September 1, 2014, 7:57 am
Child study is a form of assessment unique to Steiner schools – because it is anthroposophical. No other schools think it is important to use Rudolf Steiner’s “indications” on the best way to assess how a child is doing and make decisions about their future education. Parents must accept child study as part and parcel of Steiner […]
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September 1, 2014, 11:38 am
Our MP Neil Carmichael appeared on tv today talking about home education. In his constituency there are three times as many families home-educating their children as there are in the nearby city of Bristol. It was suggested by Mr Carmichael that parents in rural areas are more likely to want to educate their children themselves than […]
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September 2, 2014, 12:45 pm
The British Humanist Association (BHA) have run a campaign with two goals; they announced yesterday that their aims have been achieved. The first was that no state–funded school should teach creationism or intelligent design as scientific theories and the second was for evolution to be included in the National Curriculum for 10 and 11 year olds. […]
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September 7, 2014, 1:37 am
The Steiner criteria for deciding whether a child is ready for class 1 are listed in the Handbook for Waldorf Class Teachers by Kevin Avison. They include a category on physical development the anthroposophy expert lists as follows; can touch top of ear by reaching over top of head with opposite arm visible waist visible knuckles and […]
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September 10, 2014, 6:49 am
In a local education supplement today there is an advertisement for the Stroud Steiner free school. The ad asks parents to fill in their support survey. If the team are going to resubmit their application next month, I hope they will not be including signatures from parents who expressed an interest last time and who […]
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September 18, 2014, 9:55 am
I can’t re-blog this post from the Waldorf Review, as it is not on WordPress, but I hope people here in Stroud will read it and understand critics better. http://thewaldorfreview.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/open-letter-to-waldorf-educators.html This open letter comes from the heart. It spells out what Steiner movement has done – and what it continues to do, to children and families. […]
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September 19, 2014, 4:40 am
Graeme Whiting, headteacher at the Acorn School in Nailsworth commented on this blog in support of the Steiner free school bid but declined to answer our questions about exactly why he approves, apart from what he sees as a courageous “fight” for the tax-payer funded school they want. Since he has used his position in support of the […]
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September 30, 2014, 3:26 am
Following a recent conversation on the Stroud Steiner Free School Initiative facebook page on Friday I am left wondering if the group really are naïve about the influence the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship (SWSF) will have on their school if it opens. I asked whether non-anthroposophical members of the group would have a problem conforming to the requirements […]
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October 1, 2014, 12:57 am
I have asked the Free school Initiative group about the reasons for the failure of their bid in June. The person on facebook has agreed to provide a synopsis of their letter from the DfE; “OK sure, will put together a little synopsis of what feedback we did have – there is nothing too specific but we […]
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Bristol Steiner Academy are advertising for an English teacher.The school has just opened, and the information pack for applicants may be found here. Along with all other Steiner schools including publicly funded Academies and free schools, this school is not required to teach the national curriculum, nor does it have to employ qualified teachers. The English […]
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October 17, 2014, 1:03 am
Most teachers in Steiner schools, including state-funded academies and free schools, have been trained in anthroposophy, as required by the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship in their accreditation process document. The Godparents Anthroposophical Training Fund provides funding for this. This organisation provides loans for tuition fees to “students undertaking designated Anthroposophical vocational training courses in the UK”. […]
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October 28, 2014, 9:11 am
As most people now know the Stroud Steiner free school Initiative group has applied for the second time. The decision will not be known until March, but will be made before then. I have written to the department for education to object to this bid, and I know from last time that the views of […]
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November 3, 2014, 2:25 am
It’s bonfire night this week, a tradition going back centuries and widely celebrated with fireworks. Instead Steiner families in Stroud will be celebrating Martinmas on Saturday with a Lantern Walk. The parenting passageway explains Martinmas; “This festival is the middle point between Michaelmas and Christmas; the light of Martinmas fortifies our souls for the dark winter [Hence […]
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November 5, 2014, 6:50 am
Thursday November 6th at 7pm in the council chamber. NOTICE OF MOTION Introduction of a Free School into the Stroud District Proposed by Councillor David Drew and seconded by Councillor Stephen Lydon. “This Council opposes the introduction of a Free School into the Stroud District because there is no justification in terms of pupil numbers, […]
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November 7, 2014, 2:06 am
The name of the company formerly known as “Steiner Academy Five Valleys Ltd” was changed on October 28th according to the Uk companies List website. It is now called “Stroud Academy Ltd”. This was hinted at in a remark on the Stroud Steiner free school Initiative facebook page in response to a question from me. The whole […]
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November 10, 2014, 12:58 am
This year the national figures for pupils gaining 5+ A*- C GCSE grades in GCSEs used in the Student Performance Analysis tables do not include the BTEC. Students in class 9 and 10 at the state-funded Hereford Steiner Academy study for a BTEC in Countryside and Environment rather than science subjects. The results for Steiner Academy Herford show that only 29% […]
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December 1, 2014, 12:26 am
Why did Bernard Jarman write to a local paper this week in support of the proposed free school? Because it is a Steiner school and he is one of the elite Steiner followers who is well informed about anthroposophy. He failed to mention these facts in his lengthy letter. He is a Biodynamic consultant, according to […]
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December 3, 2014, 5:12 am
In a comment yesterday on the Advent Spiral post “Arne” explained how “…the anthroposophy is not taught to, but experienced by the children. It surrounds them in the form of ecologic and biodynamical made foods, the colourtheories of Goethe, emphasis on the seasonal changes and the nature that surrounds us and much more.” It is very useful […]
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December 5, 2014, 5:28 am
Arnebeck recommended a look at the Brighton Steiner school website as an example of how well Steiner schools explain themselves to parents looking for a suitable school. He says we can’t fail to read the signs, and that parents therefore cannot claim to be in the dark when they choose a Steiner school – or […]
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December 6, 2014, 8:34 am
After many months of being “under construction” one of our local Independent Steiner schools, Wynstones, has a bright, shiny new website, only recently up and running, so I decided to have a look at their anti -bullying policy. The document begins reasonably enough by making promises to prevent instances of bullying and provide a safe environment […]
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