Who we are

Why? Democratic Education brings together a team of teachers, artists and educators working together with the children to show that democracy and freedom can be at the heart of learning.

The question Why? embodies everything we do. We never take any knowledge or rule for granted. Research and reflection are at the core of our practice. We believe that democracy itself can only be a genuine process if it happens in a climate of constant dialogue and debate.

We are committed to the promotion of bilingual education in Spanish and English, so we bring together a multicultural team of Spanish and English speakers from all over the world.

Our belief in democracy and our search for meanings  are inspired by our image of the child, a child that is inquisitive, independent, confident, a critical thinker, creative and free.

We believe in children

The team is led by Dr. Susana Lopez Penedo and Effie Delphinius who could not find a school for their children that would guarantee that they had a say in their own learning and that it would be respectful with their creativity and their pace to explore the world,  and decided to start their own.  It was meant to be a small project, just for a few families, but it grew and grew as more people became excited, not with an idea, but with the reality of a learning community where children and adults were happy.

Susana and Effie did not know what an early years setting looked like or how a primary school was meant to be run, but they knew how to build a learning community run democratically and they made sure their ethos did not wave in the process. They learnt the rest as they went along. A lot of people helped them. Some stayed to become the heart of this project;  Karen Queeley, Alice Copley and Edith Acosta.  They all now share their experience with other people who, like them once, dare to dream that another education is possible.

Incourage

Build confidence in your child to bring out the best in them

Participate

Social skills and interaction feeds the child’s awareness

Develop

Develop multiple skills to help your child’s long term education