Every school has rules to follow, right? Teachers tell you to raise your hand when you have a question, respect others and be on time for lessons. But at this school, it’s not the teachers who make the rules, it’s the kids! Here’s how it works…

Summerhill School isn’t a regular school. In fact, there are many things that make it unique! One of the biggest is that the children get to decide on the rules, but that’s not all! Here are some of the other things that make Summerhill stand out.

The freedom to attend lessons – pupils at Summerhill don’t have to go to lessons. They can choose which ones they want to go to, and when.

Equality – teachers and pupils are treated the same. Teachers don’t get special treatment – they have to respect and follow the same rules.

No school uniform – the kids at Summerhill wear their own clothes. They can even dye their hair if they want to!

The choice to do exams – no-one at Summerhill has to do any exams. Although most children do at least GCSE exams, some choose not to.

Community living – Summerhill is a boarding school, so everyone is very close. It’s a community of adults and children who all live and work together.