6 January 2025

Voices Across the Divide – Bootham Quaker Independent School Meets Leeds East Academy

Sarah Lale Uncategorised cross sector work, independent schools, next generation, partnerships, private schools, relationships, state schools, young people

The Roots Futures school exchange programme continues to evolve and its core mission remains clear—encouraging understanding, empathy, and collaboration among students from diverse backgrounds. Participants like Alex, Bailey, and Anneliese share how the experience broadened their perspectives, from discovering new school settings to discussing shared challenges and aspirations. While there were some nerves and room for improvement, the programme left a lasting impact, fostering curiosity, connection, and mutual understanding.

Alex,14, from Bootham Quaker Independent School meets Bailey & Anneliese 14, from Leeds East Academy

Some opening thoughts…

Bailey: ‘I really enjoyed Roots as it was a whole new experience. Who knew that there was a school down the road where they went in on a Saturday, but also that had the most amazing facilities like huge pitches for football and a swimming pool. This is out of this world!’

Alex: ‘I didn’t consider signing up to the programme because it sounded interesting, I did it because it looked fun (in the present, I can now see how it is very much both)… As young people on the programme, though we were from different schools, we were very similar. We both lived in Yorkshire, had similar opinions and liked similar music.’

What were some of the things that you loved most?

Bailey: ‘How relaxed the private school’s setting was and the fact that people were so welcoming and kind to us.’

Anneliese: ‘The thing I enjoyed the most was getting to meet people I probably will have never met and the experience of seeing a private school.’

Alex: ‘The group as a whole also talked about problems young people face. One thing I didn’t realise was how underfunded schools are in the UK. The programme was very informative in this way and I am grateful for what I have learnt.’

Something that stood out to you about the other school?

Anneliese: ‘‘Family dining’ [at the other school] was awesome, a real game changer, a different way of having lunch with friends.’

Bailey: ‘I will never forget that the food at the private school was free and you could basically have what you like’

Alex: ‘Visiting the other school I was personally very nervous. I had absolutely no idea what to expect… Pulling into the carpark, we got our first view of it. It was HUGE, simply enormous, easily 2 or 3 times bigger than my school. The classrooms were individually detached rooms with ventilation and water pipes running in from the ceiling. Things such as computer labs and a library were placed in the open between the classrooms. I was told it was like that because of a miscommunication when it was being built; apparently the architect forgot to install the heating or something… Going there was very nerve racking, but the pairs were different this time and I had a lot in common with my pair, which was good.’

Something that was tricky or that you would have liked to be different about the programme?

Anneliese: ‘The thing that I enjoyed the least was not being able to experience the private school for more than one day. It may have been fun to experience staying overnight and having the life of a boarder. It would be better if you could have swapped schools for like a week and experienced all aspects of their life and not just for a day.’

Alex: ‘Everyone in the programme from my school was freaking out a bit when we saw our paired school’s bus drive into the carpark for the first school swap day. We were paired up and, to be honest, I don’t think the student I was paired with liked me very much. Maybe I was a bit full-on, maybe I was really boring I don’t know, but I showed them around my school and tried to make sure they knew where they were going. Overall that bit didn’t go amazingly for me, but it was still good talking to my pair and other school’s students because they were very interesting and funny.’

Some closing thoughts on the programme?

Bailey: ‘I loved feeling part of a community and feeling that my opinions mattered and counted’.

Anneliese: ‘Thanks for this opportunity to be part of the Roots experience.’

Alex: ‘At times it was awkward and perhaps some things weren’t as great as they could have been, but I genuinely really enjoyed it all. Meeting new people, going to a different school, and of course eating pizza. I would highly recommend it to anyone considering applying for the programme.’