The Damanhur School was opened in 1985, brought about by the initiative of parents who desired to be directly involved in the education of the children.
The Damanhurian School has kids from nursery to Middle School and came into being within the ‘Damanhur Education’ Association, with the assistance of volunteers. The school is recognized by the Comprehensive State Institute of the area. In accordance with a holistic view of learning, the school places the child at the centre of the educational path. Presently, there are 140 parents – including some of the inhabitants of the Valley who are not Damanhurian citizens – who have chosen the Damanhurian School, considering it to be at the forefront of education.
The primary goal is to create an environment where ‘one learns how to learn’.
The Damanhur School has founding principles which touch upon the expression of creativity, spiritual awareness, the valuing of diversity, the environment and peace through doing work with all age groups.
One of the fundamental elements is traveling, in the sense of getting out of the classroom and experiencing learning and growth through practical experience. In fact, children of all age groups have frequent travel experiences in Italy and abroad, tailored to their age, to acquire knowledge and independence outside of their usual environment.
Alongside the state curriculum, the Damanhur School also provides activities linked to self-expression, awareness of and contact with nature and constant experimentation in practical experiences, which help the child to develop their own personality and to experience whatever they are learning in real life.
The Family School of Damanhur has infants and children between the ages of 6 months and 14 years, with a total of around 100 students; French, English and German children also attend the school, and there are frequent exchanges with international hosts. Learning foreign languages begins in nursery school.
The School takes an active part in environmental awareness and solidarity campaigns. The children have been the protagonists in several meetings with Greenpeace, including staying on board the Rainbow Warrior during its stopover in Genoa in the summer of 2006 and they are supporting the building of a school on the island of Mancarroncito in Nicaragua, through the Non Governmental Organization, Re.Te.
Since 2005, the School has been awarded the green flag of the FEE Eco-School, an international organization that acknowledges those who are active in environmental projects.
