dutifully cramming Shakespeare or French grammar for a written paper, there are two more pupils not anticipating a public exam, still able to engage with trips, exciting activities, further reading and everything else we offer outside the classroom. As ever, across all departments within the faculty, teachers and pupils have found time for enrichment which is both rejuvenating and affirming, from welcoming pupils from overseas to looking at ancient artefacts and art exhibitions, and even a theatre collaboration between English and Drama for the Edinburgh Festival later this summer. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s enjoy looking back at a term of great enrichment.

Matthew Oliver Head of Languages Faculty

FRENCH TRIP TO NICE

21 pupils from Year 9 to Year 12 embarked on the French trip to Nice just before the Easter holidays. The group attended French lessons in the morning followed by cultural visits in the afternoon. Among many landmarks in Nice and its surroundings, the group particularly enjoyed walking up to Castle Hill Park and visiting the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco, not without having had a pip at Prince Albert’s vintage cars collection! Everyone came back home with souvenirs such as Candied Fruit, Calissons and Rose chocolates from Confiserie Florian in their bags; but most importantly everyone came back with the satisfaction of having gone out of their comfort zones, having conversed with local people in French and having made new friends; and that is what a language trip is all about! Thank you to Mrs Bonheur for organising this amazing trip and for Mr Pianet and Miss Bradbury for accompanying.

Veronique Ganivet Head of Modern Foreign Languages

FRENCH SCHOOL VISIT

On Wednesday 17th May, Madame Ganivet’s and Madame Bonheur’s First Year French classes were lucky enough to be visited by their pen pals from Toulouse. The two classes have been corresponding with their French friends online throughout the year and concluded this exchange with a visit from the pupils from the Oratoire Sainte Marie in Auch (near Toulouse). The day was very successful and spent getting to know each other, showing our school, making our pen pals discover rounders and getting to understand the differences between the French and English school system. We are looking forward to continuing this partnership next year.

Veronique Ganivet Head of Modern Foreign Languages

SPANISH THEATRE TRIP

Lorca’s “La Casa de Bernarda Alba”

This term, Ms López and Mr Walker took their Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth groups to London’s Teatro Cervantes to see “La Casa de Bernarda Alba”, the play being studied for the A2 exam as one of the cultural topics.

Everybody was excited to be able to see the play brought to life in Spanish in the intimate setting of the Cervantes Theatre and after

LANGUAGES

having lunch nearby, we took our seats and were immersed in the play which was brilliantly performed by the excellent cast.

On the way back to school, pupils commented on how seeing Lorca’s celebrated work performed live in Spanish had cemented their understanding of the play and we are looking forward to returning next year.

Veronique Ganivet Head of Modern Foreign Languages

CLASSICS

A group of First Year and Lower Fifth Classics pupils visited the British Museum in June. They explored the Parthenon’s marbles in the galleries and they came close to 2000 year-old artefacts. If only those marbles could speak and tell us their story! We set off early in the morning, but our minibus was full of happy Classicists. After a short shopping break at Covent Garden we arrived at The British Museum. They all listened to the archaeologist carefully, marvelled at the history of the marbles, and asked brilliant questions. This was a day enjoyed by all, and our pupils made us proud. A special thanks to our EAL department and Mr Cook for giving us a short tour of London as we were driving past iconic monuments.

We will definitely repeat this!

Pavlina Saoulidou Head of Classics

ENGLISH

It’s a question often levelled at the panellists of book awards committees: should creative writing be competitive? Is it sensible or even possible to compare apples and oranges, to pit a heartfelt poem about loss against a prose satire of dog shows? The question, perhaps, might be even more germane to the creative work produced in schools, given that almost every other facet of education does lead to some kind of numerical judgement. At Bede’s, such competitions - if that is the right word - exist not to allow us to rank pupils in an order, but instead to give the things that all professional writers speak of as necessities: a provocation, a challenge, an itch. They are there to prompt pupils to think about things they might not otherwise think about through a set curriculum.

