Bedales announces new Head

Published on isbi School News dated Monday 17th of July 2017

The Board of Governors at Bedales School has announced its new head will be Magnus Bashaarat, currently head of Milton Abbey School. This announcement follows the news earlier this year that Keith Budge had decided to step down after 17 years as Bedales head in summer 2018. Before becoming head of Milton Abbey in 2014, Magnus Bashaarat was previously deputy head at Stowe and a housemaster at Eton. He read English at the University of Edinburgh. Bedales Chairman of Governors, Matthew Rice, welcomed the appointment: “I believe Magnus will continue the liberal, progressive and innovative tradition of Bedales whilst maintaining the rigorous standards we expect of our students. Magnus is interesting and energetic and, together with his wife Camilla, will be a wonderful addition to the Bedales community.” Magnus Bashaarat commented: “I am looking forward to joining Bedales and developing the school’s impressive contribution to education. It will be a privilege to build on Keith’s rich legacy and to lead John Badley’s inspiring vision for educating young people.” Bedales was founded in 1893 to offer a distinctively holistic education of the ‘head, hand and heart’. Keith Budge will have been the longest serving Bedales head with the exception of the founder. The school continues to innovate and embrace its students’ individuality and inquisitiveness; Keith Budge has overseen the introduction and development of the school’s own GCSE alternative qualifications, the Bedales Assessed Courses, which offer more choice and challenge for students, and enable them to pursue their academic passions. Magnus Bashaarat will continue as head of Milton Abbey School next year and take up the Bedales headship in September 2018. Photo credit: Louise Flanagan