Curriculum and Organisation

Don't miss the school's Annual General Meeting at 7 pm on Thursday 8 November. As an added incentive, we're going to provide lots of lovely cake and combine the meeting with a showing of a short film about Steiner education.

Activities in a Steiner school follow natural rhythms, allowing the child to feel secure and confident. The classroom is a space which becomes learning and where the child can feel safe to grow. In this rich, secure environment, children learn to share, work together, speak for themselves, listen and cooperate.

Steiner Waldorf schools implement a distinctive curriculum that has been developing over the last 85 years in schools all around the world. Exeter Steiner School aims to provide this curriculum in a conscious and relevant way. We are always striving to create an educational experience of the highest quality by providing ongoing staff training and through the study of anthroposophy. All staff continually work to identify, understand and meet the individual's emotional, academic, physical and spiritual needs. Rudolf Steiner's original curriculum aims to meet the developing child's faculties of thinking, feeling and willing or doing. These are addressed in an appropriate way depending on age, temperament and situation, and are taken into full consideration when planning lesson structures, weekly, monthly and yearly rhythms, in the decisions of subject matter, and timing and method of presentation.

The classes provide a main lesson experience that is unique to the Steiner educational movement. This main lesson is an opportunity to study a subject for two hours every morning over a three or four week period after which this subject is allowed to rest and a new one introduced. Subjects are then revisited later in the school year.

How the School is Organised

The school community comprises three groups of adults with differing responsibilities, all of which are essential for the school to function and meet its educational aims. The teachers and administration staff, the trustees and the parents' prime roles and organisation are as follows:

Teachers

There is no head teacher at the school and the teachers' group meets weekly and deals with the various functions of the head teacher. The teachers' group is responsible for all issues relating to the education of the individual child, the whole child and the developing child, and concerns itself with environmental, social and organisational issues relating to Steiner Waldorf education. The group works in cooperation with the trustees of the school.

Administration

The school's administrator manages the general day-to-day affairs. The financial administration is managed by the finance group comprising the treasurer (who is also a trustee), and the assistant financial offers, responsible for fees and wages.

Trustees

The school is a registered charity and the trustees of the school are legally responsible for the school's affairs and meet fortnightly during term time to oversee and direct the running of the school and delegate duties as necessary. Their duty is to ensure that the school keeps to its agreed aims and objectives, and that all necessary arrangements are in place to enable the teachers to teach. Meetings are regularly attended by representatives of the teachers' group and administration staff.

An Annual General Meeting of the entire school community is held each year, which all are encouraged to attend, and at which trustees stand for election for a one year term of office. A list of trustees in office is displayed on the school notice board. New trustees are welcome and may either be parents or individuals from outside the school community.

Parental Participation

Parental Participation is an important element in Steiner education. The school was started by parents and parental involvement continues to be central to the school's life and well being. Parents and friends are encouraged and expected to help in whatever way they feel able, whether it is mending equipment, helping at a fundraising event or maintaining the grounds and buildings. We organise lectures and workshops for parents to find out more about Steiner education and related topics. There is a reference library, and a variety of social events and a number of working groups to become involved with. We hope that families will enjoy the community spirit that surrounds the school and discover an environment in which they can grow and make new friends.

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