Barn Hill Learning Community (BHLC) is a space for self-directed and consent-based learning for electively home-educated young people. Following approaches from a range of educational philosophies, we operate on a two acre site close to Totnes with woodland, open land and an organic garden plot, providing a wonderful location to appreciate the natural physical environment and benefit our body and mind.

We are dedicated to being an inclusive and nurturing space where children decide how they spend their time, while learning to build and maintain a community. The emotional wellbeing of each child is at the heart of the vision, for them to discover who they are and to lead a fulfilling life in a safe and nurturing environment.

The focus on the social part of being within a community is also nurtured, forming an ability to make decisions and solve problems collaboratively and co-operatively. Consent based approaches are key to this approach, enabling individuals to accept or decline participation in activities and ensuring the opportunity to get more information to make an informed choice. 

Using aspects of Agile Learning communities, BHLC is learner-led with the young people choosing how to spend their time alongside the facilitators, through play, inquiry and projects. An additional mechanism of this will be through offerings, sessions proposed by anyone in the community on offer to all, non-mandatory and can include people from the wider community with a particular knowledge or skill set to pass on.