Useful Information

BEDFORD PREP SCHOOL

Term Dates

Autumn Term 2021 Term starts: Monday 6 Sept (08:40)

Exeat: Sat/Sun 25/26 Sept

Half Term: Friday 15 Oct (16:10) to Monday 1 Nov (08:40)

Exeat: Sat/Sun 20/21 Nov

Term finishes: Friday 10 Dec (11:50)

Spring Term 2022 Term starts : Wednesday 5 Jan (08:40)

Exeat: Sat/Sun 22/23 Jan

Half Term: Friday 11 Feb (16:10) to Monday 21 Feb (08:40)

Exeat: Sat/Sun 12/13 Mar

Term finishes: Friday 25 Mar (11.50)

Summer Term 2022 Term starts: Wednesday 20 Apr (08.40)

Exeat: Sat/Sun/Mon 30 Apr/1/2 May

Half Term: Friday 27 May (16:10) to Monday 6 Jun (08:40)

Term finishes: Friday 7 Jul (16:10)

At the beginning of each term, boarders return by 18:00 the previous evening and, after half terms, by 20:00 the previous evening.

We strongly recommend that all Prep Boarders go home to their families during the Christmas, Easter and Summer Holidays, as well as the two week half term break in October.

Exeats

Each half term there is one Exeat weekend (with the exception of the second half of the summer term), which provides boys and staff with a well-earned break from their busy timetables. On Exeat weekends school finishes at 16:10 on Friday and resumes at 08:35 on Monday.

Boarders are expected to leave Eagle House by 18:00 on the Exeat Friday and return between 18:00 and 20:00 on the Sunday evening.

Lost Property

Any misplaced uniform, sports kit or school equipment that is found around the school is collected and taken to the lost property hut, which is next to the parking area on the Prep School playground.

It is essential that all items of school uniform and kit are named so that they can be returned to boys.

Named items of lost property are sorted into each Tutor’s box. Boys can then go and collect them from the lost property hut at break time and lunchtime. Any named items not collected are usually returned to boys on a weekly basis. Parents can also visit the lost property hut each weekday between 15:45 and 16:10.

School Fees

Details of fees are sent to parents each year and are also available throughout the year on the school website.

Fees for the forthcoming year are announced each summer term.

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Payment of Fees

Termly Payments Termly fee invoices are uploaded to the secure parent portal before the start of each term. Payment should be made by direct debit, bank transfer, debit or credit card before the term commences.

Monthly Payments Fees can also be paid, by direct debit only, in nine equal instalments on predetermined dates (usually the first working day of the month or the first day of term if later).

Autumn Term Sept, Oct, Nov

Spring Term Jan, Feb, Mar

Summer Term May, Jun, Jul

Fees in Advance The Harpur Trust accepts payment of fees by lump sum in advance. Further details of this scheme are available from the Harpur Trust Fees Office, tel: +44 (0)1234 369500.

Fees Invoice - Disbursements (Blue Bills) Any additional costs not covered by the main tuition fee will be added to the following term’s fees invoice and itemised accordingly, as these are charged for in arrears. These may cover the cost of additional text books, additional excursions or trips, private music tuition, ESL lessons, subscriptions, shop purchases or any boarding house expenses, etc.

Further details about the fees invoice are available from: The Director of Finance and Operations, 10 Glebe Road, Bedford, MK40 2PL Tel: +44 (0)1234 362245, email: bursary@bedfordschool.org.uk.

Transport - School Buses

There is an extensive network of buses to all Harpur Trust Schools. This transport system is run by voluntary parent associations and commercial suppliers, a list of which can be found on the school website. Whilst the school does not endorse the transport suppliers, these companies have been used for many years by Bedford School and other independent schools in Bedford. It is the responsibility of parents to organise transport to and from school and to make their own checks as they deem necessary. For further information on routes, times and costs, please contact the providers directly.

All non-British passport holders are required to have a visa to study in the UK. We have a Home Office Licence which enables us to take international students and to issue a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies) for boys applying for a Child Student Visa.

