A co-educational boarding school in Suffolk, England -
The original alternative 'free' school Founded in 1921, it continues to be an influential model for progressive, democratic education around the world.
Summerhill is the oldest children's democracy in the world. It is probably the most famous alternative or 'free' school. The system that Summerhill employs is not only about education - it is also a different way of parenting which eliminates most of the friction and many of the problems experienced by modern families.
"Summerhill is a real place, not a utopia. Living in a community of around 100 people is not always easy. Everybody is learning about themselves, and on a bleak January day, with the east wind blowing, things are sometimes not wonderful!
But Summerhill in summer time is lush, green and not unlike never-never land. It is more of a family or tribe than a school - full of companionship, laughter and real feelings.
For many Summerhill pupils it becomes the most meaningful experience in their lives".
Zoë Neill Readhead, Principal of Summerhill
The original alternative 'free' school Founded in 1921, it continues to be an influential model for progressive, democratic education around the world.
Summerhill is the oldest children's democracy in the world. It is probably the most famous alternative or 'free' school. The system that Summerhill employs is not only about education - it is also a different way of parenting which eliminates most of the friction and many of the problems experienced by modern families.
"Summerhill is a real place, not a utopia. Living in a community of around 100 people is not always easy. Everybody is learning about themselves, and on a bleak January day, with the east wind blowing, things are sometimes not wonderful!
But Summerhill in summer time is lush, green and not unlike never-never land. It is more of a family or tribe than a school - full of companionship, laughter and real feelings.
For many Summerhill pupils it becomes the most meaningful experience in their lives".
Zoë Neill Readhead, Principal of Summerhill
About
Summerhill is a democratic, self-governing school in which the adults and children have equal status. The daily life of the school is governed by the school Meetings, usually held twice a week in which everybody has an equal vote. The school's philosophy is to allow freedom for the individual - each child being able take their own path in life, and following their own interests to develop into the person that they personally feel that they are meant to be. This leads to an inner self-confidence and real acceptance of themselves as individuals. All of this is done within the school's structure of self-government through school meetings which are at the core of the school and emphasise the distinction between freedom and licence. Living life in a community is of great importance to the pupils here. Through this they learn to compromise, communicate, negotiate and assume responsibility. It also teaches them empathy and a consideration for the feelings of others. The adults and children have equal status in the school but, of course, they have very different roles. Everybody in the school is aware of the responsibilities that the adults have and which the children are not subject to. The atmosphere of the school is informal and first names are always used. The school is international, reflecting the extent of A.S. Neill's continuing influence in the world.
Summerhill School provides an environment where children can grow up happily, free from many of the anxieties and neuroses of the outside world. They can take part in a caring and active community and assume real responsibilities as they learn more and more about the running of their school. There are good quality lessons for children to go to if they choose, but the real strength of the school is that these lessons are not the central concern.
The Summerhill School curriculum embraces everything that happens here: there is not always a clear line between learning inside and outside the classroom. Summerhill strongly feels that much important learning takes place outside the classroom and is of a more casual nature than is allowed by most schools. Thus we would consider the time that a group of teenagers spend sitting together and discussing topics of their choice to be a valuable learning experience. Just being part of the Summerhill democratic community, living with others in this uniquely free environment and helping one another to do so is an invaluable learning experience.
The freedom to attend formal lessons or not at the school is a central feature of the school's philosophy. Children have the opportunity for unlimited play, which we believe is good for both their physical and mental health. Children are allowed to fill their time with freely chosen actions. This allows them to develop at their own pace, enjoy what they do and achieve the results they want to achieve. Individual responsibility in learning means that children can continue to work and use spaces whether or not an adult is present. Classes with structured learning are available for all children and organised in timetable format with flexible content and attention to individual learning needs and levels. There are also classes arranged so that children can go in and access materials and resources to pursue individual activities and projects. There are no limits on the achievements in independent learning: children can do something they want as much as they want.
