Pedagogical principles
Waymakers Cambridge is committed to creating a nurturing, inclusive, and neurodiversity-affirming environment for home-educated young people. Our pedagogical principles are designed to guide facilitators in co-creating meaningful, consent-based, interest-led experiences rooted in respect, autonomy, and care.
1. Interest-Driven Learning“We support flexible, interest-led, and project-based exploration, tailored to diverse needs.”
7. Facilitators as Co-Learners“Facilitators and volunteers co-create learning experiences tailored to learners’ needs.”
1. Interest-Driven Learning“We support flexible, interest-led, and project-based exploration, tailored to diverse needs.”
- Facilitators respond to young peoples’ interests, offering gentle scaffolding without imposing a fixed curriculum (except when this is explicitly asked for by young people where our approach to studying for formal qualifications is creative and collaborative).
- Projects emerge from the curiosities, passions, and lived experiences of each individual.
- Young people are treated as co-researchers and collaborators.
- We honour and celebrate cognitive, sensory, and emotional diversity.
- Facilitators create sensory-considerate environments and adjust expectations based on young people’s needs.
- Communication is respectful, consent-based, and trauma-informed.
- Especially in The Tinker Lab, but extending to all ages, we value play as a valid and powerful mode of learning.
- Facilitators offer materials and provocations that invite curiosity, experimentation, and imaginative thinking.
- There are no right answers—exploration is the goal.
- Relationships come first: facilitators build trust and emotional safety with each learner.
- We listen deeply, model compassion, and co-regulate when needed.
- Facilitators are aware of power dynamics and strive to create spaces where everyone is treated with equal respect.
- Learning extends beyond the individual, into the group and the wider community.
- Facilitators support collaboration and shared inquiry when welcomed by young people.
- We value intergenerational learning, mutual aid, and contributions from local creatives, makers, and mentors and support them to align with our core values
- Facilitators understand that presence can take many forms—physical, digital, emotional.
- We embrace flexible participation and make room for young people to engage in ways that feel safe and motivating.
- Engagement may evolve over time, responsive to a young person’s energy, wellbeing, and life context.
- We recognise that attending the weekly in-person groups may not be a fit for every young person straight away and signpost to and provide other ways to be part of the Waymakers and wider home education community.
7. Facilitators as Co-Learners“Facilitators and volunteers co-create learning experiences tailored to learners’ needs.”
- While all facilitators may have particular areas of expertise and draw on knowledgeable others (which may include young people themselves as well as other adults), our approach is to position ourselves as facilitators rather than deliverers of knowledge.
- Facilitators model curiosity, consensual agreement, self-reflection, and a willingness to adapt.
- Ongoing reflective practice, peer support, and training are encouraged.
Ethos of groups
Groundrules
While we are very clear that Waymakers does not operate like a school, in a room with, for example, 12 children present, it is important to have some clear groundrules to maintain the ethos of the group. Groundrules work best when they are mutually agreed so that they work for all parties. Therefoe groundrules for sessions and groups are regularly discussed with all adults and children involved. Facilitators are asked to seek and value the input of everyone involved in the groups regardless of age. The groundrules below are a starting point and each session and group may have additional ones specific to them:
Clear boundaries on acceptable behaviour
Violence, aggression and passive aggression are never acceptable. If ever a clash occurs that cannot be immediately resolved, participants will be separated if necessary so they can spend some time away from each other (e.g. move to quieter part of room or step outside where other responsible adults are available) to assess their own feelings and diffuse the situation. We will prioritise venues with easy access to outside space which young people will be supported to make use for free play and self-regulation.
Waymakers is a community collective, not a school and embraces compassionate approaches so has no formal disciplinary procedures. There is however, a very clear expectation that we support each other in maintaining a safe space and always ask ourselves and each other if what is happening works for everyone involved and work together to make adjustments if it's not. If a participant is feeling overwhelmed that day and is likely to find it hard to attend, it’s absolutely fine to skip it or leave early - they will always be welcome back next time.
