Sands School

At Sands School, a weekly School Meeting gives students and staff an equal voice in the community's decisions. The co-educational day setting in Ashburton, Devon, has no uniform and treats democratic participation as part of education itself. Rules, proposals and shared responsibilities are discussed together rather than handed down as a separate layer of school life.

Learning is self-directed but supported by adults. Classes are not compulsory, students can choose subjects that matter to them, and pupils can work at their own pace or follow an individual project beyond a conventional timetable. Examination preparation remains possible, including an individually planned three-year GCSE course for older pupils.

Students help with cooking, cleaning and the running of the community, while small classes and close staff relationships provide structure around the freedom. The programme is intended to prepare pupils for GCSEs without making exam preparation the only measure of progress. That balance between autonomy and support is the distinctive educational choice.

Admission begins with an enquiry and visit, often including a tour led by current students. Families submit an application with a recent school report or equivalent evidence, and a Try-Out Week forms part of the decision for many applicants. There is no boarding. Applicants for the oldest year group should confirm eligibility directly: the upper age is currently given as both 17 and 18 after a proposed 2025 extension.