A Year of Events, Culture and Community
Life at The Beacon is renowned for being bustling and vibrant. As the academic year draws to a close, not only have our pupils enjoyed a packed schedule of lessons, fixtures and competitions, but the school’s social calendar has been every bit as energetic, thanks to the tremendous efforts of our Beacon Parents’ Society.
The year began in spectacular style with BeaconFest, located on Willsfield it featured circus performers, falconry, giant inflatables, competitive games and all the fun and excitement of a traditional fair. Since this brilliant festival-style event kicked off the year, our Beacon families have come together for a wonderful and diverse programme of events celebrating community and culture.
Discover Diwali filled the school with music, dancing and delicious food, while the ever-popular Christmas Fair once again proved to be one of the highlights of the festive season. Particular congratulations must go to the Year 8 House teams, whose creativity and determination resulted in an impressive fundraising total for their chosen charities.
The celebrations continued into the new year with the BPS Lunar New Year event, which introduced pupils to this important cultural festival through dramatic lion dances, dumpling masterclasses and martial arts workshops. During Festival of Words – our week long event to mark World Book Day – Beacon Bars made a welcome return, giving pupils the chance to design their own chocolate bar wrappers before eagerly purchasing a bar in the hope of finding one of the coveted golden tickets.
The legendary Quiz Night once again cemented its status as one of the signature events in The Beacon calendar, with Mr Baker presiding as Quiz Master alongside Mr Langley, Chef Dino serving his famous chilli con carne and the fiercely contested dessert auction providing plenty of excitement. More recently, the Easter Bake Competition showcased the culinary creativity of pupils across all year groups, with an impressive display of spring-themed bakes and a host of well-deserved prizes. We now look forward to rounding off the year in style with the forthcoming Camp Night and Summer Drinks Party!
Perhaps the greatest success of these events has been the gathering of so many members of our Beacon community – pupils, parents, staff, siblings and grandparents – all coming together to support school life with such enthusiasm. While these occasions are great fun, they are only possible because of the commitment and organisation of the many parent volunteers who contribute behind the scenes.
Beyond strengthening the community spirit of The Beacon, these events also raise significant funds for both charitable causes and for reinvestment into the school itself.
This year, the BPS has donated almost £7,000 to the Angus Lawson Memorial Trust, supporting projects in the local community and around the world that make a meaningful difference to children’s lives.
The society also contributed £25,000 towards the installation of the outstanding new cricket nets at our playing ground field; Willsfield, which have already been enjoyed by pupils practising their bowling and batting techniques. In addition, the BPS joined in funding a memorial bench in honour of Paul Clifton, our former car parking attendant who is a missed member of The Beacon community.
Our Performing Arts Department has benefited substantially, with funding for a new cyclorama – a seamless backdrop used to great effect in the Year 8 production of Emil and the Detectives – as well as a £24,000 investment in 20 top-of-the-range radio microphones. Together, these additions have transformed productions, ensuring that pupils’ performances are supported by equally exceptional technical resources.
Co-Chairs Faye and Jas, together with the Beacon Parents’ Society, extend their sincere thanks to every parent, member of staff and pupil who has supported events throughout the year. The success of these occasions and the opportunities they help provide are a direct reflection of the warmth and generosity of the Beacon community.
Headmaster Nick Baker commented,
“It is often said that being a Beacon parent is just as important and collegiate as being a Beacon pupil and nothing exemplifies this better than through the work of the ‘Beacon Parents’ Society’. The variety, creativity, attention to detail and sense of fun that pervades all the events enhances The Beacon experience for all in our community and raises significant sums that support local charities and invests in the school’s facilities. My sincere thanks to Faye and Jas who have been great people to work with and instrumental in the success of the BPS these past three years – Headmaster’s Commendations to both!”