It was brilliant this term to be able to congratulate Bede’s Prep writers on their superb work for the Eco-Writing Prize, which was this year inspired by the phrase ‘borders and boundaries’, especially because they threw themselves into topics that were decidedly ‘off syllabus’ - bee-keeping, badgers, park boundaries and moth migration. As the holiday approaches, it is also superb to be able to look forward to our annual holiday writing prize, centred around the theme of ‘firsts’ - first memories, first experiences, even famous historical firsts. We look forward to pupils composing work on all manner of themes and sending it to us by the beginning of September.

As much as awards can be reductive, it is excellent to be able to highlight when pupils have embraced the invitation to write freely and personally and have produced something of which they can be proud. Such a case is Dorms Upper Fifth pupil Hau Tak, who was been shortlisted for the Orwell Youth Prize this year for his brilliant dystopian piece ‘The Dandelion Shall Never Return to the Sea of Flowers’.

Matthew Oliver Head of Languages Faculty

LANGUAGES

ORWELL YOUTH PRIZE

least to remind pupils of something all Bedians ought to know: that two of our girls’ day houses are named in honour of these pioneers of Sussex modernism and art.

Through Mr Gibbs’ creative writing activity, Hau Tak and a small group of other pupils have been afforded the rare time and space to write for themselves in an environment which is nurturing, supportive and focused on developing each individual’s voice on the page. Creative writing will run again in the Autumn activity period on Mondays, and next term we look forward to an exciting collaboration with the creative writing staff and pupils on the University of Brighton’s Creative Writing Programme.

It is always one of our goals to give pupils a writing stimulus for the summer (see our ‘firsts’ competition above), and we also want pupils to read. Yes, we are evangelical about the transformative power of books - as you might expect of an English department - but beyond that we want to make sure that pupils see that there is something for everyone, and that, as with food, if we don’t like one thing we may still like another. The right books are out there, and experimentation is a must. Ms Evans’ termly ‘pop-up’ libraries have been a great way to issue hundreds of books in one day, and our bonanza ‘lending day’ in the penultimate week of term again ensured that all our pupils could choose something right for them. By the time you read this newsletter, you may have already read about our summer reading challenge, ‘Answering Back’, in which we are inviting pupils to make a multi-media response, such as a film or short recording, about something interesting they have read. We’d love as many Bede’s pupils as possible to be involved with this, and enjoy expressing their opinions in whatever way suits them.

Matthew Oliver Head of Languages Faculty

COFFEE AND CULTURE

This term has also seen the introduction of an exciting literature and arts activity we hope will run for many years: coffee and culture. Given the wealth of literary and artistic history in Sussex, and the important cross-over between the visual and literary arts, it seemed high time to make sure our A-Level English and senior pupils had a convenient way of seeing all the treasures the county has to offer.

In mid-May, it was superb to be able to visit the Charleston Festival, home of the Bloomsbury group of artists, writers, and thinkers, not

On the day, we took in a thought-provoking talk entitled ‘How Men Came to Rule’ by Oxford academic and broadcaster Dr Ramirez and journalist Angela Saini. Taking in neolithic burial rites, mid20th century capitalism, communist ideology and contemporary reality TV, this conversation probed away at the historical roots of patriarchy and explored its manifestations in law, commerce and entertainment. Though coffee is an intrinsic part of the activity, no caffeine hit was needed; the presenters brought wit and rigour to the discussion, and our pupils headed straight for the festival bookshop to buy books referenced in the talk.

AROUND THE TOWNER

Whilst a select few pupils may have found the term’s other highlight a trip to Newhaven incinerator (the location for exploring the question of whether anything can be beautiful), most plumped for two exhibitions as their favourite other stops of the term.

Two visits to Eastbourne’s Towner gallery allowed pupils to see the permanent collection of works depicting Sussex landscapes and sculptures engaging with the idea of place, whilst the return visit enabled pupils to catch the Barbara Hepworth exhibition, a real “must see” for anyone who hasn’t yet ventured to see it.

Over the term, the activity aimed to broaden our discussion of what constituted art and culture, resulting in a visit to the ‘Queer Looks’ clothing exhibition at Brighton and Hove Museum. This exhibition, with its focus on fashion and identity, prompted some superb questions on the culture of fashion: did we feel that clothing was conventionally used to conceal or to convey an idea of identity? At what point did the commerce of clothing turn into art, andmost interestingly - which item of clothing would we love to wear ourselves?

