WEST Cork Sudbury School (WCSS) has launched an urgent appeal to find a new home.

The independent democratic school, which has operated in Coomhola in Bantry since 2020, has been given notice to vacate its current premises by the end of this academic year as the building undergoes planned repurposing.

WCSS was established to meet a growing demand for alternative schooling in West Cork. Grounded in the Sudbury model of self-directed learning and democratic education, students are free to follow their passions while acting as equal, active members of their community.

It is a model that nurtures curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and essential conflict-resolution skills, preparing young people for the modern world through cooperation rather than competition.

Since then, the campus in Coomhola has provided an ideal setting to build a unique school culture, but it must relocate at the end of the school year in June 2027.

As an independent school, WCSS receives no state funding. It relies entirely on membership dues and community support to function.

One of the founder members, Jess Mason said: “WCSS is proud to be Belong To accreditation, and collaborative relationships with local colleges which demonstrates how its innovative model can interlinkwith and is valued by  established organisations.”

While mainstream schools work incredibly hard, Jess said the standard system cannot fit every child’s profile.

“Recent news highlights how difficult it is for many families to access special needs assistant hours or appropriate class placements.

“For many WCSS students, past and present, mainstream environments simply could not provide the environment they needed to learn,” she said. “At WCSS, things are done differently: there is space to explore, an accountable community to learn and grow within and there are no high-stakes exams, but that does not mean a dead end for third level education. Instead, the school offers the time and space for young people to discover who they are and which path is truly for them.”

For many local families, this alternative approach has been life-changing. One WCSS parent shared the direct impact it has had on their family saying: “At West Cork Sudbury School, my kids now feel safe, accepted, and heard. They belong. They have gained so much self-awareness and happiness in their own skin. They never say they don’t want to go to school, and they no longer come home upset and angry.” The founders of WCSS have always been determined to make alternative education accessible to all, regardless of family income.

“We know from meeting families over the years that people from all financial backgrounds are looking for places where their child can thrive,” said Jess, who is also a staff member.

“While other independent, as well as private schools, charge a flat amount, we knew that would exclude too many families.

Staff have even taken pay cuts and are now only earning minimum wage to ensure that self-directed democratic education remains an option for children of all economic backgrounds in West Cork.” As a registered non-profit charity, WCSS has been described as providing a vital, life-changing service to families in West Cork, and the school community say they are determined to continue.

The school is actively searching for a new building where it can grow and thrive. Given the number of derelict buildings in the area and the critical need for youth spaces, the school community is confident the right match is out there.

As a charity, Jess said: “WCSS is an ideal tenant for local property owners and is also highly open to sharing a space with a compatible community project, social enterprise, or local organisation.”

Anyone with a property, land, or a potential co-sharing opportunity in West Cork can email: [email protected].