SENIOR SCHOOL - St Bede's School

Lou BelrhitiHead of BoardingBoarding at Bede's has undergone a radical architecturaltransformation. Our philosophy hasn't.Across all of our boys and girls houses we have always aimedto provide nurturing environments. Accommodation wherestudents are safe and receive seriously good care. But that isnot an end in itself.We strive to broaden the horizons of our boarders. Manyschools focus only on success, but we also want studentshere to learn to fail upwards. We want them to learn fromtheir mistakes. Develop qualities such as compassion, selfdisciplineand self-reliance. Acquire a sense of their place intheir House, their School and, ultimately, the world.To do this we have built the finest boarding houses on theplanet, and that's not hyperbole. They were designed by thepeople who live in them, work in them, pay for them and usethem. The results are an unquestionable success. What wehave done is not just notional.Our house designs are very conscious. Spaces bring pupilstogether, help them not just feel but believe they belong, andthe input from the children throughout the process has meantthat the houses are bursting with character.Of course, the other hugely important element to boarding atBede's is our matrons. They are inspirational, expert peoplewho really understand children. They are supportive butextremely practical. They know when it is the right time to helpand what the right intervention is.Sincerely, it's about a lot more than just fancy rooms.It's about helping young people to create the very bestversions of themselves.