Summerhill School

 

There are many types of schools within England tailored to the needs of people and according to Heather and Ian, the boarding school called Summerhill could be considered a cultural community in itself (Stronach, I and Piper, H 2008 p.131). This rich, stimulating environment was founded by A. S. Neill in 1921 and offers a context whereby children between the ages of 5 – 18 can develop as individuals by their own motivation and desire for learning. There are five different groups in which children are placed depending on age and all children are treated as equal to the adult.

 

Summerhill School aims to provide a democratic school with an environment that encourages children to be self-confident while also caring about others by being considerate and tolerant towards others. Motivation towards learning is encouraged by allowing children to exercise their independence by deciding to attend lessons each morning followed by a number of activities throughout the day (Carnie, F 2003 p.90). Manual skills are considered just as important as Mathematics and English within the curriculum. Children are not forced to attend learning sessions however are expected to use their time wisely. Not only is there a structured time table to follow at the facility but also resources are made available at all times. According to the Summerhill Website, depending on the childrens needs, activities and learning experiences are created by the pupils themselves or the adult.   Attendants are familiar with their tutors and are considered to be giving their consent towards formal assessment simply because it is a part of the learning support provided (Derek et al 2006p.64).  Summerhill offers a context with an ethos of toleration. Pupils within the school are responsible for creating and implementing rules that are decided democratically in order to make sure that rights are respected.

The School came under scrutiny during a 1999 OFSTED inspection which resulted in a court case in 2000 despite preparations and a high level of satisfied customers (Derek et al 2006 p.59). There were concerns relating to provision of instruction and also training however it was not only noted that children’s GCSE grades were better than average, but also that rates of improvement were rapid despite the majority of attendants having English as a second language (Brown,K 2002 p.64). Summerhill won the case and was granted the request to stay open. 

Summerhill School has influenced developments in Thailand and also Japan due to the influence of Western ideas of education (Nagata, Y 2007 p.3). 

 

 

 

 

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