St Bede's School, Hailsham

Bede's Senior School, Bede's Prep School and Bede's Pre-Prep and Nursery are three schools in Eastbourne, East Sussex in southern England which, along with the Legat School of Dance, form the St. Bede's School Trust, a charitable organisation whose aim is 'to educate'.All three schools are independent and fee-paying. Fees can be as high as £30,000 depending on the package selected for a specific student.While the schools are on holiday, their sites form the 'Bede's Summer School' for exchange students.HistoryThe Prep School was founded in 1895 by Mrs Frances Browne, at her house in Blackwater Road, Eastbourne, as Eastbourne College Prep School. It opened with four boys and Mr D Burdett was appointed Headmaster.In 1900 the school was acquired by Mr G Gowring who purchased a site in Dukes Drive and, at a cost of £7000 built what is still the school’s home today.At the time of the Second World War, St Bede’s was owned by Mr and Mrs Kenneth Harding. During the War pupils were evacuated to St Edward’s Oxford, whilst the building itself was used for the essential wartime training of about 2,000 telegraphists who specialised in enemy code and cipher. St Bede’s boys moved back to Eastbourne on VE Day, 8 May 1945.In 1964 Mr and Mrs Peter Pyemont took over the school and four years later it accepted its first girl pupil.In 1971 it was formed into a Charitable Trust, administered by a Board of Governors.By 1978, after growing tensions between the Prep School and Eastbourne College, and a dispute between the headmasters of each school, it was decided to split from the College and form a Senior School for pupils who wanted to continue an education steeped in the Bede’s philosophy of focus upon the individual, rather than passing on students to the exam and academic heavy College.

Tags: Elementary School,High School,Landmark & Historical Place