To ask what your dream school would have/be?

[pippiL0ngstocking]

It can be either what you'd dreamt of, or what your DC would love.

I was always desperate to board somewhere on the coast or on a little Scottish island. Somewhere dreamy with lots of swimming, playing outside, a tiny village shop to visit.... in school you only learn History, Textiles and English :)

Oh! And also Ballet and Music lessons, plus a big school musical once a year (I played Tallulah in Bugsy Malone when I was in year 5 and had decided I would be a famous actor on the West End).

Ah I wish someone would open some tiny dreamy schools.

My kids go to a school like that. Tho they do all the subjects

Ah, and there are only 30 of them so no big school musical, though they do a small school musical at the end of summer term

Hogwarts.

@TreesSandSea

Really?! I'm very envious, I must say!

Another vote for Hogwarts. In reality, I'm a teacher. I'd love a purpose built theatre. Or, just to be adequately funded!

A cross between Hogwarts and St Trinians.

Mallory Towers 😂

Yes, Hogwarts. My DS starts school in September and I’m so disappointed in all the schools I’ve visited, they’re just so... meh.
I wish they were a bit more interesting, going to school in a castle with amazing grounds for growing their own food, learning to ride horses, a forest for camping in and generally just a bit quirky would be so much more interesting!

Mallory towers. Did 11 plus and got scholarship to boarding school because I thought it would be like MT.

A small school on a Scottish island is about as opposite as I would have wanted - I wanted to go to the New York School for Performing arts (which I think is what the school was called in Fame.)

Good teachers; happy and passionate

@Probablygreen

I agree! I understand that people want academic excellence, but I wish there was more schools on offer where it had that magical feel.

My biggest disappointment in life is that I will never be a student at Hogwarts.

Genuinely.

I always wanted to go to Malory Towers. Or St Clare's.

No uniform
No homework
Lots of creativity
At secondary level no more than 5 GCSEs which should include coursework not just the exams
Other lessons to be about learning/doing stuff because it's interesting or fun or useful not about getting a gcse grade out of it
Children given opportunities to take part in community work or voluntary work
Trips to places all over the UK - villages and cities, seaside and mountains
Lessons on politics and financial things
Proper job and career advice

26 and still waiting for my hogwarts letter!

Loads of outside time but also loads of geeky stuff (maths that is fun not just arithmetic, coding, lego etc) loads of other geeky kids. Friendly and individual, accepting.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves my school was nicknamed St Trinians... I’m surprised we all did so well haha

The Cherub campus... to those who read the series.

Stage School (for both me as a child and my own children - my eldest is at a performing arts school now and loves it).

I would have:
3 hours of academic lessons each morning:
Monday - English, Maths, Science
Tuesday - Maths, English, Spanish
Wednesday - English, Maths, History
Thursday - Maths, English, Geography
Friday - English, Maths, 'All Purpose Ethics' (RE/Politics/PSHCE)

Then 1 hour each of Drama, Music and Dance every afternoon:
Monday - Improvising, Singing, Ballet
Tuesday - Devising, Instrumental, Tap
Wednesday - Script Work, Theory, Jazz
Thursday - Musical Theatre (double), Contemporary
Friday - Theory, Piano, Hip Hop

I would have Saturday School given over to 3 hour rehearsals of a big production in the mornings and a trip to a matinee in the afternoons.

I guess I'd give them Sundays off.

It would be a boarding and day school in Central London.

I think I've put too much thought into this!

To be honest I would have loved the school my DD goes to - so different to my primary days!

All the classrooms have cozy book corners. They do yoga and minfulness and learn about their emotions. They have loads of gymnastics equipment and learn proper gymnastics. They learn all sorts of sports like cricket and rugby and netball with specialist teachers. The school really embodies it's values and the pastoral care is great. They don't follow the NC but have a topic based curriculum and the topics are really fun. There are lots of parties and special treats - they enjoy making the DC happy. Each classroom has outdoor space and it is used regularly. There is an alottment, woodland area and pool. The playgrounds have play equipment and markings for games and they get to play on trikes and with hula hoops and skipping ropes. They are very inclusive to DC on pupil premium. They have lots of opportunities to get parent's involved. The lunches are nice. There are lots of great afterschool clubs and after-school care is varied, engaging and fun. They are not over picky about uniform and have a school shop selling 2nd hand uniform and other clothes. They have a specialist music teacher and opportunity to learn an instument. They have a relaxed homework policy and not over strict about attendance. My DD is happy and relaxed there - not nervous and scared like I was.

St Trinians (the original one).

As a member of a school staff, I would say, enough money would help.
parents who were engaged in their children's learning and supportive of the school.
No ofsted.
good outdoor space- grass and trees and play equipment. somewhere do to gardening with the kids-grow veg and fruit that they could eat.
proper food cooked on the premises and served with care and love.
no marking policies.
the plenty of money would make such an enormous difference - we could so much if we weren't on our uppers all the time.

The private school in the US where my kids went to primary/middle school. Small school set in the woods but near the city. kids went snow shoeing/toboganning at break/lunch in winter and had tennis/cross country through the woods/hockey/swimming/ lacrosse/soccer etc right next to them. They did a halloween parade every year where the teachers dressed up and parents could bring dogs etc - was so much fun. All the classes twinned with each other - 8th and preK, 7th and K etc. Home cooked lunch every day served in allocated tables (no misery of no one to sit with), family style with emphasis on only putting what you would eat on your plate. Lot of the food was grown in the school's garden. Every grade had a theme - civil rights/Greek history/animal rights etc. Superb music and art programme with every year putting on a show but the 7th and 8th grade musical being a highlight for the entire school. I knew everyone in that school and everyone was trying to help our children (and one of my children needed a LOT of help at the end).

I remember going to a parent association meeting one morning and on my way out seeing dd2 age 9 sitting in a sunlit courtyard having an art class where they were outside drawing a tree. I though how privileged she was, how lucky.

I went to a similar school in a different country.

Small class sizes.

Large classrooms with break out cosy low sensory calm spaces suitable for a class library /chill out space for children that need it.

Professional full time support for children that require it (educational psychologists, S and L therapists etc).

Ample outside woodland space to explore.

A leadership team that can see beyond stats and look to develop children across the curriculum- not just in literacy and numeracy!

Specialist teachers for subjects like music and sports.

Teacher autonomy - happy competent experienced teachers focusing on teaching and learning not paperwork!

An inclusive ethos.

Children actively involved - developing a love for life long learning.