Steiner free school anyone?

[3asAbird]

Ok anyone at steiner exeter, hereford or go other steiner schools want give me some feedback.

keep hearing negatives.

baically start r but kindergarten 2years
then year 2 is lower primary goes all way upto year 7
They dont start formal reading/writing untiil year 2 age 7
no efys, phnics test, natipnal curriculum or keystage 2sats.

from what i can see they free of testing.

they agreed keystage year 6 testing although what they would score if not followed curriculum.

1 form tutor then lots subject teachers but several years with same teacher.

apparently herfeford achieved god gsces but they only offer 7

I been assured its not a cultish religion or pagens/athiests.
its educational philosophy in same way motentessori.

but its is alternative and need think would it limit them academically.

[Tamarandave]

3asabird writes in relation to Steiner schools: "I....keep hearing negatives". Well there is a very good reason for that. Run a mile....and then keep running some more....then a bit more still.

Free of testing sounds great...who likes exams after all?
But no testing also means you have no objective ideal of how your children are doing. You only have the word of the class teacher to go on. You will be at his/her mercy and will have to place all your trust in them and what they say.
It also means you wont be able to find out if your child needs extra help to catch up, or indeed is advanced and could do with bringing on...or has a particular gift that needs cultivating.
It also means the Steiner teacher is less accountable and therefore less likely to feel responsible. It also means they can avoid scrutiny if they are bad teachers.
Ok you say...maybe you will find out without tests. So you can go to the head and complain... Sorry but there wont be a head to go to. Just a college of teachers where no one takes responsibility and nobody is held accountable. The teachers and staff just watch out for each other and the parents are left without anywhere to turn.

[escaped]

I agree rain17. Everyone should do thorough research. Thanks for this link.
I hope readers do their utmost to read everything and then take into account the pros and cons. If people choose to take this particular path, they must be armed and have gusto, to take a step back and have a real good hard look as to what these institutions have to offer. Is this really what you want for your child? You can instil good nature, manners, respect, education, happy, fun loving children - at home. Why give this responsibility to schools? Especially a steiner school. My advice is to stay away and be thankful you didnt put yourself and your child/family through steiner experience.

Enrol your child in a steiner institution and then wave goodbye to them!

[Rain17]

Sorry try this link: bit.ly/1iRYWuT

[Rain17]

You can do your own research on what Steiner has to say in his own words, on a number of things here: bit.ly/1iRYWu

Yes this is a Steiner-critical site. The links on that page go to the Steiner Estate's own online archive. You can also substitute your own search terms.

There is lots to read through. I would very seriously recommend this kind of research before sending a child to a Steiner school.

[Velvetbee]

Nasty accounts from my friends too, who tried Steiner before eventually home educating.
The little girl who was made to colour in a picture of Eve again because she had given her dark hair and 'Eve was blond'.
The boy who regressed in sleep and toiletting because he was bullied so badly but was told he was paying a karmic debt.
The mum who volunteered on nature trips but wasn't allowed to stop the children roaming all over the lanes including round blind bends because the 'nature spirits would protect them from any cars'.

[escaped]

I am talking from first hand recent experience of a steiner school.
We enrolled our child into this type of education based on their sales and promotional material and also their sincerity at open events. We are not hippies and we do not believe in anthroposophy. We didnt consider looking into the critics, as we simply didnt think it necessary, as we trusted what the school told us. This has taught us a very valuable life lesson! Do not trust or believe what they tell you, that is rule number 1. I applaud you for looking into this before you enrol your child into this kind of institution.
Our experience was not a good one. There are too many things to mention. Be prepared for the school to be secretive, misleading and not to tell you information regarding your child. Do not expect class reports, progress reports, notes or documentation of any kind to be kept or shared with you as a parent.
Our main issues were:
Bullying is out of control and accepted, dont expect bullying to be addressed or dealt with.
Safeguarding children isnt top on their priorities. Doors are unlocked and children often wander off around the building. The buildings are often unlocked, allowing anyone from general public to access the school and classrooms, without appropriate security. They are also allowed to climb as high as they like in trees without supervision.
Children are made to pray, chant and give thanks to god during the school day and before meal times. If the school say this doesnt happen (which they will), do not believe them, they will continue to do it behind your back. We do actually have a signed document from the school stating that they would not stop this activity and if our child didnt participate, he would he viewed as being disruptive. No facilities to eat food in school hall, it is all done in same classroom that they spend all day in. They do not deal with complaints and there is no central person responsible for anything in the school. They promote creativity, however they have to sit for long periods and copy exactly what the teacher does on blackboard and they are not allowed to use black crayons. The use of strapping weights around ankles and their inappropriate handling of children. There are endless things that I could detail of the eyebrow raising incidents that happened at this school. It is a dangerous shambles, steer clear.

