The School and its Ethos

A Bootham education is about more than knowledge, skills and paper qualifications. Moral principles and a positive view of the world and its people play as much of a part in daily school life as the educational outcomes, important as they undoubtedly are.

That’s because of Bootham’s founding Quaker ethos, and a belief that each person has the capacity for goodness and a responsibility to attain that goodness. From the youngest child in Bootham Junior School nursery, to the most senior member of staff, there is, we believe, ‘that of God’ in everyone.

Following its Quaker principles, Bootham School encourages its students to be creative thinkers, peacemakers and confident humanitarians. We hope that, while they are at School, and afterwards, they will contribute to responsive and responsible public leadership in the world.

Since the School was founded on moral principles, our students learn their academic lessons in an informal, supportive setting before going on to live their moral lessons for the rest of their open-minded, confident, enquiring lives. That’s why we say a Bootham education begins at the age of three and lasts a lifetime.