Weekly Newsletter

September 11, 2026

Headmaster’s Welcome

Dear Parents and Guardians,

It has been a joy this week to see Bethany fully alive with the energy, enthusiasm and individuality of our pupils. As I have toured the school, I have been struck by the number of young people embracing new opportunities, building new friendships and already making the most of everything that school life has to offer.

One of the great privileges of school life is watching confidence grow through participation, whether in the classroom, on the sports field, in Chapel or through the many enrichment opportunities available. Throughout the week, I have seen countless examples of pupils living our values: showing compassion through acts of kindness and inclusion, demonstrating curiosity through thoughtful questions and a willingness to learn, and displaying courage by embracing new experiences and opportunities.

As we look ahead to Sports Afternoon and next week’s charity walks, I am reminded that some of the most important lessons learnt at school take place beyond the classroom. These shared experiences help to develop character, strengthen friendships and foster the sense of community that lies at the heart of Bethany.

I would like to remind you that our first Open Morning of the year is on Saturday 26th September. This is a COMPULSORY day of School, and any absence must be authorised by me by emailing hmsec@bethanyschool.org.uk. Minibuses will depart for School one hour later than normal, please note there is no return bus service. Pupils can be collected from Bethany from 12.30pm onwards.

Thank you, as always, for your support. I hope you and your families enjoy a restful weekend.

Paul Jones
Headmaster

An Exciting New Look for Bethany

This week marks an exciting moment for Bethany as we begin to unveil our refreshed identity, including the newly designed website.

A new look for Bethany

Over the coming days and weeks, you’ll start to see our new look appearing more widely, from signage and minibuses to advertising, social media and communications across the school and beyond.

The new identity has been many months in the making and has been created to tell the Bethany story with greater confidence, energy and personality.

But this is about much more than a new logo, new colours or a new website.

At its heart is something that has always made Bethany special: our pupils are individuals.

There is no single type of Bethany pupil. Every young person brings their own personality, talents, interests and ambitions, and we believe a great education should give them the freedom and confidence to discover who they are and what they can become.

That belief sits behind our new proposition:

Bethany School. Altogether Original.

And our new strapline:

Originality encouraged. Confidence inspired.

Our refreshed identity also brings our values – Courageous, Curious, Compassionate, to life in a fresh and distinctive way. Together, they reflect our ambition for every Bethany pupil: to be curious enough to explore, courageous enough to try, compassionate towards others and confident enough to follow their own path.

The timing feels particularly exciting as we begin a new academic year and welcome our new Headmaster, Paul Jones. It is a moment to celebrate everything that generations of families have valued about Bethany, while looking confidently towards the future.

As our new identity continues to roll out over the coming weeks and months, so you may see a mixture of old and new for a little while as signage, vehicles, materials and other elements are updated.

What isn’t changing is the Bethany at its heart: a warm, individual and ambitious school where young people are known and understood, differences are celebrated and every pupil is encouraged to become the very best version of themselves. It’s about showing the world, more boldly, what makes Bethany different.

We hope you like it

Latest Bethany Blog

As we begin this new academic year, I am struck by the palpable energy in the air. There is nothing quite like the start of September in a school; the corridors feel alive, the classrooms are buzzing with anticipation, and our new Year 7s are embarking on one of the most significant transitions of their young lives.

A New Chapter Begins: Reflections from Year 7

Moving from primary school to secondary school is a leap, not just in terms of geography or timetable complexity, but in terms of identity. Watching our Year 7s navigate their first full week has been a privilege. They have arrived with a blend of nervous excitement and determination, eager to carve out their own path. With originality encouraged at every turn, this “fresh start” is a blank canvas. It is a time to define who they are, to discover new passions, and to build the friendships that will likely shape their time at Bethany.

However, no one embarks on this journey alone. One of the most heartening sights has been the presence of our Year 8 Peer Mentors. These pupils, who were in the exact same position just twelve months ago, have stepped up with remarkable maturity. They aren’t just older pupils showing the way to the Dining Room or to Music lessons; they are anchors. They understand the anxieties of being the youngest in the school, and through their compassionate support, their guidance has been invaluable in helping our new pupils feel like they truly belong.

I recently spent time reviewing the advice written by our outgoing Year 7s, those now thriving in Year 8, to our new starters. The words were simple but carried a profound wisdom. I wanted to share a few key takeaways that I believe every one of our new pupils should hold close:

“Try everything.” Bethany is a landscape of opportunities. Whether it is a new sport, a lunchtime club, School Production, or the Enrichment Carousel, this is the time to be courageous and experiment. You never know where your next great passion, or talent, is hiding.

“Ask if you need help.” The biggest mistake a pupil can make is staying silent when they are confused. Whether it is asking a Peer Mentor for directions or a teacher for support, there is immense strength in remaining curious. Asking is not a sign of weakness; it is the ultimate tool for success.

“The year goes by so quickly, it is so fun.” This is perhaps the most important reminder. It is easy to get caught up in the stress of new routines; I would encourage pupils in all year groups to please remember to pause and enjoy the journey. Before they know it, another year will have passed.

To our Year 7s: you have already made a brilliant start. Embrace the challenges of this new chapter, lean on your mentors and tutors, and remember that you are part of a community where confidence is inspired and everyone is rooting for your success. Here is to a year of growth, discovery, and joy.

Mr Clough

Head of Year 7

Pupils of the Week

Each week, in the Year 7 Assembly, a pupil of the week award is given to a pupil who been nominated by their tutor. This goes to an individual who has perhaps shone that week academically and shown real curiosity in the classroom; demonstrated the values of kindness, tolerance, and respect with compassion; or who has been courageous in representing the School or in a positive way.

