Academic Enrichment
Academic enrichment at Bedford is about going further—beyond the curriculum, beyond the classroom, and beyond what you think you already know.
Floreat: Super-Curricular Excellence
Universities increasingly expect applicants to demonstrate intellectual curiosity and achievement in their subjects beyond the classroom – engaging in the super-curriculum. For the most competitive courses, this can be a decisive factor.
The Floreat Programme is Bedford School’s academic enrichment initiative, designed to cultivate curiosity, build academic confidence, and develop key skills such as public speaking, academic writing, leadership, and teamwork.
Floreat will give you the chance to go beyond your lessons—to explore the subjects you enjoy, challenge yourself, and discover new interests. It will help you to grow in confidence and ambition, so you are ready to take on the academic demands of top universities—and go far beyond Bedford.
If you are thinking about applying for Medicine, you will be supported every step of the way, through a rigorous preparation process—including entrance assessments and MMI practice. You will be mentored byclinical professionals and take part in a Mock MMI with six GPs before your real interviews. Last year, all nine Medicine applicants received multiple offers and secured places at their chosen universities.
If you are curious about science beyond the classroom, you can get involved in real research. Bedford is the only school in the UK with a Virology Research Group—a field that has grown in popularity since the pandemic. You will use university-level molecular biology techniques to explore topics like the Tobacco Mosaic Virus and its impact on farming. This year’s findings will be submitted to the Young Scientists Journal.
Through Floreat mentoring, you can connect with professionals in fields like Engineering, Law and Accountancy. Recent destinations for boys supported by the programme include:
– Aerospace Engineering degree apprenticeship with Airbus
– PwC Flying Start Sponsored Degree (Manchester)
– Modern Languages at King’s College, Cambridge
– Law at King’s College, London
Real Leadership
Many schools talk about leadership. At Bedford School, you will live it. Every Sixth Former has the opportunity to complete three impactful leadership programmes, each offering distinct benefits and equipping you with the skills needed to lead yourself and others—both at school and beyond.
The Ivy House Award is a respected development programme, originally designed for commercial CEOs and introduced at Bedford in 2019. It gives you the time and space to explore your identity and passions, while building essential skills in self-management, networking, effective communication, wellbeing, and pitching.
Ready2Lead? is Bedford School’s own leadership initiative, now delivered in partnership with the Harpur Trust across local sixth form providers. Through workshops and a live community brief, you will work in teams to develop confidence and leadership in a real-world context.
The Peer Mentoring Programme provides every Year 12 boy with professional training in mentorship, enabling you to support younger boys within your house and contribute meaningfully to the school community.
You will also have many opportunities to put these skills into practice. Bedford’s vertical house structure means you will spend time each day with younger boys, where mentoring plays a vital role. You can earn positions of responsibility within your house, take on leadership roles across the school, and lead co-curricular societies and clubs that reflect your interests and strengths.
Voices that Matter
The Sixth Form Lecture Programme introduces you to a wide range of speakers and gives you the chance to engage with new ideas every week. You will explore topics beyond your usual experience, helping you to think differently and ask better questions. Recent speakers have included Professor Elizabeth Wonnacott from the University of Oxford, who explored how AI is changing language learning, and Professor Stephen Walt from Harvard University, who discussed the future of Europe. These sessions help you develop the kind of independent thinking and academic curiosity that universities look for.
