Creative Life

The cultural life of the college is rich and varied.

Art is popular as both an academic and recreational activity and enjoys a new and well-appointed art school with excellent facilities for fine art and ceramics. Bedstone produces a significant number of young people who pursue fine art to both GCSE and A level through a range of two and
three-dimensional media and each year scholars leave to pursue creative subjects at college or university. In recent years these have included architecture, landscape design and fine art.

The convenience with which art galleries in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Cardiff can be visited is utilised to the full. The biennial autumn half-term trip for sixth form artists to the St Ives art school is not
only invaluable but also seen as a wonderful experience by all who go.

Music and drama play key roles in the Bedstone tradition: music pervades the life of the college with all scholars having class music lessons to the end of the third year, after which it can be selected as a subject for study to GCSE, AS and A2 level. The college enjoys an enviable reputation for choral music and the Chapel Choir is regularly invited to sing in churches throughout the region.

Instrumental tuition is available upon a wide variety of orchestral instruments and the college has a growing orchestra and jazz band. Even within the pre-preparatory department there is the opportunity to learn an instrument! In addition, those receiving instrumental tuition have the opportunity to perform in informal Saturday evening concerts, held twice each term. Parents are always invited to these concerts. The majority of scholars receive tuition in at least one musical instrument.

The Rees Hall with its modern stage and computerised lighting system provides the college with its theatre. Dramatic productions range from Shakespeare to modern musicals and, in recent years, senior school productions have included West Side Story, Journey’s End, Les Miserables, and My Fair Lady. The first night of every senior school production is sold by the Rotary Club of Ludlow as a Gala Night with all proceeds for charity: no production has raised less than £2000 on its first night. Junior school productions have recently included the musical Dazzle, and The Wizard of Oz.

The spoken word is highly regarded and forms the basis of an annual inter-house competition. The confidence gained from both public speaking and acting is frequently reflected in other areas of college life.

Sporting Life

Bedstone offers opportunities for sport which are, perhaps, unrivalled in a school of its size. The college fields almost sixty different teams in such sports as: hockey, rugby, netball, badminton, squash, tennis, athletics, cross-country, swimming, cricket, rounders, basketball, volleyball and soccer. Each group will either be involved in
training, or in playing, several times each week as the season demands. Bedstone regularly achieves county, regional and even national success - which is quite outstanding for any school, particularly for one that is relatively small. Once again, it is every scholar achieving the best of which he or she is capable and living out the Bedstone ethos.

Whilst there are some young people for whom sport is not an immediately popular activity, the right encouragement and coaching can lead them to discover at least one sport which they enjoy and at which they can perform well. It is no surprise that during a scholar’s time at Bedstone he or she is likely to be selected to represent the college as a team member - an honour that is always won through personal effort.

The college enjoys over 15 acres of playing fields and some outstanding sporting facilities. The wider college grounds also provide challenging terrain and are the venue for the annual Midlands ISA cross- country championships. Many trophies for that event rarely leave the college.

It is not surprising that Bedstone was amongst the first schools to introduce Sports Studies as an academic subject at both GCSE and A level. During the last decade it has become a very popular and successful choice for those considering careers in sport or leisure and management, or for those simply looking for an additional A or AS level in a subject area that they enjoy.

The Boarding Life and Pastoral Care.

The college enjoys an outstanding reputation for its pastoral care. The whole college community is seen as an extended family and all relationships are modelled on that. Every scholar is cared for by both a houseparent and a tutor. Prior to the third form (National Curriculum Year 9) that tutor is the form tutor ; from the third form onwards, each scholar has a personal tutor with whom they have weekly meetings to discuss every aspect of their life at school and beyond. In addition to the boarding houses each scholar is placed into one of three competitive houses named after the local castles - Hopton, Stokesay and Wigmore.

Each of the five boarding houses is cared for by resident houseparents, nearly all of whom have young families of their own and provide an outstanding level of care for their charges. Non-resident house tutors assist in the running of the houses and every member of the academic staff is either a resident or non-resident house tutor.

Each day scholar is attached to a boarding house and is invited to participate fully in the life of the house. In this way there is not the division between day and boarding scholars that can occur in so many schools.

In addition, day scholars have their own Day Housemaster and house staff who look after their particular needs and are the first point of contact for their parents.

Education is a partnership between parents and school. At Bedstone the staff, scholars and parents know each other very well and the Headmaster, Second Master, houseparents and tutors are always available for consultation. On all occasions we are just a telephone call or e-mail away.
The single-sex boarding houses cater for a small range of year groups, arranged according to the different stages of a child’s development. The boarding houses are comfortable, well-equipped and homely. There is a mixture of small dormitories and study bedrooms depending upon the age of the scholars and the geography of the individual house. Each house has its own common room with television, video and DVD, together with a kitchenette so that snacks can be made when feeling peckish!

The college employs one full time and two part-time Registered General Nurses and there are three medical surgeries held each day in the Medical centre with its waiting room, surgery, treatment room and four- ward sanatorium. All boarders are registered with the local medical practice and visits to the doctor take place whenever needed.

All meals are taken in the main dining rooms. There is a wide and varied menu selection each day and special diets can usually be catered for. Fresh vegetables, fruit and salads are always available. The Headmaster holds regular birthday lunches so that those who have birthdays on or about that day can join him for a special meal in the ‘small’ dining room. Those whose birthdays fall during the holidays are invited upon their return and do not miss their treat!

Life beyond the gates

It is beyond the classroom that a scholar’s character is really developed. There are so many interests that can be pursued, such as horse-riding, the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze and Gold Award Schemes, mountain biking, pottery, fishing, embroidery, bridge or chess, some of which will become lifelong passions. The college offers a large and diverse range of activities supported by clubs and societies.

In addition to the many activities that happen on campus, full use is made of the many facilities in the immediate area: the famous mountain-bike trail through the local forests, the dry-ski slopes, the skating rinks and the rock climbs that are within easy reach. The theatres in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stratford-upon-Avon are used to the full as is the surrounding countryside which makes the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme such a popular activity.

Further afield we have biennial trips including expeditions to Greenland or Iceland organised by the college's Arctic Club that provide a unique opportunity; trips for skiing; and trips to widen experience in European History, Business Studies and Modern Languages. There is also the opportunity for members of the third form to take part in the annual exchange programme with the Knox School, Long Island, New York.

Every week there is a chance for senior college scholars to visit the beautiful mediaeval market town of Ludlow for necessary shopping or business purposes Bedstone has a very active Charity Committee and all scholars share in
supporting a wide range of charities. Much of the work is directed towards the local community of which Bedstone is so much a par t.

There is a full programme of activities within the college and a separate and exciting programme of weekend activities. The senior college has Saturday school with lessons in the morning and games matches
in the afternoon. On Sunday there is a full activity programme that offers trips to theme parks, quad-biking, paint-balling and less energetic activities such as shopping and cinema trips.

We invite you to make an appointment to visit the college and see for yourself all that we have to offer, to meet scholars and staff and to experience the friendliness and energy of the college. We look forward to meeting you.