Bedales Schools launch major bursary scheme

Bedales Schools launch major bursary scheme

27/09/2010

Bedales, the innovative co-educational Hampshire-based independent school, is today launching a major bursary scheme to fund places at its junior and senior schools for children who would otherwise be unable to experience the unique benefits of a Bedales education. The ambitious scheme will provide heavily subsidised support for children who are motivated to make the most of the broad range of opportunities offered at Bedales. The first beneficiaries of the new scheme will join the school in the academic year commencing next year in September 2011.

Entitled the ‘John Badley Foundation’ after the school’s founder, the scheme will continue John Badley’s innovative approach to education for future generations. John Badley believed in educating through head, hand and heart; recognising each child as an individual with their own interests, motivations, strengths and weaknesses. When Bedales was founded in 1893 it was this approach to education and putting, at that time, an unusual emphasis on the arts, that differentiated Badley’s style of education to that of the contemporary strict Victorian schooling regime; in his own words he believed that existing independent schools ‘simply would not do’.

Every year the Bedales school community celebrates the founder’s educational principles through an annual event, which took place at the weekend (25/26 September). During the ‘Badley weekend’, staff, students and parents from the three Bedales Schools (senior, junior and pre-prep) participated in a range of events and celebrations – including working together on projects across the Bedales campus which encapsulate the school motto “Work of Each for Weal of All”; activities included tree planting, pond dredging, and a re-enactment of the battle of Troy complete with Trojan horse.

The John Badley Foundation is the first initiative of the recently created Bedales Schools Development Trust – an over-arching body which has been created to coordinate the school’s fundraising and charitable activities.

Commenting on the launch of the John Badley Foundation Keith Budge, Headmaster of Bedales Schools said: “It is with great excitement that we embark on this next chapter in Bedales history. Broadening access to the unusual and enriching opportunities offered by Bedales is in the spirit of the school’s founding vision. This is our way of keeping faithful to Badley’s ideals, and creating stronger links between Bedales and the wider community. We appeal to the school’s many friends and stakeholders, in particular former students and current and past parents, to support us in this important endeavour.”

In preparation for the launch of the John Badley Foundation, pupils from all three schools posted leaf-shaped messages about the ‘Bedales difference’ on a large picture of the Foundation tree. They commented on the schools’ “creativity”, that they are “one big happy family” and that they are “very understanding and tolerant so individuals flourish.”

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