To enable us to hold the Home Office Licence we have to follow certain procedures and are regularly checked by the Home Office to ensure we are working within the guidelines. We would, therefore, be grateful if you could assist us with any request in regard to this matter.

Families whose sons require a Child Student Visa should have received a communication from us, but if not, please contact us as soon as possible.

Non EU Applications When your visa application has been approved, your son will be issued with a vignette in his passport which is valid for 90 days and will allow him into the UK. Please advise us and send a copy of both the confirmation letter and vignette as soon as you receive them. Your son’s visa in the form of a BRP (Biometric Resident Permit) card will be sent to the school.

On your son’s first day at the school he must bring his passport with him so we may physically see the passport and vignette before he can sign and receive his BRP.

EU Applications Successful EU applications will receive a letter with a link where you are able to generate a Share Code which needs to be sent to our Admissions team straight away.

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Your son will also need to bring his passport to the Admissions Office for checking upon arrival.

If your son has a British National Overseas passport or a Tier 1 Investor or Entrepreneur Visa or Tier 2 Visa, we would like notification of this before starting and will ask to see both the passport and visa when he arrives at the school.

We recommend that your son keeps his passport and BRP (if applicable) in the boarding house safe.

Boys whose families are resident outside of the UK must have an AEGIS or BSA accredited guardian and we must have their guardian’s full contact details.

Please complete and return the Parent Nomination of a Guardian Form.

Before each Exeat weekend and the start of each holiday, your son will be asked by his Housemaster for the following details:

y Where he is staying during his time away from the school. y How he is travelling from the school and who is collecting him. y If flights are involved, the flight numbers and dates/times of the flights.

Cash Management Procedures for Boarders

Pupils at Eagle House may only bring small amounts of cash each term (we would suggest an allowance of between £5 - £10 per week) which must be handed in to the Eagle House parents on arrival, with cash distributed as deemed appropriate over the term.

We also operate a chit (signed note) system with the school shop that allows boys to purchase any items of uniform, games kit or stationery stocked by the shop. Boys are always asked if they have their parents’ permission to buy expensive items. The shop provides each boy with an itemised statement at the end of the term. If you have any queries, please contact Mr Lincoln or our Accounts Team.

Insurance

The school automatically provides pupils’ personal accident insurance for all boys. A summary of the policy is available on request from the Bursary. Your son will be automatically covered by this policy when he starts at the school.

Boarders also receive personal effects insurance which covers their personal property in the boarding houses. The total sum insured is £5,000, with a single item limit of £2,000. Bicycles are covered up to £250 if they are kept securely in the bicycle shed. Items are replaced on a new for old basis if they are less than one year old. Please note this policy does not cover cash, mobile phones or mobile phone accessories. The policy excess is £25. A summary of the policy is available on request from the Bursary.

Learning Support

Bedford Prep School is an inclusive school where there is an emphasis on high quality learning and teaching provision for all children so that they can work to the best of their ability alongside their peers in lessons. The school’s Academic Support Department is experienced in providing support strategies in lessons for boys who have a range of additional needs, including Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, AD(H)D, or those who may need additional study skills support in areas such as comprehension, planning or handwriting practice. Targeted support for some boys is through small group support sessions which are aimed at closing the gap in achievement. Personalised one-to-one lessons are for a small number of boys who require a more individual approach to support their learning. All additional support is provided free of charge by the school.

In accordance with the SEND Code of Practice (2014), the school uses a graduated approach to identify and support pupils with SEND. The main focus is on enabling those with SEND to succeed in their education. If a boy should require an assessment report, the school will recommend an external specialist teacher who is able to carry out a private assessment, payable privately to the external teacher. The school can then use the strategies from this report to inform teaching and learning within lessons and / or small group and one-to-one sessions.

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At Bedford Prep School we enjoy working closely with parents to support all the boys in their learning. We value parents’ input, and request that the school is made aware of any existing difficulties and / or assessment reports that have been carried out before they join. A joined-up approach between home and school is vital in ensuring a supportive learning environment for the pupil.

