In conversation with Zoë Readhead, Principal of Summerhill School, Leiston, Suffolk

Abstract

As the UK battles with an ever-changing education landscape in which growth can be seen in the introduction of academies, trust schools, federations, chains of schools and 'free schools', I talk to Zoë Readhead, Principal of what is often called the first democratic, self-governing 'free' school. Whilst the term 'free school' today implies a model that is 'state-funded… set up in response to what people say they want and need in their community to improve education for local children' (www.gov.uk/government/collections/opening-a-free-school#free-school-model-funding-agreements), Summerhill is grounded on Alexander Neill's principle of 'freedom not licence'. This principle extends beyond a notion of self-governance, to that in which the community is wholly democratic, where children learn to be self-confident, tolerant and considerate and are given the space to be themselves (www.summerhillschool.co.uk/an-overview.php).