To ensure all participants feel safe, if ever a situation becomes uncontrollable, this being where a participant is acting dangerously, is continuing to behave inappropriately or is desperately unhappy, then the parent will be called to collect them as soon as possible. This will always be a last resort but for this reason and in case of emergencies please be contactable while the class is in progress or have someone on standby for you.
Leaving the building
Participants are expected to stay in sight of facilitators during sessions except of course to use toilets. Facilitators will also need to have sight of parents at collection time. If someone else is collecting your child, please ensure you make us aware of who they are.
Enjoyment
At Waymakers, enjoyment is the most important aspect of what we do and we hope your child enjoys being part of something our facilitators and volunteers are excited to provide. Thank you for taking time to read through this document and do please keep it for reference. Feel free to get in touch with us if you wish to discuss any details or if you have any specific requirements - our policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and we welcome input from the Waymakers community. We are always happy to incorporate local talent and skills into sessions, so if you have any and wish to be involved please do let us know.
- All parents, children and facilitators are asked to ensure they are familiar with our shared agreement
- Every participant is equal regardless of age (and of course gender, race and ability)
- Everybody has a right to be heard, whilst respecting the same for others
- Being fallible is natural
- Everyone demonstrates respect for self and others regardless of age or ability - this absolutely includes adults modelling this behaviour
- Create an atmosphere where it is safe to try new things without fear of embarrassment
- Create a social and playful environment
- Recognise that everyone has skills to develop
Groundrules
While we are very clear that Waymakers does not operate like a school, in a room with, for example, 12 children present, it is important to have some clear groundrules to maintain the ethos of the group. Groundrules work best when they are mutually agreed so that they work for all parties. Therefoe groundrules for sessions and groups are regularly discussed with all adults and children involved. Facilitators are asked to seek and value the input of everyone involved in the groups regardless of age. The groundrules below are a starting point and each session and group may have additional ones specific to them:
- Everyone contributes to a mutually inclusive and supportive environment.
- Be mindful of our own and each others’ personal space, preferences and thresholds.
- We are kind and gentle towards each other at all times.
- We respect and care for the space we are using.
- We are supportive of anyone who is struggling.
Clear boundaries on acceptable behaviour
Violence, aggression and passive aggression are never acceptable. If ever a clash occurs that cannot be immediately resolved, participants will be separated if necessary so they can spend some time away from each other (e.g. move to quieter part of room or step outside where other responsible adults are available) to assess their own feelings and diffuse the situation. We will prioritise venues with easy access to outside space which young people will be supported to make use for free play and self-regulation.
Waymakers is a community collective, not a school and embraces compassionate approaches so has no formal disciplinary procedures. There is however, a very clear expectation that we support each other in maintaining a safe space and always ask ourselves and each other if what is happening works for everyone involved and work together to make adjustments if it's not. If a participant is feeling overwhelmed that day and is likely to find it hard to attend, it’s absolutely fine to skip it or leave early - they will always be welcome back next time.
To ensure all participants feel safe, if ever a situation becomes uncontrollable, this being where a participant is acting dangerously, is continuing to behave inappropriately or is desperately unhappy, then the parent will be called to collect them as soon as possible. This will always be a last resort but for this reason and in case of emergencies please be contactable while the class is in progress or have someone on standby for you.
Leaving the building
Participants are expected to stay in sight of facilitators during sessions except of course to use toilets. Facilitators will also need to have sight of parents at collection time. If someone else is collecting your child, please ensure you make us aware of who they are.
Enjoyment
At Waymakers, enjoyment is the most important aspect of what we do and we hope your child enjoys being part of something our facilitators and volunteers are excited to provide. Thank you for taking time to read through this document and do please keep it for reference. Feel free to get in touch with us if you wish to discuss any details or if you have any specific requirements - our policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and we welcome input from the Waymakers community. We are always happy to incorporate local talent and skills into sessions, so if you have any and wish to be involved please do let us know.