Life at BMS
Leadership, outdoor and adventure
Challenge yourself. Discover what you're capable of.
Some lessons are learned in the classroom. Others are learned on expeditions, through service and by taking on new challenges.
Building character through challenge
Through Outdoor Education, the CCF and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, students develop resilience, confidence, independence and leadership skills. They learn to take responsibility, support others and step beyond their comfort zone.
These experiences help students discover strengths they may never have encountered in their everyday school lives, building character and self-belief through challenge and adventure.
Developing courage and leadership
From Year 7 onwards, students are encouraged to embrace experiences that develop courage, teamwork and leadership. Whether navigating an expedition, leading a cadet exercise or completing a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award challenge, they learn that growth often happens when they are willing to try something new.
Because potential is often discovered through challenge.
It is here that students learn not only what they can achieve, but who they can become.
The Duke of Edinburgh's award
Bedford Modern is a Directly Licensed Centre, which means the school runs the DofE on its own premises under licence rather than through an external provider. The licence is reviewed every couple of years against the DofE’s standards for safety, child protection and staff training.
The Award is open to all students from Year 9, with no selection and no competition. Participants work through Bronze, Silver and Gold, each built around volunteering, a physical activity, a skill and an expedition. Gold adds a residential.
Most students start Bronze in Year 9 and a good number carry on to Gold in the Sixth Form. The expeditions are the part people remember, but the sections that take longest are usually the ones done quietly at home over several months.
Combined cadet force
Established in 1900, the BMS Combined Cadet Force (CCF) offers students in Year 9 and above the opportunity to develop confidence, leadership, teamwork and resilience through a wide range of challenging and rewarding activities.
Built around the core values of discipline, respect, integrity, loyalty and selfless commitment, the CCF is led by dedicated adult volunteers who provide a varied programme of training, adventure and personal development. Cadets gain valuable life skills, build lasting friendships and enjoy experiences that help them grow both individually and as part of a team.
Royal Navy:
The Royal Navy section focuses on water-based activities, including sailing, powerboating and other afloat training experiences.
Army:
The Army section develops practical skills such as fieldcraft, navigation, first aid, shooting and leadership through a varied programme of training and challenges.
Royal Air Force:
The RAF section introduces cadets to aviation and aerospace activities, with opportunities to experience gliding and flying as they progress.
Through the CCF, students broaden their horizons, challenge themselves and discover what they can achieve.