Boarding

Before pupils start at Bedford School, our Boarding Housemasters get in touch, usually on a Zoom or a Teams call, to introduce themselves, and we warmly encourage parents to join this call. In the June ahead of starting, pupils join us for an Induction Day. During the day, new boarders meet their Housemaster, house staff and some of the pupils from the house in person. When they first arrive at the boarding house, they are welcomed by senior pupils, who also help them to settle in. Every new boarder in the house also has a student buddy to help them to find their feet and get used to the new routines. During the first few weeks of term there are lots of house activities from Year 9 trips to house competitions, which all help pupils to feel a valued part of their house community.

Our English as an Additional Language (EAL) Co-ordinator meets with pupils whose first language is not English, to explain how lessons will work and outline the support that is available. Pupils receive tailored EAL lessons and ongoing support throughout their time at school, as needed.

Yes, parents receive a formal bulletin from the Housemaster at least once every half term, but the bulk of communication is far more informal. Parents receive frequent emails about their child’s activities and achievements, such as their performance in a concert, a good piece of work or an act of kindness – all of which keep parents connected. And all boarding houses have their own social media accounts that parents are encouraged to follow.

In addition to regular emails from Housemasters, there are written reports and Parents’ Evenings to discuss pupils’ academic progress and co-curricular activities. We can also arrange Zoom or Teams calls, if there is a need to discuss anything in more detail.

As boarders, pupils have free time during lunch, after school from 4:15pm to 7:00pm, after prep finishes at 9:00pm and on weekends when they can receive calls. Parents are also very welcome to visit whenever they happen to be in Bedford.

The school’s social media channels are a good way to keep updated about school life. We also encourage parents to follow their child’s boarding house on Instagram to see and engage with house activities. The Upper Bulletin is sent weekly in term time and provides important information and updates for the coming week, while a Friday night newsletter for parents entitled The Week looks back at the last seven days with a round-up of stories from around the school. Parents are always welcome in school to watch fixtures, productions, concerts and attend Parent Partnership events – these are all listed on the school website. We appreciate that coming into school for overseas parents is not always possible, so we aim to provide live links to events, whenever possible. However, whenever they can, we encourage parents to visit the school for events, to meet staff and other parents and build relationships.

As pupils progress through the school, they generally move into smaller rooms with fewer pupils. In Year 9, pupils typically share a dorm with three or four others, helping them to build those initial all-important friendships. In Year 12, they usually share a double room, and by Year 13, they often have a single or double study room. However, the number of pupils to a room can vary from house to house.

In the evenings, there is a weekly programme of activities in the Sports Hall, including badminton, basketball and football. Pupils can also use the Fitness Centre and the weights room, while the Music School and Library are open to boarders until 9.00pm three nights a week. Regular inter-house and in-house boarding competitions are held each term, many of which take place in the evenings. Each boarding house organises trips once every half term, such as paintballing, go-karting and visits to adventure parks. We also run Sunday trips based on pupils’ feedback, including trips to Thorpe Park, Christmas shopping in Cambridge, shopping at Bicester Village and day trips to London.

Yes. As boarders with no commute, pupils have plenty of free time. They finish the school day at 4.15pm and can choose to relax or join clubs and societies. Their Housemaster will encourage them to find a healthy balance between the two. Pupils also have more free time from 9.00pm after prep (homework) until lights out, often spending it together in the common rooms, relaxing, socialising and enjoying a wide variety of games and activities with friends.

All boarding houses stay open over Exeat weekends, so full boarders can stay in the boarding house, rather than having to travel to a guardian or host family for the weekend. Flexi and weekly boarders usually go home, but they can stay in the boarding house for an additional charge, if they wish.

All Housemasters complete a Boarding Schools Association (BSA) qualification and regularly update their training, and each is supported by a live-in Assistant Housemaster with similar qualifications. All staff are also First Aid trained. Each house has a team of Matrons who take care of the house during the day when the pupils are at school. They look after pupils when they are unwell and help them with their daily needs. Additionally, there is a team of cleaning staff, a laundry assistant and a handy-person in each boarding house. Together, they form a supportive team that knows and supports all the pupils.

If a pupil is unwell, they are assessed by the Assistant Housemaster and encouraged to go to school, if possible. If a pupil is too unwell to do so, they stay in the house under the care of the House Matron, and parents are advised. If necessary, they will be taken to our on-site Health and Wellbeing Centre. All boarders are registered with our local GP surgery, with access to same-day or next-day appointments. If a pupil is too unwell to stay in the house, we will suggest that parents or guardians come to collect them.

We ask parents to trust our knowledge and understanding of what is best for each pupil, taking into account their interests, hobbies and nationality, to provide them with a rich and diverse boarding experience. If you have a family history with a particular boarding house, we will try to place your child there, but this is dependent on availability.