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Bedford Modern School

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Bedford Modern School
Address
Map
Manton Lane

Bedford
,
Bedfordshire
,
MK41 7NT

England England
Information
TypeIndependent
Established1566
FounderWilliam Harpur
HeadmasterSteven Smith
GenderCoeducational
Age7 to 18
HousesBell, Farrar, Mobbs, Oatley, Rose and Tilden
Colour(s)Black & red    
PublicationThe Eagle
Websitehttp://www.bedmod.co.uk/home.html


Bedford Modern School is not to be confused with Bedford School.

Bedford Modern School is a co-educational public school in Bedford, England.

Ths school has its origins in the endowments of Sir William Harpur in the 16th century, and was known as the Writing School, teaching copperplate handwriting in what is presently the Old Town Hall in Bedford. In 1834 it moved to new mock-Tudor Gothic premises in Harpur Square, designed by Edward Blore. In 1874 the name was changed from English School to Modern School to reflect the new curriculum. In 1974 the school moved to new premises and in 1976 became an independent school. The school became co-educational in 2003.

The Quads

Uniform

Basic senior school dress consists of the following: Senior Boys years 7 - 11: Black trousers, white shirt, house tie, black blazer; Sixth form Boys : Any type of suit; Sixth form girls : Black trousers or skirt, beige skirt, any type of shirt. Junior Boys: Black blazer, white shirt, junior house tie, white shirt, black trousers. Junior Girls: Black embrioded blazer, white shirt, tartan skirt or black trousers, optional black jumper.

The School Houses

Following a tradition of over a hundred years the Senior School Houses of BMS were; North, South, East, West, County and United Boarders. This last was comprised of the combined boarding houses: Culver, Shakespeare, and School House. The day boy houses often, though not always, reflected the parts of the town or county from which the boys hailed and were mentioned in the school song. In 2003, however, the current headmaster, Steven Smith, continued his campaign to withdraw any evidence of a school history and decided to do away with these traditional names and the houses were re-named Farrar, Tilden, Bell, Mobbs, Oatley, and Rose. Inter-house sports cover all major and minor sports run by the school, at both junior and senior level, and range from rugby and hockey (major sports) to shooting and fencing (minor sports). There are also non-sporting events such as quizzes and music and drama competitions. Each house is led by a Head of House (a member of staff), and a House Captain, two Monitorial Deputies and a Co-opted Deputy (Upper Sixth Formers). Previously there were five houses for day pupils, each named for its municipal catchment area: North, South, East, West and County (outlying areas). There were also several actual houses for boarders, including Culver House & School House.

The Junior School house system operates on similar principles, with 4 houses: Taylor, Kaye, Poole and Liddle.

Monitors and Heads of Houses

Students can volunteer to become monitors once they are in the top year of the school (Year 13). There are two heads of school, one boy and one girl (disgruntling the outright majority of boys but nevertheless fits in with the P.D. outfit the school has taken on), each with a deputy. These are selected by the headmaster. Heads of school make occasional speeches and attend school events, as well as overseeing Senior Monitors, House Captains and Monitors. Senior Monitors are responsible for organising a team of monitors who provide pastoral care for one year group. House Captains are responsible for organising members of their relevant house in various competitions and events. All monitors wear a distinct monitors tie.

The Arts at BMS

Highlights in recent years include 'High School Musical' 'The Pirates of Penzance', 'Mother Courage and her Children', 'Les Miserables' a Shakespeare Festival, and a Choral Concert of Karl Jenkins' 'The Armed Man'. BMS also performed a Children in Need Concert with Bedford Town Band.

The School has its own 300 seat auditorium, The Howard Hall, which has state-of-the-art lighting and sound facilities. The music school offers first class instrumental, singing or theory tuition, and the Art Department provides studios for painting, ceramic sculpture, relief printing, screen printing and photography. Many students study Speech and Drama, and a wide range of Dance classes are run throughout the Junior and Senior Schools.

School sports

Sport and physical activity play an important part in school life, with students involved in over thirty different sports and more than 1,000 fixtures during the year. Staffing, resourcing and period allocation all reflect the high priority given to sporting activity within the School.

Many teachers and coaches are recognised at national level within their respective sport. The department has thirteen full-time and six part-time staff dedicated to sport across both the Junior and Senior School, and are supported by several academic staff who have specific expertise in one or more sports.

Activities available in the Senior School include rugby, football, cricket, rowing, water polo skiing/boarding, athletics, cross-country, mountain biking, dance, basketball, badminton, golf, table tennis, squash, equestrian, fencing, swimming, hockey, weights & fitness, sailing, gymnastics, rugby sevens, rounders, shooting, fives and tennis, with the addition of basketball, badminton and touch rugby for girls.

Notable Old Bedford Modernians

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