Children in the school feel safe. Through daily involvement in the democratic community they feel the value of their own needs, desires and opinions. They can make a positive contribution regardless of classroom performance and are well-prepared by their education for taking responsibility in their adult lives. Because of our curriculum and its noncompulsory nature, children develop into life-long learners.
Pupils gain a real sense of achievement from managing their own lives and therefore their self esteem and confidence grows at Summerhill. Noncompulsory lessons ensure that children are motivated to learn for their own reasons and they progress at their own speed. Summerhill provides quality environments, opportunities and support for both formal and informal learning and then allows each child to control their personal learning choices, styles and progress. At Summerhill good progress is defined as a personally chosen developmental narrative that is not obstructed by issues that prevent free choice of action.
The process of being at Summerhill as both part of the community and as an individual making personal choices enables the pupils to develop holistically i.e. to develop their self-knowledge, self esteem and self confidence.
The Meeting is a clear example of children's involvement in their community. All the laws that govern the community are made in the school Meeting. Many of the most important functions in the school are organised through a system of committees, elected by ballot. Books go around regularly so that everyone can vote for those who will stand on committees such as ombudsmen, beddies officers, visitors committee, café committee etc. There are some age and experience qualifications for committees but there is generally no distinction between adult and child. Witnessing the pupils manage themselves in the Meeting supports our belief that the children are happy at Summerhill. Realistically nobody can ever be happy all of the time and it is an important part of learning to experience negative outcomes from time to time. However, the school meetings allow a forum for difficulties to be aired and solved communally. All members of the community are equal and can bring grievances to the school meetings. Elected ombudsmen also act on behalf of the individuals to help resolve disputes. School Meetings provide a medium for pupils to bring inappropriate behaviour such as bullying to public notice and suitable action is taken. Bullying is rare and is mainly low-key harassment like name-calling, which is swiftly dealt with in the school Meetings.
Being part of a community fosters important work-related skills. Some examples of work-related skills that contribute to the broader development of children at Summerhill School are: work on committees; Taking an active role in the community through the Meeting; Interacting on equal terms with adults; Running shops and working with money; Managing their own poc and paying fines when required. They develop skills and awareness of decision-making, teamwork, co-operation, market awareness, budgeting, financial literacy, customer service, marketing and promotion, planning and organising.
Children also learn to take responsibility for their own actions and their impact on others, to consider others' points of view, to make decisions about what they want to do and follow these decisions through to a conclusion. They are able to spend significant amounts of time on project ideas that interest them: this leads to very high levels of self-directed work.
The accommodation and grounds form an integral part of the values, culture and history of the school, necessary for the quality of learning and care provided. The grounds allow for creative, imaginative play, individually or in groups; the development of a relationship with nature; the sense of being alone, space for reflection and relaxation. Its layout of wooded areas, trees and diverse areas of paths, undergrowth, grass meadows, playing field, tarmac, permits a sense of exploration, of wilderness for camping and children's games based upon empire building or chase, and treasure hunting; and supports a range of games, sports and leisure activities.
The accommodation is different in the different areas, reflecting the needs of the children's ages. Dormitory accommodation allows for the learning of boundaries, tolerance, and mutual support. The bed areas are personalised by the children, expressing their character, and making them a personal space. For the younger children, lack of privacy is compensated for by the various places in which they can be alone. Children have power to control access to their own rooms using school laws, room ombudsmen and the school meeting. Every pupil has their own bedroom space and lockable cupboard which may be individualised to accommodate their individual preferences. The school grounds are such that there is access to areas of privacy at all times. A highly valued aspect of the school is that lives of the pupils in the community are private.
The space, importance of play, decision-making, individually and as a community, contribute to the mental, physical and emotional health of the children. Children sort out their own problems, use friends, ombudsman, or if that does not work, the meeting. Empowerment within a supportive community using restorative justice ensures that children are not only solving their issues but are learning together how to solve them.
