A
year in review 2018/2019
W ELCOME A Year in Review
brighter
His future’s at Bedford
“H
appy and successful, in that order” is the way I usually end my open morning speech, in an echo to the Good Schools Guide, who use the same two adjectives to sum up our school, but the other way around. I hope that from the following pages you gain a sense of the daily happiness of the boys, and their pride in their community, as much as the success which is clearly evident in this end of year review. Being an all-boys environment is genuinely special; it is strangely counterintuitive to realise that it is uniquely inclusive and uninhibited, leaving boys free to find their own passions and pathways in a safe and collegiate atmosphere, without concern for gender stereotype.
BOOK A VISIT
Book an individual visit to explore a Bedford School education for your son. Call our Admissions team on 01234 362216 or email admissions@bedfordschool.org.uk
OPEN MORNINGS
This review will enable you to view boys finding a multitude of ways to grow into the happy, responsible, curious, caring men of deep integrity that we strive for them to be.
Join us at one of our 2020 open mornings and see the school in action.
I do hope you enjoy reading about them, and that, if you are not already part of our community, you feel inspired to pay us a visit.
• Saturday 25 April 2020 • Saturday 3 October 2020 Book your family’s place at www.bedfordschool.org.uk/ Visits-and-Open-Mornings
James Hodgson Head Master
Front Cover: Bedford School Boat Club competing in the 2019 Bedford Regatta - Great Ouse, Bedford
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EXAM RESULTS
bedfordschool.org.uk
Record GCSE Results Our Fifth Form boys enjoyed great success with another set of recordbreaking GCSE results. Two-thirds of exams were graded at 9-7 (A*-A) against the national average of 18.6%, and over 20% of exams were awarded at the top grade 9. This year, no fewer than 30 boys achieved at least nine grades at 9-8 (A*), with George Winder scoring ten straight 9 grades.
Sixth Form 2019 Successes Almost three-quarters of A-Level and International Baccalaureate pupils achieved A*- B grades, and 83% of boys went on to Russell Group and/or Times Top 30 universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, along with leading universities across the world. Individual success stories included the following:
Silas Sanders and Felix Asare both ensured their passage to Cambridge to read Music – Silas with a Choral Scholarship.
Mathematicians Thomas Pelling, Harry Chen and Henry Shaw scored 8 A* and 4 A grades between them to secure places at Cambridge, Oxford and Warwick respectively.
Trystan Coveney achieved 5 A* grades to read Physics at Imperial College London.
Marco Sarro opted for an alternative route to university after winning a place on a degree apprenticeship scheme with international aerospace firm, Airbus.
Spreading his wings overseas, Trent Abraham took up a rowing scholarship at Syracuse University in New York.
James Hodgson Head Master
Sixth Form Scholarships
P
rofessor John Roach Scholarships are available for academically talented boys entering the Sixth Form.
Top University Destinations*
University of Nottingham
Newcastle University
University of York
University of Warwick
Loughborough University
University of Reading
University of Birmingham
University of Leeds
Cambridge University
University of Bristol
Nottingham Trent University
Oxford University
University College London
University of Exeter
Durham University
University of Bath
Queen Mary University of London
*Top university destinations by the number of boys taking up places for 2017, 2018 and 2019 combined
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“My congratulations to our 2019 leavers. Academically, they made their mark, and had copious success on the sports field, the music halls and in Art and Drama. They leave with wonderful memories and a great foundation for the future."
The scholarships, combined with our generous meanstested bursaries, offer awards of up to 100% of annual fees. To find out more visit: www.bedfordschool.org.uk/ scholarships or call our Admissions team on 01234 362216.
ACADEMIC A Year in Review
Inspiring Digital Enterprises Awards
Quick Bites
B
'Will AI improve lives in 2035? Propose the role of natural scientists in making this happen' was the question that Matthew Lewis (Lower Sixth) insightfully answered to impress judges and secure the runners-up prize in the 2019 Imperial College of Science & Technology Science Challenge.
edford School boys are proudly leading the way in The Duke of York Inspiring Digital Enterprises Award (iDEA) after a remarkable first year. The new award, which was launched to the boys in November 2018 as an extracurricular activity to support the development of their digital skills and experience in entrepreneurship, has already proved an outstanding success. In just nine months, 18 pupils achieved the iDEA silver award and 39 boys the bronze, and the 147 boys taking part in the award amassed an astounding 2,015 badges between them.
Inspiring Creative Careers Advice
James Moffat (Remove Form)
The Cyber Discovery programme forms an integral element of the expanded digital learning offering at Bedford School. Last year, 42 Bedford School boys studying Computer Science at GCSE enrolled in the Cyber Discovery Programme, and an impressive 22 pupils were invited to take part in stages two and three of the programme.
Arkwright Scholarships enry Poppleton and Tom Chambers (Lower Sixth) became the fifth and sixth Bedford School boys respectively to be awarded an Arkwright Scholarship in the last five years.
The Arkwright Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships of its type, and aims to inspire and nurture high-calibre 16-year-old students to be future leaders in the engineering profession. As a result of their scholarships, both boys will benefit from valuable hands-on work experience, support for curriculum projects and a personal mentor to help with study and career planning. The award also includes a cash prize, industrybased engineering experience days, magazine subscriptions and technical lectures.
