A few points to previous comments in this thread...in order of posting:
There will be, contrary to what school teachers say, very little help or provision for any child with special needs or a 'sensitive' child due in part to the small size of the school and staff. They may do ok in kindergarten, transition or class 1 & 2 but then it will be all down hill most probably due to bullying.
Dont by fooled or charmed by the nice setting, the pretty buildings, wooden toys of pastel classrooms. This is a cult and most teachers and staff (if not all) are far more 'into' anthroposophy' than will be apparent from a conversation or open day
AMuminScotland writes: From what I've heard of Steiner schools (not personal experience), children often get rather a lot of "rough and tumble" as the teachers generally do not intervene to stop it, as they believe it is "karma"!..." It seems odd to me that a euphemism is needed for bullying, but I can assure you that there is a greater risk of peer to peer and teacher to pupil bullying in Steiner. When bullying or abuse happens parents are fobbed off, and the staff do little or nothing as they believe it is the child's Karma to be bullied and a beneficial correction for a previous life. There is no head, but a college of teachers. In practice this means that teachers can avoid individual responsibility and accountability. Parents also almost always come of second best because they usually know less about anthroposophy so are looked down on as a result. When the school teachers and staff close ranks...there is no clear path for parents to follow...no place to turn.
Find out how many teachers currently working at Canterbury Steiner School (formally known as Perry Court Steiner School) have a PGCE or are properly qualified for the subject they teach.
Regarding Rosesinbloom comments about the artwork.
The method of painting is not free at all. Rather the materials are specified/allowed (eg no felt tips), the colours are specified (no black, brown, white or grey), the content of the pictures is specified and copied from a teachers example. The picture will be of amorphous shapes or various crystal type forms while normal things like people, animals, houses, cars, planes etc are discouraged or forbidden. There is a lack of individuality because so much is not allowed and so much is simply copied from a teachers example or is heavily circumscribed. Of course they actual pictures look different to a degree, but its not free or individual. Art is heavily restricted to and circumscribed by anthroposophical ideology. The purpose is not to let kids be individuals, but so that the class teacher can, by analysing the painting, label (in his or her mind) your child with one of the four temperaments and make spiritual judgements about your child. It is also done in order to help the teacher develop their 'clairvoyant' powers and thereby get to know what is going on spiritually with your child. Of course its all rather open to errors of judgement, but there you go.
Roseinbloom is possibly one of the paid staffers who are tasked with propagandising for Steiner Schools and misleading parents on forums and websites throughout the www. The lack of intellectual rigor or indeed any kind of clarity of sense in what he/she has written is a good example of the gobbledegook, obfuscation, denials and misleading comment put about by Steiner fans and Anthroposophists.
Regarding Roseinbooms comments about the Camphill movement. Actually Steiner did not start Camphill.
Camphill was founded by a paediatrician named Karl Koenig. Steiner was well known to Koenig, but they disagreed about fundamental things in education and special needs in particular. So we can see on this forum that misleading comments are posted by a Steiner supporter.
In Steiner schools, pupils with special needs and physical disability will be very vulnerable and the ethos of Camphill Schools and Adult villages are not applied.
Look on google for example at the logo of Theosophy. Notice anything a bit creepy about it? Well Steiner was the head of Theosophy before going off to found Steiner Schools...you have been warned.
For those in the right area, I am aware that Petham Primary has a Good Ofsted rating and small and in a lovely area. There are also many other good schools in the Canterbury and Ashford areas for all ages and abilities.