Weekly Newsletter

Bethany is a leading independent co-educational day
and boarding school for pupils aged 11-18

May 9, 2025

Headmaster’s Welcome

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This has been something of a momentous week both nationally and internationally. There is an increasing unrest between two nuclear in Pakistan and India, the signing of a free trade agreement between the UK and the USA, the election of a new Pope and the commemoration of the 80^th Anniversary of VE Day.

In the middle of all of this, our LAMDA pupils gave superb performances in the Pengelly Performance Centre on Wednesday evening. They were simply a joy to watch.

The Year 13 Leavers’ Ball in the Spa Hotel, Tunbridge Wells, last Friday evening was fantastic. Many of the parents were better dancers than their children!

Our Silver Duke of Edinburgh candidates depart on their practice expedition on Thursday and it finishes on Saturday afternoon. I hope the weather remains kind to them.

I am looking forward to the Year 12 parent teacher meeting on Thursday evening, which starts at 5.15pm in the Assembly Hall.

Finally, I thought I should leave you with this quote from Winston Churchill who was Prime Minister on VE Day. He once said “Personally I am always willing to learn, although I do not always like being taught”. I guess we have all felt like that at one time or another!

Have a good weekend

Francie Healy

Headmaster

Latest Bethany Blog

bethany-senior-sport-boy-teacher-cricket

This week’s blog has been written by Mr Payne, Director of Sport at Bethany School. He updates us on the passionate world of sport and key sporting dates for your diary.

Drama, Drama, Drama!

Yes, this is a sports blog, but the last week or so has served up some classics and pure drama for anyone passionate about sport as only the world of sport can. My word, if the last week or so is anything to go by, I encourage a summer of viewing.

As a Liverpool fan, an early set back against spurs set the pulse racing, but this was overturned for a 4-1 win and the premier league secured. High drama with excitement, euphoria and a title in front of the fans at long last.

On Saturday, Northampton played hot favourites Leinster at the Aviva stadium in the European Champions Cup semi-final, A match that was not only high-class skill but non-stop entertainment for the viewer and pure drama. Northampton stormed to a 27-15 lead, only for Leinster to pull it back to 27-30, Northampton then crossed the line again to lead 37-27, Leinster then hit back for a 34-37 scoreline in the final minutes, and nearly snatched it at the death with a scoring attempt that just hit the corner flag. Phew as a Northampton fan!

Not to be out-done, Barcelona arrived in Milan to play Inter in the second semi-final of the Champions League. With the score at 3-3 from the first leg, surely it would be dull and defensive, but no, no, no. Drama was order of the day – Inter raced into a 5-3 lead, only for Barcelona to pull it back to 5-5, then take a 6-5 lead with minutes remaining. The final minute then produced pure drama and an Inter goal for 6-6. Inter then found the will to score again in extra time for a 7-6 win. Wow!

As we move towards a summer feast of sporting entertainment and many major events, we hope sport will again produce the entertaining drama as only sport so often does. Sit back and enjoy!

Key dates for your diary:

30 June to 13 July: Wimbledon

2-27 July: Women’s Euro 2025, Switzerland

28 June to 2 August: British & Irish Lions tour to Australia

4-6 July: British Formula 1 Grand Prix, Silverstone

17-20 July: The Open, Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland

22 August to 27 September: Women’s Rugby World Cup, England

13-21 September: World Athletics Championships, Tokyo

Mr Payne
Director of Sport

Latest Sports News

The latest Bethany sports news. Cricket seasons continued this week as the glorious weather maintained.

Cricket | Bethany U15A – Chance to Compete Cricket Success

The U15 A Girls began their 2025 cricket season this week by taking part in an outdoor ‘Chance to Compete’ Cricket Tournament, organised by Kent Community Cricket, at the St.Lawrence and Highcourt Cricket Club, near Canterbury.

In a slightly different and longer format than they were used to playing, they began their two-match tournament with an exciting game against Dane Court Grammar School. The U15 A’s opted to bowl first and following a few early off target overs, began to get into their stride with some more accurate bowling. Wickets were hard to come by as Dane Court played some good shots. Ruby Peters then took an excellent catch on the boundary off Leah Carnegie’s bowling. Bethany, chasing 60 runs to win, were led by a strong innings from Isobel Andrews (with 20 runs retired) with Grace Holmes and Ruby Peters looking to steer the team to victory. But with just 4 runs needed from the last over, the match ended in a tie.

