Bedfordshire

A local authority chairman has admitted to being “sad and disappointed in myself”, but said his “integrity remains intact” after he forgot to cast his vote in a council leadership battle.

Central Bedfordshire Council is considering extra training options for staff, after a second special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) data breach in two months.

A Bedford-based security expert has raised concerns over the planned use of facial recognition software by Bedfordshire Police at this weekend's River Festival. Bedfordshire Police say...

A drug dealer, who was discovered by police with drugs worth more than £50,000, has been jailed.

Bedfordshire Police’s planned use of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) this weekend has led to a backlash on social media about privacy, misuse of technology, potential bias, and the overall impact on civil liberties.

This marks the completion of a new teaching block and one of the final stages of an expansion project, with the headteacher declaring that “the future is now here”.

A new two-storey teaching block was officially opened on Friday (July 12) ahead of being full of students in the new academic year in September. It followed a new sports hall which was unveiled at the end of last year.

The construction project has been part of our Three-to-Two-Tier Programme, to support Fulbrook School’s change from a middle school to an extended secondary school, a transition which began in 2022.

That saw Fulbrook become one of the first three-tier schools in Central Bedfordshire to make the transition to the two-tier model of education, bringing the school back to its original 1958 standing as a secondary, before it was changed to a middle school in 1973.

The new teaching block of 12 classrooms including four science labs, eight general purpose classrooms and an additional SEND facility, will help Fulbrook School accommodate the increased number of pupils that will start their secondary education journey from Year 5 while, from September, the school will have its first-ever Year 11 GCSE students.

At the time capsule burial ceremony - attended by guests from Central Bedfordshire Council, contractors Spacemaker Developments (SMD), designers Concertus, Woburn Sands Town Council, Aspley Guise Parish Council - Fulbrook students celebrated by singing a few songs, including the Amy Winehouse hit Zutons’ cover of ‘Valerie’ and ‘Be Our Guest’ from their summer show, Beauty and the Beast.

But it was the burial of a time capsule, which captured what headteacher Samantha Clancy called a “momentous occasion” for the school.

The capsule contains a document that outlines for future generations the Fulbrook School Behaviour Blueprint, which lists the school’s values and their expectations of, ‘aim high, work hard, be kind and no excuses’, along with the school vision that every young person will be given the opportunities to learn, experience and achieve everything they need and want to build a fulfilled life, which underpins what is referred to as ‘The Fulbrook Way’.

The offering also contains a programme of the previous night’s performance of Beauty and the Beast, plus a school tie, photos and a speech from student Grace Glastonbury, who asks the question of future generations, “should we have a universal language?” A poignant snapshot of 2024 is captured in a letter written by Headteacher, Ms Clancy, who will celebrate 20 years on the school staff in September.

She said:

It is a pleasure to celebrate this momentous occasion in the school’s history and mark the opening of our new two-storey teaching block by burying a time capsule, which we plan to be opened in 50 years’ time. I doubt that I shall be here to witness that moment, aged 102 years old, but we shall see! It is an honour and privilege to be headteacher of this fabulous school and to work with some amazing adults and some absolutely superb young people. I’ve been saying for some time, ‘the future is coming; come with us’. It feels, for us, that the future is now here. I wonder what the future holds for Fulbrook over the next 50 years? I wonder who will hold and read my letter 50 years from when it was written? I hope that Fulbrook continues to be the very special place that it is today. The place is so much more than a set of buildings. It’s all about the people and, for that reason, it will always have a special place in my heart.

Central Bedfordshire Council Executive Member for Children, Education and Families, Councillor Rebecca Hares, said:

We are delighted that these new classrooms will add to the new sports hall to help the school go from strength to strength and, most importantly, see young people in the area continue to get the very best education in modern brand-new spaces designed to help inspire them. We hope the benefits of this expansion project will be felt long into the future, but it’s fitting for the present Fulbrook School staff and pupils to capture this milestone moment and leave a legacy, through the burial of a time capsule, to tell their stories to the next generations. Already, Fulbrook School is one of the first middle schools in Central Bedfordshire to transition into a secondary, as part of our Three-to-Two-Tier programme and the two-year anniversary of the change will also be reached in September when pupils sit down to their first classes in their new classrooms.

