Schools and school-founding groups (by country):
Austria:
Vienna, Austria
The SchülerInnenschule is an alternative school for pupils aged 10 to 18 which was founded 27 years ago in the tradition of A S Neill's Summerhill School. The school is situated in the heart of Vienna and is part of a very large cultural centre.
Contact: Claudia Gerhartl schuelerinnenschule@gmx.at
Finland:
Kerava, Finland
Feeniks-koulu is the first Finnish democratic school and started in 2005. At the moment we are not accredited and run the school based on homeschooling.
Contact: Marko Koskinen marko@feeniks-koulu.fi
Germany:
Leipzig, Germany
The Freie Schule Leipzig was founded in 1990, just before German Reunification, as the first alternative school in the former East Germany. The school follows democratic principles and self-directed learning.
Contact: Henrik Ebenbeck he@freie-schule-leipzig.de
Freiburg, Germany
The Kapriole is a democratic school that received state approval 10 years ago. At the moment 130 children between the ages of 6 and 17 come here to learn whatever, whereever, however, whenever and with whomever they want - all of the time. This absolute freedom and self-directed learning is the basis on which all other rules develop at the Kapriole. These rules are discussed and negotiated at the weekly school-meetings, in which each person has one vote - regardless of age and experience.
Contact: Niklas Gidion nikgid@gmail.com
School start-up group
Leipzig, Germany
Contact: Sören Kirchner soeren.kirchner@sudbury-hl.de
School start-up group
München, Germany
Contact: Renate Lange info@sudbury-muenchen.de
School start-up group
Tübingen, Germany
Contact: Rut Kittel rutsan@web.de
The Netherlands:
Amersfoort, Netherlands
De Kampanje is a Sudbury model school for children in the age of four to eighteen. There are no compulsory lessons or tests, and the school is run democratically.
Contact: Tuur Demeester contact@dekampanje.org
United Kingdom:
Devon, England
Sands School is a democratic day school in Devon, England. We are currently celebrating our 20th year.
Contact: Peta Cox, Martin Roberts enquiry@sandsschool.demon.co.uk
Westward Ho, Leiston Suffolk
A.S Neill's Summerhill School,
a co-educational boarding school in Suffolk, England,
is the original alternative 'free' school. Founded in 1921, it continues to be an influential model for progressive, democratic education around the world.
Contact: Leonard Turton lgturton@googlemail.com
Related organisations worldwide:
German National Association of Free Alternative Schools
This national association of free schools was founded in Germany in 1988 and currently accounts for 84 schools and 14 initiatives, representing more than 5,000 pupils.
Contact: Henrik Ebenbeck he@freie-schule-leipzig.de
In effe people come together from 30 countries, representing both state and independent schools from a variety of pedagogical traditions as well as public authorities and the fields of research and education. The members of effe are committed to safeguarding the human dignity of each child and young person and promoting the development of his or her individual qualities, to respecting fundamental human rights as the basis for all education and training, and to empowering children and young people to act as responsible members of society.
Contact: Dirk Höflich contact@effe-eu.org
The English Secondary Students' Association is a national organisation run by and for secondary students in England. We support each other in becoming more involved in decision-making in our own schools and colleges. We represent our views on regional, national and international levels and provide our members with the opportunity to gain new skills and confidence to speak out about the issues that affect our daily lives in schools and colleges.
Contact: Student Support Officer support@studentvoice.co.uk
IDEN stands for International Democratic Education Network.
It is a network of schools, organisations and individuals all round the world that uphold similar ideals to those of the EUDEC. Members are listed on a website (www.idenetwork.org) and receive three or four newsletters a year, mainly concerned with IDECs. Membership is free.
Contact: David Gribble davidgribble@idenetwork.org
Berlin, Germany
The KinderRÄchTsZÄnker (aka K.R.Ä.T.Z.Ä.) is a group of about 20 young people who stand up for equal rights for children. Our main subjects are the right to vote, school and family. But we are also engaging in other subjects that deal with age discrimination, such as child labour and kids and youth protection. In 2005, we hosted the IDEC in Berlin.
www.idec2005.org
Contact: Mike Weimann kraetzae@kraetzae.de
Devon and London UK
The Phoenix Education Trust is a small UK charity that promotes democratic education - education in which all members of the school community have a voice and a say in decision-making. Phoenix is working with state and independent schools throughout the UK to develop democratic education practice.
Contact: Anna Leatherdale Anna.Leatherdale@phoenixeducation.f9.co.uk
Barcelona, Spain
Xell is a network of schools, people and groups interested or involved in free education experiences in Spain.
The network has two main objectives:
To promote and support the creation and functioning of free education schools, experiences and groups.
To explain and spread the principles of free education.
Contact: Jordi Mateu difusio@educaciolliure.org
Individuals:
David Gribble taught for over twenty years at Dartington Hall School, was one of the founders of Sands School and played a prominent role in the first years of IDEC. He now runs the IDEN, the International Democratic Education Network. Since retiring in 1992 he has visited democratic schools all round the world, written books about them and given talks in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland and Spain.
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