Bedford School

:Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School

Bedford Traditions

Uniform

Bedford has a rich heritage of tradition. Weekday dress consists of a white shirt with or without a false-collar, black tie, grey trousers, blue jacket and black shoes. Sunday dress consists of a blue suit, a black waistcoat, black tie and a white shirt. Variations include a coloured waistcoat and brown shoes for monitors, sports blazer with for those in the top sports teams, house ties for those who have won "sports colours". During the summer months, a straw boater is permissible.

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School Houses

There are seven school houses, six of which are senior houses, all six being linked to a school house: Sanderson's, in Rothsay Place (Ashburnham); Burnaby, in Burnaby Road (Bromham); Pemberley, in Pemberley Avenue (Crescent); Redburn, in Rothsay Gardens (Paulo-Pontine); Phillpotts, in Pemberley Avenue (St. Cuthbert's); and Talbot's, in De Parys Avenue (St. Peter's).

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Songs

One of the most distinctive Bedford traditions is the singing of songs and inter-house singing competitions. In the vein of the Eton Boating Song, many were written by teachers in the latter half of the 19th Century. The official school song Domus Pater was written by Henry Le Mesurier in 1861.

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Domus Pater Harperiae

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Honus Tuus sit incola;

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Tu porticus caelestibus

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Praesidiis circumsede.

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Impubes usque tu manus

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Huc ventitantes respice;

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Et inter mundi Semitas

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Pedes securos dirige.

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Infirma verbo pectora

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Rectoque cultu robora;

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Cibum caelestem porrige

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Et mala procul abige.

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Ut omni mane gratiam

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Tuam precentur cum fide

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Et corde grato vesperi

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Laudes tuas concelebrent.

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Deo Patri sit gloria

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Eiusque soli Filio,

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Sanctissimo cum Spiritu,

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Et nunc et in perpetuum.

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Bedford Societies

As with many boarding schools, Bedford has a large number of societies, most of which are run by the boys. They include:

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• Babbage Society
• Biology Society
• Bridge Club
• Chess Club
• Canoe Club
• Film Society
• Debating Society
• Drama Society
• Duke of Edinburgh's Award
• Jewish Society
• Climbing / Mountaineering
• Photography Society
• Sub Aqua Society

There are many more. Indeed, every aspect of academic life has a society devoted to it.

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Monitors and Options

Monitors are chosen from boys who are deemed to have the best qualities in leadership and achievement. They have the power to give lines and other such punishments to boys who misdemean. Today there are separate heads of boarding and school houses. On a school-wide level the best monitor is made "Head Boy" and a deputy is appointed to assist. Monitors wear coloured waist-coats and brown shoes. Options, like monitors, are divided in to school and house options and are like junior monitors. The number of options is currently confined to three dozen, and monitors, including the head of school, the deputy head and senior monitor to fifteen.

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Sports

On the sports field, the school is able to field in great depth (up to 4 or 5 teams per age group in major sports (rugby, hockey, cricket) fixtures) and has a respectable career success. Incidentally, the school has produced many fine sportsmen, such as the young cricket star Alistair Cook, who captained the England U19 team in Bangladesh in 2004.

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