Freedom under Froebel – The Evolution of Ibstock’s Education System
History Editor Lorenza Rees, LVI, uncovers the foundations of our school and discovers that progress, and all its learnings, is part of the journey to perfection.
Lorenza Rees
Deputy & History Editor, 2025
Artwork by Kitty Colvin
Senior 7
Students typically don’t associate education with freedom. Homework, rules, detention, it can all sound rather constraining. However, little do the pupils of Ibstock Place know that they learn on the very soil where revolutionary attitudes to education first grew and prospered. The educational evolution of our school demonstrates the process of crafting a balance between academic success and freedom; something 21st century Ibstock has perfected.
Before Ibstock had its sports hall and refectory, Paget House was home to the Froebel Demonstration School. Established in 1894, just over 20 years before education became compulsory for children aged five to thirteen, Ibstock has very much been here since the beginning. It was affiliated with the Froebel Institute, derived from the pedagogy of 19th century German educator, Friedrich Froebel. This was the man who founded the kindergarten movement and the idea that play, free thinking and self-activity should all be part of a child’s learning process. Critically, for Froebel, education was freedom:
“I wanted to educate people to be free, to think and to take action for themselves”.
So, what did this radical teaching look like? Ibstock rejected the idea that students were passive learners, instead encouraging activity and inquiry. Primary students had greater autonomy over their work, frequently being able to ignore class activities and instead carry out their individual desires. This permitted greater self-discovery and evolution of the mind.
A pillar of Froebel’s pedagogy was nature, showcased by Ibstock’s Orchard. For over 130 years, these grounds have been a space for children to freely explore, play and use their five senses. Froebel believed green space could unite pupils and 130 years later this sentiment of community remains. The orchard continues to be a location for students of all ages to meet, chat and play freely during their lunch breaks; an element of Ibstock that has stuck with former generations of pupils. My father and uncles attended in the 80s and still reminisce about the games and friendships made there, along with cohorts dating back to 1955, as ex-pupil Dido Berkley (who recently returned to provide a talk to the younger pupils) described the Orchard as creating her long-term love of nature. She described how Ibstock lacked wealth or materialistic possessions after the war, but what really stuck with me was her comment that the school was rich with community, nature and joy which shaped her developmental years.
However, the old Froebelian model wasn’t perfect. My relatives remember the option to choose between core subjects like maths or ‘your own learning’. Whilst this could have provided the benefits Froebel had hoped for, instead (and perhaps as can be expected) they found the freedom enticing, rarely opting into lessons. As a result, they came out of the prep school with poor comprehensive skills and bad grades. This had long term implications, with one of my uncle’s reading skills being significantly worse than his peers who’d properly engaged with the system. Additionally, these learning models were designed for kindergarten and developmental years, so when Ibstock expanded to O-Levels, concerns arose from parents and a need to adapt became prevalent.
Therefore, Ibstock had to make some reforms to better comply to the system we are familiar with today. However, Froebel’s principles still shine through the framework of the 21st century education system and are especially prevalent here at Ibstock. I met with the Headmaster, Christopher Wolsey, to discuss this further. He believes you can legitimately say all schools are Froebelian, in particular pre-schools, but the core principles are particularly established at Ibstock. Mr Wolsey described this in three categories, the first being Ibstock’s outstanding commitment to extra-curriculars, with over 150 clubs meeting weekly, a particularly impressive number due to the size of the school. Ibstock fully embraces the Duke of Edinburgh award, annually sending pupils beyond the classroom into the great outdoors. This demonstrates Froebel’s desire to open out learning beyond the curriculum, something still alive and kicking at Ibstock today.
Secondly, throughout the school’s evolution, nature has remained vital. Beyond the Orchard new renovations have been made to increase access to nature, specifically for the younger pupils. In Bluebell Woods lies the forest school, with beehives, a pond and space for outdoor learning. This forest school could not be more Froebelian and is certainly an area the older pupils like myself wish they’d had access to as a child. Likewise, the creation of groups like the eco-club shows us the ability nature has to bring pupils and staff together. So, whilst Ibstock may not be suffering from the hardships of war that Dido Berkley witnessed, nature is still able to provide the communal values she remembers so fondly.
Mr Wolsey does not see freedom and academic success as conflicting tendencies, instead believing the best academic outcomes derive from an ability to exert freedom. However, Ibstock has evolved from the 80s and now sees independence accompanying growth. This is seen through the independent study periods available to sixth formers and the ability to leave the site in these periods during Upper Sixth. This is also prevalent through Ibstock’s push to ‘de-silo’ education. Froebel valued inter-connectedness, that all forms of learning in different subjects and beyond the classroom benefit each other and evolve the mind. Ibstock has been a unique driving force in pushing this motion forward as in recent years the Extended Project Qualification became mandatory. As a result, all sixth formers must use self-discipline and time management to produce an essay on a topic they are passionate about. Mr Wolsey’s desire to create space for freedom and independence opens an area in the curriculum for Frobel to continue nurturing students as he did in the 1800s.
Finally, I was curious to hear Mr Wolsey’s vision for how Ibstock will evolve in the future. He told me about Froebel’s desire to remain ahead of the curve and how he hoped Ibstock would remain on this positive, innovative path. The school’s willingness to tackle and appreciate the benefits that can come from AI and technology can be seen through employing a head of AI and in creating an e-sports centre for competitive gaming. Furthermore, all cohorts now use laptops in lessons which aids touch typing skills and creates tech savvy students well equipped for their adult lives. “It’s our job to make sure our young people are equipped with the skills to use technology to their benefit, and the benefit of society,” Mr Wolsey says. However, as Ibstock’s use of technology evolves, Froebel’s principles will not be forgotten. His roots are established in The Orchard, maintaining the appreciation of the outdoors, whilst his branches of freedom and creativity will only grow as new opportunities arise from Ibstock’s technological revolution.