Year 7 Pupil of the Week is Mia

This week it was a tough decision; we have been impressed with how well Year 7 have got to grips with their new timetables and how they have settled so far into life at Bethany. Pupil of the Week goes to Mia for just how well she has managed this first week and the resilience that she has shown throughout it.

Year 8 Pupil of the Week is Wilf

Wilf has had an excellent week settling back into the school routine. He is thriving academically and received numerous merits this week for his efforts. Well done, Wilf!

Year 9 Pupil of the Week is Gui

Gui has been a fantastic shadow/buddy to a new pupil this week. He has gone above and beyond to make his shadow feel welcome and made sure he gets to lessons and knows the school routine despite being in a different set. Gui has displayed kindness and great leadership skills. A deserving Pupil of the Week, well done, Gui!

Individual Photos All Years

A reminder that next week, Thursday 17th September, we will be having Gillman & Soamme visiting Bethany to take individual pupil photographs. Please can we request that all pupils are in full, clean and smart uniform.

Lucien Joins British Shooting Pathway

We are delighted to celebrate the remarkable achievement of Lucien, who has been invited to join the British Shooting Pathway Development Programme for 2027

Lucien’s invitation follows an assessment by Talent Academy Coach Katy Poulsom, held at the National Clay Shooting Centre at Bisley, widely regarded as the home of shooting in Britain. His selection is a fantastic recognition of the talent and dedication he has already demonstrated in a sport he has only recently discovered.

The Development Programme is designed to nurture and develop young athletes in competitive shooting, including Olympic Skeet, one of the most demanding shotgun disciplines. The sport requires exceptional concentration, timing, coordination and precision as competitors attempt to hit clay targets travelling across the shooting range at high speed.

Lucien only began shooting at the start of the year, after receiving clay pigeon shooting lessons as a Christmas present. From his very first lesson, his instructors recognised a natural ability, combined with an eagerness to learn and improve.

The British Shooting Pathway aims to develop talented young shooters with the potential to compete at the highest levels, with the ultimate goal of representing Great Britain at major international competitions, including the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

We look forward to following his progress and seeing where this exciting journey takes him.

The photograph shows Lucien in action during a visit to the Purdey shooting grounds in Berkshire during May’s heatwave, a fitting snapshot of a very promising start to his shooting journey.

A First Step into the Art World

Over the summer Lily, an art scholar, took her first steps into the professional art world through a volunteering placement at Hastings Contemporary.

Working alongside the gallery team, she had the opportunity to learn more about the exhibitions and artists on display, while also engaging with visitors and developing her understanding of how a contemporary gallery works.

The experience led to an unexpected and particularly exciting opportunity: she was invited to join the team for the Out Front Pop-Up Exhibition, held on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th, where she exhibited her GCSE final piece, Tied Too Tight.

For her, this was a first — the first time her work had been exhibited in a public gallery. Moving a piece from the school studio into a professional exhibition space is a significant moment for any young artist, and one that can change the way a student sees their own practice.

She described the experience as “amazing” and “exciting”, and it was wonderful to see a piece that began as part of her GCSE journey take on a new life in a public setting.

It was wonderful to see her work being given this platform and to see her taking the initiative to continue developing her interest in art beyond the classroom. A brilliant achievement and a lovely way to celebrate her GCSE Art journey.

Politics Department Makes the Headlines!

A new Politics online magazine has just started and one of our very own teachers, Simon Davies, contributed an article which considers the competing arguments over whether the House of Lords needs reform, focusing on its composition, size, and social representation.

It encourages pupils to consider whether reforms such as reducing its size or making it more representative could modernise Parliament while preserving its role in scrutinising government.

It’s also a fantastic bit of advertising for Bethany School as a mention, and representative of how on the ball and knowledgeable our Politics department is. Please click the link below to read this article – page 41!

Click here

A message from FOBS (Friends of Bethany School)

To new families welcome. to everyone else, welcome back from FOBS,

Following on from a very successful year raising funds for the school, the Friends of Bethany School are looking forward to another record breaking year.

We have lots planned but always keen to improve what we can offer, so new members are always welcome!

We are having a bit of a get together for drinks and nibbles at The Winemaker’s pub (Goudhurst Inn) on 15^th from 8pm. Please do come along if you want to learn a bit more about Fobs, have a chat and maybe we can encourage you to join our fabulous team.

Hope we get to see you, please email on fobs@bethanyschool.org.uk so that we have an idea of how many we will be catering for.

From Friends of Bethany School

KRS Tug of War

On 4 September, the whole school came together for the first major competitive House event of the new school year. With plenty of enthusiasm and House spirit on display, the afternoon saw pupils take the strain in the Bethany sports hall in the annual tug of war. Kiplings, Roberts and Speakers all battled it out for valuable House points. The final results were

1st Speakers

2nd Kiplings

3rd Roberts

A Parent’s Guide to YouTube

Written by online safety expert: Abi Dargan, Online Safety Educator

YouTube is the world’s most popular video-sharing platform, offering an immense library of content that ranges from educational tutorials and music videos to entertainment, news, and user-generated vlogs. Users can watch, share, and upload videos, contributing to this diverse collection that includes everything from professional productions to amateur recordings.

Read more here

Lost Property

We have added a new Lost Items application, available via the button below or on MySchoolPortal. This 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.

Items that cannot be reunited with their owner will be donated to charity.

Bethany School Lost Property

Prayer Requests

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

Upcoming Events

Click here for Bethany calendar

Bethany School.

Altogether Original.

Bethany ISI Inspection 2026

Bringing Curiosity, Courage and Compassion to Life

An Afternoon of Athletics and House Spirit

Lucien Joins British Shooting Pathway

A True Adventure Across Vietnam and Cambodia

Beginning A New Chapter

GCSE Results 2026: Bethany Pupils Celebrate Outstanding Results