Dear Sidcotians,   

It is a pleasure to write to you as the Head of Sidcot School. Following my appointment in the Spring of 2023 I have greatly enjoyed getting to know the community, the site and learning more about the Quaker values that are at the heart of a Sidcot education. I have particularly appreciated the opportunity to spend time with the students; to meet with them for worship, to see them in the classroom and to watch them in the School drama performance. I thank my predecessor, Iain Kilpatrick, for all he did to lead the School to its many successes and look forward to continuing his work.

My visits have reaffirmed my deeply held belief that what matters in an education is the journey young people take from their childhood to becoming young adults. We prepare people not solely for examinations but also for life. To grow up in an environment such as Sidcot’s, where Quaker values are so embedded into the life of the School, provides our children with the tools required for modern life and the guiding principles to be both successful in their chosen pathways but also to make a positive difference in the world. This is why I am so excited to be a part of our community and for my son to take up a place at the Junior School. 

Now that I am based full-time at Sidcot I am looking forward to meeting more members of the Sidcot community, most especially at the upcoming Easter Reunion. Thank you to all of you for your ongoing support of our School. I look forward to meeting many of you in the near future. 

In Friendship, 

James Jones 

Head of Sidcot School