Worship

Collective worship plays an important part in the life of Leighton Park and has been described as the 'heart of the school'. However, the very nature of Quaker worship means that pupils of all faiths, or none, feel equally comfortable.

Collect (morning meeting)

On most days of the week students and staff take responsibility for preparing Collects. A wide variety of material is presented: it might be a poem, an extract from a book, live or recorded music, film, thoughtful observations about life, or, a group of pupils or staff might reflect on a recent experience they have shared. No two Collects are alike as each person, or group, offers something unique. Each Collect ends with a short period of silence.

Meeting for Worship

Every Thursday, the school gathers for Meeting for Worship, a key feature of which is silence. In the period of silence, someone may feel inspired to stand up and speak briefly in their own words, or to pray, or read from the Bible or some other source. Pupils from all faiths grow to treasure this time of shared reflection.
 

Sunday Mornings

Meetings for boarders are held on most Sunday mornings: sometimes in the Main Hall, sometimes in the boarding houses, sometimes shared with Friends from the Quaker Meeting in Reading. Once a month there is a Sunday evening meeting when a visiting speaker addresses the community.

BBC Radio 4

In April 2005, Quaker-based Sunday Worship was broadcast live from Leighton Park on BBC Radio 4. Heard by an estimated 1.75 million listeners, the sequence of readings, music, ministry and silence reflected the essence of Quaker values to the wider world. Copies of this broadcast are available on request from the Head's PA.