Should you have any concerns about a child’s needs, parents should discuss this initially with their son’s form Tutor, or with Mrs Rossington, Prep School Head of Academic Support (drossington@bedfordschool. org.uk).

We welcome discussion about any aspect of a boy’s development and offer a supportive and positive approach to enable boys to make good progress throughout the different stages of their time at the Prep School.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

In addition to classroom teaching, we provide ESL teaching for pupils whose first language is not English. This is a condition of entry to the school.

Tuition offered in ESL Our aim is to provide specialised help in those areas where it is needed. These might include:

1. Basic English skills - reading, writing, speaking and listening.

2. The writing of essays, note-taking and summaries.

3. Specific Preparatory School examinations.

y KET Cambridge y PET Cambridge 4. Personal assistance and general availability to help each student, should any language or communication problems arise.

We generally suggest up to four teaching periods per week are sufficient for new boys joining the school. If we discover a boy needs more intensive help, we will communicate further with you.

We require your son to bring: y An electronic translator y A small dictionary y A large dictionary The small dictionary and electronic translator can be taken to lessons and the large dictionary can be used in Eagle House.

We realise that there will often be individual requirements and we welcome contact with parents or guardians.

The fees are termly and depend on:

a. The number of lessons per week.

b. Whether the lessons are with one boy (single) or with more than one boy (joint).

All bills for ESL tuition will be sent to parents at the end of each term. Current fees are shown on the school website.

Enrichment

The Enrichment Programme at Bedford Prep School aims to prepare boys for their future by providing a range of opportunities to develop different skills, pursue interests, and to gain new experiences outside of the curriculum.

This year, we ran a competition in conjunction with the Independent Schools Association in which boys had to learn and perform a Shakespearean monologue. Boys took part in a workshop delivered by the Royal Shakespeare Company, organised by our Head of Drama, which provided coaching on how to use voice, gesture and intonation to enhance performance. During the lockdown period, boys also took part in a Mind, Body and Soul whole-school curriculum collapse day: activities and tasks including bridge design and building; an online cookery class; fitness sessions, and art and music sessions. Boys were encouraged to be creative and spend time away from the screen. The Enrichment Programme, this year, has also included an opportunity for boys in KS3 to attend Economics seminars, and a newly-formed Year 8 Debating Society. Boys have enjoyed developing their public speaking skills, and we look forward

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to providing more opportunities to develop this important skill next year.

Each year, we commit to providing a rich programme of events and clubs for boys to take part in as well as opportunities for academic extension and collaboration with the Upper School.

Speech and Drama Lessons

The Prep School offers speech and drama lessons, which are organised on a weekly-rotating basis during the school day. Boys spend the autumn term building performance skills and technique, the spring term working towards performances at the prestigious Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama in March and the summer term working towards their LAMDA examination. All boys are taught in small groups (varying between two to five, depending on the age group), and the current fees (covering 30 lessons over the year) can be found on the school website.

If you would like your son to have lessons, please complete the Speech and Drama form, so that arrangements can be made for him to begin in September.

Instrumental Music Lessons

If you wish your son to have instrumental music lessons, please complete the Instrumental Music Lesson form. Applications must reach the school by the end of the preceding term. Each form should relate to only one instrument. Applications to learn more than one instrument should be on separate forms (please submit the form as many times as required).

1. All matters relating to instrumental lessons should be addressed to Mr Jonathan Sanders, Director of

Music, Bedford School, De Parys Avenue, Bedford

MK40 2TU. Email: jsanders@bedfordschool.org. uk.

2. As part of their musical tuition, boys learning orchestral and band instruments will be expected to play in at least one of the school orchestras and bands at the discretion of the Director of Music.

3. Termination of lessons. Notice in writing of the intention to discontinue lessons is required and should be sent to the Director of Music as soon as possible. The notice period is 11 term-time weeks from the receipt of the notice of termination of lessons.

4. Time of lessons. All boys will normally be required to have lessons during normal school periods on rotation on one instrument but at the discretion of the Director of Music. Please note that we are unable to process applications which request a fixed lesson time as a pre-requisite condition for taking up lessons.