The community has a culture of learning values though experience, community discussion and living, participation and active citizenship, values that are based on the rights and dignity of the child. The community uses ombudsmen, responsible friends and older children, staff, and full community meetings that express care, stability and the need for security. There is an ethos of involvement and mutual care, together with speaking out about problems and dangers. The community creates laws to protect its members, when they are within and outside the community.
Summerhill is the oldest school in the world based on community decision making addressing issues including bullying, creating laws and abiding by them. This leads to the development of self-confidence in children speaking their views, representing others, acting as a witness and contributing to decision making.
Our students, due to their self-managed learning, community living, decision-making, representation and responsibilities are able to engage in what they would like to do with their lives after school, either in terms of study, employment or training. Among the skills needed for work: teamwork, co-operation, decision-making, communicating, taking responsibility for yourself and others are all learnt in the daily life of the school. School meetings, ombudsmen and the community as a whole offer support and care to its members. The Summerhill community has been a trendsetter in participation and care for over 90 years.
Summerhill is a democratic, self-governing school in which the adults and children have equal status. The daily life of the school is governed by the school Meetings, usually held twice a week in which everybody has an equal vote. The school's philosophy is to allow freedom for the individual - each child being able take their own path in life, and following their own interests to develop into the person that they personally feel that they are meant to be. This leads to an inner self-confidence and real acceptance of themselves as individuals. All of this is done within the school's structure of self-government through school meetings which are at the core of the school and emphasise the distinction between freedom and licence. Living life in a community is of great importance to the pupils here. Through this they learn to compromise, communicate, negotiate and assume responsibility. It also teaches them empathy and a consideration for the feelings of others. The adults and children have equal status in the school but, of course, they have very different roles. Everybody in the school is aware of the responsibilities that the adults have and which the children are not subject to. The atmosphere of the school is informal and first names are always used. The school is international, reflecting the extent of A.S. Neill's continuing influence in the world.
Summerhill School provides an environment where children can grow up happily, free from many of the anxieties and neuroses of the outside world. They can take part in a caring and active community and assume real responsibilities as they learn more and more about the running of their school. There are good quality lessons for children to go to if they choose, but the real strength of the school is that these lessons are not the central concern.
The Summerhill School curriculum embraces everything that happens here: there is not always a clear line between learning inside and outside the classroom. Summerhill strongly feels that much important learning takes place outside the classroom and is of a more casual nature than is allowed by most schools. Thus we would consider the time that a group of teenagers spend sitting together and discussing topics of their choice to be a valuable learning experience. Just being part of the Summerhill democratic community, living with others in this uniquely free environment and helping one another to do so is an invaluable learning experience.
The freedom to attend formal lessons or not at the school is a central feature of the school's philosophy. Children have the opportunity for unlimited play, which we believe is good for both their physical and mental health. Children are allowed to fill their time with freely chosen actions. This allows them to develop at their own pace, enjoy what they do and achieve the results they want to achieve. Individual responsibility in learning means that children can continue to work and use spaces whether or not an adult is present. Classes with structured learning are available for all children and organised in timetable format with flexible content and attention to individual learning needs and levels. There are also classes arranged so that children can go in and access materials and resources to pursue individual activities and projects. There are no limits on the achievements in independent learning: children can do something they want as much as they want.
Children in the school feel safe. Through daily involvement in the democratic community they feel the value of their own needs, desires and opinions. They can make a positive contribution regardless of classroom performance and are well-prepared by their education for taking responsibility in their adult lives. Because of our curriculum and its noncompulsory nature, children develop into life-long learners.
Pupils gain a real sense of achievement from managing their own lives and therefore their self esteem and confidence grows at Summerhill. Noncompulsory lessons ensure that children are motivated to learn for their own reasons and they progress at their own speed. Summerhill provides quality environments, opportunities and support for both formal and informal learning and then allows each child to control their personal learning choices, styles and progress. At Summerhill good progress is defined as a personally chosen developmental narrative that is not obstructed by issues that prevent free choice of action.
