Weekly Newsletter

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

May 24, 2024

Headmaster’s Welcome

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the last newsletter of this half term. This has been a good week at Bethany as GCSE and A Level pupils continue to cope well with the examinations. Immediate post examination feedback from the pupils has been positive.

Today started off in the best possible way for me as I had the pleasure of seeing some Year 7 and 8 pupils perform Drama, Music and Dance in the Music School at 8.30 am and there was also some great Year 7 Art work on display.

In the last week, some cricket matches were inevitably postponed because of the inclement weather, but a British summer wouldn’t be a British summer without rain!

I attended a Year 10 drama evening on Tuesday night, where monologues were delivered superbly well. It was a joy and privilege to witness such talent on display.

Our Silver Duke of Edinburgh Expedition pupils left for their expedition last night and thankfully the weather has been kind to them so far. Depending on their navigation skills, the pupils can be collected from Bethany tomorrow afternoon sometime between 1pm and 4pm.

On Saturday 8^th June we have a Getting to Know Bethany Day for pupils in Years 7-9 who have signed up to attend Bethany in September. While the children are familiarising themselves with how we do things at Bethany, there will be various presentations for the parents explaining how Bethany operates.

No doubt our Year 9, GCSE and A level pupils will spend some of next week revising for their forthcoming examinations. I also hope that they get some relaxation time.

The surprise announcement of a General Election means that our media will be filled with political debate over the next 6 weeks. It was nice of the government to tie in the General Election date with our last day of term. I must write and thank them! Franklin D. Roosevelt once said. “Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.” Bethany will hold its own mock General Election vote at the end of June and it will be interesting to compare our results with the national picture.

Have a great half term.

Yours sincerely,

Francie Healy

Headmaster

Year 7 & 8 Science National Challenge Success

This year marked an exciting new chapter for the science department as our pupils embarked on the inaugural Year 7 and 8 Science Challenge 2024, organized by the British Physics Olympiad. This competition was designed to spark curiosity and enthusiasm for physics among our younger pupils, and the results have been nothing short of impressive.

Igniting Young Minds: Bethany Shines in Year 7 and 8 Science Challenge 2024

Our pupils rose to the occasion with remarkable achievements: 10 Gold awards, 62 Silver awards, 22 Bronze awards, and 4 Commendations. These results highlight not only the talent of our Bethany pupils but also their dedication and passion for learning.

The Year 7 and 8 Science Challenge was born from a desire to provide engaging opportunities for younger pupils. Their collective efforts of the pupils and their science teachers ensured that the challenge was both educational and enjoyable.

The primary aim of this competition was not to create another exam but to inspire pupils to view physics as an exciting and dynamic field. We wanted them to see physics not as a mere collection of formulas but as a way to understand and interpret the world around them. This initiative sought to cultivate an environment where participation and curiosity were the main objectives.

Although this is our first year participating in this competition, the results have has been promising. Pupils found the questions engaging and the experience rewarding. The spread of awards suggests that the competition was appropriately challenging, with a sensible distribution of marks.

The success of our pupils in the Year 7 and 8 Science Challenge 2024 is a testament to their hard work and enthusiasm. This competition has not only provided them with a platform to showcase their skills but also fostered a deeper appreciation for physics as well as competing at national level. We are proud of their achievements and look forward to continuing this journey of exploration and discovery.

This initiative marks the beginning of a new tradition at Bethany School, one where the wonders of physics are celebrated and young minds are encouraged to view the world through a scientific lens. Here’s to many more years of inspiring and challenging our pupils to reach for the stars!

Where Are the Stars? See How Light Pollution Affects Night Skies

Latest Bethany Blog

This week’s blog has been written by Mr Evans, who talks about Year 7 pupils fantastic visit to the Juniper Hall Field Studies Centre in Dorking.

Year 7 visit Juniper Hall

On Tuesday, our Year 7 pupils had the fantastic opportunity to visit the Juniper Hall Field Studies Centre in Dorking for an educational and adventurous field trip. The focus of the trip was to learn about river systems, specifically the River Tillingbourne, through hands-on experience and direct observation.

