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The Purpose of a Bootham Education

Bootham is a Quaker School. Its purpose is to liberate its young people, equipping them to flourish as adults and to live adventurous lives that will serve to create a better world.

Bootham Quaker Ethos

The values of the Society of Friends have been at the heart of Bootham School since it was founded in 1823. The purpose of Bootham’s Quaker Education is to liberate and equip its young people to flourish as adults and to live adventurous lives that will serve to create a better world.

Inside the classroom

Quakers believe every contribution is worthwhile and that truth is not confined to a single point of view. These principles are at the heart of our approach to teaching. We appreciate the talents of each student and our small classes allow us to nurture potential from an early age. Our teachers have the freedom to teach. They are encouraged to be as creative as possible. Similarly, our students are confident enough to ask questions and to contribute ideas of their own. This produces a mature and mutually respectful learning relationship between teachers and students.

 

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Outside the classroom

Students at Bootham are nurtured outside the classroom as much as they are inside the classroom. An exciting programme of activities and excursions equips our young people to flourish as adults and encourages them to live adventurous lives that will serve to create a better world.

 

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Health & Wellbeing

The health and wellbeing of our students and staff is paramount. We have an excellent support network of highly-trained staff who work tirelessly to ensure your child is both happy and healthy. Our on-site medical facilities are first-class and our catering staff work with nutritionists to optimise the health of your child at every stage of their development.

 

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Results & Destinations

Bootham School celebrated a strong set of GCSE results in 2023, despite national grades falling back to 2019 levels.

With 52% of grades at 7-9, there were a number of outstanding results for individuals – with 15 pupils achieving a sweep of these top end grades, straight As in the old system.

Seven pupils – Issy Ashforth, Lizzie Hughes, Charlotte Jacobi, Theo Lindridge, Tserena Tang, Freddie Thornton (pictured with Head Deneal Smith) and Olivia Whitby – all achieved seven or more top grade 9s.

Lizzie and Freddie were the top performers, each with eleven grade 9s.

And it will be a cause for double celebration in the Thornton household, where Freddie’s brother Charlie last week left Bootham four straight A* grades in his A-levels.

New headmaster Deneal Smith said, “despite the disruption to their education caused by the Covid lockdowns, and with no additional support offered in this exam season to compensate for that, these young people fully deserve the strong results they have earned this year.”

“Alongside the headline performers, there are plenty of other stories of pupils overcoming difficulties to secure very creditable grades. GCSEs are the stepping stones towards A-levels and other qualifications, and these results will allow so many of our students to move on to the next stage of their education with great confidence.”

Our 2023 College leavers also celebrated some excellent A level results in 2023. An impressive 71% of grades at B and above, with some outstanding individual results .

Charlie Thornton, who will study Natural Sciences at Cambridge from September was awarded four A* grades. Lara Webster, who is off to Newcastle to study Medicine achieved 3* grades out of 3, while Milly Baker, Gordon Cam, Rachel King, Ren Tse and Vincent Yang each gained 2 A* grades, as well as A grades in their other subjects. In all, 13 students achieved nothing less than an A grade.

Results in the Extended Project Qualification were also notable, with 11 A* and 6 A grades awarded out of 23 entries.

View the Destinations of College Two Leavers 2023 here.