107-450: Summerhill School is an independent (i.e. fee-charging) day and boarding school in Leiston , Suffolk , England. It was founded in 1921 by Alexander Sutherland Neill with the belief that the school should be made to fit the child, rather than the other way around. It is run as a democratic community and is considered a Democratic School ; the running of the school is conducted in
214-465: A San child's bicycle, and only Shack and Carriage children are allowed to build camp fires . The rules concerning when children must go to bed are also made according to age group. Bedrooms generally accommodate four or five children. Each of the boarding houses has a " houseparent ": a member of staff whose duty is pastoral care. The duties of a houseparent include doing their charges' laundry , treating minor injuries and ailments, taking them to
321-483: A democratic fashion. It is now run by Neill's daughter, Zoë Readhead, assisted by her sons Will and Henry Readhead. Although the school's founding could arguably be dated to other years, the school itself marks 1921 as the year of its establishment. Many schools opened based on Summerhill, especially in America in the 1960s. A common challenge was to implement Neill's dictum of " freedom, not licence ": "A free school
428-469: A Summerhill school. I've heard so many rumours about them. It's one thing to use freedom. Quite another to use licence." Summerhill has had a tumultuous relationship with the British government. Already in the 1950s, a government inspection found the school's finances were shaky, the number of students too high, and the quality of teaching poor among the junior faculty. In spite of these criticisms, however,
535-405: A charitable end in itself, irrespective of poverty. The transformation of free charitable foundations into institutions which sometimes charge fees came about readily: the foundation would only afford minimal facilities, so that further fees might be charged to lodge, clothe and otherwise maintain the scholars, to the private profit of the trustees or headmaster. Also, facilities already provided by
642-554: A first or an upper second-class degree than a student from the same social class background, of the same gender, who had achieved the same A-level score at a state school. The averaged effect was described as very variable across the social class and A-level attainment of the candidates; it was "small and not strongly significant for students with high A-level scores" (i.e. for students at the more selective universities) and "statistically significant mostly for students from lower occupationally-ranked social-class backgrounds". Additionally,
749-580: A marginal difference and the pattern – particularly in relation to school background – is in any case inconsistent." A study commissioned by the Sutton Trust and published in 2010 focused mainly on the possible use of US-style SAT tests as a way of detecting a candidate's academic potential. Its findings confirmed those of the Smith & Naylor study in that it found that privately educated pupils who, despite their educational advantages, have only secured
856-413: A meal time so that the whole school knows and can attend. In creating its laws and dealing out sanctions, the school meeting generally applies A. S. Neill's maxim "Freedom not Licence" (he wrote a book of the same name), the principle that you can do as you please so long as it doesn't cause harm to others. For example, pupils may swear within the school grounds, but calling someone else an offensive name
963-478: A mixture of corporations, trusts and private individuals. They are independent of many of the regulations and conditions that apply to state-funded schools . For example, the schools do not have to follow the National Curriculum for England , although many such schools do. Historically, the term private school referred to a school in private ownership, in contrast to an endowed school subject to
1070-463: A part-time art teacher in the early thirties. At this time, the Communist mathematician and computer pioneer Richard Goodman was also a teacher at the school. Cyril Eyre was also a member of staff. Although Neill himself was sympathetic towards the goal of communism, he was increasingly critical of Stalinism and the contemporary Communist Party. He wrote to David Barton, a former pupil at the time in
1177-423: A particular religion, or schools may require pupils to attend religious services. Only a small minority of parents can afford school fees averaging (as of 2021) over £36,000 per annum for boarding pupils and £15,000 for day pupils, with additional costs for uniform, equipment and extra-curricular activities. Scholarships and means-tested bursaries to assist the education of the less well-off are usually awarded by
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#17327733327821284-462: A poor A-level score, and who therefore attend less selective universities, do less well than state educated degree candidates with the same low A-level attainment. In addition, as discussed in the 2010 Buckingham report "HMC Schools: a quantitative analysis", because students from state schools tended to be admitted on lower A-level entry grades, relative to entry grades it could be claimed that these students had improved more. A countervailing finding of
1391-572: A private fee-charging model following the 1965 Circular 10/65 and the subsequent cessation in 1975 of government funding support for direct grant grammar schools . There are around 2,600 independent schools in the UK, which educate around 615,000 children, some 7 per cent of all British school-age children and 18 per cent of pupils over the age of 16. In addition to charging tuition fees, they may also benefit from gifts, charitable endowments and charitable status . Some of these schools (1,300) are members of
1498-645: A private school admissions are at the discretion of the governing body of the school. In 2006, pupils at fee-paying schools made up 43 per cent of those selected for places at Oxford University and 38 per cent of those granted places at Cambridge University (although such pupils represent only 18 per cent of the 16 years old plus school population). In 2024, the Labour government removed the exemption from value-added tax (VAT) from private school fees. From January 2025, private schools will have to charge 20% VAT. A major area of debate in recent years has centred around
