Steiner education?

bestpud

Not sure where is the best place for this but here looks good!

I'm looking at secondary schools for dd(9).

I've considered private schools but the fees are too high and she isn't academically gifted so a scholarship or bursary is probably not an option.

And in any case, I'm wondering if the conventional education system is best for her.

Does anyone here have experience of Steiner Waldorf schools? We have a good one not too far away and I will visit but I'm trying to talk to anyone I can at the moment!

They have a waiting list so it may not be possible anyway and she is at an excellent primary school so I don't know if I'd want to move her before year 6.

She loves expressing herself through dance and music and prefers hands on learning but she's bright enough iykwim? Her current grades don't reflect her ability, that's for sure!

Home educating is a possibility, education wise, but I need to work so I'm not sure that is financially viable.

Any thoughts are welcome

sueeve

In my limited experience (I live near to a steiner school and have had dealings with several pupils in the past) the system does seem to produce very pleasant and well rounded people. Achieving high grades at any cost is not a part of the system, and if a person is working below potential they will be enouraged but not pushed. I'm not sure that I would want it for my daughters, but it is a very individual type of school. Why not ask if you can meet with the head, have a look round (while classes are in session) read up all you can. Do you have to pay to enter onto a waiting list? If not, why not do this, you don't have to take the place if it is offered.

bestpud

sueeve wrote: »

In my limited experience (I live near to a steiner school and have had dealings with several pupils in the past) the system does seem to produce very pleasant and well rounded people. Achieving high grades at any cost is not a part of the system, and if a person is working below potential they will be enouraged but not pushed. I'm not sure that I would want it for my daughters, but it is a very individual type of school. Why not ask if you can meet with the head, have a look round (while classes are in session) read up all you can. Do you have to pay to enter onto a waiting list? If not, why not do this, you don't have to take the place if it is offered.

Thanks. Everyone I have spoken to say the children tend to be pleasant and confident but I've read some rather disturbing opinions online this evening!

Trouble is, we aren't very open minded in this country and anything out of the ordinary seems to be fair game.

I will definitely be visiting and I will be contacting friends of friends who have children at the local Steiner.

The one here is state funded btw so it's free to attend and admissions are done via the LEA as far as I can tell.

I'm fast losing patience with the way schools teach to the test so I have no problem with the exam issue. I know it's not for everyone though!

starnight_2

I've no experience myself but knew someone that went to Steiner school. At first I thought it was strange because I had never encountered it before but she loved school and talked on end about it. She really enjoyed the school and experiences she had there, the way she described it, it was like tailored education to what she liked and was capable of. If they let you take a look around when school is on that would be a great way of seeing how the teaching environment is,

sueeve

I agree about teaching to the test, although the amount of testing is being reduced. But don't forget that entry to many courses, not just degree, are dependent upon getting the right grades at GCSE and/or A level. I have taught in a school where an occasional student transfers in in order to get these and the hard study needed can seem very difficult when they haven't been used to it. it's such a different world. Do check that they have decent courses for Key Stage 4 at least, with a reasonable level of success.

verysillyguy06

Always been connected to the steiner Education and our children and myself have gone to it. Personally I believe it is the best education system there is but only until they reach secondary school age. If you want your children to be acedemically achieving, it is rather more difficult and the gaps becomes bigger then

bestpud

verysillyguy06 wrote: »

Always been connected to the steiner Education and our children and myself have gone to it. Personally I believe it is the best education system there is but only until they reach secondary school age. If you want your children to be acedemically achieving, it is rather more difficult and the gaps becomes bigger then

Thanks for the replies.

That's what worried me VSG!

I'm not too hung up on academic achievement but I don't want to leave her without the choice iyswim?

They take GCSE English, Maths and English Lit, plus an environmental type GCSE.

I do know a lot of them go onto the local 6th form though and they are welcomed there, even without the GCSEs. I also know the local Tech college does not discriminate against them.

I have heard tutors saying they question everything and can be reluctant to accept the teacher's view on a subject, but I'm not sure I see that as a bad thing tbh.

VSG - did you and your children go into conventional education at secondary age? I'm looking to do it the other way with dd, which seem less popular!

verysillyguy06

bestpud wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

That's what worried me VSG!

I'm not too hung up on academic achievement but I don't want to leave her without the choice iyswim?

They take GCSE English, Maths and English Lit, plus an environmental type GCSE.

I do know a lot of them go onto the local 6th form though and they are welcomed there, even without the GCSEs. I also know the local Tech college does not discriminate against them.

I have heard tutors saying they question everything and can be reluctant to accept the teacher's view on a subject, but I'm not sure I see that as a bad thing tbh.

VSG - did you and your children go into conventional education at secondary age? I'm looking to do it the other way with dd, which seem less popular!

It is a very indivudial subject to be honest. My children are now in the state system and are doing very well.

However, in germany there have been studies in the past where children from steiner education would do badly the first year in uni courses as they need to catch up on the knowledge but once it goes into project work, they were often much better as they have learnt to think out of the box and are often well rounded personalities who can cope better with stress. But from personal experiences, I did struggle with the gaps and did not achieve the grade I wanted in my Abitur. In england most steiner schools are less developped than on the continent and course/ subject choices are minimal often.

GlasweJen

My sister looked at Steiner education for my niece (the school in Merchiston in Edinburgh). The school was fantastic, they used a student led learning sort of theory and the kids all seemed really enthused about learning at their school. She eventually sent niece to a different school but only because travelling to and from the Steiner would have been too much on the wee one. The plan was always to go Steiner for primary and then onto a private high school though.

bestpud

verysillyguy06 wrote: »

It is a very indivudial subject to be honest. My children are now in the state system and are doing very well.

However, in germany there have been studies in the past where children from steiner education would do badly the first year in uni courses as they need to catch up on the knowledge but once it goes into project work, they were often much better as they have learnt to think out of the box and are often well rounded personalities who can cope better with stress. But from personal experiences, I did struggle with the gaps and did not achieve the grade I wanted in my Abitur. In england most steiner schools are less developped than on the continent and course/ subject choices are minimal often.

Thanks.

I have a lot of thinking to do.

Tbh I wonder how well she is going to do in mainstream education once she leaves the excellent teacher she has now - she's not heading for academic brilliance, that's for sure.

She is bright though and loves expressing herself through singing and dance and is lucky to be in a school which encourages that and is very much into building confidence. However, as they move up the school, she is struggling more and test results are not reflecting her true ability at all. Worse still, she is noticing how grades are starting to matter.

I worry what will happen when she hits secondary school.

Part of me thinks I should make her stick it out and she needs to learn to conform and produce the academic goods, but I also have huge reservations about it all.

She's my third child and Steiner would not have suited my older two at all (one academically able and one less so) - it's as much personality as
anything, for me at least.

Lots to consider!

bestpud

GlasweJen wrote: »

My sister looked at Steiner education for my niece (the school in Merchiston in Edinburgh). The school was fantastic, they used a student led learning sort of theory and the kids all seemed really enthused about learning at their school. She eventually sent niece to a different school but only because travelling to and from the Steiner would have been too much on the wee one. The plan was always to go Steiner for primary and then onto a private high school though.

Yes, transport is a bit of an issue for me too although they do provide some transport. It's rural but it is my side of the city and I drive almost 6 miles to the primary she is at now.

Also, the secondaries I'd probably choose for her are a distance away too so I've kind of accepted there will be a travel cost of some kind.

Nice to know your sister liked the feel of it though. How much did she look into it? I've been reading of underlying issues but it seems to be a fairly small bunch of people criticising it.