The U15 A’s again chose to bowl first in their second match (versus Ursuline College) and were now getting used to how the new format was played. Amelia Bickford and Verity Davidson bowled well but wickets were again hard to come by. But another great catch in the outfield, this time by Amelia Bickford off the bowling of Isobel Andrews, broke the deadlock. This time chasing just 46 runs, Captain Cecily Chettiar and Eleni Hanies got the team off to a quick start and in the end made light of the total by winning the match by 8wkts. Eleni batted very well and played a lot of powerfully timed shots, including hitting a huge 6 over the mid on boundary.

Played two – won 1, tied 1 – A great start to the season.

Stand out performances from the tournament – Isobel Andrews and Eleni Haines (with the bat) and Amelia Bickford and Ruby Peters (in the field).

Cricket | Bethany U13A – Chance to Compete Cricket Success

The U13 A Girls began their 2025 cricket season this week by taking part in an outdoor ‘Chance to Compete’ Cricket Tournament, organised by Kent Community Cricket, at the St.Lawrence and Highcourt Cricket Club, near Canterbury.

The U13 girls’ team showcased determination and skill across four exciting matches. Kicking off with a strong win in their first game, the team displayed excellent teamwork and focus. In the following three matches, they narrowly missed victory. Despite the close losses, the girls played with heart and continued to improve. Every player contributed, whether through sharp fielding, accurate bowling, or determined batting. Their performance highlighted their progress, passion, and promise for the future.

Special mention goes to Juniper Ambrose Gordon who played and captained the side magnificently.

Cricket | Bethany U13A v St Ronan’s

The U13 A cricket team travelled to Newenden CC on Wednesday afternoon to play St Ronan’s. On a very cool afternoon, Bethany won the toss and elected to field first.

A solid bowling start made the St Ronans openers work for their runs and an early wicket with a good catch form Zac Catania was well deserved. St Ronans then found their rhythm and played some excellent attacking cricket with the bat. Several boundaries and quick running between the wickets saw a stand of 90 runs before another wicket fell. Bethany continued to field with energy, which was excellent to see and as wickets began to fall towards the end of the innings, several good catches particularly from Andrew Stubblefield and Oliver Scott were taken. St Ronans completed their 20 overs for 180 runs.

With a big score to chase, Bethany went on the attack and suffered an early fall of wickets in the opening overs. Andrew Stubblefield came to the crease and played himself in well before going on to bat thorough the innings and score a well-deserved 50 not out. Other picks with the bat included Zac Catania who helped slow down the fall of wickets by playing out a few overs and supporting Andrew Stubblefield on his way to 50. Arhtur Seal also played out a solid few overs with the bat, pushing the ball around and running between the wickets to see Bethany through the 20 over innings and to a total score of 87 runs.

Final score: St Ronans beat Bethany

Player of the Match: Andrew Stubblefield

Coaches Player of the Match: Zac Catania & Rowan Blake

Cricket | Bethany U15A v Dulwich

The U15A cricket team travelled to Dulwich, Cranbrook on Tuesday afternoon for a T20 match on a very fresh summer afternoon.

Bethany were put into bat first and after an early wicket for Dulwich, Lucas Shippers and Luke Smith played themselves in and batted very well. Some excellent attaching shots produced a flurry of boundaries for both players and good running for quick singles kept the scoring moving. Both players confidently batted to over 30 runs when they were retired. Bethany completed their 20 overs for a strong total of 139 runs.

Bethany then set about attacking the Dulwich innings, and accurate bowling was rewarded with early wickets for Michael St Clair Bishop and Henry Greig taking two in his first over. Dulwich did settle and the middle order built a a run chase, but Bethay stuck to their task and continued to take catches in the field and bowl batsman at key points. The final score off 20 overs was 83 runs giving Bethany a good win.

