Assemblies

News & Events

Bedford School is probably unusual as a senior independent school in that (in addition to a weekly Chapel service) the Head Master holds two full school assemblies in the Great Hall each week.

Each Monday and Friday there is a talk from either the Head Master or from another member of the community (often a staff member, but sometimes a current boy or Old Bedfordian or indeed a visitor).

The aim of these assembly talks is to get boys to think, but the talks also encourage groundedness and a sense of gratitude for what they have. Topics are regularly values-based (not only our five core values of integrity, responsibility, endeavour, curiosity and kindness). However, speakers also draw on current affairs, ethical issues, our sense of shared history and (as part of our wider UK educational duty) ‘fundamental British values’.

We hope these assemblies convey an idea of Head Master’s own values and interests, whilst also providing something of a record of weekly affairs in the school and the wider world.

Head Master’s Latest Assemblies

Armistice Day Assembly

In a year already marked by academic excellence, there is even more to celebrate – all nine boys who applied to read Medicine secured their places at university.

Head Master’s Assembly Talk: Auschwitz

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day. Every single person in this room should know something about the Holocaust; and if you do not, I urge you to find out about it – it is all over the newspapers today and those stories are as good a place to start as any. But you are likely to […]

Head Master’s Assembly Talk: Trying Hard Enough

Those of you who know me will know that it will be hard for me to resist an opportunity to talk about cricket, especially in the middle of winter. Today’s assembly is not entirely about cricket; but I am going to start this talk with one of the legends of the modern game, whom most […]