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Core beliefs
These values flow from one simple core belief: that religion
should start from personal experience, not from dogma or ceremony.
As all  individuals
have "that of God" within them, everyone has strong
potential for good and is worthy of dignity and respect. From
this in turn comes much of what is now valued in our schools:
an expectation of the highest standards of individual excellence;
the quest for truth (many Quakers have become distinguished
in scientific and academic life as well as in business); the
toleration that refuses to see the truth as confined to one
creed or dogma; an openness to inspiration from whatever source
it comes; an insistence on the equal rights of all people.
Daily life
How do these values come out in the everyday life of a Quaker
School? This question is all the more interesting because of the
relatively small numbers (below 15%) of Quakers in the Schools,
though many of our parents and staff espouse Quaker values. Essentially,
Quakerism is a practical form of Christianity placing most emphasis
on the manner in which people lead their lives and treat each
other. Because of the sense of genuine enquiry, and the freedom
from dogma, young people of all religious beliefs or none can
feel comfortable and united during the silence of a Quaker Meeting.
This meeting is an opportunity for all to reflect quietly and
gain a fresh perspective on daily life.
Friendly Openness
When you visit a Quaker School you will he struck by an
atmosphere of friendly welcome and a natural openness and informality
amongst the pupils. Discipline is firm, but not  based
on regimentation or the fear of punishment. It comes rather
from trust and the expectation of hard work and sensible behaviour
that leads to self-discipline.
Such expectations in turn can only be realistic in a community
which emphasises mutual respect, encouragement and participation.
A child who is busily occupied is likely to be a happy child.
A happy child has little cause to misbehave.
A busy day
Such participation can only be achieved when there is  a
wide range of activities to interest everyone. In all of our
Schools there is an academic rigour that stretches the very
able and keeps those of more modest ability at the peak of their
potential. Beyond the curriculum, however, for day pupils as
well as boarders, there are programmes of out-of-class pursuits
which must rank amongst the most richly varied of any group
of independent schools. This is part of our objective to provide
a broad based education that goes beyond the merely scholastic
and develops the whole person.
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