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Bearwood College offers high-quality education and care to children aged from 3 months to 18 years through our Nursery (3 months to 5 years), Pre-Prep (age 5–7), Prep (age 7–11) and Senior (age 11–18) Departments. With day pupils throughout the College and boarders from age 11 to 18, we are proud to engage each child in a wide range of experiences both in and beyond the classroom. Our expectations for effort, industry and achievement are high. Our focus is on personal success. Bearwood is a place where individuals thrive.

Aims and ethos
We aim to provide:

• a stimulating curriculum that offers choice, breadth and depth across a wide range of academic and vocational disciplines to equip our pupils with the skills and knowledge required for progression to higher education and/or employment

• a spirit of enquiry and self-motivation supported by a sense of responsibility and sound habits of learning

• the necessary practical, creative and enterprise skills required for lifelong learning and active citizenship.

Academic excellence
The academic curriculum is based on and exceeds the requirements of the National Curriculum. Teaching, by a qualified staff of dedicated specialists, is broad and stimulating; learning is fun and imaginative. We are proud of the exceptional attention afforded to individuals by small teaching groups, the careful monitoring of progress, co-ordinated pastoral support and a close working partnership with parents.

Games and activities
We offer well over 100 different sports, games and activities through a full programme that ensures all pupils have the opportunity to exercise a spirit of fair play and competition. Pupils are encouraged to participate in a wide range of pursuits, as well as to excel in areas where they have special expertise.

Facilities
Founded in 1827, Bearwood’s beautiful wooded 250-acre estate offers extensive facilities. A fully equipped photographic and video editing suite, several sports pitches, a swimming pool, tennis and squash courts, weight training room, motor vehicle engineering workshop and rifle range are found adjacent to the Mansion House. The splendid surroundings of the wider campus offer two golf courses, a 50-acre lake and a well-equipped boathouse, riding stables, and woodlands with an obstacle course, a fitness trail and a mountain bike course.

You cannot get lost in the crowd at Bearwood. Each individual’s talents are recognised and nurtured, so everyone can find their own special areas of success.

Virgin Mobile Ad Filmed at Bearwood College

Virgin Mobile, the successful telecoms branch of the Branson empire, selected Bearwood College as the setting for its latest advertisement.

Launched in the USA in March, the ad can be seen by UK viewers online at
http://www.virgin.com/media-and-mobile/news/richards-virgin-mobile-quest--advert

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Bearwood College Show Supports Teenage Cancer

Bearwood College’s fabulous production of the Little Shop of Horrors raised £1,430.50 towards care for young people with cancer through ticket sales and from 50% of the profits from the bar. The superb show, in the school’s 350-seat theatre, was thoroughly enjoyed by audiences during two nights in November, and follows on from the success of their 2010 musical, “Grease!”.

The money raised has been donated to Lauren And Rosie’s Fund (LARF) whose stated mission is “To assist in the treatment and care of teenagers and young people under the age of 24 within Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Primarily for those undergoing and having cancer and leukaemia treatment”.

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Bearwood College’s Impressive GCSE results

Bearwood College’s GCSE pupils have achieved an impressive set of results this year, with our percentage of candidates gaining 5 GCSEs at Grade C or above overall went up five points to 96.4%.

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Round the Island Winner at Bearwood College

Luke Arai, a year 10 boarder at Bearwood College, is delighted to have won first price in his class circumnavigating the Isle of Wight in the Island Sailing Club's Round the Island yacht race.

Luke battled some treacherous conditions in his 'Panther' overcoming windspeeds of up to 28 knots and facing some serious swells around the Needles and at St Catherine's.

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Former Bearwood College Pupil is Total Wipeout Winner

Scott Pryor, who left Bearwood College in 2008, has become Series Champion of hit TV show, Total Wipeout.
Total Wipeout describes itself as 'the biggest, brashest and most exhausting game show on television" and the extreme obstacle course faced by participants includes crossing a punching wall, leaping across four gigantic red balls, crossing a pool of high-rise inflatables, high speed scrambling and daring jumps, all against the clock.

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24 Hour Organ-A-Thon at Bearwood

Five accomplished organists will attempt to play the Bearwood College chapel organ in a 24-hour relay from 4pm on Friday 13th May. The talented musicians will be taking it in turns to play an improvised programme of traditional organ pieces in a bid to raise funds for the restoration appeal as the instrument is desperately in need of repair.

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Bursaries and scholarships

The College has a number of scholarships available. The College aims to improve accessibility by providing bursaries which are means-tested. Members of HM Forces and Merchant Navy are eligible for a discount and details for all these schemes are available on request.

MARIANA. Brazil
Mariana joined the Lower Sixth in September 2011 to study Geography, Maths, English Literature, Theatre Studies and Chemistry at AS Level. She is interested in Medicine and may continue her studies in the UK at medical school once she has her A-levels. Mariana is from Brazil and had only been to the UK once before on a 5-day trip to London. She had always wanted to study abroad and given the choice between the USA and the UK by her parents, she chose the UK because she was keen to learn more about British culture and the people. She has found the ESOL programme very supportive, as she says that she picked up most of her English from watching films supplemented by a small amount of formal teaching. She currently has a part in the College Autumn production, Little Shop of Horrors, and is delighted to be involved, “Rehearsals are such fun!”. Asked whether she has enjoyed her time at Bearwood so far, Mariana said “I’m loving it, absolutely loving it! The people are really nice, the staff are nice, the lessons are great. I’ve had a really warm reception here and feel like I’ve known everyone for ages. I’ve been into Reading and really liked it. It’s a completely different experience for me; it’s an amazing environment.”





ELENA, Spain
Elena from Madrid, Spain has been at Bearwood since Year 7 and is now in Year 9. She followed her brother and also her cousin to the school as they also really enjoyed their time at Bearwood. Before joining the College, Elena attended a Language School summer camp in Cambridge and also had English lessons at home in Spain. She says that despite finding lessons hard to start with, she has found the ESOL department really supportive. Elena loves the fact she can pop into the ESOL department with a quick question anytime and does not need an appointment or to wait for her ESOL lesson. She has received most help with her written English but has found the conversational support very useful too. Asked whether she would recommend Bearwood College to other international students, Elena replied, “ Definitely. I received such a great welcome when I got here. The people are really kind and friendly and my English is so much better, I would definitely recommend it.”


TONY, Spain
Tony, from Alicante in Spain, joined the Sixth Form in September 2010 and is now in the Upper Sixth studying Photography, Textiles, Theatre Studies and Spanish. Last year he also took History at AS. Tony was attracted to UK study by the opportunities available in Spain to those proficient in English and by the independence from home. He is hoping to study Hospitality and Tourism Management at a British university next September. Tony chose Bearwood College for his A-levels after a two week language school summer camp in Dorset. He was attracted by the people and by the environment. “There is a really good atmosphere in Blake House, it is friendly and there is a respect for other people. Bearwood encourages you to develop your own talents as an individual. The College has so many activities that whatever you are good at, they will be able to support you.” Tony has also found the ESOL department helpful, “Especially with my History essays”, he says. Tony is a prefect and is pleased that Bearwood is a place which lets students take responsibility on. “I am keen to take on responsibility and the College have recognised that, which makes me happy.”