Bedford
Upper School

Ages 13 -16

Education is defined not only by what a young person achieves, but by who they become. In the Upper School, pupils are encouraged to think deeply, pursue their interests with purpose and develop the confidence to embrace the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

The Upper School is a time of extraordinary possibility. These are the years in which young people begin to develop a clearer sense of who they are, what matters to them and the kind of future they wish to create. They grow in independence, take on greater responsibility and discover strengths they may never have known they possessed.

At Bedford, we believe education should be about far more than examination success alone. It should open doors to new ideas and experiences, encourage intellectual curiosity, foster meaningful friendships and develop the confidence to embrace opportunities beyond school.

What excites me most about the Upper School is its breadth. Whether in the classroom, on the sports field, on stage, through leadership, service or boarding life, pupils are encouraged to challenge themselves, discover new passions and grow in character as well as achievement.

And every young person follows a different path. Our role is to know them well, support them fully and encourage them to aim high, so that they leave Bedford not only with excellent qualifications, but with the confidence, judgement and sense of purpose to thrive in the years ahead.

As a Head Master, I never lose sight of the privilege of working with young people at such an important stage in their lives. These are years of enormous growth and discovery, and there is no greater reward than seeing pupils leave school with a stronger sense of who they are and what they might become.

Michael Sloan
Head Master

Digital Technology

As the world becomes increasingly digitised, our educational offer mirrors this reality.

Community Partnerships

Through mutually beneficial partnerships, our pupils become responsible citizens who fully engage with the world.

Original Thinking

Entrepreneurship is embedded into our curriculum. Pupils learn not only to generate ideas, but to bring them to fruition.

Our Upper School in numbers

66 %

GCSE exams graded 9 to 7

Different sports on offer

120

Weekly co-curricular opportunities

Academic Life

Our academic approach at Bedford School centres on maximising each pupil’s academic potential. And we do that in a way that differentiates us from other similar schools. We have outstanding facilities, as many schools do, but it is our teaching that makes us different.

Academic

Sporting Life

Sport is not just part of school life at Bedford – it is tightly woven into who we are. From beginner to elite athlete, every pupil has the opportunity to participate and develop in a vast range of sporting activities.

Sport

Boarding Life

Bedford is proud to have been recently named among Fortune’s ‘World’s Leading Boarding Schools’, and to also be awarded five stars, which places us not just in the top 250 schools covered by the report, but in the global top 100.

Boarding