The day began with an engaging class briefing at Juniper Hall. Here, the pupils were introduced to the nature and characteristics of the River Tillingbourne. They learned about its source, course, and the geographical features that define it. This initial session provided a solid foundation for the practical activities that followed.

Armed with their new knowledge, the pupils then set out to access the river at two distinct sites. At these locations, they participated in various exercises designed to measure the river’s physical properties. Using a tape measure, stopwatch, and cork, the pupils learned how to measure the width, depth and velocity of the river. These simple tools allowed them to gather data and understand the importance of accurate measurements in geographical studies. In addition to these traditional methods, pupils had the chance to experiment with a Hydroprop to record the river’s velocity. This device provided a more advanced way to understand the flow rate, adding an exciting technological element to their fieldwork.

One of the highlights of the trip was a short river walk where the pupils, donned in wellies, waded into the river to explore its meander characteristics first-hand. This immersive experience allowed them to observe the river’s bends and curves up close, gaining a deeper understanding of how rivers shape the landscape over time.

Overall, the field trip to Juniper Hall was a resounding success. The combination of classroom learning and practical experience helped the pupils to appreciate the complexities of river systems. It was a day filled with discovery, teamwork, and a lot of fun, leaving our Year 7s with memories and knowledge that set them up well for a future in the subject.

Latest Sports News

The latest sports news from Bethany School.

Cricket | Bethany U13A v Claremont (Away)

On a wet Wednesday afternoon Bethany U13 A travelled to Claremont, Bethany won the toss and elected to bowl first.

1st Innings: Despite the difficult wet conditions, Bethany’s bowlers started strongly, making early breakthroughs and putting pressure on the Claremont batting lineup. Both Ollie Scott’s and Callum Rae’s impressive spells saw them both claiming two wickets, while Michael St. Claire Bishop’s brilliant catch contributed to restricting Claremont to a total of 89 runs for the loss of 7 wickets.

2nd Innings: In reply, Bethany’s batting innings got off to a slow start, with the team losing four quick wickets. However, Henry Greig emerged as a standout performer, playing a crucial innings of 24 runs to guide Bethany closer to the target. Bethany unfortunately fell short of the total by 11 runs.

Result: Bethany lost by 11 runs
Player of the match – Henry Greig
Coaches Playerof the match – Callum Rae

Cricket | Bethany U13B v Claremont (Away)

Bethany U13 Boys cricket team travelled to Claremont Preparatory school on Wednesday. With the weather not great and a wet wicket, the team played a modified match so that some team cricket was played.

In a 16 over match, with batsman returning to the crease for second innings and an incredible ball format, Bethany batted first. On a damp wicket with little bounce the conditions made run scoring tricky. Sebastian Hickmott was pick of the batsman scoring a four and six in his innings, while Bejamin Stapleton and Sebastian Graham also contributed well to the final score.

Bethany achieved a total of 81 runs off 16 overs. Claremont batted well as the wicket dried out, but run scoring was restricted by some accurate bowling and excellent fielding from the Bethany team. Stephen Kakouris bowled a good spell, along with Harry Jerymn who took a wicket, Felix Hardy who took two wickets in consecutive balls and Jack Shimmin who took a couple of wickets.

Oscar Hughes played well at wicket keeper with all players making some athletic stops in the field. Claremont batted their way to needing there runs from the final over to win. A great match saw Claremont win by two runs at the close of the 16 overs.

Result – Bethany Lost by 2 runs.
Player of the match – Sebastian Graham
Coaches player of the match – Felix Hardy & Sebastian Hickmott

Cricket | Bethany U15B v Claremont (Away)

Despite the overnight and early morning rain, the U15B Boys match away at Claremont went ahead. Even through the outfield was very wet, which made keeping the ball dry very hard to do, the pitch played very well.

