January 2005

With education issues constantly in the media spotlight, and concerns over testing, exclusion and bullying in schools nationwide, it’s hardly surprising that a lot of parents are thinking about how best to prepare their young for their future in this world.
Steiner Education is the leading and fastest growing International Curriculum, with more than 800 schools worldwide and rising. Brighton Steiner School caters for children aged from 16 months to 16 years.
Within the Early Years Curriculum the emphasis is placed on the rounded development of the young child. The emphasis is on play, developing imagination and acquiring social skills - the building blocks for problem-solving and communication skills that are vital to academic success. In Parent and Toddler group (16 months-3yrs) the aim is to provide a friendly introduction to Steiner education for parents and a welcoming space for their little ones to play. The Playgroup and Kindergarten, catering for 3-4 and 4-6 year olds respectively, are also warm and homelike. They contain a kitchen area, sofa and small sized chairs and tables, and a seasonal nature table. Toys are simple natural ones such as baskets filled with wood, fir cones and pebbles, soft coloured materials and play frames. The children create houses, magical castles and secret dens using these props and their own imagination.
Creating a good, strong, daily rhythm helps children to feel safe and know what is expected of them, so few verbal instructions are needed: rather they copy and imitate the teachers.Under sevens are full of movement and do not want to sit still for long. Therefore an important aspect of the curriculum is creative play and engaging in social activity.
Healthy foods are encouraged right through the school – from toddler to teenager – with pre-packaged foods in lunchboxes discouraged. Children in the kindergartens and playgroups make their own bread, and their mid-morning snack is a different grain each day. In the Kindergartens children help to make vegetable soup, learning how to cut up vegetables and stir the soup.
Certain activities which may be considered ‘frills’ in mainstream schools are central in Steiner schools: art, music, drama and foreign languages, to name a few. In the younger classes, all subjects are introduced through artistic mediums, because the children respond better to this than to dry lecturing and rote learning.
Steiner teachers are dedicated to creating a genuine love of learning within each child. By freely using arts and activities in teaching academic subjects, teachers develop an internal motivation to learn in the students, rather than relying on competitive testing and grading.
One new parent’s experience of Brighton Steiner School speaks for itself: “Now out of the State system which was clearly not working for him, my son is no longer treated as a child who is not meeting targets. His confidence has grown and he comes home chatting excitedly about what he has learnt. Having left his primary school barely able to read, and hating the reading he was forced to do, he is now a competent and enthusiastic reader.”
Brighton Steiner school runs regular tours and Open Days for prospective parents. The next Early Years Open Day is on March 4. For more information call 01273 386300 or visit the website www.brightonsteinerschool.org.uk