talk to me about Steiner v Independent please!

[nefelibata]

Hi, I'm in a pickle trying to figure out what to aim for. I have two DS's, the eldest is v bright. Excellent language skills and very confident and outgoing. He's 3, July born, so will be going to school this Sept.

I'm not sure what to do about his reception year. In short there is a Steiner school nearby which is free, and set in beautiful grounds, but would be a car journey away. There is also a beautiful independent school but it doesn't have a reception intake, they start at age 7. If we aim for independent school I'd keep him local for now, and put him into the reception class in the inner city primary we live by (good, not outstanding report) then aim for 7+.

However I really believe that physical environment is a big factor in enjoying learning, and we are v. v. city centre, hence me looking for schools that will nurture a bit more creativity and outside play etc. The Steiner school is set in huge grounds and a gorgeous listed building, plus it's free and you can apply in the normal round of applications (due asap). The thing is, I don't really understand what it is about Steiner education that is so different, but I'm a bit anxious about the idea of children aged 6-14years old only having one teacher! It seems very restrictive, although the ethos of the education seems to be v unrestrictive... can you tell I have no idea about this kind of thing?? Can anyone shed some light for me please?

I am trying to work out if it's worth paying for independent school, and putting my son through 7+ and trying for a bursary, then having the anxiety about his brother getting in too... or is that all just a waste of time and I should go for the free Steiner school because they are in fact, bloody brilliant as it claims to be

Hello I was In this same position

I saw the Steiner school and I loved it but after I looked deeper into Steiner and what they did and attended a christmas fayre the held I decided against it.

The way they learn and teach seems brilliant and relaxed. But if your child is bright and eager to learn steiner often are against that in regards ro writing and reading. A child will not hold a pencil in Steiner until they are seven.

They have very set ways and rules about how they do things and the wider community often call them a cult because of this.

They were set up on the views and belief of Rudolph Steiner. People therefore do not like Steiner due to his ways and opinions on racism etc. Although I do not see this as a reason to be against Steiner as this was back in the 1940s and many people were racist.

However if this is a free state funded school they may be more relaxed and. Open to learning earlier

The best thing you can do is go and see for yourself and ask plenty of questions

Sorry for awful typos I'm on my phone hope you can make sense of what I have said

Do an advanced search on here for Steiner. I think it is very, very weird.

My decision on the end was I wouldn't take the risk of sending him there then after a couple of years realised I really didn't like it for DS and then put him in mainstream with no educational skills he would really struggle and that would be worse than never trying it in the first place

I'm going to sound like a curmudgeon but I really don't think you can dub a 3-year-old v bright. Precocious, advanced, sparky, but really you've no idea if they're going to turn out academic until much later.
Sorry to sound so snippy, but I've seen the total lack of correlation in practice (perhaps I just want to believe it as my ds could barely talk at 3. Dd2 could read. I really can't see much difference in long run).

Steiner are not brilliant. It's complete nonsense.

Put your child in the local free school which with a good rating you will find more than good enough and then see how you get on. Go and look round first and ask how they nurture creativity. Take your kids out of the city at weekends to run around in woods.

thanks for the info! I'll do a thorough search. Cult and weird is not a good starting point though lol.

I was very keen on human scale schools for a while but have changed my mind about that too, so perhaps I'm one of those people who likes the sound of these things but not in practice!

My DS went to a pre-prep nursery last term before we moved house and he adored it. Actually cried when I collected him, every time. He wore a uniform, did structured PE and music and forest school etc. He blossomed, which is why I am now looking at 7+. I'm a lone parent and XH won't countenance spending money on school so if I do it, I'm on my own with fees... hence looking at all the options! Putting 2DC through on my own makes me go a bit pale really.

Changing tack a little bit, does anyone have any clever insights into bursaries etc? What counts as low income and how do you put your child forward for one if you want to?

haha Farewelltoarms, I only used the word bright as shorthand, I don't think he's gifted and talented at 3 - just switched on and ready to learn :) I'm not advance applying for scholarships

I think in the days of free love and woodstock Steiner school might have made some kind of sense (I'm not sure what kind, but hey.) But in today's world it is just training for loonies, really, isn't it.