1605-399: A private school and 184,580 having attended a state school, 64.9 per cent of the former attained a first or upper second class degree, compared to 52.7 per cent of the latter. No statistical comparisons of the two groups (State vs Private) were reported, with or without controls for student characteristics such as entry qualifications, so no inferences can be drawn on the relative performance of
1712-519: A private school at secondary stage, via entrance examinations. Private schools, like state grammar schools, are free to select their pupils, subject to general legislation against discrimination . The principal forms of selection are financial, in that the pupil's family must be able to pay the school fees, and academic, the latter determined via interview and examination. Credit may also be given for musical, sporting or other talent. Entrance to some schools may be orientated to pupils whose parents practise
1819-558: A process which combines academic and other criteria. Private schools are generally academically selective, using the competitive Common Entrance Examination at ages 11+ or 13+. Schools often offer scholarships to attract abler pupils (which improves their average results); the standard sometimes approaches the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) intended for age 16. Poorly-performing pupils may be required to leave, and following GCSE results can be replaced in
1926-540: A publicly funded state school ). Prep (preparatory) schools (also known as "private schools") educate younger children up to the age of 13 to prepare them for entry to the public schools and other secondary schools. In 2023, the Independent Schools Council reports that private schools contribute £16.5 billion to gross value added (GVA) in Britain. Some former grammar schools converted to
2033-408: A result, 119 of these schools became independent. Pupil numbers at independent schools fell slightly during the mid-1970s recession . At the same time participation at all secondary schools grew dramatically, so that the share of the independent sector fell from a little under 8 per cent in 1964 to reach a low of 5.7 per cent in 1978. Both these trends were reversed during the 1980s, and the share of
2140-716: A set standard by a certain age. There are also two classrooms which operate on a "drop-in" basis for all or part of the day, the workshop and the art room. Anyone can come to these classrooms and, with supervision, make just about anything. Children commonly play with wooden toys (usually swords or guns ) they have made themselves, and much of the furniture and décor in the school has been likewise constructed by students. Neill believed that children who were educated in this way were better prepared than traditionally educated children for most of life's challenges—including higher education. He wrote that Summerhill students who decided to prepare for university entrance exams were able to finish
2247-613: A trust or of charitable status. Many of the older independent schools catering for the 13–18 age range in England and Wales are known as public schools , seven of which were the subject of the Public Schools Act 1868 . The term "public school" meant they were then open to pupils regardless of where they lived or their religion (while in the United States and most other English-speaking countries "public school" refers to
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#17327733327822354-676: Is 25%. Such 'exam access' arrangements are given for a range of disabilities and educational special needs such as dyslexia , dyspraxia and ADHD . In 2002, Jeremy Smith and Robin Naylor of the University of Warwick conducted a study into the determinants of degree performance at UK universities. Their study confirmed that the internationally recognised phenomenon whereby "children from more advantaged class backgrounds have higher levels of educational attainment than children from less-advantaged class backgrounds" persists at university level in
2461-413: Is an essential part of boarding education, and many such schools have their own distinctive ethos, including social aspirations, manners and accents, associated with their own school traditions. Many former pupils aspire to send their own children to their old schools over successive generations. Most offer sporting, musical, dramatic and art facilities, sometimes with extra charges. Educational achievement
2568-503: Is an example of both democratic education and alternative education . In 1920, A. S. Neill started to search for premises in which to found a new school which he could run according to his educational principle of giving freedom to the children and staff through democratic governance. On a trip to Europe , which started out as a research visit into progressive schools on behalf of the Theosophical journal New Era , he found
2675-467: Is being shared with the rest of the staff. The school has always had a creative drama delivery, based on spontaneous acting and development of plays through collaboration between actors, directors and writers. With small-group teaching and negotiated timetables, the curriculum is presented in multi-sensory, individual-focused lessons, with flexibility to respond to the student's needs. Children at Summerhill are placed in one of five groups which correspond to
2782-519: Is called the "Special Attention List". The staff meet at least twice a week to discuss issues; those relevant to the community will be brought to a community meeting. Children can attend these meetings when they ask, but are asked to leave when individual students are discussed, to maintain the privacy of the student. Although Neill was more concerned with the social development of children than their academic development, Summerhill nevertheless has some important differences in its approach to teaching. There
2889-512: Is generally very good. Independent school pupils are four times more likely to attain an A* at GCSE than their non-selective state sector counterparts, and twice as likely to attain an A grade at A-level . A much higher proportion go to university. Some schools specialise in particular strengths, academic or other, although this is not as common as it is in the state sector . Independent schools can set their own discipline regime, with much greater freedom to exclude children, primarily exercised in
