West Cork Sudbury School

The first Sudbury School, the Sudbury Valley School, was founded in 1968 in Framingham, Massachussettes in the Sudbury Valley, by a college professor named Daniel Greenberg; who was troubled by his students lack of self-motivation. There are two Sudbury Schools already established in Ireland. Wicklow Democratic School has been running since September 2016 and Sligo Sudbury School has been open since September 2018. There are many other start-up groups hoping to open across the country. See https://democraticeducationie.wordpress.com/ for more information. Please bare in mind that no two Sudbury schools are the same! But generally speaking, Sudbury schools are based on (or follow the philosophy of) self-directed learning, freedom, responsibility, democratic principles and allow for free age-mixing. Sudbury schools do not follow a national curriculum and are usually for ages 5-18 years old. The students and staff have an equal say in the rules and regulations of the school and as to what happens in any given day. These rules are made in a weekly meeting. At WCSS we use the word agreement rather than rule to point out that the community came to an agreement rather than a rule was imposed. Sudbury schools work on trust and believe that each individual learns according to their own unique capabilities. At Sudbury, instead of teachers, there is ‘staff’ which support and enable the students to explore their own learning process and to connect and engage with the community. Click the link for a video on self-directed learning.

A democratic process of running a school, allows all those involved, to be a part of its success and to experience the empowerment of being heard and taken seriously. A democratic school environment protects the rights of all individuals in the school, empowers those involved and fosters a sense of purpose, belonging and competence. The Sudbury environment allows students the realisation of their talents and potential, and also cultivates leadership, problem-solving, goal setting, and self-responsibility.

No. The Sudbury model is completely student-led and based on self-directed learning. Staff are there to support the students in their undertakings and learning-processes, respecting their needs for time, structure and involvement.

Children from 5 to 18 can attend West Cork Sudbury School. There are no grade or class levels. Older and younger students mix in any way that makes sense for them, often around shared interests. Through free age-mixing, young people's compassion and patience are challenged and developed. It also opens up room for flexible thinking and unique learning opportunities.

We live in the information age, where knowledge is available at your fingertips. For this reason, when you can follow your interests exposure is not an issue. Furthermore, because students are free to explore and interact with students and adults of all ages all day long, they are exposed to a wide variety of topics, more than they would typically get in an environment where only one person is delivering the curriculum. Students in Sudbury schools don’t look at learning as a set of fixed subjects to be mastered. Instead they follow their curiosities and interests, which are not limited to a curriculum. Please, also see our recommended resources for more information on that topic.

We believe everyone has unique abilities, instincs and self-determination which will be nurtured, supported and respected in our school. We believe students will flourish when given the space, resources and support to follow their passions at their own pace and in their own unique way. We believe children and teenagers should have the freedom to make choices, with an understanding of the responsibilities that this entails. That way they take ownership of their education, enabling them to become engaged, conscious and self-motivated members of their communities. In a world of accelerated change alternative models to traditional schooling are becoming more important and demanded. Our community will provide your child with the time and space to get back in touch with their own desire to learn without being told to do so. Sudbury schools foster a students’s internal motivation, which is a much more powerful driver to learning than external motivation.

The Sudbury model involves trusting the individual’s process to learn and to self-regulate. It creates a community where needs are met; the need for social connection, inclusion and acceptance, trust, and having our voices exercised and heard on a regular basis. Sudbury schools create an environment where self-responsibility is learned. In taking an active part in their community students will experience that their actions matter. Furthermore, computers and gaming are very social activities in a community in which students engage with each other, learn from each other, and constantly problem-solve together. Your child might spend all day on the screens, but Sudbury school students who gravitate towards screens seem to do so socially and seem to just have a knack for technology. They are learning. And they will see what is going on around them and they will have time to reflect on what they want for themselves in life. Keep in mind that a lot of jobs being advertised today did not exist ten years ago, and who knows what is ahead another ten years down the road, and computers play a vital role in this. Please, also see our recommended resources for more information on that topic.