The process of being at Summerhill as both part of the community and as an individual making personal choices enables the pupils to develop holistically i.e. to develop their self-knowledge, self esteem and self confidence.
The Meeting is a clear example of children's involvement in their community. All the laws that govern the community are made in the school Meeting. Many of the most important functions in the school are organised through a system of committees, elected by ballot. Books go around regularly so that everyone can vote for those who will stand on committees such as ombudsmen, beddies officers, visitors committee, café committee etc. There are some age and experience qualifications for committees but there is generally no distinction between adult and child. Witnessing the pupils manage themselves in the Meeting supports our belief that the children are happy at Summerhill. Realistically nobody can ever be happy all of the time and it is an important part of learning to experience negative outcomes from time to time. However, the school meetings allow a forum for difficulties to be aired and solved communally. All members of the community are equal and can bring grievances to the school meetings. Elected ombudsmen also act on behalf of the individuals to help resolve disputes. School Meetings provide a medium for pupils to bring inappropriate behaviour such as bullying to public notice and suitable action is taken. Bullying is rare and is mainly low-key harassment like name-calling, which is swiftly dealt with in the school Meetings.
Being part of a community fosters important work-related skills. Some examples of work-related skills that contribute to the broader development of children at Summerhill School are: work on committees; Taking an active role in the community through the Meeting; Interacting on equal terms with adults; Running shops and working with money; Managing their own poc and paying fines when required. They develop skills and awareness of decision-making, teamwork, co-operation, market awareness, budgeting, financial literacy, customer service, marketing and promotion, planning and organising.
Children also learn to take responsibility for their own actions and their impact on others, to consider others' points of view, to make decisions about what they want to do and follow these decisions through to a conclusion. They are able to spend significant amounts of time on project ideas that interest them: this leads to very high levels of self-directed work.
The accommodation and grounds form an integral part of the values, culture and history of the school, necessary for the quality of learning and care provided. The grounds allow for creative, imaginative play, individually or in groups; the development of a relationship with nature; the sense of being alone, space for reflection and relaxation. Its layout of wooded areas, trees and diverse areas of paths, undergrowth, grass meadows, playing field, tarmac, permits a sense of exploration, of wilderness for camping and children's games based upon empire building or chase, and treasure hunting; and supports a range of games, sports and leisure activities.
The accommodation is different in the different areas, reflecting the needs of the children's ages. Dormitory accommodation allows for the learning of boundaries, tolerance, and mutual support. The bed areas are personalised by the children, expressing their character, and making them a personal space. For the younger children, lack of privacy is compensated for by the various places in which they can be alone. Children have power to control access to their own rooms using school laws, room ombudsmen and the school meeting. Every pupil has their own bedroom space and lockable cupboard which may be individualised to accommodate their individual preferences. The school grounds are such that there is access to areas of privacy at all times. A highly valued aspect of the school is that lives of the pupils in the community are private.
The space, importance of play, decision-making, individually and as a community, contribute to the mental, physical and emotional health of the children. Children sort out their own problems, use friends, ombudsman, or if that does not work, the meeting. Empowerment within a supportive community using restorative justice ensures that children are not only solving their issues but are learning together how to solve them.
The community has a culture of learning values though experience, community discussion and living, participation and active citizenship, values that are based on the rights and dignity of the child. The community uses ombudsmen, responsible friends and older children, staff, and full community meetings that express care, stability and the need for security. There is an ethos of involvement and mutual care, together with speaking out about problems and dangers. The community creates laws to protect its members, when they are within and outside the community.
Summerhill is the oldest school in the world based on community decision making addressing issues including bullying, creating laws and abiding by them. This leads to the development of self-confidence in children speaking their views, representing others, acting as a witness and contributing to decision making.