Final score: Bethany beat Dulwich

Player of the Match: Luke Smith

Coaches Player of the Match: Lucas Shippers

Big Celebrations at Leavers’ Ball

Last Friday (2nd May 2025) was our annual Leavers’ Ball at the Tunbridge Wells Spa Hotel. 40 leavers, 40 parents and 15 staff accumulated in The Tunbridge Wells Spa Hotel’s Royal Suite for a lovely evening celebrating our class of 2025 prior to their A-level external examinations and moving onto pastures new – be it university, apprenticeships or employment.

Everyone enjoyed a beautiful 4 course meal as well as the lovely venue and, as you can tell from the group photo, the gardens as well.

A special mention must go to this year’s Leavers’ Ball committee whom helped co-ordinate the event:

To Elias Broersma – who helped organise the menu choices
To Claudia Hodgkinson and Isobel Brown – whom helped to collate the song list for later as well as the beautiful table decorations
To Rebecca Martin and Elsa Taylor – whom helped to co-ordinate the seating plan, which is no easy task!
To Monty Farmer who designed the e-ticket for the event
To Poju Olagunju and Alex Matthews who helped to put together the programme for the evening as well as the Hamper for the prize draw
To Josh Malin who was in charge of ticket sales!

My thanks must also go to the Parents who came along and indeed took over the dancefloor!

I am already looking forward to next year’s Leavers’ Ball – scheduled for Friday 1^st May 2026.

Mr Duff
Head of Sixth Form

Victory and Fellowship: Boarders Mark VE Day in Style

On Thursday evening, Bethany School commemorated VE Day with a special Boarders’ Dinner, bringing pupils together to reflect on the end of World War II in Europe. The dining hall was transformed with Union Jack flags and wartime-themed decorations, creating an atmosphere of celebration and remembrance. Pupils enjoyed a traditional menu, featuring tempting bites and classic desserts. The event offered a meaningful opportunity for boarders to learn about history, honour the past, and celebrate peace and unity in a warm, communal setting.

A huge thanks to @Holroydhowe who, as always, provided this delicious themed meal and put in so much effort to make it fun and enjoyable for the Boarders.

Bethany Assist Local Goudhurst Scout Group

On Saturday 3^rd May, Bethany lent one of our 17 seater School minibuses to the local Scout Cubs group at Goudhurst who were without a bus. This enabled the group to go to RAF Duxford Cambridgeshire on a well deserved trip.

Scout leader Penelope Terry said “We were struggling to source a bus for our annual trip out and Bethany kindly offered a loan of one of theirs for the day, without which the trip would not have happened. We thank Bethany’s altruism – the cubs enjoyed the trip thoroughly and indeed two of the Scout group took the pledge of allegiance (invested) into the Scout group on the Concord at Duxford – a moment they will be remember for the rest of their lifetimes and all down to the kindness of Bethany”.

Swan Lake Take Flight

At Bethany, we are always proud to celebrate the achievements and experiences of our pupils beyond the classroom. Verity, a dedicated Year 10 pupil, recently took part in an inspiring Swan Lake Take Flight workshop with New Adventures at the Marlowe Theatre. Blending creativity, collaboration and professional dance training, the workshop offered Verity the chance to explore Matthew Bourne’s iconic interpretation of Swan Lake while working alongside pupils of various ages. Below, Verity shares her reflections on this unforgettable experience.

Swan Lake Take Flight

On Saturday 3rd May, I took part in a Swan Lake Take Flight workshop with New Adventures at the Marlowe Theatre. The workshop was run by New Adventures staff, including Hannah, who runs a dance and wellbeing page for the company. The workshop contained many ages, from primary school to age 14.

We started with some warm-up exercises and ice-breakers, including pass the move and copycat, which flowed into some choreographic exercises with groups of different ages and skill sets coming together and creating a twenty second piece.

We used a mood board of pictures of swans, as well as still moments from the show, to create different scenarios and scenes, for example, “Royal Household” contained cleaning floors, tidying up and getting ready before saluting to the monarch.

Another exercise we did from the mood boards was using a picture as influence to move across the space. We used pictures of waves to enhance power as well as beautiful pictures of swans – this is because in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, the swans are played by men to emphasise their power and strength rather than just their elegance and beauty. This helped to inspire us before creating and learning a longer piece which we performed at the end of the workshop.

