Bedford Modern School

In July, 20 Year 12 students embarked on an unforgettable two-week expedition to Morocco, combining cultural exploration, personal challenge and meaningful community service.

The highlight of the trip was spending five days working alongside a Berber community in the Atlas Mountains, helping to rebuild pathways damaged during the 2023 earthquake. Through teamwork, determination and plenty of hard work, students assisted local builders by transporting rocks and gravel, laying materials and supporting vital reconstruction efforts. It was a humbling experience that gave students a deeper understanding of resilience, community spirit and the positive impact they can have on the lives of others.

Alongside the project work, students immersed themselves in Moroccan culture, from exploring the bustling souks of Marrakesh and learning about traditional spices, to hiking through the stunning Atlas Mountain valleys and building friendships with local residents. The expedition also included a memorable visit to Sir Richard Branson's Kasbah Tamadot and time to recharge in the beautiful coastal town of Essaouira.

The experience challenged students physically and personally, while creating lasting memories and strengthening their appreciation of different cultures. Most importantly, it demonstrated the power of young people working together to make a meaningful contribution to communities beyond their own.

It has been another outstanding year for our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme. More than 100 students achieved their Bronze Award, over 50 completed Silver, and, as we post this, an impressive 32 students from Years 12 and 13 are undertaking the challenging four-day practice and six-day assessed expeditions for their prestigious Gold Award.

This year, expeditions have taken students across Bedfordshire, the Peak District and the remote landscapes of Yorkshire, testing their resilience, teamwork and determination. Alongside these challenging adventures, participants have completed volunteering, physical and skills sections, with Gold candidates also undertaking a residential experience. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award equips young people with invaluable life skills, building confidence, independence, leadership and perseverance.

Our Sixth Form students stepped into the world of professional podcasting as Max Media brought their state-of-the-art mobile studio, The Pod, to BMS.

From interview techniques and active listening to content creation and production, students gained hands-on experience while developing the communication and teamwork skills that employers and universities value most. Most importantly, they had great fun creating their own content and discovering what goes on behind the scenes of one of the world's fastest-growing media formats.

Thank you to the Max Media team for a fantastic day of learning and creativity.

A huge congratulations to Aleksi, who has been named the winner of the XIII Premio al Mejor Estudiante de Español 2026 (Best Student of Spanish 2026), a prestigious national award recognising the most outstanding student of Spanish in the UK and Northern Ireland.

As Aleksi prepares to begin his studies in Modern and Medieval Languages at the University of Cambridge next academic year, this remarkable achievement is a fitting recognition of his talent, dedication and passion for languages.

The award was presented by Fernando Bartolomé Usieto, Consejero de Educación in the United Kingdom and Ireland, who visited the school to personally present Aleksi with his certificate and prize: a stay in the historic city of Salamanca, Spain.
Pictured with Aleksi are Ms Sobrado, Head of Spanish, and Mr Hewlett, Deputy Head (Academic), who joined in celebrating this outstanding achievement.
Organised by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports, the competition attracts entries from across the country. This was the first time we have entered a student, making Aleksi's success even more special.

We are incredibly proud of Aleksi and of our Spanish department, whose commitment to excellence helps students achieve their full potential. ¡Enhorabuena, Aleksi!🎉

We are very proud that Bedford Modern School has been commended in the Independent Schools of the Year 2026 Awards as Co-ed Independent School of the Year.

This recognition celebrates the passion, talent and commitment that define our School community. Thank you to our students, staff, parents and alumni for helping to make BMS a place where young people thrive.

On Wednesday evening, we celebrated the wealth of creative talent at BMS as we presented the 2026 Artistic Achievement Awards.

This special occasion recognises the dedication, achievement and contributions of our actors, musicians, writers, dancers and artists, while giving the audience the opportunity to enjoy a showcase of some of the outstanding creative highlights from the past year.

A huge congratulations to all our award winners for their hard work and accomplishments. We were also delighted to welcome OBM Warren D'Souza (2010–17), now an award-winning architect, as our Guest of Honour.

Reflecting on his time at BMS, Warren shared: “BMS first taught me of the importance of dreams, and the hard work required to chase them.”

Thank you, Warren, for joining us and for inspiring the next generation of creative trailblazers.