Our students, due to their self-managed learning, community living, decision-making, representation and responsibilities are able to engage in what they would like to do with their lives after school, either in terms of study, employment or training. Among the skills needed for work: teamwork, co-operation, decision-making, communicating, taking responsibility for yourself and others are all learnt in the daily life of the school. School meetings, ombudsmen and the community as a whole offer support and care to its members. The Summerhill community has been a trendsetter in participation and care for over 90 years.
Summerhill - an Overview
“All crimes, all hatreds, all wars can be reduced to unhappiness” wrote A. S. Neill, founder of Summerhill School.
Today, all over the world, education is moving towards more and more testing, more examinations and more qualifications. It seems to be a modern trend that assessment and qualification define education.
If society were to treat any other group of people the way it treats its children, it would be considered a violation of human rights. But for most of the world's children this is the normal expectation from parents, school and the society in which we live.
Today many educationalists and families are becoming uneasy with this restrictive environment. They are beginning to look for alternative answers to mainstream schooling.
One of these answers is democratic or 'free' schooling. There are many models of democratic schools in all corners of the globe, from Israel to Japan, from New Zealand and Thailand to the United States.
The oldest and most famous of these schools is Summerhill, on the east coast of England.
Summerhill School was founded in 1921 at a time when the rights of individuals were less respected than they are today. Children were beaten in most homes at some time or another and discipline was the key word in child rearing. Through its self-government and freedom it has struggled for more than eighty years against pressures to conform, in order to give children the right to decide for themselves. The school is now a thriving democratic community, showing that children learn to be self-confident, tolerant and considerate when they are given space to be themselves.
Summerhill School is one of the most famous schools in the world, and has influenced educational practice in many schools and universities. The democratic schools movement is now blossoming internationally, with many schools far and wide being based upon the philosophy of A. S. Neill or inspired by reading his books.
Summerhill is a community of around a hundred people. About 75 of these are children aged between 5 and 17. The rest are teachers, house parents and other staff. It is situated in a large much loved, Victorian house and grounds, two miles from the coast of Suffolk.
Most of the children board during the term time, though there are day pupils as well. As the younger ones grow older, they usually prefer to sleep at school. Summerhill is co-educational and enjoys the diversity of pupils from throughout the world.
There is a wide choice of subjects, up to GCSE level. A new timetable is created each term when the older children have "signed-up" for classes, through there is no compulsion to attend.
As well as the structured timetable, there is free access to art, woodwork and computers. There are also open areas where pupils not in classes can hang out, amuse themselves, socialise, play games, be creative etc. Adults are not there to create things for the children to do. They need to create things for themselves. Sports, games and other amusements are all generated by the pupils and adults, according to need.
The staff meet regularly to discuss any problems or concerns. A Special Attention List monitors new children, and those who may have problems relating to learning. Staff will consider various actions to assist the child in. For example, if a child is nervous of the classroom, one-to-one lessons can be offered. This is the case for fast or slow learners. Pupils can take exams early if they wish and most pupils take some GCSEs before they leave, but of course they have the option not to take any at all.
The important freedom at Summerhill is the right to play. All lessons are optional. There is no pressure to conform to adult ideas of growing up, though the community itself has expectations of reasonable conduct from all individuals. Bullying, vandalism or other anti-social behaviour is dealt with on-the-spot by specially elected ombudsmen, or can be brought to the whole community in its regular meetings.
The school is set in twelve acres of garden and woodland with plenty of space for cycling, hut building, tree climbing, bonfires, camping, imaginative games. There is a swimming pool for use in the summer time, a tennis court, playing field, basketball area as well as table tennis indoors.
During the winter and spring there is a Social Committee elected by the community to organise games and activities in the afternoons and evenings. These include capture the flag, word games, board games, spontaneous acting, story telling, cinema trips, etc.
Summerhill is a happy and caring community that recognises the importance of expressing emotions and learning through feelings. There is a general openness and honesty among the community members. Staff do not use adult authority to impose values and solve problems; these are solved by the individual with the help of friends or ombudsmen or by the community in meetings.
