WE’ve reimagined school
Our mission is to send children out into the world with a strong sense of who they are, what they love, and how they are going to make a difference in the world! We know that self-belief and a sense of purpose are the foundations on which happy and successful lives are built.
The Lumiar education model was devised in Brazil 15 years ago by a group of pioneering educators. Their intention was to transform how and what children learn to empower them to create the future, rather than just keep up with it. It is recognised by Unesco, Stanford University and Microsoft as one of the 12 most innovative education systems in the world. Find out more here.
Click here to see Lumiar’s founder Ricardo Semler’s TED talk that explains how he set out to ‘redesign education for wisdom’.
OUR VALUES
We spent time together reflecting on what makes our little school so special. We came up with five words that we think encapsulate the unique way that we approach life and learning, and then added some sentences to help explain that to other people. We worked together on art projects to put each of our five values up in our school as a colourful daily reminder of what we agreed.
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A place of wonder
We keep the spark of learning alive through our positive and playful approach. We follow our passions and interests, creating a happy and safe environment that allows us to flourish and share our joy with others. We appreciate the awe in the world around us.
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A place of connection
We work together to build strong relationships and an inclusive community where everyone is heard. We partner with individual professionals and businesses to give children access to real-life experiences and expertise. Our conscious culture has nature and sustainable living at its heart.
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A place of consideration
We build a culture of truth, honesty and respect by listening to each other and valuing every voice. We see ourselves as part of a community and act with compassion and kindness. We use the wisdom we find in failure to grow together, learning from mistakes.
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A place of discovery
We chase adventures and see learning as a journey where we discover who we are and what we could be. We express our creativity and exercise our imagination, while learning to be adaptable and curious. We use our freedom to try new things, ask questions and debate big issues.
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A place of leadership
We see each individual's true potential and believe we are the authors of our own lives. We encourage risk taking, courageous thinking and nurture an entrepreneurial spirit. We realise that we have a voice now and can contribute towards safeguarding our planet for the future.
testimonials: WHAT PARENTS SAY ABOUT LUMIAR
We run student and parent surveys every year, inviting feedback. Here are some of the things parents have told us.
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Lumiar has changed our child’s life.
Unlike many experiences of mainstream schools, Lumiar is different… in an incredible way… from the very first moment we met the staff, went on a tour, and got to know the community, something just felt right.
The children at Lumiar are celebrated for their authentic individual personalities, their strengths are encouraged to shine through, and of course they are well supported to work on areas where they might be struggling with.
We can’t thank Claire and the Lumiar Team enough… their energy and enthusiasm in nurturing our children and in doing so preparing them for the realities of the 21st century is a wonderful example of what education was always meant to be!
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“It was such a relief to step off the treadmill of mainstream education and find somewhere that allowed my daughter to be fully herself. She had four fun and happy years at the school, before transitioning into one of the Bath private schools for secondary school. Lumiar helped her work out who she is, what she likes, and what she’s good at – I am so grateful to the team for everything they’ve given her.”
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"We are just so thankful to Lumiar for helping our son find his desire for learning. It’s a huge achievement and I hope you guys are feeling proud teachers"
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"Lumiar for our daughter and us as a family has been the experience we have been searching for...(for many years now). Our daughter is now at last able to express herself, enjoy school, be confident and start realising her true potential. Free from pressure by teachers, exams, peers, social norms and the constraints and expectations of the mainstream system we have our daughter shining again. The care and thought that the teachers have put in over this past year has been huge and is very reassuring.”
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“Lumiar has done exactly what we hoped it would at the beginning. Provided a collaborative growth mindset environment, to allow our children to develop in their own way and ultimately excel”
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“Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have a son who is knows who he is and is brimming with confidence”
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“Our daughter initially attended a mainstream school, but she became aggressive, panicked, and anxious. After a term at Lumiar she is happy, learning, reading, singing, bouncing, making gorgeous friendships, and running in to school happily every day. I genuinely couldn’t ask for anything more… Lumiar is special: it’s very clear that the kids are valued and nurtured, and so therefore are happy and thriving.”
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“I’m so pleased that I chose Lumiar for my daughter. I love the fact that school is fun. There’s no pressure, no standardised testing, no homework, just a focus on projects delivered in a way that helps foster a love of learning. I also love the way Lumiar prioritises the children’s mental health and helps them become self-directed learners.”
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“The beauty of Lumiar is my children have the freedom to be themselves. Their uniqueness is celebrated and their talents are nurtured. They are encouraged to have a voice and learn from an early age that their opinion counts. They run in every morning rarely remembering to say goodbye and are excited for what each day will bring them.”
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“Being part of the Lumiar community was a wonderful experience not just for our son but also us as parents. We always felt supported by both the teaching team and other parents and learnt so much about alternative learning models watching [our son] grow and learn during his time there. Since transitioning into mainstream secondary we can see how the strong foundation of confidence & love of learning and being curious about the world around him has remained and help him navigate new environments and people. Thank-you Lumiar!”