2996-571: Is licence. Summerhill School operates upon the major principles of democracy, equality and freedom . Classes are voluntary at Summerhill. Although most students attend, depending on their age and reasons, children choose whether to go of their own accord and without adult compulsion. The staff discuss new children and those who they feel may have issues that interfere with their freedom to choose (e.g., fear of classrooms, shyness to learn in front of others, lack of confidence), and propose and vote on interventions, if needed, during staff meetings. This
3103-403: Is no concept of a "year" or "form" at Summerhill. Instead, children are placed according to their interest or level of understanding in a given subject. It is not uncommon for a single class to have pupils of widely varying ages, or for pupils as young as 13 or 14 to take GCSE examinations. This structure reflects a belief that children should progress at their own pace, rather than having to meet
3210-623: Is not a place where you can run roughshod over other people. It's a place that minimises the authoritarian elements and maximises the development of community and really caring about the other people. Doing this is a tricky business." Neill distanced himself from some schools for confusing freedom and licence: "Look at those American Summerhill schools. I sent a letter to the Greenwich Village Voice , in New York, disclaiming any affiliation with any American school that calls itself
3317-537: Is noted for its philosophy that children learn best with freedom from coercion, a philosophy that was promoted by the New Ideals in Education Conferences (1914–37) that helped to define the good modern primary school as child-centred. At Summerhill, all lessons are optional, and pupils are free to choose what to do with their time. Neill founded Summerhill with the belief that "the function of a child
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3424-597: Is to live his own life—not the life that his anxious parents think he should live, not a life according to the purpose of an educator who thinks he knows best." In addition to taking control of their own time, pupils can participate in the self-governing community of the school. School meetings are held twice a week, where pupils and staff alike have an equal voice in the decisions that affect their day-to-day lives, discussing issues and creating or changing school laws. The rules agreed at these meetings are wide-ranging—from agreeing to acceptable bed times to allowing nudity around
3531-488: The Assisted Places Scheme in England and Wales in 1980, whereby the state paid the school fees for those pupils capable of gaining a place but unable to afford the fees. This was essentially a response to the decision of the previous Labour government in the mid-1970s to remove government funding of direct grant grammar schools , most of which then became private schools; some Assisted Places pupils went to
3638-593: The High School of Dundee . In Scotland, it was common for children destined for private schools to receive their primary education at a local school. This arose because of Scotland's long tradition of state-funded education, which was spearheaded by the Church of Scotland from the seventeenth century, long before such education was common in England. Private prep schools only became more widespread in Scotland from
3745-787: The Independent Schools Council . In 2021, the average annual cost for private schooling was £15,191 for day schools and £36,000 for boarding schools . The Independent Schools Yearbook has been published annually since 1986. This was a name change of a publication that started in 1889 as The Public Schools Yearbook . Some independent schools are particularly old, such as The King's School, Canterbury (founded 597), The King's School, Rochester (founded 604), St Peter's School, York (founded c. 627), Sherborne School (founded 705), Wells Cathedral School (founded 909), Warwick School (c. 914), King's Ely (c. 970) and St Albans School (948). These schools were founded by
3852-539: The Sutton Trust study was that for students of a given level of A-level attainment it is almost twice as difficult to get a first at the most selective universities than at those on the other end of the scale. Private sector schools regularly dominate the top of the A-level league tables, and their students are more likely to apply to the most selective universities; as a result private sector students are particularly well represented at these institutions, and therefore only
3959-471: The United Kingdom . The authors noted "a very well-determined and monotonically positive effect defined over Social Classes I to V" whereby, for both men and women, other things being equal, academic performance at university is better the more advantaged is the student's home background". but they also observed that a student educated at a private school was on average 6 per cent less likely to receive
4066-409: The pool and within the classrooms. Meetings are also an opportunity for the community to vote on a course of action for unresolved conflicts, such as a fine for a theft (usually the fine consists of having to pay back the amount stolen). If there is an urgent reason to have a meeting, children and staff can ask the chairperson to hold a special meeting and this is written on the main whiteboard before
4173-677: The sixth form by a new infusion of high-performing sixth-form-only pupils, which may distort apparent results. On the other hand, pupils performing poorly cannot legally be excluded from a state school solely for poor performance. Private schools, as compared with maintained schools, generally have more individual teaching; much lower pupil-teacher ratios at around 9:1; longer teaching hours (sometimes including Saturday morning teaching) and homework (known as prep); though they have shorter terms. They also have more time for organised extra-curricular activities. As boarding schools are fully responsible for their pupils throughout term-time, pastoral care
