Sport for all

Upper School

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.

Building Character

Whether playing in inter-school fixtures, travelling on overseas tours or competing in house events at home, sport at Bedford develops not just athletes but leaders. Pupils learn to compete with integrity, support their teammates and represent their school with distinction.

“…while the trophy cabinets are bursting at the seams for all sports from rugby and cricket to rowing and golf, the overall ethos is far from elitist…”

Good Schools Guide

Unrivalled Choice

The school’s ‘major’ sports are rugby, hockey, netball, rowing and cricket but the range on offer extends to football (soccer), golf, swimming, tennis, athletics, badminton, basketball, cross-country, fencing, fives, squash, table tennis, water polo, rifle shooting, weight training/conditioning and many more.

With so much scope, every pupil can find something they enjoy, whatever their ability. Indeed, many find themselves enjoying and excelling in a sport they would not otherwise have thought to try.

Sporting Life

Sport is a defining part of life at Bedford. Dedicated time is built into the school week for games, training and competition, ensuring that every pupil can participate fully while enabling talented athletes to perform at the highest level. Thursday afternoons remain devoted to sport across the entire Upper School, while fixtures, tournaments and training sessions continue to be a prominent feature of school life, including at weekends.

Sport is taught by specialist teachers, alongside professional coaches and academic staff. Partnerships with leading clubs add further expertise and opportunity. In this way, pupils not only receive outstanding coaching, but also build strong relationships with staff beyond the classroom. These shared experiences help create the strong sense of community for which Bedford is known.

Sport at Bedford

“A fantastic number of current and ex-pupils compete at county and national level (former England cricket captain Sir Alastair Cook is an old boy); masterclasses and individual, top-level coaching are all available. The non-sporty are encouraged to have a go at everything with heaps of teams to support everyone.”

Talk Education

“….you name it and Bedford offers it, from archery or rifle shooting to Pilates and fencing.”

Good Schools Guide

“Known for being sporty, the school plays rugby, cricket and hockey at a very competitive level with much cheering for the home side from the sidelines. But it’s not only core sports on offer. ‘There is every sport you can think of,’ the pupils told us, including fives, rowing, water polo and golf.”

Talk Education

Elite Partnerships

Bedford partners with several elite clubs to foster sporting excellence within the school. Pupils benefit from high-performance training and specialist coaching, enhancing the school’s provision with advanced skill development programmes, targeted sessions, and access to outstanding professional facilities beyond the school gates.

These clubs include:

Northampton Saints, one of England’s leading Premiership Rugby teams
Woburn Golf Club, a premier international championship venue
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, a first-class team competing across all formats

Sport at Bedford in Numbers

Different sports on offer

1200

Fxtures every year

108

Co-curricular sports sessions every week

Find your passion

Rugby In partnership with Northampton Saints, pupils continue to achieve remarkable success and develop a lifelong passion for the game.

Cricket With an enviable cricket tradition in partnership with Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, pupils at Bedford can take their cricket to the next level.

Hockey Specialist coaching staff, a competitive fixture list, first-class facilities and year-round opportunities define hockey at Bedford.

Rowing A well-equipped fleet of boats, dedicated coaching staff and year-round opportunities ensure an impressive level of rowing at Bedford School.

Golf Elite and development programmes, plus a dedicated performance centre, support every Bedford golfer’s journey.

Other Sports With over 30 sports on offer, every pupil has the chance to find their fit.

Pathways to Excellence

We offer an extensive scholarship programme, available across all our major sports and golf. For our scholars and those showing exceptional promise and commitment, pupils benefit from the Sporting Excellence Pathway, which provides tailored support and development opportunities, encouraging them to take ownership of their athletic development and build the skills, resilience and mindset needed to reach their goals. And they do – Bedford School pupils regularly play at national level across a wide variety of sports, both at school and beyond.

Sport Scholarships

Old Bedfordians at the top of their game

Facilities

Our first-class facilities include a twin AstroTurf complex with floodlights, a golf performance centre with two simulators, an indoor 25m swimming pool, 28 tennis courts, 4 squash courts, a climbing wall and two superbly equipped fitness suites. Our indoor sports hall offers netball and basketball courts, cricket nets, indoor hockey, badminton and volleyball, as well as table tennis tables and a fencing piste.

Our immaculate grass fields provide nine rugby and football pitches during the autumn and winter, and over the summer they give way to six cricket squares. We have 17 outdoor cricket nets (nine Astro and eight grass) and six indoors. We have a shooting range, fives courts, a rowing performance centre and a boat house on the river just a ten-minute walk away.