East Kent Sudbury School
| East Kent Sudbury | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
England | |
| Information | |
| Type | Home education learning community |
| Established | January 2019 |
| Founder | Kezia Cantwell-Wright |
| Closed | 17 July 2025 |
| Website | eastkentsudburyschool |
East Kent Sudbury was a part-time, self-directed, fee-paying democratic setting for home-educated children aged 5–18 located in Deal, Kent in the United Kingdom.[1][2] Students direct their own learning in an environment that promotes ideas of freedom and a right to determine their own futures. The community was democratically run with each member having one vote exercised at a weekly meeting. The community operated on Sudbury school principles, and opened in January 2019[3] but has attracted controversy.[4]
Initially called East Kent Sudbury School, it is now just styled as East Kent Sudbury, describing itself as "a part-time learning community".[5][6]
History
[edit]The opening of the school was gradual; in January 2019 initially renting a former nursery space in the Cliftonville Community Centre, Margate.[7] It offered a sliding scale fee structure with an aim to be inclusive.[4] In 2020 EKS moved to Buckland House, in Dover before its current location.
Since 2022, the school is situated at Rippledown House in Ringwould on a site developed for outdoor learning and donated by Fred Cleary. It was a residential centre for school children from Kent and London set in extensive grounds. It is now owned and maintained by The Bay Trust.[8]
Its opening courted controversy in the local community, given the fee-paying nature it risked being seen as elitist, particularly given its initial opening in Cliftonville, a longstanding poorer community that had seen an influx of Londoners move there.[9][4][10]
Philosophy
[edit]Co-Founder, Kezia Cantwell-Wright, who is an alumnus of A.S Neill's Summerhill was already home educating her children and sought a school with similar principles. Finding none in the area or indeed the UK she, alongside Kate Coleman and others, founded the setting as the UK's first Sudbury model school.[citation needed]
The setting provides a forest school, art and music rooms, a library and places for woodwork and quiet study,[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Dusseau, Anna (10 September 2020). The Case for Home Schooling: Free range home education handbook. Hawthorn Press. ISBN 978-1-912480-41-8.
- ^ Fisher, Naomi (4 February 2021). Changing Our Minds: How children can take control of their own learning. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 978-1-4721-4550-5.
- ^ "Our Model". A Self-Directed, Democratic Setting For Students Aged 5-18. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ a b c Aitch, Iain (11 December 2018). "Bohemian private school in area of child poverty divides residents". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ^ "FAQs – East Kent Sudbury". Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ Hannam, Derry. "Another way is possible - but we have to be opportunists!". Connect (236): 21.
- ^ Nesling, Jodie (27 February 2019). "East Kent Sudbury School defends use of Cliftonville Community Centre". The Isle of Thanet News. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ "THE BAY TRUST overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ Eklof, Kajsa (12 December 2018). "Margate's Sudbury school divides local opinion | Edexec". Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ "In Dreamland: Can gentrification save Margate?". CityMonitor. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ "Our Location – East Kent Sudbury". Retrieved 19 August 2025.
External links
[edit]51°11′11″N 1°22′42″E / 51.18637982359268°N 1.378258243207043°E
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