4280-612: The "External Affairs Committee", have—over the years since the court case and with the support of the Trust—promoted Summerhill as a case study to state schoolchildren, teachers and educationalists at conferences, schools and events. They have run full democratic meetings at the Houses of Parliament and London's City Hall . They have lobbied four chief inspectors of schools through the Select Committee on Education on
4387-486: The 18th and 19th centuries, and came to play an important role in the development of the Victorian social elite. Under a number of forward-looking headmasters leading public schools created a curriculum based heavily on classics and physical activity for boys and young men of the upper and upper middle classes. They were schools for the gentlemanly elite of Victorian politics, armed forces and colonial government. Much of
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4494-603: The Communist Party, some before they were appointed: Vivien Jackson, was the daughter of T. A. Jackson , a leading figure in the Communist Party of Great Britain and his wife Kate Hawkins , one of the founders of the Socialist Party of Great Britain . She married A. L. Morton , a prominent Communist Party historian who also worked at the school. The artist Paxton Chadwick was appointed as
4601-824: The High Court to bring a judicial review of the Charity Commission's public benefit guidance as it affected the private education sector. This was heard by the Upper Tribunal at the same time as a reference by the Attorney General asking the Tribunal to consider how the public benefit requirement should operate in relation to fee-charging charitable schools. The Upper Tribunal's decision, published on 14 October 2011, concluded that in all cases there must be more than de minimis or token benefit for
4708-731: The Secret Shame". In 2022, he co-wrote (with Caitlin Smith) and presented a BBC Radio 4 series, In Dark Corners , about abuse and cover-up at some of Britain's elite schools, including Eton College , Fettes College , Gordonstoun and its junior school. An investigation into official exam data by the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme, in 2017, showed that 20% of private school pupils were given extra time for their GCSE and A level exams, as compared with fewer than 12% of pupils in public sector schools. The most commonly given amount of extra exam time
4815-424: The UK educating some 628,000 children, comprising over 6.5 per cent of UK children, and more than 18 per cent of pupils over the age of 16. In England the schools account for a slightly higher percentage than in the UK as a whole. According to a 2010 study by Ryan & Sibetia, "the proportion of pupils attending independent schools in England is currently 7.2 per cent (considering full-time pupils only)". Most of
4922-454: The better degrees than state students of the same gender and class background having the same A-level score. In 2011, a subsequent study led by Richard Partington at Cambridge University showed that A-level performance is "overwhelmingly" the best predictor for exam performance in the earlier years ("Part I") of the undergraduate degree at Cambridge. Partington's summary specified that "questions of school background and gender" ... "make only
5029-524: The buildings in which they are accommodated. Placement is generally decided at the beginning of term by the Principal, in theory according to age. In practice, a younger child may take priority if they have been waiting a long time for a place, if they have many friends in the upper group, or if they show a maturity characteristic of a member of the upper group. Certain school rules pertain specifically to certain age groups. For instance, no one else may ride
5136-458: The charitable foundation for a few students could profitably be extended to further paying pupils. Some schools still keep their foundation students in a separate house from other pupils, or distinguish them in other ways. After a time, such fees eclipsed the original charitable income, and the original endowment would become a minor part of the school's finances. By 2022 senior boarding schools were charging fees of over £40,000 per annum. Most of
5243-552: The church and were under its complete dominion. During the late 14th and early 15th centuries the first schools independent of the church were founded. Winchester (1382) and Oswestry (1407) were the first of their kind (although they had a strong Christian religious ethos) and such early "free grammar schools" founded by wealthy benefactors paved the way for the establishment of the modern " public school ". These were typically established for male students from poor or disadvantaged backgrounds. English law has always regarded education as
5350-469: The communist party, saying: You must know that Summerhill couldn't possibly exist under communism as it shapes today ... see our kids salute any flag or portrait? ... I want communism, i.e. a non-profit society, PLUS what Summerhill stands for ... independence of the individual. After Neill died in 1973, it was run by his wife, Ena May Neill , until 1985. Today it is a boarding and day school serving primary and secondary education in
5457-559: The conflict cannot be resolved there and then, or the ombudsman's warnings are ignored, the case can be brought before the school meeting. Private schools in the United Kingdom Private schools in the United Kingdom (also called independent schools ) are schools that require fees for admission and enrollment. Some have financial endowments , most are governed by a board of governors, and are owned by
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#17327733327825564-526: The continuing charitable status of private schools, which means they are not charged business rates by local councils, amongst other benefits. This is estimated to save the schools about £200 per pupil and to cost the Exchequer about £100 million in tax breaks, assuming that an increase in fees would not result in any transfer of pupils from private to maintained sector. Since the Charities Act
