Botton Village
Botton School is situated in a beautiful rural setting close to Danby in the North York Moors National Park twenty minutes drive from Guisborough. It was founded in 1960 for the co-workers' children growing up in Botton Village. The Village began in 1955, the first of several centres established by the Camphill Village trust, which provide opportunities for adults with special needs to live and work in a community setting. Meaningful work on a human scale forms the bedrock of village life for villagers and co-workers. The workshops, such as bakery, weavery, creamery, woodwork, doll-making and candle-making, the farms and gardens, as well as the shops and a coffee bar, are all part of 'village life' for over 300 people.
Gradually the school expanded as the village grew in size. Then, in the late seventies, the school began accepting pupils from the wider locality and the Eskdale Community Trust for Education was formed to give Botton School legal independence from the Camphill Village Trust. In 1982 the school became a member of the Steiner Schools' Fellowship. Growth continued so that by 1998 the school had over 90 pupils, approximately half of whom lived outside the village in the surrounding locality, and eight full-time staff.
Whilst the school has grown in size and independence, it has maintained close links with Botton Village, which has much to offer the growing child. Over the years the workshops and farms have provided unique educational and social opportunities. The school also participates in the festive and cultural life of the village when and where appropriate.
The Village College
The Village College represents the high level of cooperation and goodwill that exists between the school and Botton Village. For many years there had been a wish to provide a building where the education of children and adults could find a common home. The Village College project was jointly conceived and funded by the school and Botton Village. Since its completion in February 1990, the purpose built Village College consisting of classrooms, hall, kitchen and dining/craft rooms provides a home for the school and for evening adult education classes during term time and for a wide variety of activities and conferences during the holidays. In 2004 an annexe with two additional larger classrooms was added.
in addition the school has the use of a separate kindergarten building and, sited above the village woodwork shop, a large space for crafts.
