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MODERN EDUCATION

Inside Britain’s £1,250-a-term school where pupils have no exams and no uniform

Children playing at new hipster school The Green House Education in Bath, Somerset — Children playing at new hipster school The Green House

A teacher plays with the children at the school - where pupils are taught inside a yurt — A teacher plays with the children at the school – where pupils are

They don’t have desks but instead sit on blankets and huddle round wood

burning stoves.

The kids are not tutored in traditional subjects but instead are taught how to resolve

problems, find their real passion in life and play freely without supervision.

Its 23 pupils, aged 5-14, go to classes either outdoors if the weather is

good or in a yurt with a wood-burning stove.

They sit in circles and often give a presentation about their chosen passion –

recent examples include ballet, Hebrew traditions and snow leopards.

There are no rules, no exams and no uniform and the school encourages

children to understand safety by taking risks – including climbing trees with

whittling knives.

And despite the school only running three days a week – Monday to Wednesday –

and the majority of the day being made up of outdoor play, fees are £1,250-a-term.

Term fees are £1,250 – although kids only have to go to school three days a week — Term fees are £1,250 – although kids only have to go to school

The school's 23 pupils go to school outdoors and learn traditional subjects — The school’s 23 pupils go to school outdoors and learn traditional subjects

Children sit in circles and often give a presentation about their chosen passion — Children sit in circles and often give a presentation about their

The project is the brainchild of Bath mums and qualified teachers Anna Robinson

and Cindy Adams.

The mums describe their project as a “learning community” with a focus on

developing social skills through “collaborative learning”.

Cindy said: “There is a saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and that is

what we are trying to encourage.

“We are a real community, the children, parents and mentors, we are all one big family.

“Children learn so much through play and interaction with each other,

we want them to discover the best of themselves.”

The school was set up by mums who had become 'disillusioned' with the schooling system — The school was set up by mums who had become ‘disillusioned’

Inside the yurt where children learn to 'find their real life passion' — Inside the yurt where children learn to ‘find their real life passion’

She added that she and Anna had the idea after both agreeing they were

“very disillusioned” with the schooling system.

“I think there is too much pressure on children in mainstream schools,”

said Cindy.

“There is something wrong when research shows young children are suffering

high levels of anxiety.

“In our schools, we do yoga, meditation and mindfulness and we encourage free play.
“We want our children to be happy – you can’t learn if you are anxious.”

Children learn through play and interaction and spend most of their time outdoors — Children learn through play and interaction and spend most

Children learn to use a wood stove and do yoga, meditation and mindfulness - as well as lots of outdoor play — Children learn to use a wood stove and do yoga, meditation

The project is the brainchild of Bath mums and qualified teachers Anna Robinson and Cindy Adams — The project is the brainchild of Bath mums and qualified teachers

Anna and Cindy’s children attend the school and the mums say they are very happy there.

They say the children learn all the things they need to but much else besides – including how to resolve problems, how to find their real passion in life and how to play freely without supervision.

Cindy said: “”We start each day with circle time, a Native American tradition.

“Then each child will give a presentation about their chosen passion, it can be anything from ballet, Hebrew traditions to snow leopards.

“We use technology and they have their power points but we like to work as a community and spend lots of time outdoors.”

Children are encouraged to climb trees and are allowed ample free play

The school encourages children to understand safety by taking risks

The pupils are asked to present their passions which can range from ballet to snow leopards

Anna said: “While safety is at the core of what we do, we also like our children to explore, not to be afraid to do things.

“We let them climb trees with their whittling knives – we believe they learn safety by understanding the risks and being allowed to do things without always being supervised.”

The pupils are divided into two age groups – the Wolf Cubs, aged 5-7, and the Wolf Pack, aged 7-14.

(The Sun, UK)

BeulalandBlog

Tuesday, 27 June 2017

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