5671-472: The court agreement by claiming that Ofsted now understood the school and the court mandated inspection process was no longer needed to ensure a fair inspection. The school sent evidence and questions to the Select Committee on Education for their meeting with the Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, on 13 February 2013. The evidence quoted a member of the Select Committee expressing shock at
5778-475: The court settlement, was generally positive, even in areas previously criticised by the 1999 report. The school maintained that it had not changed its approach since the original inspection. The full inspection on 5 October 2011 concluded that the school is outstanding in all areas except teaching, which was seen as good, and not outstanding due to issues of assessment. In February 2013, the DfE unilaterally rescinded
5885-462: The degree results of all students who graduated in 2013/14, suggested that 82 per cent of state school pupils got firsts or upper seconds compared with 73 per cent of those from private schools. Later, HEFCE admitted that it had made a transposition error, and that in fact, 73 per cent of state school graduates gained a first or upper second class degree compared with 82 per cent of private school graduates. This admission attracted far less publicity than
5992-419: The discipline was in the hands of senior pupils (usually known as prefects ); this was not just a way to reduce staffing costs, but was also seen as vital preparation for the senior pupils' later roles in public or military service. More recently heads of public schools have been emphasising that senior pupils now play a much reduced role in maintaining discipline. To an extent, the public school system influenced
6099-410: The doctor's surgery or hospital for more serious complaints and general emotional support. Depending on the age group, they might also tell them bedtime stories, keep their valuables secure, escort them into town to spend their pocket money, or speak on their behalf in the meetings. Ages 6–8 (approx) The San building is an outbuilding, near the primary classrooms; its name derives from the fact that it
6206-644: The early 1960s, as well as a hangover from centuries ago when only Latin and Greek were taught at many public schools. It was Martin Wiener 's opposition to this tendency which inspired his 1981 book English Culture and the Decline of the Industrial Spirit: 1850–1980 , which became an influence on the Thatcher government's opposition to old-school gentlemanly Toryism . The curriculum in private school
6313-662: The edge of the school grounds. For some time, the San wholly replaced the Cottage, but Cottage children are now housed in the main school building. Ages 12–13 (approx) House children are accommodated in the main school building, called simply "the House". Ages 13–14 (approx) The Shack buildings (there are two, the Boys' Shack and the Girls' Shack) are small outbuildings, so called because of
6420-416: The first instance, one should go to an ombudsman to resolve a conflict. The ombudsmen are an elected committee of older members of the community, whose job it is to intervene in disputes. One party will go and find an ombudsman and ask for an "Ombudsman Case". Often, all the ombudsman has to do is warn someone to stop causing a nuisance. Sometimes, if the dispute is more complex, the ombudsman must mediate. If
6527-440: The first of these emphasised team spirit and " muscular Christianity " and the latter the importance of scholarship and competitive examinations. Edward Thring of Uppingham School introduced major reforms, focusing on the importance of the individual and of competition, as well as the need for a "total curriculum" with academia, music, sport and drama being central to education. Most public schools developed significantly during
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#17327733327826634-417: The former direct-grant schools such as Manchester Grammar School . The scheme was terminated by the Labour government in 1997, and since then the private sector has moved to increase its own means-tested bursaries. The former classics-based curriculum was also criticised for not providing skills in sciences or engineering, but was perhaps in response to the requirement of classics for entry to Oxbridge until
6741-410: The hearing, the government's case collapsed and a settlement was agreed. The pupils attending the hearing on that day took over the courtroom and held a school meeting to debate whether to accept the settlement. They voted unanimously to do so. The nature of the settlement was notably broader than could have been decided on the judge's authority alone. The educational tribunal only had the power to annul
6848-746: The ideal accommodation in Hellerau near Dresden , a village founded on principles based on the Garden City movement in England . By combining with two other projects, the Neue Deutsche Schule (New German School), founded by Carl Thiess the previous year, and an existing school with many international students dedicated to the teaching of Eurhythmics , a joint venture named the International School or Neue Schule Hellerau
6955-717: The importance of children's rights in schools and school inspections. They have addressed the UNESCO Conference of Education Ministers, lobbied and protested at the UN Special Conference on the Rights of the Child in New York . They took an active part in advising and contributing to events for the children's rights group Article 12 . They continue to work with schools, colleges and universities. Summerhill
7062-504: The independent schools reached 7.5 per cent by 1991. The changes since 1990 have been less dramatic: the share fell to 6.9 per cent by 1996 before increasing very slightly after 2000 to reach 7.2 per cent in 2012. By 2015, the figure fell back to 6.9 per cent, with the absolute number of pupils attending independent schools falling everywhere in England apart from in the South East . In 2011 there were more than 2,500 private schools in
7169-579: The independent schools today are still registered as a charity, and bursaries are available to students on a means test basis. Christ's Hospital in Horsham is an example: a large proportion of its students are funded by its charitable foundation or by various benefactors. The educational reforms of the 19th century were particularly important. Reformers included Thomas Arnold at Rugby , and then Samuel Butler and later Benjamin Kennedy at Shrewsbury ;
