The pilot study aims to explore cultures, practices and characteristics teachers’ and pupils’ value, how they engage with different participatory processes, how they perceive the school embodies their values, and what they consider as optimal participation and why. The focus is on a secondary school in Guyana. Questionnaires were administered, which will inform the development of questionnaires for the research project. Interviews will be administered and reported at ECER 2013. The Head Teacher, Deputy and four randomly selected students completed questionnaires separately. Coding included systematic data reduction, and the formation of six themes, reflecting varying situations of interaction between different ‘players’ that ‘operate’ within the school environment. Themes include networking with influential partners, and the Parent Teachers Association, full and free community participation with, and consultation on, curricular and extra-curricular activities, sharing and shaping values and beliefs regarding human rights through cultural and religious traditions, high expectations for achievement, effectiveness and efficiency, and promoting respect and understanding within and outside the school. Evidence reveals community participation usefully assists the school in a wide range of curricular and extra-curricula activities. The level and nature of this is yet to be ascertained and will explored in the next phase of this research.