There were different types of swans played in the overall piece from cygnets to pens (older mature swans) and the types of swan reflected the movement. For example, I was a large swan, so my movements were powerful and protective rather than the small, dainty movements of the cygnets.

After the workshop, we had the amazing opportunity to watch Mathew Bourne’s Swan Lake, as well as a small piece from the cygnet group from the age 15-18 workshop. The ballet contrasts to the original Tchaikovsky show as the traditionally female corps-de ballet are replaced with male dancers.

On returning to school, I enjoyed sharing my experience with my dance class and teacher and gave a demonstration of the dance I learnt.

Click here for a full description of the show.

Verity
Year 10

Bea Qualifies Twice for Crufts 2026!

We are thrilled to share some incredible news from one of our talented Year 10 pupils, Bea, who has achieved outstanding success in the world of dog agility.

On the 26th of April, Bea travelled to the Wallingford Showground to compete in a series of agility events, and what a day it turned out to be! Bea not only qualified once but twice for Crufts 2026, one of the most prestigious dog shows in the world.

Her first qualification came in the Young Kennel Club Pairs Agility event. She then secured a second qualification by earning two combined first-place finishes in jumping and agility, which granted her a place in the Young Kennel Club Agility Dog of the Year competition. This extraordinary performance has also earned Bea an automatic spot in the Young Kennel Club Great Britain Team try-outs.

Over the course of the day, Bea and her dog Bailey completed three clear runs, meaning they had no faults—an impressive feat requiring precision, focus, and teamwork.

Bailey, a three-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel cross Lhasa Apso, has been training with Bea for nearly two years. Bea trains with him at least once a week, not only to sharpen their agility skills but also as a fun and active way to bond and keep both minds and bodies healthy.

Looking ahead, Bea has two more Crufts 2026 qualifier shows on the horizon, as well as the exciting challenge of the Great Britain try-outs in 2026.

We are incredibly proud of Bea’s dedication, determination, and passion. Her success is a wonderful example of what can be achieved with commitment and love for your sport (and your dog!).

Congratulations, Bea and Bailey, we’ll be cheering you on all the way to Crufts and beyond!

Year 7 Spring into Action for Photography Challenge

Over the Easter break, our creative Year 7 pupils were set a seasonal challenge: to capture the spirit of Spring in a single photograph. This task followed the festive success of the Christmas card competition, and once again, our pupils rose to the occasion.

The brief was simple, but inspiring: take a photo that represents Spring. In return? Glory, merits and a delicious box of Cadbury Creme Eggs for the winner!

We were thrilled with the enthusiastic response. Budding photographers submitted a beautiful variety of images, from blooming flowers to bright blue skies. You’ll find a few of our favourite entries featured alongside this article, proof that Year 7’s got talent behind the lens!

A big congratulations goes to Grace, whose heart warming photo of a Spring lamb took first place. Her image perfectly captured the freshness and charm of the season. Well done, Grace, and hats off to everyone who entered!

Keep snapping.

Mr Clough
Head of Year 7

Grace’s winning photograph

Lily’s photograph entry

Elspeth’s photograph entry

Ella’s photograph entry

Arabella’s photograph entry

Exploring Different Media In Art

Year 7 pupils have been undertaking the theme of food this term. They have looked at a diverse range of artists and really started to explore the range of art materials available to them at Bethany.

It is important for Year 7 pupils to explore different media in their art lessons because it encourages creativity, flexibility, and confidence in our young learners. At this early stage of secondary school, pupils are developing not only technical skills but also personal identity and ways to express themselves. By experimenting with a variety of media — such as paint, textile skills, digital tools, collage, and sculpture — students learn to approach problems from different perspectives and discover new ways to communicate ideas.

Exploring different media helps build resilience and perseverance, as pupils often face challenges when working with unfamiliar materials. It teaches them not to fear mistakes but to see them as valuable parts of the creative process. This variety in art practice also nurtures curiosity and open-mindedness, as students engage with different textures, techniques, and cultural influences.

