Alternative Approaches to Education provides parents and teachers with information and guidance on different education options in the UK and further afield. This new and expanded edition, including additional chapters and up-to-date contact details, explains the values, philosophies and methods of a range of alternative approaches available outside and within the state system, as well as if you're 'doing it yourself'. Illustrated throughout with the first-hand experiences of children, teachers and parents, it provides lists of useful contacts, sources of further information and answers to common questions. Together with brand new chapters on recent research and contemporary debates, and on Free Schools, it covers: Small alternative schools Steiner Waldorf education Democratic schools Alternatives in the state system Parents as change agents Setting up a Small School or Learning Centre Home-based education Flexible schooling Exploring why alternative approaches to education are needed, this accessible and informative book challenges the dominant educational orthodoxies by putting children first. It will be of interest to teachers looking to build on their knowledge of different educational approaches in order to find new ways of working. It is also an ideal introduction for parents deciding how best to educate their children.