Tom Chambers (Lower Sixth)
Will Haggar was awarded gold in the British Biology Olympiad, placing him in the top 4% of the country. Fung Lau and Laurence Pleuger achieved a silver award, and Matthew Fahmy and Harry Homan bronze.
Twelve Upper Sixth boys earned awards in the Chemistry Olympiad. Bernard Chean, Sam Dalton, Adam Foat, Jaikishan Katechia and Tom Pelling all achieved silver awards and Curtis Chu, Harry Jennings, Sung Yat Ng, Haydn O'Neill, Tom Qin, James Wallace and Paul Whalley received bronze awards.
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Biology Olympiad
Chemistry Olympiad
Elite Cyber Security ames Moffat (Remove Form) proved that he was one of the top performing pupils in the country when he was selected for the ‘Elite Phase’ of the government’s Cyber Discovery Programme. Reserved for the most talented students, James was just one of a small number of pupils selected to meet with industry specialists and learn cyber security techniques from the experts, hear talks from professionals and take part in hands-on activities investigating real vulnerabilities.
Assessing AI
Henry Poppleton (Lower Sixth)
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200 pupils attended the school's first careers evening dedicated to the creative arts in October. Following keynote talks from Alexander L'Estrange (Composer, Arranger, Jazz Musician) and Joanna L'Estrange (Singer Composer, Choral Leader), pupils had the opportunity to explore their chosen area of interest through subject specific talks. Eighteen subject specialists were also on hand to offer first-hand insights and share their knowledge and top tips.
Talalay Award Every year we celebrate the great pharmacological work of Old Bedfordian Professor Paul Talalay (34-40) through our annual science presentation award, The Talalay Science Prize. This year’s competition for boys in the Lower Sixth was all the more poignant due to the fact that Professor Talalay passed away on 10 March 2019, aged 95. Matthew Lewis (Lower Sixth) was this year's winner for his presentation on 'T4 Bacteriophage'. Excellent runner up presentations were given on 'The Neurology of Anxiety’, ‘The Ultimate Fate of our Universe', ‘Anatomical Barriers and their Initial Chemical Defences’, ‘Alzheimer’s Disease’ and ‘Evolution of Tyrannosaurs and how Tyrannosaurus became the King of the Dinosaurs’.
Talalay Science Prize Finalists
ACADEMIC bedfordschool.org.uk
Brilliant Blockchain B
edford School Sixth Formers Matthew Lewis, James Wallace, Alex Ward and Henry Shaw caused a stir at the Barclays Blockchain Hackathon in February when they scooped third prize ahead of technical teams from banks and high-profile tech companies. The boys were the only school team invited and had no prior blockchain technology experience up until two days before the event. Despite this, they managed to pitch their idea, set up blockchain networks, install software, develop a project and present it to not only the UK's big banks and tech companies but also professional services firms such as Ernst & Young and journalists from the financial press. The boys' novel use-case for the technology, that of data exchange that enabled UCAS, exam-boards, awarding bodies, schools and students to all transfer and digitally sign contracts seamlessly, not only captured the imagination of the judges - who before the event was over had already opened a dialogue about possible future careers - but also UCAS, who following the event invited the boys to their headquarters to share their ideas. Following their presentation, UCAS Customer Experience Manager, Courteney Sheppard, commented that he was amazed at the maturity and drive that the students showed with their vision, and the scope of their thinking beyond their core studies. "Their innovative ideas to apply blockchain technology to a key part of an established process shows just how powerful young minds can be."
Matthew Lewis, James Wallace, Alex Ward and Henry Shaw at UCAS Head Quarters
[ Innovative Vision ]
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ACADEMIC A Year in Review
Top Prize for Ambitious Staton Essay
H
arry Ward (Upper Sixth) was awarded one of the top prizes in the Regent's Park College, Oxford, Staton Essay Competition. His ambitious essay entitled: 'Is violence ever justified in the pursuit of empowerment?' caught the eye of the judges in this prestigious academic competition that gives school pupils the opportunity to explore connections between the subjects they study or are interested in, to develop their independent research skills, and encourages them to consider interdisciplinary courses at university. Head of School, Will Barnes, received a commendation for his essay of the same title, and Rahul Sheemar also received a commendation for his essay entitled: 'How important are the use and validation of native languages in processes of empowerment?'
Harry Ward (Upper Sixth)
Gold-Standard Mathematics
Quick Bites
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Senior Maths Team Challenge
homas Pelling (Upper Sixth) was awarded a gold medal by the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT), for his outstanding performance in the UKMT Senior Maths Challenge. Thomas achieved 100% in the first round, which saw him invited to sit the British Mathematical Olympiad Round 1. During the Olympiad, Thomas achieved an incredible 49 out of 60, which earned him the gold medal and placed him amongst the top 16 mathematicians in the country for his age group.
Thomas Pelling, Henry Shaw (Upper Sixth), James Hooper and Samuel Evans (Lower Sixth) finished in third place in the UKMT Senior Maths Team Challenge at the Centre for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge, just two points behind the winners, The Perse School.
Debating Matters Harry Hine, Ben Barnes (Remove Form) and Freddie Pelling (Fifth Form) won the Bedfordshire round of the English Speaking Union’s Churchill Public Speaking Competition to secure their place for the second year running in the regional finals at Magdalene College, Cambridge.
