Bedales was founded by John Badley and Oswald Powell in 1893 to be a humane alternative to the authoritarian regimes typical of late-Victorian public schools which our founders felt ‘simply would not do’.
Although the founders’ ideas were highly radical for England at that time, in retrospect they can be seen as part of a wider European reform movement (as contemporaries of Montessori and Steiner) and with influences including the Arts and Crafts movement and early feminism.
The school became fully coeducational in 1898 against the prevailing trend; students were given a formal voice by 1916, when the School Council was formed. Today, if there is no good reason to constrain students in their choices, then we don’t. In fact, we involve them in forging the framework within which the community lives, learns and grows. Staff and students address each other by first names, and students choose what to wear to school, just two features of a culture that values the individual, with mutual respect its cornerstone.
In line with Bedales' tradition of inclusivity, all faiths and denominations have been welcomed at the school. Our full bursary programme launched in 2011, the John Badley Foundation (JBF), enables young people who would never have considered an independent school education to come to Bedales Prep and Senior. The JBF is generously funded by donations from parents, Old Bedalians, staff and others.
The school is named after the house in which it began, in Haywards Heath. Bedales moved to its rural Hampshire site in Steep, near Petersfield, in 1900. Bedales Prep (8-13 years) was founded in 1902, and the Pre-prep (3-8 years) opened in 1953.
The school is located in 120 acres of farmland, woods, orchards and playing fields in the South Downs National Park. The strong practical element of Outdoor Work ranges from hedge-laying to tending the school’s flock of Jacob, Herdwick, and South Downs sheep.
Nearly 20 years ago, the school came to the realisation that the standard choice of 10 GCSEs was becoming narrow, dull and unfit for purpose. Instead, we introduced our own ambitious programme of Bedales Assessed Courses in 2006 to complement a set of core GCSEs. Designed by Bedales teachers, externally moderated and recognised by universities, BACs give students a say over what books they study, mainly involve coursework as opposed to exams and provide a more seamless progression to A Levels.
Our approach encourages intellectual ambition, creative thinking and independent learning – vital requirements for further education and beyond. We start developing these skills early with our youngest children as they progress through Bedales Pre-prep and Prep Schools.
Alongside the beautiful landscape, the school benefits from inspirational creative learning spaces. The Grade I listed Arts and Crafts Memorial Library (1921) and adjoining Lupton Hall (the original assembly hall, built in 1911) are situated at the heart of the school overlooking the orchard. The Olivier Theatre (1998), Orchard Building (2005) and Art & Design Building (2016) have won awards for the quality and originality of their architecture, including several Royal Institute of British Architects prizes.