The Headmaster of Bickley Park School in Bromley, Tom Quilter, on his background and educational philosophy
What is your background?
I came to Bickley Park in September 2023 from Newton Prep in Battersea, where I was Deputy Head Upper School. Previously, I taught at Dulwich College for over 12 years where I took on a leadership responsibility as the Director of Junior Co-Curriculum. I then moved into Senior Leadership roles at Thomas’s Clapham and Newton Prep, where my main focus was on curriculum development and how to best prepare children for 21st century challenges. In fact, my relationship with Bickley Park began many years ago from my time teaching at Dulwich College, when I would regularly bring sports teams over to compete before heading into the dining room for a traditional post-match tea.
What excites you most about your role at Bickley Park School?
It is a forward thinking, adaptive school, well primed and ambitious for the future. The strong family ethos is so important here and our nurturing environment ensures that our children are in the best position to thrive. The broad and balanced curriculum, delivered through our Four Quadrants of Learning – which encompasses Academics, Sport, Community and the Arts – has so much scope for each and every child to discover their skills and talents, and this excites me every day.
What is your academic philosophy?
I believe a great prep school ensures that it explores, identifies and celebrates the strengths of every child, no matter where they lie. It should offer a truly broad and balanced curriculum giving everyone the opportunity to shine.
Can you tell us about a pivotal moment in your career?
At the age of 15 I knew I was going to become a teacher – it was something I was truly drawn to then. I have such fond memories of many teachers, and the opportunity to emulate some of them, in the hope of having a similarly positive impact on others, became a clear career choice for me.
What is Bickley Park’s approach and what sets it apart?
The modern-day prep school must consider how best to prepare children for a rapidly changing and ever-developing world while retaining established yet relevant core values. Here at Bickley Park, this has been our focus for some time. In fact, it has long been our aim to ensure our leavers are confident and articulate, ready to take their place in increasingly complex and interconnected world. We have a long history of excellent exam results at both 11+ and 13+, but we are determined that our ‘preparation’ goes well beyond that. By providing a truly broad and balanced curriculum that embraces innovation, we seek to prepare our leavers for whatever future challenges they face. We prepare them for life.
What makes a great student?
A great student is someone who is reflective and curious in their approach, someone who is willing to make mistakes and embraces them as a key part of their development. I strongly believe that is true of any student, no matter how old they are. I recently jumped at the opportunity to ‘go back to school’ myself and thoroughly enjoyed being a student again to pass my NPQH (Headship) qualification.
From your experience, what makes a great school environment?
Said simply, ‘Happy Children Flourish’, and so a great school environment must be one that puts the children’s happiness first. The key elements to this are, I believe, a warm and caring staff, excellent facilities and a broad and balanced curriculum that allows every child to shine.
Thinking back to when I applied for the headship here at Bickley Park, that was one of the things that struck me most about the school. From the moment you walk through the door, it is clear just what a happy place this is. As a prospective parent, as well an aspiring Head, that was one of the key reasons I applied for the job. I knew this was somewhere both my children would be happy – and I am delighted to say I was right.
Bickley Park School bickleyparkschool.co.uk
Further reading: 60 Seconds with…Jody Wells, Head of Wells Cathedral School Junior School
Image, top: Peter Trimming for Geograph, licensed under Creative Commons 2471276
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