His superb mathematical skills also gave Thomas automatic entry to the British Mathematical Olympiad Round 2. As a further result of his high score, Thomas was also invited by the UKMT to attend the UKMT BMO mathematics training camp, which was held in Hungary in December 2018.
Thomas Pelling (Upper Sixth)
Linguistics Double Gold
O
scar Hudson (Lower Sixth) won gold for the second year running in the UK Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO) advanced paper, placing him in the top 5% of pupils in the country and cementing his position as one of the school’s most gifted linguists. The UKLO paper challenges pupils to solve linguistic data problems, and this year’s included exercises on vowel shifts in Mongolian to mathematical problems in Gumatj.
Oscar Hudson (Lower Sixth)
Oscar Hill (Fifth Form) demonstrated a particularly impressive understanding of Gumatj’s quinary numeral system to achieve a silver award, as did Nikolai Sorokin and Alfie Willcocks (Remove Form). Joseph Fordham (Upper Sixth) and Calum Bourne (Lower Sixth) received well-deserved bronze awards.
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Lessons from Auschwitz Lucas Inman and Moritz Stahl (Lower Sixth) were honoured to be invited to take part in the Holocaust Educational Trust’s programme ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’, which included an extremely moving and poignant day trip to Poland to visit Auschwitz.
Scholarships & Bursaries
W
e believe in rewarding talent, and our generous scholarships are available to boys who excel academically or show outstanding talent in art, drama, music or sport, including golf. Bursaries, on the other hand, are means-tested awards, designed to welcome talented boys who would not otherwise be able to access a Bedford School education. Awards of up to 100% of annual fees are possible.
FEATUR E bedfordschool.org.uk
The school that
never closed T
he devastating fire that raged through Bedford School's Main Building in the early hours of Sunday 3 March 1979 will be forever etched in the memories of all the boys, staff, fire fighters and eye witnesses who were present on that fateful night. 40 years on, Old Bedfordians, past staff members, fire fighters, parents, past parents and local residents gathered for a special reunion in the very building that was rebuilt from the ashes of the fire. The fire of 1979 destroyed 30 classrooms and 90% of the school, but that did not stop the Head Master of the time, Mr Ian ‘CIM’ Jones, running lessons as normal the following day. His legacy of stoicism and resilience remains woven into the fabric of the school ethos today.
[40 years on from the fire] 7
FEATUR E A Year in Review
A Royal inspection
H
is Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, the first cousin of Her Majesty the Queen, visited the school in May to inspect the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) contingents from Bedford School, Bedford Girls’ School, Bedford Modern School, St Andrew’s School, Rushmoor School and Bedford Free School. The Duke of Gloucester’s royal inspection marked the centenary of the last royal inspection of the school in 1918 by the Duke’s grandfather, King George V. Falling just after the end of the First World War, the inspection in 1918 poignantly commemorated the 470 Old Bedfordians who lost their lives in the conflict. Those on parade at the time proudly represented boys and teachers they knew and respected who had lost their lives soon after leaving the school.
[ CCF Inspection ]
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CR CREATIVE EATIVE ARTS ARTS bedfordschool.org.uk
Creative arts
A
lways a wonderful celebration of Art, Music and Drama, this year's Bedford School Creative Arts Festival proved the biggest and brightest yet.
festival extravangza
Old Bedfordian and Holby City actor Bob Barrett (74-84) opened the festival in style with an inspiring keynote speech. Also in the limelight at this year's festival were Whose Line Is It Anyway? comedian Tony Slattery, broadcaster and poet Ian McMillan, cartoonist of the year Tony Husband and The Handelbards: the world's first and only cycling theatre company, who perform environmentally sustainable Shakespeare productions. However, as ever, the boys proved the real stars of the festival. With so many incredible performances and events, audiences were genuinely spoilt for choice. In a wonderful and varied evening celebrating the school's jazz ensembles, the newly-formed Jazz Orchestra was, without doubt, one of the highlights. For the very first time, they took centre stage in The Quarry Theatre with their syncopated rhythms. In Drama, Ishaan Mukherji (Lower Sixth) led the way with 'This is our Death Sentence'. Ishaan not only wrote and directed the short play, he also performed in the production alongside fellow pupils. Away from the stage, the Art School offered a fascinating insight into the tremendous skill and creativity of the school's artists, with a show of their A-Level, International Baccalaureate (IB) and GCSE artwork. The festival's magnificent finale was a tale of two halves: a superb choral and orchestral concert in the School Chapel, followed by an epic suite of music from John Williams' Star Wars in the Great Hall.
[A Passion for the Creative Arts]
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CR EATIVE ARTS A Year in Review
Quick Bites
Music Director of the Year
Advertising: Art for Business' Sake Old Bedfordian and former Chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather, Miles Young (63-72) looked at the role of advertising as an art form, at the tension between art and science in the business, the contribution of advertising to popular culture and the impact of the digital revolution on the industry’s artistic output in the opening Gilbert Lloyd lecture of the year.
