From September 2008, Beechwood will accept boys and girls into Year 7 and will be fully co-educational by 2011. The transition will be a carefully managed and the key dates are outlined below:

2008    First co-educational intake into Year 7
2009    Addition of a boys’ class in Year 9
2010    Co-educational intake into Year 12, and, possibly, boys in Year 12
2011    School becomes fully co-educational

YEAR	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12
7	Girls & boys	Girls & boys	Girls & boys	Girls & boys
8	Girls	Girls & boys	Girls & boys	Girls & boys
9	Girls	Girls & boys	Girls & boys	Girls & boys
10	Girls	Girls	Girls & boys	Girls & boys
11	Girls	Girls	Girls	Girls & boys
12	Girls	Girls & boys	Girls & boys	Girls & boys
13	Girls	Girls	Girls & boys	Girls & boys

Why co-ed?
When the school was opened in 1915 by the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Heart, its purpose was to give girls the education they needed to take their places in the world of the early twentieth century. Since 1975, when it became a lay school, Beechwood has continued to provide an excellent all-round education for girls, with high standards and in a supportive, family atmosphere. This was later extended to include boys in the Prep School.

Since 1999 the school has enjoyed a period of consistent growth, with pupil numbers doubling in the Preparatory and Senior Schools. We now wish to build on this success by continuing to drive the school forward through the 21st Century.

It has become clear that, in the Tunbridge Wells area, there is a shortage of independent school places at secondary level for boys. To meet the demand from parents and from the Heads of local Prep and Primary Schools, the Governors have decided to offer to boys the opportunity in the Senior School that they presently enjoy up to age 11.

Best of both worlds
We strongly believe that there are educational benefits to be gained from teaching boys and girls separately and we wish these benefits to be continued in what will become a co-educational Senior School. For this reason, in subjects where it is educationally advantageous, we shall teach the boys and girls in two separate classes, at least until the end of Year 9. 

We also believe that, in the modern world, co-education offers many benefits to both boys and girls. In today’s society and in the work place it is important for girls and boys to understand each other’s attitudes and to appreciate each other’s points of view.

By teaching boys and girls separately in some subjects, yet within a co-educational environment, we believe that we will be offering the best of both worlds to our pupils.

FAQs

Q How will the plan affect my child, who is already at Beechwood?

A This will depend on your child’s year group.

Most Senior School pupils will not be directly affected as they will be taught in the same classes, at least until they have completed their GCSE courses.

Pupils going into the new Year 7 this September will also not be affected in the first two years, but they will be joined by a boys’ class in 2009, when boys will be accepted for entry into Year 9 for the first time.

If your child is in the Preparatory School (Years N-5), then at age 11 they will have the option of progressing to the Senior School. In 2008, the Senior School will begin to receive boys into Year 7, when there will be a class of 18 girls and a class of 18 boys. By September 2009 there will be boys and girls in each year group in Key Stage 3.

From September 2010 boys will be accepted into the Sixth Form, so there will be boys in every year group by September 2011.  

Q  How will the change affect the standards and ethos of the school?

A  As the boys will be introduced gradually into the school we expect that they will absorb the ethos and understand our expectations just as they do now in the Prep School. Any growth that this change may produce will not be substantial and so we will continue to be able to offer the same care of the individual in the supportive atmosphere for which the school is renowned. Class sizes will also not change significantly and so we expect to maintain our high academic standards.

Q  Why are you proposing to teach the boys and girls separately?

A  It is true that educational research suggests that pupils often learn better in single sex classes. This is why, where it is educationally advantageous, we propose to teach the girls and boys separately, at least until the end of Year 9. For some subjects, however, the advantages of setting a mixed group could outweigh the benefits of being taught separately, for example in Mathematics.

Q  Do you expect the school to increase in size?

A  We expect a slight increase over a period of time, although there will be fewer places for girls, with just one class of 18 girls and one class of 18 boys in each year group.

Q  Will the school continue to be non-selective academically?

A  As there will only be places for 18 girls and 18 boys in each year group, and we are anticipating a high demand, it is possible that we shall become more selective academically. Nevertheless, our first consideration for selection will continue to be that any prospective pupil must respect the ethos and expectations of the school.

Q  Will boys feel comfortable joining what has previously been a girls’ school?

A  Many so called co-educational schools are, in reality, simply boys’ schools with some girls in; whereas we will be able to provide a truly co-educational environment by taking in equal numbers of boys and girls into each successive Year 7. We already have boys up to age 11 in the Prep School, so for boys entering the lower end of the Senior School, it should feel like a natural progression.

Q  Are Beechwood staff qualified and experienced in teaching boys?

A  Most staff have already taught in co-educational or boys’ schools. Mr Beesley has previously been a teacher and Housemaster at Millfield School and Bedales, two very successful co-educational independent schools. In addition Mrs Cox, Deputy Head, experienced the transition from single sex girls to co-education at her last school.

Q  Drama has been one of Beechwood’s strengths. How will the introduction of boys impact on this?

A  Drama will continue to be an important aspect of life at Beechwood and I would expect its scope to be enhanced by the addition of boys.

Q  At what stage will boys enter the Sixth Form?

A It is our intention that in 2010, when boys enter Year 10 for the first time, boys will be offered places in Beechwood Sixth Form, so that the younger boys have appropriate role models. If the demand is there, however, there is no reason why this could not happen earlier.

Q  Will there be boarding places for boys?

A  No – at least not immediately. We would, however, be prepared to react to demand if required.

Q  What facilities will be needed to accommodate boys?

A  As we already have boys in our Preparatory School up to age 11, we already have many of the facilities that we need to begin admitting boys into the Senior School. Our sports facilities will be enhanced by the use of local sports grounds and male sports coaches will be employed to help with boys’ games. Toilets, extra changing rooms and facilities for Design Technology will be provided as they are needed

Q  Will the fees be increased to cover the additional expense of admitting boys?

A  There will be no need for any increases in fees beyond the normal rises due to inflation.