Steiner schools - opinions and /or experiences please

[earthtomummy]

we're interested in Steiner schools for DS and would love to hear from anyone who has been to one or is putting their child through one. We've researched themonline, but personal experience is always better!

Bump.

Sorry I have no experience of it but I remember it on an old thread

Am interested to hear other parents' views as well.

Personally wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole. They are more of a cult that people realise -- make sure you really research the underlying philosophy and are happy for your children to be taught those things. The Steiner people are not particularly upfront about the beliefs behind their education system, so make sure you know what you're getting into.

It can be hard for children to switch to mainstream school because the curriculum is so out of synch. My cousin's Steiner-educated children were still non-reading at 8+, which is not unusual. Since they are generally also not allowed telly, films or story tapes, children's range of experiences can be limited in a way that can be frustrating to brighter kids. Also have not been impressed with the so-called creativity -- there's a very definite Steiner style which children are expected to follow, and there are some odd bits of philosophy, eg. black is not allowed because it's bad (or something?), felt tips not allowed because they're unnatural etc.

Attitude to discipline can also be a bit non-mainstream, which is a mixed blessing. I expected Steiner kids to be treehuggy little things busy doing their knitting and communing with nature, but it's closer to Lord of the Flies IME. Parents can be a bit cliquey too, particularly towards people who aren't paid-up anthroposophists.

It obviously does suit some people, but do your homework very thoroughly first.

Sounds slightly bonkers - doesn't come accross like that on the individual schools websites! Apart from Steiner schools, what alternatives are there to state and home ed'n? Montesorri doesn't go up to 16, does it??

I have mentioned this sometime ago in another thread, I known of a child who at 9 couldn't write at all, of a woman who refused to use a pushchair because it was against nature (as "no other animal carries its offspring in an artifact"), a woman who picks up her children from school using a horse cart, a mother who allowed her children to "express themselves" without any limitations (forget about other people's property, the kids could easily, but very organically, get themselves killed if you were not looking).

The only thing they all had in common was a Steiner School. So... although it crossed my mind at a time as there's no Montessori school in the area, I soon realised that they don't have much in common.

I don't want to raise an extremist, I just want a happy and tolerant child able to integrate succesfully into community, so it didn't seem like the right place for us.

Montessori is fantastic, I attended one until I was 12 yrs old, the school toke care to prepare children for the transition to traditional school after primary school, so most of us went into it well prepared and without problems.

We looked at a local Steiner school a couple of years ago when I wanted an alternative school for my son who was just starting year 5 at the time - I ran a mile! Not only were computers not used, but the children were actually forbidden to talk about computers/playstations etc. in the playground - how fascist is that! When I queried it I was told smugly by the woman running the introduction day that her daughter had gone to Oxford after being educated at the school so not having access to computers hadn't hurt her a bit. How lovely that her daughter was so bright, but I 'm not sure how relevant that was. I also know quite a few people who removed their boys from the same school as they felt there was a bit of a lord of the flies thing going on in the playground - the only things they were allowed to play with were "natural", i.e. lots of sticks and stones!!!!

The more I hear, the less I think it's for us. Looked into Montessori today, but nowhere really does up to 12 - or nowhere remotely nr. us. I suppose the only alternative now is to look for a school with small clas sizes. Any other ideas. DS may be dyspraxic and struggle with the standard curriculum.

I think Steiner schools dont go up to 16 or don't do gcses, I used to tutor a girl who needed to sit her gcses at alocal college. I could be wrong though.

gosh, this is interesting - I have been trying to drag a reluctant dh to a Steiner school for a look. I thought the curriculum might suit ds who is currently going through a diagnosis for aspergers/ASD. didnt realise it was cultish but it did appeal to the latent hippy in me. The peolpe we bought our house of send their children there and rave about it.

bunny2, which Steiner school. Do they vary in their intensity and fervour for anthropowhatsit? Are all the parents who use them odd?! Ds maybe has dyspraxia with some AS traits - finds social interaction difficult, which is why we were considering it and wondering if it would bring out his strengths - great imagination, and boost his self-confidence, and because of less emphasis on formal literacy and numeracy be less pressured environment for him right now. Equally, he loves books and being read to - is that allowed in a Steiner school? What are the previous owners ofyour house like?