5. Absence from lessons. If a boy/parent gives at least 72 hours’ notice in writing (excluding

Sundays and Bank Holidays), either directly to the

Visiting Music Teacher (VMT) or to the Head of

Instrumental Department (HoID), of being unable to attend an instrumental lesson due to a schoolrelated activity, then the VMT/HoID will endeavour, where possible, to find an alternative time for the missed lesson to be taught. If it is not possible to find an alternative time, the missed lesson will not be charged to the boy’s family. Notice by email will be accepted as long as it is copied to the relevant

HoID. In all other situations, if a boy misses an instrumental lesson, then it will be charged to the boy’s account, as the VMT will be working and needs to be paid. Relevant school-related activities which require boy/parental notice will include sports fixtures, academic visits, trips and unavoidable classroom commitments, but this list is not exhaustive.

6. Reports. Reports by instrumental teachers are made at the end of each autumn and summer term. An instrumental music parents’ evening is arranged at the end of the spring term each year.

7. Fees. Fees are reviewed annually and published by the Director of Finance and Operations.

Reduced rates apply to those sharing lessons and for boys in the Prep School. Class tuition for theoretical examinations in music is provided free for those having instrumental tuition but a charge is made for other boys.

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8. Examinations. Boys are entered for instrumental examinations at the discretion of the Director of

Music and the cost charged to parents on Blue

Bills.

9. Instruments. Instruments may be hired from the school, subject to availability, during the early stages of tuition. Parents are charged a termly hiring fee and are responsible for maintenance and repair costs and also for making good loss or damage, whether in or out of school. Parents are advised to take out insurance against loss or accidental damage. In most cases, boys will be expected to have their own instruments after the first year. Parents and boys are reminded that instruments should not be left at school during holiday periods as the school cannot accept responsibility for their safety.

Hotel Accommodation in Bedford

There is a wide range of hotel accommodation available in Bedford. The hotels listed below are just a few of the options available.

Hotels Close to Bedford School

D’Parys De Parys Avenue Tel: +44 (0)1234 340248 Email: info@dparys.co.uk www.dparys.co.uk

Swan Hotel The Embankment Tel: +44 (0)1234 346565 Email: info@bedfordswanhotel.co.uk www.bedfordswanhotel.co.uk

Embankment Hotel The Embankment Tel: +44 (0)1234 261332 Email: embankment@peachpubs.com www.embankmentbedford.co.uk Mercure Bedford Centre Hotel

St Mary’s Street Tel: +44 (0)1234 799988 Email: HB541@accor.com www.accorhotels.com

Please note that these details are provided for information only. Their inclusion does not imply that the school endorses the services offered by the provider.

Travelling to Bedford from the Airports

Please note that the school does not provide transfers to and from the airports. It is the responsibility of parents/guardians.

It is possible to take a train to Bedford from Luton, Gatwick and Heathrow airports but not from Stansted. Information on routes, costs and timetables may be found at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

Once you reach Bedford Railway Station, we advise that you take a taxi to Bedford School. To avoid confusion with other schools in the town it is best to give the taxi driver the school’s address (De Parys Avenue).

If you would like to arrange a taxi to collect you from any of the above airports, you will find it cheaper to pre-book a taxi from Bedford rather than getting a black cab from the airport.

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The Wider Community

The Bedford School Association (BSA)

The aim of the BSA is to promote engagement across the widest possible alumni grouping in order to create a sense of attachment and an active network which positively supports Bedford School. The school takes an inclusive approach to make all elements of the community feel most welcome. With a joined up approach, we feel that more can be achieved. The BSA supports the work of the Bedford Prep Guild, Parents’ Guild in the Upper School, Past Parents’ Association, Old Bedfordians Club and Foundation, and helps all of these organisations to flourish. It also aims to build up strong relationships with friends of the school particularly within our local community. We are thrilled that more and more people want to be associated with Bedford School and join us at a variety of events and gatherings. Throughout its history, the school has meant a lot to many people, and, whatever their particular connection, we hope that they are all proud of their association, and that this will continue.