Moomith Ullah, Director, Spacemaker Developments Ltd (SMD) said:

We are incredibly proud to have played a pivotal role in the expansion of Fulbrook School. The completion of the new two-storey teaching block marks a significant milestone in the school's journey and underscores our commitment to delivering innovative and robust educational facilities. This project, part of Central Bedfordshire Council's Two-to-Three-Tier programme, reflects the seamless collaboration between all stakeholders involved. The time capsule ceremony is a fitting tribute to this momentous occasion, symbolising a bridge between the present and future generations of Fulbrook students. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of this expansion on the educational experiences of the students, who will benefit from state-of-the-art classrooms and facilities. Our heartfelt congratulations to Headteacher Samantha Clancy, the leadership team, and the entire Fulbrook community on this historic achievement.

Darren Fellowes, Associate Director from Concertus, said:

Designing each phase of this project was an incredibly exciting and fulfilling experience for our team. Witnessing the joy and excitement of the children and staff as they begin to enjoy their new facilities was truly an honour. We celebrated the completion of the project with a memorable time capsule event, marking an important milestone. We take great pride in knowing that our partnership with Central Bedfordshire Council and SMD has made a meaningful contribution to the children's future by delivering these cutting-edge facilities.

A senior officer at Bedford Borough Council has said that the general election and forming of a new Government has taken Universal Destinations and Experiences, who are working on plans for...

Whether it’s holiday clubs at the our leisure centres, play sessions at its children's centres, or the popular annual Summer Reading Challenge at its libraries, there is something for every family to enjoy.

With over 1,000 hectares of stunning countryside, Central Bedfordshire offers families the chance to enjoy free outdoor spaces, walking and cycling trails, and scenic circular walks. Rushmere Country Park, Houghton Hall Park, and the Forest of Marston Vale will also host various events, including outdoor theatre performances and craft sessions.

We are also running activities specially tailored for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families, including SEND swimming sessions at pools throughout Central Bedfordshire.

Councillor Adam Zerny, Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, said:

There are so many brilliant activities on offer across Central Bedfordshire, much of it for free or very low cost. Our aim is to help families create memorable summer experiences, and with a mix of indoor and outdoor activities, there really is something for everyone. We’ll be promoting activities via a weekly email bulletin that parents can sign up for, as well as on social media. All the information will also be on our dedicated School Holiday Activities section on our website, so I want to encourage parents and carers to go and have a look, particularly if you haven’t decided on your plans for the summer holidays yet! There’s lots on offer this summer across Central Bedfordshire, and I hope families get to make the most of it.

Find out more about summer activities

A drug dealer, who was discovered by police with drugs worth more than £50,000, has been jailed.

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Councillor Zerny was previously elected as Leader of the Council in May last year following the local elections. He recently stood down but was proposed again at last night’s meeting and re-elected by Central Bedfordshire councillors.

Following the meeting, he said:

I’m honoured to be re-elected, we have a big job to do, and I am looking forward to focusing on ensuring our residents get the services they need.

The membership of the Executive and designation of responsibilities are determined by the Leader of the Council and are to be confirmed.

Due to an apparent mix up, a full update on Universal Studios was not presented at last night’s (Thursday, July 18) Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

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Waiting lists for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) is stressful for those in need, their parents/guardians, and the clinicians, a meeting heard. A joint meeting with Bedford...

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Bravo Mr. Jamil Ahmed, bravo. So eloquently put and I would like to endorse the well-scripted letter in reference to the rarity of free drinking water fountains in our county town and surrounding...

The CEOs and political leaders of six local authorities, including Bedford Borough Council, have united to tell Prime Minister Keir Starmer they are in full support of a Universal theme park...

State-of-the-art facial recognition will get its debut at Bedford River Festival this weekend.

The King’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament this week unveiled the Government’s priorities for the first year in Government – a Government of service. I'm brimming...

Two rare medieval statues of St Peter (identified by a key) and St Paul (identified by a sword) have been erected inside the North Porch entrance to St Paul's, Bedford. The statues have...

A contract to build 16 new state-of-the-art classrooms at Bedford Academy has been agreed, as part of plans that will see the school expand to teach 1,800 pupils. The 60-week project will see...

The Independent group of councillors on Central Bedfordshire Council has split into two factions, according to a Conservative councillor’s social media post.

Officers arrested a wanted man after he put up a struggle in Bedford town centre.

Plans for a Universal Destinations & Experiences theme park have been given the thumbs-up by leaders of six local authorities.