About the School
We aim to provide the best possible education for all our girls in a community that is friendly and based upon mutual respect.
We believe that single sex education provides the best environment for girls to develop self confidence and self awareness in readiness to meet the challenges of the modern world.
Central to our ethos is the fostering of excellence and aspiration.
Our girls expect to achieve, to be enriched, inspired and fully involved in this vibrant and challenging school.
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Boarding
Introduction to boarding at Bedford High
‘I was a day girl, but I used to hear of tennis and tea parties and other entertainments got up to by these Houses, and used to envy the boarders who always seemed a happy set of girls’.
Boarders and Boarding Houses. A Century of Challenge, Bedford High 1882-1982
Boarding at Bedford High is a mix of home and school. The emphasis in the houses is on providing a homely environment and on meeting the needs of the individual. Girls who board at Bedford High make firm friendships which often last a lifetime. Older girls benefit from having comfortable study bedrooms whilst younger boarders’ supervised prep sessions ensure a structured approach to school work. At weekends the boarders have a chance to unwind as well as enjoying a wide variety of activities. These have recently included theatre and cinema trips, bowling, strawberry picking, visits to Cambridge and Oxford as well as Christmas Shopping in Harrods.
The strong sense of belonging to a community gives each girl a precious collection of memorable experiences.
The Boarding Houses
The boarding accommodation is in one of three houses according to age.
The Sixth Form live at Westlands, and at The Quantocks along with its annexe The Oak House.
All of the houses are on Linden road, which is five minutes' walk from school. The traditional Victorian houses offer spacious, comfortable accommodation.
The emphasis in the houses is on providing a homely environment and on meeting the needs of the individual. Girls who board at The High make firm friendships which often last a lifetime.
Older girls benefit from having comfortable study bedrooms whilst the younger boarders’ supervised prep sessions ensure a structured approach to school work.
"I love my room and the atmosphere in the house is really welcoming and lively" - 6th form boarder
"I like the boarding house being away from the school because it feels like I'm going home at the end of the day" - Year 9 boarder
Contact Information:
Quantocks and Oak House
Mrs A Laing, Housemistress - Lower 6 and Upper 6 22 Linden Rd, Bedford MK40 2DA Fax: 01234 352384; Email: quantocks@bedfordhigh.co.uk
Westlands
Wimborne Grange
Mrs S Foster, Housemistress - Upper 5, Lower 5, Upper 4, Lower 4, Upper 3 19 Linden Rd, Bedford MK40 2DQ Fax: 01234 343588; Email: wimborne@bedfordhigh.co.ukFull, Flexi & 6th Form Boarding
Full Boarding
As a full boarder the house becomes each girl's home where she can enjoy the warm and friendly environment of a small, supportive community. Within the relaxed atmosphere of the house each girl is able to develop at her own pace surrounded by her friends and a very caring and committed staff.
Full boarders will be resident throughout the school term. Weekend exeats can be taken to spend with friends, relatives or guardians. If you come from overseas you must have a guardian in this country. More information about guardians is given on the Parents Information page.
Flexi Boarding
More and more families are keen to take up flexi boarding where girls are part boarder, part day girl. Flexi boarding can offer relief to those who travel long distances. Further benefits include extra curricular activities, encouraging a greater sense of belonging at school and promoting independence, not to mention the supervised prep. This can really be the best of both worlds.
Flexi boarding can be offered at The High when space is available in the boarding house.
"The boarding environment will provide our daughter with the means to study out of school hours, to share academic interests with friends and to have support from the boarding staff." - Year 10 boarder's parent
6th form Boarding – Quantocks, Westlands & Oak House
The Sixth Form live in three adjacent houses in Linden road, a residential street situated ten minutes from the school site, The three refurbished Victorian properties accommodate seventy-eight boarders and provide study bedrooms for one, two or three girls, some of them with en-suite facilities. Breakfast and evening meals, and all meals at the weekend are taken in one of the houses and the food is freshly prepared on site. In summer the girls can sit in the peaceful, enclosed garden at Quantocks and eat ‘al fresco’ or enjoy a game of tennis on the grass court. Inside, the houses offer communal areas where the girls can watch TV, make snacks, or play pool or table football. The programme of weekend activities offers a range of outings from theatre and cinema visits to trips to London, Oxford and Cambridge, all within easy reach of Bedford. Living in a safe and secure community and looked after by a caring, dedicated staff, the Sixth Form boarders find themselves in an excellent environment where they can work, play and make those all important decisions about their future.
Quotes about boarding from 6th formers:
"I've been a boarder for nine years and have enjoyed every minute" - Xin
"It's been a life-changing experience" - Amanda
"Boarding has made me more independent" - Judy
"I like meeting people of different cultures and being able to learn and understand more about them" - Nin
"Boarding is a melting pot full of interesting people" - Janeme
"I love my room and the atmosphere in the house is very welcoming and lively" - Fairuzeta
"Boarding can be one of the greatest experiences in your life if you try to be part of it" - Lisa
International Baccalaureate
In September 2002, we introduced the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme as an alternative to GCE AS/A2 levels in the Sixth Form.
The IB programme at the High School continues to make excellent progress. July 2007 saw the results arrive for our fourth cohort of IB students.
With an average of 35 points - considered by UCAS to be the equivalent to four and a half A grade A levels - the pass rate was again 100%. One of the girls achieved 44 points, a bilingual diploma and an A in AS level Art.
90% of this year's IB grades were equivalent to A and B grades at A level.
The results mean that the students have been able to confirm their university places, including those in top UK (Cambridge and other Russell Group universities) and US (Stanford) universities.
Congratulations to the girls who have performed so well throughout the rigorous course and gained the prestigious Diploma.
The IB is growing from strength to strength at the High School. The girls' results clearly show that the IB is able further to enhance the tradition of academic excellence at Bedford High School.
The Bedford High IB class of 2007
What is the International Baccalaureate?
The International Baccalaureate Diploma is an internationally recognised pre-university qualification which aims to foster critical and compassionate thinking, respect for the diversity and richness of other cultures and attitudes, international understanding and responsible citizenship as well as providing an academically and intellectually stimulating course.
You can find out more about the IB by visiting the International Baccalaureate Organization website. | 