The school has an outreach programme with its own external affairs committee of pupils who regularly take part in conferences, children's rights programmes, workshops in schools and colleges, etc. As well as this, the school endeavours to allow as many people as possible to visit and see the unique system in action.
“All crimes, all hatreds, all wars can be reduced to unhappiness” wrote A. S. Neill, founder of Summerhill School.
Today, all over the world, education is moving towards more and more testing, more examinations and more qualifications. It seems to be a modern trend that assessment and qualification define education.
If society were to treat any other group of people the way it treats its children, it would be considered a violation of human rights. But for most of the world's children this is the normal expectation from parents, school and the society in which we live.
Today many educationalists and families are becoming uneasy with this restrictive environment. They are beginning to look for alternative answers to mainstream schooling.
One of these answers is democratic or 'free' schooling. There are many models of democratic schools in all corners of the globe, from Israel to Japan, from New Zealand and Thailand to the United States.
The oldest and most famous of these schools is Summerhill, on the east coast of England.
Summerhill School was founded in 1921 at a time when the rights of individuals were less respected than they are today. Children were beaten in most homes at some time or another and discipline was the key word in child rearing. Through its self-government and freedom it has struggled for more than eighty years against pressures to conform, in order to give children the right to decide for themselves. The school is now a thriving democratic community, showing that children learn to be self-confident, tolerant and considerate when they are given space to be themselves.
Summerhill School is one of the most famous schools in the world, and has influenced educational practice in many schools and universities. The democratic schools movement is now blossoming internationally, with many schools far and wide being based upon the philosophy of A. S. Neill or inspired by reading his books.
Summerhill is a community of around a hundred people. About 75 of these are children aged between 5 and 17. The rest are teachers, house parents and other staff. It is situated in a large much loved, Victorian house and grounds, two miles from the coast of Suffolk.
Most of the children board during the term time, though there are day pupils as well. As the younger ones grow older, they usually prefer to sleep at school. Summerhill is co-educational and enjoys the diversity of pupils from throughout the world.
There is a wide choice of subjects, up to GCSE level. A new timetable is created each term when the older children have "signed-up" for classes, through there is no compulsion to attend.
As well as the structured timetable, there is free access to art, woodwork and computers. There are also open areas where pupils not in classes can hang out, amuse themselves, socialise, play games, be creative etc. Adults are not there to create things for the children to do. They need to create things for themselves. Sports, games and other amusements are all generated by the pupils and adults, according to need.
The staff meet regularly to discuss any problems or concerns. A Special Attention List monitors new children, and those who may have problems relating to learning. Staff will consider various actions to assist the child in. For example, if a child is nervous of the classroom, one-to-one lessons can be offered. This is the case for fast or slow learners. Pupils can take exams early if they wish and most pupils take some GCSEs before they leave, but of course they have the option not to take any at all.
The important freedom at Summerhill is the right to play. All lessons are optional. There is no pressure to conform to adult ideas of growing up, though the community itself has expectations of reasonable conduct from all individuals. Bullying, vandalism or other anti-social behaviour is dealt with on-the-spot by specially elected ombudsmen, or can be brought to the whole community in its regular meetings.
The school is set in twelve acres of garden and woodland with plenty of space for cycling, hut building, tree climbing, bonfires, camping, imaginative games. There is a swimming pool for use in the summer time, a tennis court, playing field, basketball area as well as table tennis indoors.
During the winter and spring there is a Social Committee elected by the community to organise games and activities in the afternoons and evenings. These include capture the flag, word games, board games, spontaneous acting, story telling, cinema trips, etc.
Summerhill is a happy and caring community that recognises the importance of expressing emotions and learning through feelings. There is a general openness and honesty among the community members. Staff do not use adult authority to impose values and solve problems; these are solved by the individual with the help of friends or ombudsmen or by the community in meetings.
The school has an outreach programme with its own external affairs committee of pupils who regularly take part in conferences, children's rights programmes, workshops in schools and colleges, etc. As well as this, the school endeavours to allow as many people as possible to visit and see the unique system in action.
