Values, Relationships and Engagement in Quaker Education

Nigel Newton is an experienced educational researcher currently working within the Cardiff School of Education and Social Policy at Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK. His work has included an evaluation of the development of a new national curriculum, study of graduate employees, student course choice, and school culture.

“Nigel Newton’s long-awaited book, building on research from his PhD of 2014, provides insights for anyone involved in values and relationships education. … I would recommend this book specifically to those interested in the connections between the relationships within school and the learning environments; the wellbeing of students in schools and also the impact that silent spaces within schools can have on learning.” (ZOË K SIMMS, British Journal of Educational Studies, Vol. 73 (3), 2025) “The book serves as a bold experiment in applying ANT, inviting readers to engage with theatre – and the world – in a novel light, showcasing the productivity of this critical approach.” (Germán Garrido, Associate Professor, City University of New York, Theatre Research International, Vol. 49 (3), 2024)

• Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Quaker perspectives on education.- Chapter 3. Are ‘Quaker’ schools Quaker?.- Chapter 4. School cultures, values education and personal education.- Chapter 5. How Quaker school students’ perspectives were explored.- Chapter 6. Quaker survey data analysis.- Chapter 7. Why relationships within a school matter to learning.- Chapter 8. Why valuing the individual matters to learning.- Chapter 9. Why equality, mutual respect and inclusiveness matter to learning.- Chapter 10. How Quaker schools create environments conducive to learning.- Chapter 11. The fragile ecology of schools that value equality.- Chapter 12. Lessons for schools from Quaker education.- Chapter 13. Researching within Quaker schools.