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

Matthew Oliver Head of Languages Faculty

LANGUAGES

With several exhibitions, and Charleston’s Small Wonder short fiction festival, the culture and coffee activity will return in the Autumn on Thursdays, so interested pupils should ensure they book their place early.

Matthew Oliver Head of Languages Faculty

I BELONG BOOK LAUNCH

This summer, we published and launched our very own anthology “I Belong”, reaching out with Bedians past, present and future. It is a collection of poems, prose and artwork from pupils across the Trust from First Year to Upper Sixth on the theme of belonging. It has been a transformational journey involving 60 pupils and 20 teachers.

All in their own ways have contributed to shift the paradigm around the concept of belonging and have reminded us how vital it is to be able to enjoy a sense of belonging.

The book is a meaningful and tangible manifestation of our values at Bede’s and we hope that you will get your copy to read and enjoy over the summer. All proceeds from the sales of the book will be donated to our chosen charity KRAN, supporting unaccompanied and separated young asylum seekers. Please contact annie.bonheur@bedes.org if you would like to order a copy. Please see photos below from our launch evening in June.

Annie Bonheur MFL Coordinator

GET TO KNOW THE BEDE’S COMMUNITY

We have interviewed one member of staff and one pupil to encourage us to get to know each other… First up is Matilda Collins!

What year are you in and what are you studying at Bede’s?

I am in Year 13 and I am studying Biology, Economics and History.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

So far it would probably be playing hockey for my country.

Which era in history would you most like to have lived through and why?

The future - far, far into the future.

Which places in the world are on your bucket list?

I would love to go to New Zealand, Bali, Hawaii, Rocky Mountains (skiing) and South American countries.

What is the most beautiful place you have seen?

Staring up at the night sky in the Nepalese Mountains.

Which songs would you pick on Desert Island Discs?

The Fred Again albums or Elvis Presley.

What was the last book that you read that was so good you didn’t want to finish it?

I re-read all of the Harry Potter books all the time!

What’s your favourite restaurant or pub?

I love the Old Oak Inn.

Best advice you have ever been given?

“In order to win the war you have to lose some battles.” - my Year 6 form tutor Miss Brundle.

Favourite TV show?

Peaky Blinders, The Peep Show or Brooklyn 99.

Favourite film or TV character?

I love Lord of the Rings. My favourite film character is probably Albus Dumbledore.

Next up is Richard Mills, our Registrar.

What is your role at Bede’s?

I am the Registrar who oversees the recruitment at 13+, 14+, 16+ and Pre-Sixth entry.

Tell us a bit about where you’re from, your education journey, your career past etc?

I am from the North West - born in Manchester, hence a Utd fan! I went to Bolton School, and then Merchant Taylors’, Crosby. I read Economics at university (Bangor) and then worked in the City for NatWest. After three years, I took a gap year, travelled the world, and on my return went into teaching. My first teaching post was at QE Boys, Barnet. I then joined Bede’s in 1998.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? Having children.

What has been your greatest disappointment?

Watching Liverpool win the Champions League in 2005 - I was so happy at half time!

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252

bedes.org

GET TO KNOW THE BEDE’S COMMUNITY

Who are your ideal dinner guests? (no more than 6 please and they can be dead or alive)

Gareth Thomas, Kevin Sinfield, Bobby Charlton, Michelle Obama, Denise Lewis and Kylie Minogue.

Is there a book that has changed your life/way of thinking?

Not a book, but a holiday. To Romania in 1986, whilst it was still under a dictatorship! Seeing how a closed economy worked in reality, where people have no choices, influenced my political way of thinking.

How do you relax?

Sport - watching football, cricket and rugby. Dancing with the OPDs - Outta Puff Daddys - a social media sensation! Performing at CarFest in August!

Best advice you have ever been given? Never complain about being old - it means you haven’t died!

What were you like at school?

I was in the “fast stream” which meant I did all my O-Levels and therefore my A-Levels a year early. I was also the captain of rugby, cricket and football! Therefore - perfect! I left school just turned 17!

What were your favourite lessons at school? Economics and History.

Was there any type of school dinner you couldn’t stand as a child?

No - love my food and have never been a fussy eater!

What piece of advice would you give to today’s teenagers? Always be true to yourself.