Teaching At Summerhill
Teaching at Summerhill is a creative challenge. We want staff to be people first, and active members of the democratic community. However Summerhill is a school, with classrooms and teachers. Children do not have to come to lessons, but as a teacher your responsibility is to deliver an excellent program for those children who wish to attend, to remain neutral towards those who do not, and be encouraging with students who wish to begin learning.
Showing enthusiasm for your subject is a natural part of being you and is encouraged.
It is important that the children know that you value play and classroom activities equally and that you value classroom activities and play equally. No preference one-way or another is to be made or implied by you. Any preference is up to the child to make.
Children will develop a close relationship with you as a teacher, and since classes are very small, your influence can be much greater than in a traditional school environment. It is important for children to know that you value their attendance and enjoy teaching but will not feel upset or in any way annoyed should they miss a lesson or choose not to continue with your subject.
Humour can be an important element in the classroom, and a relaxed and friendly approach is best. This does not mean, however, that lessons cannot be precise and well organised!
There is nothing wrong with exam students knowing that some lesson work outside of class may be helpful to them but your lessons should not be dependent upon the completion of homework.
Your classroom is your own, and students do not have to attend and therefore may be asked to leave if there is disruption (a rare event), or you may ask for an ombudsman case or bring a student up in a meeting. Students, equally, may also ask for an ombudsman case or bring you up in a meeting if for some reason they feel that they are being treated unfairly.
Your classroom is also a professional school space and should be kept well organised; attractive to your taste and safe ... Risk Assessments must be done on a regular basis.
Each teacher is, in effect, the head of a department. As such, it is your responsibility to be up-to-date with relevant exam board information, changes in your syllabus, and, at lower Key stages, with the National Curriculum. (We do not have to follow it but need to be up to date about what it contains).
Your curriculum content may be from a government syllabus but in non-exam classes it may be created by you. It is fine to discuss student interests but you do have the final say. Your curriculum will first and foremost interest the students but at the same time should connect with future required skills when necessary. Just plain fun in the subject is also great.
At Summerhill daily observation of work and learning is the best type of assessment. Our classes are so small that this form of 'Family Observation' is very accurate. You should, however, be able to produce a written assessment of students who have attended lessons if required. A daily register should be kept, not to track attendance in the traditional sense but so that you can take a look, from time to time, at who is doing what. That way you can ask questions about your classroom, your teaching etc. Are you meeting the needs and interests of as many children as possible? Your lessons must, of course, be accessible to children of all abilities.
It is important to have a personal record of daily lessons and work covered, and of 'next steps' ... with individuals or with groups. This can be brief, but will give you a path to guide you forward, and also enable you to look back should a student return to your lessons after a time away.
You will work with the other staff and Zoe & Will and are responsible for creating and maintaining a Curriculum Outline and Schemes of Work. You will also write an annual Self Evaluation and participate with other staff in our Peer Review process.
At the beginning of a term each teacher takes part in Sign-up, where students choose the lessons that they want to attend. Our timetable is created using student sign-up interests. The number of lessons you will have on the formal timetable will depend upon the number of students who choose your subject. This means that some terms you will have a 'heavy' formal timetable, sometime a light one. If you have a lot of empty spaces on your timetable it is important to review this: can you offer some students extra lessons? Can you offer other subjects you may be interested in or that might be helpful to the school and students? This can be discussed with Zoë, Will or other long-standing staff.
If you are a new teacher you mentor will meet with you every couple of weeks during your first term and once a month during the second to see how you are getting along or to answer any of your questions. You may, of course, seek assistance at any time from Zoë or Will, or other long-standing staff.
Finally, since students do not have to attend lessons it follows that they sometimes won't. You should not take this personally. As a teacher you are there to do your best and create an attractive atmosphere but definitely not there to 'lure children' into your classroom. If you find yourself alone then do some creative work, some admin work, pursue a personal interest, or take a break and have a cup of tea or coffee!
