Quaker schools are hidden gems Leighton Park is one of 10 Quaker schools in the UK – open to students of all faiths and none You don’t seem to hear very much about Quaker schools but then grandiose self-promotion isn’t very Quakerly. A little research reveals some interesting facts. The Obama family sent their daughters to a Quaker school in the US and Sixth Form leavers at UK Quaker schools achieve some of the best academic progress in the country (the measure that UK Government uses to assess schools), with two in the top 0.5% in England. Quaker schools in the UK are open to students of all faiths and none, with the emphasis being on the Quaker values rather than religion. For some families this will be exactly what they are looking for – a focus on values and personal development at a school that achieves excellent academic results
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without the pressure and conformity of an academic hot house. Academic success has to be important in any school, but as Matthew Judd, Head at Leighton Park, identifies, there is more than one way of achieving this: “A student’s academic development cannot be understood in isolation but must be considered in conjunction with their emotional and physical wellbeing, confidence, maturity and happiness.” There are ten Quaker schools in the UK including three which are located close enough to London to offer a viable weekly boarding option. • Leighton Park in Berkshire • Sidcot in North Somerset • Sibford in Oxfordshire.
