Steiner Free Academy In Exeter

[sannaville]

Hi all, dd2 is a late August birthday and had a bit of a rough start. She doesn't like preschool much and I'm not entirely sure she will adjust well to your average reception class. I've seen the new Steiner free Academy will be opening this year in exeter and am considering this as an option.

Does anyone know much about it and will it differ much from the traditional Steiner paying schools ? I've read they can be quite cult like. Unfortunately there's no Montessori in Exeter and we can't afford private school anyway. All views welcome!

Thanks

"My children are not learning how to read or write yet (they encourage that at age 6 around the time their second set of teeth come through- for good reason)"

Oh yes. That "good reason" is Steiner's belief that reincarnation of the old spirit into the child's body isn't complete until adult teeth start coming through. They wait for that to start teaching stuff. Until then, it's all wishy washy watercolor paintings and a silly swaying dance called eurythmy to facilitate the child's communication with the spirit world

I don't care what nonsense strangers believe in. To each their own and all that. But hell will freeze over before I leave my DC in the care of hippies with single-digit IQs who actually believe this crap.

I don't care what nonsense strangers believe in

I agree, adults are entitles to believe in and follow any deluded hallucination that they like.

However, it is of concern to the whole of society when children re exposed to this nasty, vicious, ignorant, spurious lunacy

"Gnomes are great! Who cares if they are 'real' or not? - many people believe in all sorts of stuff that we can't see (God, aliens, the big bang, atoms - well- I've never seen one so I just believe in them....blah, blah, blah)."

Are you fucking for real?

You sound perfect for Steiner. Only people like you who can tell the difference between belief in gnomes (fantasy) and knowledge of atoms (reality) would knowingly send their children to a Steiner school.

I totally agree Copper.

Something must have happened to make you both so venomous towards Steiner education and quite personal insults towards the teachers (IQ level, really?!). My children have been there a year and none of us have heard anything about astral bodies, corporeal beings or gnomes being of any importance other than in fairy tales like trolls and princesses. Steiner had some wacky beliefs, I agree with that. Some people who have nothing to do with Steiner have wacky beliefs! I am here saying that am my children's school in particular, these things do not apply. Not once have I heard any of the parents mention things like that, or the teachers or in any writing present in the school. My children have never done euruthmy, although I know it to be a type of dance that is offered to older children in the school. Maybe it occurred in the schools/experiences that are unique to you, please do not tar everyone with the same brush. Your hateful comments about things you think Steiner schools are teaching are out of date as well as untrue.

Don't know a lot about Steiner per se, but I do know that the children who've been to Exeter Steiner who then have moved to the school where I teach have struggled to settle into mainstream state ed.

Eurythmy it cures everything doncha know?? I was made to do something called 'curative eurythmy' to improve my eyesight (glasses wearer since an early age). Who know that endless hours spent holding copper rods whilst staring without glasses on at a blue cloth then a pink cloth could do what modern ophthalmology can't??

(Spoiler - it did fuck all for my eyesight and not much for my karma either)

Roseredirish I assume you read their Ofsted reports?

reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/139661

I do wonder if the real reason you are reviving zombie threads is because: "the school is still in the process of recruiting pupils to fill the different year groups." (taken from the latest Ofsted report).

Now why on earth would such a wonderful school (as per your description) have empty places?

You're right, something did happen to me. I put DD's name down in a Steiner school without realizing what they stand for and believe in. And that is because none of the school management & teachers I spoke to breathed a word about reincarnation, spirit world, etc.

With their creepy singsong voices, they told me half-truths and blatant lies such as "We start every day with poems". What they don't tell you is that it's always the same "poem" that talks about "spirit of God" and "the spirit who lives in me", which is in fact a prayer that's recited by all Steiner children around the world

They tell you "Oh we don't like children to spend time on electronic devices" which sounds good until you learn that this aversion is because Steiner said a devil called Ahriman speaks through the screen

They hide these and other beliefs that are the foundation of their pedagogy and system of education, because you as the parent don't matter - the child isn't yours, he is s reincarnated spirit! Why would they care what you think?

It's a shockingly inadequate system based on nonsense woo, "taught" by cultists with weird singsong voices (yes, all the same) determined not to teach children anything at all except stories about nature, seasons, and of course... gnomes.

Yes, cult. Imagine my shock when I realized that Steiner schools are on French government's list of cults, right next to Scientology.

My children have been there a year and none of us have heard anything about astral bodies, corporeal beings or gnomes

you don't understand anything yet about the way children are subtly drawn into this voodoo wacky fascism.

Consider this your early warning.

if you care about what is best for your children, remove them now.

