ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at a number of organisations and schools. The idea is to provide a snapshot of some of the innovative and child-centred approaches being developed in British state schools which offer beacons of hope. The Co-operative Schools movement has grown rapidly in recent years as government policy has opened up opportunities to develop new models of governance. The idea behind such schools is that they are underpinned by the co-operative values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. Some schools emphasise student and staff democracy whilst others focus on the development of a strong co-operative and social enterprise curriculum. Many co-operative schools work together with others in clusters or multi-academy trusts and this enables resources and expertise to be shared and also allows for a smooth transition from primary to secondary. Very small rural schools have their own challenges; deprivation is usually hidden within areas of wealth and opportunity.