Lucas Schippers, who did a good job as Captain for the day, won the toss and asked Claremont to bat first. The opposition opening batters got off to a flying start and never took their foot off the gas and scored at a high tempo throughout their innings. The U15 B boys worked hard in the field in very tricky conditions. There was good bowling from Jackson Sillicorn (who took the only wicket), Lucas Schippers and Jacob Chesterton. The standout fielder was Jonah Burrows, who took on the role of Wicket Keeper. He was a natural behind the stumps, nothing much got past him and with a few lessons on the role of the keeper, Jonah has the potential to be a regular in that position.

Claremont ended their innings on a massive 213/1 from their 20 overs.

The now familiar opening partnership between, Winston Boudet-Fenouillet and Seb Baines, did a good job against the fast Claremont opening bowlers to kick off the U15 B’s innings. After three quick wickets, there was a strong partnership between Jackson Sillicorn (36 not out) and Lucas Smith (23 not out) as they found the boundary numerous times. Unfortunately, as the innings went on, the rain re-appeared and got steadily worse which made it hard for the players to play safely. The match was abandoned 12 overs into the U15 B’s innings. A final comment to say that the team should be very proud of the way that they represented themselves and Bethany School.

Result – Match Abandoned due to rain.

Scores – Claremont School – 213/1 – 20 overs and Bethany 96/3 – 12 overs

Players Player – Jackson Sillicorn Coaches Player – Jonah Burrows

Year 7 Football Tournament

Following the glorious triumph of Mr Davies’ Tutor Group in the Year 8 football tournament, it is now the turn of the Year 7s. The first round of fixtures, scheduled for Tuesday, had to be put back owing to a Geography trip, so only two matches to report on this week.

The first saw a hard-fought draw between Mrs Rowell and Mr Clough’s groups, with a late, disputed equaliser from James Cheesbrough enough to secure a point; a remarkable performance seeing as they only had three players and were under pressure for the whole game.

There then followed something of a stroll for Miss Zhao’s group, who thrashed Mr Thomas’ tutees 6-0. But for the heroics of Greg Ejiofor in goal it would have been even worse, well into double figures.

There’s a full set of fixtures in the week after half term and we’ll see if Miss Zhao’s group can maintain their impressive start.

Year 7 & 8 pupils perform Drama, Music and Dance

It was a delight to see some of the Year 7 and 8’s perform – from fantastic drumming to the all time classic “Highway to Hell” to creative dancing, beautiful singing and awesome Artwork (to name just a few). All those who took part showcased amazing talents and skill. Very well done to everyone!

Fundraising for Tanzania

Ms Rendall-Jones, Mr Duff and pupils taking part in this summers True Adventure trip to Tanzania have continued to be busy raising funds.

With plenty of fundraising events planned in the Summer Term, please keep your eyes peeled for updates!

This week raised £20 through a “Take A Chance” mystery gift opportunity.

At lunchtime on Wednesday pupils had the chance to play Mystery Gift Bingo.

Using the traditional bingo spinner and calls, such as “Legs Eleven” and “Key to the Door” pupils had a go at playing this classic game. There were prizes for everyone, though in the spirit of mystery gift bingo, the biggest boxes didn’t always hide the largest gifts!

Many thanks to those who donated gifts for this event. All the proceeds are going to the Bethany Tanzania charity, Better Lives.

Also there is a doughnut sale every Friday P7.

Our current total is going up and up, and we’ve surpassed the £2200 mark! There is still time to donate via our JustGiving page below.

100% of the proceeds raised will go towards the ‘Tanzania Fund’ to help buy building supplies, gardening supplies, tools, school stationery and anything else the Tanzanian school needs.

Fundraising Page

Read Library News

Pre-University Boarding Experience

After speaking to some Bethany alumni recently, we have been reminded how some of our leaving pupils struggle with going from the bubble that is Bethany, to first year university halls and fending for themselves.

Prior to Covid, the school used to have quite a few weekly/flexi boarders join in Year 13 to help provide the transition between Sixth Form and university and the independence that halls of residence requires.