The strengths of this approach lie in its ability to cater to diverse learning styles and abilities. Some pupils may thrive with drawing, while others find confidence in 3D work or digital design. By offering a wide range of experiences, teachers can help each pupil discover their strengths, develop self-awareness, and build important life skills such as problem-solving, communication, and independent thinking — qualities essential for both school and life beyond.

Although drawing is a fundamental aspect of art there are so many more ways to express yourself creatively and so it is important as an art department to explore these with not only our GCSE and A level pupils but with our year 7 art pupils. Therefore, the year 7s have been trying out some textile techniques within their artwork this term. They have used heat transfer paints where they have had to think about colour mixing and applying the paint to paper before using the heat press machine to transfer it on to fabric. They then had to explore embroidery and hand stitching where they were able to embellish their work further. They have all done a fantastic job with this and have learnt new valuable art skills as well as persistence as it can be time consuming and requires a lot of focus and attention. They handle the challenge well and it is clear there are some budding textile artists among them!

It is so vital for our young learner to get a broad range of experiences within the art classroom and allow each individual s creativity to shine through, whatever media they chose to explore. This help to build confidence and shows the pupils that we all have different strengths and weakness within a subject, and it is good to be able to experiment within these different medias to see what we can flourish at.

Once completed we will be stitching these beautiful textile pieces together and creating a wall hanging that can be enjoyed by all around the school.

Y8 Maths – Points make prizes!

Over the past half term, Year 8 has been spending one lesson a week, on a Tuesday afternoon, revisiting topics and revising for their end-of-year assessments.

Students have been using Dr. Frost to complete and track their progress, and over the course of five sessions, they answered just under 11,000 questions.

To reward their hard work, pupils received a raffle ticket for every 50 questions they answered correctly. These tickets were then entered into a prize draw.

The student who answered the most questions was Stephen Kakouris, followed by Freddie Crampin and Conor Hughes. However, in a demonstration of how a raffle doesn’t always adhere to expected probabilities, the prize winners were not those with the most tickets. This reinforces the saying, “you have to be in it to win it.”

The prizes were drawn on Wednesday, with Hal Hall placed 3rd, Jake Krovina in 2nd, and Ciara Carnegie taking 1st place.

Thank you to Year 8 for their hard work!

Mr Manktelow – Head of Maths

Artists Explore British and Commonwealth Soldiers

As part of this year’s Remembrance activities, Year 9 pupils explored the powerful wartime portraits of official war artist Eric Kennington. Known for his evocative and inclusive depictions of service personnel from all backgrounds, Kennington’s work provided a meaningful foundation for pupils to consider the commonwealth’s contribution to both World Wars.

This project also connected with recent findings from a Focaldata poll for British Future, which show that 71% of the public support doing more to raise awareness of the service of Commonwealth soldiers during the Second World War. The pupils’ exploration of Kennington’s inclusive approach to portraiture provided an excellent opportunity to reflect this public sentiment and deepen their understanding of history.

One of the key works studied was Kennington’s pastel portrait of a young Sikh soldier —a poignant reminder of the many thousands of Commonwealth soldiers who served with courage and distinction. This focus is particularly relevant as the UK marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Year 9 pupils used this opportunity to reflect on these often-overlooked stories and respond through their own artwork.

Alongside this, pupils also examined Kennington’s portrait of Douglas Bader, the celebrated RAF pilot who flew in combat despite having lost both legs. The resilience and determination shown in Bader’s story inspired thoughtful research presentations and drawings.

The work pictured is that of Art Scholar Nelly Adams. Her work captures both the dignity and individuality of the figures studied, showcasing the maturity and sensitivity of the Year 9 responses to these powerful historical themes.

VE Day – Remembering Oradour: Installation Work by Former Pupil Lucas Marshall

It seems an appropriate time to reflect on the A level photography work completed last year by Lucas Marshall, who is now studying Photography at Kingston University. His powerful final A-level project, created in response to the wartime atrocity at Oradour-sur-Glane in central France. With VE Day celebrations fresh in our minds it is also a time when we are reminded of the tyranny faced by those in opposition to the Nazi regime.