As well as The Prep Guild, parents also get involved in specific areas to support the boys and for their own enjoyment. Two examples of this are the Friends of Bedford School Boat Club (FOBSBC) who put on a number of events, and the Eagle Choir, which is a School Community Choir, made up of parents (current and past), Old Bedfordians, staff and friends of the school. We are pleased that most parents find their niche and enjoy the general camaraderie that the school offers.

Eagle Connect

Eagle Connect is the BSA’s online business and social networking platform. Membership is open to all constituents of the BSA who have a shared affection for the school and its community. The online platform provides a highly engaged and supportive community made up of those who are willing to help each other, both socially and professionally. From finding accommodation on a gap year trip (possibly a few years down the line!) to giving advice to someone who wants to change their career, Eagle Connect is a forum for people to support each other. Joining details can be found under the BSA section of the school website.

Bedford Prep Parents’ Guild (The Prep Guild)

The Prep Guild is made up of parents of current Prep School pupils and members of the wider school community who aim to support the school in a number of ways, including:

y Arranging and promoting social events that bring parents and school staff together. y Fundraising with profits going to charities, groups and school projects agreed upon by the

Prep Guild committee in conjunction with key members of Bedford Prep School staff. y Providing a social network for parents new and old, with representatives in each year group. y Supporting school functions, for example serving mulled wine and mince pies at Christmas Carol

Concerts. All work carried out by the Prep Guild Committee is on a voluntary basis, but its work is greatly appreciated by the Prep School staff. Supporting the Prep Guild is not only rewarding and fun but also a great opportunity to meet other parents and staff in a more relaxed way. If you would like further information, please email prepguild@bedfordschool.org.uk.

The Old Bedfordians Club

Established in 1891, the Old Bedfordians Club was formed in order to help Old Bedfordians stay in touch with one another and the school. Over the years it has gone from strength to strength and is now a vibrant organisation across the globe. Although the phrase ‘networking’ was not used when the Club was formed,

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this has always been a key element at the heart of the Club.

Today, the OB Club is still an invaluable link between generations of Old Bedfordians worldwide and the school through a shared member database, regular communications and an annual programme of social, sporting and networking events and reunions.

In becoming a member of the OB Club, boys join the ranks of a 9,000 strong network of members who:

y enjoy a shared history of Bedford School y represent a vast range of professions, businesses, sporting and cultural interests and passions, and who y have extensive knowledge and experience as well as links and connections that span the globe. Importantly, Old Bedfordians have a natural inclination to help fellow OBs, irrespective of age, geography or status, and do so where they reasonably can. We are very pleased that more and more OBs return to the school each year to give lectures, talks or career advice.

The OB Club works closely with the school under the umbrella of the BSA and takes direction from the OB Club Council whose plans are endorsed by Old Bedfordians at the OB Club’s AGM in July each year. It is managed through the OB Club office based at Bedford School. Boys automatically become members of the Old Bedfordians Club when they leave the school (subject to approval by the Head Master).

Bedford School Foundation

Philanthropy has played a vital part in shaping Bedford School over the years. Generations of boys have benefited from the generosity of others, who have enhanced the school in all areas.

Bedford School Foundation is a separate charitable company which was set up in early 2003 to support the school by developing strong relationships with alumni and friends of the school and to raise funds for various projects including capital development and scholarships. Funds are raised through major gifts, regular giving, legacy bequests and single gifts. Such gifts normally generate certain tax benefits and efficiencies.

The Foundation works closely with the Bedford School Trust in providing scholarships for boys to attend Bedford School. The Foundation enjoys close links with the Old Bedfordians Club and, together with the school, coordinates events and activities for alumni and other supporters of the school under the auspices of the BSA.

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Forms

We would be grateful if you could ensure that all applicable forms for your son are submitted by Friday 11 June 2021.

Please click on the form name to open.

Mandatory Forms

y Medical Information y Food Allergies and Special Diets y Emergency Contacts y Bedford School Association y Travel Information (Day Boys only) y Parent Nomination of a Guardian (for boys whose families reside outside the UK)

Optional Forms

y Instrumental Music Tuition y Speech and Drama Lessons

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