Alternative Schools - Sands/Summerhill etc -any thoughts?

[mishtake]

Does anyone have any experience of 'alternative' schools like Sands etc?
Or any opinion on them?

I haven't got any experience, but I'd love to send my kids to Summerhill.

Looked round it for DS and we all loved it.

The only thing that stopped him going is it is a boarding school and he didn't want to move away. (Nor did we want to send him away)

Still might send DD there - will wait to see what she's like when she's 10 or 11.

If I was prepared to move house I'd probably move near to Sands and send my kids there :)

My DN went to Summerhill. His needs were not met at his comp so his parents dug deep.

He only took 1 GCSE but that, with a report, got hom onto an access course and he is now in his final year at Uni!

My friend has a DD at Summerhill who is very happy there. She was unhappy when she started secondary school, and moved half way through year 7. They call teachers by their first names, and the kids are allowed to choose activities in the evening. My friends DD loves art, and sometimes stays for hours in the art room in the evening.

I always like the look/idea of Sands (and we live close enough) but I think it would be a disaster for ds2 as he's a lazy git. He also loves an institution so doesn't really need an alternative if that makes sense. Ds3? (who is also a bit of a square peg and more motivated to work than ds2) - will bear it in mind.

If I was braver, I'd be sending the DCs to Summerhill (DH would blow a fuse at that, though).

I don't know much about Sand, and it didn't appeal to me from the website. If you're not going full-on Summerhill, then I'd consider Bedales. The children I know who are/have been there have turned out well, and the non-traditional approach to the curriculum and examinations really appeal.

I taught an ex bedales pupil who was furious at having been sent there (although I think it looks lovely ). Really does depend on the chikd I think!

DP got taken round Summerhill as a child and didn't like the look at all, but then I don't think he was a child who would have thrived on anarchy! And I expect they've mended the windows since 1984 or whenever that was

I don't think I would ever be brave enough to go for a fully 'alternative' school but I do like the look of more liberal schools like Bootham and Leighton Park.

Thank you very much for your replies everyone.
I am growing increasingly interested in the prospect of alternative/progressive schooling for my son.

Is anyone aware of any primary/junior schools (state or private) that have a non-traditional ethos? We have had a brief encounter with Steiner a couple of years ago and it wasn't very successful - but I think that may have been due to the individuals involved rather than the entire concept being flawed.

The King Alfred School in North London?

Bootham is not liberal! I went for an open day there last term and it was run atrociously on the day for a start. But after a big talk by the head on 'everything is equal here' the children showing around had an entirely different and rather diffident story to tell. "these stairs? Can't go up those until we're in year 11... This corridor? That's sixth form only". It all seemed as based on privilege as some of the old fashioned schools. And hardly any are boarding. Most underwhelmed.

But some of the others - very appealing. But the lots if modern boarding schools have those aspects in many respects.

There's the Park School in Devon mishtake (very near Sands)

www.parkschoolonline.com/

If you're looking for primary, have a look at the Human Scale Education website OP, there are various alternative schools dotted around. Two of mine went to Lewes New School for a couple of years. Unfortunately in the end it was proof that class sizes can be too small, but it met our needs on lots of levels for a while and my boys (especially my eldest who moved there for Y5/6 after a miserable time elsewhere) loved it.

TwoPinkShoes, my DN goes to Bootham and he, and my sister, are more than happy with it. I can see why it would appear a lot differently on open mornings to how it is day to day, but every school does. We went for a look around and a taster day, we weren't too impressed on the open morning for various reasons (lack of organisation, didn't get a lot of information on the school) but my son loved his taster day and I'm really dissapointed that our situation has changed and he won't be able to go any more. We were also impressed with the results given that it's non selective.
My DN is in year 11 and I got the impression that things were stricter lower down the school in order to retain some kind of order! He can't wait for college though and is looking forward to even more freedom.
P.S DN was moaning about the corridore, apparently no one would be allowed to use it but the college common room is down there so that's the only reason college can use it.

Thank you very much for the info everyone - always good to hear from people who have direct experience.

Does anyone know if there are any state primaries which don't do uniform?
I know there are a handful of secondaries which have ditched uniform - like King Edward VI Community in Devon - but I haven't yet found any primaries that are uniform-free.

There are a few around although I couldn't name any off the top of my head (mine was non uniform but it has one now). Dartington primary maybe? I think I might have spotted no uniform when driving past once???

I wasn't going to reply but just this afternoon, I came across several bootham children smoking in school uniform on a back street in York. Convinced me I made the right decision as they sort of stared at me in that arrogant "don't care much" way as I walked past with my three year old. Would love to say this was an isolated incident, but I've only been waking the little one to school since September, using different back roads and this isn't the first time. (As in uniform, this means they are under 16.) Smoking might not be the worst thing in the World, but that 'couldn't care less if you report me as my school is a progressive one and also my parents won't care'.... Well, that does bother this particular resident of York. And quite a few others beside I think.

TwoPinkShoes, there are kids like that at every school! Teachers can't stop that happening outside of school, can they? As for the attitude, I've looked around many private schools and the 'couldn't care less' attitude is one adopted by many children wherever you go. That's just your opinion obviously, but I would still love to send my children to Bootham as my DD isn't someone who would fit in at many schools.
P.S I've seen under 16's from another well know private school in the city doing the same thing; I've not taken it as a representation of the school given that it's nothing to do with the teachers what the kids do out of school (again just my opinion).

I went to an alternative school for 2 yrs (age 12-13, in another country, but Summerhill model) & seriously considered sending DS to Summerhill.

ime, & imho, schools like that tend to destroy ambition. Sort of the antithesis of the middle class pushy parenting ethos.
I am so glad my parents moved me & my dad was a bit horrified when I talked about Summerhill for DS (& he's not an interfering grandparent at all). Went for a small private school with good pastoral care for DS, instead.

There's one for boys called St James in Ashford that intrigues me. They meditate twice a day and spend all afternoon doing sport because the headmaster believes boys don't learn much in the afternoons - they just need to run around.

ragged if you thought it killed any drive, why were you interested in sending your own DS to a similar place?