If you could be Prime Minister for a day, what is the first thing you would do - in an education context? Give every child the opportunities that our pupils have at Bede’s.

Bede’s Senior School

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

SPORT: CRICKET

There is lots to report from a very successful Summer Term of cricket at Bede’s. The boys’ U14s won the Holdsworthy Cup (the Sussex independent schools’ cup) beating Hurst. The U14s also won the county rounds of the Lord Taverner’s Cup which means that Bede’s go through to the National Cup next summer. The boys’ U15s won the Blackshaw Cup (the Sussex independent schools’ cup) and the County T20 Cup. The U17s reached the quarter finals of the national cup losing to The Forest School and the U18s reached the finals of the Blackshaw Cup.

The girls made the quarter-finals national T20 and reached the semifinals of the national 100 ball competition. Bede’s bowled out Millfield for 62 in the semi final, unfortunately rain the prevented the Finals day from being finished and it will now be held in September.

Finally, in terms of individual accomplishments, Zach Webb broke the School’s batting record scoring 190 runs not out against Ardingly. The previous record was 178 not out, also against Ardingly, scored by one Shai Hope!

As we move into the summer break, we know that many families will be watching Sussex and seeing some of our alumni in action as they continue their professional careers. Alumni Alice Capsey and Freya Kemp, who is returning from injury, will also be in action in the 100 ball and potentially international fixtures for England.

Summing up the season, Director of Cricket, Alan Wells said “It’s been a really successful season, winning four cups and reaching the national quarter finals. Hopefully there will be further success next year for the U14s when they represent Sussex in the Nationals. The girls teams continue to compete at the highest level with an opportunity for national success in September.”

Alan Wells Director of Cricket

SPORT: HOCKEY

Throughout the Summer Term

Bede’s has hosted a summer 6’s tournament with local schools and clubs entering. Bede’s had two teams entered in this tournament and both teams scored over 26 goals with Amelia Tait finishing top goalscorer with 9 goals. Third place game was between Eastbourne Hockey Club & Eastbourne College, with the hockey club finishing on top with a score of 6 - 3 to the hockey club. In the first place game, Bede’s Bobcats faced off against Bede’s Bengals. This was a close game with Mr Redhead’s Bobcats finishing as winners with a score of 6 - 4.

The boy’s 1XI have participated in the Eastbourne 6s Summer League down at the Saffrons. The League has been a great success for all involved, with a high standard of hockey on show. The boy’s played four games, picking up wins against an Eastbourne Hockey Club men’s side and Eastbourne College side. This opportunity allowed some of the younger boys within the squad to gain some valuable experience, playing against some well organised men’s sides. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the boys who are leaving us this year and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavours.

Chris Borsoi Director of Hockey

SPORT: FOOTBALL

It has been another fantastic season for Bede’s football with over 250 matches played and some outstanding individual and team successes. The 1st XI reached the county cup final and gave a great account of themselves in battling 1-0 defeat to Bexhill in the final, whilst in there first season the 14A did amazingly well to reach the Elgin League Final and whilst they were not crowned champions, to be competing at that level already is very promising for the years ahead. Individually Sam Bull and Nicolai de Freitas receiving full ISFA international caps for U18 team is an outstanding achievement whilst many others have also represented ISFA and County representative sides. Lastly the progression and performance of the participation teams has been fantastic to see with 14B,14C, 15B, and 15C teams in particular having cracking seasons.

David Caryer Director of Football

SPORT: EQUESTRIAN

The equestrian team have been working hard this season and have had great results in show jumping, arena Eventing and dressage.

After qualifying for the county finals in show jumping and the arena Eventing finals, both held at the Hickstead show ground, the team of Chloe Bremer, Lara Bath, Lola Woollard, Issi Drake, Nina Sheppard and Bea Crawford preformed well with great results coming second over all nationally in the intermediate arena evening finals.

Chloe Bremer had an amazing time at the championships winning the novice Arena Eventing championships and becoming national champion at this level - the third year in a row that Team Bede’s have retained this title under different riders.

We have also had success in the dressage with Issi Drake qualifying for the dressage championships in October.

The team are fortunate to have the use of Golden Cross Equestrian Centre with a competition size show jumping arena and indoor school where we have training sessions every Tuesday.