Before the Second World War, Oradour-sur-Glane was a peaceful rural community. That peace was shattered in June 1944, when German Waffen-SS troops massacred 642 innocent men, women, and children before setting the village alight. The ruins of Oradour have remained undisturbed since, preserved as a haunting memorial and a powerful reminder of the horrors civilians endured under Nazi oppression.

Lucas visited the village and was deeply moved by the raw, tangible presence of history still embedded in the abandoned streets, vehicles, and buildings. In response, he created a striking body of work that reflects both the trauma of the event and the dignity of remembrance.

Using a combination of documentary photography and darkroom chemigram techniques, Lucas manipulated his images with chemical processes to symbolically ‘scar’ the photographic surface—mirroring the violence and destruction inflicted upon the village. His interest in the work of contemporary artist Christian Boltanski, known for confronting memory and loss, influenced the conceptual depth of the project.

The installation, now on display in school, is framed by a wooden structure carved with the initials of the murdered villagers—a quiet, poignant tribute to the individuals behind the statistics. Under warm amber lighting, the final piece invites viewers to reflect not only on the historical tragedy but on the enduring impact of remembrance and the role of art in honouring truth.

Lucas’s work stands as an outstanding example of how photography can serve both as documentation and as emotional response. We are proud to see his creative journey continue at Kingston and look forward to following his development as an artist.

Bethany School Flying Club

Following an expression of interest by some pupils and parents, Bethany School is investigating the possibility of launching a School Flying Club in partnership with British Young Pilots (BYP) for September 2025 and would like to gauge interest.

This really is a fabulous co-curricular opportunity that we would be running in collaboration with British Young Pilots (BYP). Pupils who join the flying club will have a weekly class with a BYP flying instructor where they learn practical flying skills in a classroom/desktop simulator as well as theoretical knowledge covering everything from physics and meteorology to navigation and engineering.

Each half term, pupils will have the opportunity to fly a real aircraft and put their skills to the test.

As well as being a fun, adventurous and exciting activity, flying can have a very positive impact on confidence and self-esteem and fosters real world interest in STEM.

Pupils can sign up and do just a single term but those who choose to stay with the club can progress through the BYP syllabus and pass civilian flying tests and exams as they go – for a committed pupil, it’s possible to leave school with a private pilots licence.

The school will try to arrange the timetable so that as many pupils as possible are able to to take part. As the club is run by an external BYP flying instructor, there is an extra charge equal to £30 per week (paid termly). Physical flying lessons are optional and booked separately with BYP, they recommend two 30 minute flights per term at £90 each.

Please contact Mr Cooper directly by emailing ccooper@bethanyschool.org.uk to register your child’s interest in the club. Once sufficient interest has been confirmed, an enrolment form will be shared with parents, along with further details such as the club’s schedule.

Mr Cooper

Director of Extra Curricular Activities

Cookery Club

P7 on a Wednesday and Friday is the opportunity for up to 15 students to learn cooking skills in Cookery Club. Over 6 weeks the classes learn about health and hygiene, reading recipes, a variety of cooking skills, washing up and keeping the kitchen tidy.

The lessons cover a range of sweet and savoury dishes, which enables the students to develop cooking skills such as measuring, setting timers, baking, chopping, sifting, whisking and frying. The dishes vary throughout the year but include pizza, chocolate chip cookies, pasta carbonara, pancakes and flapjack. Once the students have cleared up their work space then the very important part of the process can take place: eating!

Enrichment Spotlight: Amazing Animal Encounters

At Bethany, Friday afternoons aren’t just the wind-down to a busy week, they’re a chance for pupils to challenge themselves, connect with peers and dive into exciting enrichment activities. One that is always a firm favourite is visiting Maria at Amazing Animal Encounters in Marden.

As part of their enrichment session, Bethany pupils visited Amazing Animal Encounters at their farm in Marden for an exciting, hands-on experience with a range of fascinating creatures.

The highlight was meeting Ash, a playful juvenile fox, and Bruno, a charming pygmy hedgehog. Pupils also had the chance to see and learn about many other special animals, including bearded dragons, pigs, spiders, and geckos.

The visit provided a wonderful opportunity for pupils to engage with animals up close, creating curiosity and encouraging empathy and respect for wildlife. It was a fantastic day filled with learning, excitement, and new discoveries.