Bedfordshire Festival Boys from across the school enjoyed a superb Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama, bringing home a remarkable 85 top three places. Jonathan Hosking (Upper Sixth) was awarded the festival's top accolade, the Woodfine Lousada Prize for the most outstanding Speech and Drama performance.
creative
T
om Arnold (Lower Sixth) was awarded ‘Music Director of the Year’ by the National Operatic and Drama Association (NODA). Tom was chosen from hundreds of Music Directors, spanning a broad spectrum of ages, who all directed the music for various productions over the course of the year. Tom caught the eye of the judges after directing the music for the pantomime Cinderella, performed on a make-shift stage in a Monarch aircraft hangar, and Annie, which was performed at the Luton Library Theatre.
Tom Arnold (Lower Sixth)
Quadruple Singing Success for Silas
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n an exceptional year, Silas Sanders (Upper Sixth) not only successfully gained re-selection for the National Youth Choir, he also gained selection to the National Youth Chamber Choir, a small sub-set of the National Youth Choir, and was awarded a Choral Scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge, which followed his offer to read Music - a place he will take up in September. Silas was also President of the School Music Society this year as a result of his dedication and passion for music and choral life throughout his years at Bedford School. In spring, Silas was responsible for organising 'Out of Isolation'; a concert in aid of Autism Bedfordshire, a charity close to his heart. Speaking on his success, Assistant Director of Music Mr Rouse said, “I am absolutely delighted for Silas and his many successes. He has been fully committed to the choral life at Bedford School and deserves these exciting new opportunities for the future.”
O
ur annual Detweiler competition celebrates pupils' impressive Art, Music, Drama and Creative Writing skills.
ARTS
SCHOLARSHIPS
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cholarships for art, music and drama are available to talented boys who are passionate about the creative arts. Combined with our means-tested bursaries, awards of up to 100% of fees are possible. Call our Admissions team on 01234 362216 for an informal chat and to find out more.
Silas Sanders (Upper Sixth)
Detweiler 2D Winner, Ben Herbert (Upper Sixth)
Winning Review takes Centre Stage
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amie Williams (Lower Sixth) scooped first place, in the 17 to 25 age category, in the Resident Reviewers Competition for his review of Bonnie & Clyde. Jamie’s prize saw him receive mentoring from The Stage and a day at the publication’s offices in London, learning more about the reviewing process and about the day-to-day running of activities in a busy publishing house. Jamie Williams (Lower Sixth)
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CR EATIVE ARTS bedfordschool.org.uk FEATUR E STORY bedfordschool.org.uk
Dramatic season I
n another exceptional year of Drama, boys performed in a myriad of productions.
The 39 Steps opened the season and had its audiences crying with laughter and rolling in the aisles. The inventive, ingenious and hysterically funny plot was performed by a ten-member cast, which included pupils from Bedford Girls' School and Mark Rutherford School, who played over 100 different characters between them. With its fantastical storyline and slapstick humour, brilliant comedy timing and quickfire interaction, The 39 Steps was an incredible success and set the bar for the year ahead. Spring saw Upper School Drama pupils performing alongside their Prep School counterparts in Dickens’ classic tale: Oliver Twist. This whole school production involving over 60 boys aged between 8 and 17, engaged, thrilled and moved its audience. It was an incredible production and a great learning experience for all involved. In summer it was the turn of our Boycott Theatre Company, for boys in the Fourth and Remove Forms, to take to the stage with their production: Brainstorm. Their unique theatrical investigation into how teenagers’ brains work, and why they are designed by evolution to be the way they are, was based on the boys’ own experiences. Written and directed by Harry Hine and Max Alexander (Remove Form), the production covered an array of sensitive subjects including dyslexia, bullying, anxiety and the stresses involved in living up to expectations. It proved a thrilling exploration of the most frustrating, chaotic and exhilarating changes that will ever happen to us.
[ The 39 Steps ]
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CR EATIVE ARTS A Year in Review
Quick Bites
National Youth Music Theatre
An Appetite for Art Fourth Form boys explored a different side to their creative talents at a specialist sculpture workshop run by local artist, Anne-Marie Stijelja. The boys learnt how to sculpt using the dry needle felting method to create realistic 3D fruit sculptures. The workshop was one of many held during the year to provide boys with an insight into the varied career paths available through the study of Art. In recent years, pupils have gone on to read architecture, film making, computer game design, art history, fashion, illustration and graphics.
P
eter Barrington (Lower Sixth) became the second pupil in as many years to secure a place at the esteemed National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) in addition to the National Youth Theatre (NYT). To be invited to join both companies is exceptional and testament to Peter’s talent and flair on the stage. After being invited to audition for three of the NYMT Company’s six upcoming shows, including Henrietta, Peter joined other members of the cast at a summer camp to prepare for the show. Peter Barrington (Lower Sixth)
Let’s be social
Drama Workshops
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tay up to date with all the news from the Bedford School community by following us on social media:
Drama pupils of all ages benefited from a series of workshops from leading theatre companies and professionals.
@BEDFORDSCHOOL
Author Chris Megson discussed Verbatim theatre and how this unusual technique has risen to prominence over the last 20 years, before playwright Alecky Blythe delivered a workshop looking at the practical side of the Verbatim technique. During the interactive session, pupils had the opportunity to try their hand at performing this pioneering and innovative method of acting. Award-winning playwright David Eldridge delivered an improvisation workshop to Lower Sixth Drama pupils. While Fifth Form Drama pupils benefited from workshops from both the founder of the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT), Jeremy James Taylor, and the internationally renowned theatre company, Frantic Assembly, ahead of their GCSE exams.
