BEECH HOUSE IS HOME FROM HOME
‘Beech House is home from home’: This quote has been independently made by current and former pupils on many occasions. The family atmosphere which prevails at Beech House gives full support to this. Beech House is a 2–16 co-educational school with well-educated and committed staff.
Emphasis is placed on developing a ‘school family’ valuing all its members and on encouraging pupils to develop their confidence and achieve academically in a wide range of activities. The quality of pupils’ personal development is outstanding. It is a significant strength of the school and reflects the school’s aim to provide a family school where all members of the community are respected. The school fulfils its aims to provide an environment in which pupils can develop as confident individuals.
This structuring and staffing of the school allows continuity, with pupils having the chance to be educated in the same establishment by the same staff and not having to face the upset of changing schools at what can sometimes be an awkward age. The structure and size of the school allows the staff to know all the pupils and the pupils know all the staff. The staff constantly teach the same pupils over the years as there is a low staff turnover. They work as a team for the good of the pupils. It is wonderful to watch the pupils grow and mature through the years and then leave at the end of Year 11 as complete adults.
Pupils are able to learn in a warm, caring, friendly and safe environment by teachers who care for their well-being. This nurturing is supplemented by all pupils being actively encouraged to participate in sports, charity activities and visits both at home and abroad. The ‘small is beautiful’ concept allows this. With class sizes kept small it enables teachers to spot problems early on and pass on information more quickly. In addition, pupils who are excelling are given the encouragement to do so. Every child’s needs are catered for and they build up confidence in their success in academic subjects and their participation in sporting and non-sporting extra-curricular activities. The pupils develop a ‘have a go’ attitude and when the result is not important this builds up confidence and leads to success.
From the cohort of 26 who left two years ago, five went on to study medicine and seven law. The school offers pupils 18 different sports and in 2011 achieved local, regional, national or international honours in 14 of them. This was matched in the arts, English, science, music and public speaking amongst the many extra-curricular activities offered. A particular feature of the school is the way that individual and team success is celebrated at every possible opportunity so that pupils of all ages are confident and have high levels of self-esteem.
The school aims to blend the best of traditional education with the skills and resources of modern times to ensure that pupils’ talents are exercised to the full.