There are many things I dont like about mainstream, however, experience has taught me that at least they are honest and truly bothered about children, I can say with certainty we did not get that from the steiner school we went to.
Please ensure that you read true accounts from critics, as a priority-this is the only way youll find out the facts.

We as a family have had an awful experience with steiner. I can only praise the hard work our sons teachers have since done to help bring our child back! He is now confident and is reading and writing! Steiner destroyed his personality and crushed his love of life-they tried to brainwash and control him.


There is an excellent blog to find current information : stop steiner in stroud, this will also provide you with other Useful links.
I hope you make the right decision.

[escaped]

I am talking from first hand recent experience of a steiner school.
We enrolled our child into this type of education based on their sales and promotional material and also their sincerity at open events. We are not hippies and we do not believe in anthroposophy. We didnt consider looking into the critics, as we simply didnt think it necessary, as we trusted what the school told us. This has taught us a very valuable life lesson! Do not trust or believe what they tell you, that is rule number 1. I applaud you for looking into this before you enrol your child into this kind of institution.
Our experience was not a good one. There are too many things to mention. Be prepared for the school to be secretive, misleading and not to tell you information regarding your child. Do not expect class reports, progress reports, notes or documentation of any kind to be kept or shared with you as a parent.
Our main issues were:
Bullying is out of control and accepted, dont expect bullying to be addressed or dealt with.
Safeguarding children isnt top on their priorities. Doors are unlocked and children often wander off around the building. The buildings are often unlocked, allowing anyone from general public to access the school and classrooms, without appropriate security. They are also allowed to climb as high as they like in trees without supervision.
Children are made to pray, chant and give thanks to god during the school day and before meal times. If the school say this doesnt happen (which they will), do not believe them, they will continue to do it behind your back. We do actually have a signed document from the school stating that they would not stop this activity and if our child didnt participate, he would he viewed as being disruptive. No facilities to eat food in school hall, it is all done in same classroom that they spend all day in. They do not deal with complaints and there is no central person responsible for anything in the school. They promote creativity, however they have to sit for long periods and copy exactly what the teacher does on blackboard and they are not allowed to use black crayons. The use of strapping weights around ankles and their inappropriate handling of children. There are endless things that I could detail of the eyebrow raising incidents that happened at this school. It is a dangerous shambles, steer clear.

There are many things I dont like about mainstream, however, experience has taught me that at least they are honest and truly bothered about children, I can say with certainty we did not get that from the steiner school we went to.
Please ensure that you read true accounts from critics, as a priority-this is the only way youll find out the facts.

We as a family have had an awful experience with steiner. I can only praise the hard work our sons teachers have since done to help bring our child back! He is now confident and is reading and writing! Steiner destroyed his personality and crushed his love of life-they tried to brainwash and control him.


There is an excellent blog to find current information : stop steiner in stroud, this will also provide you with other Useful links.
I hope you make the right decision.

[mathanxiety]

There is a lot of creativity coming out of DD4's RC parochial school and out of the older DCs' completely secular high school.

I knew it was a parochial school going in though. They are completely open about the philosophy behind it all.

I also knew it was a secular high school. I was therefore in the extreme to find DD3's English teacher telling the class all about her Buddhist beliefs. I would have been equally if she had brought up the subject of pixies with a straight face.

You are missing the point if you think the pixies, the bread-making and the willow basket weaving are central to it. All of that is a means to a spiritual end in Steiner ed.

[duchesse]

DD2 had a year 1 teacher (in her non-denominational state school) who was an Evangelical Christian. DD came home aged just 5 telling me all about how God created the earth. I explained about evolution. She said it was all nonsense and she believed Miss V. A few months later, having given it a lot of thought and processed it all, she suddenly à propos nothing at all announced that she "believed in the monkeys now". Once I'd worked out what on earth she was on about, I realised she was telling me that she thought evolution sounded more her thing than some dude making the earth in 6 days and everything in it. If a 5.5 year old can do that, I think they can also easily get over the gnomes, pixies and other woodfolk in due course. And it's not like Steiner children are being trained up to go around proselytising about the pixies either, nor to take over the world with their evil bread-making and willow-weaving. A lot of creativity coming out of those schools.

