Weekly Newsletter

June 12, 2026

Headmaster’s Welcome

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The weather has been somewhat changeable this week, but it appears that we are about to enter a period of sustained dry and sunny weather. With the promised improvement in the weather, I hope that our cricket fixtures will take place next week.

The Geography Department had a very busy week this week as three different year groups were out on trips. All the pupils enjoyed their time away and gained a lot from their respective visits.

You should have received the Bethany ISI inspection report on Wednesday, it is a positive read and recognises the great work that we do here.

The Year 9 pupils seem to have coped very well with their Year 9 assessments this week. I hope they get the results they desire. Our Year 11 and 13 pupils continue to cope well with their external examinations.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Year 12 Drama production of “The 39 Steps” on Wednesday, there was superb acting throughout with all the actors playing many parts confidently and articulately. How I wish I had a fraction of their talent.

Year 7 have a Sustainability Project next week and they should gain a lot from this.

Speech Day is on Saturday 20th June (a week tomorrow). This is a compulsory day of School and also an opportunity for former pupils to return and visit. It starts at 9am with Year 13 pupils attending a Chapel Service. Parents and pupils in other year groups arrive from 10am and in the centre of campus there will be some subject displays on show, as well as various music and drama performances from the Performing Arts Department. The prizegiving ceremony starts at 11.30am sharp. For those parents and pupils who wish to remain afterwards, they can have a picnic which can either be purchased in advance from the caterers or brought in by parents individually. Let’s hope the promised fine weather for next week continues until at least Saturday!

I am looking forward to seeing our Years 7 and 8 drama pupils perform “The 39 Steps” tonight in the Pengelly Performance Centre at 6pm.

The World Cup started yesterday and continues until Sunday 19th July. For football lovers there is unbounded joy and for the others there is a long five weeks ahead! I like this acerbic comment from a football fan who said: “Supporting England in the World Cup builds character, pressure and nothing else”.

Have a great weekend.

Yours sincerely,

Francie Healy

Headmaster

Latest Sports News

The latest sports news from Bethany School. A terrible week weather wise meant cancellation of every cricket fixture this week. An interhouse girls’ cricket tournament did go ahead as Kiplings, Roberts and Speakers battled it out for competitive house bragging rights.

Cricket | Bethany U15 Interhouse Tournament

With a break in the rainy and stormy weather and no external girls cricket fixtures for the week, the Year 9 and Year 10 pupils were able to take to the field to take each other on in an afternoon of excellent Interhouse cricket.

Game One – Speakers v Kiplings

With Mia Chikoto and Eva Lambert opening the batting, Kiplings got off to a god start, taking 17 runs from the first two overs. But then with Tula Cottingham taking a wicket in the 3rd over and some good bowling and fielding from Speakers, Kiplings struggled to capitalise on their good start. Starting their innings in the positive, Speakers made steady progress towards their target. But with good bowling from Mia Chikoto, Eva Lambert, Amber Johns and Ten Shaw Muxchate, there was still everything to play for going into the last two overs. Bu with calm batting from Tula Cottingham and Isabelle Goodall, Speakers reached their target for the win.

Final score: Speakers beat Kiplings by 9 wickets

Game Two – Roberts v Kiplings

After an opening few overs of good bowling by Kiplings, particularly from Mia Chikoto and Eva Lambert, Roberts found runs hard to come by. But then an excellent partnership of 20 runs from 16 balls, between Darcey Stone and Isobel Andrews, Roberts were able to set a tough target for Kiplings to chase down.

Darcey Stone opened the bowling for Roberts and once again bowled very well, picking up a wicket with her second ball. And when in the second over of the innings, Isobel Andrews picked up a wicket with her first ball, it sadly meant that from them on Kiplings found it hard to get going. Losing wickets on a regular basis (including a fantastic Run Out from Florrie Dearing) meant they (Kiplings) were never really going to get close to Roberts final total.

Final score: Roberts beat Kiplings by 26 runs

There were standout performances from;

Kiplings – Ten Shaw Muxchate (Capt), Mia Chikoto and Eva Lambert.

Roberts – Darcey Stone, Isobel Andrews and Florrie Dearing.

Speakers – Sophie Easter, Isabelle Hindley and Lauren Baxter.

With one match to play, the final standings are still to be decided. Who will finish top? Roberts or Speakers? Find out next week!

Latest Bethany Blog

The latest Bethany blog has been written by Mr Thomas, Head of Science, who celebrates the outstanding achievements of our pupils and reflects on the curiosity, determination and scientific thinking that helped them achieve such impressive success.

Bethany Pupils Reach for the Stars

At Bethany, we are always excited to see our pupils pushing the boundaries of their scientific understanding and this year’s Junior Physics Challenge has given us plenty to celebrate.

