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The Questions

Question
Answer
What is the name of the school? De Ruimte Soest
What is the address of the school? Insingerstraat 39, 3766MA Soest
School’s phone number and website? 0031356015321, www.deruimtesoest.nl
School’s EUDEC contact person and e-mail? Reinier Bosch, reinier.bosch at deruimtesoest.nl
What is the legal status of the school? there is a foundation to facilitate the school, the school is legally acknowledged.
When was the school founded? march 8th, 2003
How many students are there? 82
Which student age groups are there? 4 - 19 years old, no different groups.
How many (full-time equivalent) staff members? 9,41 (and also some interns)
How many school hours per day and week? 8,5 hours per day, 4 days per week.
Interested in hosting interns? We have several.
Interested in the EUDEC Diploma? Yes
Interested in the EUDEC exchange program? Yes


Question
Three-Word Answer
Further Elaboration, Clarification or Qualification of the Answer
Does applicable law allow your school to follow the EUDEC definition of democratic education? Yes with some difficulty in showing them what our students learn.
Do students have free choice of whether or not to participate in scholastic and other activities? Yes, completely We however do organize several ways of learning and try to provide teachers and supplies based on student requests.
Can students easily initiate and suggest scholastic and other activities? yes Every student controls their own learning and can ask their tutor for help, if needed.
Can students offer, lead and run scholastic and other activities? Yes this happens on a regular bases. Also some former student now teach courses or coach current students.
Can students ‘vote’ on the school’s rules? Yes The school circle is the basis for the school organisation. Every schoolmember has the same rights to make proposals or give principal objections. In theory students in a sociocratic organized school have more influence on the school's rules than in a democratic organized school, where they can only decide when they are part of the majority.
Can students ‘vote’ on the consequences of breaking rules? Yes Like a Juridic Comity, our BMK consist out of students (4) and a staff member.
Can students ‘vote’ on the use of spaces? Yes there is a circle of students and staff that handle requests about use of spaces. This circle is a sub circle of our school circle.
Are there any compulsory activities for students? Yes If summoned for BMK, you have to attend. Also every schoolmember has to clean part of the school. On occasion a compulsory schoolmeeting is arranged, but only for safety issues.
Who decides on the compulsory activities and who must participate? the school circle
Can students ‘vote’ on accepting and expelling other students? Yes Every new schoolmember has a trial period, after that period they will go through the school-circle and every schoolmember is asked if anyone has any objection to: this new schoolmember making their own way of schooling possible at our school.
Can students be involved in the hiring and firing of staff members, including educational staff? Yes here there is also circle responsible for hiring and firing. This circle also organizes a staff member voting every year in june.
Can students and staff equally participate in the decision making process? Yes That is the basis of the school organisation.
Does your school need to meet any curriculum imposed from outside of the school? not really We have to offer classes and teachers, however students do not have to attend them.
How is student performance and progress monitored and graded? using the monitor Because we have to follow student progress, we together made a system in which we together with student write down whatever they did, learned or achieved.
Can students ‘vote’ on managing and deciding the budget? Yes Part of the budget is to be used by the school circle, and the school circle decides on this. The main budget is officially a responsibility of the board, however these budgets always go through the school circle for comments and requests.
Can students ‘vote’ on the infrastructure of the school? Yes all internal decision making is done by the school circle
Can students ‘vote’ on the management structure of the school? Yes all internal decision making is done by the school circle



School Description

Questions
Answers
How often do school meetings take place? once every week
Which decision making bodies are there? several, but all originate from the main school circle. They receive a mandate from the main school circle to decide about excursions or buying books or...
Who decides who is in which decision making body? by election in the schoolcircle or sometimes by choice of the circle and the individuals themselves.
What is the parents’ role in school life? they are part of a pedagogical triangle, (student, school parents) they can request meetings and sometimes offer lessons, or help in the school.
What is the parents’ role in decision making? They are not part of the schoolcircle but have an own circle that can ask questions and give advise.
Who is financially and legally responsible for your school? the board of the foundation.
Who makes financial and legal decisions? the board, but only in compliance with the schoolcircle. Most of these decisions are given to the schoolcircle to make.
What is the school building like? A large, one floor building, with lots of small and big rooms and a few cellars. the school used about 60% of this building.
Is your school (partially or fully) a boarding school? no
From how far do most students come from? between 2 minutes and 1,5 hours travelling.
In what kind of area is the school located? next to a forest on an egde of the town Soest, but also close by stores and a train station.
How is the school funded? privately
Can students get a degree/diploma? via state exams
Is there any curriculum planning? By students themselves. they can ask for help planning their own curriculum.



Further Description and Comments:


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