End of term celebrations
Members of the Bedales community marked the close of the 2023/24 academic year with a series of celebratory events across the Whole School.
On the final Friday of the year (28 June), parents from Bedales Pre-prep, Prep and Senior schools came together for the annual Hamper Ball, equipped with table decorations, hampers of food and fancy-dress costumes in preparation for an evening of entertainment. The event was held in support of the School’s John Badley Foundation, which funds full bursaries for students at the Prep and Senior schools and prizes were awarded to the three best dressed tables. View a gallery from the evening here.
The following day, end of year celebrations were in full swing for Parents’ Day, a highlight of the School year, with an array of performances, picnics, speeches and reflections.
At the Senior School, there was a buzz across the Bedales estate as families enjoyed festivities throughout the day. Showcasing the talent and hard work of the students this academic year, the Art and Design Building opened its doors for an exhibition of student work across the department, with opportunities to meet the creators. Similarly, the Science department held an exhibition to celebrate 100 years of the Horsley Laboratories. In the Memorial Library, there was a Humanities Research Project and EPQ exhibition, bringing together the real-world approach of the Block 3 (Year 9) Humanities research projects and a selection of Sixth Form students’ Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) projects.
The annual Bedales Tennis Championships Finals also took place on Parents’ Day, with several matches to be enjoyed by visitors. Block 5 students Hari Walton and Andy Manson went head to head for the Boys’ Open Singles Final, which saw Hari win for the fifth year in a row, taking the match 6-2, 6-2. Hari Walton also took part in the Boys’ Open Doubles Final with partner Iggy Cake, competing against duo Tommy Hornsby and Zeb Jay who won the match 2-6, 7-5, 10-6. The Boys’ Junior Singles Final was played by Sebbie Twisk and Tom Cullen, with Sebbie taking the match 6-2, 6-1, retaining his title. The Girls’ Junior Singles Final saw Flora Meyrick and Summer Gratton battle for victory, with Summer winning 6-3, and in the Girls’ Open Singles Final, unseeded Florence Pohlschmidt went on to beat #2 seed Ely Ahsani 6-3.
The new Assembly Hall was officially opened by the incoming Head Student team and guests enjoyed a variety of performances by students involved in Dance in the new space. The Lupton Hall hosted the Parents’ Day Concert, where Senior School musicians impressed the audience with classical performances, and in the Orchard, contemporary musicians entertained families as they picnicked in the sun.
Later on, guests were treated to unique performances of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Julius Caesar by the Midsummer Players, which saw Drama students in Blocks 3 and 4 (Years 9 and 10) bring abridged versions of the plays to life with site-specific performances around the Bedales estate.
An entertaining Parents’ Day cricket match also took place in the afternoon, accompanied by afternoon tea and jazz on the Mem Pitch. The tasty spread of sandwiches and cakes was provided by the Bedales Catering team and made for the perfect end to the main Parents’ Day programme. View a gallery from Parents' Day here.
The day finished with a special farewell for the 6.2 (Year 13) leavers, who, for the first time, attended a celebratory dinner and Ceilidh with their parents, teachers and Houseparents to mark the conclusion of their time at the School.
Several Old Bedalian reunions also took place on Parents’ Day, with a joint 40 and 50-year reunion happening at lunchtime in the marquee, and a 10 and 25 year reunion gathering in the evening, held in the Sam Banks Pavilion and Sotherington Barn respectively. View a gallery from the reunions here.
On the last day of term, students at Bedales Senior gathered in the Assembly Hall for the first assembly, where Head of Bedales Will Goldsmith commended many on their excellent achievements throughout the year, before announcing the new subject Dons. Long-serving members of staff Mary Shotter (Biology Technician) and Tobias Hardy (Head of Physics) were also recognised for their service to Bedales, and farewell speeches were given for members of staff moving on from Bedales this year.
Later that day, students and staff reconvened in the Quad, where they were treated to musical performances by students and heart-warming speeches from the outgoing Head Student team. The academic year came to a close as the departing 6.2 (Year 13) students followed the Bedalian tradition of leaves-taking, shaking the hands of every teacher and student in the year. The 6.2 students further concluded their Bedales journey with a celebratory afternoon BBQ in the Outdoor Work barnyard, where they enjoyed a BBQ prepared by the Catering team and danced, signed shirts and reminisced over their time at the School.