7276-761: The inspectorial bodies listed above are inspected through the national inspectorates in each country. Private schools in Scotland educate about 31,000 children. Although many of the Scottish private schools are members of the ISC they are also represented by the Scottish Council of Independent Schools , recognised by the Scottish Parliament as the body representing private schools in Scotland. Unlike England, all Scottish private schools are subject to
7383-403: The inspectors apparently found the school praiseworthy. During the 1990s, the school was inspected nine times. It later emerged that this was because Ofsted had placed Summerhill on a secret list of 61 independent schools marked as TBW (to be watched). In March 1999, following a major inspection from Ofsted, the then Secretary of State for Education and Employment , David Blunkett , issued
7490-438: The lack of processes for Ofsted to learn by its mistakes. The A. S. Neill Summerhill Trust was launched in 2004 by Prof. Tim Brighouse, Tom Conti, Bill Nighy, Mark Stephens and Geoffrey Robertson QC to raise funds for bursaries for pupils from poorer families and to promote democratic education around the world. It publishes an electronic newsletter and organises fund-raising events. An elected committee of schoolchildren, called
7597-579: The larger private schools are either full or partial boarding schools , although many have now become predominantly day schools . By contrast there are only a few dozen state boarding schools . Boarding-school traditions give a distinctive character to British private education, even in the case of day-pupils. A high proportion of private schools, particularly the larger and older institutions, have charitable status. The Independent Schools Council (ISC), through seven affiliated organisations, represents 1,300 schools that together educate over 80 per cent of
7704-483: The late 19th century (usually attached to an existing secondary private school, though exceptions such as Craigclowan Preparatory School and Cargilfield Preparatory School do exist), though they are still much less prevalent than in England. In modern times many secondary pupils in Scotland's private schools will have fed in from the school's own fee-paying primary school, therefore there is considerable competition facing pupils from state primary schools who seek to enter
7811-437: The main building have only baths ). Either facility may be used by both sexes and all areas. The Carriage children each have individual rooms. They are expected to do their own laundry and generally look after themselves. This is not to say that they have no houseparent, just that as part of their increased freedom they must take on additional responsibility. There are two main methods of resolving conflicts at Summerhill. In
7918-439: The material faster than pupils of traditional schools. Inspector accounts assert that this was inaccurate, and that interested pupils were disadvantaged by their dearth of preparation. However, Michael Newman has argued that the inspectors assumed that lesson attendance was necessary evidence of children learning, and that lack of attendance was equated with a lack of learning. Newman says the inspectors refused to accept as evidence
8025-414: The notice of complaint, whereas the settlement made provisions that Summerhill be inspected with respect to its philosophy and values, that the voice of the child (through community meetings and in other ways) be included in the inspection, and that the inspectors be accompanied by two advisers from the school and one from the DfE to ensure that the inspection respected the school's aims and values. The school
8132-479: The older children. The only compulsory role is to be added to a rotation to supervise work fines. Ages 15+ (approx) The carriage buildings are similar to those of the Shack, only larger. However, they were originally converted rail carriages. Since the last renovation, the Boys' Carriage building incorporates a bathroom, shower, kitchenette and the Girls' Carriages a common room and shower block (other bathrooms in
8239-482: The original erroneous assertion. Across all English universities, state school students who scored two Bs and a C at A-level did on average eight per cent better at degree level than their privately educated counterparts. Two Bs and a C represents an entry tariff of 112, well below the average demanded by any of the UK's Russell Group universities. Ena May Neill Ena May Neill ( née Ena May Wooff , formerly Ena May Wood ; 29 May 1910 – 26 October 1997)
8346-613: The poor, but that trustees of a charitable private school should decide what was appropriate in their particular circumstances. The Charity Commission accordingly published revised public benefit guidance in 2013. In Scotland , under the Charities and Trustee Investment Act (Scotland), there is an entirely separate test of charitable status, overseen by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator , which assesses
8453-402: The principles of natural justice as adopted by the state sector, and private law as applied to Higher Education. This belief is reinforced by the fact that the legal rights of pupils are governed by a private contract, as opposed to rights implemented by the national government. For instance, a pupil seeking admission to a state school that is rejected is legally entitled to appeal, whereas at
8560-456: The public benefit provided by each registered school charity. Journalist Alex Renton has written about abuse of pupils at boarding schools; The Guardian reported that he says that boarding school are "simply unsafe" and that "he has, he says, a database of more than 800 criminal allegations from former schoolchildren of 300 mainly private boarding schools". He presented an episode of the television programme Exposure , "Boarding Schools,
8667-595: The pupils in the UK private sector . Those schools in England which are members of the affiliated organisations of the ISC are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate under a framework approved by the Government's Department for Education (DfE). Private schools not affiliated to the ISC in England are inspected by Ofsted . Private schools accredited to the ISC in Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland or others in England out with
