Many of the philosophies behind Educare Small School could be applied to any school size. The smallness of the school, however, brings its own special advantages.

Children function as individuals rather than in groups. This fosters respect for each other's differences so that the children are relatively non-judgemental.

Being together in a small environent means that children of all ages mix. The older children are very caring towards the younger ones and they all learn from one another.

Peer pressure is at a minimum - the commericialism that assails young people today has less impact at Educare.

The children mature at their own rate. Peer pressure forces some children to grow up before they really want to or act older than their age. - At Educare they follow their own pace.

The older children seem to have a true internal maturity that isn't about external expectation or pressure.

Bullying can happen everywhere, but it gets seen and dealt with before it can develop. Group bullying wouldn't really have a chance to get started.

Parents can talk to the teacher and raise any issues on a daily basis.

The Hall is amazing - to see children of all ages in small groups just getting on with their stuff, able to focus and not disrupting oone another. It really works.

The mix of parents from very different socio economic, and cultural backgrounds is diverse but the sense of community fosters respect and non-judgment.

"At Educare everyone knows everyone else, I know all the children and who their parents are." - Saskia (pupil 2000-2007)

"They learn to get on with people they wouldn't normally gravitate towards. They find what is valuable in the people around - it's a lesson for life" - Jessica, parent to Theo, Ella and Hannah

This is an approach of re-educating the body so that it is in correct alignment and unites the mind-body relationship.

The Alexander Technique teaches the skilful "use of one's self": how we move, how we stay still, how we breathe, how we learn, how we organise our awareness and focus of attention and, above all, how we choose our reactions in increasingly demanding situations.

It is a subtle and thoughtful discipline, but essentially practical and problem-solving. The Alexander Technique works through re-establishing the natural relationship between the had, the neck and the back - the 'core' of the body that supports the strength of the limbs and which provides the structural environment for breathing and for the internal organs.

We start every morning with Movement Circle. The Children and teachers come together to practise a series of slow continuous exercises based on some of the principles of Tai Chi and Energy balancing. These help the children to become focused, improving co-ordination and preparing everyone for the day's activities.

A Circle is used for many regular events and celebrations like Friday Circle, Drama Circle, Birthday Circle, Leaving Circle, Harvest Circle. It symbolises a joining together and gives everyone involved an opportunity to participate equally. Friday Circle and Drama Circle happen regularly and give children a time to voice their opionions, investigate their feelings, understand each other's differences and praise each others strengths. Birthday Circles hapen for everyone however old and Farewell Circles give closure to the leaver and also the rest of the school. Harvest Circle teaches us to share our resources and consider a community wider than our own.

After lunch every day the whole school lies down for Quiet Time. We are all still and silent, either listening to music or doing a simple meditation. This gives the children an important pause after playtime to focus and reenergise for the afternoon's activities. When our Alexander Teacher is at the school she works on the children at this time with the help of two three of the older children.

Our concern is always with the holistic and balanced development of our children. Evidence shows that what we drink and eat affects brain and body function as well as the way we learn and behave. At Educare we want children to be able to make their own choices about what they eat and drink with an understand of which choices are the best for them and why.

Each child keeps a named water bottle at school and is encouraged to drink frequently through the day to keep their brains and bodies hydrated. In addition, without being prescriptive, we feel we should infleunce what childen bring to school in their lunch boxes. We have the following expectations for children's lunches and we hope that parents will support us:

• A balanced lunch meal with fruit and vegetables.
• A minimum of processed food.
• Attention to additives, hidden sugars, fats and especially artificial sweeteners.
• A reasonable amount of food which children will eat with enjoyment.
• That any drinks apart from water are natural juices and not sweetened drinks.
• That only fruit or vegatable is provided as a mid morning or afternoon snack.

WE DO NOT ALLOW:

Fizzy drinks, crisps, chocolate or excessively processed or sweetened foods.

We want children to understand that they can enjoy cakes, sweets and chocolate etc but that these items must be eaten sensibly and at the right times. Parents are encouraged to support this policy as much as they can, not only by what they put into the lunch box but by being firm and clear about why they are doing so.

The school also offers every child a free computer screening and dietary advice in their first year at school. This screening will identify any food intolerances and further advice is available.

Friday is 'music day'. The morning is taken up by individual piano lessons and group-work with recorders. In the instrumental lessons the priorities are developing the children's ability to express themselves through their music making, both in free-style improvising and composing and formal skills such as reading musical notation and finger-exercises to develop technique. The afternoon consists of class practical musical lessons. The Kindergartne lessons are taken up by singing songs, to develop pitch, rhythm and social music-making, music and movement, expressing musical elements physically, and rudimentary notational skills. For this Sally bases her teaching on the Kodaly system. The older children carry on developing these skills in their lessons and perform regulary in the summer music concert, Harvest Circle and Christmas concert.