Welcome to St. Bede’s
International Programme
We are thrilled to have young people from diverse nations and backgrounds join us for this unique experience. Here, you will study and have fun together in a beautiful, supportive, and safe environment.
Welcome, internationals
Mrs María Kemp
Headteacher
About the Programme
Success of the programme is based on a rigorous and challenging school life which includes a personal tutorial system alongside full integration into host family life.
Our school follows a traditional English Catholic curriculum which includes English, Maths, Science, Modern Languages, Religious studies, Sports, Art, Music and Drama. In addition to the regular curriculum followed, students receive additional English as a foreign language classes to help prepare them for The Cambridge Exam which they will usually sit during their stay.
Small Classes
As part of a small class your son or daughter will be able to discover their passions and strengths receiving excellent expert tuition with much hands-on interactive learning.
150 years
At St. Bede’s, we are celebrating 150 years of excellence and innovation in 2026. Rooted in a rich Catholic heritage, our College embraces respect, dignity, and compassion while forging a path for future leaders.
School for Life
In our community “Once a Bedian, Always a Bedian” echoes through generations. Alumni, parents, and students unite in a warm, welcoming atmosphere, fostering a lasting connection and celebrating our timeless legacy.
Exceptional Value
Our International Programme is designed for students from all nationalities and backgrounds aged between 10 and 18. All tuition, activities, entertainment and meals including off-campus excursions are part of the package.
Students may require a small amount of spending money for shopping and treats. Children need to travel with the European Health Insurance Card.
Each pupil is assigned to an experienced school tutor who will meet with them regularly to encourage them to develop and maximise this great opportunity. “Forge an exceptional future, the immersion that will change your child’s life in Manchester”
To book a place or for more information email us internationalprogramme@sbcm.co.uk.
Academic Study
Our International students follow the same curriculum as our domestic students at St Bede’s. We offer a balanced, core curriculum in our U3rd and L4th before making four options for U4th that allow students to begin a process of personal specialisation before embarking on their GCSE courses.
Classes take place in a friendly team environment with a reduced number of attendants – you’ll feel valued and supported throughout. Teachers are responsive to students’ needs, starting sessions with goal setting, and ending with reflection on outcomes
Beyond the Classroom
St Bede’s International Programme extends beyond the classroom, nurturing holistic development and fostering a global perspective. Our co-curricular elective activities offer students a gateway to personal growth, enriched cultural experiences, and invaluable skills that transcend academics. From exploring the arts to embracing sportsmanship, each activity is meticulously designed to cultivate leadership, resilience, and a deep sense of community.
Through these diverse pursuits, students embark on a journey of self-discovery, honing their talents, and forging lifelong friendships. The elective component complements academic classes, offering students the opportunity to engage in sporting or creative activities that further develop their knowledge and skills. At the beginning of the programme, students choose one elective to pursue for three hours a day, selecting from a wide range of fascinating and enriching activities, with Music, Drama, and Sports being the highlights.
Plays and Musicals
A production uniting the entire school.
The plays and musicals at St. Bede’s are unforgettable highlights of the school year. It’s as if the entire school becomes one big stage, with our director Jonathan Dickson at the helm of this exciting journey. Excitement fills the air as we eagerly await the revelation of the next production and the chosen cast. From that moment, all departments spring into action: carpentry, art, and design work tirelessly to bring the sets to life, while the economics department devises merchandising strategies to raise funds. And though the main protagonists are on stage, we can’t forget the crucial role of the costume, sound, and lighting teams, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Variety of Sports
It is widely accepted that sports have many benefits for individuals. By getting your child involved in the sports program we offer at St. Bede’s, you are helping them grow in many ways. Participating in sports not only enhances physical health but also promotes teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. At St. Bede’s, we believe in the transformative power of sports to shape well-rounded individuals who are prepared for life’s challenges.
Choirs and Concerts
Music lessons in the College encompass a wide variety of activities, studying an eclectic mix of topics and methods. Music is available as an option from Upper Fourth up to A Level. Along with the Music Director and tutors, St Bede’s works hard to bring new, exciting and reinvented opportunities for our students, in order that we may build on the prosperous foundations.
Welcome to Northern England
Manchester, a vibrant city in the heart of the UK, is known for its rich industrial heritage, cultural diversity, and world-class educational institutions. As an international student at St Bede’s College, you will find Manchester to be a welcoming and exciting place to live and study.
Exploring Manchester and Beyond
Excursions will be tailored to suit the interests of students, the weather, and available time, and will take place on Sundays all chaperoned by guides. These excursions are likely to include the following destinations:
Manchester City Tour
Football Stadium Tour
MediaCityUK Visit
Science and Industry Museum
Day Trip to Chester
Outdoor Adventure in the Peak District
One day trips to Liverpool and York
A Warm Welcome
St Bede’s is a very special place, where young people are nurtured and supported in order to flourish and reach their full potential. The College is extremely proud of its Catholic heritage and has been educating young people with respect, dignity and compassion for over 140 years. Throughout its history, the College has encouraged its pupils to be confident and modest young people, able to make the right decisions when the moments arise and determined to always give of their best. Our core values remain unchanged and we are firmly proud of them – the timeless Catholic qualities of humanity, compassion and empathy for others.
Academic
A combination of small classes, expert teachers and the latest resources mean that each child is able to develop their full potential within a 21st century academic curriculum.
Our superb results demonstrate, year after year, how hard our pupils work and how highly they achieve.
Spiritual
We welcome all Catholic and non-Catholic children to our warm, friendly family environment. Our commitment to Gospel values permeates all that we do within our vibrant College and active Chaplaincy. Kindness and humility are the attributes of a Bedian.
Pastoral
Pupils are in small tutorial groups. This enables every child to develop confidence and build strong relationships with their peers and teachers. Parents receive regular communication from their child’s form tutor and can contact them via email at any point during the year.
The College offers a wide range of GCSEs, including the most intellectually rigorous IGCSEs in English, Mathematics. In the Sixth Form, there is a choice of traditional and applied A Level subjects all of which are supported by an academic enrichment programme in conjunction with the Increasingly popular Extended Qualification Project.
Our PSMEE and co-curricular programmes, with over 50 weekly clubs and activities, include experiences from pilgrimages to Lourdes, to “Messing on the Mersey”. During our annual enrichment week, Bedians experience leadership and independence that prepares them for the world of university and beyond.
A strong Learning Support department ensures that all pupils fulfil their educational potential. We offer intensive tutoring for gifted and talented pupils to become some of the highest achieving young people in the country.
Pupils leave the College as bright, confident, articulate and independent young adults with excellent academic qualifications ready to contribute positively to the society in which they will live.
Grateful
We believe that all pupils should have the opportunity to enjoy sport and the creative and performing arts at whatever level suits them. Our specialist teachers ensure that as much time and attention is given to the less confident as to the naturally talented.
Music, dance and drama are central to the life of the College.
Each year we stage a range of musical, dramatic and dance productions, from informal concerts to our major production. Recent shows include Les Miserables, Fame, Hairspray West Side Story and Grease.
Visitors to the College never fail to remark on the breath-taking array of pupils’ artwork on display throughout the College. Sport is a major part of a child’s self- development and we reserve time for this to allow your child to develop and reach their potential as they journey through the College.
Many of our top sportsmen and women have gone on to achieve national honours – Simon MacIntyre (Rugby Union), Michael Keane and Phil Foden (Football) and Andrew Steele, Olympic bronze medallist, to name but a few. Many of our pupils compete at national and county level in their chosen sport.
Our focus is to ensure that every child can discover their individual creativity.