Private school Bede's School

Bede's - It's in the Air

Founded in 1978, Bede's School is located near the famous seaside resort of Eastbourne and occupies an area of ​​57 hectares. The school is located in the picturesque rural village of Upper Dicker, Sussex, on the territory of a national park.

Bede's School has high demands on the academic preparation of students who successfully enter the ranking universities. Bede's is a school where each student is treated as an individual. The school aims to not just educate, but to develop holistic young people who can thrive in the modern world.

The school has 750 pupils.

Headmaster (2026)

Peter Gooder, Rhodes University (BA Psychology, Diploma in International Relations, Politics and Management, Certificate in Education); University of Surrey (Professional Certificate in Boarding School Education); Keele University (MBA in Education Management).

Notable Alumni

• Rob Buchanan, rugby player

• Daniel Harding, footballer

• Shay Hope, cricketer

• Jamie Lloyd, director, founder of The Jamie Lloyd Company

• Solomon March, footballer

• James Norwood, footballer

• Ollie Rayner, cricketer

• Luke Wells, Sportsman (Cricket)

Key Factors

• Each student has a mentor from the teaching staff with whom they meet weekly. Meeting times are included in the weekly timetable.

• The school is strong in maths and science.

• Bede's School is one of the strongest in Britain in football, in fine arts and one of the strongest in ballet.

• The school has a department for helping children with a mild degree of dyslexia.

• Over 100 clubs of interest.

Facilities

The school has its own sports complex, a large swimming pool, stables with ponies, pitches for team sports, a golf course, a football pitch, a rugby pitch and cricket, horse riding tracks. Bede's school has modern and bright classrooms, comfortable residences for living, a spacious common dining hall. 

The school has a drama studio where plays are held, as well as dance classes. A multi-purpose hall with equipment for various sports. There are indoor cricket courts, netball and badminton courts. At other times, it is converted into a concert hall with a capacity of up to a thousand people. It is also used for school assemblies. Musical performances are held in a separate concert hall.

Syllabus

GCSE

A two-year programme leading to the General Certificate of Secondary Education. Compulsory 6 subjects, 4 subjects are optional.
What is the difference between IGCSE and GCSE programmes?

A-level

A two-year program to prepare for university entrance. Students choose 4 or 5 subjects for in-depth study.
Find out more about A-level program

BTEC

An alternative to the A-level program: a pre-university preparation course with maximum emphasis on developing practical skills, applying theoretical knowledge in real life. BTEC qualifications are available in the following subjects: Marketing, Business, IT, Animal Care, Sports and Coaching, Psychology, Media Production, Music.
Find out more about BTEC program

Pre-Sixth Programme 

An intensive one-year programme focused on improving spoken and written English. Most students take the programme to prepare for further study at A-level. However, some students may choose to take the one-year course and then return to school in their home country at the end of the year, having improved their English and gained experience of life and study at a British school. Students take 5 GCSEs over the course of one year in core subjects including Art and Design, Economics, English, Maths and Science.

Accommodation

Accommodation in the school residence in one of 5 houses: 3 for boys and 2 for girls.

Sport

Sport plays a fundamental role in the life of the school. Students of all abilities can grow in their skills and achievements from year to year. The school has 4 sports academies: cricket, football, hockey and tennis. Classes are held at an advanced level and include preparation for participation in competitions. Over the past 6 years, the children studying here have won regional and national competitions.

In addition to the academies, there is a special program to support talented sports children. The program offers a range of activities that include elements of psychology, nutrition, lifestyle management and additional physical support.

The school also offers athletics, badminton, basketball, running, golf, netball, horse riding, rugby, sailing, skiing, squash, swimming, shooting, volleyball, zumba.

Additional activities

The school has over 100 interest clubs. Participation in them is an important part of the educational process, which does not end with the classroom. This is an opportunity for children to gain invaluable life experience, determine their area of ​​interest and reveal their abilities.

The school has a well-developed music direction - classes help to educate a multifaceted, full-fledged, sensitive personality. According to statistics, students who study music do better in their core subjects, become more balanced and focused. You can take individual lessons (a large selection of instruments is provided for playing), sing in the school choir and orchestra, master classes from music industry professionals are often held, joint concerts, performances, large annual concerts are organized in Chichester and Winchester Cathedrals and even abroad.

Art and creativity classes help develop a sense of aesthetics and beauty, provide an opportunity to fully express yourself in various forms. There is a studio of photography, ceramics, graphic design, fine art: students can study there almost even on weekends, participate in exhibitions. You can learn to make jewelry, create and sew clothes.

No less popular are the lessons of choreography and theater skills: they are aimed at the active development of imagination, a sense of respect, compassion, tolerance, help children express themselves and look at various things and phenomena through the eyes of another person. The English and British theatrical heritage is huge and is highly valued throughout the world. At St. Bede's school has several drama clubs, theatre arts are taught as a separate discipline, you can take professional dance lessons Legat Professional Dance Course (includes various directions - classical ballet, jazz, modern dance, etc.), and also study choreography at GCSE and A-level.

Cost, 2026-2027

£11,075- £18,400 per semester (depending on age).
There are 3 semesters in the academic year.

• Tuition

• Accommodation and meals

• Registration fee - £130 - £190

• Deposit - £9,000 - £18,400 (depending on age)

• Flight

• Transfers to/from the airport

• Visa

• Educational company services

• Guardian selection, which is mandatory requirement of the British school

Our services and fees

Impressions of visiting the school

"I DON'T WANT TO GET SHOT AT SCHOOL," says American Romy, nicknamed Romashka, a student at the English school Bede's. Romy is now 17, she entered here at the age of 13. She says that her friend almost died in her American class: a schoolboy brought a gun, threatened, but everything worked out. "You have no idea what's going on in the USA! Anyone can show up WITH A GUN, take it from their parents. There are firearms on every floor in the houses"

"I'm from Arizona, I miss the sun, but there are only cowboys there," laments Romashka. "Boston, New York are safer than California and the southern states, but there is crazy academic competition there."

It was no coincidence that the girl chose Bede's: a very beautiful, high-level school, surrounded by flowers and palm trees, and even with its own lake and even a zoo, about an hour from London. SAFE.

But the main reason for her choice is DYSLEXIA. Romy was diagnosed with a severe degree at the age of 13. It was difficult to both write and read: her reading speed remained at the level of a 6-year-old child at the age of 13, and Romy made mistakes. Initially, the diagnosis was made in Germany.

At Bede's, THEY READ AND WRITE FOR HER at exams: special conditions have been created for dyslexics. Romy plans to study photo art management in the USA: she wants to manage auctions like Sotheby's or a gallery.

She shows me her works in the art department, in which she combines different techniques. Should I choose fine art or graphics? Drawing or painting? The teacher encourages me to try something new, incompatible, to liberate the mind.

Bede's is FAMOUS for its fine arts department all over the country.

Romy snorts: the school is so STRICT that they don't even let you go to the nearby town alone, and they require written permission from your parents every time.

The dress code is also not to be messed around with: a business suit, studs, 1 ring, 1 bracelet are allowed for senior students.

Only natural hair color, but you can put mascara on your eyelashes.

"It INFURIES me, but this way we get used to the business environment; we concentrate on our studies: the uniform adds seriousness, you are focused. After all, casual clothes psychologically contribute to RELAXATION."

"The best secondary education system is IN ENGLAND!" Romashka passionately exclaims. She loves school: "If you have a problem, the teachers will sort it out, help! They WANT to help here."

Romi's DYSLEXIA HAS DECREASED, it is now mild, and this is an absolute credit to the school, a special department for working with such children. "They create a system for you that helps you study independently."