8774-495: The same regime of inspections by Education Scotland as local authority schools and they have to register with the Learning Directorate . The nine largest Scottish private schools, with 1,000 or more pupils, are George Watson's College , Hutcheson's Grammar School , Robert Gordon's College , George Heriot's School , St Aloysius' College , The Glasgow Academy , Dollar Academy , the High School of Glasgow and
8881-477: The school a notice of complaint, based on the school's policy of non-compulsory lessons. Failure to comply with such a notice within six months usually leads to closure; however, Summerhill chose to contest the notice in court. The case went before a special educational tribunal in March 2000, at which the school was represented by noted human rights lawyers Geoffrey Robertson QC and Mark Stephens . Four days into
8988-417: The school fluctuated over the decades and were in steep decline in the 1950s. By 1960 there were just 25 pupils at the school. At this point, Ena May Neill's husband had his book on the ethos and practices of the school, Summerhill , published; it was highly successful, selling two million copies, re-popularising his approach and raising the school's profile. Ena Neill had overseen many aspects of running
9095-610: The school generally protect San children, both by disallowing them from engaging in certain dangerous activities and preventing older children from bullying, swindling or otherwise abusing their juniors. San children have the right to bring up their cases at the beginning of the school meeting, or have another student or a teacher bring the issue or issues up on their behalf. San children can sleep in mixed-sex rooms, while older children have single-sex rooms. Ages 9–10 (approx) Cottage children were originally housed in Neill's old cottage, at
9202-426: The school meetings, which anyone, staff or pupil, may attend, and at which everyone has an equal vote. These meetings serve as both a legislative and judicial body. Members of the community are free to do as they please, so long as their actions do not cause any harm to others, according to Neill's principle "Freedom, not Licence." This extends to the freedom for pupils to choose which lessons, if any, they attend. It
9309-672: The school peer-reviews its teachers, and has policies and systems in place to ensure the quality of teaching. Since Zoë Readhead took over as Principal, the school has developed an ethos of keeping its staff, through an increase in wages and conditions of work. And there is an ongoing review and development of methods of teaching, assessment and record-keeping. The staff now share with each other their methods, especially in relation to numeracy and literacy learning. The music department have developed over several years, including action research, methods of supporting spontaneous music performance, creativity and development of expression through music. This
9416-520: The school systems of the British Empire , and recognisably public schools can be found in many Commonwealth countries. Until 1975 there had been a group of 179 academically selective schools drawing on both private and state funding, the direct grant grammar schools . The Direct Grant Grammar Schools (Cessation of Grant) Regulations 1975 required these schools to choose between full state funding as comprehensive schools and full independence. As
9523-453: The school's running. Summerhill School, a progressive school founded in 1921, was evacuated to Ffestiniog in Wales during the war. At this time, the head's first wife, "Mrs Lin", became seriously ill and required nursing care, which Wooff provided until Mrs Lin died in 1944. She also became a housemother during the school's time in Wales. Wooff became increasingly involved in the running of
9630-453: The school, gathering the necessary managerial skills as she went; in 1970, her husband handed over to her its full administration. When her husband died in 1973 she became the head of the school officially and ran it until 1985. She was succeeded by her daughter Zoe Readhead, her and A. S. Neill's only child together. She had been born to the couple in 1946 and had attended the school as a student. Readhead explained that although her father had
9737-423: The school, just as Mrs Lin had been before her illness. After his first wife's death, Woof married the school's founder, A. S. Neill on 14 April 1945. He was synonymous with Summerhill, the school famous since the 1920s for its unconventional approach, as being, for example, a "free" school where pupils could optionally attend classes. The philosophy and practices of the school were controversial and it relied on
9844-443: The somewhat ramshackle nature of their original construction. The buildings have since been renovated. Children of Shack age and above are expected to take a more active role in running the school, standing for committees, chairing the meetings, acting as ombudsmen to resolve disputes and speaking in the school meetings. Of course, younger children can take on some of these roles if they so wish, and few of them are compulsory, even for
9951-574: The spirit of the state system. Francis Green and David Kynaston have written that "among affluent countries, Britain’s private‑school participation is especially exclusive to the rich", and that the "existence in Britain of a flourishing private-school sector not only limits the life chances of those who attend state schools but also damages society at large". Many of the best-known public schools are extremely expensive, and many have entry criteria geared towards those who have been at private "feeder" preparatory schools . The Thatcher government introduced
10058-610: The students' exam results, verbal evidence from teachers, current and previous children, and the success of children after leaving Summerhill. The Summerhill classroom was popularly assumed to reflect Neill's anti-authoritarian beliefs, but in fact classes were traditional in practice. Neill did not show outward interest in classroom pedagogy, and was mainly interested in pupil happiness. He did not consider lesson quality important, and thus there were no distinctive Summerhillian classroom methods. Neill also felt that charismatic teachers taught with persuasion that weakened child autonomy. Today
