One of the first co-ed schools in Britain, it opened in 1893. It has a splendid site of 120 acres in East Hampshire. Civilised and comfortable buildings in beautiful grounds. The Memorial Library is one of the best school libraries in Britain with 40,000 books. Founded as a pioneer school by J H Bradley who developed it as a reformed version of the contemporary public schools. His reforms involved a serious commitment to the arts and crafts, rural skills and work out of doors as well as to academic study. Always progressive in the best sense, it is a product of its dissenting origins and idealistic drives; a school within a supporting community, believing strongly in itself and what it has to offer and resistant to orthodoxies and bureaucracies. It is a one-off school with a unique character and it is essential to visit to understand the ethos. Has an enviable reputation in all subjects. Very strong on art and crafts, drama, dance and music, which has a central position in the life of the school. A feature is the Outdoor Work department where pupils maintain a large tree nursery, grow fruit, keep livestock, and have rebuilt two barns. Sport is taken seriously and is sometimes played at county level. Very much a family atmosphere, relaxed and friendly; informal personal relationships between pupils and staff. Very good academic results, with most leavers going on to degree courses, a good number to Oxbridge. French, German and Spanish are offered to A level, and a high proportion of pupils take GCSE in more than one foreign language. Equal numbers of boys and girls achieving excellent results in sciences. Scholarships available from 13+. (Bedales Junior School, Dunhurst 8 - 13).
Open mornings are held at regular intervals; please contact the school.
Alumni - Gervase de Payer (Clarinetist); Sir Peter Wright (Director Birmingham Royal Ballet); Matthew Rice; David Linley; Sarah Armstrong Jones; Alexis Rowell (Radio 4); Simon Cadell; Daniel Day Lewis.