Fundraising for Bethany Trip to Cambodia & Vietnam 2026

Group fundraising has begun for the True Adventure trip 2026 to Cambodia and Vietnam.

A group of dedicated pupils will be selling donuts and lollys during Friday break times to raise money for the community project phase of their upcoming trip to Cambodia and Vietnam. The initiative, known as Better Lives, focuses on supporting local communities by helping them become more self-sufficient. The project provides crops and seeds that the communities can grow, use for their own needs, and potentially sell to generate income to reinvest in future harvests.

This initiative not only encourages sustainability but also empowers people to take ownership of their resources and economic future. It’s an inspiring example of pupils making a real difference through practical action.

A big congratulations to Olivia D, Cecily C, Leah C, AJ D, and Ruby P for getting the fundraising off to a strong start. Their hard work and enthusiasm have already made an impact, and we look forward to welcoming more hungry customers next Friday.

Please remember—CASH ONLY!

A special thank you also goes to Mr Hobson, our new Governor, who generously donated funds that provided a delightful Friday surprise for some very grateful staff members. Your support makes a real difference—one sweet treat at a time!

Pupils of the week

Each week in Assembly, ‘Pupil of the Week’ awards are given to pupils across the various year groups who have been nominated by their tutor.

This could go to an individual who has perhaps shone that week academically; demonstrated the values of kindness, tolerance, and respect particularly well; or represented the school or county in a positive way.

Y7 Pupil of the Week is Hazel

Hazel frequently demonstrates a calm and considered approach to School life, making the most of all that is on offer. Amongst her peers she often offers words of encouragement and support when needed. Well done Hazel!

Y8 Pupil of the Week is Dolly Bellman

Dolly has settled in really well and continues to make good progress.

Y9 Pupil of the Week is Pru Story

Pru has had a really positive week and also completed her Lamda exam. Well done!

KS4 Pupil of the Week is Hattie

Hattie recently did two past papers for RS and got a grade 9 overall which is an excellent improvement towards her target grade. This is not the first time Hattie has received pupil of the week this year. She is a consistent hard-working pupil and her hard work has not gone unnoticed. Well done Hattie.

Orchard Boarding House Pupil of the week is Anna

Pupil of the Week for The Orchard this week is the wonderful Anna. She always supports the School by helping out at events and is a fantastic ambassador for boarding. She has also been consistently hard-working in lessons and has received roughly a million merits.

Celebrating VE Day in Sweet Style

Bethany School pupils and staff were treated to a delightful lunchtime surprise this week as the dining hall was transformed with a selection of beautifully themed desserts in honour of VE Day. Thanks to the creativity and care of our catering partners at Holroyd Howe, pupils and staff alike enjoyed a spread that was as delicious as it was meaningful.

Cupcakes adorned with Union Jack flags and perfectly baked shortbread biscuits brought a touch of flair to lunch time, sparking smiles and conversation across the room. These sweet treats were not only a tasty tribute to Victory in Europe Day, but also a reminder of the importance of reflection, unity and gratitude.

A huge thank you to the Holroyd Howe team for bringing commemorative joy to the school day. Moments like these help keep history alive in thoughtful and engaging ways… and they taste pretty great too!

Lost Property Made Easy

We have added a new Lost Items application, available via the button below or on MySchoolPortal. This new application allows parents, and pupils, to check if we have found your lost item(s)

If you spot something that is yours, please send your child to the Lost Property Office (top of the Food Tech/Textiles building) between 1.30pm and 2pm.

Access the items list by either logging into the parent portal and then heading to School Information where the list can be accessed or by clicking the button below.

Bethany School Lost Property

Prayer Requests

In addition to the prayer group which meets as per the message below – If you would like the chaplain to pray for you or for someone you know, you can send your prayer requests to him using the link below and he will include them in his prayers for the school. All submissions are anonymous and won’t be seen by anyone other than the chaplain.

Submit a Prayer Request Form

Prayer Group

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Annual Boarders’ BBQ

Sam’s Garden Biz is Mowing Ahead!

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Healthy Friendships at Bethany

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