SPORT:

SWIMMING

Bede’s swim team have all focused on the task and have produced a series of good results this last school year, whereby swimmers have picked up a number of gold, silver and bronze medals at meets In The Sussex league.

Our men’s side recently won the open Brighton college meet with a high points total. In practical terms we have 10 swimmers that compete. Tabby Reed and myself coach the swimmers for the three activity sessions plus we offer three additional swim workouts throughout the week, two mornings and a Wednesday afternoon after school.

We have also had four of then team swim at the Sussex County Championships this year with Matt Metcalfe gaining 3 Gold medals in backstroke plus a relay Gold. All four swimmers swam personal best times.

I am pleased to announce that we will have a school record board commissioned and placed in the pool with the school record times and pool record on display in September.

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

Katy McKeogh Equestrian Team Manager

Phil Osborn Performance Swimming Coach

ROUND THE HOUSES

In Camberlot, we’ve had some epic nerf battles, with adrenalinefilled safe fun! Our common areas were transformed into a nerf battleground with everyone joining in. Stud House were invited one evening and it was great to see pupils in our boarding community mixing together.

Mouth-watering barbecues have been very popular this term, with our leavers’ and parents’ barbecues and parent quiz as well as our farewell barbecue for Mr Adlam! Our talented chefs fired up the grills to serve a delectable array of grilled treats.

As the academic year comes to a close, it’s time to bid farewell to Mr Adlam who is moving on to new adventures. He’s been with us for five years and will be greatly missed.

On Friday 19th May we had a delightful Parent BBQ and quiz night that we shared with Dorter House. All enjoyed a scrumptious meal, connecting with fellow parents, and put their knowledge to the test in an entertaining quiz session, which was online thus allowing international parents to join in. It was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the bond between the boarding house and our supportive families.

Pupils have tried to beat the heat with some thrilling water fun in our beautiful garden! We’ve set up an exhilarating slip and slide and paddling pool for everyone to enjoy.

This has been my last term in Crossways and the girls have continued to impress me with their hard work with their academics and their dedication to their activities. This has been one of the gruelling exam seasons, with many clashes in exams and the girls have done so well in order to cope with this. The highlight of the term was Make a Difference Day - where the juniors visited Downs View School and seniors helped entertain East Hoathly Primary School. The compassion that the girls showed here was amazing - I was ever so proud of them.

I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of the Crossways Family - who help to look after the girls on a daily basis. Our wonderful and hardworking Housekeepers: Samira and Jeff, who make us smile and laugh every day. Our caring Matrons: Sally, Julie and Kym - who are so fantastic and patient in looking after the girls. All of the tutors, who go above and beyond for the girls every day. Last but not least - our Resident Staff: Mr Turner and Mrs Hopkins, who

help me run this fabulous house - thank you for all that you do.

I will be very sad to say goodbye to my Crossways Family at the end of the term - it has been the most wonderful four years and this has been my dream job. It is lovely to see the love and friendship that you have for each other - which is, ultimately, what Crossways is all about. Once a Crossways Girl - always a Crossways Girl.

The exam term has led to an atmosphere of study in Deis alongside the heartfelt goodbyes to our current Upper Sixth group.

We held our charity week with a number of different events running in house (details below), raising £774 for Chailey Heritage.

Our Make a Difference Day focussed on visits to Chailey Heritage itself, working with the Matthew 25 Mission in their care for the homeless, St Peter’s and St James’ Hospice and a host of other places such as the Bevern Trust.

Some words from Jack, our new Head of House:

“It’s been a busy Summer Term in Deis House, with various competitions being held and our charity week in support of Chailey Heritage Foundation including car washes, bake sales and an in-house pool tournament. As the academic year comes to its end we wish leaving members of our house a successful onward journey and we are excited to welcome new additions to the house in September.” - Jack White

It has been a productive term in Dorter as the pupils in each year, but especially the external exam years, have really embraced their revision and exams, and worked so hard. We are very proud of them already for the effort they have put in.

We have tried to ensure there is a relaxing balance in House and have made good use of the lovely garden in the sunshine whether it be for an impromptu mini barbecue, game of badminton or full on water fight.

