Address: Bede’s Prep School, Duke’s Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN20 7XL
Website: bedes.org
Founded: 1895
Number of Pupils: 284 (Prep: 153; Pre-prep: 36; Nursery: 95)
Termly Fees: From £3,835 (day, reception to year 2) to £10,020 (boarding, year 7-8)
Ages: 3 months to 13 years
Head Teacher: Mrs Leigh-Anne Morris
Religious Affiliation: Non-denominational
Entrance Procedure: Pupils will have a taster experience where they will undertake an informal assessment, which includes reading, writing, arithmetic and non-verbal reasoning. Places are offered on the basis of the taster day, assessment and recent school report
Contact: 01323 734222 or [email protected]
School Visits: Visit school website for details
The Curriculum
Bede’s’ bespoke and enhanced curriculum focuses on skills as much as content and encourages curiosity, self-reliance, self-belief and the confidence to ‘have a go’. The school believe its job is helping children to discover their talents and to build on them. Bede’s offers academic, sport, music, dance, art and drama scholarships and bursaries for children from the ages of seven to 12.
Games & The Arts
Bede’s operates a comprehensive programme of cocurricular activities. Drama forms an integral part of the school. The pre-prep produces a Christmas play and there are frequent productions throughout the year for children to take part in. Sport at Bede’s is taken seriously: boys play football, hockey and cricket, and the major sports for girls are netball, hockey, football, cricket and tennis. All the pupils use the indoor 20m swimming pool. The fixture list is very comprehensive and, while the top teams enjoy a high standard of coaching and performance, special emphasis is placed on ensuring that the other teams also have the opportunity to play matches against other schools. The sports hall covers two indoor tennis courts and is used to house a huge variety of sports. Wet weather activities include badminton, basketball, climbing and table tennis. Children also regularly use facilities at the senior school nearby. Cricket and team sports are also played at the Hollow playing fields next to the school at the foot of the South Downs National Park and with stunning views of the coastline and Eastbourne beyond. The prep school also has a new court for hockey, cricket and other sports.
Pastoral Care
For boarders, home is a beautiful Victorian villa overlooking the sea. The boarding team look after the needs of the children, and teachers and tutors are always there to help with any problems.
Head Teacher’s Philosophy
Bede’s provides an all-round education where academic pursuits are supported by wonderful cocurricular opportunities and where pupils learn lessons that books cannot give: courage and joy, resilience and self belief, developing into confident, globally-minded young people. I am incredibly proud to belong to such an amazing community where pupils and staff feel empowered, supported and valued. I very much hope that you will visit us and I look forward to welcoming you in person to share the exciting and vibrant experience enjoyed by our pupils.
Outstanding Characteristics
Bede’s is blessed with a stunning location on the seafront at Eastbourne. The site has outstanding facilities including a sports centre, swimming pool, outstanding sports coaching and a purpose built nursery and pre-prep with a pirate ship themed playground. At 13, most children move on to Bede’s Senior School, eight miles away and set in 100 acres of rolling Sussex countryside.