I'm sorry, I regularly find myself laughing at these posts. I love my children, which is why I entered them into a school where formal learning isn't pushed upon them from age 4. I repeat, Steiner had some very wacky beliefs, we are now in the 21st century and I assure you, a huge amount of steiner a beliefs did not make it to their current schools. I would rather there were less spaces at the school, as that means smaller class sizes! There are now several state funded Steiner schools, one of which my children attend, and these are going to be adhering to ofsted more than the private ones, which I have no experience with. Our school is inspected by ofsted, the headteacher is lovely and caring and very passionate about what he does. I posted on these threads as I was looking up something on the Steiner websites and stumbled upon these, not one, but several threads that have been taken over by people who have grudges against the Steiner system as a whole, purely down to their beliefs and/or one experience.
They have a rule against electronics because they. Are. Detrimental. To. Childrens. Health. It's been scientifically proven.
Everyone is different, Steiner is not for everyone as I said, but according to the vast amounts of parents who use the schools currently, I'd say you've got it massively wrong. That fact that you're even attempting to say that I've been sent to write on these old threads because I'm trying to in doctrine others and recruit people is proof of how low people such as you have fallen in trying to bad mouth the Steiner ethos.

Roseredirish - I would rather there were less spaces at the school, as that means smaller class sizes!

For a state school, it also means less funding.

Our school is inspected by ofsted

Yes, perhaps you might like to actually read those reports. Early years doesn't seem to be an issue, later years, however...

vast amounts of parents who use the schools currently

Really, so how many Steiner schools are there in this Country? I really don't think anyone can claim that vast amounts of parents in this Country are choosing Steiner Schools.

proof of how low people such as you have fallen

Actually I think it is pretty low to try to suggest that anyone introducing their children to formal education at the age of 4 doesn't love them as per your comment I love my children, which is why I entered them into a school where formal learning isn't pushed upon them from age 4.

Definitely just coincidence that you popped up on a 4 year old zombie thread just as the safeguarding issues and chaotic mismanagement of a leading UK Steiner school hit the national press :) How lucky you happened to be searching Mumsnet for old threads on the subject!

I have done what I came on here to do which was point out that what some people are staying in these threads is either untrue or one persons opinion. I have provided another. If you're interested in Steiner, go and visit it and form your own opinion.

It's been scientifically proven.

no it hasn't, so there you are, a demonstration of a Steiner lie, and you swallowing it.

That fact that you're even attempting to say that I've been sent to write on these old threads because I'm trying to in doctrine others and recruit people is proof of how low people such as you have fallen in trying to bad mouth the Steiner ethos.

Who said you had been sent to write on old threads???

People from Steiner ARE employed to write on old threads, and if "they" have told you they don't do that, that's another lie ,and another swallowing.

I don't think I said that anyway? maybe I did, because of course, we can't actually know if you are a steiner sock puppet, or a genuine victim.

If you are a steiner sock puppet, you need to have your message consistently and thoroughly negated every time.

If you are just another victim, you need information, and warnings, and suggestions of an exit strategy.

Either way, the brain washed platitudes, denials and minimisation in your posts is unlikely to be let lie on MN

I don't need to visit a Steiner school to form my own opinion. I spent nearly a decade as as pupil at one and then the best part of 20 years on the periphery of the school community. I'm replete with knowledge about what a shitstorm they are but thanks for the suggestion :)

I don't need to visit a Steiner school to form my own opinion.

I don't think it would be a good idea for me to visit my nearest Steiner School as it is the one currently in the media (and the feedback from a close friend who withdrew their 2 DCs from there is a stark contrast from the picture Roseredirish is trying to paint).

Are there any current Exeter Steiner parents who can shed light on the sudden closure? I assume it’s not just to do with the July safeguarding breach or Ofsted wouldn’t have allowed the school to reopen after the summer holidays at all.

The statement in tne press says serious safeguarding and SEND concerns .

Yes, I’ve seen that, but I know some parents have approached Ofsted directly too. I’m wondering whether the concerns are of the “we don’t understand Steiner philosophy” kind or the “these people are dangerous charlatans” kind, and I would be interested to gauge the mood among current parents (as someone who was considering SAE for my DC but now, rapidly, isn’t!)

Ofsted close down schools at short notice due to “this is a physically unsafe environment “ sort of concern, coupled with “this school has no safeguarding in place “ in terms of policy, training and practice. Not over the finer points of Steiner pedagogy. Though I dare say there will be a commentary in the report when it is made public in a couple of weeks.

I agree with you, parents will have their own illuminating observations.

Interesting that the statement does cite SEND provision as a reason for urgent closure, given some comments earlier in this (old) thread.

Exactly pillow. If it was a pedagogy/teaching and learning issue then the school would have ended up in special measures. It’s really, really unusual for them to close a school at short notice. It only happens if the children are at risk of harm from the school staying open.

I’d take a guess that the leadership hadn’t learnt anything from the July safeguarding incident, hadn’t put anything in place to prevent it happening again and that the inspectors uncovered more safeguarding issues when they dug a bit deeper.

The SEND issue does leap out given some of the Steiner beliefs about SEN.

I’m ignorant about this, Rafals: what is it they believe about SEN?

Two kindergarten kids wondered off and were returned by the police. The teachers had not noticed that they were missing