Articles
A Civic Leap: Schools as Practice Fields for Democracy, by Will Gowen
Democracy. For most of us it’s something that happens to us, not with us. We vote, maybe. We protest, write a letter, show up to […]
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I Have a Dream, by Je’anna Clements
Here is one vision of what a truly decolonised universal state-funded community-owned no-fee education system capable of being rolled out (and in fact, first of […]
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What Does Self-Directed Learning Look Like in Action? By Esther Jones
The article below constitutes chapter three from Esther Jones’s book, ‘The Parent’s Handbook to Unschooling Yourself’… It can be extremely challenging to accompany your child’s […]
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Trust Kids, by Fran Liberatore
“To trust children is to anchor ourselves to a moral foundation, a place from which a freer world can grow, as long as we’re willing […]
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A Good Education Doesn’t Have to Cost a Childhood, by Je’anna Clements
When I was five I spent hours scrambling around on a rocky hillside with a group of other kids led by a ten year old […]
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The Misuse of Words, by Alexander Khost
A lot of us use inaccurate words when discussing Self-Directed Education. What are more precise words that we can use and why does this matter? […]
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Creating a Global Educational System, by Carmela Fleury
“It’s not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent, but the one most adaptable to change.” – Quote commonly attributed to […]
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Making Change Stick: A Practical Guide to Implementing School Improvement, by Dr James Mannion
Why do so few school improvement initiatives achieve their stated goals? [The first of two posts on this all-important head-scratcher. You’ll be able to read […]
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How Tutoring can Improve Attitude, Attendance, and Attainment in Young People, by Julia Silver
My son Benjamin struggled with anxiety and depression in Years 10 and 11, and rarely felt able to attend school. He is one of many […]
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Broadening the Scope of a School, by Mary-Ann Ridgway
What if a school were a vibrant hub for change? Change that starts with the inner blossoming of oneself, inspiring further shifts to happen within […]
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Democratic Empowerment: How do Students Feel About Their Student Council? By Hope Wilder
What Students Say Matters Most schools do not look like a democratic society at all. Imagine a school where democracy is lived on a daily […]
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Real World Learning: School 21 and XP
Here is a report by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), commissioned by the Edge Foundation (published June 2019), which presents the findings of […]
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Journal of Pedagogy: Home-Based Education
Volume 12 (2021): Issue 1 (June 2021), Special Issue: Home-Based Education Volume 12 of the Journal of Pedagogy ran a special on home education. It […]
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Evidence Base for Self-Directed Education
By Rose Arnold, Suitable-Education.uk, first published October 2021 “Self-directed education is a pedagogy grounded in biology, anthropology, cognitive science, psychology and child development. It is not claimed […]
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The Student Experience of Self Managed Learning (SML): Evidence From Research
By Nicola Sankey, March 2008 (with Introduction by Dr. Graham Dawes) [At the time what is now Self Managed Learning College was Called ‘South Downs […]
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Home Education Trends, Preliminary Report
By Wendy Charles-Warner, EducationOtherwise.org December 2020 This report examines trends in numbers of home educating families in England. The data was obtained by sending freedom […]
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Home-Education: Aims, Practices and Outcomes
By Paula Rothermel, University of Durham, 2002 Abstract This research explores the aims and practices of home-educating families from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. The methodology involves […]
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Preventing school exclusion: a case study of a primary aged autistic child with ADHD and a PDA profile
By Catrina Lyle and Heather Leatherland Catrina Lyle is an advisory teacher within the Communication and Interaction team and Heather Leatherland is a mainstream primary […]
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A Summary of Research on Self Managed Learning
The material in this document is just a small snapshot of the extensive evaluations carried out on Self Managed Learning with young people. It includes […]
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Learning from the COVID-19 home-schooling experience: Listening to pupils, parents/carers and teachers
A report by Mari-Ana Jones (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) and Sara Bubb (University College London Institute of Education): “In Spring 2020, schools in […]
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Mentoring Now Available
Are you questioning conventional schooling? Do you need support in exploring the world of alternatives? Questioning the mainstream can feel isolating, and it’s often difficult […]
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New Film: Alternatives to Conventional Schooling
If you are questioning mainstream schooling and looking for something different, do check out our new video! This 9 minute film includes clips from each […]
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Watch Our New Animation!
Check out our new animation. It shows what we do, why we do it and how we help! Our new short film illustrates how school […]
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New Introductory Course on Alternatives to Conventional Schooling
We are excited to announce that we have launched a new online course to help you find alternatives to conventional schooling! If you are questioning […]
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Your Invitation to Our Free Online Event
We are delighted to announce that another free event is coming up! Taking place online on Wednesday 22nd to Friday 24th April, the EDUCATION: Past> […]
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New Year, New Plans and a New Way to Keep in Touch
Three projects coming soon. Sign up for notifications! Happy New Year! Wishing you all the very best for a happy and fulfilling 2026. Thank you […]
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Webinar Schedule 2026
Are you thinking about setting up your own school or learning community? Or perhaps you’ve been running for a while but you’re looking to connect […]
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Free 3-Day Challenge Event: For pioneers starting or running their own schools and learning communities
Exciting news! We have organised an empowering event with some incredible speakers, to celebrate one year of running our membership for start-up schools and learning communities. Are you thinking […]
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URGENT: Part-time Learning Communities Impact Survey
Do you work at, or does your child attend a part-time learning community? If so, please could you spare a few minutes to complete our survey? […]
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Webinar Schedule 2025
Are you thinking about setting up your own school or learning community? Or perhaps you’ve been running for a while but you’re looking to connect […]
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