In an effort to encourage pupils to look at weekly/flexi boarding as a bridging experience to university, all Year 12 pupils have the opportunity for a trial taster session on Tuesday 25^th and Wednesday 26^th June, at a subsidised cost.

Please find an itinerary for the event below.

Thursday 20^th June

During Senior Games Mr Duff will take all pupils signed up to this event to Lidl in Tovil with a combined budget of £5.00 per head to buy ingredients for the following Tuesday’s meal, plus snacks for the evening.

Tuesday 25^th June (normal School day)

8.00am – Pupils drop belongings into Karina in The Orchard

4.00pm – Karina provides pupils a master class in washing machines and ironing

5.00pm – ‘Cooking on a budget’ session with ingredients bought from Lidl. The objective: cook tomato/pesto pasta (vegetarian and meat option) in the Bethany Food & Nutrition room.

6.30pm – House meeting/registration in The Orchard common room

6.45 to 8.30pm – Supervised prep in The Orchard

8.30pm – Movie in the common room or access to gym/Sports Hall

10.00pm – Register with Orchard duty staff

10.30pm – Lights out

Wednesday 26^th June (normal School day)

8.00am – Breakfast in the School’s dining hall then normal School day

5.15pm – Meet in The Orchard common room in casual clothes for a trip to Hastings for crazy golf, fish and chips and free time. No access to beach/water for safety reasons.

8.30pm – Depart Hastings

9.30pm – Return to The Orchard, free time

10.00pm – Register with Orchard duty staff

10.30pm – Lights out

Thursday 27^th June (normal School day)

8.00am – breakfast in the School’s dining hall then normal School day

4.00pm – Remove belongings from Orchard

The cost for this event is £45.00 and is an optional taster event. The school does have enough capacity in The Orchard to accommodate all Year 12 day pupils who wish to take up the opportunity as we will be losing our Year 11 and Year 13 boarders after their last external examinations in mid-June.

If you would like your child to take part in this event, please fill in the MySchoolPortal form (link below) by Friday 24^th May to help us finalise numbers for planning purposes.

Lastly, the dorm corridors in The Orchard are strictly single sex, with a strict policy in terms of mixing only in the common areas. All Year 12 pupils would be expected to abide by all of the boarding house rules.

Mr Duff

Head of Sixth Form

Mr Davies

Housemaster, The Orchard

Mastering the Art of Sushi

Our school caterers, Holroyd Howe, recently showcased the art of sushi making in an exciting culinary initiative.

Pupils had the opportunity to watch and learn as a chef demonstrated traditional techniques, blending creativity with precision. The event was a resounding success, inspiring many to explore the culinary arts further.

Building on this enthusiasm, staff plan on recreating this sushi-making experience within the Enrichment Cookery Club, providing them with hands-on opportunities to roll, assemble, and taste their own sushi creations. This initiative not only enhances their culinary skills but also provides an opportunity for a deeper appreciation for diverse cuisines.

FOBS 2nd Hand Uniform request

On behalf of FOBS please can we ask for donations of uniform in good condition that your children have out grown/you no longer need.

We have the getting to know Bethany day on 8th June and it would be great to have lots 2nd hand uniform available for all the new starters. Blazers, jumpers, trousers, all sports kit items, kit bags etc would all be greatly appreciated.

All revenue made from the second hand shop goes to buying equipment for the children i.e. the foozball tables in the day rooms and the new gazebo and seating etc outside.

Please leave any donations at the school office this week as soon as you are able.

Many thanks FOBS

Please see the link below which will take you to the Barsley’s Uniform online shop – now stocking Boys Bermuda Shorts and Girls long trousers.

Bethany Uniform at Barsleys

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

Upcoming Events

Click here to view the Bethany School Calendar

Visit us

Be at Bethany

Enrichment Spotlight: Tag Archery

Annual Boarders’ BBQ

Sam’s Garden Biz is Mowing Ahead!

Teacher Development at Bethany

Enrichment Spotlight: Team Building

Healthy Friendships at Bethany