[intricqate]

Goodness! Yes, quite, nlondondad.

"You say you're 'involved' with a few. Did you join MN to comment?"

No, I've been on MN for years. I name changed for another, fairly innocuous, thread. I usually avoid the Steiner threads, as along with Steiner supporters the anti Steiner people also have historically tended to arrive and it can turn into quite the bunfight.

[nlondondad]

There is a danger here of an argument developing due to a confusion of language.

The Steiner system is defined within its own terms as not a religion but a "spiritual science"


For example:-

"This spiritual science is not trying to found either a new religion or a new religious sect of any kind. It hopes to be able to fulfill the tasks required spiritually of our contemporary culture."

Rudolf Steiner. Anthroposophy and Christianity. Spring Valley, NY: Anthroposophical Press, 1985. Page 1. (G. A. 155 lecture of July 13th 1914.)

So if you are a believer in the Steiner system, you will, in all sincerity, state it is not a religion. (And this is reinforced by the fact, that there is a Church, called the "Christian Community" that was set up by Steiner but of which not all Steiner followers are members. As Christian denominations go its hardly mainstream as it believes in reincarnation. It is organisationally distinct from the Steiner movement.)

However for people from outside the Steiner movement what they experience is that "spiritual science" based on the visions of Steiner has all the hallmarks of a religion. A religion which is essentially a form of esoteric gnosticism.

Because of its esoteric nature, the core teachers are not discussed with the un initiated. Originally they were secret but the Steiner organisation made the decision to publish the special lectures for the "First Class" as they felt the secrecy was no longer helpful, and was leading to criticism and the view that there was something to hide in them. But their existence is not publicised.

However it is my personal view that this results in a situation were most parents of children at Steiner schools have really no idea what is actually the world view behind what the schools do.

[JodieGarberJacob]

You say you're 'involved' with a few. Did you join MN to comment? We used to get abusive supporters descending on anti-Steiner threads but of late this has not been so obvious.

[intricqate]

Not at all muddled.
"Your last quote shows the importance of faith in spirituality"
I don't agree, that's only your own interpretation, the faith part

It is not taught, in that you are right, and is what I said, but nor is it lived. And there have been no prayers, to the sun, earth or god in any of the establishments I've been involved with.

My advice to the OP would be to do lots more research as Steiner schools don't suit everyone.

[Bilberry]

You are muddling 'faith' and 'established world religion'. Your last quote shows the importance of faith in spirituality to Steiner schools.

'non denominational' and 'non sectarian' are phrases referring to Christian organisations not linked to established denominations (Methodist, CofE, baptist, brethren, etc.) or churches (Roman catholic, Protestant, orthodox).

My point is faith in these schools may not be taught but it is lived. Perhaps you do not recognise the prayers as such? 'Good morning dear earth, good morning dear sun' is a prayer for me (but as a Christian it is wrong as it is not to God).

[intricqate]

I didn't mention the world secular. I said they weren't faith schools, and not affiliated to a religion. I mentioned that they study all/many world religions, as myth.


From York school, picked at random from many examples:

"While Rudolf Steiner was a Christian, he was clear that Steiner schools should not act to promulgate any religion. Steiner education draws upon the teachings of many religions during the educational process. While we enthusiastically celebrate the spiritual aspects of the major traditional festivals, these often have their roots far deeper in history than Christianity"

[JodieGarberJacob]

Non-denominational doesn't mean secular. It means it follows the Christian faith but is free of the 'add-ons' of organisations like CofE, Methodists, Baptists etc. So, yes, Steiner are faith schools.

[intricqate]

Have a look at the Steiner school websites. They describe themselves as non denominational. I've pasted a random few, but it's the same everywhere:

"Steiner Academy Exeter is a free, non denominational school for your community"

From the main Steiner site: "Steiner schools form the largest group of independent non-denominational private schools in the world."

"York Steiner School is a non-denominational, co-educational day school"

Wales: "Are Steiner schools religious?

Steiner schools are non-sectarian and non-denominational."

And as I mentioned above, Christianity is studied, as other religions are, but as myth.