We said goodbye to our Upper Sixth leavers with an afternoon tea in

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org

ROUND THE HOUSES

the garden on a very sunny June afternoon and had a lovely time with them, sharing stories of their highs, lows and funny moments from the last few years.

For Make a Difference Day the girls were involved in events ranging from a Ukrainian Awareness day for children from a local school, to educate about the country itself, rather than focus on the war, beach cleans and a clean-up of the church and village green gardens, and a documentary filming project around Beachy Head.

The Dorter family wishes everyone a happy holidays.

It is safe to say Dorms is now well established in its new location. The Summer Term has really shown us to be in the best spot in the school. Evenings spent having BBQs on the lawn by the lake whilst the ducks looked on and then playing volleyball or foot tennis (look it up!) on the lawn until we couldn’t see the ball anymore. Idyllic!

Eurovision and Mocktail night gave us the opportunity to join together and celebrate the wonderful cultures that we have in light hearted rivalry. We also had the opportunity to bond over the paella pan gathering together to cook up a feast for 50!

It hasn’t all been fun and games and our exam years had to hold their nerve through a very warm and hay fever ridden exam season. I am immensely proud of the GCSE and A-level pupils’ dedication and perseverance and hope they get the results they deserve in August.

Recently the spirit of healthy competition has united us in the house competitions, cross country race and athletics events. The message has been “do your best, whatever that might be” and the sight of boys crashing to the floor, breathless as they finished the crosscountry was testimony to them taking that message to heart.

As the Summer Term comes to an end, we reflect on the incredible

moments we have shared together, cherishing the friendships we’ve formed and the growth we’ve experienced. I wish all Dorms families a warm and harmonious summer.

Whilst the pupils in Knights have primarily been focussed on assessments and exams this term, they have still found wonderful ways to contribute to co-curricular programs. There have been junior plays to take part in with some excellent performances from the pupils, in ‘Through the Wardrobe’. Sport has also been part of this term with a large number of pupils contributing significantly to the success of our program. Thank you to all the players who represented Bede’s this term.

I thoroughly enjoyed spending an evening with the wonderful Upper Sixth at the Leavers’ Ball, hearing about their future plans and aspirations. We said goodbye to them at an end of term lunch where they were presented with their leavers tie.

The Giving Day was delightful to see and I was pleased with the excellent spirit and generosity of the pupils. We spent a morning picking up litter on the Cuckoo Trail and also by helping at Permaculture in Brighton. Both of these endeavours meant that pupils could engage with the environment and make an impact on making our planet a better place to live.

In the last week of term Knights gave everything in the house competitions to try and retain our House Champions reign. We ran hard in the cross country even though it was tough, and went from strength to strength in the Tug of War. At the time of writing I am uncertain if our efforts have secured top spot, but more importantly I am so impressed with the camaraderie and spirit that each Knight has shown to others this term.

This term has been short but action packed. Where do I start? Well

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham

East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252

bedes.org

ROUND THE HOUSES

let’s go with the inaugural Bede’s House Dance Competition – Stud won! Our boys were seen throughout the day rehearsing their steps to Jerusalema and when it was all filmed by a drone, it did look fantastic. As for the other House comps this term, we won the Cross Country and we won the House Athletics so, all in all, a great sporting term.

We’ve had a few trips out this term to give the boys a treat. Tutor group trips to get a coffee, the new House Prefects Laser tag and burgers are a couple of them. We said our usual sad goodbyes to the leavers (the Leaver’s Ball was spectacular) but we also waved farewell to a few boys who were only here for a year. Our loss will be the gain of schools throughout Germany and Spain.

We ‘Made A Difference’ on our day out at Park Mead Primary School. All of the boys were involved in teaching the 5 to 11 year old pupils about the different nationalities we represent from the American Gold Rush to the Spanish celebration of ‘Sant Jordi’, from German football to the Lantern Festival in Hong Kong.

We at Stud wish all who are associated with the House a Happy Summer break and we look forward to the new academic year with new and returning pupils.

What an incredibly busy term it has been in Bloomsbury House. Charity and volunteering has been a focus this term with some of our First years taking part in a swimathon for Cancer Research – thanks to Pippa Nunn, Erin Murphy, Abbi Lester and Amelie Hargrave and their sponsors. As a house we have supported the charity Family Matters who provide support to families and young people who have suffered trauma. Only last week Poppy Eyre took part in a sky dive to raise money, which was filmed for the BBC documentary about her story and subsequent charity work. So far as a house we have raised over £1000

For Family Matters.