Piano Masterclass and Recital Renowned pianists Carol Presland and Carson Kang gave a wonderful piano masterclass and recital.
James Watson (Remove Form)
BEDFORD-SCHOOL
Royal School of Church Music Organ Scholarship
BEDFORDSCHOOL_UK
J
ames Watson (Remove Form) was awarded a prestigious organ scholarship with the Royal School of Church Music. Only two places are available each year, which are usually offered to scholars aged between 16 and 21 years. However, James secured his place at just 15 years of age. As part of the scholarship, James was invited to Bath in August to attend a week-long course, based at Kingswood School, to work with Edmund Aldhouse, Director of Music at Ely Cathedral, and play during services at Bath Abbey.
The Art of Song Charity Concert
I
n an evening of vocal music organised by Sixth Former Jack O’Donovan, audiences were taken on a journey exploring the tradition and beauty of art song from England and beyond. Boys from across the school performed works by the great songwriters in aid of the Children’s Arthritis Association. Jack O'Donovan (Lower Sixth)
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COMMUNIT Y bedfordschool.org.uk
In the groove for Movember
[ Men's Health ]
B
oys at Bedford School raised over £10,000 for Movember this year, ranking them the event's overall top fundraising school and 16th highest in the country. A whole host of activities including an open mic night, masala curry night, charity auction, dodgeball tournament, Aussie rules football match, tug of war, 'Around the World in 80 Days' challenge and shoe shine sessions all contributed to the fun and the fundraising total. As has become a much-loved tradition, the boys also filmed and produced a special film. This time they turned back the clock and turned up the groove to film a parody of Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘September’ to share their Movember message. Throughout the month, boys also led activities aimed at raising awareness and breaking down the stigma of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men’s suicide . Each year, the manner in which the whole school community enthusiastically commits to the Movember initiative to raise awareness of both physical and mental health issues in men makes us proud–and Movember 2018 was no exception.
Around the World in 80 Days
T
he brainchild of Harry Hine (Remove Form), this year's 'Around the World in 80 Days' challenge saw boys and staff clock up 25,330 miles to raise funds for Movember and local mental health based charity, The Mind Map. The premise was simple: record any distance achieved in any sport outside of regular games or PE lessons; the reality was a real test of determination and endurance by boys and staff who were prepared to go the distance for charity. Indeed, they went above and beyond, surpassing their 24,902 target by some 428 miles, and in the process made a significant contribution to the £10,000 raised this year for Movember.
[ Running the Extra Mile ] 13
COMMUNIT Y A Year in Review
Quick Bites Sir Alastair Cook Old Bedfordian Alastair Cook (98-03) received a knighthood in the Queen’s New Year Honours, becoming the first England cricketer to receive a knighthood for a decade. When he retired from test cricket at the end of the summer he had scored more runs, more centuries and more half-centuries than any other English player. Alastair has been, and continues to be, a true inspiration to everyone at Bedford School.
England Under-20 Captaincy for Dingwall Bedford School and Bedford Girls' School Winning CCF Team
Historic win for CCF
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ine cadets from the combined Bedford School and Bedford Girls’ School CCF Corp showed they are shots to be reckoned with after winning the Cadet Challenge Shield – last won by Bedford School when the competition was inaugurated in 1902. The team won three of the four shooting events; the Montgomery of Alamein, the Earl Roberts and the Falling Plate, and narrowly missed out on the Section Attack. The two Fire teams also achieved first and second places in their events to secure the overall competition victory for the team and bring home the Cadet Challenge Shield.
OB Returns for Movember
Following last year's successful Under-20s Six Nations campaign, Old Bedfordian Fraser Dingwall (13-17) was named captain for the 2019 tournament as well as at the 2019 World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Argentina. At Premiership level, despite injury problems, his performance cemented his place in the first team at Northampton Saints alongside fellow Old Bedfordians Fraser Strachan (15-17) and George Furbank (13-15).
Latin and Greek Will Ashcroft and Oscar Hill (Lower Sixth) signed up to share their love of the Greek and Latin languages with high achieving pupils from local school, Bedford Academy. Alongside teaching Latin and Greek each fortnight, the boys gave the visiting pupils an insight into the Greek and Roman cultures.
Peer-Mentoring Forty Lower Sixth boys received professional training from an independent mental health consultant at the start of the year; learning how to empathise and help those around them, especially their younger peers. They then put their training to use, offering support to pupils within their houses by talking about their exam outcomes. As a result of the extremely positive outscomes to date, all Lower Sixth boys will recieve training next year as part of the school's comprehensive pastoral care programme.
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ixth Form boys were inspired by a talk from Old Bedfordian Bob Barrett (74-84), who plays Dr Sacha Levy in the popular TV soap Holby City, as part of their Movember Citizenship Day. In his empassioned talk, he spoke from personal experience about the importance of talking about feelings, sharing thoughts and being open. "Only if we talk about our feelings can we overcome them together.”