“Play is the highest form of research.” - Albert Einstein We believe in the importance of play, and that through free age-mixing students may develop social skills. Most children show an intense need to play in their earliest years of development, at a time when they are learning the most, and at the fastest rate, than at any other point in their life. Not only do children make meaning and construct models of the world through play, they also practice their physical, intellectual, social, and emotional skills. Students at Sudbury schools spend a lot of time playing. A common misconception is that play is mindless activity; It is not! Curiosity and play propel each other, they both involve exploration of the unknown. The means by which people advance is through investigation and manipulation of that which is not yet known and as such play is key to a human’s learning and understanding of their world. Peter Gray (Ph.D.) is an evolutionary psychologist who's child was a student at the original Sudbury Valley School, where he became very interested in the importance of play and has since done extensive research on this topic. For more info see: Play is Education & our Blog Please, also see our recommended resources for more information on that topic.

We gave our membership dues a lot of thought and tried our best to make it as fair and accessible as possible. In a continuous effort to achieve the following, our membership dues are based on every family's Gross Household Income (GHI): Accessibility: Make it accessible to families of all incomes to send their children to WCSS. Our Membership Dues work on an equitable approach and are therefore based on every familiy’s GHI. Where possible we will offer further subsidies through our Solidarity Fund and/or Membership Dues Assistance Programme. Family-friendly: We have introduced a family rate of 20% of a family's GHI, regardless of how many children a family wishes to enrol. If you need further assistance with sibling placements, please apply to WCSS's Membership Dues Assistance Programme (see below). Sustainability: Ensure the financial viability of the school given that WCSS does not receive funding through the Department of Education & Skills or any other state funding. For detailed information, please see Membership.

We are delighted to be able to offer 5 part-time placements starting September 2021. Please contact us about this if you are interested. For more information, please see the question about part time Attendance (Can my child attend part time?).

A student can sit the leaving certificate outside of the school if they wish to. When it comes time to sit formal exams, arrangements can be made through Education and Training Boards (ETBs) or adult education classes. Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations can also be sat at any school by registering with the school in early January of the year that the exams will be taken. Further information is available from the State Examinations Commission.

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) supports learners at each stage of their learning journey, whether by issuing and replacing QQI Award certificates, verifying existing qualifications such as FETAC or HETAC awards, or advising on the move to higher education. You can find info on the NFQ system here. Level 5 will grant you access to College. The Central Applications Office (CAO) processes applications for undergraduate courses in Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Leaving Cert Application/Courses through CAO here. Mature Student (age 23) Application through CAO here. Also have a look at the FAQ re Leaving Cert! Other Options: Youth Reach - Vocational Education & Training Apprenticeships are an option as well - See Appenticeship.ie for more information! Open University - which can also be accessed during Sudbury in which case you might be leaving Sudbury already with a degree! Whatever way you choose, be assured that WCSS will support every learner on their journey to what comes after - may that be College or a different path!

With the help of our pioneers, and the hard and enduring work of our founders, we are excited to announce that WCSS has opened its doors in September 2020!

Our friends from Wicklow Democratic School have looked into this question and taken advice from legal experts. The Irish legal landscape is very favourable to setting up a Sudbury school model. For a fuller explanation see this page.

WCSS has found a home in beautiful Coomhola, West Cork. Our building is spacious and bright with lots of rooms to explore different interests, relax and connect with others. Our building is surrounded by lawns, an orchard, forestry and different bodies of water. The outside space also includes a basketball and tennis court as well as a covered area to use tools, play table tennis, skateboard, practise circus skills and so much more!

We would like to support your family's needs so you may avail of WCSS. We understand that for some of you distance to and from school may be an issue; or some may have specific ideas of what is best in regards to school attendance. Whatever the issue may be we would encourage every WCSS student to be present 3 days per week and especially during the weekly school meetings as this is where rules for the community are made; issues are brought up, discussed and voted upon; and where valuable lifetime learning can take place. We would also like you to keep in mind, the integrity of the community when you are deciding about attendance. Membership Dues will be unchanging whether your child/ young person attends full- or part-time. Please visit our Membership & Enrolment pages for more information!

The adults at West Cork Sudbury School choose not to call themselves teachers because everyone and everything is a potential teacher. We do, however, recognise our special role in the community. Some of us are generalists, some of us are specialists. Our contribution will be reviewed by the school community on a yearly basis. Staff is evaluated for eache's unique combination of who we are and the expertise that we can bring to the community. Staff members are ultimately responsible for the administration and smooth functioning of the school. On a day-to-day basis, a staff member's focus will be on holding space in which students can be free within the boundaries of safety and respect. Staff members will always be available to help students if and when they ask and to ensure a safe environment.