What do students do all day?

Students at Sudbury Valley spend their days making real choices about how to use their time.

There is no preset curriculum and no single schedule everyone follows. Instead, the school is a community of individuals who decide how to spend their days, working alone or with others on what they are drawn to pursue. A “typical day” is as hard to describe as a typical day off from work.

On any given day, students might be outdoors exploring the woods, building structures, playing games or sports, or talking with friends. Others may be reading, writing stories, creating art, practicing music, coding, playing video games, cooking, or working on long-term projects. Some run clubs (called corporations), plan events, start small businesses, or collaborate to solve real problems that arise in the school community.

Conversation is a central part of daily life. Students of all ages talk with one another and with staff, sharing ideas, debating rules, telling stories, asking questions, and learning from lived experience. This constant exchange deepens language skills, critical thinking, and social awareness.

Students also participate in the governance of the school. They attend School Meeting, serve on committees, help create and uphold rules, and take responsibility for shared spaces. These experiences are woven naturally into the day, not set apart from it.

Some days are energetic and social. Others are quiet and focused. Some students immerse themselves deeply in one interest for months, while others move fluidly among many activities. All of these rhythms are respected, because learning does not follow a single path.

Because their days are not structured for them, students learn to structure their own lives. They decide what matters, how to use their time, and how to balance interests, relationships, and responsibilities. Over time, they develop a strong sense of ownership over their time and themselves.