Old Bedfordian Bob Barrett (74-84)
Hockey Legends Re-assemble
S
ome of the school’s foremost hockey figureheads, including Richard Walker, Tim Machin and Jerome Watson joined parents, Old Bedfordians, trustees and former hockey staff to officially open the refurbished Gordon Field pitch on the opening day of the hockey season. Fittingly, they were present to witness a win for the 1st XI against local rivals Oundle. Official Opening of the Refurbished Pitch
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Well-being Week Following the end of school exams, boys and staff once again enjoyed a week dedicated to their well-being. Pupils used the proven powers of art, music, excericse and cake to connect with those around them and focus on both their mental and physical health, as well as exploring activities that offer positive mental change.
SoupFest Pupils and staff were delighted to support SoupFest again this year. The community event helps to raise awareness of homelessness and funds for the homeless people of Bedford. The school's chefs, alongside chefs from restaurants from across the town, cooked and contributed two soups for the event.
COMMUNIT Y bedfordschool.org.uk
[ We Shall Remember Them ]
R
emembrance Day is always particularly poignant as the school community comes together to remember the 756 Old Bedfordians who lost their lives in the two world wars, and whose names are inscribed on the walls on the school's Memorial Hall. Shockingly, the total number lost in World War I equates to nearly half the boys who left Bedford School during those years of terrible war, and in World War II, exactly one third.
Bedford School
Remembers This year, on the one-hundred-year anniversary of World War I, we were honoured to share the stories of fallen Old Bedfordians whose descendants and relatives are pupils at the school today. Each story uncovered proved a tale of great loss but also great courage and sacrifice. From Pilot, Flight Lieutenant Jeffery Bryan, whose actions saved the lives of four of his crew when their plane was hit, but prevented him from ever meeting his new born son, to Sergeant Anthony Le Fanu, who turned down a commission to be with the men that he had trained. Their courage and selflessness was not unique, indeed it echoed throughout the stories uncovered. To date, five Old Bedfordians have been awarded the Victoria Cross, the very highest and most respected military award in the British honours system, but many more Old Bedfordians' stories share the courage that they showed in selfless duty to their country, and their memories deserve to be kept alive.
If you would like to receive a copy of the special booklet created for the Centenary of the Armistice, please email communications@bedfordschool.org.uk
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SPORT A Year in Review
Professional Contract for new OB Emilio
O
ld Bedfordian Emilio Gay (12-18) secured his first professional contract with Northamptonshire Cricket Club within weeks of leaving school.
Whilst a sports scholar at the school, Emilio had already started on the path to his success, working his way through the ranks at Northamptonshire, in their Centre of Excellence, Emerging Player and Academy Programmes, before securing his place in the 2nd XI. Emilio's success is testament to his hard work and determination, which saw him committed to practising his technique in every spare moment, whatever the weather, and his calmness in the face of pressure during pivotal moments of every game. OB Emilio Gay (12-18)
Quick Bites Bedfordshire County Cricketer of the Year Junior 18 Quad
Head of the River Fours
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U18 1st VII
Oakham Sevens Success
he Junior 18 Quad of Austin Roberts, Trent Abraham, Lennart Roese (Upper Sixth) and Joshua Lyon (Lower Sixth) beat off stiff competition to win the Junior Quad Challenge at the he U18 1st VII lifted the Oakham Sevens trophy for the Fuller's Head of the River Fours in early fifth time in recent years, reinforcing their dominance in November. Not only did the boys win this prestigious tournament. their division, but their impressive time also placed them as the fastest school An opening defeat to Stamford was forgotten as the squad quad of the day. recorded wins against Denstone College and Uppingham. Outstanding sevens in the quarter-final against Rugby, and In recognition of their superb Norwich in the semi-final, propelled the squad into the final. performance on the Thames, the A committed defensive display against The King's School boys were invited to a ceremony Macclesfield stifled their attacking threat, and well-taken at the Fuller's Brewery in London opportunities ensured a deserved 15-7 win, to see the in the new year, where they were Bedford squad lift the trophy for the fifth time in six years. presented with their gold medals.
T
Vedant Somal (Fourth Form) was named Bedfordshire U13 County Cricketer of the Year. Vedant, who also trains with the Essex Emerging Players Programme (EPP), was Bedfordshire's top run scorer, achieving 601 runs (including five half centuries) and their top wicket taker with 28 wickets in U13 and U14 county matches.
Bunbury Festival Selection Charlie Mumford and Rohan Mehmi (Remove Form) were both selected to compete in the 2019 Bunbury Cricket Festival. The festival brings together the 56 most talented U15 schoolboy cricketers from England and Wales to compete in 50-over and T20 matches.
England Pathway Success Joshua Stewart (Fourth Form) was selected to train with the England Hockey player development programme over the summer. Despite being just 14 years old Joshua was selected for the U17 squad, beating off boys playing two age groups above him. Joshua is the latest in a long line of Bedford School hockey players selected for the prestigious programme, which will see him train alongside elite players from around the country.
