Mary-Ann Ridgway, a mother of two, co-founded, developed, and taught at a progressive community school in the UK for over twenty years. She is currently mentoring transformative education initiatives in Europe, driven by her passion for contributing to positive change in society and the world at large.
Mary-Ann is a pioneer in primary education, with extensive expertise in developing and implementing fertile learning environments for children. Her approach honours and stimulates the child’s natural disposition to engage deeply with understanding their human nature and their relationship to the planet, while also igniting their interest in acquiring the knowledge and skills required by present-day society. Recognising the urgent need for collaboration, she has honed effective ways for fostering fruitful working relationships between teachers and parents.
Inspired by her own education at a school founded by the philosopher J. Krishnamurti, she pursued a diploma to become a teacher. She also studied Montessori pedagogy and deepened her understanding of education through further studies and exchanges with radical educators such as Eleanor Duckworth, Kabir Jaithirtha and Gopal Krishnamurthy.
What people are saying about the book:
James Mannion (speaker, teacher trainer, author, podcaster)
I love this book! A refreshingly honest, first-person account of life in a self-directed learning community. Mary-Ann’s writing embodies all the qualities we might wish to cultivate among children and young people - thoughtful, steeped in compassionate curiosity - and, of course, self-directed! Highly recommended for anyone interested in exploring radical alternatives to the mainstream and a much-needed deep shift in our culture.
Rosalyn Spencer (Education consultant, author)
The story of an inspirational small school - This is a wonderful, inspirational, and exceptionally well-written book. Mary-Ann beautifully balances personal anecdotes with thoughtful discussions on alternative approaches to education that foster children's natural curiosity and development. She questions the status quo and thinks carefully and deeply about every aspect of children’s learning. With honesty and reflection, Mary-Ann shares both the joys and challenges of her work, making this a must-read for anyone interested in progressive education.
Sue Roffey (Speaker, author)
In Other Woods: The Story of a Small School by Mary-Ann Ridgway. This is basically a biography of a school, why it was established, how it developed and the outcomes for the children and young people who are educated there - as well as their families and the teachers. It is dedicated to a philosophy that promotes agency in learning and an educational approach that enacts all the ASPIRE principles. It is jam packed with ideas, heart-warming stories and suggestions for dealing with inevitable challenges. Readers will find a wealth to discover between the pages of this book about a holistic education that respects the uniqueness of every pupil while teaching them to care for others - and the precious natural world they live in.
A. Vlad
Mary-Ann’s book is a jewel - it’s easy to read, it's almost like sitting with a friend over a cup of tea and having a wholesome conversation about her journey at Inwoods while sharing her views as an educator and parent and overall a very eloquent person with an admirable take on life, education, learning and relationships. It’s profound, it’s honest, I love how she backs up every ‘discussion’ or highlighted principle with an example. The notions highlighted and shared by Mary-Ann go beyond learning for children and education for young minds, they can be applied to workplaces, to adult relationships, to adult learning; they highlight what’s lacking in our society and what could make it so much better.
G.Krishnamurthy (Director of Environmental Studies, Antioch University, U.S)
This book provides an intimate account of education as reflective action. It touches who we are, what we are to each other and how we are to live in and with this world.
V. York (Educator and former colleague)
Mary-Ann! I've finished the book! I'm floating, flying! It's an inspiration! It's well-written and utterly compelling, energising as a book on education jolly well should be! What a read! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing this. You've done us all a service.
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