Match report: U16 Girls’ Hockey v St John’s College, 6.11.2019

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By Kevin Boniface, Head of Hockey

Bedales got off to a strong start, dominating possession and transitioning well from defence to midfield. There were numerous passages of six or seven plus pass combinations, with the Bedales players receiving with confidence and passing with high ball pace and early release.

Despite a domination in possession, Bedales offered limited attacking threat and were restricted to an outstanding individual break from the halfway line from Mabel Watson. Later in the half, Mabel was unlucky with an early shot from the top of the circle, which struck the post. St John’s, on the other hand, were more physical and direct, putting the Bedales defence under pressure. However, Block 3 defenders, Issy Robinson and Greta Stillwell were more than up to the task, not only intercepting and tackling well but combining this with good distribution.

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Old Bedalian costume designer returns to Bedales 

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By Louise Fellingham, Head of Fashion Design

Old Bedalian and professional costume designer Natasha Blackley returned to Bedales on Monday to set an industry-style brief to 6.1 Fashion Design students.

The brief – which will be worked on over the next five weeks – will see students design characters for a live pop-up performance event to promote the launch of Blade Runner 2049 by Denis Villeneuve based on a character, scene or theme of their choice.

Although the pop-up event is hypothetical, the project provides an opportunity for students to try out ideas and demonstrate their knowledge and creative skills, while working to a brief under the guidance of an experienced costume designer.

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‘Unforgettable’ Global Awareness trip to India

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By Georgie du Boulay, Block 5

The 10-day Global Awareness trip to India at half term was one that will stay with the 17 students and three teachers who attended for the rest of their lives.

For the first three days, we were immersed in the dusty air and sun-baked atmosphere of Delhi sightseeing, which was jaw-dropping itself – yet nothing could compare to the timeless and unforgettable experience we had in McLeod Ganj, a suburb of Dharamsahla in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It was a brilliant introduction to volunteering! From the mass clean-up of the streets, to the eye-opening mutual learning with the Tibetan Refugees programme, each day was full of exciting activities that we had never done before.

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Putney School exchange – postcard from the halfway point

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By Alastair Harden, Teacher of Classics and Day Housemaster

For this year’s exchange visit to the Putney School in the United States, Chloe Hamill and I have escorted eight intrepid Bedalians as they shrug off a week’s recuperation in the October half term for a fortnight of honest toil in the Vermont countryside. The trip is part of an annual programme which places our students in a setting that draws enlightening points of comparison with what we offer at Bedales.

The Putney School’s entire structure is built around student responsibility, from washing the dishes to milking the cows, raking the leaves and sorting the recycling, in an educational environment where the onus is clearly on the students to manage their education alongside the smooth running of the community. Each year we look forward to this quiet hive for inspiration, and each year the students bring home big questions and big ideas.

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Memorable third annual Three Schools’ Concert

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By Neil Hornsby, Head of Contemporary Music
Photo by Abby Hilton, 6.1

The Thursday before half term saw a wonderful musical collaboration between Bedales, Dunhurst and Dunannie in the third annual Three Schools’ Concert. A packed Lupton Hall witnessed a night like no other with 83 students taking part, ranging in age from seven all the way up to 18.

There were performances featuring each school, including Head Girl Lara Rippinger’s take on Esperanza Spalding’s I Know You Know, Group 3 Dunhurst student Eliot Santos’ show-stopping performance of Karl Bohm’s Perpetual Motion and the Dunannie Year 3 choir’s wonderful performance of Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid.

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Block 5 student scoops essay writing prize

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Congratulations to Block 5 (Year 11) student Amos Wollen, who emerged as the winner of the School Student Prize in the Richard Koch Breakthrough Prize last month.

The Richard Koch Breakthrough Prize is an annual essay competition run by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and sponsored by British businessman and author Richard Koch.

Tasked with giving “the best and boldest answer” to the question “What single policy would give everyone in society, whatever their background, a real opportunity to succeed on their own merit?” Amos initially wrote a 1000-word proposal, which was one of just 11 shortlisted for the first prize from over 300 entries spanning 35 countries.

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Match report: First XI Girls’ Hockey in the Hampshire Trophy Tournament, 16.10.2019

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By Mariela Walton, Teacher of Girls’ PE & Games

This week the first XI travelled to Southampton to participate in the Hampshire Trophy Tournament, a competition which brings together a number of Hampshire schools to compete and win their place at the regional event.

Our first game was against King Edward’s School Witley, and after a slow start, the team warmed up and Marthila Douglas secured us our first goal. Not long after that, Nell Freeborough gave us our second and third goals, and our final goal came again from Mathilda.

A quick drink break and then we were back on against Ryde. Eliza Goodfellow was extremely threatening on the right, continuously driving the ball up the pitch with pace and providing us with countless attacking opportunities. Despite dominating most of the possession, we just couldn’t quite get the goal. However, the team managed to hold Ryde to a 0-0 draw until the final nail biting seconds, when Ryde was awarded a short corner. An unbelievable reverse stick lifted ball save from Shanklin Mackillop-Hall cleared the ball from the circle and let us walk away with the draw.

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Poetry by heart

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By Julia Bevan, Teacher of English

On 11 October, Block 3 students were invited to attend and participate in a poetry event in the Dining Hall. Welcomed by members of the English department dressed in sheepskins and cloaks, and surrounded by candles, students and staff stood up to perform a poem they had learnt by heart in front of the roaring fire. Some took on Shakespeare and others invited the audience to join them in a rendition of a nursery rhyme.

Lilibet Viner gave a dramatic performance of Helena’s speech from A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Sam Coleman told us what it was like to be a cupcake cooking in the oven; Clara Gardiner-Cox gave a moving rendition of Mary Elizabeth Frye’s Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep; and Miranda Robertson sang a luxurious yet spine-tingling version of Bohemian Rhapsody.

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Careers update: ‘Beyond Bedales’

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By Alex Beckmann, Alumni Liaison Manager
Photos by Abby Hilton, 6.1

The inaugural Beyond Bedales careers event took place on 11 October, when Old Bedalians Peter Grimsdale, William Miller, Claire Whalley and Kirstie Allsopp returned to impart a wealth of knowledge about careers in television to 36 students across Block 5 (Year 11), 6.1 (Year 12) and 6.2 (Year 13).

Students were delighted to hear from OBs with varying paths to success and the visiting OBs were equally pleased to spend time encouraging so many interested young Bedalians.

Block 5 student Milo Whittle said: “I thought it gave really useful insight into the industry and I would recommend to students to come along to one of these events in the future – even an industry they don’t have any interest in, because they will still get something out of it.”

Join the 1893 Club today

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By Tanya Darlow, Head of Development

Do you know about the 1893 Club?

Members choose to donate £18.93 every month or quarter to the John Badley Foundation, to help widen opportunity at Bedales and commemorate the school’s founding year.

Through fully funded bursary places, the John Badley Foundation transforms the lives of individuals who are able to join Dunhurst and Bedales from difficult home and school situations. The Foundation currently supports ten students in this way, but we rely on the generosity of regular givers to offer more young people this transformational opportunity in the years to come.

Will you help us do this by making a regular gift today? It’s easy to set up through your online banking or by completing a standing order form. Every pound you donate will be matched by Bedales, giving a child an incredible start in life.

As a way of saying thank you, we will invite you to the annual donor reception and give you a special pin badge which qualifies you for a free drink at the Rock Show and other school events.

Please do get in touch if you have any questions about making a donation and the impact your gift can have. I would be delighted to hear from you – email me at tdarlow@bedales.org.uk.