Organised by the British Physics Olympiad, the Junior Physics Challenge encourages pupils to put their Physics knowledge, mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills to the test through a series of thought-provoking questions. These are not your everyday classroom exercises. The challenge asks pupils to think like scientists, tackle unfamiliar situations and apply their knowledge in creative ways.

This year, 25 Bethany pupils stepped up to the challenge and the results were nothing short of spectacular.

Our young physicists achieved an outstanding set of awards:

8 Gold Awards (32%)

4 Silver Awards (16%)

13 Bronze Awards (52%)

Perhaps most impressively of all, every single Bethany pupil who entered the competition received an award, giving us a remarkable 100% success rate.

In scientific terms, that is what we would call a very successful experiment!

A huge congratulations goes to our Gold Award winners:

+ Tom C

+ Matthew C

+ Martha S

+ Didi P

+ Reuben R

+ Karson L

+ Toby H

+ Hamish H

Achieving a Gold Award places these pupils among the highest-performing competitors nationally. Their success reflects not only a strong understanding of Physics but also the ability to apply scientific concepts to challenging and unfamiliar problems.

A particular mention must go to Hamish, who achieved something truly exceptional this year.

As well as earning a Gold Award in the Junior Physics Challenge, Hamish also secured a Gold Award in the Biology Challenge. Reaching the highest level in two national science competitions is an outstanding achievement and demonstrates both impressive scientific breadth and academic excellence.

Whether investigating cells or calculating forces, Hamish has shown that curiosity and hard work are a powerful combination.

One of the great strengths of competitions such as the Junior Physics Challenge is that they allow pupils to explore science beyond the curriculum. They encourage analytical thinking, resilience and intellectual curiosity, all qualities that lie at the heart of scientific discovery.

The success of our pupils is a testament to their enthusiasm, commitment and willingness to embrace a challenge. It also reflects the vibrant culture of scientific learning here at Bethany.

Congratulations to all 25 pupils who took part and represented the school so brilliantly. We look forward to seeing many of them continue their Physics Olympiad journey in the years ahead.

Who knows? Today’s challenge participants may well be tomorrow’s engineers, researchers and scientific pioneers.

Mr Thomas

Head of Science

Sand, City and the Seaside for Geography Pupils

It was a busy and exciting week for the Geography department, with Years 7, 8 and 10 taking part in three educational visits to Maidstone, Camber Sands and Hastings, each offering unique opportunities for exploration, fieldwork and discovery.

Monday – Year 10 Fieldwork in Maidstone

Year 10 spent Monday morning in Maidstone carrying out fieldwork in preparation for their GCSE Geography Paper 2 exam next year. Working in small groups, pupils investigated how land use changes across different areas of the town, collecting a range of data to support their studies.

Despite a busy town centre, the students worked diligently throughout the morning and showed excellent maturity and focus. They represented the school superbly and gathered valuable information that will support their learning in the classroom over the coming months.

Tuesday – Year 8 Visit to Camber Sands

On Tuesday, Year 8 travelled to Camber Sands to begin filming their coastal geography documentaries, which will be edited and screened later this term. Although the strong coastal winds provided an extra challenge, pupils demonstrated great perseverance as they recorded footage and presented insightful explanations of coastal processes and landforms.

An unexpected highlight of the day was spotting a professional film crew working on the beach, giving students a fascinating glimpse into how large-scale productions are filmed.

Thursday – Year 7 Trip to Hastings

Year 7 enjoyed a combined Geography and History trip to Hastings on Thursday. The day began with a visit to Smugglers Adventure, where pupils explored the network of caves and learned about the town’s rich smuggling history.

Following this, the group visited a popular viewpoint overlooking the coastline, taking in the impressive views across the town and surrounding landscape. After lunch, pupils had the opportunity to visit the arcade before heading to the aquarium, where they discovered how a variety of marine species have adapted to survive in their environments.

One of the standout moments of the day was watching the archer fish expertly shoot jets of water to knock insects from above the water’s surface before eating them – a fascinating example of adaptation in action.

Tickets: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

There are still tickets available for the Bethany Junior Production: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The show is a reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his father Jacob, eleven brothers and the coat of many colors.

Book your tickets now using the link below and join us for this spectacular production.

Dates: Thursday 25 June 2026 – Friday 26 June 2026

Location: Pengelly Performance Centre

Book tickets

Bethany Alumni Visit Year 12 Pupils for Project Horizon

As part of our ongoing Project Horizon programme, Year 12 had the chance to meet two Bethany alumni who returned to share their experiences and offer guidance on next steps beyond sixth form. Both sessions gave pupils a genuine insight into life after A Levels and the different routes our former pupils have taken.

Katy Bradley – Cambridge PhD Researcher

Katy spoke with Year 12 about applying to competitive universities and how to approach personal statements with confidence and clarity. She is currently completing her PhD at Cambridge and was open about the realities of applying to highly selective institutions.

