School Description
Meet staff and pupils and tour our School’s superb facilities, including our award-winning 25m indoor swimming pool, state-of-the-art Fitness Suite and dedicated Sixth Form Centre.
Our greatest aim is to enable each of our pupils to realise their potential in every area that they study, flourishing in those subjects where their talents shine brightest and carrying with them a genuine love of learning.
We create a challenging and supportive learning environment, and small class sizes are fundamental to our success. We generally have fewer 18 pupils in any class, allowing our teachers to target and develop the abilities of each individual, offering support and guidance as they work through our broad and balanced curriculum together.
Through dynamic and differentiated teaching, we aim to instil in our pupils key skills, both from a learning and a social perspective, that are so vital for exam success and life beyond School.
Bethany’s Learning Support department enjoys an international reputation for its success in giving specialist help to dyslexic pupils within our mainstream school, and the school has been CReSTeD registered since 1994. In addition, for those pupils who may benefit from it, we also offer English as an Additional Language (EAL) support.
Francie Healy started out at Bethany at a Mathematics teacher. He then assumed responsibility for ICT in the classroom and in 1999 successfully introduced laptops for every child and teacher at Bethany under the Anywhere Anytime Learning programme. In 2000, he trained as an ISI inspector. Francie was then appointed Academic Deputy and subsequently became Deputy Head. An innovator by nature, he is constantly looking at ways to improve the educational experience of pupils. He remains steadfast in his desire in wanting all pupils to become the very best versions of themselves. He is passionate in believing that being happy and successful go hand in hand and that excellent pastoral care provides the necessary bedrock to sustained success.
Who/what inspired you to become a teacher?
I like helping people and I love the optimism of youth. My two favourite teachers at school were my Mathematics teacher and my History teacher and I can trace my love of both of these subjects back to these two inspirational teachers. I want to play my part in spreading similar joy, awe and wonderment to others.
What achievement are you most proud of as Head?
Keeping children at the heart of every decision that is made as well as maintaining our holistic approach to education. This is hugely appreciated by parents and they are very supportive of this approach. Our pupils overachieve in examinations because we focus on the amount of effort we require of pupils in our positive, supportive “can do” environment. Being able to withstand governmental or societal dogma when it comes to education gives me enormous pride. We deliver what we promise.
What does a successful school look like to you?
It is a school that always puts the child first. The best schools ensure that the shy introverted child who enters it develops into a confident, articulate, successful, natural, caring and empathetic adult by the time they leave. In addition to achieving excellent academic results, it is also of crucial importance that the pupils leave with excellent intra and interpersonal skills. The ability to get on exceptionally well with one’s peers and work colleagues is what separates the good from the great. Every pupil, through their educational experience, should be given copious opportunities to acquire the best skills in all of these areas.
What is the most important quality you want every child to have when they leave your school? And why?
The confidence to be their natural selves.
No one can ask any more of anyone than to be the best version of themselves. Such people come across as natural and sincere. They generate automatic respect from others. They are best placed to become leaders in their chosen areas of expertise. They are also better placed to lead a balanced and happy life and this in turn ensures that whatever success is generated is sustainable.
Please give 5 words to describe the ethos of your school.
Welcoming, Natural, Caring, Ambitious, Successful.
This school is independently managed and its admission criteria may be selective. There is no set catchment area as pupils are admitted from a wide variety of postcodes and, in the case of boarding schools, from outside the UK. Contact the school directly or visit their website for more information on Admissions Policy and Procedures.
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