They may well vary, but our local Steiner does do GSCEs and A levels, but are not included in league tables because they do them a year later than other schools (in the sense that the children are a year older as opposed to using old exam papers ). I know a few children who have been removed because of the bullying, and the ethos that adults shouldn't interfere, children should sort it out for themselves. There's also an issue, or can be, with the same teacher staying with the class throughout their schooling- great if you get on with the teacher, not so hot if you don't. The lack of any clear line management structure can make it hard to complain effectively about teachers if they aren't right for your child, too.

Having said all this I know there's a lot of variation from school to school.

careful ladies. i know what all of you mean, the no tv and computer stuff took me aback too. but i take ds to a steiner mother and toddler morning once a week and have to say the experience rather than the prejudice is amazing. it is totally different to the other playgroups i take him to: calm, relaxing for both and the children really get treated with respect. for eg, after an hour of free play they all wash their hands, and then a table is laid for them with a scallop shell as a plate and tiny china cup and saucer each (yes, i thought that everything would get smashed too, but it doesn't!) a candle and some flowers or autumn leaves. they children have a mid morning snack (all sitting round the table together) and i have to say at the beginning i was stunned by how well they took to it. if a toddler does kick off (as they do) there is no frowning on it, and the policy is one of distraction, but they don't have any kind of a go at me for disciplining him my way (i took him home early once). i've spoken to some of the parents at the school and not all of them observe the no tv thing by any means (tbh, i've been shocked by how easily and quickly ds has become totally addicted to tv, i use it, as am lazy, but really buy into the fact that it isn't great for them, when we were little we had a hour of kids tv a day and that was all there was, now there is unlimited with satellite and dvds..) and many of them come across as normal and irreverent towards some of the more wacky steiner ideas. i don't know if we will send ds there, but i would really check out a school before you make judgements.....like all ways of thinking and systems there are good and bad examples...and as parents you ultimately have the power to decide how your son will be raised. vis the reading: they don't frown on it at the school i take ds to, but they dont' teach it til they are 6 or 7. of course many of the kids have learnt to read well before then, but they have taught themselves...which is sort of the point...they've done it when they are ready.

etm, the family who live here before us sent their children to the Ringwood Steiner school (in the New Forest Dorset/Hants). The father was Head of Department at a local school so it was quite ironic that he should opt for such a different approach to education for his children! My ds struggles with early literacy but has a fantastic imagination and quite stunning artisic abilities - it is the emphasis on reading/writing at his current school that concerns me, he is already comparing himself to other children who are on higher reading levels. He is incredibly bright but really struggles with literacy and I dont want his confindence knocked. I hoped a Steiner education might suit him. I still intend to at least look around the Ringwood one.

sopahble, your playgroup sounds lovely.

i have to say bunny, despite other reservations about some of the theory it is lovely....and i've met some lovely mums and dads at it....

Yes, that's fair enough sophable, I certainly didn't mean to sound so negative. There's a lot of fantastic aspects to it. Ds went to a summer school there and it was wonderful. I also know lots of "normal" (sorry) people who use Steiner and are very happy with it without adhering too rigidly to the whole philosophy.

Wow harsh responses to Steiner eh?

Well both my brother and cousin have gone to Steiners in Edinburgh and have not got any cultish tendencies! Perhaps that is an issue but certainly has not been something that has affected them.

For both they were actually helpful as they are both severely dyslexic and the system there has helped.

So, I can't quite understand the negative attitudes actually. In my experience no one has been brain washed and both found learning easier there than in mainstream.

Also they do do higher examinations, my cousin is doing four highers this year.

ds's paediatrician was v positive about Steiner for 'square peg' kids. I did find the Xmas fete a bit knit-your-own-lentils for my taste though.

Lol, half my bloody birthday presents last year were from the Steiners Christmas Fete!

Yup, the vision of my Spiderman pyjama clad DS playing the kinderharp or a 'simple wooden recorder' did make me laugh. But on a serious note, given thatmy Ds is a square peg boy and that he is already aware that his peers are more able than him with writing and other skills - and if he's dyspraxic, prob. with literacy and numeracy too - then Steiner is an interesting option. His favourite toys though are big plastic animals from ELC...(and he wants a remote control dinosaur for Xmas...) - not v. Rudolf Steiner!!

etm, my ds is also desperate for a remote control dinosaour for Xmas! Ds is a square peg too - I am still interested in Steiner despite the neg comments.

i have to say that in terms of staff and ethos it is unfortunately extremely knit your own lentils....but not all the parents, or kids are.

Kings Langley Rudolf Steiner School has failed on safeguarding again. Worst report ever: reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/117631

ZOMBIE THREAD.

THIS THREAD IS 12 years old.

😭