Giving a PPT presentation and

organizing a debate

Ewan Fowler, English tutor, EMN, January 20

 Did you enjoy school?

What subjects did you prefer?
Were there aspects which could
have been improved?

 Do you think that children can

choose when and what they
learn?

Summerhill

Boarding school and day school:

Primary (from 4 to 12) and secondary education
(from 12 to 16)

Summerhill

Summerhill
1.The Philosophy and
Organisation of Summerhill
2.History
3.Debate
4.Feedback

Summerhill
The function of the child 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 the
educator who thinks he knows
best.
A.S. Neill

Summerhill: Philosophy

Doing and Being

Discover identity
Free from adult intervention or
judgement

Summerhill:
Non-compulsory
lessons
Organisation

You can play all day if you want to

Placed in classes according to ability not
age
Finally choose and pursue their interests
GCSE 13/14
Democratic organisation
Equal votes on issues, e.g.
Acceptable bedtimes
Conflicts

Summerhill:
Organisation

Freedom not licence

You can choose to swear but not

use offensive language against
anyone.

A brief history of
Summerhill

1921 Germany by A.S. Neill

1923 UK
1927 current location except
during 2nd World War
Government opposition
IDLENESS

The Office for Standards in

Education, Children's Services
and Skills

Summerhill makes the

news!

1999

Following a critical inspection

by Ofsted of the school, the
Secretary of Education and
Employment, David Blunkett
issued the school with a notice
of complaint
Closure?
The school decided to fight his

Ofsted:

Evaluation of the
school
Summerhill School
provides a good quality

of education. It meets all the regulatory

requirements
for
independent
schools,
which is an improvement from the last
inspection. All the points for development
outlined in the previous report have been
addressed. The school meets its aims very
successfully. Strengths of the school
include outstanding pupils spiritual,
moral, social and cultural development and
outstanding promotion of pupils welfare
health and safety, including effective
safeguarding procedures. Pupils behaviour
is
outstanding
and
they
make
good
progress. The curriculum and teaching and
assessment are good. The national minimum

Debate
What do you think of
Summerhill?
Can the ideas of Summerhill be
applied on a large scale in a
national education system?
Could this work in France?

References:
MOORE, S. (2000) Summerhill has filled the powers that be with
fear of naked feral children who never attend lessons. [Online]
Business Source Complete (129). Issue 4479. p17. 1p. Available
from: http://web.b.ebscohost.com. [Accessed: 3rd January 2016]
WILBY, P. (2113) Summerhill school: these days surprisingly
strict. The Guardian. [Online] 27th May. Available from: http://
www.theguardian.com [Accessed: 3rd January 2016]
GREAT BRITAIN. OFSTED. (2011) Summerhill School: Independent
school standard inspection report. (Online) Available from:
Google search: Summerhill School 2011. [Accessed: 3rd January
2016]
RevolutionaryCapital. (2013) Summerhill (2008) -AMAZING- Best
Freedom
Movie
Ever!!
Available
from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxngqMavda0
[Accessed:
3rd
January 2016]