New Summerhill Book

“For 36 years now Zoë Neill Readhead has been running the internationally known Summerhill School in Suffolk, founded exactly a hundred years ago by her father, the pioneering Scotsman A. S. Neill. Her book about ‘Parenting the Summerhill Way’ is infused with his spirit and ideas, but it is also shot through with the wisdom and the experiences she has gained over the years, both as a mother, and in dealing with children who have come to Summerhill from all over the world.

As she writes: ‘The very nature of the place, with its freedom and self-regulation and its strong community spirit, has enabled us to learn a lot about raising children.’She offers parents a potent mixture of radical ideas and sensible views about the needs of children – for justice and fairness, for their need for space, for the freedom to play. Her book includes many examples of these ideas being put into action, backed up by a series of pithy quotes from Neill himself.

— Jonathan Croall, Author of Neill of Summerhill: The Permanent Rebel.

 “Zoë Readhead’s Summerhill School has been a beacon of hope and a route to responsible adulthood for so many youngsters and their parents for many generations. Now, just as a combination of social media, pandemic restrictions and a threatening future has made being a ‘good enough parent’ so much more difficult Zoë has written a book on parenting - and for that matter grandparenting - which every parent should have at their elbow.”

“If they follow its advice, their children and grandchildren will have a better chance of navigating successfully the long years of childhood and especially the joys, sadness and hazards of adolescence. Then the beloved next generation will stand the best chance of emerging as responsible fulfilled adult citizens committed to think for themselves and act for others. Thanks to Zoë’s book, the ‘Summerhill way’ will reach into many more homes and shape the future for the better.”

— Professor Tim Brighouse, December 2021