Updated 2025-06-17

Sands School

Democratic day school for 11- to 17-year-olds.
Sean Bellamy founder
Schools
http://www.sands-school.co.uk
click to see email
(+44) 01364 653 666
Address: 48 East Street
City: Ashburton
Country: England
Postal Code: TQ13 7AX
Union: United Kingdom
Totnes, Devon

Description

Founded in 1987, Sands School is one of a handful of Democratic Schools in the UK. Created by a group of ex-staff and students from Dartington Hall School who together designed their ideal school based on freedom, equality and common sense.

Sands offers the full range of GCSE and equivalent courses expected in a UK secondary school to enable our students to progress on to college. Students are free to choose as many (or few) subjects from the options offered or to independently study other courses. Lots of time is built into the school day for play, socialising, and community life. No activity is valued above another.

The school is managed by the democratic school meeting where all students and staff have an equal weight vote. The school meeting decides everything from how to spend our budget, which teachers to hire, and how to solve community problems.

SDE Optimizing Conditions

ASDE surveys all SDE communities/programs about how they provide, enhance, or align with each of the Six Optimizing Conditions for young people to succeed in SDE.  Survey answers:
  1. Responsibility – Students plan their own journey through the school, deciding what to study and when.
  2. Youth Autonomy – Students are free to take up the classes offered, to undertake their own projects, and create their own activities outside of the curriculum.
  3. Access to Tools and Technology – We provide a range of spaces with specialist facilities in art, science, music, technology, and more, for students to use in their learning.
  4. Adult Allies – The relationship between staff and students is equal and consent-based; adults offer support and guidance but cannot impose choices on students.
  5. Free Age Mixing – The curriculum offered is organised in year groups arranged by age, but students are free to join courses in other year groups and mix freely outside of lessons.
  6. Community – Day to day school life is managed by the school meeting in which everyone has an equal voice and vote. Students are encouraged to get involved with other aspects of school management via open committees.

If any information about this resource is out of date, please let us know.