SPORTS Scholarships We offer sports scholarships for cricket, hockey, rowing, rugby and golf. The sports scholarships combined with our generous means-tested busraries offer awards of up to 100% of annual fees. Find out more at: www.bedfordschool.org.uk/scholarships
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SPORT bedfordschool.org.uk
[True Sportsmanship ]
National Hockey Finalists The 1st XI's superb season of hockey commenced with victory for the second year in a row in the Indoor East Regional Finals. In the National Finals that followed, the team's fate, however, proved dependent on the results of other teams. Sadly, the results did not fall their way but despite this setback the 1st XI achieved a top four position in the national competition. In the spring term, the chase resumed for a national title, this time at the prestigious England Hockey National Cup Finals at the Olympic Park. On the opening date, with the support of Bedford School boys and staff out in force, Charlie Axford opened the scoring with a goal and the team never looked back. A goal from Tom Blythman and two further goals from Charlie secured their 4-0 victory and their place in the final. The next day, with another huge home crowd to cheer them on, including our Prep School boys, the team faced Charterhouse for the title. Charterhouse were the first to score and went into half-time with the lead. However, Felix Malllalieu scored in the second half to level the score and take the match into penalty flicks at full-time. With Bedford missing their first two flicks, the final finished 4-2 to Charterhouse. Despite narrowly missing out on the title, the boys were gracious in defeat and received their silver medals with dignity. Their determination, commitment and wonderful performances were a source of great pride to all at the school, and they leave behind a great legacy - an inspired and enthused new generation of boys determined to follow in their footsteps.
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SPORT A Year in Review
Quick Bites
Superb Sabre
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Oscar Hill (Lower Sixth)
scar Hill (Lower Sixth) emerged as the U18 Sabre gold medal winner in the Eastern Region Youth Championships. His victory was noteworthy, not only for the quality of his fencing against strong competition, but it also signalled his return to the sport after missing much of the 2017/2018 season. Thomas Raut (Fifth Form) also enjoyed fencing success when he won gold representing the school in the Bedfordshire County Sabre Championship. Ranked fifth in the country for his age group, Thomas was also selected to represented England this year.
Oakham Relays Dreilauf Winners The senior team of Adam Foat, Ryan Apps and Ed Blythman (Lower Sixth) stormed to victory in the dreilauf event in the Oakham Relays against a very strong field after executing their game plan to perfection. Dreilauf, which translated to 'three running', involves three runners who continually pass the baton around the track for five minutes with the aim of achieving the greatest distance by the end.
Bedfordshire Schools' Combined Events Championships The inter boys' quartet of David Adeyemi, Maxwell Martin, Alex Edun and Caleb Sanders put in strong performances in all five events–80m hurdles, high jump, long jump, discus and 1500m–to finish in a very close second place in the Bedfordshire Schools' Combined Events Championships.
Thomas Raut (Fifth Form)
County Table Tennis Champion Joshua Jeganathan (Fourth Form) smashed his way to take the new U16 County Champion title in the Bedfordshire County Table Tennis Competition held on January. Following his win, Joshua went on to represent Bedfordshire in the National Finals in April. Darcy McBride (Remove Form)
Bedford School's A and B Beach Volleyball Teams
Shooting Star Beach Volleyball National Champions arcy McBride (Remove Form) shot
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up the classification ranks to 'A Class' after a superb season of clay pigeon shooting.
At the 2019 English Open, Darcy's highly-accurate shooting saw him placed joint first in the colts. In the subsequent shoot-off for the national title, Darcy lost by just a single clay to the current number two–Darcy is currently ranked 10th in the country.
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espite the fact that Bedford School is about as far as it is possible to get from a beach, the school's beach volleyball A team scooped the title at the National Independent Schools' Beach Volleyball Tournament in Brighton in June. After wins against Reeds, Hampton and Epsom and the Bedford School B team, the A team faced Sevenoaks in the final–a match which required creavity, grit and dynamic athleticism to secure the win. The school's B team also enjoyed a superb tournament to reach the semifinals and finish in fourth.
Joshua Jeganathan (Fourth Form)
See all the school’s fixtures and results on our dedicated sports website: www.bedfordschoolsport.org.uk
Smooth Sailing
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llie Dwight (Lower Sixth), together with his sailing partner Will Smith, scooped first place in the National School's Sailing Association (NSSA) Youth Regatta at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. After five days of competitive offshore sailing, the pair finished first in the fast fleet ahead of hundreds of schools from across the country. They also achieved a second first place for the fastest catamaran over the course of the regatta. In August, Ollie and his partner were invited to sail in the UK F18 Nationals in Tresaith, West Wales. Despite being the youngest competitors in the competition, the pair finished a very credible 7th out of 16 boats in the three-day event. Ollie Dwight (Lower Sixth)
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2018-2019 bedfordschool.org.uk
A Selection of our Trips and Tours
