The Dream

Current situation

• Being a parent, and especially a mother, is often hard to combine with fulfilling work; sacrifices are often made each way.
• The school curriculum and school institution itself are ripe for disruption.
• Businesses are calling for new entrants with stronger ‘soft skills’, including communication, confidence, adaptability and creativity.

Our mission

• To reimagine ‘school’ as a shared, multi-generational space for learning, work and play, in which children can develop in a real world situation.
• To create new options for working parents who wish to develop professionally in a family friendly, supportive environment.
• To create a space that engages and supports all generations - children, working professionals and the retired - allowing multi-generational sharing and learning.

What does this mean? 

• It means creating a modern, dynamic, inspiring and well-resourced space: 
• For children to play, learn and develop;
• For parents to work flexibly;
• For entrepreneurs and creatives who need studio space and who would benefit from the shared resources, ideas and support of the community setting;
• For the older generation - those with knowledge, expertise and time - to start up independently, or to help within existing start ups in the community or to share their love, passion and knowledge with children in the space.

“Unlike school there is no (continual) judgement. You don't hear 'no', 'that's not right', 'look at what so-and-so is doing'. Nor do you hear, 'time's up' or vice versa. Your pilots let each child do same or similar things as they feel inspired to engage and work at their own pace. Consequently one of mine has felt no pressure to sit and stare at something they are struggling with and the other has felt free to go as far as she can without being told, 'You can't do that till you're in year x'. 

School - both the good and the bad/ugly we have direct experience of - spends an inordinate amount of time purely managing 30 kids at a time. Making them learn things repetitively. Not adjusting lessons to suit individual approaches. Because they have to hit an average point I would say no school can help an individual child reach their individual potential. We acknowledge each child has an individual brain/ learning style / areas that excite them and that they may be more suited to but then don't provide for that in schools.”