Educational Enrichment

This activity aims to inspire our aspiring writers by providing fresh and interesting stimuli for creative writing.  This might be a trip to a castle, a local site, the beach or a visit from a guest writer. 

This programming activity is primarily designed for Year 9, 10 and 11 pupils who want to start or improve their programming skills in the Autumn and Spring terms. We cover concepts including algorithms, variables and data types, objects and classes, bmethods, arrays and GUIs, with pupils gaining a better understanding of problem solving and developing the skills to create and contribute to open source software projects, private enterprises and the development of websites, apps and games.

The twice-weekly Media masterclass provides new opportunities for pupils to refine their skills and experiment with some advanced techniques in Bede’s two studio spaces, which include a Green Screen Room as well as our two state of the art edit suites. 

Native speakers of languages other than English may use the Activities Programme to enhance their knowledge of their mother tongue and the cultures with which is it associated, whilst also preparing to take public examinations (GCSE, A Level or Pre-U). This is a very popular option for our international pupils, and is currently offered in French, German, Russian and Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese). Pupils must have a near-fluent knowledge of the language to join this activity.

Model United Nations (MUN) is a form of debating that asks pupils to find creative solutions to the world's biggest problems. Pupils are tasked with playing the role of an ambassador to the United Nations, negotiating with other ambassadors and trying to get their country's voice heard on the international stage. 

MUN is a competitive activity involving weekly debates within school as well as frequent trips to conferences at other schools in the UK and abroad. It is a fantastic opportunity for academically ambitious pupils to learn more about the world they live in and to develop the arts of negotiation and compromise. 

The Politics and Economics society is run by pupils and the Heads of Politics and Economics.

Politics and Economics are two of the fastest growing subjects studied at A Level, particularly at Bede’s. The society was formed with our main objective to raise awareness of these two subjects between teenagers.

We organise debates, guest speakers and discussions, and write articles. The only prerequisite for joining is a keen interest in the topics!

The UK Space Design Competition (UKSDC) welcomes pupils from all year groups with an interest in the inner workings of the Universe. Bede’s enters the UKSDC and helps prepare students for this prestigious competition.

UKSDC is a science and engineering challenge designed as a simulation of life in the industry, typically set 60+ years in the future and involves designing a space settlement to an exacting specification. They then present their design to a panel of expert judges from the UK Space Agency and industry.

Entry to the competition is via video and regional events, with winning teams taking part in a residential competition weekend hosted by Imperial College London. Pupils will also be involved with the Bede’s Galactic Challenge, which involves setting up and running a miniature version of the UKSDC for Prep schools. This activity is open to all pupils not just science and maths geniuses!

The school is also involved in identifying targets for the new James Webb Space Telescope. Students are working with scientists and engineers at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre to analyse data from a previous space mission to help identify potential targets for the James Webb Space Telescope. Data comes from the Spitzer Space Telescope and students will be analysing spectral data to help identify the object it originated from.

Pupils preparing for Oxford or Cambridge will usually have to take additional exams. This can range from STEP for Cambridge Mathematics, TSA for Experimental Psychology, ENGAA for Engineering and a multitude of others. The majority of exams are sat in October of the Upper Sixth, with STEP and AEA sat in June.

The exams are, naturally, quite challenging and the styles of question are often different from standard A-Level questions. We recommend being revision and practice of these exams throughout the Lower Sixth year.

This activity helps Oxbridge applicants prepare for these exams, giving them resources and support in order to make a successful applicant. Pupils who plan on applying to Oxbridge should ensure they attend at least one of these activities. Should you need more information about Oxbridge applications, please contact Mr Abrams.

Bede’s Zoological Society, which currently cares for some 70 species three afternoons a week, provides an attractive, unconventional pathway to academic discovery and change.

It is also a fun and fulfilling activity for anyone – no matter their year group – who has a passion for animals, their care and conservation.

Each term we have around 40 pupils with representatives from every year group taking part, which makes this one of the most popular non-sporting activities in the school, with members of the Zoological Society handling and caring for a vast array of species, taking part in visits to local zoos and wildlife parks and enjoying talks led by visiting experts in the field of conservation.

Learn more about Bede's Zoo

Bede's Zoo Guidebook