Steiner Academy: the first state-funded Steiner school

Case study

Steiner Academy is the first state-funded Steiner school in the UK, taking over from a village school originally set up by parents in Herefordshire. The new school has enabled this radical model of learning to become available to the wider community.

Key facts

Type of school: academy
Number on roll: 315
Age range: 3-16
Cost of development: £5.2 million (partial rebuild)
Date completed: Due for completion April 2011

Background

Situated in rural Herefordshire, this is the first state-funded Steiner school in the UK. Based on the principles of Steiner education, it takes a radically different approach to the learning process from the traditional state-run model, and the transition from the previous independent, parent-run village school operating on Steiner lines to an all-through academy has been particularly challenging. There have been many examples where compromise was required to accommodate current legislation, but while this school is still very much a work in progress, the strong governing body, effective leadership from the principal, highly committed teaching staff, positive and supportive parent body, and articulate and enthusiastic students all contribute to making this a valuable and vital contribution towards choice and diversity in the UK education system. There are waiting lists for almost every class.

Vision

Rudolf Steiner summarised his approach to learning as ‘the need for imagination, a sense of truth and a feeling of responsibility’. Steiner’s method has been practised for over 80 years and there are 1,000 Steiner schools today worldwide, 650 of them in Europe. Steiner education may be used with children irrespective of academic ability, class, ethnicity or religion and it takes account of the needs of the whole child – academic, physical, emotional and spiritual. It is based on the relevance of different phases and maturation processes of child development and develops a love of learning and an enthusiasm for school.

Stakeholders

Along with staff and governors, the sponsoring organisation – the national Steiner schools movement (Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship, or SWSF) – clearly takes a key role. Parents are considered to be one of the most important partners in the development of the academy, and more recently the local authority has proved to be a positive and helpful partner. Hereford Sixth Form College is an important stakeholder, as is the University of Plymouth, which has been leading on research into the outcomes of such a radical model of learning.

Consultation

The consultation process in the early days was very challenging, and progress was slowed by an initially cool response from the local authority, which had significant doubts about setting up an academy in the county; the local community, which feared a big increase in traffic in this very small village; and some of the parents who were resistant to state involvement. However, over the last two years a relentless concentration on dispelling myths and reassurances about high standards have led to improved relationships with all the above parties. Students themselves are consulted regularly about the new school buildings and the protocols of the day-to-day running of the school.

Transformational change

There is a later start into formal learning, and, as demonstrated in the video, children are allowed to play and explore their world. The day is divided into two-hour themed blocks, followed by multi-dimensional sessions including academic work and creative and physical activities. A wide range of subjects is covered. In addition to the usual subject areas, all children from the age of seven learn a modern foreign language. (One of the lessons shown in the video, which was filmed in temporary accommodation, shows a Year 4 lesson taken entirely in Spanish.) Students also study landcrafts, ecology and green woodwork. There is a strong emphasis on working together, talking, negotiation skills and sharing experience, which is known here as ‘relational consciousness’. There is a concerted move to accredit some of the Steiner qualifications rather than relying on more traditional measures.

Lessons learned

Be ready to offer flexible solutions without compromising key principles, and be clear about the basis of change. Radical changes will require significant discussions with the Department for Education and other statutory bodies, and these need to be planned as early as possible. Don’t underestimate the time and energy required to bring about radical change.

Impact

Most importantly, the students are thriving and making rapid progress. They are fully engaged in their learning at the academy, and are resilient learners when they pass into the state system at 16, where they generally achieve highly. The parents are very positive about the choices that have been made, and are most supportive of the work of the school. The high level of national interest in the school has had both positive and negative effects and the delicate negotiations that have fallen to the principal have absorbed a great deal of time.

Next steps

Finish the building programme.
Continue the debate about assessment and testing with the Department for Education and Ofsted.
Continue to develop an accredited set of assessments that compare with GCSEs and A-levels.
Promote the advantages of small-school thinking and the idea of a studio academy.