Boarding Housemistress / Housemaster

As Bedford School evolves into a fully co-educational community, this role will be central to ensuring that girls feel welcomed, known, valued and supported from the moment they join. The successful candidate will establish the culture, traditions and identity of the combined Boarding and Day House and will help define how girls in Years 7-13 will experience Bedford School for years to come.

Not only will this person serve as the first Housemistress / Housemaster, they will also play a vital strategic and pastoral role in the induction and recruitment of girls. They will work closely with the Head Master, Deputy Head Pastoral, Director of Admissions and Senior Boarding Housemaster to shape the vision for girls' boarding. They will liaise closely with girls' previous schools to ensure a smooth transition and have deep understanding of the girls, so they are known before they arrive. They will lead their ongoing orientation programme, ensuring successful integration within the school community. Ultimately, they will create a vibrant community where girls build friendships, develop confidence and fully embrace the opportunities of a Bedford education.

Currently undergoing a significant refurbishment programme, the House is being thoughtfully reimagined to create an exceptional environment that combines the warmth and community of a traditional boarding house with facilities designed to support the needs of a modern, ambitious and thriving girls' House. Burnaby is in the heart of the School estate and is next to our new Sixth Form centre, which also opens in September 2027.

Bedford boarding houses are smaller than those at most boarding schools, usually housing about 40 pupils, due to the buildings being mostly old Edwardian homes. They are, by their very nature, homely - but also spacious and comfortable, containing excellent communal spaces (including study rooms, games rooms and kitchens) and a mixture of shared and single rooms.

The successful Housemistress / Housemaster will have the rare opportunity to help shape the final stages of this development and prepare the House to welcome its first day and boarding pupils in September 2027.

Ideally situated within the School campus, Burnaby House will benefit from easy access to Bedford School's outstanding academic, sporting and co-curricular facilities, whilst also being just a short walk from the heart of Bedford's attractive and thriving market town. Accommodation for the Housemistress / Housemaster will form an integral part of the House, enabling them to provide visible leadership and create a warm, welcoming and supportive environment for pupils and families alike.

The Boarding Housemistress / Housemaster will be a member of teaching staff and will have normal teaching responsibilities in an academic department, although with reduced teaching commitments due to the Housemistress / Housemaster role. There will be an enhanced lesson remission for the first year of this role to support the founding year of Burnaby Girls Boarding and Day House. We welcome applicants from subject specialists from any subject in our Upper School curriculum. Full-time teachers at Bedford are also expected to play a part in the extensive co-curricular programme.

Bedford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.

The selection process will involve an application and interviews for shortlisted candidates.