Eric Hanson
Eric, now serving in the Royal Marines, credits his time at Bruern Abbey as foundational to his military career. The resilience he developed at the school has proven invaluable in his journey from a student who struggled with concentration to achieving his childhood dream of earning his Green Beret. “Bruern Abbey School truly changed my life,” Eric reflects. “It gave me the tools and resilience to succeed, and I’ll always be grateful for my time there.”
I started at Bruern Abbey when I was nine years old. Initially, the school had around 72-76 pupils, and by the time I left three years later, it had grown to just short of 100 boys. I weekly boarded the whole time, arriving on Monday and returning home on Friday.
Boarding Experience
At first, boarding was a bit challenging. My mom had always said she didn’t want to send me to boarding school before I was 13, but she recognized that Bruern was probably the best school for me, so it was worth it. The first year was tough, not being able to go home every night. I remember having an old Nokia brick phone that I wasn’t actually allowed to have, but I used to sneak it in my pocket and call my parents from the woods behind the chapel, usually mid-week on a Wednesday. Those calls helped me get through that first year while boarding was still this new, scary thing.
By my second year, boarding became completely normal. It became second nature, which continued through secondary school where I also weekly boarded. This experience has actually carried through to my current role in the Royal Marines – it’s practically what I do here too.
Teachers and Mentors
Pretty much all the teachers at Bruern stand out in my mind in some capacity. Charles Banbury was a massive influence – he was more than a teacher. He was like a mentor for us, almost a parent figure during the week. You could talk to him normally without the typical teacher-pupil dynamic. He could advise you and look out for you.
I used to enjoy history with Mr. Ballard-White. He’d been at Bruern quite a while and taught us everything from 1066 up to World War Two. I found military history particularly interesting, which definitely influenced me later on.
Mrs. Hunter was also incredibly supportive. She helped me personally by assisting with my art scholarship application to my secondary school. She helped put together my portfolio and gave me extra hours after school to do additional work in the classroom. Thanks to her help, I received an art scholarship to Hurstpierpoint College, which was really beneficial for my parents financially.
Mrs. Hunter was also incredibly supportive. She helped me personally by assisting with my art scholarship application to my secondary school. She helped put together my portfolio and gave me extra hours after school to do additional work in the classroom. Thanks to her help, I received an art scholarship to Hurstpierpoint College, which was really beneficial for my parents financially.
Teaching Methods
The teaching at Bruern was excellent overall. Because of the small classes (my English class was probably the largest with about 11-12 students), there was always a relaxed environment – not undisciplined, but the communication between pupils and teachers was very easy. You could talk to the teachers, ask questions, and communicate whenever needed.
It wasn’t a formal setting where you just sit at the back of the class with your head down like in most schools. Instead, there was much more open discussion throughout the lessons, which definitely made learning easier.
Life After Bruern
I went on to Hurstpierpoint College in Sussex. It was a good school to transition to from Bruern – they had a good approach to learning differences. Their philosophy wasn’t just about getting the highest grades but giving a good education. They had a large learning support department, and I had one-to-one tutor sessions at least once a week throughout my time there. For GCSEs, I had about two or three sessions per week with teachers in specific subjects – maths, English, and sciences.
I think one of the biggest things that Bruern did for me, especially regarding my career in the Royal Marines, was character building. Bruern wasn’t always easy, but that challenge was really good for me because I reacted well to it. That built me up a lot and definitely helped me with the Marines and everything else I’ve done since leaving Bruern. The resilience I developed at Bruern has been invaluable.
School Traditions
I have fond memories of the words (vocabulary tests) and formal dinners at Bruern. The formal dinners haven’t changed – they’re still on Tuesdays and Thursdays, just as they were during my time.
Military Career
The military was something that always interested me, and I think lots of people at Bruern knew that’s probably what I wanted to do. It was very cliché from a very young age – I’ve always said I wanted to join the armed forces. Throughout my time at Bruern, I usually saw myself going into the army.
Training was incredibly tough, but that’s how it’s meant to be – when you get the Green Beret at the end, you understand why it’s worth it and why it’s such an achievement. I’ve just arrived at my unit a few months ago, and it’s a good environment.
Reconnecting with Bruern
I’d love to come back to Bruern and meet some of the current boys. It would be wonderful to see Charles again too. I hear he’s now mentoring boys who have left Bruern and might be struggling at their senior schools, which is phenomenal. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s continuing to support former pupils – that was always his approach while I was at school.
Bruern Abbey School truly changed my life. It gave me the tools and resilience to succeed, and I’ll always be grateful for my time there.