Modern/Progressive Approach State Schools ?

[Ingbee]

Hi everyone, I am looking for recommendations on State primary schools for my daughter( who is 7 next year) which have a progressive / modern approach. Perhaps Waldorf/ Montessori/Reggio Emilia inspired. Actually anything different to the norm. Is there anything like that out there? Ideally Surrey, Kent, East/West Sussex area.

State schools have to follow national curriculum and government prescribed methods. Now I'm no way an expert on Steiner etc but by primary age I would imagine those types of schools are mostly fee paying ones as they are then independent of the NC etc.

Technically, academies do not have to follow the national curriculum so any school you are looking for would have to be an academy.

Great info thank you. I'm new to the uk school system (my husband is British) so trying to work it all out! I don't have a problem with the National Curriculum just interested in different approaches to teaching it. I think I might be after a unicorn... 🙂

A quick look shows only 1 state funded montessori school

@twistyizzy thank you - where did you go to get that info?

I just googled state funded Montessori schools in uk

OP, you wouldn't happen to be American, would you?

I am, and compared to the diversity of educational options in the US, both public and private, there is very little choice here. As mentioned, state schools are mostly uniform by design, and private schools are still mostly targeting the same GCSE and A-level exams so follow largely the same curriculum and approach, albeit with more resources.

There are a handful of outliers (Steiner schools, forest schools, etc), but they're few and far between.

Google the Avanti chain of academies…

If your DD is '7 next year', then she would currently be in either year 2 (if birthday before August 31st) or year 1 (birthday from 1st September). Either way, you are looking for a place in a year governed by Infant Class Size legislation - not more than 30 children per class with the one qualified teacher, except under a short list of exceptions. However 'progressive' and 'modern' the school's approach, if it's a state school, it is bound by this. Also, the year group has a set admissions number.

Essentially, if you are looking for somewhere with a 'progressive' state school, with the intention of moving there and just automatically enrolling your DC, this will only work for you if the year group in the school in question actually has a place to offer and either no existing waiting list, or a waiting list and your DC is ranked first. Waiting lists are also ranked according to the school's individual set of oversubscription criteria, not by when you applied.

If you have a look at the website for any of the local authorities in which you are interested, 'How the school application system works' will be explained, along with information about the state schools in the area (or links to this for each one).