[duchesse]

There are plenty of state-funded faith schools in Britain. Children and their parents are as free to believe the ethos in Steiner as they are in any school. That is all I will say on the subject.

[intricqate]

"So do all faith schools"

And non faith schools.

They're not faith schools, just ask anybody representing Steiner schools. I'm involved with a few and they don't say prayers or grace before meals. We're staunch atheists and would never have anything affiliated to Christian, or other, religion. No offense to those who do.

Festivals, many and varied, are celebrated, but they're also celebrated in non faith schools.

[Bilberry]

It is a faith school and their faith is lived more than taught. They say prayers, celebrate festivals, the whole approach of the school is from the basis of their faith. This is done to a far greater extent than for example a CofE primary. As a Christian, even at Kindy level there were things I was not comfortable with (eg. Daily Prayers and grace before meals thanking the sun, earth etc.). This is one of the principal reasons we didn't consider the school at all even without knowing what mathanxiety posted above. I would also say there is definitely something cult-ish about it all. And this is someone who thought the kindy was great for a year for each of my children!

Our kindy was also absolutely brilliant with sen kids so perhaps it was not representative (the kindy and school were seperate).

[mathanxiety]

Under no circumstances should you consider sending a child with SN to a Steiner school.

The way they teach (for example reading is not taught until a child loses milk teeth), the materials they use (gnomes to teach maths, other natural looking toys and dolls with no facial features), the decisions they make about promoting children up a class or retaining them (using head and neck measurements), the approach they have to bullying (all interaction between the children is about children finding their own karmic destiny and is not interfered with by the staff, so bullying can happen and it does), and most bizarrely, the way they approach Art are all based upon the theosophic philosophy of Rudolph Steiner, the 'occult science' he claimed was revealed to hm via clairvoyance. Anthroposophy permeates every single element of school life. It is not taught directly. But it permeates everything.

That being said, there is a lot of reference throughout the different class subjects to St Michael, demons, fairies, gnomes, holy people, OT stories outside of their Jewish or Christian context, the duality of dark and light.. There is a devil named Ahriman, personified in TV and other technology that admits outside thought into the home (computers, etc).

A student can get Art wrong in a Steiner school. Students are often not told what they are doing wrong in their Art, but they are allowed to know they are getting it wrong all the same. Colouring is done with large block crayons. No drawing of outlines is permitted (and no use of black or brown crayons and especially no use of the verboten markers in black or brown or any other colour for that matter). Students have to colour patches of the paper working from the centre outwards. Painting is limited to wet on wet watercolour and students are required to produce certain effects and stick to certain subjects. Self expression is discouraged. The point of art in a Steiner school is to 'cleanse' the child's soul and move him or her further along in a process of karmic self-actualisation. It's a moral exercise.

This is the point of the entire approach across all subjects, but in art it comes across most clearly. Teachers look for signs of karmic progress in the finished artwork. The ultimate aim is spiritual reincarnation of the child through Steiner education. Physical reincarnation is believed to be ongoing and cyclical. Individual attention to each child's different intellectual needs is not what you will find in a Steiner school -- children are made to fit into the Steiner mould. A child with SN is viewed as having a long way to go to attain spiritual reincarnation.

The most disturbing approach to a subject from an intellectual pov, one that reveals the Steiner philosophy and how deeply it is ingrained in everything a Steiner school does and everything it aims to do is the approach to history. History according to Steiner is the history of why white people are the superior beings. Students start to study history by immersing themselves in the world of myths and sagas with a heavy emphasis on Greek and northern European myths and heroes. The Greek and Aryan mythologies reinforce the idea of the superiority of white people. Myth and legend are elevated alongside factual history -- nonsense and intuition are elevated to the level of verifiable fact, or fact is dragged down to the level of superstition, whichever way you want to look at it. This happens in science too.

[mrz]

So do all faith schools

[intricqate]

They're not faith schools. They study stories, myths and legends from many faiths and sources. Have a look at their syllabus.

[Bilberry]

Hedgehog we had to sign the usual form about sun cream, first aid etc. Arnica cream was the only 'alternative' medicine no homeopathy. Most teachers and parents probably believed in homeopathy but they would not have used it without consent.

Isn't there still an NHS Homeopathic hospital boasting of the benefits of wasted money, placebos and regression to mean homeopathy?

[Hedgehogsrule]

Apparently they treat children with homeopathic medicines - which have been thoroughly discredited.