Bedales Prep School, Dunhurst

Bedales comprises three schools situated in Steep, Hampshire (UK): Bedales Pre-prep School, Dunannie (ages 3–8), Bedales Prep, Dunhurst (ages 8–13) and Bedales itself (ages 13–18). The vision of Bedales' founder, John Badley, was to create a school which would be profoundly different from the public schools of his day.

From 1893, when Bedales began, there was a determination to shape the school around what was considered best for the individual child's educational welfare and happiness. Two strands predominated: breadth ("head, hand and heart") and the cultivation of the individual's intellectual and personal qualities ("intelligence, initiative and individuality").

Many of Badley's early innovations are now mainstream: co-educational boarding (at Bedales since 1898); the emphasis put on the Arts, Sciences and voluntary service; the importance of pastoral care; and listening to students' views (the Bedales School Council was established in 1916).

Even so, the contrast between Bedales and other schools remains strong. We believe that our informality engenders a genuine sense of partnership between teacher and student - a shared excitement about ideas and educational discovery. Educational innovation continues today with our Bedales Assessed courses. The schools’ five aims

• To develop inquisitive thinkers with a love of learning who cherish independent thought.
• To enable students' talents to develop through doing and making.
• To foster individuality and encourage initiative, creativity and the appreciation of the beautiful.
• To enable students, former students, parents and staff to take pride in the community’s distinctiveness and to feel valued and nourished by the community.
• To foster interest beyond the school: engaging with the local community and developing a national and international awareness.

The capacity of Bedales students to think independently and creatively, and to deliver strong A Level grades makes them attractive to a broad range of top universities. Bedales students have a reputation with universities for their independence of mind and have frequently offered unusual academic and personal profiles in their application for courses.

Our top higher education destinations are a diverse mix of Oxbridge, Russell Group universities and art colleges. Bedales students therefore arrive at a similar place to those in more formal education settings. They have just taken a different route.