There are many misconceptions around what it means to be Quaker, and it’s important that we explain why it matters to us and how it influences our school experience and environment.
Our Quaker roots form the foundations of our school ethos, culture, and approach. It’s not a typical faith school approach, more a belief system that act as moral signposts to guide what we do and how we do it.
Rather than looking to enforce a set of beliefs, we encourage students to come to their own conclusions and celebrate the diversity that brings.
A high percentage of our parents and their families don’t necessarily identify as Quaker, and some share a different perspective on faith but place huge value on the moral framework that underpins the school.
The Quaker ‘spices’ represent six core values of the faith:
S: Simplicity
P: Peace
I: Integrity
C: Community
E: Equality
S: Stewardship
When we talk about God, we see this as a light and an innate goodness that lives within all human beings.
The concept of stewardship is an important theme for us, especially given how the world is evolving. We look to make positive change within our communities and the wider world by fostering a deep sense of social responsibility and respect for others. Most importantly, we’re empowering students to navigate life and do their bit to tackle the challenges we all face as we work collectively towards a better world.
Sibford’s History
Sibford School was established in 1842 as a co-educational boarding school for the children of Quaker families.
The school was originally based in Walford Manor in the centre of Sibford Ferris and opened with just 26 boys and 22 girls. The first recorded pupil was nine-year-old Lucy Endall, she arrived by carrier cart from Banbury on 16 January 1842. Fees ranged from £6 – £16 a year when the school first opened.
The school expanded to a site to the south of the village with the opening of The Hill building by Dame Elizabeth Cadbury in 1930. It is on this site that all future building projects have taken place including several boarding houses, the science department, the dining hall and sports hall
The Junior School opened its doors in 1989. In 2000 the original school building, ‘The Manor’ was sold with the proceeds used towards the building Art and Music departments followed by a new swimming pool.
More recently, Sibford has built a state-of-the-art climbing wall that serves both the school and the local community, undertaken a full renovation of the Sixth Form Centre, built a new Pavilion, opened a boys boarding house and a new outdoor community theatre space.
Shape your story
We believe that the best way to experience the unique atmosphere of Sibford is to visit us in person. We warmly invite you to attend one of our Open events or arrange a personal tour to see our vibrant community in action.