10165-408: The study could not take into account the effect of a slightly different and more traditional subject mix studied by private students at university on university achievement. Despite these caveats, the paper attracted much press attention. The same study found wide variations between different independent schools, suggesting that students from a few of them were in fact significantly more likely to obtain
10272-580: The support of leading intellectuals including the philosopher Bertrand Russell . One of the Neills' first tasks after their marriage in 1945, since the war had ended, was to move the school back from Wales to its former site in Leiston, where it had been since 1927. The school had been used as an army training camp, and its buildings were not left in a fit state to function as a school. They needed extensive restoration and refurbishment. Student enrolments at
10379-529: The two groups. The stand-out finding of the study was that private school students achieved better in obtaining graduate jobs and study, even when student characteristics were allowed for (sex, ethnicity, school type, entry qualifications, area of study). In 2015, the UK press widely reported the outcome of research suggesting that school-leavers from state schools that attained similar A level grades go on to achieve higher undergraduate degree classes than their private school counterparts. The quoted figures, based on
10486-511: The very ablest of them are likely to secure the best degrees. In 2013, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) published a study noting, amongst other things, that a greater percentage of students who had attended a private school prior to university achieved a first or upper second class degree compared with students from state schools. Out of a starting cohort of 24,360 candidates having attended
10593-579: The wider interests of the school. In England and Wales there are no requirements for teaching staff to have Qualified Teacher Status or to be registered with the General Teaching Council. In Scotland a teaching qualification and registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) are mandatory for all teaching positions. Private schools are often criticised for being elitist, and seen as lying outside
10700-528: Was a British head teacher at Summerhill School . She managed the school for years on behalf of the founder, A. S. Neill , before she became the head officially in 1973. Neill was born in 1910 in West Malling . Her parents were Ethel Sophie May and Ernest George Wooff. Her father worked for a grocer. She began training as a nurse but abandoned that career to marry a commercial artist, Bill (William Albert) Wood. The marriage did not last and their son, Peter,
10807-581: Was called Summerhill, and this became the name of the school. In 1927, it moved to its present site in Leiston , Suffolk , England. It had to move again temporarily to Ffestiniog , Wales , during the Second World War so that the site could be used as a British Army training camp. The school had a local impact as several teachers were involved in the formation of the Leiston Communist Party . Several teachers were involved in
10914-710: Was consequently 'modernised' and according to a 2010 report from the Department for Education, private school pupils had "the highest rates of achieving grades A or B in A-level maths and sciences" compared to grammar, specialist and mainstream state schools, and pupils at private schools account for a disproportionate number of the total number of A-levels in maths and sciences. Some parents complain that their rights and their children's are compromised by vague and one-sided contracts which allow Heads to use discretionary powers unfairly, such as in expulsion on non-disciplinary grounds. They believe private schools have not embraced
11021-643: Was launched. Neill's sector was called the "foreign" school (in contrast to the Thiess's "German School"). Jonathan Croall wrote, "This, in essence, was the beginning of Summerhill" although the name Summerhill itself came later. Neill was soon dissatisfied with Neue Schule's ethos , and moved his sector of the organisation to Sonntagberg in Austria . Due to the hostility of the local people, it moved again in 1923 to Lyme Regis in England. The house in Lyme Regis
11128-420: Was originally built as a sanatorium . When there proved to be insufficient demand for a separate sanatorium, it was given over to accommodation for the youngest children and their houseparent. At one time, San children were housed in the main school building, and the San building was used as the library. They have since moved back, and the rooms they previously occupied now house the Cottage children. The laws of
11235-538: Was passed in November 2006, charitable status is based on an organisation providing a "public benefit", as judged by the Charity Commission . In 2008, the Charity Commission published guidance, including guidance on public benefit and fee charging, setting out issues to be considered by charities charging high fees that many people could not afford. The Independent Schools Council was granted permission by
11342-441: Was sent to board at Summerhill School . This allowed Ena May Wooff to work and she was employed at a photographic studio. When the studio was destroyed by a Second World War bombing raid, she decided to emigrate. After telling the head of her son's school, A. S. Neill, of her plan to move to America with Peter, he offered Wooff a position as school cook, which she accepted; over time that role greatly expanded into other areas of
11449-480: Was the first in England to grant children a legal right to formally express their opinions and to meet with the inspectors. The DfE advisers have included Prof. Paul Hirst and Prof. Geoff Whitty, Director of the Institute of Education and now on Ofsted's governing body. The first full inspection report since the disputed 1999 report was published in 2007. The 2007 inspection, conducted within the framework set out by
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