The micro-school format is gaining popularity around the world. Parents are attracted by the individualized approach to learning and programs aligned with international standards.
Spark Bali School is exactly this kind of micro-school. The EdDesign Mag team visited the school and gained insights into its educational philosophy, the structure of its academic programs, and the core principles that guide its operations.
Spark Bali School is a micro-school designed for 30 students aged 13 to 17. At the time of our visit, there were 15 students enrolled. These students live in Indonesia but come from all over the world.
The school follows a year-round enrollment system, with a one-week observation period to assess students academically and, most importantly, emotionally. To support this approach, the school has integrated the International Cambridge curriculum and its qualification exams, providing students with globally recognized certification that enables them to relocate or continue their education internationally.
Founded in 2018 within an educational center, the school’s space is highly flexible. Different areas flow into one another, creating interdisciplinary and mixed-age learning groups. The school has three classrooms (each for 10–12 students), a library, a music room, and a large communal space that includes a dining hall and kitchen.
One of the school’s unique features is its well-equipped skate park. It’s not just a recreational facility but a valuable tool for working with students who face challenges in social interaction, dyslexia, or dysgraphia. Adolescence, with all its hormonal, social, and cognitive changes, requires a targeted and individualized approach—something Spark Bali School excels at providing.
Daniela Budi, the school’s founder, originally from Italy, has a strong background in anthropology, political science, and sociology. She has worked in the U.K., China, Australia, and Singapore. Eventually, she shifted her focus to working with children who require a special approach, and she built her school’s educational model around this experience. The demand for such a model is high — estimates suggest that 15–20% of students worldwide have dyslexia, meaning about one in five students, or two to three per classroom.
Micro-schools are becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Parents appreciate having a school close to home, avoiding traffic issues, and benefiting from a personalized approach to education. International programs like IB and Cambridge help standardize education, giving families greater mobility than before. More importantly, micro-schooling focuses not just on academic achievements but on developing social skills, understanding oneself as part of a community, and recognizing one’s contribution to the city, country, and world. And isn’t that the most important skill of the 21st century?
Watch the interview with Daniela Budi, founder of Spark Bali School:
June 2025
