Special Character

Our school is part of the worldwide Rudolf Steiner Schools' movement which recognises, nurtures and fosters the interplay of the spiritual and physical bodies of the growing students in our care. Learning to think, to create, to actively engage and to shape ones life are vital factors in a whole person education. Rudolf Steiner (1875-1925) developed the Art of Education to uniquely interweave the body, soul and spiritual needs of the developing child's consciousness. Piaget, Erikson, Lievegoed, Vygotsky similarly reflect on a child's evolving consciousness and stages of development.

The curriculum is designed around meeting the student at these growth points to enhance and strengthen their challenges and opportunities that new stages of growth afford them. A holistic world view (both spiritual and physical) requires the teaching of a living knowledge that is translated into reading, writing, sciences, painting, maths, technologies, languages, music etc and becomes the basis for a student's worldly skills. With an 'inner' and 'outer' education, students gradually develop a healthy and independent ego in which to freely choose their path in life. This is the meaning of an education towards freedom. Rudolf Steiner called this 'wider' understanding of the human being, Anthroposophy (anthro = human, sophia = knowledge). The place of the human being in relation to the whole environment, how this evolves over time and the responsibility that we all have for that relationship is fundamental to the whole of this education.

Anthroposophy

Rudolf Steiner also had an influence on other developments that have a socially and environmentally integrating focus as outlined in "Toward a More Human Future". He believed that true human progress is not possible without finding a way to integrate our increasing mastery of the physical world with a renewed understanding of, and participation in, the spiritual. This he believed could be done, beginning in our century, in a scientific manner by strengthening and deepening our power of thinking until it becomes capable of directly and consciously apprehending spiritual truths.

This is to be accomplished through a combination of inner exercises, artistic activities, and scientific research along lines begun by J.W.Goethe, and the study and practical application of the results obtained by others. He outlined this approach (which he called Anthroposophy) in many books and lectures.

It needs to be very clear that no aspect of Anthroposophy is promoted at the school in any form. This is a philosophy that stands behind the teacher, but not imparted nor promulgated within the content of the lessons. There will be occasions where a senior student may ask questions regarding the basis of the school, from which an explanation will be given.