Introduction to Beechen Cliff Secondary School

Beechen Cliff is an all boys secondary school that sits on a hill overlooking the center of the city in Bath, England. The students begin attending Beechen Cliff in Year 7, and many continue on to the co ed “Sixth Form,” which is the final two years of high school, specifically meant to prepare students for university. At Beech Cliff, there is a strong presence of athletics, as the school encourages students to achieve both in class and in sport. I often see many students carrying field hockey sticks or playing basketball outside between classes, representing the active nature of the student body.

One difference that I have noticed between Beechen Cliff and the schools I have student taught at is that the schedule is much more stretched out. Students do not begin class until 8:45, and classes last for an hour. After each period, students have a ten minute break. This break is more than just passing time for students to get from class to class--interestingly enough, Beechen Cliff’s prospectus states that the reason for such long breaks between classes is to “encourage students to be active,” both promoting a sense of athleticism again and insinuating something about the way the teachers feel about the nature of male students who have sat at desks for too long. Likewise, the prospectus highlights Beechen Cliff’s unique ability to serve the needs of male students often, noting the library, which is “crammed with fiction specifically targeted at boys’ interests” along with the expansive breaks. While I think these notions have a tendency to oversimplify gender perceptions and values, the students overall seem to be pretty satisfied with the school’s structure.

There is a noticeable sense of community and cohesion among the students. In general, they are very respectful to their teachers and friendly with each other. They are gathered into Houses (yes, it’s just like Harry Potter), mixing with their classmates from other years, to attend tutor groups and assemblies twice a week. During these sessions, the students discuss current events, citizenship, religion, and general school news. In the Year 7 classes I have been observing, students have been preparing scenes from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in small groups. Each class has been assigned a scene and each teacher has been assigned the task of choosing which of their small groups acts out the scene best. Once teachers have decided, the whole Year 7 will gather in the assembly hall to watch A Midsummer Night’s Dream in its entirety, performed by the selected groups. While the Houses bring students from across the school together, I think this Shakespeare unit is an excellent example of how the students experience a sense of unity within their grade.

I am excited to spend more time at Beechen Cliff, both observing English lessons and teaching a few at the end of the semester.