On the volunteering front, we supported the Mohair Centre with gardening and maintenance tasks, including white-washing a wall, weeding and working on the guinea pig village. We also visited Polegate Primary School to help the Year 3 pupils with science. The Bloomsbury pupils demonstrated exceptional care and consideration for the younger children. Thank you to Polegate Primary teachers and pupils for sharing the experience with us. Lara Wheatcroft also supported local primary school pupils with learning French, whilst Meredith Cottam and Ada Grieve went to the Bevan Trust to work with young people with disabilities. Josie Venables went to the Matthew 25 project to help cater for the homeless whilst other pupils were involved in a Greek production to primary pupils whilst others were busy with an art project. Amelia Butler-Byram and Elsa Olliff were developing their skills ready for trekking in Nepal next year but hiking over the South Downs.

The girls have also performed well in the field of sport; Kirstin Orr, Milly Trenaman, Georgie Howard and Erin Wooldridge were busy competing in the Eastbourne Netball League and there were some extraordinary cricket performances, including from Romilly Smith who made history as the first lady to score 100 for Hailsham Cricket Club. There were some superb horse riding results from Matilda Jackson-Clutton, who was selected to represent GB twice this year and Chloe Bremer who took the title of National Champion in the Novice Arena Eventing Finals.

We say goodbye to our lovely Upper Sixth pupils. I will miss your tenacity and academic drive. Thank you for all your care and kindness to Blooms. Head of House Sophia and Deputy Daisy, thank you for your drive and passion to make change and seek involvement.

As another academic year draws to a close I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on the more than 3,000 Nominations awarded to Dicker for their good deeds across their school life: from kindness to sporting excellence, it has been great to acknowledge and celebrate some wonderful achievements. The categories this year were: Citizenship; Resilience; Integrity; The 4’c’s school values; Physical and mental well-being and Creativity and the Arts.

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

ROUND THE HOUSES

Each week a member of each tutor group presented to the house the achievements of their tutor group, which allowed us all to learn about our collective achievements.

This year saw us revisit our annual 24 hour football challenge - once again, with huge success - raising over £3,000 for our charity this year, Matthew 25, a homeless charity in Eastbourne. Again, I was in awe and so proud of the effort and dedication that the boys showed to achieve our common goal.

This year also saw our second house Creative Challenge, in which every member of the house created something which was presented to the whole house. It was a remarkable effort for everyone to throw themselves into the challenge and put themselves outside their comfort zones. Highlights included short films, piano renditions, baking and magic tricks. Congratulations to everyone who spent the hours required to achieve their goal.

Well done to everyone in Dicker - they have all contributed to a very successful and enjoyable year in house.

The Summer Term commenced with the highly successful inaugural Charleston’s Got Talent, leaving an indelible impression. Who could forget Mrs Johnson and her talented tutees—Amelia Parsons, Skye Coetser, Mabel Young, and Catalina Pinchen Morales—delivering a memorable rendition of Eminem? Gratitude goes to Jolie Phillips for organising this event, and we eagerly anticipate its continuation for years to come.

Amidst the fervour of exams, we cherished one final major event— the Leavers Ball with our Upper Sixth pupils. This group epitomises resilience and determination and is destined for greatness. Milly and Mary Taylor, among others, are surely future stars of English cricket.

The term also saw remarkable events like Oscars Night, D of E expeditions, Model UN, Bedes Parts awards, and the awe-inspiring Legat show, “Once Upon a Time.” To all involved, we express profound gratitude for your

dedication. You make us immensely proud.

The term culminated with the conclusion of the year-long House Competitions. The delayed Cross Country added suspense, but we emerged victorious, retaining the trophy for the second time in three years. Moreover, we secured the Coleman Cup for the third consecutive term, celebrating the House with the best effort grades. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Charleston community—tutors, parents, and the girls themselves.

Congratulations, and here’s to another successful year ahead!

Bede’s Senior School

Upper Dicker, Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3QH

T 01323 843252 bedes.org