Teaching at Summerhill is a creative challenge. We want staff to be people first, and active members of the democratic community. However Summerhill is a school, with classrooms and teachers. Children do not have to come to lessons, but as a teacher your responsibility is to deliver an excellent program for those children who wish to attend, to remain neutral towards those who do not, and be encouraging with students who wish to begin learning.
Showing enthusiasm for your subject is a natural part of being you and is encouraged.
It is important that the children know that you value play and classroom activities equally and that you value classroom activities and play equally. No preference one-way or another is to be made or implied by you. Any preference is up to the child to make.
Children will develop a close relationship with you as a teacher, and since classes are very small, your influence can be much greater than in a traditional school environment. It is important for children to know that you value their attendance and enjoy teaching but will not feel upset or in any way annoyed should they miss a lesson or choose not to continue with your subject.
Humour can be an important element in the classroom, and a relaxed and friendly approach is best. This does not mean, however, that lessons cannot be precise and well organised!
There is nothing wrong with exam students knowing that some lesson work outside of class may be helpful to them but your lessons should not be dependent upon the completion of homework.
Your classroom is your own, and students do not have to attend and therefore may be asked to leave if there is disruption (a rare event), or you may ask for an ombudsman case or bring a student up in a meeting. Students, equally, may also ask for an ombudsman case or bring you up in a meeting if for some reason they feel that they are being treated unfairly.
Your classroom is also a professional school space and should be kept well organised; attractive to your taste and safe ... Risk Assessments must be done on a regular basis.
Each teacher is, in effect, the head of a department. As such, it is your responsibility to be up-to-date with relevant exam board information, changes in your syllabus, and, at lower Key stages, with the National Curriculum. (We do not have to follow it but need to be up to date about what it contains).
Your curriculum content may be from a government syllabus but in non-exam classes it may be created by you. It is fine to discuss student interests but you do have the final say. Your curriculum will first and foremost interest the students but at the same time should connect with future required skills when necessary. Just plain fun in the subject is also great.
At Summerhill daily observation of work and learning is the best type of assessment. Our classes are so small that this form of 'Family Observation' is very accurate. You should, however, be able to produce a written assessment of students who have attended lessons if required. A daily register should be kept, not to track attendance in the traditional sense but so that you can take a look, from time to time, at who is doing what. That way you can ask questions about your classroom, your teaching etc. Are you meeting the needs and interests of as many children as possible? Your lessons must, of course, be accessible to children of all abilities.
It is important to have a personal record of daily lessons and work covered, and of 'next steps' ... with individuals or with groups. This can be brief, but will give you a path to guide you forward, and also enable you to look back should a student return to your lessons after a time away.
You will work with the other staff and Zoe & Will and are responsible for creating and maintaining a Curriculum Outline and Schemes of Work. You will also write an annual Self Evaluation and participate with other staff in our Peer Review process.
At the beginning of a term each teacher takes part in Sign-up, where students choose the lessons that they want to attend. Our timetable is created using student sign-up interests. The number of lessons you will have on the formal timetable will depend upon the number of students who choose your subject. This means that some terms you will have a 'heavy' formal timetable, sometime a light one. If you have a lot of empty spaces on your timetable it is important to review this: can you offer some students extra lessons? Can you offer other subjects you may be interested in or that might be helpful to the school and students? This can be discussed with Zoë, Will or other long-standing staff.
If you are a new teacher you mentor will meet with you every couple of weeks during your first term and once a month during the second to see how you are getting along or to answer any of your questions. You may, of course, seek assistance at any time from Zoë or Will, or other long-standing staff.
Finally, since students do not have to attend lessons it follows that they sometimes won't. You should not take this personally. As a teacher you are there to do your best and create an attractive atmosphere but definitely not there to 'lure children' into your classroom. If you find yourself alone then do some creative work, some admin work, pursue a personal interest, or take a break and have a cup of tea or coffee!
