Why FSW?
Learning with Heart and Purpose.
At Friends School of Wilmington, children learn by doing, exploring, and connecting. From tending native plants to debating ideas and solving real-world problems, our students grow into confident thinkers and kind classmates. Grounded in strong academics and guided by Quaker values, every day here is designed to spark curiosity, build character, and honor each child’s unique gifts.
Education that lifts up the whole child—and the world around them.
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Founded by members of Wilmington Friends Meeting
Approximate enrollment from preschool - 8th grade
Student-to-faculty ratio, with an average class size of 15
Teachers with graduate degrees or advanced certificates
Acres of green space, nature trails, and first-class campus facilities
Total day trips a student takes each year
Peer mentoring program for K-8 students
Students who participate in after-school clubs and athletic teams
Questions sparked by a lifelong love of learning
More than a lesson plan. A journey of discovery.
Being part of Friends means joining a community where exploration is a daily practice, and independence is nurtured from the start. In our classrooms, you won't find rote memorization or passive learning. Instead, students are encouraged to question, experiment, and connect their studies to the world around them. We understand that every child has distinct talents and interests, and we take pride in cultivating these unique qualities, helping each student find their voice and passion.Here, learning is more than academics—it's about developing a confident, inquisitive mindset that students will carry with them long after they leave our campus.
Rooted in core values that shape every lesson, every interaction, every day.
As a school founded in the Quaker tradition, Friends is guided by six core values: simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship. These principles aren’t just words on a wall—they shape how we teach, how we listen, and how we care for one another. Whether it’s gathering for reflection, supporting a classmate, or exploring ways to make the world more just, our students learn what it means to live with purpose and empathy. Here, every child is seen, known, and valued for who they are.
Learning that grows from the ground up.
Nature is an essential part of life at Friends. Every student spends at least an hour outdoors each day—many much more—exploring wooded trails, tending community gardens, or pausing in reflection areas surrounded by native plants. Our Longleaf Center for Environmental Learning—the only dedicated environmental education hub for preschool through middle school in southeastern North Carolina—houses a monarch waystation, a native tree nursery, composting stations, and spaces to study local ecosystems up close. Whether measuring rainfall, tracking pollinators, or leading the Recycling Ambassadors program, students connect math, science, and geography to real projects that care for the earth. Here, learning and stewardship are woven together, nurturing a deep respect for the world around us.
"At Friends, people really see you.
Here, you can be yourself and still feel challenged."
- Emma Brinkley, 2016 Alumna
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