Cadet Skills at Arms Thetford, Norfolk
CCF RAF Cadets Flying RAF Wittering
A-Level Biology Field Trip Swanage
Tate Britain Art Trip London
CCF RAF Cadets Trip RAF Barnham Steinway Masterclass and Tour Steinway Hall, London War Horse Theatre Trip Milton Keynes Theatre
CCF Adventure Training Fort Augustus, Great Glen
Sixth Form Geography Lecture Royal Geographical Society, London
Chemistry in Action Warwick Arts Centre
Duke of Edinburgh Gold Expeditions Brecon Beacons and Cumbria
Duke of Edinburgh Silver Expedition Edale, Peak District
Physics in Action Emmanuel Centre, London
European Hockey Tour Holland, Belgium and Germany
Rowing Training Camp Sarnen, Switzerland
Rowing Training Camp Pangbourne
Ski Trip Italian Alps
IB Theory of Knowledge Trip Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge Barclays Wealth Hackathon Barclays Bank, London
CCF Royal Navy Sea Days HMS Excellent, Portsmouth
A-Level French Literature and Film Study Day Hodder Education, Banbury
Sixth Form Shakespeare Conference London Irish Centre
Brainstorm Theatre trip The Royal & Derngate Theatre, Northampton
Biology Trip George Davis Centre, Leicester
Pre-Season Cricket Training Spain
Holocaust Education Trust Auschwitz, Poland
IB Biology Field Trip Dorset
Geography Field Trip Hunstanton Beach, Norfolk
Wicked Music Trip Apollo Theatre, London
Lower Sixth Mini Factory Tour Mini Plant, Oxford
Upper Sixth Trip to the Hay Festival Hay-on-Wye
Rifle Club Trip National Shooting Centre, Bisley
Chapel Choir and Brass Tour Belgium
Cambridge Physics Experience Cambridge University Faculty of Science
Rugby Tour Australia
DT Trip Rutland Plastics
A Small Selection of Our Visitors and Lecturers
Chris Megson, Royal Holloway University of London - 'Verbatim Theatre'
Alecky Blythe, A-Level Practitioner and Professional Director Workshop on Verbatim Theatre
John Hoskison - Facing Adversity
OB Miles Young, Former CEO/ Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather Advertising: Art for Business' Sake
Prof John C Brown, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Lecturer at the University of Glasgow - A Magical Mystery Tour of our Amazing Cosmos
Hektor Krome - Gap Years on a Shoestring
Dr Albin Wallace - Monochrome Nightmares: German Expressionist Film as an Art Form
Jerome Watson - Sierpinski Carpets and Dust Andrew Lound - Titanic: The Doomed Liner
Dale Devereux Barker, Print Maker - Artist Masterclass
Bjorn Bantock - Conducting Masterclass
Emma Cole - Positive Voice
Dr Wenchin Li, Cranfield University - How Eye Tracking Technology Could Improve Safety on the Flight Deck Mandy Rutter, Consultant Psychologist - Bereavement Workshop Russell Robinson - How to avoid being arrested; what to do if you are Dr Sarah Maling, Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist and Lecturer at UCL - Stars and their Eyes
OB Dr Robert Stagg, Professor of English at the University of Oxford – Shakespeare’s Metre
John Bowers, Former Prisoner - If Only I Knew Then
Dr Diana Rodriguez Perez, Junior Research Fellow in Classical Art and Material Culture at Wolfson College, Oxford - Style, Images and Politics in Greek Art
Dr Keylock, Professor of Fluid Mechanics, Loughborough University - Why Aeronautics is Difficult: aerodynamics, combustion and the role of turbulence
Dr Will Shuler, Researcher at the Royal Holloway University of London - 'The Greek Tragic Chorus and its Training for War
Pianist Carol Presland - Piano Masterclass
Pianist Carson Kang - Piano Recital
Explorer Matt Dickinson - Life and Death on the Rooftop of the World
OB Bob Barrett, Holby City Actor - Mental Health
Richard Buck, Former British Sprinter - Athletics and Life
Professor Martin Kemp, Emeritus Professor of the History of Art at Oxford University - Salvator Mundi: The World's Most Expensive Painting
Ben Heason, Professional Climber - The First Free-Climbed Ascent of Angel Falls, Venezuela
Ian McMillan, Poet, Broadcaster and Comedian, and Tony Husband, Cartoonist - A Cartoon History of Here
Fran Sandham, Travel Writer - A Walk across Africa Sir Ronnie Flanagan - Northern Ireland: Policing a Divided Society and its Role in Bridging Divisions
John Sullivan - Extreme Survival: Feed the Rat
Nathan Leamon, England cricket team’s performance analyst - Writing and Sport
Mr Rhian John, Norwich University of the Arts - Working in the Creative Industries
Toby Chinn - Iraq and the Middle East
Kayleigh Betterton Feminist Fairytales
Dr Aric Sigman, Psychologist - 'Alcohol and the Young'
Mike Lovatt, Royal College of Music - Brass Masterclass
Nick Ridley, Climber - Two to Peru 'Climbing in South America'
Roland Wales, Author - R.C. Sheriff Remembrance Lecture
Al Barnes, British Airways Being an Airline Captain
VOCES8, Vocal Ensemble - Part Song Workshop
Michael Croker - Portrait Demonstration
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Leon McCarron - On Foot Across China: 3,000 miles from the Gobi Desert to the South China Sea Tony Buzan, Creator of Mind Mapping - Workshops on mind mapping and speed reading
Bedford School is perfectly positioned for easy access to London and its international airports. St Pancras International/Kings Cross is just 40 minutes away by train, with Luton Airport 15 minutes away, Gatwick Airport an hour and a half away and Heathrow Airport an hour and three quarters away. By road, London is easily accessible, as are Oxford and Cambridge. There are extensive bus routes across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire for day boys. Visit www.bedfordschool.org.uk/transport for further details.
Bedford School, De Parys Avenue, Bedford, MK40 2TU Tel: +44 (0)1234 362216 Email: admissions@bedfordschool.org.uk www.bedfordschool.org.uk Bedford School is part of The Harpur Trust: a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England: Company No. 3475202. Registered Office: Pilgrim Centre, Brickhill Drive, Bedford, MK41 7PZ. Registered Charity No. 1066861
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