Our new Heads of School have been appointed for the academic year 2022/2023! Milly Gibson and Nicolai de Freitas take on the roles of Heads of School, while Poppy Eyre and Fearghus Beauchamp are our new Deputy Heads of School. Here, we ask them a few questions to get to know them as they start their new roles...

Nicolai

What have been your fondest memories of Bede’s so far?
I have loved being a part of the first team football program at Bede's which has made it to the England Schools Football Final. We are all really looking forward to playing at Stoke City stadium very soon!

How are you settling into your new role, and what are you hoping to achieve?
I hope to work with Milly Gibson in order to achieve complete gender equality across the school.

If you could travel to any period of history, where would you go?
I think it would be very interesting to go back to when the pyramids were being built.

Who is on your dream dinner party guest list?
Cristiano Ronaldo, Margot Robbie and Lionel Messi.

You have one book, one film and one album to take with you to a desert island - which do you pick?
The book that I would choose would be 'The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life'. The album would be Queen's Greatest Hits! The film I would choose would be The Lion King.

Milly

What have been your fondest memories of Bede’s so far?
Having been at Bede’s for so long - since Year 3 - there are quite a few! Definitely spending sunny afternoons out on the lawn by the lake is a highlight for me - it’s stunning in the warmer months and such a lovely space to be in with your friends. School trips definitely come to mind, although there haven’t been many, if any, for the past 2 years. With Bede’s, I went to Italy, Amsterdam, and even China in 2019 - and have made some of the best memories of my life as a result. 

How are you settling into your new role, and what are you hoping to achieve?
It honestly hasn’t really sunken in yet, to be honest. It’s something I always aspired towards but could never quite imagine happening - and now it has, I don’t really know how to act. I’m mainly just hoping to leave behind a group of young people who feel more inspired to speak up about the things they disagree with, and actively try to make positive change for themselves and the school. 

If you could travel to any period of history, where would you go?
This is a difficult one. My love of fashion is definitely drawing me towards the late 60s and early 70s, but I think I’ll say the 1920s in Paris. The post-war feeling, along with the thriving jazz age and also the philosophical movements at that time make it seem so thrilling to me. I could have coffee with Sartre and Beauvoir in the morning and see Josephine Baker perform at the Folies Bergère that night - it would be crazy. 

Who is on your dream dinner party guest list?
Oh wow, this is also difficult. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, for sure. I’d also love to talk about fashion with Harry Styles. The entire cast of Euphoria as well - meeting Zendaya would make my year. And definitely Phoebe Waller-Bridge - she would definitely make some great jokes. 

You have one book, one film and one album to take with you to a desert island - which do you pick?
A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara - because it’s so long, I’d be able to reread it forgetting what’s just happened. Plus, it’s an incredible book. In terms of films, probably Little Women - it’s such a beautiful film and I love the cast. My desert island album would probably be Collapsed in Sunbeams by Arlo Parks, or maybe Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. 

Fearghus

What have been your fondest memories of Bede’s so far?
There are a fair few to choose from but I’d definitely have to go with the musical productions I’ve been lucky enough to be involved with, whether it’s Cabaret or the Addams family, it’s always a lot of fun.

How are you settling into your new role, and what are you hoping to achieve?
It hasn't been long but if I’m honest, not much has changed! I’m just going to carry on being who I am and helping the school as much as I can. 

As far as what I’m hoping to achieve, I want to help to set the bar as high as possible in terms of the standards the prefects are setting. You can see what the prefects achieved last year and we want to keep this up and go further. Personally, I want to help support the heads in their roles as much as possible.

If you could travel to any period of history, where would you go?
I would like to go back about 150 years to see the industrial revolution and that era, but mainly so I could reminisce about what football was like before VAR.

Who is on your dream dinner party guest list?
First of all, two musicians, Hans Zimmer and Thomas Bergersen just because they’re both successful and inspirational people. Next, I would say Stephen Hawking and David Attenborough. I don’t think I need to give them too much of an introduction, but I’d be really interested to see what they think about a lot of issues. A bit of an odd one but I’d actually go with Boris Johnson, just to see what he’s like outside of number 10.

Lastly, but definitely most importantly, Lewis Dunk, just because he is so good at football. I don’t think you’ll find a more diverse range of personalities. 

You have one book, one film and one album to take with you to a desert island - which do you pick?
Book: 'Why has nobody told me this before?' by Julie Smith
Film: If I’m allowed, the complete collection of all the Pirates of the Caribbean films
Album: 'Not waving, but drowning' by Loyle Carner

Poppy

What have been your fondest memories of Bede’s so far?
I began Bede’s as a weekly boarder in Crossways and sharing a room of 5 tells you a lot in itself! I have loved going through all the years at Bede's, each holding a different level of responsibility and opportunity. I have been involved with so many amazing trips from going to China and to Amsterdam, each holding so many special memories and stories I will likely tell for the rest of my life. It's difficult to pin an exact memory as there are many which all hold different meanings, there are many from crying with laughter in classes and during my boarding years over something small, to being involved with some amazing things such as the trips I mentioned beforehand. 

How are you settling into your new role, and what are you hoping to achieve?
I’m genuinely very excited to take up my role as Deputy Head of School. My aim is to begin to look at parental benefits and increase the careers sector within our school. We are a school based on individuals and our endless opportunities, and the ability to create a careers sector that’s genuinely effective and real is one that we shouldn’t surpass. 

If you could travel to any period of history, where would you go?
I wasn’t sure how to answer this question as I’m not a historian. However, I wouldn’t want to be in any other period of time than now. Our world progresses everyday in both good and bad ways but so much changes from day to day it may have been a year anyway! 

Who is on your dream dinner party guest list?
Steven Bartlett, because he is up and coming in the business world and his views are refreshing and contemporary. I would love to be able to get a proper insight into his philosophies and take note to help my journey as an up-and-coming woman in the world of business.  The other person I would want to have at my dream dinner party is Michelle Obama, she is an incredibly inspiring and down-to-earth person (not that I know her, but she comes across that way!). I would also love to have Grace Tame, as a woman who has fought for her rights and gotten the justice she deserved in overturning a law about speaking out, she’s incredibly admirable and I would definitely want to learn her ways.

You have one book, one film and one album to take with you to a desert island - which do you pick?
The book I would choose is ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime’. My usual book preference is quite powerful and topical of real-life personal issues. However, although this book is read quite simply, the character behind it is so personal and eye-opening in terms of perspective. One film I would take is Disney’s 'Princess and the Frog', purely because it’s a childhood favourite and would be considered as my comfort film. The album I would take is ‘Portraits’ by Maribou State as it is perfect for every occasion.