Nicholas Beesley, MA (Oxon)

In today’s world, many institutions seem large and impersonal; by contrast, at Beechwood, we are proud of our caring family atmosphere, where every pupil is known and valued.

Our friendly staff and pupils show mutual respect and consideration for each other, and pupils can be assured of the support and guidance they need.

Previously a highly successful girls-only school, from September 2008, Beechwood Senior School will welcome day boys into Year 7 for the first time.

Boarding is available for girls aged 11 - 18. In the future we may extend our boarding provision to include senior boys, if there is sufficient demand.

 The school is located in twenty three acres of landscaped grounds, close to the centre of Tunbridge Wells, less than one hour from London and within easy reach of main airports. 

Founded in 1915 by the Society of the Sacred Heart, Beechwood retains a special family quality, underpinned by standards and values derived from its Catholic tradition.

The school now welcomes pupils of all creeds, from this country and from overseas. 

Beechwood pupils enjoy a happy relaxed atmosphere. A strong partnership between family, staff and pupils encourages every child to develop and to excel at their individual talents. Small classes allow for individual pastoral care with effective, careful monitoring of academic and social progress. 

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 gradual one 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
2011    School becomes fully co-educational


The change to co-ed will take place gradually, as shown below: 

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	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.

To read some questions and answers please click here:

We benefit from close links with the local parish, the Parish Priest of St. Augustine, Father Peter Stodart, being the school’s Chaplain. Father Peter is available during Friday lunchtimes in the Chaplain’s room, to talk to any pupil or group of pupils.  He is, of course, also available to hear confessions or to be a confidential ‘ear’ for any problems.

We mark all the major feasts in the Christian calendar by sharing in the celebration of Mass in the School’s Chapel, and each Year group has an opportunity to prepare and participate in a Mass of its own during each academic year. 

We are proud of the tradition set by the sisters of the Society of the Sacred Heart - a tradition which can be summed up beautifully in our school prayer.

Let us pray that our school may be
Where Christ is at the heart of the community
Where every member of the community is valued
Where every pupil is known and loved
Where compassion, forbearance and forgiveness are practised
Where co-operation and consideration are preferred to competition
Where success is shared
Where there is prayer
Where the presence of Christ is celebrated

However, the decision of the Society of the Sacred Heart to establish a Roman Catholic convent school in this most English of towns was perhaps a surprising one. 

Indeed, their solicitor advised the sisters, back in 1915, to shed their black habits and go “in mufti” to view the big old Victorian house upon which they had set their sights. Almost one century on, the success of their venture speaks for itself.

It has been a tumultuous century, fractured by two world wars and buffeted by a hurricane of social change under which less flexible institutions have been blown away. However, Beechwood Sacred Heart, an independent lay school since 1973, has absorbed all these changes to evolve into a thriving 21st Century school, with the same spirit and commitment to real education it has always had.

Writing about her old school, former pupil Biddy Haywood, now a Daily Telegraph journalist, recalled “nice, rounded, intelligent, capable, non-flibbertigibbet girls”, a description of which current headmaster, Nicholas Beesley, thoroughly approves.

You can read more about the history of Beechwood in the School History Book, "Calm Amidst the Waves".

To view pictures from days gone by

‘Calm Amidst the Waves”, by local author Jane Bakowski, traces the story of Beechwood Sacred Heart school from its opening in 1915 to the present day.

The school, originally a convent run by nuns from the Sacred Heart order, has been an independent lay school since 1973. “I set out to tell the story through the words of those who lived and worked there through the 20th century,” said Jane. She added: ”However I also wanted to tap into the rich strand of social history which an institution like Beechwood represents, from early pupils’ descriptions of  “hailstones the size of walnuts” smashing hundreds of windows during the great Tunbridge Wells storm of 1922 to later reports of girls sneaking out to try and phone The Beatles at a Paris hotel.”

Libby Purves, a pupil during the 1960s, describes Beechwood as “a homely, kind, sensible institution where the only real deprivation was not being allowed records by the Rolling Stones because the lyrics were thought rather rude.”

Calm Amidst the Waves, by Jane Bakowski, is available from the school, price £14.95 incl. postage and packing. 

Below are some links to local businesses that may be of use to you

Letting Agents  www.doorknobs.co.uk

Estate Agents www.email4property.co.uk

Hotel  www.spahotel.co.uk

Tunbridge Wells Tourist Information www.visittunbridgewells.com