What stood out was how warmly she spoke about her time at Bethany. Katy said she always felt well supported here and that the foundation she received at school played a significant part in helping her reach where she is now. Her message to pupils was reassuring and encouraging, especially for those considering ambitious academic pathways.

“After leaving Bethany in 2021, I read Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. I am currently in the first year of my PhD in Stem Cell Biology at Cambridge, where I am working on tissue-scale analytical approaches of breast tumour initiation, as well as breast cancer prevention strategies for people with inherited predisposing mutations. After my PhD, I hope to continue working in academia or the biomedical industry, contributing to research that can make a meaningful difference to patients’ lives. I’m also very interested in science communication and in making science more accessible and engaging for wider audiences. I’m really grateful for all the opportunities and support that have helped me to get here, and I’m excited to keep exploring where my science can take me!”

Lorenza Dougan – Art, Textiles & Marketing

Lorenza brought a brilliant session to the Art department, sharing her journey from A Level Art to her Foundation at UAL and now her Textiles degree at Chelsea. Alongside her creative studies, she has built a successful career in marketing for a construction firm, and she showed pupils both her creative and professional portfolios to illustrate how skills can transfer across different industries.

She also spoke fondly about her time boarding at Bethany, particularly the sense of community and the opportunities available in the evenings and at weekends. Lorenza was clear about how much those experiences shaped her and how she hopes future pupils will continue to benefit from the same supportive environment.

Keep an eye on @bethanyschalumni on Instagram for a closer look at the work our Alumni Ambassadors are doing, and please do contact Mrs Smart if you would like to get involved as part of the wider Bethany network (ssmart@bethanyschool.org.uk).

We would like to invite alumni, and indeed any member of the Bethany School community who might feel that they can support a networking event for Year 12, to attend our Coffee and Connections morning on July 1^st 2026 – learn more and sign up here Project Horizon Alumni Event – Fill in form

Mrs Smart

Project Horizon Coordinator

Alumni An Vu Returns to Bethany

Bethany School was delighted to welcome back former pupil An Vu, who returned with her husband, her parents and her mother-in-law to offer warm best wishes to Mr Healy as he approaches his retirement. The visit was both a joyful reunion and a touching expression of gratitude.

An joined Bethany in 2009 as a Year 10 pupil from Vietnam and quickly became an engaged and valued member of the school community. She embraced the opportunities available to her, going on to complete her A Levels and develop a strong academic foundation. Reflecting on her time at Bethany, An spoke fondly of the support she received, particularly highlighting the encouragement of Mr Healy, who played an important role in her journey.

After leaving Bethany, An studied Economics at the University of Bath before continuing her academic pursuits at University College London. There, she completed a Master of Science in Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment, specialising in areas of growing global importance.

An’s father and Mr Healy enjoy a drink together.

Today, An works as an Economic Modeler in Cambridge, where she applies her expertise to analyse industries and inform decision-making. Her achievements reflect both her determination and the strong educational start she received at Bethany.

Despite her success, An’s visit was rooted in appreciation rather than accomplishment. Alongside her family, she returned to thank Mr Healy for his dedication and to wish him happiness in his retirement. The occasion was marked by warmth and shared memories, illustrating the lasting connections formed during her school years.

An’s return serves as a reminder of the enduring impact of Bethany School and its teachers, and stands as a fitting tribute to Mr Healy’s remarkable career.

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.

There will be two Year 7 Pupils of the Week next week.

Year 8 Pupil of the Week is Ewan

Ewan showed really good engagement in the field trip on Tuesday. He helped others, worked hard on his own project and was a model Bethany pupil. He has also had a great week in class, showing excellent focus and effort. Well done, Ewan!

Year 9 Pupil of the Week is Jules

Living in a new county, at a new school, must be a daunting prospect for any pupil but Jules has demonstrated resilience and maturity beyond his years. Jules has been a delightful addition to Year 9 – joyful, hardworking and made huge improvements in his spoken English. Well done, Jules!

The Orchard Boarder of the Week is Ethan

The Orchard Boarder of the Week aka the GOAT this week is the wonderful Ethan, for his friendliness, kindness and supportiveness as a boarding shadow. And all the time, really. Well done, Ethan!

Pixel Wars: Minecraft vs Roblox – Tips for Parents

Written by online safety expert: Taryn Wren, Product Safety Expert

When it comes to virtual creativity games, Minecraft and Roblox reign supreme as the go-to platforms for young people to unleash their inventiveness and socialise in digital wonderlands where imaginations run wild.

But are these pixelated playgrounds safe?

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

Visit us

Be at Bethany

Bethany Speech Day 2026

Bethany ISI Inspection 2026

Bethany Secures Continued CReSTeD Recognition

Bethany Ranked in Top 10% Nationally

Bethany Enrichment Week

Junior Production Is A Technicolour Triumph

Georgie Shortlisted for UCA Competition

Hattie Stars at Young Fashion Designer UK Competition

Darcey’s Open Water Swimming Success

Success for Grace in Open Water Swim