Stories from the village

Education centers on three dimensions — self, relational, and environmental — drawing from Forest School, Montessori, and Steiner approaches, with hands-on learning, creative studios, and later rites of passage and practical skills training for teens.

Neos builds children's education around the same Self, Relational, and Environmental framework used for adults, blending forest-school, Montessori and Steiner-inspired hands-on learning with a thread of age-appropriate self-knowledge and consciousness work.

Instead of a one-size-fits-all classroom approach focused on rules, exams, and conditioning, Neos emphasizes teaching people how to think as sovereign beings—covering mindfulness, non-violent communication, respect for nature, growing food, and self-love.

For families, the village will include forest-style play areas built from the natural landscape, a rotating childcare circle so children are always watched over, and home clusters designed around shared gathering spaces like fire circles and dining areas.

The village is designed as three clusters with paths leading to fire circles and shared kitchens, natural rewilded play spaces instead of standard playgrounds, and a dedicated Sociocracy Circle managing shared childcare and educational sessions.

It covers the whole child's journey from earliest years through teenage rites of passage, with teenagers eventually training alongside adults at Neos Center through real internships in healing arts, facilitation, operations and land stewardship.

The initial approach targets adults, but the vision is to eventually embrace all age groups, passing knowledge from adults to teenagers and children through schooling, home education, and rites of passage.

Education operates under Portugal's home education framework: each child is registered with a host school, supported by a designated tutor, and assessed through national exams, with village learning mapped to Portugal's official curriculum goals.

This issue explains how Neos village is designed to support families and children, focusing on shared childcare, community responsibility, and a holistic, nature-based education system.

Neos plans to start with home education, which is regulated by Portuguese law: each child registers with a host school, is supported by a designated tutor, and sits national exams, while also exploring creating its own licensed school as a multi-year project.

neos·academy, previously known as The New Earth School, is a self-funded not-for-profit Community Interest Company that proposes a new education system concept. It aims to make expertise on holistic, eco-regenerative living accessible to everyone, activating each individual's potential rather than conditioning them.

You can join their online community and learning app, or visit in person at the village academy.