Come and see
Do please come and visit us - we are an hour from London. That is the best way to experience the unique 'head, hand, heart' ethos of the school. We hold frequent Open Mornings and Taster Days.
At the senior school approximately two-thirds of students are boarders. Most families are based in London and the South East, UK. About 10 per cent of parents work or live overseas. London (Waterloo Station) and the major airports of Gatwick and Heathrow are all approximately one hour travelling time. We run a morning bus service from surrounding towns and villages.
The school participates in overseas recruitment visits. Although we recommend that all potential candidates visit the school before entry, we are able to offer admissions assessments overseas.
We are committed to broadening access to the school through financial support. We participate in bursary initiatives which are means-tested and awarded according to need; these include the school's own John Badley Foundation and Bedales Grants Trust Fund, and also ButtleUK and Royal Springboard. Scholarship awards are largely honorific – they bring with them financial recognition that is small relative to the fees. Scholarships are competitive and are awarded on merit.
Relationships are important at Bedales – among students and between students and staff – so we look for applicants who will benefit from, and contribute to, our particular mix of informality and respect for the individual.
As our students grow older, they take on more responsibility for organising their life and learning. This can be demanding, when there are so many choices to be made of academic and other activities, so we look also for the intellectual capacity, determination and enthusiasm that allow a student to make the most of these choices. All these characteristics are personal and individual: they have nothing to do with race, creed or background.
Although one in eight of our students have a brother or sister in the school, many others have siblings elsewhere, because Bedales is right for one child but not the other. Bedales does not adhere to any religious denomination, but we can arrange for students to follow their own religious observances. Most of our families are based in London or the south-east of the UK. About ten percent work or live overseas. In the senior school, two thirds of the students are boarders, even though a number live locally.
| Main Entry Points | |
|---|---|
| Dunannie | Age 3+ Nursery; day only; Children start in the term that they turn three. For Nursery the minimum number of sessions is two. |
| Age 7+ (Year 3): Further places are available, as we divide Year 3 into two classes. | |
| Dunhurst | Age 8+ (Year 4): From Dunannie, or as an external candidate; full or flexi-boarding or day. |
| Age 11+ (Year 7) boarding or day | |
| Bedales | Age 13+ (Year 9) From Dunhurst, or as an external candidate; boarding or day |
| Age 16+ (Year 12) boarding or day. |
From long experience, it is best for students to join Dunhurst or Bedales in the September following their eighth, eleventh, or thirteenth birthday. However, we will consider applicants for other years if places are available (with the exception of Block 5 (Year 11) and 6.2 (Year 13)). Bedales is different: we want to be sure it is right for your child so please do visit the school before sending in an application by attending an Open Day or arranging a visit. You can also view the prospectus or request to receive a prospectus.
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